Writing Blog, Post One!

For my writing 320R class, I was required to write a picture book. Since I’m unfamiliar with the genre, I took a magical trip to the children’s section of the library and tried to observe the

market. Basically, I read a whole slew of picture books, aiming to gain a better understanding of the craft. Through observing the works, I attempted to understand what worked well and what didn’t. My overall goal was to learn what picture books were like, and my
sampling gave me a general idea.

The Three Pigs by David Wiesner was my favorite, thanks to its unique style and fun storyline. Another good read was Marette on the High Wire, which whisked me away to a realistic fantasy. Of course, I found a few boring books, which I promptly put back on the shelf. Through reading the books, I thought of a style I could develop, and observed picture book elements I disliked.

In my writing journal, I wrote the following passage: Quite frankly, I can’t tell if my picture book is stupid or actually good, so I’m anxious to hear what my class has to say. Basically, I meant that I need feedback from others to gain an honest understanding of my manuscript. I may believe something is well written, but it could actually be awful. I hope the peer-reviewing system helps me produce the best work possible, exposing me to new ideas that will help strengthen my story.

I’m eager for class feedback, and
can’t wait to see how my picture book manuscript improves with feedback!