One of the key things I check when revising a picture book manuscript is page turns. Have I given the reader any reason to keep turning pages, or does each page stand alone and the reader doesn’t care if s/he finishes the book?

5 Ways to Make the Reader Turn the Page

• Stop a sentence in the middle and carry it over to the next page.
• Use only half of a compound word on one page and the rest on the next page.
  For a masterful use of this concept, look at Rick Walton’s book, Once Upon a Bull-Frog.
  
• Key transition words: Then, When, But, And, Until. . .The ellipsis works here to let the reader lengthen the transition word, until the page is turned, revealing a new illustration, and the thought can continue.
• Visuals – a tail (page turn) the rest of the animal. Or, provide a close up on one page and on the next page, pull back to see the whole picture. There are lots of variations on using visuals to create an effective page turn.
• Cause-effect. The plot is so exciting that I want to find out what happens next.

What are OTHER ways to make a reader turn the page? Or, in the comments, post a short quote of your favorite Page Turn, along with the author/title of the picture book. To indicate the page turn, use parentheses. (Page Turn).

Read the Series

This is part of a series, 30 Days to a Stronger Picture Book. UPDATED Table of Contents!

See Also: 30 Days to a Stronger Novel

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