Dancing Between the Tiny and the Tremendous
Do you ever wish you could go back to the time you first started writing/ illustrating picture books—when you knew none of the rules and did it for the sheer joy of bringing a great story idea to life?
I do, sometimes.
(As long as I don’t read what I wrote. My eternal thanks, first round of agents I submitted to, for still finding nice things to say about *cringe* my early work!)
Our inner editors and doubts can be such downers when we create. And even our hard-earned craft wisdom can feel at odds with those story seeds longing to unfurl this way and that, shooting toward the sky with all the ambition and recklessness of a giant beanstalk.
Caption: Story, calm down!
I wrestle with dos and don’ts, when it feels like they’re putting limits on what I love most as a limitless format. But these guiding concepts—like limbo word count (How low can you go?); show, not tell; minding page turns—really turn out to be our friends as kid lit creators.
They’re there not to confine, but to refine. They hone our work into books. They turn our blood, sweat, and years of tears into bedtime favorites, teaching moments, and precious memory kernels.
So we make our peace with them (also knowing that we have to know the rules to break them *wink*).
Now, when things get overwhelming—and they often do—it helps me to remember this one thing:
When in doubt, write from the heart.
This usually lands me (dancing) somewhere between the tiny and the tremendous. Because that’s what we do isn’t it? We take the biggest concepts and distill them into as few words as we can, condensing a range of emotions and events into a neat arc.
Picture books cover topics ranging from molecules to the multiverse. We take the tiny details of life—as children marvelously do—and make them loom large, honoring their importance.
That’s how When an Elephant Hears NO came to be.
I realized that this tiny word is a frequent visitor with such a large presence in every child’s day. This two-letter word that can mean and do so many things depending on the context, often goes unexplained because of its finality: N-O.
Just on the cover, we already have three NOs. Can you find them all? (Answers at the end of this entry).
I also thought that a fictional elephant throwing a tantrum would be pretty hilarious. Shoutout to fellow 12 x 12er Estrela Lourenço for bringing this moment to the page—and so, to life—so brilliantly!
A NO can simply be refusing a request (tiny), but it can also have the power to effect change on a massive scale as in protest (tremendous).
It can be said—and heard—in so many ways. Estrela captured this in the endpapers. (In my best Dorothy Boyd from Jerry Maguire impression: “You had me at endpapers.”)
A particular NO I’m so glad found space in this book was the consent NO (to swim with five very, very hungry crocs). My wonderful agent, Lisa Amstutz, asked for this when I first sent it to her, but it would have been a forced fit.
Then, a craft concept made it happen: pagination. When I’d moved the scenes around later on, a spot opened up where that NO flowed right into the narrative.
Refined, not confined, this beanstalk of a manuscript inched that much closer to the clouds.
Working with my editor, Kayla Tostevin, it grew tremendously as we squeezed the potential out of every tiny detail. A single tweak could raise the stakes in the scene, improve readability, add dramatic humor, or clarify meaning.
It’s in this tedious work that the love of an entire industry can be found. I like to think that the thought and care we put into picture books at every stage of the process, become the unseen elements—the pixie dust!—that make them magical when read.
As we create, create, create and learn, learn, learn with so much of this bright year ahead of us, may our doubts be quelled by the joy of getting to nurture our talents and skills, marveling at how deep our story seeds take root and how high they go.
And since it’s the month of hearts, here’s to the tiniest ones that truly hold the most tremendous amounts of love. Kids are AMAZING.
So when in doubt, write for them.
Answer: Three!
1. NO, don’t do what you’re about to do.
2. NO, that’s not safe!
3. Nooooooo… my walls!
Dazzle Ng is a Chinese-Filipino storyteller based in Metro Manila, where she enjoys life’s little adventures with her family and their dog, Bacon. She’s also the author of When a Rhino Has to Wait (Page Street Kids, 2025).
Her work (not always in her name) can be read on various platforms across the globe—something she never imagined possible, even as a little girl with big dreams, a head full of stories, and a deep wonder for how the right words strung together create magic.
Dazzle is offering one lucky 12 x 12 member a PB Critique (no rhyme!) at the February check-in.
Not a member yet? Grab your membership here: Membership page.
2023 members, check your emails for renewal details.
12 x 12 may earn a commission from books purchased through the links in the post. Proceeds go to fund 12 x 12 diversity programming and scholarships.
