Resources

For Writers and Creatives

“I’ve written a children’s book. Now what?” Before trying to sell the manuscript or publish yourself, my advice is to immerse yourself. Get involved in children’s book communities, read hundreds of books and blogs (literally), learn about your craft and the industry, and get on a social media platform or two. You’ll start to understand what you don’t know and what you do.

Communities

• Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators: The premier organization for those creating books for children and young adults
• Children’s Book Insider:  an incredible resource for pre-published and published authors. Online magazine with Above the Slush submission opportunities, webinars, Picture Book Blueprint, etc.
• Picture Book Publishers website:  A detailed look at publishing houses and imprints and the books they publish.
• ​​Check out Kidlit411’s course work on picture book creation and their long list of recommended resources for picture book writers. ​
• ​The Institute of Children’s Literature offers podcasts, courses and other resources of use to anyone wanting to write a successful picture book manuscript.
• Membership in Rate Your Story allows picture book writers to get expert feedback in the form. You get a 1-to-10 rating on your manuscript and brief editorial notes from the judging panel of published authors. ​

Blogs

• Fiction Notes by author, teacher, speaker Darcy Pattison
• The Meter Maids “Learn to Rhyme or Do the Time!”
• Kidlit.com by freelance editor Mary Kole offers in-depth craft topics.
• The Purple Crayon by freelance editor and speaker, Harold Underdown
• Celebrate Science by author Melissa Stewart for all things children’s nonfiction

What books are on my desk?

• Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies by Deborah Halverson
• The Writer’s Digest Flip Dictionary
• The Magic Word: Writing Great Books for Children and Young Adults by Cheryl B. Klein
• Second Sight by Cheryl Klein
• The Emotion Thesaurus
• Children’s Writers Word Book by Mogilner
• Wired for Story by Lisa Cron
• Writing Irresistible KidLit by Mary Kole

Design and Social Media Posting Tools

• Piktochart
• Canva
• Tailwind (for Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram)