All About Kid Lit Publishing

© Toni Yuly

Resources on children's publishing: the industry, finances, behind the scenes, and craft books

Getting Started? 

How Do I Get Started Writing Children's Books?

Getting Started: The Basics of Children's Writing and Illustrating

Industry Info

The Truth about Publishing 

Everything You Wanted to Know About Book Sales  (But Were Afraid to Ask)

How to Make a Living as a Children's Book Author- Hannah Holt 

What About No Advance Publishing?

How I Stay Grounded: 7 Realities of Traditional Publishing

Questions to Ask Your Publisher Before You Sign the Contract

Why Are There So Many Editors?

Why Do Publishers Close Imprints?

Like it or Not, Publishers Are Licensing Books for AI Training --And Using AI Themselves

The 10 Awful Truths About Publishing (2023 article)

Behind the Scenes of Editing Children's Books

4 Things I've Learned About the Book Business While Publishing My Debut Novel

MFA Programs

What the MFA Does and Does Not Do for Aspiring Novelists

Economics of Publishing

How Much Do Authors Make Per Book?

How Much Do Authors Earn? Here's An Answer No One Likes

Accounting in Publishing (Twitter thread)

Ten Things Nobody Tells You in the Publishing Industry

How Book Advances and Royalties Work (Video)

How to Read a Royalty Statement (Without Losing Your Mind)

Returns 101: What New Authors Need to Know

Writing IP and Writing-for-Hire

What is a Writer-For-Hire Project? And How Does it Work?

Introduction to Writing IP and Book Packaging

Craft Books on Writing for Children

 

Writing Picture Books Revised and Expanded: A Hands-On Guide From Story Creation to Publication, by Ann Whitford Paul (Writer's Digest Books, 2018) 

Writing Irresistable Kidlit: The Ultimate Guide to Crafting Fiction for Young Adult andMiddle Grade Readers, by Mary Kole (Writer's Digest Books, 2012) 

Second Sight: An Editor Talks on Writing, Revising & Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults, by Cheryl B. Klein 

Writing Young Adult Fiction for Dummies, by Deborah Halverson.  -Although this book is for YA, the information can apply to all genres. Get it. 

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books, 3rd Edition by Harold Underdown 

Linda Ashman's Nuts and Bolts Guide to Writing Picture Books- PDF

The Plot Whisperer Workbook

Recommended Writing Craft Books

Bird by Bird, by Anne Lamott (Anchor Books, 1995). 

Self-Editing for Fiction Writers: How to Edit Yourself Into Print, by Renni Browne & Dave King (Harper Collins 2004)  

On Writing, by Stephen King (Scribner Book Company, reissue 2020)

Story Engineering: Mastering The 6 Core Competencies of Successful Writing by Larry Brooks (Writers Digest Books 2011)

Story Genius: How to Use Brain Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel by Lisa Cron (Clarkson Potter 2016)

Save the Cat Writes a Novel by Jessica Brody (Ten Speed Press 2018)

Books for the Visual Storyteller

Picture This:  How Pictures Work, by Molly Bang (Chronicle Books, 2000). 

Writing With Pictures:  How to Write and Illustrate Children's Books, by Uri Shulevitz (Watso-Guptill 1997)

Making Comics: Storytelling Secrets of Comics, Manga and Graphic Novels, by Scott McCloud (Harper, 2006).  

Directories of Agents, Publishers, More

The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children: Annual publication from SCBWI available to members with comprehensive listings of agents, publishers, magazines, and information on submissions and publishing.

Book Markets Guide for Children's Writers 2023: market book with info on print and digital publishers 

Free Downloads for Writers: from Writers Digest, includes:

• How to Impress Literary Agents with Your 30-Second Pitch
• Characterization: Exploring Character Development in Your Writing
• Why a Writer Without a Deadline is Looking for Trouble
• more