this happens a lot when you fear you can’t live up to your own tastes but nothing ever will on the first draft let it suck! it’s fine “writing is rewriting” is the truest aphorism revisions are where you make it sing all the first draft has to do is exist trust the process!

Serious question for creatives juggling multiple WIPs: how do you prioritize when your creativity refuses to stand in a single line? I’ve got: *Char-sketch for debut PB *YA Novel MS *Author-illustrated PB dummy My brain says “DO EM ALL” My calendar says “lol" #Booksky #Kidlit #WritingCommunity

Reposting last months because it's one of my faves and it deserves two submissions. #kidlitartpostcard

Emotions aren't exclusive. And they aren't right or wrong either. Give yourself permission to feel everything you feel. 🥰 #WritingCommunity #selfcare #emotions #beinghuman

Hi #PortfolioDay - I'm Menal Khan, a South-Asian Canadian author & #illustrator w/a focus on humour & whimsy. I'm open to PB, BB, CB, covers & editorials! ⭐️Rep'd by: @jmcgowanbks.bsky.social ⭐️Portfolio: www.menalkhan.com

Children's book authors/illustrators! Boyds Mills (formerly the Highlights Foundation) is opening scholarships soon, including the Liz Goulet Dubois scholarship for picture book creators. boydsmills.org/apply-for-a-... boydsmills.org/liz-goulet-d...

Sundays. - #kidlit #art #relatable #weekend

Quack or whatever. - Hi #KidlitArtPostcard - I'm Menal Khan, a South-Asian Canadian author & #illustrator w/a focus on humour & whimsy. I'm open to PB, BB, CB, covers & editorials! ⭐️Rep'd by: @jmcgowanbks.bsky.social ⭐️Portfolio: www.menalkhan.com #kidlit #kidlitart #art #duck #pets

It’s either I read 3 books a month or go 3 months without picking up a #book. There’s no in between.

#KidLit FYI: The next postcard event is Thursday, January 8th. www.ginaperry.com/postcard #kidlitartpostcard

This #holiday season, let's remember to thank the delivery drivers, food couriers, and all the workers behind the scenes who keep everything moving while we celebrate. 🫶🏼 - #kidlit #kidlitart #art

My little corner of Bluesky is filled with the most lovely, interesting, funny, smart people, and I just wanted to say thank you for being here. Delightful, all of you.

Please enjoy this progression of my #cat, Meeko, slowly turning into a void. At this rate, I’ll be petting a black hole soon.

(tried to work around Bluesky's cropping 🥲) - Hi #KidlitArtPostcard - I'm Menal Khan, a South-Asian Canadian author & #illustrator w/a focus on humour & whimsy. I'm open to PB, BB, CB, covers & editorials! Rep'd by: @jmcgowanbks.bsky.social Portfolio: www.menalkhan.com #kidlit

For someone who emotional-blackmailed their parents for cash at every #Scholastic book fair & grew up dreaming of bringing stories to life, finding out my debut (illustrated) PB is coming from Scholastic is the BEST full-circle moment. #kidlit

Mood. - #kidlit #comic #meme

I call this: monkeying around. - #kidlit #visualhumor #characterdesign #art

Everyone, meet Melly! She begged me for a job and now she’s my sales rep. Keep an eye out, she’ll be popping up across my socials and website (www.menalkhan.com), pretending she runs the place. Please don’t encourage her. - #KidLit #Illustration #CharacterDesign #KidLitArt #comic #PictureBook

Birbs love eyewear. #kidlit #birds

Like many Milennials I watched the towers fall on live television. I saw the Islamophobia that ensued. There is something so powerful and healing about Mamdani's win tonight. I'm watching from far away, but I have tears in my eyes for the Big Apple.

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 5: A book doesn’t need a “serious message” to be worthwhile. Joy is a legitimate end in itself.

