PSSST…Did You Get the Memo About Writing Nonfiction PB Bios?

By Vivian Kirkfield

The word on the street is that editors don’t want nonfiction PB bios. They say the market is saturated.

 

But then I see book deal announcements about Nonfiction PB Bios. And I receive requests from authors for space on my blog to celebrate their upcoming Nonfiction PB bios. 

 

So what’s going on?

 

I’m not sure. But, I think if you want to write a nonfiction PB bio, you should do it! 

 

One of the most important elements will be your topic. Editors are looking for something fresh and relatable. Even if the main character is someone we all know or the event is something we all learned about, we need to  give the story a new focus that hasn’t been explored before. That’s what Lisa Rogers did in Woody's Words: Woodrow Wilson Rawls and Where the Red Fern Grows. I’d heard of Where the Red Fern Grows but didn’t remember reading it – and after reading Lisa’s picture book, I immediately read Where the Red Fern Grows. And isn’t that what we want our books to do? We want them to encourage kids to be curious and seek to learn more.

 

In addition to choosing a topic that captures the editor’s attention, here are the 3 L’s that might lift your submission to the top of the pile and tilt the acquisition scales in your favor.

1.  LANGUAGE: Pay attention to each word because in picture books, as in the #50PreciousWords contest I host, every word counts.

How you structure your sentences and the language of the narrator impacts the emotional connection the reader makes with your story.

Level up the strength of your verbs…and you’ll be able to eliminate some of those adjectives that add to the word count but not to the power of the scene.

You can also use poetic and literary devices such as  simile, metaphor, alliteration, onomatopoeia, assonance, consonance, and wordplay.

And, speaking about play…lighten your spirits as you write and have fun with your words. Once you get the rough draft done, you can always go back and edit. Even when your manuscript is acquired by an editor, there will probably still be revisions. Of all my published books, only one manuscript was accepted without making any tweaks.

2.  LAYERS: What does an editor or agent mean when they say they are looking for more layers in your story? I always thought it meant creating a story that contained many hooks. For example, Pedal, Balance, Steer: Annie Londonderry, the First Woman to Cycle Around the World is a story that would appeal to readers who are interested in bikes, travel/world geography, and women’s rights.

According to author Irene Lantham, “The reality is that if your story is going to be printed as a picture book, it needs to have enough to it to bring readers back to experience it multiple times.” Lantham wrote a great post to help folks understand how her book, Nine, included layers added, not only by herself, but by the illustrator, Amy Huntington, and the Charlesbridge editor as well. It’s a sibling story and a story about turning nine…with nine nonet poems, each with nine lines…and even the book size is a 9x9 inch square. Here’s link to Irene’s post: https://suebe.wordpress.com/2020/04/29/how-to-add-layers-to-your-picture-book-story/

3.  LOVE: Are you passionate about the person, place, or event you are writing about? I truly feel that a writer needs to have an emotional connection with their manuscript. Are you honoring someone whose accomplishments went unnoticed? Have you uncovered an event that you feel a strong connection to? Is there a place that evokes powerful feelings when you visit it or even think about it? I believe we need to be passionate about our topic in order to accurately research it and then, authentically portray it with our words. During research for my book about Annie Londonderry back in 2018, I came across the name of Lucy Stone--it was unfamiliar even though the information said she had inspired Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony to become women’s rights advocates and activists. How had I not heard of her? I had to find out more and had to write the story so that she’d receive the recognition she deserved. I was thrilled when One Girl's Voice became a book.

And that’s the thing. These wonderful narrative nonfictions that we write serve a great purpose. They provide engaging stories about real people, places, or events that may spark curiosity and inspire young readers to imagine a better world…and hopefully, work together to create it.

 

Writer for children—reader forever…that’s Vivian Kirkfield in five words. A former educator, Vivian inspires budding writers during classroom visits and on her blog where she hosts the #50PreciousWords writing contests for adults and children. Her nonfiction narratives like Making Their Voices Heard, Pedal, Balance, Steer, and One Girl's Voice bring history alive for young readers and have received accolades including the New Hampshire PBS Literary Award of Excellence, CRA Silver Eureka, Social Studies Notable Trade Book, Best STEM Book K-12, Bank Street College of Education Best Book, and Junior Library Guild Selection.