JILL ESBAUM is the author of numerous picture books. Her most recent title TO THE BIG TOP garnered a starred review from Publisher's Weekly, and School Library Journal calls it "an inviting slice of Americana." In addition to writing, Jill also offers a critique service and is an instructor at the Institute of Children's Literature.

Jill lives on a farm in Iowa with her husband, some barnyard cats, and hundreds of pigs.

Welcome to Kidlit Central, Jill. Would you please tell us about your writing process?

For picture books, I first open a blank doc and write down a premise: "What if a rotten dog, hated by all, was secretly a sensitive poet?" Then my savage inner critic and I brainstorm on the computer screen:

Savage Inner Critic: Well, if he's so sensitive, why does he behave so badly?
Me: Hmmm. Peer pressure from classmates, or – ooh – older brothers!
SIC: Okay, so his secret will have to be revealed eventually. How?
Me: Um...he wins a jingle contest?
SIC: He can't win. Too cliché.
Me: Whatever. Shut up.

Before I know it, I have two pages of this blah blah blah. Doesn't always go anywhere, but hope springs eternal. (Actually, something similar to the above exchange brought me STANZA, which comes out next spring from HMHarcourt.)

For a novel, I'm one of those people who just dive in and get to know my characters/story as I go. *pauses while you click over to Amazon to see that I haven't yet sold a novel* I'm constantly going back to tweak, because I believe that a story has to have a solid foundation before it can be built upon. I've tried (oh, how I've tried) to run straight through a story before letting aforementioned savage inner critic rear her ugly head. Doesn't work for me. Luckily, I enormously ENJOY this process of two steps forward, one step back.

Are you in a critique group?

I'm in an on-line crit group of published pb authors. We aren't very active, but when one of us is stuck on some plot point or other, it's great to have professional feedback.

Tell us about your first book sale.

In 2000, at an SCBWI-IL retreat, an editor mentioned that he was looking for longer, multi-layered, humorous picture books for older readers. Back home, I spent a summer writing one, then sent it off. Eight months later, I got The Call from FSG's Robbie Mayes and fell into a chair, hyperventilating.

What are the top five things every picture book writer should know?

Only 5? Egad. Let me think.... Okay, you've undoubtedly heard these before, but:

1) Whatever voice a story demands, let it shine through.
2) Think cinematically, SHOWing a story in a series of scenes.
3) Don't preach. We have celebrity authors for that.
4) Use the most vivid, evocative language you know.
5) Condense ruthlessly. You have to develop the ability to look at your own work as though it's somebody else's. Somebody you don't like very much.

I'm a big fan of ESTELLE TAKES A BATH. Do you have any tips for writing funny books?

1) Surprise and exaggerate.
2) Use unexpected (but oddly apt) similes/metaphors.
3) Put the funniest word at the end of the sentence.
4) Don't point out the "funny" to a reader. Characters who laugh all the time are annoying.
5) Less is more. Too many zingers dilute the impact.

What are you currently working on?

I'm giving a middle grade novel last-minute tweaks and pretending not to obsess about the three picture book manuscripts awaiting a thumbs up/down from various editors.

Do you have a Deep Dark Secret you're willing to share?

I'm currently undergoing treatment to break my addiction to Restaurant-Style Tostitos. Oh, look. Just typing their name has made me salivate. Must ... have ... Tostitos....

Ooh! That is a deep, dark secret. Thanks for sharing and thanks for being a part of Meet-and-Greet Monday!

Jill's Picture Books:
Stink Soup - (FSG, 2004)
Ste-e-e-e-eamboat A-Comin’! - (FSG, 2005)
Estelle Takes a Bath - (Henry Holt, 2006)
To the Big Top - (FSG, 2008)
Stanza - (HM Harcourt, 2009)
Tom's Tweet – (Knopf, forthcoming)

Jill's Latest:


For further information, please check out the following:
Jill's Writing Tips: http://jillesbaum.com/content/blogcategory/8/7/
Jill's Live Journal: http://jillsbooks.livejournal.com/

Oh, and Jill? Here’s a little something to show my appreciation for being my first ever interviewee:

Enjoy!

Tammi Sauer, Oklahoma
http://www.tammisauer.com