MO Day #29 Rosie Pova Writes With Heart

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Writing Picture Books with Heart

by Rosie J. Pova

As writers, I believe we all strive to create stories that touch the reader in some way, forge a connection, and evoke an emotion—whether it’s making the reader laugh, shed a tear, or have an “aha” moment.

For my own published books so far, the reviews across the board have been that they are sweet and heartfelt stories—which I didn’t fully realize had become my niche—until I got asked to talk about writing picture books with heart. Then it dawned on me that, even though I’ve been writing in a wide range of genres and categories, what was out there were my “sweet” books.

And it’s not that I set out to do that intentionally when creating those stories to begin with, it just so happened that those were the books that found publishing homes first.

Once I started dissecting the common elements of a heartfelt story and looking at other books to use as examples, I boiled it down to some practical ways to help writers stir in some sweetness while avoiding the saccharine zone.

I have a whole workshop on this, but to keep it short and sweet here, I’ll share three tips:

Make sure your story has a universal truth that is also kid-relatable

This brings up the theme, so think in terms of the bigger picture in your story: friendship, belonging, grief, acceptance, love etc. This is something that readers will connect with regardless of their background, experiences, and personal tastes. This universal truth will speak to readers, and it’s something everyone either goes through, longs for, or needs.

For example, in books like Home for a While by Lauren Kerstein, illustrated by Natalia Moore, and Can I be Your Dog by Troy Cummings—even though they are very different in tone and structure—the universal truth is being loved and belonging.

What is the universal truth in your story?

My tip #2 is…

Use specific details that evoke powerful imagery

This one is a little tricky as it might be misunderstood for inserting redundant descriptions. But that’s not what I mean.

The specific details I refer to are often sensory details, and they are not random at all but rather align closely with your character’s personality, their unique world, and are of great importance to them.

Here are a few examples:

In my book, If I Weren’t with You, illustrated by Philip Martineau, Willy, the little bear cup has some fears and anxieties, so he’s thinking up different imaginary scenarios and asking Mama Bear a series of questions. Mama Bear answers to give him reassurance of love and security.

In one of the scenarios, Willy asks if Mama Bear would ever forget him. Here’s what she replies:

“How could I? When I hear the birds chirping at dawn, it reminds me of your giggles. When I touch the moss on the trees, it’s as soft as your fur, and it makes me think of you. And every time butterflies flutter by, I remember how you love skipping after them.”

These are important details in the character’s world and motherly relationship, and they are very specific, with a clear significance to her.

Had this been a human character or a different animal, the same details would not apply and would not make sense.

As another example, check out the specific, evocative details in this spread from Eyes that Kiss in the Corners by Joanna Ho, illustrated by Dung Ho:

What specific, evocative, and meaningful details can you use in your story?

My last tip is…

Don’t be melodramatic

Don’t resort to sappy descriptions. Keep the voice authentic and leave room for reader engagement and interpretation.

Another approach to consider is “show” with your text and leave the “telling” to the illustrations.

For example, look at this spread from The Rough Patch by Brian Lies:

And here’s another example from Big Bear Was not the Same by Joanna Rowland, illustrated by John Ledda:

Lastly, remember that humorous books can also have a lot of heart. Actually, that’s one of my favorite winning combinations!

In that regard, I hope that readers will connect with my upcoming book, The School of Failure: A Story about Success and find this fractured fairy tale to have both humor and heart. Because who can’t relate to feeling disheartened by failure, not getting what they badly desire, and making mistakes? But in retrospect, we can all laugh at some of our shortcomings, especially knowing that they helped us on our way to success!

Happy marching with these mentor texts, and here’s to your stories that touch many hearts, and to your many successes!

BIO: Rosie J. Pova is a multi-published, award-winning children's author and kid lit Writing Coach. She's the creator of Picture Book Mastery System™ that is proven to help emerging children's writers advance their career and get closer to their publishing goals. She mentors pre-published writers in her Facebook group The Unstoppable Writer. Rosie's latest picture book, Sunday Rain, was featured in The New York Times and recommended by Parents magazine. Her upcoming picture book, The School of Failure: A Story About Success will be released in the spring of 2022 in both China and the USA.

Rosie also loves to visit schools and her interactive workshops empower students to unleash their creativity and grow in confidence through reading, writing, and creating. Teachers and librarians love Rosie for her bubbly, upbeat personality which captures students' attention, encourages them to think creatively, and motivates them to pursue big dreams. She has been featured on TV, radio, podcasts, and print media, and also speaks on women's and moms’ topics, sharing her journey from a Bulgarian immigrant to a published author. Find out more about Rosie's online courses, mentorships, and her work by visiting her website: RosieJPova.com

PRIZE: Rosie's prize is a 30-min phone call with an emerging (or unpublished) writer to answer craft or publishing business questions and map out next steps in their career.