Let kids draw and doodle! It helps many kids concentrate.

dog-earing pages is good and i like to do it

Being an artist trying to talk with other artists is just embarrassing. "I like your shapes and colours!" Mortifying playground shit

It gives me immense joy when I discover an artist I admire has a Bluesky account I can follow. I’ve stopped following people on IG (won't see their posts anyway), and yes, I bookmark their websites, but this is my happy place to stalk people and their art :) #kidlitart

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but your belief that a bookshelf with a rolling ladder will fix you is a valid one. Anyone who tells you otherwise is not worthy of your friendship.

when you put off everything til tomorrow it really frees up your day nicely.

In honor of the late Dr. Jane Goodall. “Each one of us must take responsibility of our own lives, and above all, show respect and love for living things around us, especially each other.” Rest in peace 💚 #janegoodall #rememberingjane #kidlitart #kidlitartist

Scrolling through #kidlitartpostcard feels like wandering a digital museum where every wall bursts with whimsy, color, and pure kidlit magic. Love this time of month.

Sometimes it feels like everything in the world is sliding backward, and it gets overwhelming. And then I think about the art community—the people making and sharing work, supporting each other, keeping creativity alive. I’m just really grateful to be here with all of you.

My writing career summed up in one image:

Writing history on one image.

PSA: If you're an author & you get a chatty email from a marketer, or book club that praises your book & bashes Amazon's algo before offering to 'help', usually with 500 to 10,000 reviewers, it's just a ChatGPT automated marketing scam. It's the new Nigerian prince email, brought to you by 'AI' 🙄.

Fun fact: When I became agented I immediately told my family they had to go through official channels. Want to talk to me? Agent. Want to blink in my direction. Agent. If I’m not being insufferable at home AM I EVEN LIVING?

I wish I had enough lifetimes to write all the stories inside me.

I’d tell younger me: ‘Practical’ doesn’t always mean fulfilling. I traded crayons for spreadsheets, but a decade later found my way back. Now every book I create is proof that 5-year-old me was right all along. #kidlitchat

Curious why a standard picture book is 32 pages in traditional #KidLit trade publishing? And why NOT all 32 pages are for story content? In this #PictureBooks101 post, I explain picture book format & construction: debbieohi.com/2025/09/pict...

The worst part about being an ADHD bookworm is when you figure out a twist before you get to the reveal. #booksky

Robert Munsch was instrumental in my becoming a writer. His books were some of the first ones I can remember reading as a child, and “I’ll Love You Forever” comforted me when my Mom passed away. Saddened to hear of his battle with dementia but grateful he’s able to go out on his own terms:

#Kidlit community! Hit me with your funniest picture book recs - I need laughs & inspiration. My current faves are: Don't Trust Fish by Neil/Dan The Most Serious Fart by Mike/Chuck

Diving into the works of others (watching a movie, reading a book, going to a museum or concert, etc) — inspiration is all around us! #kidlitchat

For those confused or concerned about the new Procreate update - you can toggle from the new brush library to your “classic library.” And create a new library with your fav brushes from both by importing the brush files. Nothing is lost in the update as far as I can tell…?

Are you an author, illustrator, or other kind of book creator? Do you want to support the freedom to read? Join Authors Against Book Bans at www.authorsagainstbookbans.com #FReadom #freedomtoread #firstamendment @authorsabb.bsky.social

Creative people are always working, even at a subconscious level. Reading books, watching movies and TV, and playing video games are not wastes of time for artists. It’s how we stay inspired and refill our coffer of ideas.

Teachers: Please name the illustrator when you read to students. Discuss the art. Invite illustrators to visit. Show next generation that art in book was created by a HUMAN, that their work matters. www.picturesmeanbusiness.com/teachers/ #PicturesMeanBusiness Art @sarahmcintyre.bsky.social #EduSky

This week, try writing a scene that’s just for you. No pressure. No audience. No goal. Just joy. That’s how you reconnect with the reason you started. #WritingCommunity

I can go months without reading a single book, and then suddenly read five books in a week.