Resources

BLOGS/WEBSITES

• ABSOLUTE WRITE – Informational site/community for writers: “Write hard. Write true. And write on.”
• BITSY KEMPER – List of 100 publishers accepting children’s books with no agent needed!
• JANE FRIEDMAN – Reporting and consulting on the publishing industry
• KIDLIT411 – One stop info shop for children’s writers and illustrators
• LITERARY RAMBLES – Spotlighting children’s book authors, agents, and publishing
• LITERATICAT: Ask the Agent – Jennifer Laughran answers all your kidlit questions!
• PICTURE BOOK SPOTLIGHT – Celebrating pictures books, their creators, and all who champion them
• PUBLISHERS MARKETPLACE – Track deals, sales, reviews, agents, editors, and news; monthly fee
• THE BIG FIVE – US trade book publishers and their imprints
• THE BROWN BOOKSHELF – To push awareness of the myriad of Black voices writing for young readers
• WE NEED DIVERSE BOOKS – “Imagine a world in which all children can see themselves in the pages of a book”
• WORD HIPPO – Thesaurus and word tools for your creative needs
• WRITER’S BLOCK PARTY – A blog about writing and publishing
• WRITERS’ RUMPUS – Authors and illustrators wild about kidlit!

BOOKS

• BEFORE AND AFTER THE BOOK DEAL by Courtney Maum
• BIG MAGIC by Elizabeth Gilbert
• HOW TO TALK SO LITTLE KIDS WILL LISTEN by Joanna Faber & Julie King
• INVISIBLE INK by Brian McDonald
• ON WRITING by Stephen King
• READING MAGIC by Mem Fox
• SAVE THE CAT by Blake Snyder
• THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO PUBLISHING CHILDREN’S BOOKS by Harold D. Underdown
• THE COMPLETE IDIOT’S GUIDE TO WRITING FOR YOUNG ADULTS by Deborah Perlberg
• THE HYPE HANDBOOK by Michael F. Schein
• THE WAR OF ART by Steven Pressfield
• THE WRITER’S GUIDE TO CRAFTING STORIES FOR CHILDREN by Nancy Lamb
• WIRED FOR STORY by Lisa Cron
• WRITING IRRESISTIBLE KIDLIT by Mary Kole
• WRITING PICTURE BOOKS by Ann Whitford Paul

COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS

• COMIC BOOK FX – The Comic Book Sound Effect Database
• COMIC BOOK GLOSSARY – Shot types in comic books
• COMICS EXPERIENCE – The Comic Book Script Archive
• CREATING COMICS & GRAPHIC NOVELS – Online course at the University of Toronto
• CREATOR RESOURCE – A Guide to Comic Book Publishers
• DARK HORSE COMICS – Script Guide: script format and specifications
• HOW TO CREATE A COMIC BOOK – Neil Gaiman’s guide for making comics by MasterClass
• KIDS COMICS UNITE – A community for kids comics professionals
• KidLit GN – Facebook group for kidlit writers and illustrators to learn, and discuss graphic novels
• MARIA VICENTE – What to Include in a Graphic Novel Pitch Package
• UNDERSTANDING COMICS: The Invisible Art by Scott McCloud
• SCRIPTS & SCRIBES – Sample comic book scripts

COURSES

• CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITING: UC SAN DIEGO
• CREATIVE WRITING: UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO
• GOTHAM WRITERS
• HIGHLIGHTS FOUNDATION
• MAKING PICTURE BOOK MAGIC
• STORYTELLER ACADEMY
• THE CHILDREN’S BOOK ACADEMY
• THE INSTITUTE OF CHILDREN’S LITERATURE
• THE WRITING BARN

FACEBOOK GROUPS

• CANADA WRITES – Group for Canadian writers to support and encourage each other
• KIDLIT411 – Group of children’s writers & illustrators run by Kidlit411.com
• KidLit GN – Group for kidlit writers & illustrators to learn, and discuss graphic novels
• ON SUBMISSION – Support group for agented writers on submission to publishers
• SUB IT CLUB – Support group for writers and illustrators who are submitting their work

GRANTS/AWARDS

• CANADA COUNCIL FOR THE ARTS
• FUNDS FOR WRITERS
• ONTARIO ARTS COUNCIL
• SCBWI

MEMBERSHIPS

• 12×12 CHALLENGE
• CANADIAN AUTHORS ASSOCIATION
• SOCIETY OF CHILDREN’S BOOK WRITERS & ILLUSTRATORS (SCBWI)

