Once upon a time, I met Karen through Storyteller Academy, an online school for children’s book creators. During one of our classes in 2023, we realized we both lived in Los Angeles. We also both worked in the entertainment industry — Karen is in SAG-AFTRA, and I’m in the WGA. That year, both unions were on strike. Karen came to the picket line to meet me. I was touched she made the effort, and could tell solidarity and community were important to her. Not to mention, she’s extremely personable and kind. I knew she’d be a great person to speak about her picture book writing journey.
Let’s meet Karen!
KAREN ALEXANDER (she/her) is a woman of both African American and American Indian ancestry. She has always loved being a storyteller and having children as an audience. She’s an active member of the SCBWI, and a proud 2024 PB Rising Stars Mentee Alum. Karen is currently an actress and co-producer. Her love of acting stems from her desire to embody diverse characters, and explore their human qualities and emotions. She is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College with a concentration in Literature and Theater. One of the highlights of her life was performing on Sesame Street with Big Bird.
Q: WHEN DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?
My picture book journey began in 2019.
Q: WHY DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?
I’ve always had the desire to share my stories from childhood experiences and adventures for many years. Eight years ago, I wrote several picture book ideas in a notebook, but it somehow got misplaced. Upon discovery of my notebook, I was reignited with the desire to manifest this dream.
Q: WHAT DO YOU WRITE?
I love writing heartfelt, humorous, and whimsical stories in which the reader can see themselves represented.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK? WHY?
NEVER TAKE YOUR RHINO ON A PLANE by K.E. Lewis and Isabel Roxas. It’s a lyrical tale of what you might encounter if you… well… take your rhino on a plane! It is written by my mentor, and is truly a delightful read aloud for all children. Dr. Seuss was one of my favorite childhood authors so I love the rhyme and musicality of this story.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE BEST PART OF THE JOURNEY TOWARD PUBLICATION SO FAR?
The best part of my journey has been communicating with and learning from other children’s writers and authors. I enjoy hearing their insights and what the query process was like for them before representation and publication. A community of writers to support you emotionally is imperative.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF THE JOURNEY SO FAR?
The hardest part of this journey has been querying and receiving passes. Does anyone like to receive rejection?
Q: WHAT’S BEEN YOUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE?
My mentorship! I was a 2024 PB Rising Stars Mentee. It was a gift in which I was able to grow and learn from one of the best.
PB Rising Stars is a four-month, intense mentorship. There were 4000 applicants, and only 32 mentees were selected. The goal was to have two polished manuscripts, but I was able to achieve four with the assistance of my mentor. Besides improving my writing skills, my mentor would give me deadlines for revisions. This enabled me to commit to a “somewhat” practice of knowing when my brain was able to be creative and flourish. I discovered that I can be very productive in the morning as opposed to later in the day. Of course, every time I thought my story was almost perfect, I learned otherwise. Writing is always revising.
Q: CELEBRATE YOURSELF! WHICH WRITING ACCOMPLISHMENT MAKES YOU FEEL THE PROUDEST?
I’m always proud whenever I complete a manuscript, and read it out loud to others. I love seeing their facial expressions!
Q: HOW DO YOU HANDLE REJECTION?
I am disappointed, but NOT discouraged. After all the stories writers have shared with me, there will always be more Nos before a Yes. Just like my work in the entertainment industry, there have been many Nos. I believe that I am one step closer to receiving a “YES” because NO means “NOT YET.”
Q: SPEAKING OF THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, I HAVE TO ASK… CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT BIG BIRD?
I worked on Sesame Street over 20 years ago when I was living in NYC. It was an AFTRA job. (The unions were all separate then.) All I remember from being a “featured extra” is that Big Bird is truly BIG! I was amazed by his size, and the little girl inside me was ecstatic. But I don’t remember which episode I was in, and it’s not even on my acting resume anymore.
I was also in a musical theatre company called “Theatre in the Trunk.” We visited various elementary schools, and performed puppet shows. As you can see, performing for children started in my early acting years.
Q: WHAT KEEPS YOU WRITING?
I always carry a small notebook with me wherever I go. I love to observe my surroundings. My weekly neighborhood walks inspire me to write. This practice led to my current story of a Black girl who loves nature and has tree friends. Meditation has helped me quiet my mind and dream about the stories I want to tell. I recently heard novelist Walter Mosley speak, and he mentioned he writes for four hours every day! I try to write for one hour every day, but his routine is inspiring me to build more time for writing into my schedule.
Q: WHAT HAS WAITING FOR YOUR “YES” TAUGHT YOU?
Rejection is part of the writing journey, but I need to keep moving forward. Therefore, as I wait for my YES, I am continuing to perfect my craft by reading the work of other writers and revising my manuscripts as needed.
Thank you so much for your insights, Karen! As Karen mentioned, she has experience performing for children, and she leverages that in her writing. When I first started, I wanted to write picture books because I felt they were so different from writing television. I wanted to write a story, carefully considering each and every word. Furthermore, I loved the idea of collaborating with an artist, watching the words brought to life through illustration. However, I realized… much of this happens in television! I do pay close attention to the words, especially the words that end up on screen… the dialogue! Though scripts are longer than picture books, there is still an emphasis on brevity, mostly in terms of action lines (essentially anything that isn’t dialogue). White space on the page is important. And in order to film a script, I collaborate with any number of artists – like the production designer, the music supervisor, and the property master. I wonder if the real reason I was interested in picture books isn’t because they were so different from television, but because I had a few skills that might translate well to writing them!
What about you? Do you write in another medium? Or write books in another genre? Or have a job that helps your picture book writing? I’d love to hear about it! If you’d like to keep in touch with Karen, you can follow her on Twitter/X at @KarenGAlexander or on Instagram at @timandkarenalexander. This week, I’m giving away a picture book critique. In order to enter, subscribe to the newsletter! Everyone who’s subscribed by 11:59PM PT on October 6th, 2025 is eligible to win. (No purchase necessary. You must be 18+ to enter.)
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