From Poet to Picture Book Author — The Pitfalls and Pleasures of Changing Genre

August 25, 2021 | By Women Writers Women Books | Reply More

Deborah Fannie Miller

I never had any intention of writing a picture book. I had no knowledge, experience, or discernable skills in that area, either. At the time I ended up writing one, I thought of picture books as just one more tool for getting our young night owl daughter to go to sleep.

Writing poetry was my passion, and I went about attaining my dream of becoming a published poet using a proven formula. I read a ton of poetry, took poetry courses, and studied hard. I learned my craft from excellent mentors, was an active member of poetry critique groups, and started reading my work publicly. Only then did I begin the slow process of trying to get published.

I submitted my work to literary journals and got my share of rejections. Eventually, I got a few acceptances. I then acquired enough publications to have a publisher interested in a full collection. And, when I finally got my book contract, I was over the moon excited! Soon after that, I was lucky enough to collaborate with an excellent poet on a second collection that got picked up for publication. And, a few years after that my third book was published. I was a real, live published poet! I’d done the work and was pretty pleased with my accomplishments.

But my picture book journey has been the exact opposite of my poetry experience. First of all, the writing didn’t come from a passion for the art of picture book writing. In fact, at that time, I didn’t even think of it as an art form or even much of a craft. I didn’t think of it at all. My first book was born out of anger and frustration.

It began one very grumblie morning with a grouchy child and poor parenting skills. That morning my daughter and I were cranky, tired, rushed, and running late for school — the perfect storm for explosive anger. I allowed the disturbing emotions brewing between us to heat to the boiling point.

When I finally dropped my child off at school, I never wanted to see her again, and I’m pretty sure she felt the same way about me.

I drove home fuming, stomped around the house, throwing a tantrum, and then I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I looked like Edvard Munch’s classic screamer on rage steroids. I looked demented. I looked outrageously silly, and I laughed. I laughed at myself. The anger lessened and the Grumblie was born.

The first draft of my first “Dealing with Feelings” book, Grappling with the Grumblies, began.

I had no idea what I was doing but the book poured out of me, and I did have some skills that helped me. My poetry background made me acutely aware of how the story sounded, and I made sure the book was pleasurable to read aloud. I also had a poet’s desire to be succinct yet whimsical with my word choices. And, I had the beginner’s luck that comes with knowing so little about what one is doing that there is no fear. So, somehow I wrote a good story. And it was unique in that it was for parents and children to read together to de-escalate the anger separating them so they could reconnect and playfully work through their disturbing emotions.

Still, it took many edited drafts until the book was ready to submit to a publisher. One of my favourite aspects of the editing process was enlisting child listeners, who I watched, eagle-eyed, for signs of boredom. Kids are gloriously physically incapable of hiding their lack of interest. Their yawning, twiddling, and distracted whirling and twirling during a story are beautiful examples of where to cut or change something that is clearly not working. I still enlist child listeners, so I did do something right. But I also did a lot wrong.

I knew nothing about the picture book publishing industry, and because I was already a published author I was arrogant too, so I didn’t bother to educate myself. I did not know that you do not bring a story to a publisher already illustrated, unless you are the author/illustrator or you are self-publishing or going with a vanity press. And, you certainly don’t use a family member to do it! But I was that clueless, so I did both.

However, not many people have a wonderful cousin like Diane Jacobs, whose brilliant art work is in collections at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the Getty Museum, and the New York Public Library. Diane and I created something that eventually caught the interest of a publisher, and Grappling with the Grumblies, which came out first as a hardback edition, then had a second print run in paperback, with a different publisher.

Other than a ton of rewriting and multiple sets of children’s ears on my stories, my current writing process in no way resembles that first picture book experience. I did not know my craft at all. I was purposefully and embarrassingly ignorant. I thought anyone with a bit of imagination and writing skill could come up with a good picture book. How hard could it be?

Eventually, (and, again, I am embarrassed to say how long it took) I found out. Writing an excellent picture book takes great skill, imagination, and practice.

So, I took a picture book writing course. (OMG, what a revelation that was!) I finally realized how little I knew, how much there was to learn, and what amazing artists practiced this art form.

I read a ton of picture books, took more picture book courses, and studied hard. I learned my craft from excellent mentors, took part in picture book critique groups and began reading my work publicly.

Now I am going through the process of trying to get an agent and get published — again. It is not easy and it can be discouraging.

I have immense respect, admiration and gratitude for all the fabulous picture book authors who have gifted humanity with their wonderful books. I finally see how a picture book can change a child’s life and thus change the world’s trajectory.

My new passion is to keep getting better at the craft I love. My dream is to be a real, live published picture book author one more time.

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Miller’s poetry has been showcased on CBC Radio, The Women’s Television Network, and Vision TV. She’s been widely published in literary journals throughout Canada and is in two anthologies: Tributes in Verse and Writing the Terrain: Travelling through Alberta with the Poets. She’s had three collections of poetry published by Bayeux Arts. I Will Burn Candles, Grandmother’s Radio, co-authored by Susanne Heinz which inspired Two Worlds Apart?, a frequently repeated short film about their work, and her third collection is Landing at Night. Her first children’s book, Grappling with the Grumblies, illustrated by Diane Jacobs, was also published by Bayeux Arts. Juggling the Jitters, illustrated by Danielle Bazinet, was published by Frontenac House, as was the paperback edition of Grappling with the Grumblies.