226 Responses
Aw, your book sounds amazing, congratulations! And thanks for the reminder about first knowing the rules before breaking them.
Thanks so much, Lauri! And you’re welcome too! 🙂
I am in the “don’t know the rules” phase, and very new to writing children’s books! I will take your advice and “write from the heart,” and not edify myself out dreamy concepts. Thanks for the insights.
You’re welcome, Christiana! Wishing you tons of fun, learning, and success. 🙂
What a great idea for a book. I love that the small kid is a huge elephant. I am struggling with word count on a manuscript right now!
Tiny word count = tremendous task! 🙂 Thank you, Caroline. Good luck on your MS!
What a great post! You had me at ‘hello’…or maybe ‘no’. I love your humor.
I love yours! I literally laughed a little reading your comment. 🙂 Thanks, Lizzie!
So motivating to hear! Thank you.
You’re welcome and thanks too, Ashley! 🙂
Your book sounds adorable! I can’t wait to read it!
Aaahhhhhh thank you, Kirsten!
This is all so true! It’s very easy to feel bogged down and constrained by “the rules” – but as hard as it can be to admit and embrace sometimes – truly, the “rules” so often make our writing and our stories so, so much better!
Absolutely agree—bogged down and constrained indeed! But yes, they’re really something to appreciate at the end of the day. 🙂
I can relate to getting so lost in the rules that I sometimes forget the heart of the story I wanted to write. Thanks for the reminder to find the heart again! And your book looks adorable! I just put it on hold at my local library.
Thank you so much, Heather!!! 🙂 The heart of the story gets so buried sometimes. But once it’s beating true, the story shines!
Looking forward to reading When an Elephant Hears No. I just requested my library purchase it 😊
Pixie dust & process ❤️, makes perfect sense to me!
Thank you so much, Allison! 🙂 YES to pixie dust & process!
I look forward to reading your story. I broke some rules in my writing this morning- thanks for the reminder that sometimes it’s the right thing to do!
Thank you so much, Sandra! YAY for those moments when our writing feels so right! 🙂
It heartens me to read your process because it reassures me that mine is ok. Thank you.
We all have our own and they’re all wondrous! 🙂
Love this book’s premise. It is so true that the biggest things can start with the littlest words. Thank you for sharing your wisdom.
Thank you for the kind words, Susan! 🙂 Oh I really like that thought!
Loved this: “I like to think that the thought and care we put into picture books at every stage of the process, become the unseen elements—the pixie dust!—that make them magical when read.“
ABSOLUTELY. 🙂
Knowing the rules can be daunting, especially in the early stages of drafting. Thank you for this uplifting post to get past being too bogged down with them. Like with other things – a place for everything and everything in its place!
So true! Happy to help clear emotional space for more joy in writing! 🙂
WHEN AN ELEPHANT HEARS NO looks wonderful, congratulations! I look forward to reading it. Thank you for the very inspiring words and post. It really spoke to me!
Thank you so much, Karin! So happy to hear that! 🙂
I look forward to reading this one – and to thinking hard about breaking the rules as I write. Thanks for sharing your insight and experience!
Katey! Thank you. 🙂 Your words mean so much.
Writing from the heart is such great advice. Thank you!
You’re welcome! 🙂 Huge yay!
Thanks for sharing. Your book sounds so fun and like one kids will love!
Thank you so much, Jenna! 🙂
I would have loved this book when my son was small. I think he thought his name was “No-David.” (Yes, we read that book a lot back then). I now have a 3-year-old grandson and “When an Elephant Hears No”will be perfect for him! Thanks for sharing!
Awwwww thank you so much, Marcia! I’m so happy to hear this!
Engaging way to highlight the Nos that fill up children’s days. The elephant delights! I enjoyed the description of working with your editor.
Thank you so much, Virginia! So happy you enjoyed that part. 🙂
Love the concept of tiny and tremendous! You have articulated that concept so well.
Thank you, Karen! It warms the heart so much to know. 🙂
Thank you. I love the book’s premise. Writing from your heart is what I always intend to do and sometimes the rules do get in the way and crowd out my ideas. I appreciate your very inspiration post.
