Write Like a Celebrity
PiBoIdMo is over! I
have over 30 lovely picture book ideas just waiting for me to write them. I
immensely enjoyed my first Picture Book Idea Month hosted by Tara Lazar at
Writing for Kids While Raising Them. Each day in November a writer or illustrator
posted advice, experiences, and inspiration to light a spark for participants gathering
story ideas.
It got me thinking, daydreaming really, about being famous
one day (as I sometimes do to gain inspiration). What
would I write in my PiBoIdMo post? How would I inspire others to develop ideas
for children's stories?
I loved the idea generator posts the most including the idea
mash up by Diana Murray and brainstorming in themes by Corey Rosen Schwartz.
So, here's my suggestion. Write a picture book "like (fill in
celebrity) would write."
Some of my friends are
anti-celebrity book, so I'm not suggesting celebrities literally writing. I'm merely saying don a persona of someone interesting
and write from his or her perspective.
How would it impact one of your ideas if Oscar the Grouch
was writing it? I bet it would be far
more stinky and delightfully trashy.
"I'm Steven Tyler and I'm going to yell/sing this book
to youuuuuuu!" Just how loud and
screechy could your book become?
"This here's Aretha Franklin, and you need to get to reading this book now or I'm going to give you something to think about." You better give your manuscript some respect!
"Mr. T pities the fool who doesn't turn the page. Bop! I made you turn the page and then I
headbutted you. Alright now turn the
next page real slowly. Bop! I headbutted
you again. Fool!"
Or Lady Gaga.
Ooh. Wouldn't she push the story
a little further into a dark wilderness than you have?
She would search for the perfect word to make you hold your breath; and
then do it over and over again. And the
colors. You can see the pictures can't
you? Bold and vibrant in crisp shapes on
black backgrounds.
So which celebrity's voice would you like to try on for a
day?
Very cool idea. Santa would be fun--getting to write in the omniscient point of view--and a plot that could go anywhere and everywhere in one night. Oh and having a well developed cookie palate. :)
ReplyDeleteThat may be a new editing technique to label words as "vegetables" or "cookies" and see how many of the crumby boring vegetables you can trade out for yummy, wonderful cookies!
DeleteThis makes me think of the golden age of Sesame Street with characters like Flo Bear, Placido Flamingo, Meryl Sheep, et al. What would they look like if they were a muppet? What would it look like if they wrote a children's book? How fun!
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure how it will translate into my writing, but you definitely struck me with imagery: Lady Gargoyle? Katy Parrot? Adele Bell? Justin Beaver? Hmm, I could definitely see a teenage beaver singing on a dam while all the forest animals swoon.
DeleteLOL! Love the celebrity ideas. My favorite would have to be Mr.T! I may have to rewrite all my stories with Mr. T's voice in it. How hilarious would that be?
ReplyDelete"That would be hilarious because I'm Mr. T. Are you being too nice to your characters again? Bop. I hit you over the head. Let's get some conflict in this story before I bop you again."
DeleteWhile this goes against all of my anti-celeb book principles, I would love to try to write a book as Don Rickles. I think we are long overdue for a picture book full of insults.
ReplyDeleteHello! Get working on that Don Rickles Middle Grade humor story right now! Maybe there's a kid named Mike who likes to doodle...
DeleteSuch a fun idea Lauri! I can't get Roald Dahl out of my head these days. I suppose it's to do with Christmas and fantasy and elephants and mongeese and sugar plums etc..
ReplyDeleteThat's great inspiration to wear for world-building!
Delete30!?! That's a lot of picture book ideas. Best of luck in putting some of those ideas to work! :) Happy Holidays, Lauri!
ReplyDeleteI've got one drafted! Now I just need to put pen to paper on a second, and a third. "You put one foot in front of the other, and soon you'll be writing up a storm!"
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