Resource Sharing: Reading as Research

Check out the amazing presenters in this year's ReFoReMo.

Early in 2016, I found a link to something called ReFoReMo (Reading for Research Month).  I promptly signed up.  After all, since I'd committed to reading 1,000 picture books in 2016, I might as well get the most out of them.

Boy, did ReFoReMo help.  A wonderful community of writers shared tools for keeping track of reading, approaches to texts, and success stories from authors who had truly turned their reading into research for their own stories.

I discovered some of my new favorite picture books during ReFoReMo last year, and I look forward to seeing what I'll discover this year.  Sign-ups start on Feb. 15.  I have my calendar marked.  I hope you'll join me.

Find out more at ReFoReMo 2017.

Resource Sharing: Romelle Broas on Using Mentor Texts

I've read over 300 books so far in 2016.  These are some of my favorites that have 

become my mentor texts.  

Before I started on my ReFoReMo journey this month, I downloaded Romelle Broas’ carefully critical Mentor Text Worksheet from the ReFoReMo blog.  I didn't print it out, but it was so thoughtfully arranged, I saved it on my desktop and tucked it in my mental file—To Deal With Later.

Then as I read through the mentor texts, I fell in love with a few of them. I read and reread them, trying to figure out why I found them so compelling. They were books I wish I had written, books like the ones I wanted to write. 

So I opened the Broas’ worksheet and looked at it again.  Then, I made a little folder on my desktop, copied the PDF into a Word document that I could easily edit, and began filling in the worksheets for the twenty or so books that I’d already decided I wanted to study from the first week's reading. 

Broas’ talks about how to approach mentor texts (and how to use her worksheet) on a guest post in Carrie Charley Brown’s site, but Broas' blog is also a rich resource.  On Feb. 8, 2016 she posted a wonderful analysis of breaking the fourth wall in picture books.  I signed up for her blog updates.  I can’t wait to see what she’ll do next.

Resource Sharing: Linda Ashman's Dialogue Manuscripts

If you didn't sign up for ReFoReMo this year, put in on your calendar for 

next year.  Only five days in and I've learned so much.  I've been so inspired

that I've already written this month's 12 x 12 draft.  Great stuff.  Highly

recommended.

I'm participating in Read for Research Month (ReFoReMo) this year.  I'm reading books I may never have found otherwise and being inspired by writers I love.  I'm also learning some new tricks that will help me bring some projects that have been in my head for a while into the world.  I love ReFoReMo and I'm so thankful to Carrie Charley Brown and Kirsti Call for bringing this fun challenge into the world.

This is the first part of the first page of Linda Ashman's picture book 

No Dogs Allowed.  You'll find the rest of the manuscript at the bottom 

of Linda's web page.  

One of the wonderful resources I've found is from the author Linda Ashman.  She introduced participants to the idea of a dialogue story.  I love these stories.  However, I'm not an illustrator, so I've felt as if this type of story was beyond me. (Picture book writers are frequently warned about not including too many illustration notes.)  Linda directed us to the bottom of her webpage where she has writer resrouces, including her manuscript submissions for four of her dialogue stories.  Yowzah.  Yippee.  I'm a huge fan of model texts.  I'm so thankful that Linda generously shared these files with us.  Now, in addition to being able to write the pictures I've been seeing in my head, I'm also inspired to revise an exisiting manuscript into a dialogue story--the story it has wanted to be all along.

Thank you Carrie, Kirsti, and Linda for helping me learn new tricks.

Resource Sharing: Reading for Research Month

As part of my 1,000 picture book challenge, I’ve also signed up for ReFoReMo.  This challenge, co-founded by Carrie Charlie Brown and Kirsti Call, invites picture book writers to explore the form in depth with mentor texts, guest chats and posts, tools for examining mentor texts, and general advice to would-be picture book writers.

The reading list for the first three weeks was posted today, and though I’ve already read a number of books on the list, there are enough new ones on the list that I’m already excited to find more writers and illustrators to fall in love with. 

The challenge includes both fiction and non-fiction picture books and a number of guest bloggers to help the reader get the most from mentor texts.  I’m excited to take part in what will really just be an extension of the challenge I gave myself to read 1,000 picture books this year. 

I’m already well ahead of my 1,000 PB challenge quota.  I’ve read 186 picture books so far and I’ve found some new writers to fall in love with.  I’m especially enjoying the non-fiction picture books I’ve been reading.  I look forward to strengthening my manuscripts with expert advice from these mentor texts. 

Join me in Reading for Research Month.  The added bonus is that carrying home 30-40 picture books every few days is also helping me with upper body strength.