Thanks for sharing that, Teddie! It happens so frustratingly often. (Argh!) Here’s to powering through those noisy thoughts… or digging so deep we don’t hear them anymore. 🙂
Thanks so much! I enjoy hearing how agents and editors and authors work together to make a book the best it can be. Congratulations!
Thank you, Rose! It was such a lovely experience every step of the way. 🙂
No one likes to hear the word no. I like the way this book subtly teaches how to deal with that. I also love the advice about writing from the heart. We can be our own worst critic and keep a story from being told. Thanks for this.
Exactly that—keeping a story from being told! Thanks, Lori. Happy heart-led writing to us this year and always! 🙂
“When in doubt, write from the heart!” To me, that says it all! Thank you!
A B S O L U T E L Y 🙂 Thanks too, Marcia!
So many beautiful (and quotable) nuggets in this post! Loved reading it, Dazzle! And congrats on your latest book. It looks and sounds like great fun.
Ohhh, thank you so much, Marty! 🙂 Happy you enjoyed the read.
Thank you for sharing some of your book’s journey! So interesting to hear. And love the concept of that delicate dance we do.
Delicate dance—I love that! 🙂 Thank you, Jennifer! Happy dancing to us!
This book sounds lovely and I agree – you had me at the endpapers! Love the illustrations as well. Can’t wait to get my hands on the full thing. Thanks for sharing your journey with us!
Ahhhhhh Estrela is AMAZING. Thank you, Katie! Hope you enjoy it! 🙂
What a lovely post, Dazzle. Thank you for putting into words what we do as writers and what we wrestle with everyday. Thank you also for pointing out that those sometimes frustrating rules (the “NO-NOs” — adults have them, too :)) aren’t there to confine but to refine! So true. I just ordered your delightful new book and can’t wait to read (and learn from) your “magic!”
Look at that alliteration! 🙂 Woohoo! Thank YOU, Lori. I super appreciate the support and the kind words. Oh yes, adults get NOs that make us want to stomp around too!
February- the months of hearts. I will remember your line, “When in doubt, write from the heart”. This I will take with me.
Thanks for sharing your writing journey. I look forward to reading, “When an Elephant Hears No”, and “When a Rhino Has to Wait”. They both sound like fun stories.
Ohhh that’s so lovely to hear. Thank you, Jeannette! Happy month of hearts. 🙂
Thank you for this lovely post Dazzle, especially ‘when in doubt write from the heart’. I will really enjoy reading this book about No to my preschool grandchildren. Your Rhino book looks equally enchanting.
Thank you so much, Lee! I hope you and the little ones have a wonderful time reading the story! 🙂
Thank you for this post. I loved the reminder: when in doubt, write from the heart. Congratulations on this story, I look forward to reading it.
Thank you so much, Maria! 🙂 Happy writing, always!
Your book looks adorable! Kids do hear a lot of “no”s every day. It’s hard for us adults to reframe what we say in order to not say “no.” So I’m definitely looking forward to seeing how this little elephant expresses him/herself and how that may help the adults take another look at “no.” Also thanks for the reminders – keep-word-count-down, make-room-for-page-breaks, and show-don’t-tell.
You’re welcome Marie, and thank you too! 🙂 It’s really cool that you see how this book is also helpful for adults, because that was definitely one of my hopes in writing it. Hope you enjoy the story!
Thanks for the reminder to write for the joy of it and also for the amazing kids who are going to read our stories. When An Elephant Hears NO sounds adorable and funny and oh so relatable! Can’t wait to read it.
Thanks so much, Angela! 🙂 YES to joy in reading and in writing!
Thank you for sharing. Your book looks fabulous. And congratulations on your upcoming picture book!
Thank you so much, Katie! 🙂
I took care of twin girls yesterday (age 16 months) and as they climbed from couch to table to chair I heard myself saying no, no, no repeatedly throughout the day. Then I read your post and saw the preview of your adorable book and I had a good laugh at myself. No wonder it’s one of the first words kids recognize!
I think most of us will agree, that as PB writers we hear the word no a lot and it does have a tremendous impact, but we keep trying. Thanks for the great post and for the reminder that writing from the heart can make all the difference.
