Resources for Children's Writers

The KidLit community is incredibly supportive and generous. Here are just a few of my favorite writing and publishing resources from around the Web.

Organizations and Communities for Learning

SCBWI The Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators is a professional, education organization for those who aspire to write (or illustrate) for children.

KidLit411  KidLit411 is a clearing house of information about children's literature. Their articles cover the gambit: from craft to submissions and marketing.

March On with Mentor Texts Reading is one of the best avenues for learning language and storytelling conventions. March On with Mentor Texts dedicates the month of March to reading and learning from new and classic mentor texts.

NF Fest Nonfiction Fest is a community that celebrates and learns from nonfiction mentor texts and their authors during the month of February.

Rate Your Story  A community of picture book writers dedicated to studying the craft (and business) of writing from industry professionals.

Storystorm  Children's author Tara Lazar organizes a month of idea generation tips every January. Her posts from published authors and illustrators are full of inspiration.

Craft Books and Classes

Local Library or Bookstore One of the best learning resources available to aspiring kidlit creators are published kid's books. Read as many books as possible in the genre you want to write. Read newly published titles. Read classics. Read. Read. Read.

Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul is oft considered the holy grail of craft education for picture book writers. I also like Linda Ashman's Nuts and Bolts Guide to Writing Picture Books.

Writing for the Educational Market by Laura Purdie Salas is an amazing workshop-in-a-book that you can't miss if you want to write children's nonfiction for the school and library market.

Writing Irresistible Kidlit, by editor and former agent Mary Kole, is a good guide for middle grade and YA authors.

Making Picture Book Magic This in-depth class from author, Susanna Leonard Hill, is both affordable and offered as either a self-study or interactive course. Author Josh Funk offers a free, self-study mini-workshop for aspiring picture book writers. And for all the rhymers out there, Renee LaTulippe's Lyrical Language Lab should be part of your essential toolbox.

Former editor, Laura Backes, has developed a wonderful learning community at Write For Kids offering low-cost webinars, writing "blueprints," and a monthly magazine full of craft articles, interviews, and submission opportunities.

Publishing Resources

Jane Friedman's Paths to Publishing This informational chart breaks down the various paths to book publishing, from traditional to self. Great for newbies.

Authors Guild An advocate and resource group for writers focusing on the legal aspects of the business. Even non-members can review a model book contract on their website.

Royalty Calculator Figure out how many copies of a book you have to sell to earn out your advance and begin seeing royalties.

Start your search for reputable publishers with online and print directories at Writer's Market, the Association of American Publishers (AAP), and the Independent Publishers Group (IPG). But always check that info against the publisher's actual website. And if you're looking for an agent, check out Publishers Marketplace member pages.

Protect yourself (and your work) from scammers and bad apples. Review Writer Beware and the Authors Guild Scam Alert page for up-to-date publishing scams and predatory agents/publishers.

I have personal experience with each of the resources listed here and can vouch for their content. However, there are many, MANY more learning opportunities out there for kidlit creators, including webinars and conferences from SCBWI (which is another reason you need to be a member) and a plethora of helpful blog posts and articles. Happy learning and happy writing!