Journey to KidLit - How to Write & Publish Books for Kids

What does it really take to publish—and market—a children’s book today? In this special conversation, Frances Gilbert (Editor-in-Chief at Doubleday Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Random House) shares her journey as both an editor and an author. From her first picture book, Go, Girls, Go!, to her upcoming I’m Dreaming of a Pink Christmas, Frances pulls back the curtain on what it’s like to...

Finished your manuscript and wondering if it’s time to hire an illustrator? Not so fast. In this episode of The Journey to Kidlit Podcast, Brooke Van Sickle shares the biggest industry secret that most new writers don’t know—and how jumping into illustrations too soon could actually hurt your chances of getting published. You’ll learn: ✅ When (and if) you need an illustrator ✅ Why traditional pu...

Think you need an agent, an MFA, or a publishing background to become a children's book author? Think again. In this inspiring episode, former teacher Shannon Anderson shares her real-life journey from shelving books at the library as a teen to writing award-winning picture books — all without formal publishing credentials. You’ll learn how she used fellowships, small writing wins, and the power o...

You’ve made it to the final day of the Kidlit Story Kickoff — and by the end of today, you’ll have a complete first draft of your children’s book! 🥳 This final session covers: • How to properly format your manuscript • When and how to add illustration notes • Final tips to polish your story for submission or feedback 📘 Want the tools to help you implement what you learned during our challenge? D...

Today is all about plot and your story’s structure! 📚 In Day 4 of the Kidlit Story Kickoff, we’ll outline your plot from start to finish using proven frameworks that work for all kinds of children’s books. 📌 Inside this lesson: • How to pick the right plot type (Classic, Midpoint, or List) • What your main character wants and what’s in their way • A simple formula to map your story’s beginning,...

It’s time to finish gathering your story assets! Welcome to Day 3 of the Kidlit Story Kickoff. So far, you’ve created your character, now it’s time to give them a story to navigate through. This includes choosing both the setting and the story goal or purpose for the reader to follow along with. In this lesson, you’ll learn: * The 2 parts to your setting you need to know * How to choose a story go...

Let’s create the star of your story! Today in Day 2 of the Kidlit Story Kickoff, we’re developing our characters into 3-dimensional people who feel real and authentic to the reader. 🎯 You’ll discover: • What every strong character needs (besides a name!) • How to choose the right point of view • What to do if you don’t have a character 📘 Don’t forget your Workbook to complete your character card...

Welcome to Day 1 of the Kidlit Story Kickoff! 🎉This is a 5-part writing challenge to teach you how to start successfully writing a children’s book. My goal of this challenge is to have you end with a finished draft of your story idea. Today we're diving into one of the most important parts of writing a children's book—choosing the right story idea. You'll learn how to find an idea that inspires Y...

Let me ask you — have you ever wondered how long your picture book should really be? Or if writing in rhyme is a good idea? Or maybe you’re stuck figuring out what to put in the back matter or how to even write a query letter that gets noticed? If you’ve had any of these questions as an aspiring picture book author, you’re in for a treat because today, we're sharing a live Q&A session from inside...

Ever get stuck picking comp titles for your query letter? You're not alone! 😩 In this episode of the Journey to Kidlit podcast, Brooke Van Sickle breaks down: * What makes a great comp book (and what doesn't) * Why your comps need to be recent—and how to find them * How to describe your book’s unique hook so it sells to agents * Insider tips for writing a more marketable query Plus, we talk about...

Does your picture book manuscript feel too long? 📝 Or maybe you're wondering if it's actually an early reader, chapter book, or something in between? In this episode of the Journey to Kidlit podcast, Brooke Van Sickle tackles: * How long is too long for a picture book * What counts as a complete story with proper pacing * Why pagination matters more than word count * What to do when your book doe...

Ever seen a children's book with questions, activities, or bonus content at the end? 📚 That’s called back matter — and it can be a secret weapon in making your book stand out to both readers and publishers. 🙌 In this episode of the Journey to Kidlit podcast, Brooke Van Sickle breaks down: * What back matter is and why it matters * How to use it to highlight your book’s message (without being too...