I love that little story (of big trouble–aaaahh)! Thank you for sharing that snippet, Susan—it’s too cute! Glad you found the humor in a tough situation. And it’s so true about kidlit creators hearing NOs too! The running joke here is there should also be a version called “When an Author Hears NO”. It’ll definitely involve ice cream. And maybe a tantrum. 🙂
You had me at “Dancing between tiny and tremendous.” What a wonderful vision of the tedious and amazing things a picture book does for little readers. Big thanks and little thanks for your perspectives and thoughts to help give more to my writing.
Glad that resonated with you, Amy! It’s really such a fun and fab way of thinking of what we do. 🙂 I love that combo…tedious and amazing—so true! Big and little thanks right back. 🙂 Happy writing!
Thank you so much, Dazzle! I can’t wait to read your book about the word “No” – great idea!
Thanks so much, Amy! 🙂 Hooray!
Wow, Dazzle, you had me at “Elephant”…. Elephants, especially baby elephants always just melt my heart. Plus, I love the message. I was actually kissed by an elephant when I visited an elephant sanctuary in South Africa some years back. My dream is to return to the sanctuary some time in the future and spend a couple of weeks as a volunteer just giving the baby elephants a bath. They are soooo adorable. Thank you so much for sharing your journey with us. It sounds like this book probably makes a great read aloud book. I can’t wait to get this book and read it at our local library’s story-time. Wishing you great success with this book and keep up the awesome work!
I just watched a video of a baby elephant in a bath! They’re THE BEST. Such magnificent, intelligent creatures. I hope your dream comes true! 🙂 Thank you for being part of mine by choosing ELEPHANT at story-time! Wishing you great success right back, Sharon!
Dazzle, thank you so much for your kind words. I’m pretty good at manifesting so I just know that there are a bunch of baby elephant baths in my future. I want to thank you so much because your book arrived on my front porch yesterday in the middle of a rain store. I was so excited to open the mailing box and read your book. I got really cozy on my couch with a cup of tea and before I could start reading Mr. kitty insisted on getting in my lap. So my first read-a-loud of your book was to my sweet little kitty. I was not as loud and theatrical as I usually am with a reading because I didn’t want to scare him. That was the first time I read a book to him…but it won’t be the last because it was obvious he really loved it. I absolutely adored the book and the great illustrations. It feels like a classic already. And I so look forward to reading it at our local library in a couple of weeks. Keep up the awesome job and most of all have FUN!
Thank you so much for supporting and sharing “When an Elephant Hears NO”, Sharon! That is super kind and awesome! 🙂 I’m glad you both had a great time reading it and I’m sure the kids will have the best time at your upcoming read-aloud! Enormous hug of thanks! 🙂
Dazzle, thank you for a creative and inspiring post. It is one I plan to review from time to time.
It will be fun to read your books to the little ones in my life!
Oh that’s so wonderful to hear! Thank you, Brenda—your words warm my heart so much!
As someone who works with toddlers (and kids of all ages), I love that your book focuses on the ‘NO’! A great milestone moment for all toddlers. And the illustrations look like a perfect fit. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you so much, Melanie! The illustrations are phenomenal! 🙂
Thank you for the fabulous post! And congratulations on When an Elephant Hears NO! What a wonderful exploration of the big feelings and experiences attached to such a little word. Your words are a great reminder to think refine – not confine and to pour in the love. It can be hard to climb out of the weeds of knowledge, but we can!
Thank you, Mary! 🙂 Climbing out of the weeds to pour in love—LOVE this!
Love this! I am a preschool teacher who works predominantly with children with language and communication delays. Yet, the majority of them certainly understand and know how to use “no!” It’s pretty universal, isn’t it? Can’t wait to check out your book.
Thank you, Sally! I hope you enjoy the book. I think your work is super meaningful and beautiful (someone dear to me is in the same field)! ❤️
Thank you so much, Melanie! The illustrations are phenomenal! 🙂
Love the idea of your story. Looks like a fun read.
It’s funny and interesting timing but the take away from a story I’m writing is ‘you first need to know the basic rules before you can be creative and break them.’
That’s so cool! Wishing all things wonderful for your story, Barbara! 🥰
I love the three NOs.
Thank you for reading till the end! 😊 I so love the drama and the details of this cover!
I love your post that is both inspirational and hilarious. It’s full of humor and heart as they say in the PB world! I can’t wait to read WHEN AN ELEPHANT HEARS NO and just ordered it from the library.
Thank you so much, Alison, for the kind words and for the library request! Both mean so much. 🥰
love this exploration of a single word!
