Children's
5 Insights on Writing About Challenging Topics With Children in Age-Friendly Ways (and Why It’s Important To Do So)
Children are often the ones most effected by both major policy changes and personal family changes, making engaging with them on tough topics critical. Here, public health specialist and writer Patty Mechael shares 5 insights on writing about challenging topics with children in age-friendly ways.
Ben Acker: On Writing Scary Stories for Middle-Grade Readers
Ben Acker discusses the joy of reading scary stories growing up that led him to write his new middle-grade horror collection, Stories to Keep You Alive Despite Vampires.
Making Middle-Grade Novels Believable
Tapping into universal human emotions, doing lots of research, knowing the ending to your story before you start, and more—author Elizabeth Raum shares how to make middle-grade novels believable.
Inspiration vs. Perspiration: Where Do Middle-Grade Fiction Ideas Come From?
Where does inspiration come from? Author Melissa Dassori shares what helped inspire her debut middle-grade novel, and offers four ways to dig for ideas for your own stories.
Darcy Marks: On the Afterlife As Setting
Author Darcy Marks discusses the process of writing her new middle grade fantasy novel, Grounded For All Eternity.
“Write What You Know” vs. Making It All Up in Fiction
“Writing what you know” comes with inherent risks of exposing more than you’d like of your past—but combining personal truths with fictional situations can also lead to healing. Here, author Margot Harrison discusses writing what you know vs. making it all up in fiction.
Lora Senf: On Trusting Children With Middle Grade Fiction
Author Lora Senf discusses how one chilling text message led her to writing her new middle grade horror novel, The Clackity.
Lost Boys: Writing Middle-Grade Fiction for the Next Generation of Men
Author Tom Phillips shares his thoughts on combatting toxic masculinity through better modeling in middle-grade fiction, while still telling a compelling story that boys will want to read.
Publishing Books Simultaneously in Spanish and English for Children
Ana Eulate, founder and CEO of children's publisher Cuento de Luz, shares the benefits of publishing books simultaneously in Spanish and English for both readers and writers.
Paula Merlán: On Inspiration in Nature
Award-winning author Paula Merlán discusses how a walk along the water inspired her new children’s book, Something’s Happening in the City.
5 Steps for Using Setting to Write Compelling Middle-Grade Narrative Fiction
Author Heather Mateus Sappenfield discusses the importance of setting the stage in middle-grade fiction with five steps for using setting to write compelling middle-grade fiction.
How to Make Tough Topics for Adults Into Experiences for Children
Difficult conversations can be made easier when they’re done together. Here, the artists behind Alphabet Rockers discuss how to make tough conversations for adults into experiences for children.
10 Tips for Marketing Your Children's Book
With the advent of online marketing and social media influencers, there are now myriad ways to get your book front and center on people's minds before its release. Here, Christine Evans shares 10 tips for marketing your children's book.
How to Write About Grief for Children (and Adults) in Fiction
Losing someone we love for the first time is something we don't forget, and art can make it easier to confront our loss. Here, authors Don Handfield and Joshua Malkin share how to write about grief for children (and adults) in fiction.
How To Turn an Idea Into a Chapter Book Series
From finding the idea to writing the manuscript and sending it off to agents, author Christine Evans maps out how to turn an idea into a chapter book series.
5 Tips for Writing Friendships in Middle-Grade Fiction
Author and film producer Adam Borba shares five tips for writing friendships in middle-grade fiction that will hook readers and keep them reading from cover to cover.
Why We Should Read Middle Grade Fiction as Adults
Young Adult fiction has surpassed its own demographic by being acceptable to read at any age. Why have we left middle grade fiction out of that equation? Here’s why we should be reading middle grade fiction as adults and as writers.
3 Big Tips for Writing a Children’s Picture Book Like a Pro
Small but mighty, picture books help raise children into lifelong readers. Children's book author Diana Murray offers 3 big tips for writing a picture book like a pro.
So You Wrote a Picture Book, Now What?
From finding trusted critics to securing an agent, author Christine Evans walks you through every step toward publishing your picture book after you've finished the writing process.
How Writers Can Impress Booksellers: 6 Tips From a Veteran Indie Bookstore Owner and Author
Forming relationships with your local bookstores not only benefits your book's sales, but it also introduces you to a special reading community. Author Nicole Magistro offer 6 tips to impress booksellers.
Lessons Learned From Self-Publishing My Picture Book
Author Dawn Secord shares her journey toward self-publishing a picture book featuring her Irish Setter named Bling.
3 Ideas for Increasing the Diversity of Children's Home Libraries
Sailaja Joshi, the founder of Mango & Marigold Press, shares a few thoughts on how to increase the diversity of children's home libraries to help expand their perspectives.
Where Are the Toxic Families in Children's Books?
Christina Wyman discusses how for children who suffer difficult family dynamics, seeing their experiences reflected in books is few and far between.
5 Ways to Add a Refrain to Your Picture Books (and Why You Should)
Children's author Christine Evans shares how repetition is good for growing readers and gives you the tools to write your story's perfect refrain.