#kidlittips #kidlitillustrator #picturebook

The incredible @alioop7 is offering an AMA to ask her ANYTHING!!! Her #kidlittips #askkidlit are amazing so dont miss this chance for a personal call- Link: https://t.co/VzXacM3lad

Want to write children’s books? Be silly. Be bold. Be fun. 🎨 And most of all, be brave. #WritersAdvice #KidLitTips

Today's #KidlitTips: Trust your reader. They pick up so much from the story that doesn't need to be spelled out. If a character does something, that action usually SHOWS his feelings and/or motivation so you don't need to TELL us what he's feeling or thinking too. #Tip6

Writing a children's book is like sculpting a masterpiece. Each revision chips away imperfections, revealing the true beauty of your story. Embrace the process, and don't be afraid to dive back in again and again. Join... https://t.co/kpQOBs7f8D #KidLit #WritingTips #kidlittips

Today's #KidlitTips surprised me a bit, but 3 of our editors @HolidayHouseBks asked me to share it. #Tip4 When querying, be sure to include the para at the end about yourself. It's weird to us, like something is missing, when we know nothing about who's sending the submission in.

Ooh, just had a chat with some of the editors here and we've got some good #KidLitTips coming up in the next few days. Today's #Tip3: don't attach art to a submission just "to give a sense" of what you intend for illustrations. Better not to include if you're not the artist.

“However ridiculous [your children’s story] is, you need to make the child feel it might be true. That’s the tantalising thing about the story. They have to care enough about the character to want to go with them through the adventure.” — @CressidaCowell 💫 #KidLitTips

Today's #KidLitTips is one I first heard from Gary Schmidt, after I complimented him on a scene in Okay for Now. Don't tell the reader everything--let the character have his/her/their experience and let the reader figure out what it means. This gives the reader ownership. #Tip7

I don't want this #KidLitTips to put me out of business, but writers, a lot of you are obsessing too much over your query letter. If it's well-presented and organized, it doesn't have to be a work of genius! Tell us the book's hook, basic plot, and your credentials. #Tip11

Gang, in your cover letters, never quote people in your family, neighborhood, etc. as liking it. You'd be suprised how often we see that! #KidlitTips #Tip9

As promised, here's another #KidLitTips. Editors and agents are BUSY. If you are following up with us, re-attach what you sent so we don't have to hunt. And don't start emails or correspondence with long personal stories. Friendly, respectful brevity is the perfect tone. #Tip12

Today's #KidLitTips is a silly one, but it can be useful. Beware of too many adverbs, she said pointedly. #Tip5

Today's #KidLitTips: I don't recommend, if you aren't published yet, pitching your book as one of a series, even if it could be. Let us fall in love with one great book first. The financial commitment behind a series is challenging for a pub to take on. #Tip9

Today's #KidLitTips is about Chapter books (Books with lots of B+W illustrations, designed for readers who are building confidence, that are read as series e.g. Junie B Jones, My Weird School, et al.) These are tough to sell as stand alones, and tough to launch as series. #Tip10

This is a #KidLitTips or Tip adjacent--social emotional titles made up 20% of picture book sales last year. The category is heavily published into, but books that treat difficult topics with humor are always welcome. #Tip15

Missed #KidLitTips yesterday because we were busy celebrating @HolidayHouseBks. Today's #Tip8: Watch out for personal pet stories. Storytelling with an animal (see Hot Dog by by Doug Salati) is ok, but the story of your pet in your family we see too much. Feels ordinary to us.

Today's #KidLitTips comes from @talovala, a young picture book editor who works with @NealPorterBooks. If you're an illustrator, always have a link to your work in your bio. If we're potentially interested in you, we want to see your art! #Tip17

Today's #KidLitTips is a great one from @LittleRainey. When you're showing your portfolio to an art director, agent, etc., ask questions. "How is my color? What do you think of my character work? What would you like to see that is not here? Do you have other feedback? #Tip14

I learned the next #KidLitTips from @chavelaque. Ask yourself, what do the characters in each scene want? (I think another way of saying this is, does each scene relate to the hero's journey? Curious if Cheryl agrees with my interpretation.) #Tip13