Thanks Joanna. 🥰 I had the best time brainstorming! I think I was laughing to myself at some point!
OMG!! The cover and the illustrations are BEAUTIFUL! And it sounds so fun!
Waaah thank you so much!! 🥹 Appreciate the energy in your words! ❤️
Dazzle (and Estrela), this book looks fabulous! Congrats on it–and your upcoming rhino one!
Thank you so much, Elayne! 🥰
Yes to No!!!
YEEEESSS!! ❤️
Thank you for your post! I absolutely love the elephant throwing a tantrum!
This book is such a funny premise with great visuals. I love your little elephant. Congrats!
mining the details, and the possibilities! I love this (and your beanstalk metaphor)! Thanks!
Thank you for this fun post! Who knew an elephant could be so creative!
I love looking to the smallest and biggest scale with a single idea. 🙂 Thanks for sharing your inspirations and encouragement!
Thank you, Dazzle! “When in doubt, write from the heart.” And expanding on the importance of “N-O” is brilliant. Your story with Estrela’s artwork looks like a winning combo!
I love, love your concept of limbo word count…a visual that is funny and a great reminder. I had a neighbor whose child’s first word was nein, because they spoke German. Definitely a wonderful book for the Littles. And those end papers! 💗 Thanks for writing a wonderful book and advice column. I will no longer take no for an answer. 😉
Sometimes I embrace the rules and sometimes I say NO to the rules. It depends on so many things!
The trick is to know you craft, then your learn what rules to break. I learned that studying photograpgy
Those end papers are SO much fun! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you for the inspiration and the reminder to write for the joy of it. Your book looks adorable – congratulations!
They’re there not to confine, but to refine. They hone our work into books. They turn our blood, sweat, and years of tears into bedtime favorites, teaching moments, and precious memory kernels. Love this! Also, Congratulations on your books and thank you for sharing such lovely tips with all of us.
“No” was my first word. Love your reminder to not let the rules limit our creativity!
It’s finding the way to play by the rules and yet be brave enough to break them when it’s right to do so! Thanks!
Thank you for sharing the joy of writing picture books. Sometimes I get caught up in trying to follow the rules and lose the joy. Maybe I need to stop telling myself no so often. Is a Yes picture book in your future? I hope so.
I read this when it was first posted, and reading it again, I am seeing so many more gems that I can apply to my own writing. I’m currently having to get used to revising and re-revising and re-re-revising… and it’s tough but worth it! Thanks so much for sharing your insights!
Thanks for sharing how you don’t let the rules take the fun out of writing. They need to be kept in mind, but writing from your heart is most important!
Know the rules well enough to know when to say “no” to the rules. I love it! Congratulations on your new book. I’m eager to read it. You had me at elephants. (:
Thank you so much for these words of encouragement! It feels very easy to get caught up in the dos and don’ts when the best magic really does come from the heart. I’m very excited to read your book as a fellow elephant lover – the tantrum brought to life is perfection!
what a cute book! thanks for the post.
Oooh, I would love to have this for my classroom!
Thank you, Dazzle! Very helpful post. And congrats!
The elephant tantrum is so adorable. Thank you for sharing, and for the encouragement to write from the heart!
Thanks for a great post! I loved seeing the process and inspiration for your new book! Congratulations!
I just loved this article! One, I like your writing style. Two, I love that you wrote about the pixie dust of writing. I had a moment like this while revising a current manuscript. I needed a particular thing to happen but it just wouldn’t work. Finally, with some rearranging (“refined, not confined”), it fit perfectly! Thank you for writing on this topic!
So many great tidbits in your post- I’m taking notes in my notebook! Thank you. And your book looks fabulous– about to put in on hold and/or order it from the library!
How low can you go lol!!
A simply fabulous post, Dazzle. I love the notion of refine, not confine, and of course working from the heart. Thank you for this!
Oh those first drafts when I thought I was good…what will I think of my stuff now in a few years? Hopefully good things after all these 12×12 webinars and book chats.
My best stories are definitely those that come straight from my heart. Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Great post and great advice. I especially love this: “They turn our blood, sweat, and years of tears into bedtime favorites, teaching moments, and precious memory kernels.” <3
So inspiring. Thank so much for sharing. It’s so easy to lose the joy in the midst of the work, but the hard work is an investment in future joy, both for us and for our readers.
