Opportunity for First-Timers
Even experienced children's authors & illustrators like these had to start somewhere.
( l-r Jen Mc Veity, Felicity Marshall, Krista Bell, (Hazel), Meredith Costain, Corinne Fenton, Susanne Gervay)
Photo credit: Meredith Fuller
Picture Book Opportunity for First-Timers
Schools set create-a-book projects and adults wish to design their own. Many ask Hazel for mentoring hints.
Most first-timers do not realise creating picture books is a BIG challenge.
So , as an inbetween step, Hazel offered her text (words) based on existing, unpublished stories for students to use.
To encourage:
- beginners to explore techniques based on an existing manuscript
- appreciation of the time and skills needed in creating a work
- discussion of issues within the stories
- diversity of cross cultural stories & viewpoints
Picture Book Text for YOU to illustrate
A new story 'Body Parts' by Hazel has been added here so you can experiment with it as a picture book project.
(Rights remain of original text with Hazel Edwards)
Body Parts for Hazel Edwards' Picture Book Exercise_.pdf
This is also suitable for teenagers and family historians to illustrate.
Hints
A picture book is usually 24 or 32 pages.
- Allow thinking/planning time.
- Look at lots of picture books for design ideas.
- Play with a storyboard,deciding where text and illustrations will go.
- Where will you make the page breaks? Allow for title page and endpapers.
- Design a cover so the title can be easily read and illustrations hint at the most important ideas in the story.
- Add names of author and illustrator(you).
- Or make a dummy book. Consider an app?
- Decide on the kind of illustrations: Photos? Cartoons? Collage? Pen and ink? Colour?
- Who will be your audience? Age? Reading ability?
- Write a 2 line back cover blurb
Use one of the hippo books as a model for the page layout of your book.
Useful Links:
Five Senses Education published Hazel's stories for younger readers in collections called 'Like Me, Volume One' and 'Like Me Volume Two''
The Business of Writing for Young People
Latest News
Stay connected with Hazel!
Events & Appearances 2021
Private online mentoring 'Complete Your Book in a Year'
2021
JANUARY
Jan 12th ZOOM U3A Nunawading Summer School 'Complete Your Book in a Year'
FEBRUARY
14th-20th Society of Women Writers Vic Book here. 'For the Love of Writing' Festival
Feb 16th ZOOM 'Role of New Media'
Feb 20th 12.15 ZOOM with Suzanne Gervay 'The Two of Us: Collaborating'