Storystorm 2024 Day 14: Sharon Giltrow Turns a Picture Book into a Middle Grade Series

by Sharon Giltrow

Congratulations on reaching day 14 of Storystorm 2024.

By now I’m sure you have loads of picture book ideas.

But what if they aren’t all picture book ideas?

What if one of your ideas is in fact a middle grade book idea?

“Impossible!”

I hear you say.

“I’m a picture book writer. I write picture books.”

Well, you can be both.

Let me tell you a little story about how I became both a picture book and a middle grade book writer.

It all began during the storm of 2019. The Storystorm storm that is!

One of my ideas was ‘A Child’s Utility Belt’. I really loved the idea and at the end of Storystorm I chose to brainstorm it. I asked myself What would a child’s utility belt hold? What tools would a child want the most? Perhaps a tool… for time travel, endless supplies of lollies, to glow in the dark, invisibility, to fly. Or even better, a tool to overcome everyday challenges, such as a school bully.

Bingo!

I had my story. I started writing it in the only way I knew how, as a picture book.

However, when I shared the finished story with my critique buddy, she suggested it was more for an older reader. And asked, “Had you thought about turning the story into a middle grade book?”

My reaction was “Um, No! I can’t do that. How do I turn 500 words into 50,000 words?”

I put the story in the too hard drawer.

But I really loved the idea, and I couldn’t let it go. So… I looked in my own utility belt and found a middle grade course.

The course was a great success and by the end of 2019 I had turned my picture book story into a middle grade book: SAMARA RUBIN AND THE UTILTY BELT, illustrated by Thu Vu, published by Clear Fork Press, 2023.

My story doesn’t end with SAMARA though. I went on to write two more books in the series: TOBY KING AND THE UTILITY BELT and KAYA BELL AND THE UTILITY BELT, both to be released in 2024.

So, from one Storystorm picture book idea, three middle grade books were created.

My challenge to you, if you choose to accept it, is to take a close look at your Storystorm ideas. Can any of them be turned into a middle grade book? Or open your drawer of picture book stories and see if any of them will work.

Brainstorm the main plot ideas and scenes from your story and see if they can become chapters.

Examine your characters and see how you can develop them more. Especially their back stories.

Look in your own utility belt and see if you have the tools to help you.

I bet you do!

Sharon Giltrow is giving away two prizes to two separate winners: one copy of SAMARA RUBIN AND THE UTILTY BELT, and one Ask-Me-Anything Zoom chat.

You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm 2024 participant and you have commented only once on today’s blog post.

Prizes will be distributed at the conclusion of Storystorm.

Sharon Giltrow, an award-winning Children’s Author, grew up in South Australia the youngest of eight children, surrounded by pet sheep and fields of barley. She now lives in Perth, Australia with her husband and two children. Sharon has taught for all her career and now teaches young children with Developmental Language Disorder. Her humorous picture books include BEDTIME, DADDY, GET READY, MAMA! which is a SPEECH PATHOLOGY AUSTRALIA shortlisted BOOK OF THE YEAR and LET’S GO SHOPPING, GRANDMA! Awarded The Paper Bird Fellowship for Writers in 2019, Sharon used this time to write SAMARA RUBIN AND THE UTILITY BELT, book one of her debut early middle grade series, which released in August 2023. Book two and three are scheduled be released in 2024. Connect with Sharon online SharonGiltrowAuthor.com, Instagram @sharongiltrow1, and BlueSky @sharongiltrow1.