I understand what a PB dummy is. I understand the value of working one out.
I get the 12 to 14 spread thing.
But, for some reason I struggle with visualizing the page breaks. I know what I want my book to look like. I know how it should sound when read aloud. (When I read it to myself, it sounds amazing!) It seems like I have enough of a story, but it doesn’t quite fit the pattern.
I frequently get side-tracked asking myself these self-doubting questions:
Do I dare make a mistake in the submission process? Do my manuscript and dummy have to be absolutely flawless so they are not tossed into the trash? Am I foolish to hope that an interested editor will help me with this?
The other day I listened to a webinar featuring Rotem Moscovich (Sr. Editor at Disney-Hyperion). She indicated that when a manuscript submission grabs her interest, she thinks about it very carefully. As she reads and studies it, she asks herself what she can do to contribute to the revision process.
“We are editors, after all,” she said.
Whew! I was so relieved to hear her say that. There is hope for me.
I honestly do have faith that WHEN (not if!) an editor takes interest, we can truly have a partnership – both of us moving toward that common goal of getting my stories into the hands and hearts of kids.
So, I continue to experiment with dummies and I am learning to ask myself worthwhile questions instead:
Does the scene change from one spread to the next?
Does each spread move my story forward with action and room for illustrations?
Does each spread spark a page-turn in anticipation of what is coming next?
If you feel like the dummy in your dummy, check out the following two blog entries. They are extremely helpful.
Tara Lazar:
http://taralazar.com/2009/02/22/picture-book-construction-know-your-layout
Editorial Anonymous:
http://editorialanonymous.blogspot.com/2008/10/basic-book-construction.html
P.S. I still spend a lot of time figuring out my page breaks, but here is some encouragement for you today: Because we learn so much from each other, we are all SMARTIES.
Trine Grillo