[vancemo Posts: 7 Status: Offline]

Has anyone here made the shift from musician/songwriter to PB (newbie so I'm assuming that PB = picture book) author?

If so, has it been a help or a hurdle?

Any tips on making the transition from musician/songwriter to PB author?

[Vijaya Posts: 7,383 Status: Offline Encourage WWW]

vancemo. I think your background in songwriting would be a great asset to writing picture books. Check out Eric Ode's website: https://www.ericode.com/books-music  He might have some tips. Back when I lived in WA, he was writing original songs and performing them. My kids loved him. Then he got a book of poems published. And now he has lots of books and albums.

[vancemo Posts: 7 Status: Offline]

Hi Vijaya, thanks for the info about Eric Ode. I think I remember his "Larry" books.

BTW when did you live in WA? I was there from 1999-2002 in Seattle. That was a really fun time to be there. I played music at the Ohana Bar in Belltown.

[Vijaya Posts: 7,383 Status: Offline Encourage WWW]

That's so great you're already familiar with Eric's work. I lived in Redmond from 1998-2011. I was a new mom back then and didn't get out much (actually I still don't get out much, lol). What a treat it would've been to hear you play.

[thunderingelephants Posts: 1,262 Status: Offline]

Vancemo: Welcome from someone who's been away for a very long time!
A few things that children love is music, dance, repitiveness & interaction. You will notice that a lot if you work in a creche. Music gives you a lot of scope to incorporate all of that list.  A friend of mine worked for several years as a music therapy teacher for children with communication difficulties.
The perfect place for you to start is where you know best: possibly an audio book with the background music enticing the children to use their bodies & voices to flow with the story.
Just a few thoughts! Particularly if they can  express themselves individually.
I've just started to rework a story about a centipede who is a tapdancer! Maybe we could callborate.

[vancemo Posts: 7 Status: Offline]

Hi thunderingelephants, I've been posting videos on YouTube since 2010, where I put books to music. I guess I finally felt it was about time that I start writing my own books.

As for collaboration, let me know what you've got in mind. You can check out my most recent work with Artie Knapp and his book Little Otter Learns to Swim https://youtu.be/akX2-40bT1U