For Writers

In time, I plan to fill this page with links to sources I consider valuable. Here are just a few to get started:

SCBWI — National Organization

Publisher’s Marketplace — direct link to the goings-on in publishing

#KidLitChat on Twitter is a great place to chat with fellow KidLit writers. All kinds of topics are discussed so you get to chat with terrific, like-minded people who consistently offer great tips and are never short on support, encouragement and certainly gleeful congratulations! Love it and try to attend as often as possible 🙂 .

#KidLitArt on Twitter is THE place to be for picture book writers every Thursday night at 9pm EST. As picture book writers you want to understand the illustration side of the craft. This 1-hour chat is ALways hopping, ALways fun, jam-packed with great info and amazingly talented KidLit Illustrators. I attend every chance I get 🙂 .

StoryStorm (previously PiBoIdMo), founded by THE Tara Lazar, is a 30-day challenge meant for anyone who writes KidLit for any any age group and any format. The challenge is to come up with 30 story ideas in 30 days, and there are perks! Each day invaluable posts by seasoned professionals, from authors to illustrators to agents, editors AND Storystorm Success Stories (ideas that eventually became published books!) offer advice, tips and especially inspiration. And to top it off, there are incredible prizes like THESE and THESE (scroll down for all the info)!

Writers Helping Writers — hosted by authors Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi, this is an outstanding site filled with invaluable information and tools (Scrivener-like). One of countless pages that are invaluable, this is an extraordinary list of ALL kinds of RESOURCES FOR WRITERS.

Helping Writers Become Authors is an amazing site run by author K. M. Weiland. She’s extraordinarily knowledgeable and offers a wealth of knowledge, tools and resources on her site.

Writing and Illustrating — hosted by Kathy Temean. This very popular blog is filled with invaluable information and resources offered by Kathy, one of the most intelligent, knowledgeable people involved in the KidLit world. She served as a groundbreaking Regional Advisor for the New Jersey Chapter of the SCBWI and is filled with a wealth of information as big as her heart. One of many features appreciated by writers is Free Fall Friday for which Kathy enlists industry professionals to offer complimentary “first page” critiques!

Susanna Leonard Hill — I was first introduced to this AMAZING blog through my friend, Lauri Meyers, and have been grateful ever since! Susanna Leonard Hill is a humorous, gifted children’s book author whose generous spirit comes through on every page and in every post on her blog. She has built an online home filled with craft, contests, writing tips and more, having created an extremely supportive online community.

Writing for Kids (While Raising Them) is one of the most popular (well-deserved description) sites for KidLit writers and illustrators. Tara Lazar is an accomplished and inspiring writer of KidLit and the founder of StoryStorm (previously Picture Book Idea Month, a.k.a. PiBoIdMo.

Rachelle Burke’s RESOURCES for CHILDREN’S WRITERS has a windfall of useful information for anyone writing for KidLit.

Let’s Get Busy Podcasts with host Matthew Winner – if you love KidLit and want to know more about the authors, illustrators and other heavy hitters throughout the KidLit community, you are sure to enjoy these amazing podcasts!

Watch.Connect.Read is one the BEST KidLit blogs on the internet. John Schumacher was a teacher librarian who now serves as Ambassador for School Libraries for Scholastic Book Fairs knows as much as anyone can about “All Things KidLit,” so if you want to stay updated on new releases, cover and book trailer reveals, and read interviews by authors and illustrators, this is the place. You can also find him, on occasion (sometimes monthly) when he and Colby Sharp host their book club: #SharpSchu

A Publicist’s Guide to Writing Basics A helpful resource with tips from experts on the proper writing of a press release. Many links for additional resources are also on this page which was recommended by Peyton C., a young blog-follower who loves to research and write. (This contains links to ads and other content which may not comply with my Blog Decorum).

10 Best Website Builders: 10 Most Popular Website Builders Reviewed. For those of you looking to set up your own website, this post offers a lot of helpful information that may help you decide how to go about it before you jump into your own “website waters. (NOTE: This contains links to ads and other content which may not comply with my Blog Decorum. Also, I am not connected, in any way, to services or products related to the resource itself, or any through links within it.)

RESOURCES sent to me by Creative Writing Students:

On occasion I am approached to include links contributed by young, aspiring writers in the effort to help their fellow writing students find the resources they need. I’m happy to encourage them, too, so below you will find the helpful pages they’ve sent. (These sites contain links to ads and other content, none of which I directly endorse, and may not comply with my Blog Decorum).