Love your post almost as much as your name! xo
Three cheers for writing from the heart and then revising with the rules–which really, really make things so much better! Thank you!
Loved this blog post!
Thank you, Dazzle for sharing. I appreciate your insight. Congratulations on your books.
Elephants are so cool and I love the contrast of a huge animal and a powerful little word. Much luck with your books!
“Refine, not confine.” What an awesome mantra!
Thank you, Dazzle, for your insightful, inspiring post! I appreciate you sharing these thoughts with us. : )
Thank you Dazzle, for giving me a look inside your thoughts and feelings in writing your debut picture book. Look forward to seeing it in my local bookstore!
Thank you for this helpful and encouraging post, Dazzle. As someone who is a long-time writer but new to picture books, I’m trying to learn the rules of this form while holding onto that spark of *anything-can-happen* energy that you described. Having guides like yourself who show that you can follow the rules while using them to creative advantage is tremendously valuable. I can’t wait to read your book!
So many of our ‘Nos’ are self-imposed or because we follow ‘the rules’ too rigidly. The concept of saying “no” to an elephant is hilarious, and it also got me laughing about the rules and how they are both good and bad for me as a writer. Thank you for your post – I’m looking at ‘nos’ (and rules) in a whole new way, and can’t wait to read your book.
Your writing is lighthearted and inspiring, thoughtful and heartfelt too. Thank you for sharing what is in your heart with us.
Thank you for a wonderful and encouraging post! The tiny tweaks really can make tremendous impact.
I loved learning about the collaboration between author, editor, and illustrator. Thank you!
I can’t wait to read your book, Dazzle! Thanks so much for sharing 🙂
Your book looks like so much fun! Thanks for sharing your writing process and experience as you created this wonderful story!
Thank you for sharing.
I can’t wait to read this! It looks adorable. Thanks for sharing!
So inspiring and love the concept of this post! Thank you for sharing your story!
Your book sounds amazing! I can’t wait to read it. The endpapers are wonderful. Honestly, I could not have come up with that many interpretations of the word NO! Even though it is a small word, it is a huge word to kids. : )
Kids truly ARE amazing! Love the advice: “When in doubt, write for them.” 🙂
Very clever take and I love the elephant theme!
I did not find the three No’s. I had to look at your answers 🙂 I like your idea of the pixie dust that we put in when creating is what kids picked up by kids when they’re reading the book. Thank you for sharing!
Really love your theme here. Tiny and Tremendous— great visual.
Thank you for reminding us that the “rules” are for refinement, not confinement. We often feel like rules are limitations, but you helped define the difference. Congratulations on the publication of “When an Elephant Hears NO”.
Love this mantra “When in doubt, write from the heart” and your thoughts on the tedious work of word editing being the place the magic happens.
I love things that are “hiding in plain sight”! Thank you, Dazzle!
Such energy! Thank you for making the time to share your story!
What a great post, Dazzle! I loved your metaphor about story seeds becoming giant beanstalks. I love it that they want to grow with reckless abandon, but all those “nos” (pruning what doesn’t need to be there and shaping what does) end up being what helps them shoot straight up to the sky. Thanks so much for sharing, and congratulations on your book!
Dazzle, thank you for the sage and encouraging advice. Congratulations on your adorable book!
Dazzle:
Thanks so much for your words when you were a beginning writer! I wrote on my vision board…”When in doubt, write from the heart!” A board I keep on my wall with the books I’m working on and encouragers! Your book is a wonderful concept giving levity to the young NO that is heard so often! Thank you!
Thank you for this wonderful post! Reminding us that we need to write from the heart and throw out the rulebook when we put that pen to paper are great words to write by.
Dazzle-Brilliant idea to pair the small might word No with the giant gentle ellie. Thanks for the reminder that even after yo’ve drafted, revised, and submitted, the editing process continues making your manuscript even more powerful.
Oh, this advice will go on a sticky note on my monitor to remind me. Every day!
Love this, “They’re there not to confine, but to refine.” What a great way to think of those pesky rules 🙂
Your book looks like loads of fun! Thank you.
I love your comment “When in doubt, write from the heart” when things are overwhelming!
Thank you
So fun to see your journey, thanks for sharing!
