STANDING OUT IN A CROWDED BOOK MARKET

by Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw

 

In 2012, my family and I visited Yellowstone National Park. Journeying through the park, we were in awe of the spurting geysers, gurgling mud pots, and colorful hot springs. The teacher in me knew my students would be in awe of Yellowstone too.

That school year when my students entered my resource room, they entered a room decorated like Yellowstone National Park. As part of a new teaching strategy, I immersed my students (struggling readers) all year in books, videos, and projects revolving around the park significantly increasing student engagement, motivation, and learning.

 

 

Wanting to continue to spread the wonder of Yellowstone, I decided to showcase my passion in my next picture book. But there were a myriad of picture books about Yellowstone. How was I going to make my manuscript stand out?

I had to find an angle. But was there a slant that hadn’t been used by another author? I brainstormed. Perhaps I could focus on one awesome feature of Yellowstone, instead of the whole park. Nope. I wanted to share it all.

I asked myself questions about what I learned at the park. One stood out. What triggered my desire to share Yellowstone with my students? It was the volcano hidden below Yellowstone—the impetus for the park’s incredible ecosystem.

Could I make the volcano the “main character”? I brainstormed some more. Hmmm, the super volcano is often referred to as a sleeping giant. This angle could work. I love a good metaphor! I searched online hoping no other author had thought of it. No go! A wonderful book was just published taking that slant. Now what?

During my research, I learned that the Yellowstone volcano was different from other volcanoes. I spent some time thinking about this. I could focus on these differences. Nah! That would be too broad.

What if I focused on only one difference? I did some research. There are more than 1,500 active volcanoes on Earth, but there are only 20 supervolcanoes. And wouldn’t you know it, Yellowstone is not only one of the twenty, it is the fourth largest supervolcano in the world!

The word super stuck with me. Super important. Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. Super powerful. Superhero! What if I keep my metaphor idea but change the sleeping giant to a superhero. I had found my angle! Let the writing begin!

 

TRY THIS

Don’t be afraid to write about a topic that appears overdone. Take a look at the books listed
below and see how these authors have taken a creative slant on a common topic or have found unknown bits of information about a famous person, and use these to inspire your original angle! Good luck and happy writing!

• The Super Volcano: A Hidden Hero Below Yellowstone National Park by Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw
• Volcano Dreams: A Story of Yellowstone by Janet Fox
• Tad Lincoln’s Restless Wriggle: Pandemonium and Patience in the President’s House by Beth Anderson
• Thomas Jefferson’s Battle for Science: Bias, Truth, and a Mighty Moose by Beth Anderson
• Freaky, Funky Fish: Odd Facts About Fascinating Fish by Debra Kempf Shumaker
• Flamingos are Pretty Funky: A (Not So) Serious Guide by Abi Cushman

(Please note: Parts of this post were first written for another blog but remain the author’s original ideas and words.)

 

About the Author:

Suzanne Jacobs Lipshaw is a children’s book author and former teacher passionate about growing young minds. Her writing credentials include the true-story picture books I Campaigned for Ice Cream: A Boy’s Quest for Ice Cream Trucks, Mighty Mahi, and The Super Volcano: The Hidden Hero Below Yellowstone National Park. Suzanne enjoys speaking about writing, leadership, and how kids can make a difference. When she’s not dreaming up new writing projects, you can find her kayaking on the lake, hiking the trail, practicing at the yoga studio, or comparing paint swatches. To learn more about Suzanne visit her website at http://www.suzannejacobslipshaw.com/.