Plot Ptch Template Use the template below as a gude for orgazg the text of your story. Ths template s a suggesto of how the text of a 14-page chldre s pcture storybook could be orgazed. It does ot clude the llustratos. Boxes 1 ad 8 are oe-page spreads. *Boxes 2-7 represet two-page spreads 1 Itroduce characters. Establsh the settg. 2 Itroduce the ma coflct. 3 Actos take to deal wth the coflct. Resultg complcatos. 4 Actos take to deal wth the coflct. Resultg complcatos. 5 Actos take to deal wth the coflct. Resultg complcatos. 6 Clmax. Presetato of the correct acto for solvg the coflct. 7 Examato of the ma character s feelgs. 8 Resoluto. ( Tuck the ma character.) Plot Ptch Peer Questos Use the followg questos to help develop feedback durg the plot ptch peer sesso actvty. 1. Does the ma character have oe or more detfable trats that appeal to chldre? 2. Is the coflct somethg that a chld wll uderstad? 3. Does the ma character attempt at least three dfferet actos a edeavor to solve the coflct? 4. Is the coflct resolved through the ma character s self-relace? 5. Overall, does the plot have turablty potetal? Wll the reader be draw by the plot ad wat to tur each page to fd out what happes ext? 6. Wll the reader care about what happes to the ma character? 7. Where are the more exctg places? 8. Where are the places that eed more zp added to them? 6
Your Plot Outle Ttle: 1. Itroduce character & settg 2. Itro ma coflct 3. Itro ma coflct 4. Actos take to resolve coflct 5. Resultg complcatos 6. Actos take to resolve coflct 7. Resultg complcatos 8. Actos take to resolve coflct 9. Resultg complcatos 10. Clmax, correct acto for coflct 11. Clmax, correct acto for coflct 12. Examato of ma character s feelgs 13. Examato of ma character s feelgs 14. Resoluto 7
Tps for Wrtg a Chldre s Pcture Storybook Defto Chldre s Pcture Storybook A work wrtte for chldre that uses both text ad llustratos to preset a smple plot. Format Most pcture books average 30 pages, cosstg of 14 to 16 two-page spreads. A spread s the two pages of a ope book. Text The text of a chldre s book should be orgazed to smple seteces ad short paragraphs. The use of actve verbs wll keep the story vvd the reader s md. Chldre s book authors employ lterary tools to help make the story more vvd the reader s md. Rhythm, allterato, repetto, refras, oomatopoea, smle, persofcato, rhyme, ad magery are commoly used devces. Cosder edg each page wth a questo or other method that sparks the reader s curosty for what wll happe ext. Repeatg a phrase throughout the story wll help hold your reader s atteto. Use a questo at the ed of the page to help move your reader to the ext page. Illustratos Some pcture books have a llustrato o the frot cover that presets the ma coflct or pot of the story. The llustratos are usually created after the text has bee wrtte. Illustratos serve as a parter to the text. Characterzato The ma character should have oe or two easly detfable domat trats. Preset the trats of your characters through both the llustratos ad text. Youg chldre should be able to easly detfy wth the domat trats. Avod usg text to preset detaled descrptos of what the characters look lke. Let the llustratos preset the physcal detals of the character. Coflct Lmt your story to just oe coflct that the ma character must overcome. The ma character should be able to deal wth the ma coflct cocrete terms. The ma character should resolve the coflct hm- or herself. Four of the most commo types of coflct are dvdual vs. dvdual, dvdual vs. socety, dvdual vs. ature, ad dvdual vs. self. Some of the most commo cocers of chldre clude acceptace by others, famly dyamcs, physcal growth (especally sze ad looks), ad fear of the ukow (e.g., learg somethg ew, partcpatg a ew actvty, gog to a ew place, gettg lost). Plot A sold, well-developed plot s essetal to creatg a good chldre s book. The resoluto of the coflct should teach a lesso. However, the lesso should ot be told a ddactc way but stead be preseted drectly through the plot. Jump rght to the ma coflct of the story. Flashbacks should be used wth 8
Story Map Ttle: Clmax: R s g 10. 11. 9. 12. 13. 8. 14. 7. F a l l g A c t o 6. 5. 4. Coflct: Resoluto: 3. 2. Major Characters: 1. Mor Characters: Settg: Author s Theme: 9
Publshg Tps Keep these tps md as you prepare to wrte the fal copy ad publsh your chldre s pcture book. Text tps: Proofread the text before placg t the fal copy of your book. The short, compact ature of chldre s pcture books does ot leave room for error. Eve oe mstake the text ca ru the etre work. Illustrato tps: Pay atteto to copyrght for the mages that you use. Do t worry that your artwork s ot good eough to use as llustratos. The llustratos should serve as a vsual commucato of the plot. Smply draw stck fgures are all that s eeded f the story s wellwrtte. The chldre s book Harold ad the Purple Crayo s a good example of ths. Book-bdg tps: Staple the book o the sde. The glue a strp of rbbo or costructo paper over the staples for a more aesthetcally pleasg look. Tape the pages together. Aga, you ca decorate the spe wth rbbo or costructo paper. Sew the book together wth eedle ad thread. See http://www.sff.et/ 10