Have you ever wanted to write a children’s book — one that’s not only beautifully written but also something publishers want to buy and readers can’t wait to read? If that’s you, you’re in the right place today. Because I’m going to share the 3 essential ingredients every successful children’s book needs — and these are the same things that finally helped me go from unpublished and frustrated to a...

Kitty O'Meara never thought a simple Facebook post meant to encourage some friends during quarantine would take on a life of its own. But when Deepak Chopra shares your post, you know you have something special on your hands. AND THE PEOPLE STAYED HOME is the new children's book that came from this inspiring story. Kitty O'Meara explains how this journey unfolded, plus helpful tips for any other a...

Are you hoping to one day illustrate a children's book? Or wondering what it takes to create illustrations in books? My guest today will be sure to answer your questions. Holly Hatam has been illustrating for kids since 2013 and is the NY Times best-selling illustrator of books like Dear Girl. It was so great to chat about her process and tips on illustrating for kids. Listen to the full episode h...

Do you find it's a struggle to market your children's book? You're not alone! A lot of authors struggle with this, which is why my guest today has decided to help. Lara is the founder of StoryAntics. A new website that helps indie authors share their books with more potential readers. Listen for more on how it works on today's episode of the Journey to Kidlit Podcast. Follow me on social: Twitter/...

What happens when someone makes a Fairy-Tailed wish on the eve of their birthday? This is a family tradition that's been happening for a long time in the Pighetti house that Megan wanted to share with other children. Learn more about her story and how she was able to publish her first picture book in today's interview! (A great inspiration for anyone hoping write a book together as a family!) And...

Lindsay Barry sat down to talk about her upcoming books, Journey to Constellation Station and The Backpack (Both published by the Santa Fe Writers Project). She may be a two-time debut author now, but it didn't start out that way. Listen to today's episode about how Lindsay made time to write as a busy mom of two. Hopefully her publishing journey will inspire your own! And to learn more about Lind...

I have a very special guest on the podcast today! Laura Segal Stegman is sharing her publishing journey on what it took to publish her debut middle grade novel, Summer of LUCK. Listen to the full interview here. If you'd like to learn more about Laura and her book, visit her website at LauraStegman.com. For more writing and publishing tips, visit journeytokidlit.com! Follow me on social: Twitter/I...

I'm so excited for my guest today because she's the children's book illustrator for my newest picture book, Humans In-Training! Elizabeth Savanella sat down to talk illustrating books for kids and what it's like to be a book creator. Listen to the interview here. Humans In-Training comes out on August 25th! You can order your own copy through the publisher's site here: http://bibliokidpublishing.c...

Today I'm hoping to inspire you to get started writing that book you keep thinking about! In this episode, I'm sharing a clip of an interview I did with author, Delanda Coleman. She shares why she decided to write her book, More Than a Princess, and it's a really good reason! Hopefully, it gets you excited to start writing, too! And to hear the full interview I did with Delanda, sign up for the Ki...

Think you can get away without using an editor? My guest explains why that kind of thinking might not be right. Listen to this week's edition of the Journey to KidLit podcast for the reason you need to work with an editor on your children's book. Plus, catch the full interview on editing tips in the upcoming KidLit Summit! To sign up for the KidLit Indie Publishing Summit we talked about in today'...

Need a new children's book idea to write about? I'm talking with award-winning author, Maya Sara Karthik, about her tips on how to find one. Listen to this week's edition of the Journey to KidLit podcast for 3 ways you can find new children's book ideas. Plus, listen to the complete 7-step writing process in the upcoming KidLit Summit! To sign up for the KidLit Indie Publishing Summit we talked ab...

Are you thinking about self-publishing your children's book? If you're not up for these three things, self-publishing might not be for you. Listen to this week's edition of the Journey to KidLit podcast about what to expect when you publish your own children's book. Plus, catch a special surprise at the end just for you! To get the links we talked about in today's episode visit: journeytokidlit.co...

Feel like you don't have any time in your week to write your book? You might be surprised how much time you have! Listen to this week's edition of the Journey to KidLit podcast for 4 ways to find more time to write with a busy schedule. And to learn more visit: journeytokidlit.com/podcast Follow me on social: Twitter/Instagram @AuthorBrookeVS Facebook/Pinterest @JourneytoKidLit Get Your Own Ultima...