MFA PROGRAMS

Writing for Children & Young Adults

• HAMLINE UNIVERSITY – Saint Paul, Minnesota
• SIMMONS UNIVERSITY – Boston, Massachusetts
• THE NEW SCHOOL – New York City, New York
• VERMONT COLLEGE OF FINE ARTS (VCFA) – Montpelier, Vermont

MINDFULNESS

• CALM – App for Meditation and Sleep: “Find Your Calm”
• MINDFULNESS – MBCT book by Mark Williams and Danny Penman
• OXFORD MINDFULNESS FOUNDATION – Free Online Practice Sessions and Podcasts
• PALOUSE MINDFULNESS – Free Online Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Course

NEWSLETTERS

• MERMAID MUSE – Leigh’s seasonal newsletter featuring writerly updates and whimsical musings
• PW CHILDREN’S BOOKSHELF – Publishers Weekly: the latest developments in the publishing world
• CHILDREN’S BOOK INSIDER (CBI) – Monthly newsletter on children’s writing; small monthly fee

PODCASTS

• BOOK FRIENDS FOREVER – Behind the scenes of kidlit with author/illustrator Grace Lin and editor Alvina Ling
• CHILDREN’S BOOK PODCAST – Interviews about taking a book from the drawing board to the bookshelf
• FIRST DRAFT WITH SARAH ENNI – Storytellers talk about how their art informs their lives
• GRAPHIC NOVEL TK – The process of making graphic novels, brought to you by The Beat
• KIDS ASK AUTHORS – Podcast where kids can ask the authors of their favorite books a question
• LITERATICAST – A literary agent and her friends dish about writing and publishing books for children
• PICTURE BOOK SUMMIT PODCAST – Excerpts from the online conference for PB writers and illustrators
• THE MANUSCRIPT ACADEMY PODCAST – Interviews on the craft, business, and community of publishing
• TRACK CHANGES – First Draft podcast series lays out how a book goes from your laptop to the bookshelf

QUERYING

• ACCELERATED READER BOOKFINDER – Find comp titles for your manuscript
• IngramSpark – The Complete Guide to Creating an Author Website
• JANE FRIEDMAN – The Complete Guide to Query Letters
• KNOW YOUR RIGHTS – Key Provisions in a Publishing Contract
• MANUSCRIPT WISH LIST – What agents & editors wish they had in their inboxes
• MARIA VICENTE – A Literary Agent’s Guide to Querying Your Graphic Novel
• MONSTER LIST OF PB AGENTS – A gargantuan list of agents who represent picture books
• QUERY SHARK – Blog by literary agent Janet Reid for query letter writing tips
• QUERY TRACKER – Find literary agents and track your queries
• REEDSY – Browse top literary agents from around the world
• REEDSY LEARNING – Free courses in writing, editing, marketing, and publishing!
• SCBWI – Preparing for Online Pitch Contests: How to Write a Killer Logline
• WRITER BEWARE – Illuminating literary scams, schemes, and pitfalls

WRITING CONTESTS – Free!

• 50 PRECIOUS WORDS – Every March: stay tuned to Vivian Kirkfield’s blog!
• FALL WRITING FRENZY – Every October
• SPRING FLING KIDLIT CONTEST – Every April
• SUSANNA LEONARD HILL – Valentiny in February, Halloweensie in October, Holiday in December

YouTube CHANNELS

• ALEXA DONNE – YA author offering insight into writing and the publishing industry
• BOOKENDS LITERARY AGENCY – Behind the scenes tips from literary agents
• CHILDREN’S BOOK INSIDER – Kidlit Distancing Socials from Write for Kids
• GOOD STORY COMPANY – Author/editor Mary Kole helps you craft a good story
• LYRICAL LANGUAGE LAB – Series that explores poetic meter and rhyme
• MIDDLE GROUND BOOK FEST – Virtual Literary Festival, featuring MG authors
• PICTURE BOOK UNIVERSITY – PB author Pam Calvert offers picture book writing insights
• SCBWI YouTube – Society of Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators

People say, ‘What advice do you have for people who want to be writers?’ I say, they don’t really need advice, they know they want to be writers, and they’re gonna do it. Those people who know that they really want to do this and are cut out for it, they know it.

R.L. Stine