July 18, 2018

Valeria Wicker on Children’s Illustration, Creativity, and Building an Artistic Career

Building a creative career often requires persistence, curiosity, and a willingness to evolve. Children's book illustrator Valeria Wicker embodies all three. Originally trained as a fashion designer in Italy, Valeria eventually found her passion in writing and illustrating children's books. In this interview, she shares insights about creativity, artistic growth, memorable characters, balancing family life with creative work, and the lessons she has learned along the way. Whether you're an aspiring illustrator, writer, or creative professional, Valeria's journey offers both encouragement and practical advice.

July 9, 2018

Illustrator Steve Brown on Creativity, Character Design, and Children’s Book

Children's book illustrators play a critical role in bringing stories to life, yet readers rarely get a chance to hear about the creative process behind the artwork. In this interview, children's illustrator Steve Brown shares insights about character design, creativity, freelancing, overcoming self-doubt, and building a career illustrating books for young readers. Whether you're an aspiring illustrator, author, or children's book enthusiast, Steve offers practical advice and a candid look into the realities of creative work.

July 2, 2018

10 Read-Aloud Books Boys Love

As a father of two boys when writing this article (now two boys and a girl!), I've read hundreds of picture books aloud over the years. Some were enjoyable once. Others were requested night after night until I practically had them memorized. The books on this list are the ones that consistently earned laughs, attention, and repeat requests in our home. While every child is different, these picture books became favorites for both my boys and me. If you're looking for engaging read-aloud books for young boys, these are excellent places to start.

June 29, 2018

What Writing Can Actually Do for Your Thinking and Life

Writing is often viewed as a skill reserved for authors, journalists, and content creators. In reality, writing is one of the most powerful tools available for improving how we think, communicate, learn, and create. When thoughts remain in our heads, they often feel complete and coherent. Writing forces us to examine those thoughts more carefully. It exposes weaknesses in our reasoning, clarifies our ideas, and helps us communicate more effectively with others. Whether you write professionally, keep a journal, publish online, or simply take notes, writing can have a profound impact on both your thinking and your life. Here are five reasons writing remains one of the most valuable skills you can develop.

June 27, 2018

How to Create Memorable Main Characters for Your Story

Memorable stories are built on memorable characters. Readers may forget a setting, a subplot, or even parts of the plot itself, but they rarely forget characters who feel real. Whether you're writing a picture book, novel, short story, or screenplay, strong characters help readers become emotionally invested in the story. The good news is that memorable characters aren't created by accident. Authors use specific techniques to develop personalities, motivations, flaws, and growth that make characters feel believable. If you're struggling to create characters readers care about, these four strategies can help.

June 26, 2018

How to Write Picture Books Without Being Preachy

Stories are one of the most powerful teaching tools ever created. They help children explore ideas, understand consequences, and learn valuable lessons without feeling like they're sitting through a lecture. Unfortunately, many writers make the same mistake: they prioritize the lesson over the story. When that happens, readers feel preached to instead of entertained. The best picture books don't force lessons onto children. They invite children to discover those lessons for themselves. If you want your story to educate without becoming preachy, these five strategies can help.

June 25, 2018

How to Communicate More Effectively

Whether you're leading a team, strengthening a relationship, writing an article, resolving a disagreement, or asking someone for a favor, your success often depends on your ability to communicate effectively. Unfortunately, many people think communication is simply speaking, writing, or presenting information. In reality, effective communication requires much more. It requires understanding your message, considering your audience, listening carefully, and knowing the outcome you hope to achieve. When communication breaks down, it is rarely because people lack words. More often, they fail to communicate with clarity, empathy, or intention. The good news is that communication is a skill that can be learned and improved. By understanding a few key principles, you can dramatically increase the likelihood that your message is understood, respected, and acted upon.

June 22, 2018

Who Is the Real Audience for Picture Books?

When writing a picture book, it's easy to believe your audience is an editor, literary agent, parent, teacher, or librarian. After all, those are often the people deciding whether your book gets published, purchased, or shared. But while many people influence a picture book's success, only one audience truly determines whether the story endures. The real audience for a picture book is the child experiencing it. A child may not buy the book, approve the manuscript, or negotiate the publishing contract. Yet they decide whether the story is remembered, requested again, or forgotten after a single reading. Understanding this distinction can dramatically improve your writing and help you create stories that resonate with young readers and listeners. This distinction is one of the most important lessons new picture book authors can learn.