Ask a Picture Book Editor
How to make your plot
pack a punch!
Last month we talked
about how to avoid your plot feeling dull and reading like a list. This month
we’ve got some tips on how to make sure there’s enough action and adventure in
your story.
Why bother?
Action and adventure
grip your reader and keep them engaged with your book.
What are the pitfalls?
Too much action - your
storyline becomes confused and chaotic. Resist the urge to cram too much into 12 story spreads.
Too little action - the
story feels flat, a bit ‘so what?’. It certainly won’t make the reader want to
pick your book up again.
One of the biggest
comments editors make about picture book submissions is that they lack action
and drama. Crafting a fast-paced adventure story in 32 pages is certainly tough,
but it can be done!
Dragon Stew by Steve Smallman, illustrated by Lee Wildish, is a witty, high-octane adventure
story that takes a bunch of bored Vikings around the world on the hunt for a
tasty dragon to put in a stew. (Oh, and it’s also in rhyme!) It’s a cleverly
crafted text and it fits neatly into a classic 12-spread structure.
 |
| Dragon Stew by Steve Smallman, illustrated by Lee Wildish |
Here’s a quick
overview:
1 - We meet our cast who are BORED.
2 - They think of some things they could do to
pass the time. <which are FUNNY!>
3 - They decide to hunt for a dragon.
4 - They pack their longboat and head off to sea.
5 - There’s a storm. <Oh, no!>
They meet a squelchy
squeezy GIANT squid <This is getting bad . . .>
Who they defeat
<Hooray!>
6 - They sail on and on until the sandwiches are
gone <Shock, horror.>
Then they meet a killer
whale. <Golly!>
7 - They trek over beaches, and bogs, and fallen
logs. <The going’s getting tough – they’re taking on all sorts of
terrain.>
Until they find a
gleaming, steaming pile of dragon poo.
8 - They struggle up a steep knobbly, bobbly
(suspiciously dragon-y) hill.
9 - They come face to face with the dragon.
<He’s terribly friendly. Phew!>
10 - The Vikings ATTACK. <Poor dragon.>
11 - But the dragon expertly sees them off and . .
.
12 - The Vikings are left, where they were at the
start . . .BORED!
Phew! What a romp! So
much happens!
So how can you make
sure that your adventure story packs as much of a punch?
Here are 4 top tips to
help you.
1 KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR TARGET
What is the core plot
line at the centre of your story? In Dragon
Stew it’s ‘a bunch of bored Vikings go on a quest to find a dragon’. When
you’ve nailed it, DO NOT deviate from it. Keep your eye on it. Make sure your
characters are focused on getting to their finale. It’s your job to get your
characters (and therefore your reader) from A to B as seamlessly as possible.
2 KEEP YOUR NARRATIVE SIMPLE AND LINEAR
12 spreads isn’t much
space so don’t get bogged down in side plots, character twists, and other
creative tangents. Make each of your action plot points relevant to the central
storyline. In Dragon Stew, a lot of
the action occurs at sea – the storm, the squid, the killer whale – and the
plot points are relevant to the setting. When they reach land they travel over
beaches, bogs, logs until they climb the suspiciously dragon-y hill. Each
jigsaw piece fits neatly with the overarching quest to find a dragon, it
progresses the plot and draws the reader along for the ride.
3 STITCH THE SPREADS TOGETHER SEAMLESSLY
In picture book
writing, flow is key to making an involved narrative enjoyable to read and preventing it
from becoming fractured and disjointed. Avoid jumping from moment to moment or
spread to spread with no thought as to how your protagonists move from one moment (or place)
to another.
4 DON’T GET SIDETRACKED BY SPEECH
Dialogue in picture
books is great for developing character and progressing plot, but make sure
whatever speech you include isn’t cluttering the action and slowing the pace of
your story. It needs to be clear who’s speaking and that what they’re
saying is integral to the moment and keeping the plot and storyline MOVING FORWARDS at all times.
 |
They hurried on until they saw a knobbly,
bobbly hill.
“Let’s climb it!” Loggi Longsocks said, “We’ll
get a better view!”
“Are we there yet?” grumbled Yop as they
struggled to the top.
Then they all shouted together, “OI, DRAGON, WHERE ARE YOU?”
|
Here’s a good example
of where the speech weaves neatly into the story, clarifies the
action and moves the story forward.
In summary:
An
action-packed plot doesn’t mean a lot of convoluted twists and turns. Remember
to keep your eye on the main story, make sure your plot points are exciting, pertinent
and segue neatly from one to the next. And keep it simple!
Natascha Biebow is
an experienced editor, mentor and coach, who loves working with authors
and illustrators at all levels to help them to shape their stories. www.blueelephantstoryshaping.com
Check out the Cook Up a Picture Book Coaching Courses.
Talk about useful! Thanks, Natascha and Ellie!
ReplyDeleteTalk about useful! Thanks, Natascha and Ellie!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great and informative post! I think if some one want to learn English at home so they should create the environment to improve their English. and they also should speak English in their daily activities summary vs. paraphrase
ReplyDelete