Kidlit Resources for Authors & Illustrators

Closing out the year with a list of things I’ve found helpful in my kidlit journey so far.

My current business card reads, “Maker of Fun Things” and I feel like this does a good job of encapsulating all of the things I’ve been over the years. But as a subhead, adding “picture book author and illustrator” to that list required me to target my efforts and seek out knowledge and community to help get me there. Here’s a list of resources I’ve found valuable over the past few years that I’d like to share with you in case you were looking for something new and exciting in 2024:

CLASSES:

Make Art That Sells - their annual sale is happening until Dec. 6. I’ll be taking the lettering bootcamp class because I love any excuse to play with typography. I’ve taken two full years of the “year of art school” and seriously, it was well worth the money. If you have the time to dedicate to the classes, and want to explore all of the markets for illustration, I really would recommend taking a year and doing the courses. It’s also where I met my critique group, Illoguild!

Domestika - There are so many lovely classes there. I haven’t had time to make good use of all of my credits yet, but it’s a super value for an annual membership. Teachers I recommend: Ellen Lupton (I studied with her for undergrad at MICA from 97-21 and not only is she brilliant, she is also very funny and is very skilled at breaking complex ideas down into language that is easy to understand), Ema Malyauka, Flavia Z Drago, Adeena Grubb (Stop motion puppet class), and Mark Hoffman has a new illustration class I’m excited to start in the new year.

Storyteller Academy - I’ve been at Storyteller Academy for almost two years, and I’ve learned so much, made friends and had the opportunity to learn from industry professionals in a smaller, more personal setting. If you’re looking to level up your writing, query package and picture book dummy making skills, this is the place I’ve found the most useful. If you’re an annual member, you also get to take advantage of special submission opportunities to agents and editors throughout the year.

RETREATS & EVENTS -

Big Sur Children’s Writing Workshops by Andrea Brown Literary Agency - Totally worth it. I attended their Cape Cod retreat last year and it was wonderful. You really hit the ground writing as soon as the retreat begins, but there are also plenty of moments over lunches and dinner and smaller critique groups to really get to know people. The feedback was incredibly valuable.

Bologna Book Fair - This trip to Italy never would have happened without my critique group, Illoguild. A bunch of us decided to go visit the world stage of picture books at the largest international conference there is. Also worth it. It was great to meet my international friends in person and pour over conference halls filled with books, look at art exhibits, eat delicious food, attend industry events and wait in line for the chance to show our portfolios to editors and art directors. Everyone is there and this event really makes you feel like you’re part of it. Plus, it’s in Italy. Just go.

SCBWI Conferences - I haven’t been to any in person conferences yet, but I’ve attended a few virtual ones. As a beginner, I feel like I’ve gained a lot of industry knowledge by their programs. Plus, there have been agent/editor days where I’ve been able to get direct feedback on my work from professionals.

The Illustration Institute - Located in Portland, Maine and run by friends Scott Nash and Nancy Gibson Nash, this is the true hidden gem. Every summer, they host two illustrators for two weeks at a time on Peaks Island. The illustrators enjoy a retreat and also host a presentation or workshop for the public. All of this is run on donations, and is free to attend. I’ve been able to meet and learn from top people in the field and every time I leave with magic and a little inspiration in my pocket. It truly is incredible. So, if you’re in New England, or traveling there in the summertime, please do look up the schedule of events.

The Quiet Retreat - This was a small retreat with about a dozen people that took place in Quebec City. It was hosted by editor Melissa Manlove and author Myrna Foster. Yes, there were writing hours, but this retreat was more like a group of writers got together and decided to take care of themselves. It was lovely meeting other writers I had only met over a Zoom screen during classes. So, for this recommendation, I would say perhaps use this as inspiration to get a group of like-minded people together and go for a spa weekend and to talk about picture books and writing. It really did a lot of good.

Milkwood - Run by Sophie Blackall, this retreat is on my bucket list. My friend Elayne Crain went not too long ago and you can read all about it on her substack here.

Smiley Manse - Run by Jennifer Nelson, who is a long time friend and former co-worker from our graphic design days. Jennifer is an art agent and hosts retreats at her gorgeous place in Vermont. I’m sure I’ll be attending one of these in the future.

Highlights Foundation - Also haven’t been to this, but it’s on my radar. I think this would be a great place to go with a few friends for a self-guided retreat.

FREE ONLINE RESOURCES: You could spend exactly zero dollars and still get a lot of knowledge, inspiration & community if you know where to look.

PB Workshop Discord Server - So many good resources here. The “Am Querying” section is super helpful to get info on agents and cheer on other authors.

Storystorm - 30 days in January, 30 prompts, 30 picture book ideas. There’s also an archive, so you can do it any time.

QueryTracker - Track your queries, research agents, keep yourself organized.

Folktale Week - It’s every November, which is right at my busy time of year. I haven’t been able to participate live, but I’m considering using the prompts from 2023 for a series this winter/spring when I do have the time. But, if you can do it live: do it live.

The Good Story Query Workshops - Mary Kole runs them multiple times a year and it’s super helpful to see her edit query letters. Then you know what works and doesn’t and can apply it to your own. There are also lots of free resources here.

The Shit No One Tells You About Writing - Great podcast that does query editing based on reader submissions and also interviews with authors. I good inside look at the industry and great for recommendations to add to your reading lists!

The Writing Mastery Newsletter - They also have courses (haven’t taken any yet) and published a series of books on the Save The Cat method (plan to read during holiday break), but their free newsletter is packed full of great info.

Moonbow - Excellent substack on picture books.

Friday Doodle Club - Weekly Prompts for illustration. Free every week!

Introvert Drawing Club - There’s a lot you do get for free here, but the paid part is totally reasonable and affordable and well worth every penny: Beth Spencer’s weekly drawing sessions. A paid subscription gets you access to the live sessions and the recorded ones. Perfect for breaking in a new sketchbook. Low stress, just joy.

Looking for more resources? My illoguild friends have a lot more to say on this topic:
http://illoguild.substack.com

Thanks for reading! Do you have resources to share for authors and illustrators? Drop them in the comments!