Picture Book World: A Community of Support

Writing picture books is a two-edged sword. On one hand you are creating mini masterpieces for the young, filled with amazing illustrations and a sweetly simple but complex narrative. On the other hand from what I hear you receive the most rejections for this genre, mostly based upon the cost of creating that mini masterpiece.

But if it’s your dream, you need to stick it out, to persevere, until that golden moment of success. Sweet rapture!

Thank HEAVENS there is an amazing support system-partially present as your cheerleader but mostly filled with opportunities to learn to become a skilled author. Not only does the Picture Book (and for that matter the entire Kid Lit World!) Community offer amazing occasions to better one’s craft, but they offer support and help on the business end (agents, publishers, editors, contracts, etc). It really is a world!

There are so many wonderful organizations. These are the ones that have touched my life so far: The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), The Author’s Guild, The 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge (Julie Hedlund), PB Summit (again Julie Hedlund), PB Rising Stars Mentorship Program (Ebony Lynn Mudd, Kailei Pew, Layla Fallah & Trenise Sabin), and ALL of my incredibly kind ,dedicated critique partners.

These folks give me the tools and inspiration to keep pecking away at my keyboard, scribbling notes on my legal pads, and sending out my manuscripts in the hope they land in the right hands at the right time.

I am grateful. I really admire the folks who are farther along the path who try to help those newbies. I hope to get a chance to mentor and to help others once I am not longer a prepublished author.

I look forward to making new connections as I expand my footprint in Picture Book World.