[Verla Kay Posts: 4,596 Status: Offline Invite Verla Kay to speak in your area WWW]

I wrote over 150 verses for Iron Horses and just 18 of them were used in the final story that I submitted. It's very hard to decide what to include and what to eat out. Perhaps the best way is to cut out EVERYTHING except the absolute bare bones story and then add the most interesting facts one by one until your word count feels just right. Put the rest of your facts into an author's note in the back of the book.

[Anne Marie Posts: 2,844 Status: Offline VAMPIRINA season 3 is on Disney Junior now! WWW]

(Verla also doesn't use articles or conjunctions.)

[Verla Kay Posts: 4,596 Status: Offline Invite Verla Kay to speak in your area WWW]

Very true. I write extremely spare verse.

Example of two verses from Iron Horses:

Black clouds skuttle,
Billow high.
Lightning crackles,
Splitting sky.

Time for pleasure,
Town of tents.
Raucous ruckus,
Ladies, gents.

And here are two verses from my new book, Civil War Drummer Boy, that's being released on May 10th:

Weary army,
Must retreat.
Johnny, drumming,
Slows his beat.

"Lee surrenders!"
Headline reads.
"War Has Ended!"
"South Concedes!"

[LeslieG Posts: 174 Status: Offline WWW]

Verla's writing= : Just reading it makes me want to get to work!

[CarrieF Posts: 201 Status: Offline WWW]

Verla, reading your work is like a master class for us mere mortals.  Thanks!

[Dionna]

Amen, sista!

[Verla Kay Posts: 4,596 Status: Offline Invite Verla Kay to speak in your area WWW]

Thanks!

[Hannah B. Posts: 15 Status: Offline I love kids' books!]

Verla,

Thanks so much for your post. When I read your work I thought .... and then 

I like your style of writing very much.

[Verla Kay Posts: 4,596 Status: Offline Invite Verla Kay to speak in your area WWW]

Hannah. Glad you like it.