Behind the Books: Writing STEM Picture Books, Part 8

Since the beginning of the year, I’ve been discussing the ins and outs of writing STEM picture books, including its key craft elements. (Scroll down to read earlier posts in this discussion.) Today I’m going to focus on nonfiction voice.

What exactly is nonfiction voice? It’s the personality of the writing. It’s how the writing makes the reader feel. I like to think of nonfiction voice as spanning a continuum, from lively to lyrical, with lots of options in between.

For a life story, the voice should match the personality of the person being discussed. For a concept book, the voice should reflect the approach you are taking to the topic.

Here are some examples:

 

Next week, I’ll finish up this string of posts by focusing on the six and final element of nonfiction craft—point of view.