Hello!

I'm Amy, and welcome to the first ever Story Godmother newsletter! Thank you for signing up! This will be a place to keep up with my latest news and opportunities, from competitions to courses to new resources, and if we can manage it, special offers for subscribers.

MENTORING OPPORTUNITY

My mentoring scheme is free for authors who are currently unagented and not yet published. I’m looking for mentees to work with over a 6-month period, one starting January 2023 and one starting July 2023.
Ideally, I’m looking for someone who writes both picture books and chapter books but will take one or the other if the fit is right!
I try to work with mentees who might find it harder to pursue writing or break into the industry. This year I’m looking for someone who consider themselves to meet one of the following:
• Lives with challenging long-term health conditions.
• Home educates children of any age.

Submissions are open from 14th November until 30th November 2022. To apply, please read my page on Mentoring, then contact me here on my Contact Page.

RESOURCES & IDEAS

If you’re getting all cosy with the dark early evenings, why not have a go at writing a bedtime picture book? Here are some thoughts about what makes a brilliant bedtime story. Settle down with a pillow and a hot chocolate and read on…

(or if you'd rather read this on a website, feel free to click here: Goodnight, Sleep Tight )

Why write bedtime books?

Reading a story can create a wonderful bonding opportunity between a grown-up and a young child. This can particularly be the case with books read at bedtime. An evening storytime offers a special moment to snuggle up and settle down as part of a safe and secure routine.

Of course, any book can be read at bedtime, and that is a matter of choice (or debate!) for the reader and the child. However, for the purposes of this article, we’re looking at the special genre of bedtime books, those written especially with bedtime in mind. These are the books that calm us down; the books that reassure us that all is well with the world. The books that remind us that now is the time to put away the playfulness of the day and prepare for a long and lovely sleep.

Because bedtime books can offer this uniquely, they are consistently sought by parents and therefore also sought by publishers. However, as they tend to have more of a niche reading slot, they don’t quite hold the same commercial marketing power as a book which can be read at any time (although, obviously, a bedtime book can still be read at lunchtime!). This means that bedtime books may be picked up a little less frequently by publishers, so competition is huge. To put yourself and your bedtime story in the strongest position, here are some thoughts.

So what makes a good bedtime book?

Slower pace

Although many picture books move at a relatively fast pace to engage and captivate a little listener, bedtime books usually embrace a calmer pace to prepare for sleep. However, at the same time, the story still needs to engage the child and hold his or her attention. If the story doesn’t do that, a tired child will just switch off and may start investigating the trampolining qualities of the bed.

Gentle language

In contrast to the livelier picture books, it’s best to minimise crazy language, or noisy onomatopoeic words. When you write picture books, every word needs to be perfect and earn its keep. Using beautiful, warm words, such as ‘snuggle’, ‘whisper’, or ‘tiptoe’ helps create a relaxing and soothing atmosphere.

Rhythmic text

As well as being very selective about the words you use, you could try creating a particularly rhythmic text. If it’s done well, the words themselves can almost rock the child to sleep. The text could rhyme, such as Marni McGee’s almost hypnotic ‘Sleepy Me’ (Macmillan) or be written in prose, with gentle repetition, like the beautiful ‘Tell Me A Dragon’ by Jackie Morris (Frances Lincoln).

Lower word-count

Bedtime books often have a lower word-count than their daytime counterparts. The child and the reader will be tired by this point in the day and often a shorter story is appreciated by both. What you really don’t want is a story where the reader has to keep editing – skipping words, or even whole pages (not that a child will let them get away with that!) in a bid to reach the end sooner. It’s far better to keep the word count lower, perhaps nearer to 400 words, and just ensure that every word really works hard and has a purpose for being there.

Beautiful, feel-good stories

Bedtime books need to leave the child feeling safe, secure, and snugglesome – ready to lie down and go to sleep. Love-filled stories with touching, happy endings are perfect. The classic Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram (Walker) is a great example of this.

Soft, gentle illustrations

While the reader is telling the story, the child will be looking at the pictures. Soft, dream-like or pastel-based illustrations help enhance the quiet nature of the story and prepare for sleep. Keep these in mind as you write to help visualise and create the ideal bedtime book.

Night-time settings

Stories don’t need to be exclusively set at bedtime or night-time, but they often are. Think about the power of the front cover. A night-time image, with deep midnight blue sky and soft moonlight; or an adult character cuddling a little character under the stars; or a picture of a bed…all these images cry out ‘bedtime story’. So it makes sense that from a pitching and marketing point of view, bedtime books about bedtime or night-time are simply easier to sell.

