The Perfect Fit
There are so many possibilities to explore as a writer. Do I want to write for children or adults? What genre am I attracted to? Where would my style, voice and natural technique be best suited? Do I have to choose just one or can I dabble in a few? Lately I’ve been thinking about this a lot and I thought I’d share my conclusions with you (mainly because I’m a chronic oversharer :P).
When I started writing I always thought I’d be purely a children’s author. As my website reflects, this is a huge part of my dream and having worked with kids as a teacher before having kids of my own, it seemed like a perfect fit. I’m passionate about giving kids hope in a world that can sometimes be overwhelmingly sad and depressing and I think books are one powerful way of achieving that. But then I began to learn more about the kidlit industry and I discovered just how broad and diverse it actually is. There are picture books, chapter books, mid-grade novels, YA novels, graphic novels as well as the absolutely beautiful verse novels, just to name a few. And then there’s genres and sub-genres to think about. Where did I fit? What was right for me?
I’ve only been able to work that out for myself over time. I’ve spent the past four years writing seriously and I can honestly say I keep coming back to one style of writing, my very favourite sort of book above all others, the magnificent picture book. After learning more about me, how I write and my strengths and style, I believe that picture books suit me best. I love the rhythm, the sparseness of words and the ultimate challenge to tell a rip-roaring story in less than 500 words (less than 300 words is even better). I’ve dabbled with chapter books, a mid-grade novel here and there and even some YA and they just don’t sing for me like picture books do. Perhaps it’s because I’m such a visual learner and the illustrations add so much to the text. Perhaps it’s because the combination of art and words is so very powerful. I’m not precisely sure why I am drawn to picture books so very much, but for now at least, they are indeed my perfect fit in terms of kidlit. (That may also be because I just got to see the final PDF of SAMUEL’S KISSES yesterday and got all teary with joy.) But wait, there’s more…
I have also discovered that I love writing something outside of kidlit: contemporary Christian novels for grown-ups. Maybe it’s because I’m an all-or-nothing kinda gal, but I love either the restriction of the tiniest word count imaginable or the freedom to write a whopping great big novel. And because of my own world-view, life journey and personal reading tastes, contemporary Christian novels are the other perfect fit for me. I’m not sure if it’s possible for me to be both a picture book author and a Christian novelist, but I guess only time will tell. And I’m going to have a lot of fun finding out!
So what does this mean in practical terms? It means that I have given myself permission to focus on the two aspects of writing I enjoy most. I appreciate and at times even envy the relevance and quirkiness and ‘cool’ factor that YA authors seem to have, but I can’t replicate that. It just doesn’t ring true for me. I love the idea of a fantastic chapter book for emerging readers that helps them develop their reading skills even further and takes them on a wonderful journey, but I have no desire to sit down and write one. So rather than lamenting what doesn’t come naturally for me, I’m going to focus on what does. For the time being I will be writing either picture books or contemporary Christian novels, and on occasions, probably both at the same time. And just for a bit of variety, I’ll continue to write a few magazine articles here and there too. That should keep me busy, don’t you think?
Where is your perfect fit? I’d love to know. :)
I’m still working on it. When I find it, I’ll let you know. But I know what it’s like to have your head turning from genre to genre, wondering…
Allison, I’ve tried my hand at a lot of different styles and genres and I’ve accepted that I keep coming back to the same ones. That doesn’t mean it won’t change in the future (I’m especially interested to see if my writing ‘gets older’ as my kids do…) but for now I’m comfortable with my decision. Good luck working out your perfect fit.
My perfect fit is NOT a novel. I would rattle around inside the cover and not know how to fill it. (Scary thought.)
Like you, I love the sparsity of the PB. The rhythm (and the rhyme) the imagery and creativity – the sheer joyousness of writing for children – and the wondrous interplay of text and illustrations.
Not at all dissimilar to my other great literary love of poetry. In fact, I find the two compliment each other beautifully.
Must away… I have a novel to read! ;) (A novel by a certain Karen Collum.)
Kat, I think you’ve found your perfect fit with picture books and poetry. I was thinking about you as I wrote this post, actually. I like poetry and enjoy it but it’s not as big a part of my writing style/technique as it is yours, which may be why I write mainly non-rhyming PBs. And I hope you enjoy that novel by the unknown author :P
Karen and Kat,
My perfect fit is NOT a picture book LOL. I think to be honest, I’m a bit like you, Karen…there are two sides to me. One that likes to write edgy YA about life issues and the other part that likes to write funny stuff…both for kids and adults. But who knows? A certain goat might just lure me back out to the picture book arena.
