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By Melissa Stoller www.MelissaStoller.com Last month, I wrote about creating a journal to capture, record, and amplify story ideas. This August, it’s time to arrange those ideas. Here are some tips to get started:  Canva Image 1. Flip through your journal. Divide your ideas/thoughts/observations into categories. The first category can be ideas that spark your interest - you are ready to dive in. The second category can be ideas that sound great but you will get to them next. The final category can be ideas that you will put in a folder to revisit another time. 2. Work with that first category. Notice what excited you about those ideas. Add to the ideas – sensory details, bits of dialog, strands of emotion, sketches of a character, and plotlines of a story. 3. At the same time, determine whether these ideas are marketable. Research other similar stories. Are there too many similar titles? Is there space in the market to differentiate your idea? Is there an angle that makes your story new and fresh? Read extensively in your area and determine if this idea fits in well. For example, if you are writing a picture book about the first day of school, read as many picture books about the first day of school as you can find. Also, read friendship books which have similar themes. And branch out and read books about kids experiencing other changes. If there is room in the market for your idea, keep going! If not, move on to your next idea! Keep arranging your ideas until you find one that works, and continue writing and revising until it shines! Happy idea arranging in August! Let me know in the comments if these suggestions help organize and clarify your story ideas this month!  MELISSA’S BIO: Melissa Stoller writes to bring connection, joy, and a bit of magic to her readers. Her newest picture book, Hazel and Mabel: Two Hearts Apart, illustrated by Anita Bagdi, releases from Gnome Road Publishing in Fall 2025. Melissa is also the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Return to Coney Island, and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush; Ready, Set, GOrilla!; Sadie’s Shabbat Stories; Planting Friendship: Peace, Salaam, Shalom; and Building Bridges: Peace, Salaam, Shalom (co-written). Melissa is a Blogger for the Children’s Book Academy, a Rate Your Story Judge, a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY, a Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Trustee, and a past school and Synagogue Trustee. She also interviews authors and offers resources on her blog. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer/editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and Central Park walks. CONNECT WITH MELISSA: https://www.MelissaStoller.com https://www.MelissaStoller.com/blog http://www.facebook.com/MelissaStoller www.twitter.com/melissastoller www.instagram.com/Melissa_Stoller www.pinterest.com/melissa_Stoller @MelissaStoller.bsky.social Pre-Order for HAZEL AND MABEL: TWO HEARTS APART is available: https://bookshop.org/p/books/hazel-and-mabel-two-hearts-apart-melissa-stoller/960a747616a2c234?ean=9781957655574&next=t&next=t https://www.amazon.com/Hazel-Mabel-Two-Hearts-Apart/dp/1957655577/ https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hazel-and-mabel-melissa-stoller/1146882184?ean=9781957655574  Comments are closed.
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