Writing Resources
Here is a list of valuable links, resources, services & events. This is an ever-evolving list, so feel free to visit often to see what's new!
A little sumthin-sumthin for everyone!
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Adult Books
Horror For Tweens & Adults
New Links
Why Was My Pitch a Pass?
(visual diagram)
Savoring the Sentence - with Antwan Eady
Most Visited Links
Manuscript Format Basics
Harold Underdown
What should you include on your website homepage?
Do Picture Books need to have conflict?
How to outline your picture book?
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing by Harold Underdown
Publishing Terminology You Should Know
Harold Underdown's List of Publishing Terms
Resources for Children's Writers
SUBMISSION OPPORTUNITIES
Bitsy Kemper
19 Publishers Accepting Manuscripts
Writing Tips Oasis
QUERYING
http://www.manuscriptwishlist.com/find-agentseditors/editors/
AGENT CALLS
Questions to Ask on "The Call"
The Literary Agent Call - Questions to Ask
QUERY LETTERS
https://queryshark.blogspot.com/?m=1
Agent List ( A good place to start)
NON-FICTION & SUCH
Jessica Whipple
Susan Uhlig
What Exactly is Informational Fiction?
WRITING TIPS
Nine Ways to Write First Lines
What are hooks? What are layers?
Lydia Lukidis
Cutting the Fluff: How to Edit with Pat Zietlow Miller
What if your book doesn't have a plot?
Writing with Inventive Language
Theme vs Main Idea
(with helpful videos)
Writing Books with Heart - Revision Tips
Nakisa Nooraee
Great first lines. Collection each month
Sara Kruger
Kidlit 411
15 Picture Books that Show vs Tell
Kathy MacMillan
Jane Friedman
Vicky Weber
Interview with Frances Gilbert - Editor/Author
LynneMarie
Eva Langston
ILLUSTRATOR INFO
Where To Find A Freelance Illustrator
Chelsea Tornetto
Finding and Working with an Illustrator
Darcy Pattison
Where to Find Illustrators (link)
Also: FIVERR
UPWORK
Facebook Groups (ie: Kidlit 411)
MISCELLANEOUS
When do I earn out?
Stephen Briseno
Funniest Picture Books of 2023
Jamie Bills
Subscribe to Susanna Hill’s email list
This is a great list. Scroll to the bottom & people add books to the excel sheet.
Brook Vitale
Great first lines. Collection each month
Sara Kruger
CRITIQUES & PITCHES
Podcast : Fine Tune Your Pitch
PB Summit
Lessons From the Critique Pile
Anna Lazowski
Nakisa Norraee
Pitches #2
https://nakisanooraee.com/pitch-examples-pb2/
RHYME
At Home Author
Writing Rhyming Non-Fiction Books
Renee LaTulippe
Rhyming Resources
Rhyme Zone - helps you find rhyming words
Unfortunately, these two now multi-published authors are no longer updating this but there's tons of great stuff here in previous posts.
Here are other resources with definitions:
for those with enough time to delve into that rabbit hole of fascinating learning
http://literarydevices.net/meter/ for meter
https://literarydevices.net/scansion/
Their overall site is an excellent resource
Specific recommendations to read
a lot of Shel Silverstein & Valerie Worth
And also this book:
https://www.amazon.com/Poem-Making-Ways-Begin-Writing-Poetry/dp/0060240199
BOOKS ON CRAFT
On Writing - Stephen King
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Publishing Children’s Books by Harold D. Underdown
Big Magic
Bird By Bird - Anne LaMott
Organizations
SCBWI
SCBWI Long Island chapter
LICWI - Long Island Children’s Writers & Illustrators
Accounts that Host Events
Brian Gehrlein
Manuscript 411 & MS swap
12x12 Julie Hedlund
PBChat
KidlitTV
Kidlitchat
Kidlit411
Useful Hashtags
kidlit kidlitart picturebooks writingcommunity
Pitch Contests
Use the hastags below to read through prior twitter events. Awesome opportunity to learn which pitches work.
Kidlitpitch
FlipIt
PBPitch
DVPit
LatinxPitch
KidlitGN
Podcasts
Susan Uhlig
Picture Book Summit Podcast
https://picturebooksummit.com/podcast-generating-ideas-with-katie-davis/
All three episodes:
Developing, Generating & Assessing Ideas
https://picturebooksummit.com/podcast-developing-ideas-with-emma-walton-hamilton/
Kidlit411 Manuscript Swap
Facebook Group
Kidlit411 website
A bazillion resources &
Editorial Services
Even Your Dogs!