Alternatively, books could be set during daytime but end with a night-time scene, such as a story exploring a day spent with Grandma, ending with her tucking the child into bed. Again, Guess How Much I Love You does this very well.

Night-time topics

If you are using a night-time setting and night-time topics, it’s important to have an original approach. Many brilliant bedtime books are out there already – yours needs to stand out.

Probably the most common topic for bedtime books is ‘getting ready for sleep’. This could involve the character being unable to get to sleep for a wide variety of reasons. For example, in Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell (Walker), Little Bear is afraid of the darkness all around him. Fortunately, good old Big Bear has a solution to the problem.

Sometimes the books show the main character being unwilling to go to bed (such as Charlie and Lola: I Am Not Sleepy And I Will Not Go To Bed by Lauren Child, Orchard Books). This can certainly reflect the reality of life! However, be mindful of how the situation and the characters are portrayed. A deliberately naughty or disobedient child character may be cheered on by the child listener, but may not go down so well with the adult reader!

Anything Else?

Books about struggling to sleep are popular with parents and children alike but with so many existing books, new stories need to offer a fresh take on the subject. Perhaps instead of the typical bears and rabbits, you could try using an unusual character. Or maybe place the story in an unusual setting. Author Michelle Robinson and illustrator Nick East have created a brilliant bedtime series published by Puffin (Goodnight Princess, Goodnight Pirate, Goodnight Digger, Goodnight Tractor), which explores various favourite settings as the child character gets ready for sleep.

The land of dreams is another great topic for a bedtime story, enabling the listener to explore a magical realm before drifting off to sleep. A good example is The Tickle Tree by Chae Strathie and Poly Bernatene (Albury Books). Told in rhyme, this story takes the reader on a whimsical and wonderful ride. If you’d like to write a dream-based story and indulge your imagination, remember to avoid making the adventure too loud and madcap. A good bedtime book should calm children down rather than have them galloping around the room, chasing a three-headed Wongleblob.

Bedtime toys can also feature in bedtime stories. In Goodnight Harry by Kim Lewis, it is one of the toys who cannot get to sleep. The relationship between bedtime toy and the child is another avenue worth exploring.

There will always be a need for bedtime books and a need for writers to create them. So why not give a bedtime story a go? Just try to stay awake while you’re writing!

Recommended Reading

Charlie and Lola: I Am Not Sleepy And I Will Not Go To Bed by Lauren Child (Orchard Books)

Sleepy Me by Marni McGee and Sam Williams (Macmillan)

Tell me A Dragon by Jackie Morris (Frances Lincoln)

Guess How Much I Love You by Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram (Walker)

The Goodnight Star by Amy Sparkes and Jane Massey (Red Fox/Random House)

The Tickle Tree by Chae Strathie and Poly Bernatene (Albury Books)

Can’t You Sleep, Little Bear? by Martin Waddell (Walker)

Goodnight Harry by Kim Lewis (Walker)

Goodnight... series by Michelle Robinson and Nick East (Puffin)

UPCOMING COURSES

If you’re looking to develop your writing craft, I run a wide range of courses and workshops throughout the year. Ticketing is via Eventbrite, and you can follow my account there to be emailed whenever a new course is scheduled. The final two for 2022 are:

The Power Of Why?

Tuesday 13th December, 7pm GMT.
BOOK HERE.
We often think about the 'what', 'who', 'when', 'where' and 'how' of storytelling... but what about the 'why'? This course is for you if you want to:
• Create tight storytelling
• Create believable scenarios
• Create realistic characters
• Reduce time spent in plot tangles
• Produce your best writing
• Improve your focus
• Pick the right projects

Come and explore some of the best 'why' questions to help you hone your storytelling craft.

How To Unquiet Your Text

Wednesday 14th December, 7pm GMT.
BOOK HERE
‘It’s a bit quiet’ is the dreaded feedback many writers receive. This session will help you energise your writing and let your voice sing.

ADVANCE NOTICE

Picture books: Going Deeper weekend

Sat 21st January 2023 & Sun 22nd January 2023.
BOOKING AVAILABLE SOON

Taking picture book writing to the next level, this jam-packed weekend includes: creating a stunning opening spread; non-traditional storytelling; analysing texts; shaping your idea; breakout rooms; optional 1:1s; Q&A with an editor; and the chance to send your story to a top publishing house.

END NOTES

Keep your eyes open for the next newsletter, which will include exciting news for crit groups! Good luck with your writing!

Story Godmother