I’m thrilled that the monthly PBParty New Draft Challenge & Critique Train now has a fun new twist…a monthly Guest Crit Master. And who better to start us off than PBParty’s Ninja Superstar Sylvia Chen!
Sylvia signed with her amazing agent when she was a PBParty finalist…and has helped so many dreams come true as a judge and Ninja Superstar since then. I honestly can’t imagine running the PBParty contest without her support and amazing spreadsheet skills that have made my job so much easier (and more fun with her helpful automatic color coding)!
Sylvia will critique a picture book manuscript for the first passenger to write a new PB draft and add their name to the Google doc. This train runs from September 18 – 20 Eastern.
In this challenge, everyone is a winner! First of all, you’ll have a shiny new draft (or two). Wahooooo! When you complete the challenge and hop on the Critique Train Google doc, you’ll receive a critique from the passenger above you and give one to the passenger below you. Many people have told me they’ve met trusted critique partners they continue to work with, which makes me SO happy!
Generous Giveaway!
Enter to win a 30 minute Ask Me Anything chat with Sylvia. She’s a wealth of knowledge and can help with writing advice, inspiration, brainstorming…and she’s a master marketer who can help you find creative ways to help more people discover your published books, too!
You’ll find the giveaway at the bottom of this post. Huge thanks, Sylvia! 💖
Sylvia’s tips for writing a new draft:
- Try drafting a 1-2 line pitch for the story you have in mind to see how you can strengthen the compelling elements as much as possible
- Brainstorm titles to see if there are any that inspire the direction for your story the most
- Play around with the first starting line as well as the first 50-70 words to see what can hook the reader from the very start
- Consider if there is any research that can help to deepen the layers of your story
- Once you have a rough first draft, and depending on your personal writing style, review to check for opportunities to integrate more literary devices such as onomatopoeia
- Check if dialogue can help to make the story more engaging
- Read it out loud to see how the pacing feels throughout. 🙂 Take a break to do something rote, then come back to revisit your draft; that time away may give you the space to step back, gain better perspective, and give you new ideas on how to revise next.
Wow–thank you Sylvia! Such a wealth of information.
Born and raised in Queens, New York, Sylvia Chen has also lived and worked in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, Paris, and Tokyo, and now resides in Essex County, New Jersey. As the author of TRICKY CHOPSTICKS (illus. Fanny Liem; Atheneum/Simon & Schuster) and forthcoming picture book SPARKLES FOR SUNNY: A Lunar New Year Story (illus. Thai My Phuong; Flamingo Books/Penguin Random House), Sylvia is also the creator of #PBStudyBuddy, which features amazing picture books on social media for fellow creators, teachers, and librarians. Sylvia loves crafting picture books that spark kids’ interest in STEAM and creative thinking. To connect more, visit her at sylviaichen.com or follow her @SylviaiChen.
Please thank Sylvia for her generosity!
Check out the Sparkles for Sunny website and this fun pre-order swag! My glitter-loving heart can’t wait to read this book!
If you haven’t read Tricky Chopsticks yet, you’re missing out. I love, love, LOVE this book! Psst–you can find out more about Sylvia’s journey and how this book morphed during submissions in her PBParty Success Story. Check out trickychopsticks.com to discover more about this amazing book, fun activities for kids, and upcoming author events.
Here’s a sneak peek (and a glimpse at Sylvia’s masterful marketing before her debut came out)!
Social Media & Website Links
Twitter/X: @SylviaiChen
Instagram: @sylviaichen
Threads: @sylviaichen
Bluesky: @sylviaichen.bsky.social
Author Website: sylviaichen.com
Author’s Goodreads Profile
Tip: It’s a HUGE help to mark a book ‘want to read’ on Goodreads, then change it to ‘read’ plus rate/review a book if you love it!
SAVE THE DATE!
The next New Draft Challenge & Critique Train will be… October 16 – 18 Eastern!
I’ll surprise you by starting the challenge earlier than midnight when possible, to give everyone a better chance at being the first passenger and getting feedback from our future Guest Crit Masters.
*If you’re interested in being a Guest Crit Master, please send me an e-mail: [email protected]
Psssst…did you see that I now have PB Fairy Godmother Critiques?
I’m running a special that includes a query critique for anyone who purchases a critique or critique and Zoom by Friday, September 19. E-mail me for more details!
Enter to win a 30 minute Ask Me Anything chat with Sylvia.
The lucky winner will be announced here on Sunday, September 21. Good luck! And thank you again for always being so generous with the kidlit community, Sylvia. 💖
Huge congrats to…
Angela!
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