So fun! No is such a ubiquitous part of childhood, I love how you’ve brought so many aspects of it into your story.
Thank you for your post! I love the idea of an elephant having a tantrum.
Yes to this Dazzle, “When in doubt, write from the heart”! That really resonated with me and is something I needed a reminder of. Best of luck with, When an Elephant Hears NO. It sounds fantastic and I cant wait to read it!
Great reminders to write from the heart and that kids are what this work is all about. Thanks!
“When in doubt, write from the heart.” I feel like that should rhyme, but in any case, perfect advice. Thanks for the post and I’ll be looking for your books in my local library.
I love how your described moving pages around that allowed an opening for the consent NO. It hit me how important this kind of no is to a child for safety and using one’s voice. So important! The thought of heart amid pixie dust brought a smile to my face. Thank you for writing such a relatable and fun book for children!
I agree…refining one’s picture book via the “rules,” the collaborative process and providing children with humorous books is a joy…You had me at elephant!
I love how you elaborate on the various forms “no” can take.
My students and I love to examine and discuss end pages. These are some great ones!
Thank you for taking time to encourage and inspire us.
Thank you for sharing! I can’t wait to read your book!
NO way! This is adorable! I LOVE the idea of an elephant having a tantrum. Such a tiny yet important word! Congratulations!!
So so true! A little word can mean so much! Thanks for sharing.
With love from Indonesia,
Natasha
Fabulous post! Thank you for sharing and congratulations on your books. Love the animation of elephant’s tantrum. Can’t wait to read about the Rhino!
I love this!
I can’t wait to read your book! I love when you said “when in doubt, write from the heart.” And yes, kids are amazing! That’s why we write for them! Thank you for your wise words.
Thank you for sharing your journey with us. So much is totally relatable and reason for a huge “sigh” We are not traveling alone on this road, and peer support is crucial! Thank you
Such sage advice: “When in doubt, write from the heart.” I’m reminded of a time I wrote an inspiration sentence for my story, and after writing the pitch, I realized my inspiration outshined my pitch. Translation: my story lacked ‘the heart’ of my original inspiration. Thank you for reminding me of this. And I look forward to reading about elephants’ journey.
This post is so wonderfully balanced, filled with the joy of writing for children with all of the frustrations that entails. I appreciate your positivity and the key take-aways–> write from the heart and kids are amazing. That is enough to keep writing day in and day out. Thank you!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I tend to overthink EVERYTHING and I need to be reminded to go with my heart.
“… we have to know the rules to break them *wink” — love this!
I felt inspired by your words and encouragement. Sometimes it can be difficult to continue to believe in a project. I appreciated the idea – Refined, not Confined – to keep a story idea growing and evolving.
Your book is wonderful and so is your advice. Write from the heart. Here we go!
Thanks for this post!
Dazzle, Thank you for this sharing of your book and the way the “rules” made it shine! It’s amazing how ideas turn into manuscripts.
Thank you. Little words with such big meanings.
Word count limbo! Hahaha! Love that! And love your book! Congratulations!
I love the premise behind this book, such a small but powerful (and ubiquitous!) word. I agree that the ‘rules’ are many but “really turn out to be our friends”. Congratulations Dazzle!
Beautifully written, thank you for the tips!
I love everything about this! Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this advice with us, Dazzle. Such a good and well written post! I agree that writing from the heart will always produce your best work, and the rules we follow as PB writers absolutely help us craft PBs that are the best possible versions of themselves. Your book looks amazing, btw. Can’t wait to get it from the library!
I love the idea of a PB centered around the word “no.” Such a powerful–and yet for my 3yo totally ineffective–word in the lives of children, and usually one they learn far before “yes.” Thank you for reminding us to break the rules and to play. =)
Thank you, Dazzle! Great reminders to relax and just get the words on paper.
A small word with a big impact ! Looking forward to reading it!
I love that you worked with something as simple as, “no.” Every child could relate.
Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for the inspiring post! Wonderful to hear your story of working with your agent to make the story the best it can be!
For what it’s worth, I was often reminded by my mom that “No” was my first word. I can only surmise that it was a word I often heard, as the fourth and most active child of our family. I look forward to reading your adorable book!
