Category: writing

writing

#FallWritingFrenzy 2024 Entry

Jany Campana
Apples #14

Stolen Magic

By Jany Campana

Word Count: 126

Photo #14

On Halloween, Jade placed her magic inside a shiny apple. “I need to hide it from those pesky trick or treaters.” 

But when she turned away, her cat, Willow, took a big bite!

In an instant, Willow sparkled from head to tail. With a flick of his paw, the room filled with flying pumpkins and dancing skeletons.

“Silly Willow, you’ve eaten my magic.” Jade laughed.

Instead of scaring the children, the two cast spells together, turned books into bats, made the house glow green, and raced on broomsticks.

But as the clock struck midnight, the magic faded. Willow’s fur returned to normal.

Jade hugged him. “That was the best Halloween ever.”

Willow purred. His plan had worked. And he couldn’t wait to steal the magic, again.

writing

Writing Picture Books — With Humor

Jany Campana

Funny picture books are enjoyable to read. But writing them requires skill.

To develop this skill, imagine something that captures emotion.  For instance, Joy. You want to convey Joy in the most unusual way you can think of. Then ask yourself, what would be crazier, funnier? Take it to the extreme. Generate as many ideas as possible. Reread them, add some, take away some and keep the amazing ones.

Use humor to show rather than tell.

Writing this kind of humor is situational. Similar to slapstick humor, the author must consider not just ordinary arguments or obstacles, but outrageous ones. And the foil can’t be simple either—it has to have exaggerated responses. Remember Wile E. Coyote? He not only falls off a cliff, an anvil lands on him. Take your character to the limit and then make them jump into a blackhole inside Swiss cheese.