Hello fellow kid lit writers! By the time you read this, I will be home from my latest writer’s conference! I’m a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), and my regional chapter had their annual conference recently. It was a blast! Not only did I get to attend some wonderful… Read more »
Hello fellow kid lit writers! I’m extra excited about this author interview today because I got to interview one of my dear college friends and brilliant author, Kaela Rivera! Kaela has some great writing advice for you all and some valuable insight into the publishing process. About Kaela Rivera Kaela Rivera is the award-winning author… Read more »
Hello! Welcome back to the kid lit craft column where I’ve decided to do a series on all the different types of kid lit. That’s right! We are going to be covering everything from picture books to middle grade and in between! In my first post of this series, I covered everything picture books. You… Read more »
Hello! Welcome back to the kid lit craft column. I’ve decided to do a series on all the different types of kid lit! That’s right! We are going to be covering everything from picture books to middle grade and in between! Today, we are tackling picture books! Now, I’m sure we are all familiar with… Read more »
Have you been kicking around a children’s story idea in your head and you’re not sure where to start? You’re in luck! I’ve compiled several key questions into a survey and asked parents, grandparents, and teachers for their input. Based on their responses, I’ve summarized the top five best tools recommended for writing a children’s… Read more »
Some of the best writers working today write in the children’s and young adult literature categories. That has always been the case, I think. The children’s mysteries on my list for this column have either entertained generations or made a more recent impact in sales and media. They are some of the best books I’ve… Read more »
I’ve recently written about disparity in YA publishing and how it reflects broader trends in publishing generally in my column “Is this a YA thing?”: On Pay Rates, Racism, and Toxicity in Publishing. Now I am tackling a problem in kidlit. We need better DEI: Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. This problem is not unique to… Read more »
Do you remember when you first fell in love with reading? I’m going to guess that for most of you, it was when you were a child. Maybe, like for me, it was love at first picture book. Or maybe a teacher or librarian handed you a book that resonated with you, and you kept… Read more »
Hey there Word Nerds! I’m so glad you can join me for today’s interview with YA and middle grade author Jen Calonita. In this episode, she and I talk about writing what you know (and what you don’t know) and also how to make the shift from one writing niche to another. We dig into the… Read more »
Whether it’s carving pumpkins, visiting haunted houses or planning your costume, the month of October is stuffed full of Halloween. Kids and adults alike get excited to dress up for trick or treating, parades and parties. In fact, Halloween is turning into a month-long celebration of everything spooky, creepy and fun. Here are five picture books we’ve… Read more »