Thanks for a great post, Karen. You are so right about writing what works for you and not trying to be someone you are not…I guess it’s all about finding your ‘voice’.
Dee:-)
Dee, I’m amazed at how we’re all so different! You do YA brilliantly and I am in awe of your ability to relate to teenagers. I’m hoping that will kick in for me by the time my boys get to that stage LOL I don’t think there’s every any harm in dabbling in another style/genre but if it doesn’t work for you, there’s no harm in walking away either! And yes, it boils down to that all elusive voice again, doesn’t it?
I think picture books and poetry are my best fit too. I’m in awe of you writing a novel. I start writing something other than a picture book and then I pare it back and then I see the pictures in my head and so I pare it back some more … oh, it’s actually a picture book after all. :-) Like you, I love the low word count with PBs, and making every word count.
Good luck with your novel! It WILL be interesting to see if your fit will adjust as your children grow up.
Bec, I never thought I’d be able to write a full-length novel either but I thoroughly enjoyed it and might be just a little bit addicted to the process :P It’s very different to PBs but I think there’s room in my writing life for both of them. And I think that if you keep coming back to picture books (like I have) then it’s a great sign they are The One for you. Have you started submitting yet???? :)
My perfect fit is my bum in the chair. End of story!
Ha, Lynn! Very true. At the end of the day, unless we put in the hours in the chair it doesn’t matter what we dream. Hard work is the only way to get there. Good luck with your manuscript.
Great post, Karen! I’m still finding my niche and my voice. I read a variety of books for children and adults. And I love them all. I guess if I were to express myself, it would be in the form of chick-lit or adult romance. So, I guess this is where I fit :)
Carol, I also read widely and enjoy reading a variety of books which is partly why it’s taken me a while to work out where I fit. Glad you have an idea where you fit too!
Oh to find your perfect fit. It is a good thing when you find it. The fact that I enjoy writing so much has been my first discovery. And after blogging every day for the past 4 months, it has got me thinking… I have an awful lot to say. Who would have thought?
Kym, I remember right when I was dipping my toe into the writing waters, another writer told me they knew I was a writer before I did. I think the same applies to you. You’ve got a great voice and natural flair for it. It might just take a while for you to work out where you fit :) Enjoy the journey.
Karen! I so envy you. I am still trying to figure out what type of writer I am. I love to write picture books, but I’m looking into other forms of children’s writing as well, like chapter books. (But it’s harder than people think to write a story that can be read by and will appeal to a 6-10 year old!) I love to write picture books, but the market is so tight right now and my sense of humor and stories probably don’t have the broad appeal they need in order for me to get published. (Of course it might help if I submitted to publishers – I’ve only submitted one story to one publisher. lol)
I think I might be good at YA, but I have a 3 and a 2 year old, and the frame of mind I get into when I write darker/edgier material isn’t really a fit for our life right now. They’ll be off to school soon enough, and I’ll give it a whirl.
Congratulating you on your success & expecting great things for you in the Christian adult market! I think niche writing is a wonderful thing.
Heather, it’s a really tough decision to come to and I firmly believe it only happens through time and conversely, can change over time too. And perhaps you’re someone who will write across a range of genres? I’d really encourage to work on something that you can submit, even if it’s just to find out what isn’t your perfect fit. Good luck!
Hi Karen, It’s fun to experiment but I think we sometime feel too much pressure as writers to diversify. I think your current thinking is very sound. Write what you love and what you’re naturally comfortable with. I love writing picture books too.
Katrina, I think experimenting can be really healthy and a great way to expand our writing skills, but I agree – we don’t have to write outside what we love if we don’t want to. And for everyone else, Katrina has an awesome picture book coming out just in time for Father’s Day: “My Dad Thinks He’s Funny”. We will definitely be buying a copy for our house :)
Thanks for the plug Karen. And let’s just pretend I didn’t leave the ’s’ off ’sometimes’ in the above comment.
Thanks Karen for your honesty…finding my direction at the moment and reading what you have to say really helps. I love the innocence of children and believe that I have something really special to offer them to help them on their journey. It’s nice to know that dreams really do come true. Looking forward to reading your stories
Thanks, Luisa. It takes time to find your fit and I you sounds like you’re well on your way. Good luck!