I love this post! Your writing style evokes such perfect mental images, from limbo word counts (a constant challenge) to pixie dust. I love it! I also appreciated how you shared the collaborative process between you, your agent, and editor. A lot of times we can feel like a manuscript has to be perfect (of course, it is) when it is first submitted. It was interesting to hear you talk about how your story was improved through the tweaking along the way.
And, “NO” isn’t just a word heard by young children (and aspiring authors). When I was in 3rd grade, just learning cursive writing, I thought I finally had my capital Ls looking really good. I loved the way they looped gracefully this way and that, and to show how good they looked, I used a crayon and wrote them all the way along the wall next to my bed. I thought they were LOVELY! My dad did not agree (and was not moved by the fact that it was the first letter in my name, either)! Oh, well. Sometimes a “no” can lead to learning;) Thanks again for this post!
Your post inspires me to continue learning, moving forward, and working through the challenges involved in creating the best stories I can for children. I look forward to reading this book and any others you have written.
“…marveling at how deep our story seeds take root and how high they go.” Love that.
And yes, those picture book writing rules can feel so confining at times. And they can feel so hypocritical when we see so many rules broken in published picture books. I think you’re right, though. They are meant to be refining tools. I grew up as a rule follower, but now I think more critically about rules and break them when needed.
Congratulations, Dazzle! I had to think as I read your post that as a new author, I will hear the word “no” many more times than “yes.” But when I hear “yes” the world will know it. I am so excited to be on this author journey. Reading your words inspired me, but also makes me aware of my ignorance of the rules. I write from the heart, my experiences, and the inspiration from my “little” people.
Thanks for reminding us to write from the heart. Your elephant book sounds like a perfect fit for a student I am tutoring. I will check with my library for a copy.
I strive to write from the heart. It’s not easy. I ‘ve found the rules help and some techniques like freewriting and brainstorming and letting ideas simmer. Like I said, it’s not easy. But I won’t give up!
What a great post. Your book looks adorable! Congratulations on your upcoming Rhino book.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful post. So much of it rings true as we work to write picture books that honor children. I particularly loved; we take the tiny details of life—as children marvelously do—and make them loom large, honoring their importance. Perfect!
Love this! Thank you, Dazzle.
Salamat Po (I’m a Filipina-American writer born in Iloilo) for this wonderful post! You’re so right: When in doubt, write from the heart. This will forever be my mantra! Looking forward to reading your book to my 4 year old! And, I do agree: “Kids are AMAZING. So when in doubt, write for them.” Thank you for your inspiring words. They keep me going.
Thank you, Dazzle! I love the advice, “When in doubt, write from the heart.”
A few words for big thoughts and feelings…Thank you, Dazzle, for a book about Nos.
Thanks Dazzle! I have a three year old son and he hears ‘No’ quite a bit. He also uses it himself a lot too, so this made me chuckle. I also enjoyed hearing how your book steadily improved with each revision phase with agent and editor feedback and that our stories can grow even after we’ve obtained an agent, which I’ve always viewed as “the big step” in becoming published. And I see you have another book coming out next year which is so exciting! Congratulations!
Your book sounds great! And the endpapers are fantastic!
I can hardly stand looking at some of my first work. Thankfully I’ve improved some, but I wonder what I’ll think of my current things in 10 years.
Dazzle Ng, Thank you for sharing a delightful story and how it came to be!
Amazing post, Dazzle! Writing from the heart is great advice. Your picture book has heart.
Beanstalk! Reading your reflection on the writing process makes me extra excited to read your work. Love honing those details!
Thank you, Dazzle! You’ve given us so much to inspiration to keep in mind when going through the writing process.
Dazzle, looking forward to getting my hands on this precious book! Your words about going back in time to when you wrote for the sheer joy of it truly resonated with me. I’ve just kind of made the transition from writing for fun and myself to writing for submissions and critiques. It was very scary and overwhelming in the first couple of months, but I’ve started to feel something new – a sort of excitement. Thank you for this encouraging message.
You wrote these words in an informal way as though you were just in a conversation with us, but they are worth keeping in our “inspirational notebooks.”
“[Dancing]…somewhere between the tiny and the tremendous. Because that’s what we do isn’t it? We take the biggest concepts and distill them into as few words as we can, condensing a range of emotions and events into a neat arc…We take the tiny details of life—as children marvelously do—and make them loom large, honoring their importance.”
I so appreciate your wonderful post.