Inklings

One of my clients recently put her picture book manuscript out for beta reader review. A couple of readers suggested revising her target audience slightly upward, from 3 to 8 to 4 to 9. Her question...

I thought I was done with the manuscript for my second picture book, Virginia Loves Dogs, about a dog-obsessed kid (inspired by my then-three-year-old granddaughter Virginia). The character loves dogs...

When my little sister was preparing for her death, she flew from Vancouver to visit me in Lexington, Kentucky, where I was living at the time, to discuss her final wishes. It was a conversation she...

My granddaughter didn’t like to read. Eleanor is a curious, quick-minded kid who loves math, technology, and science, but she has ADHD and a form of dyslexia, so reading was a slog. Books just didn’t ...

Black voices in publishing just got a powerful new platform to drive sales. The African American Literature Book Club has launched a new monthly bestseller list devoted exclusively to Black authors, r...

“Tell me about your day—but make some of it up.”

That was my granddaughters’ favorite prompt when they were little. It opened the door to all kinds of magical thinking: a school bus ride that detoure...

"Pacing"—the speed at which a story moves from one moment to the next—plays a crucial role in shaping a child’s experience of a picture book. It influences whether a child lingers on a page or turns e...

 Since becoming a children’s book author, I’ve found myself in conversation with many people who have stories to tell but aren’t sure where to begin. My advice is always the same, and it mirrors the g...

Writing for children is fun and rewarding—and more complex than it looks. Many aspiring kid lit writers dive in with enthusiasm, only to get tripped up by common pitfalls. If you're hoping to craft a ...

Self-publishing has opened the door for more voices and gives authors creative freedom. It also means we're not just authors. Once we've produced a "final" manuscript, it's time to step into the role ...

If you're writing stories for children, have you considered involving the children you love in the creative process? There are so many benefits to be gained, for them and for you. 

I never set out to...

As writers, we often think about the questions we want to answer for our readers. But just as important are the questions that arise for the reader (or the kid who's listening to a grownup read). Thes...