Week of WOW Non-Fiction

If you are interested in writing non-fiction picture books, I can't think of many better resources than Kristen Fulton's Non-Fiction Archaeology. To get a taste of her teaching style and to find out if NFA classes are for you (HINT: they are!) maybe you'll join me and other picture book writers next week for Week-of-Writing NonFicPic.

You can find the details on Kristen's website. WOW NonFicPic is a week's worth of webinars and assignments to guide you to the heart of your non-fiction stories.

There's still time to register

I've done WOW before, but with several ideas languishing in my file, I thought this was the perfect opportunity to build them into the stories I envision. And if you are still at the idea stage? No problem. By week's end Kristen's techniques will have your idea file bursting at the seams.

If you're participating, I'd love to hear from you. I'll see you in class!

Did You Finish NaPiBoWriWee?

Did you participate in Paula Yoo's National Picture Book Writing Week?

How many stories did you draft?

Mark your calendar for May 1-7 2016

I was able to finish well with two wordless storyboards, five first drafts, one rewrite of a previously unsuccessful manuscript, and three false starts which showed me those PiBoIdMo ideas may not be picture books after all.

If you didn't accomplish as much, that's okay. It's not easy. This was my third year of NaPiBoWriWee. I have a system in place and was able to do some prep back in March. This event was particularly important to me this year, and so I put aside other important projects to focus on Napi almost exclusively. Just don't ask me how much illustration I finished in the last two weeks.

Feel like you missed out?

Why not join me and dozens of other writers as we take up the next challenge?

Register for the NonFicPic WOW 2015

Seven days of drafting, just like NaPiBoWriWee, but this time writing your nonfiction picture book ideas.
There's still time to register and research, outline and organize. Find helpful resources on Kristen's website. Join the Facebook group and dig in!

Mountains of Research

Participating in the Mini Non-Fiction WOW this weekend forced me to face some questions I'd been avoiding. The most important question being, "Where do I start my research?"

Sarah Gives Thanks,
written by Mike Allegra
and Illustrated by David Gardner

Here are three good places to start researching your next non-fiction picture book.

1. From Mike Allegra, author of Sarah Gives Thanks, via Susanna Leonard Hill, Find a source for unique information, like diaries and letters.


I did do a lot of research on Sarah. The first thing I did was buy books about her, including an excellent (out of print) book from the 1930s titled The Lady of Godey’s by Ruth Finely. The bulk of my research, however, was done at The Library Company, an archive in Philadelphia that had an incredible collection of Sarah’s writings. I found tons of information there that ended up in my story – information that no other author had used before.


2. From Nancy I. Sanders, who is currently posting a guide to writing NF, Buy lots of books.

Personally, I love to read children’s books on my topic because of a number of fantastic reasons:
1) These books are written in the language kids need to read . . .
2) These books often include highlights of my topic . . .
3) These books help me quickly get a good feel for my topic . . .
4) These books help round out my research . . .
5) These books make great resources to list at the back of MY picture book . . .

So go ahead and look for a whole bunch of children’s books on your topic.

[Then] gather MORE research books for your nonfiction picture book that you’re writing . . . This time, look for current nonfiction reliable books for adults on your topic. 

3. From Kristen McGill Fulton's article for The Children's Book Academy, Google it. Search news archives, historical societies, and ancestral records.

here is how to begin your research process.

1. Get an account with easybib.com, it's free.
2. Google everything about the subject and print off each document.
3. Visit www.uspto.gov and search for basic marks about my subject.
4.  membership with http://newspaperarchive.com.
5. Buy every book that you can get your hands on about the subject.
6. Call local historical societies in the town/state/country where the event happened, person lived or person is buried. 

7. Get a membership with ancestry.com.
8. begin reading.
9. Go back to the internet and search what life, weather and other historical events were happening during this time.
10. Visit the site. 

  

     In other words, there is no secret formula, no place to start but at the top of the pile. Dig in, and don't come up for air until you find the nuggets you can build your story around. Then dive in again, this time with more purpose. Non-fiction research is not for the faint of heart.

'Scuse me, I've got some more reading to do.

Have you been working on a non-fiction writing project? Have an organized system for documentation? A web-site you swear by? A how-to book you can't live without? Please share it with us as we persevere toward our NF goals.