Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #PBChat
Most recents (5)
SEEKING PBCHAT VOLUNTEERS (Applications in thread below).
#PBChat is possible thanks to the PBChat community and many generous mentors and donors over the years. But the administrative end of it all has largely been a solo effort. pt1
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#PBChat is possible thanks to the PBChat community and many generous mentors and donors over the years. But the administrative end of it all has largely been a solo effort. pt1
Please retweet
During #PBChat's application, mentorship, & showcase period, it easily requires 45+ hours a week (a conservative #), solo— a full-time, non-paying job. For this reason, it's become too difficult to manage the Twitter chats, mentorship & my writing career (w/out burning out). pt2
Since pandemic began, PBChat's Twitter events have grown more infrequent. Not only would I love to see #PBChat become consistent again, I'd love to see it expand. I have LOTS of exciting ideas for free & accessible events, opportunities & outreach w/in & beyond our community. p3
As #PitchWars is ending, I just wanted to do a master-list of all the mentorship programs that are out there. If you know of another one, please feel free to tell me and I'll add it onto the thread.
Thank you to @AngelDiZhang for the idea! I'll steal @molly_katheryn and @gigigriffis's lists as they're already there (as part of WTMP's Open Inbox). I also saw @ByGeorgeJreije's list! He's addicted to mentoring so he knows what he's talking about.
Let's start with my own program to get it out the way--WTMP! @writeteammentor is a mentorship program focused on community and support with a biennial mentorship program. It will return in 2023. bit.ly/3qQbOqU
I would like to thank my #PBChat mentor, @MichaelBSussman. I learned much from him; about writing, life, and suffering. Mainly suffering. Consider the following:
Our very first session was unscheduled. He called me at 4:30 a.m. on a Sunday. Michael said he first had to break me down as a writer, before he could rebuild me. That I must write blindfolded, with my feet in ice water, and that he himself had done that for years.
Michael’s first advice was that my picture book stories should be written with the tears of all writers who preceded me. I found that inspiring, though baffling.
I've been reading a TON of picture book submissions lately, from agents, Twitter pitches, conference attendees, etc. Easily 20 per day. One question that keeps nagging at me when I read them is: How is this story going to stand out? #PBChat
The polite way of stating this is: What is the hook? The blunt way of stating this is: What is the point?
A hook is something publishers & booksellers can get behind to propel your book into the hands of customers. And a hook can an be a HUGE variety of things. (To be clear, a book also has to be SO MUCH MORE than just a hook. It also has to be excellent in its own right.) Examples:
Mary asked me how Snappsy was formatted! Let me show you. @Daizylublue @gschoeffield5 @AmyMMiller1 #PBChat (thread)
In all the early manuscripts -- my first drafts, the draft that got an agent, the draft that got a book deal -- Snappsy's speech was not in bubbles, but in dialog tags, like this. 
And this. (Note: this is the one and only art note in the manuscript.)
