Children’s Books

Tag

October 14, 2019

What Picture Book Critique Fest Taught Me About Creative Growth

One of the fastest ways to improve any creative skill is to seek thoughtful feedback from people with more experience than you. Whether you're a writer, illustrator, entrepreneur, or artist, growth rarely happens in isolation. We learn through studying our craft, practicing consistently, and receiving outside perspectives that help us see what we cannot see on our own. Back in 2019, I participated in Picture Book Critique Fest (#PBCritiqueFest), a community event that connected aspiring children's book creators with literary agents, authors, and illustrators willing to provide critiques and guidance. While the event itself has long since ended, the lessons behind it remain highly relevant today because the principles of creative growth never change. The experience reinforced something every creator eventually discovers: improvement requires knowledge, practice, and feedback.

October 7, 2019

My KidLit Fall Writing Frenzy 2019 Entry (And What I Learned From Entering)

Writing contests can be intimidating, especially for newer writers. It’s easy to assume your work isn’t ready, that other writers are more talented, or that there’s little chance of being selected. Yet contests offer something valuable regardless of the outcome: a reason to create, finish a piece of work, and put it into the world. In 2019, I entered the KidLit Fall Writing Frenzy, a picture book writing contest built around visual prompts and strict word-count limitations. The challenge encouraged creativity, brevity, and experimentation. While the contest itself has long since ended, I wanted to preserve both my entry and the experience because it represents an important part of my growth as a writer. To my surprise, the submission was selected for a picture book manuscript critique prize. More importantly, it reminded me that opportunities often come from simply showing up and participating. Below is the original contest entry exactly as submitted.

September 27, 2019

Illustrating Children’s Books: Lessons from Phyllis Harris on Creativity, Publishing, and Persistence

Children's book illustrations often feel effortless. A reader turns the page, smiles at the artwork, and becomes immersed in the story without ever considering the years of practice, experimentation, revisions, and professional growth required to create those images. Behind every published picture book is a creative process shaped by persistence, craftsmanship, and a commitment to continual improvement. In this interview, children's book illustrator and author Phyllis Harris shares lessons from a career spanning more than 30 books, discussing creativity, publishing, artistic development, resilience, and what it takes to build a lasting career creating work that resonates with children and families.

September 24, 2019

What It Really Takes to Write Children’s Books: Insights from Brooke Van Sickle

Writing for children looks simple from the outside. The books are shorter, the language appears straightforward, and the stories often feel effortless. Yet creating books that truly connect with young readers requires far more skill, discipline, and intentionality than many people realize. Children's author, editor, and educator Brooke Van Sickle has spent years studying the craft, building a platform within the children's publishing industry, and helping aspiring authors navigate the path from idea to publication. In this interview, Brooke shares practical lessons on writing for children, developing creative discipline, building an author platform, and pursuing a long-term career in publishing.

September 10, 2019

How Amy and Greg Newbold Create Picture Books as a Team

Creating picture books is often viewed as a solitary pursuit, but some of the most memorable books are built through collaboration. Author Amy Newbold and illustrator Greg Newbold have spent years combining storytelling, visual art, creativity, and mutual trust to create award-winning children's books together. In this interview, they share lessons on writing, illustration, publishing, creative partnerships, and what it takes to build books as a husband-and-wife team.

July 2, 2019

How The Passover Mouse Became a Traditionally Published Picture Book

What makes a picture book stand out to literary agents and editors? How does a manuscript evolve from an idea into a traditionally published children’s book? In this behind-the-scenes interview, the creative team behind The Passover Mouse shares how the book came together — from inspiration and submissions to illustration, acquisitions, and publication. Featured in this conversation are author Joy Nelkin Wieder, agent Barbara Krasner, illustrator Shahar Kober, and editor Frances Gilbert of Doubleday Books for Young Readers.

May 21, 2019

Elizabeth Gerlach on Grief, Children’s Books, and Ben’s Adventures

It's a privilege to introduce children's book author Elizabeth Gerlach. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, children and dogs. With a background in marketing, she only recently considered herself a writer. Elizabeth's life has taken surprising turns over the past few years that led her here. The Gerlach's lost one of their triplets in 2016 at just 3 years old and established the Ben Smiles Memorial Foundation. She then developed a series of children’s books called Ben’s Adventures, about a young brother who uses a wheelchair. Both the foundation and books were prompted by the loss of her son. Elizabeth also blogs about the grieving process and has been published on a variety of websites. While not working on the Ben's Adventures series, she has been writing something more like a memoir but it's still taking shape.

April 30, 2019

Susan Schmid on Patience, Perseverance, and Publishing Children’s Books

It's a joy to have children's book author Susan Maupin Schmid by for an interview. Susan is the author of the 100 Dresses series from Random House, an avid seamstress, and a Mentor Mom for MOMSnext (a division of MOPS International). She considers her inner 10-year-old her greatest asset as a writer and mentor (except when said inner child wants to stay up late or play Animal Crossing).