Once upon a time,

... there lived a girl who loved to write and I was that girl.

Only, I didn't know I was a writer.
I filled hundreds of pages in notebooks with storylines and watched characters dance across the movie screen in my mind. I heard their voices and understood the deepest longing of their hearts. We became friends.

Before you become worried, let me assure you. This is completely normal for picture book writers.

There was Rosa and Momma at Christmas,
Little Tommy Joe who refused to go to sleep,
Anna Maria picking peas,
Mudpie Mabel who couldn't stand petticoats and curls,
Marble Boy and Stick Girl who just want to grow up,
and of course, Santa Claus. Dear, dear Santa Claus.

We all lived happy and safe within the boundaries of my imagination, until one day...
I realized I was a writer.

Suddenly, their lives poured out on paper and I was helpless to stop it.

As writers, we do not create characters and stories.
We are entrusted with them.
They are a gift and we must tell their stories well.

So, day after day, I practice my craft. I put a pen to paper and my fingers on the keyboard. I map storylines and analyze dialogue. I’m telling their story, in order that my story might change.

Once upon a time,

…there lived a writer who put books in the hands of children.

l

Your Story:

Do characters play inside your head too? What childhood storybook character remains with you today? What was memorable about that character and story?
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