One of the most surprising aspects of picture book publishing for many new authors is discovering that they often have little or no direct communication with the illustrator. This can feel unsettling. After all, picture books are intensely personal projects. Writers naturally imagine specific visual interpretations...
Read More
One of the biggest surprises for debut authors is discovering how slooooooowly traditional publishing moves. Writers often imagine that once a manuscript sells,...
Read More
One of the most persistent myths about publishing is the idea that published authors automatically earn a living from book sales alone. The...
Read More
Aspiring authors are often nervous about the possibility of losing creative control once they enter the publishing world. Will editors change everything? Will...
Read More
One of the most important things a writer can do is deceptively simple: Read. And not just the classics. Writers must consistently read current...
Read More
Publishing professionals often distinguish between books that are “marketable” and books that are “lasting.” The two are not always the same thing. A...
Read More
One of the most fascinating aspects of children’s publishing is that the book buyer is often not the same as the reader....
Read More
Many writers view query letters as a frustrating obstacle standing between themselves and publication. But query letters serve several important purposes. A query...
Read More
Writers often imagine that securing an agent is like winning a golden ticket — one magical "yes" that changes everything overnight. In...
Read More
Every few years, someone predicts the death of books. First television was going to replace reading. Then came e-books, followed by streaming media,...
Read More