Hello! I’m so excited you’ve found your way to Keep Writing Kidlit!

What is Keep Writing Kidlit? It’s an interview series focused on picture book writers striving for traditional publication. These writers are not agented. They’re not published. They’re not self-published. Yet, they have SO MUCH wisdom to offer. They’re taking classes. They’re making connections. They’re learning about the publishing industry. They’re querying. Most importantly, they’re NOT giving up.

These writers understand the path to publication is long and winding. It’s easy to get so caught up in the end goal – a published book – that you forget to enjoy the journey along the way. These writers occasionally pause. They look back. They remember how far they’ve come.

I wanted a way to celebrate that, to reframe success so it’s not solely about getting published. It’s about perseverance. It’s about community. Today’s climate is difficult — book bans, attacks on diversity, cuts to educational programs. For those who care about children (and their fellow humans in general), it’s overwhelming. Given everything happening in the world lately, I’ve had trouble writing. I wondered if others were feeling the same way. I wondered if there was a place to talk about it. I wondered if I could create that place — a place to discuss solidarity, resources, accomplishments, rejection, and motivation… because artists are important. We need them to keep creating because their work helps foster empathy, kindness, laughter, resistance, wonder, and inclusion!

And so, we need each other. We need to encourage each other. We need to keep each other dreaming, and creating, and writing. I want fellow writers to keep going because I don’t want to lose their stories.

Hopefully, this blog is a way to make the journey a little sweeter, to shine a spotlight on the writers who aren’t there yet… but who’ll get there someday.

Please join us! If you subscribe, you’ll get the interviews straight to your inbox once a week. Or, simply visit the site whenever you have time. And feel free to leave comments! I’d love for readers to cheer for these writers, share their own experiences, and ask questions. I’d love for us to build community.

I hope this resonates with folks. I’m planning to post one interview a week for six months. After six months, I’ll reevaluate. If this project has found an audience, I’ll keep it going!

Finally, a few THANK YOUS! Thanks to Ellen Leventhal, author of picture books and a wonderful blog, who generously answered questions for me about best interview practices. Thanks to Brian Gehrlein, picture book author and creator of Picture Book Spotlight. He shared so much knowledge with me and gave me that little extra push I needed to finally get started. And to Ebony Lynn Mudd, whose classes at The PB Retreat inspired this project. I always knew I wanted to give back to the kidlit community, I just didn’t know HOW. Then, on a whim, hours before the class started, I enrolled in “Build the Brand Before the Book.” I never would’ve attempted anything like this if not for that class. I encourage everyone to take it, and to learn from Ebony, too. You will not regret it!

Of course, THANK YOU for reading. This is a passion project, and I don’t know where it will lead. At the very least, I hope it leads to meeting you, interacting with you… and maybe even interviewing you.