[Hélène Boudreau Posts: 722 Status: Offline *yawn* WWW]

I'm interviewed by the amazingly talented Debbie Ohi and share my step-by-step process of how I DARE YOU NOT TO YAWN was written and edited including (sharing for the first time ever  ) my manuscript's text and editorial comments from all 6 editorial revision rounds.

http://inkygirl.com/inkygirl-main/2013/6/10/picture-book-writing-process-how-helene-boudreau-wrote-i-dar.html

I feel like I'm inviting you to my very messy closet  : but I hope sharing my process is useful to someone. 

[Audrey Posts: 50 Status: Offline I love to read and write!]

Thanks for sharing this...it's fascinating!

[wolfie712 Posts: 267 Status: Offline Teacher, Writer, Up-All-Nighter WWW]

Great interview, Helene!  Thanks for sharing!

[mariwho Posts: 171 Status: Offline twitter: @MarilouReeder]

Helene, thank you so much for sharing all of this! I have your book in my house right now, and I can't wait to show my kids all the work that went into your beautiful book. (We love the book, BTW---my girls were trying to read it all the way through without yawning. Such fun!) You are awesome and generous!! 

[darshana Posts: 319 Status: Offline WWW]

Helene,

I will be FOREVER grateful that you shared your revisions. I am the type of person that learns by seeing examples, and I have been searching for something like this ever since I started pb writing a few years ago. I am so excited to sit down and learn from it! Thank You Thank You from the bottom of my heart! I can't wait to read your new book, just put it on hold at the library.

[tmrobeson Posts: 17 Status: Offline I'm not tense, just terribly, terribly alert. WWW]

Many thanks, Helene, for letting us peer over your shoulder to see how you work! And thank you to Debbie for interview you, and Darshana for mentioning over at the 12x12 board. It's so helpful and informative to see how a fellow writer works!  :

[viviankirkfield Posts: 1 Status: Offline I love kids' books! WWW]

 :Helene...you are very kind to invite us into your writing closet! (and it is NOT messy!!!) Many thanks for sharing your writing process in that great interview with Debbie. Seeing the evolution of the spreads will help me be more patient with myself. I always think I am 'there'...hearing how many times you had to revise AFTER your story was accepted is eye-opening and somewhat scary...but definitely a critical piece of information for those of us who are pursuing this goal.

[JFriday Posts: 600 Status: Offline]

Great interview, and fun to see the progression of your story!

[Margaret G Posts: 40 Status: Offline WWW]

Thank you so much for sharing, Helene. This is invaluable to aspiring picture book writers, like myself. I can't wait to take a closer look at it.

[carterhiggins Posts: 51 Status: Offline K-6 librarian, PB/MG author, blogger WWW]

THIS IS AWESOME.

[Franzilla Posts: 1,132 Status: Offline Gah! WWW]

Brilliant! I love that your editor gave you permission to share the different versions too. And that you wanted to share it with us. The end product is SO worth it. Brilliant book.

[KatyD Posts: 899 Status: Offline www.katyduffield.com WWW]

This is fantastic! Thanks for sharing your process!

[awful waffles Posts: 101 Status: Offline A Nana who loves to write, and finally has time! WWW]

Thank you for the generosity of spirit in sharing what you've learned so freely, Helene!  It's so refreshing to see that helpfulness shining through. 

[Hélène Boudreau Posts: 722 Status: Offline *yawn* WWW]

It is my pleasure! I hope it's helpful.

[Stacy Posts: 59 Status: Offline]

Helene, thank you so much for being so open and sharing your process with us. This is really, really helpful! 

[couchmine]

Thanks for sharing your process, Helene. I'm in a couple critique groups--glutton for punishment--and definitely want them to see this. Revise, revise, revise!

[LeslieG Posts: 211 Status: Offline WWW]

TERRIFIC post! Srsly, one of the best I've seen anywhere. 

[Shauna LaVoy Reynolds Posts: 38 Status: Offline reader / writer / dreamer / delighter]

I read this earlier and have seriously been thinking about it all day. Thanks for letting us see this part of the process, Helene. I'm looking forward to reading your book and plan to apply the grid to my own work. And thanks to Debbie for hosting, as well.

[CarrieF Posts: 269 Status: Offline WWW]

This was AMAZING, Helene. I really love seeing this part of the process.

[DianaM Posts: 1,152 Status: Offline Writer, rhymer, runner, punner. WWW]

What a terrific post!

[Anthony Posts: 95 Status: Offline You know, for kids! WWW]

That's great Hélène - thanks for posting it! And despite how informative and interesting it was, I totally yawned the entire time I was reading it. :-)

[JulieM Posts: 906 Status: Offline WWW]

Fascinating and invaluable information! Congratulations and thanks so much for sharing!

[LoriA Posts: 91 Status: Offline WWW]

Yes, fascinating! So much to learn from your experience. Thanks for sharing. And thanks for sticking with your MS--the final books looks adorable! Can't wait to get my hands on it.

[Carol F Posts: 2 Status: Offline]

This is fabulous! Thanks so much for sharing!

[Andi W. Posts: 576 Status: Offline WWW]

So much to learn in the process. Thanks for sharing so generously!
And I LOVE your book   

[aodle]

So very helpful! Thanks for sharing your process. I'm especially excited to see the graphic organizer you use to evaluate pacing. I will definitely be using something like this in the future.

[LindaJoy Posts: 421 Status: Offline Linda Joy Singleton author of SNOW DOG, SAND DOG WWW]

Great interview! And such a clever idea for a book!

[Donna J. Shepherd Posts: 1,088 Status: Offline Ava's Secret Tea Party WWW]

VERY helpful! Thanks so much!

[Jean Reidy Posts: 784 Status: Offline I love kids' books!! WWW]

This is one fabulous post. I'm spreading the word about it to all wannabe PB writers. Thanks Hélène.
Jean

[Sianey Posts: 11 Status: Offline]

Wonderful information, thanks so much for sharing