Think nonfiction kids' books are boring? Think again! I'm a writer, teacher, and writing coach dedicated to helping students reimagine their true stories, turning them into captivating reads. Subscribe to my newsletter for tips, new releases, and more.
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The Missing Piece in Your Story: Why Emotional Arcs Matter
Published 5 days ago • 3 min read
Hello friends!
From left to right: Atop Seattle's Space Needle, volunteering for FIRST robotics with my dad (right), meeting a favorite author at LA Times Festival of Books
Happy April!
It's been a busy month, and I already feel like we're barreling toward the end of the school year. My family spent a lovely (and not too wet) spring break in Seattle and Olympic National Park (see above), and my Dad and I once again volunteered for our local FIRST robotics tournament, which is always a blast.
On the picture book front…
My picture book pitch and outline are with my editor. Cross your fingers for me that the book gets acquired. As many of you know, it's a tough market right now, even for folks with a history of sales.
So what do we do while we wait? We write the next thing.
This month, my Insiders will take their next steps during our May 1st Zoom when we share our manuscript outlines before we jump into drafting. And we'll discuss how the heart of that outline isn't just the plot, but the emotional arc.
The emotional arc: the heart of your story
Every book operates on two levels:
the plot events or pieces of evidence (what happens on the outside)
the emotional arc (what changes on the inside)
At its core, every story is about transformation. That transformation might happen within the main character (or their world) as their perspective shifts or within the reader (for expository books ).
What drives that transformation is the plot or facts and pieces of evidence (for expository). Plot and emotional arc are tightly linked. It’s not just what happens or the facts the reader learns, it’s what those events mean and how they reshape understanding.
Trying to nail your arc? Ask yourself:
Who is my main character (or reader) at the beginning? What do they believe?
What misconceptions or incomplete understandings do they have?
How does their perspective shift by the end?
What moments, events, or evidence lead to that change?
Palm Royale (Apple): Starring Kristen Wiig, Ricky Martin, and many more: An ambitious woman schemes to secure her seat at America's most exclusive table: Palm Beach high society, circa 1969. The costuming is incredible! I am so sad it won't be renewed for a third season.
Happily Ever Ninja (Penny Reid): A retired CIA operative (and mother of two) must save her kidnapped husband and her marriage. And she'd probably going to kill him for not putting his clothes in the hamper (if they both survive). Everything I love in a book all rolled up into one!
Snacky dinner: Pioneered by my friend Liz when the kids were littles and had been in the pool all day. Break out some crackers, cheese, hummus, fruit, and baby carrots and call it done. I usually add Trader Joe's Olive Tapenade, cured meats, and nuts.
Read on for podcast updates and more.
Kirsten
A Chinese Edition for The Fire of Stars
Introducing STAR FIRE: Astronomer Cecilia Payne and the Story of the Discovery of Stellar Ingredients (according to Google Translate). Cecilia Payne’s groundbreaking discovery—that stars are made mostly of hydrogen and helium—belongs to the whole world, and I’m so grateful to share her findings with new readers. Huge thanks to the talented team who brought this edition to life, including translator Miao Qian.
What if the back pages of your nonfiction book could transform a curious reader into a lifelong learner and make your manuscript more attractive to publishers at the same time? In this episode, I talk with award-winning children's nonfiction author Annette Whipple, author of nearly 40 books including Flick: The Truth About Lizards, to explore the craft and strategy behind back matter in nonfiction picture books.
🦎 What You'll Learn:
What back matter actually is and why it matters more than most writers think
How back matter can function as the "rest of the meal" after your main text appetizer
Why Annette includes STEM activities (like a lizard tongue challenge!) in her books
How to plan back matter DURING drafting, not as an afterthought
Annette's genius trick: saving cut content in a separate document for potential back matter
The surprising way Annette's back matter inspired a full-size foldout poster in her hardcover editions
Think nonfiction kids' books are boring? Think again! I'm a writer, teacher, and writing coach dedicated to helping students reimagine their true stories, turning them into captivating reads. Subscribe to my newsletter for tips, new releases, and more.
Hello friends! Jack Kirby exhibit at the Skirball Cultural Center, Read Across America in my BFF Lourdes's 5th grade, and Literacy & STEM night at my librarian buddy Erin's school. Happy summer! I mean, spring? But it's 91 degrees here in Southern California as I type. Gah. 🥵 It's been a month of school visits for me. It's such a joy to connect with young readers to discuss writing, book-making, and STEM at local schools. On the picture book front… I’ve been developing a new nonfiction idea,...
Hello friends! Whelp, I am just back from a long weekend in New Mexico followed by ABLA's Big Sur Children's Writers Workshop where I served as critique group mentor for two fabulous picture book groups. Photos below. Hiking in NM (on a broken ankle), Santa Fe!, at Big Sur with mentees The photo at left is just after I stepped off a large rock and fractured my ankle (the fibula, NOT the weight-bearing bone), but continued to hike on it. And then walk 3+ miles around Santa Fe including the...
Hello friends! Big news! My next book is out now--Telling It True: Writing Nonfiction Kids (and Teens) Want to Read. Telling It True is both a prequel and companion to Reimagining Your Nonfiction Picture Book. While Reimagining zooms in on revising nonfiction picture books, Telling It True zooms out. It walks you through the full process of finding strong nonfiction ideas, researching effectively, and drafting engaging, fact-based books, no matter the format, from picture books through YA,...
