I recently hired an editorial assistant at my press, and the submissions were pouring in—hundreds of emails from eager applicants hoping to land a first job in publishing. After combing through the first few dozen, patterns start to leap off the screen. Some made me think yes, please. Others sank themselves before I even opened … Continue reading Industry Insights: 11 Green Lights (and 5 Red Flags) in Editorial Assistant Applications| Only Picture Books
My Writing Picture Books class is building picture book dummies this week, so spread planning is on my desk and in my head. We had a great time folding paper and stapling up dummies in class last week, too. If you’re new to making dummies, start with these two resources: How to Craft a Picture … Continue reading Industry Insights: Read and Write in Spreads| Only Picture Books
At our ACQUIRED! workshop this weekend, guest illustrator Fred Koehler shared a simple idea that lit up the room: write lines that give artists room to invent. He calls it “illustrator bait.” Your job as the text writer is to aim the scene and the feeling, then leave space for visual problem-solving. That space is … Continue reading Insider Insights: Illustrator Bait–Write Lines that Invite Art| Only Picture Books
This past weekend, I presented at the 2025 Writer’s Digest Conference in Baltimore, and wow—the energy was electric. Thanks to Amy, Moriah, Taylor, Robert, and all the great folks at Writer’s Digest for putting this together!| Only Picture Books