Home sick with COVID for the second time ever. It's more mild than last time but still a bummer because I had to cancel a lot of fun plans for the weekend. Now that I am feeling slightly better, I can work on my writing from bed. #amwriting

Our weekly big list of kid lit links is up (Sept 19): kidlit411.com/2025/09/the-... Inside: Kid Lit Trends course @hunderdown.bsky.social , Joyful Marketing @juliefhedlund.bsky.social Reverse Outline, more. Thanks Erin Niehenke for the illustration, Running Press Kids & Scott Lape for the giveaways.

Trying to soak up as much learning from the SCBWI Virtual Summer Conference recordings before they disappear!🫠 #WritingCommunity #scbwiSummer25

I had a lovely retreat at Squam Lake w/ NESCBWI last weekend in community w/ fellow writers. I met the fabulous @charlottewenger.com and @puddlereader.bsky.social and learned so much! I wrote ~800 words, caught up on some SCBWI recordings, & found new critique groups. #amwriting

Spending the weekend at Squam Lake Retreat with fellow NESCBWI writers. #amwriting

By some miracle, even completely drained of energy, I had the urge to write on the first day of school. It was only 170 words but I will take every one of them. #WritingCommunity

The latest in arguably Trump-related layoffs, following Charlesbridge, Lee & Low, Astra... (and probably others I haven't heard about).

I received my first ever rejection today on my picture book! An agent actually read it! Celebrate with me! #WritingCommunity

Created a story revision map for my middle grade WIP. Feeling good about where to go next. Impressed that my third draft is almost 26K. 😊 #amrevising #WritingCommunity #kidlit

They put a name to an issue I struggle with-proCRAFTination. resilientwriters.com/podcasts/how...

If your child is struggling to read at grade level or at all, KEEP READING! Let them see you read. Talk about what you read, what they read. Reread their favorite books. Read them aloud! Have them read the physical book while listening to and reading along with the audiobook. 🧵 1/2

Today’s vocab: Overbroad and unconstitutional 🥰

Got a picture book idea from camping out to watch the meteor shower last night. And registered for @picturebooksummit.bsky.social in October.

Are your manuscripts lacking oomph? 👎 Get our FREE guide to Layers in Picture Books and add some pizazz! ✨ buff.ly/SeRW1mG #12x12PB #amwriting #kidlit

Started drafting a new picture book idea while listening to Paula Yoo discuss nonfiction writing and @lynnettenovak.bsky.social demystify traditional publishing. #WritingCommunity

Hey #ALAMembers! Did you know you can access digital issues of BOOKLIST READER, the monthly readers' advisory magazine from the editors of @ala-booklist.bsky.social, for FREE?! Start reading now to discover reading recommendations for all ages. Use your ALA Membership ID to login: bit.ly/3jRuX9V

Today I deleted 276 words from my manuscript. (Sometimes it happens.) I felt stuck so I took notes for scenes in different empty cards in Scrivener. I also did some research for a new picture book idea. And listened to @torreymaldonado.bsky.social 's awesome session from #scbwiSummer25

Yesterday was a 2,000 word day! I skipped ahead in my manuscript to write the climax. Plan to write the middle later. I also submitted a query for my picture book manuscript. 👀 #WritingCommunity #amwriting

Only 1,000 words today but I had to go back into my outline to add subplots to my adult piece. Feeling like I set myself up for success tomorrow. #WritingCommunity #amwriting

Today was a slower writing day (1000 words). But I applied for a writing fellowship, so that’s something. #WritingCommunity

I somehow wrote 3K words today while at Putney Summer Arts. Then after dinner I listened to the recording of Soman Chainani’s inspiring keynote. #amwriting #writingcommunity #scbwisummer25

Great tips on finding an agent, how publishers handle AI, more on SCBWI Conference Blog: scbwiconference.blogspot.com/2025/08/the-... Not too late to register for #scbwisummer25! Recordings avail til Sept. 14, watch at your leisure. #KidLit @pncaldwell.bsky.social @temikatheartist.bsky.social

Even if you're not registered for #scbwisummer25, I encourage you to check out the SCBWI Conference blog, where @jaimetemairik.com @themermancam.bsky.social @cuppajolie.bsky.social are posting takeaways & highlights. SO MUCH GREAT INFO useful to #KidLit creators! scbwiconference.blogspot.com

Check out the wonderful art at the SCBWI Summer 2025 Portfolio Showcase (the event that jumpstarted my own #KidLit career yrs ago): www.scbwi.org/submissions/... Pls show your support for human artists by boosting? It's a challenging time for illustrators to find work. Thank you! 🩷 #scbwisummer25

Don't you love the beautiful #KidLitArt in the #scbwisummer25 Conference banner? You can find out more about Liz Brizzi at www.scbwi.org/members/liz-... and www.elisabethbrizzi.com

Long game opportunities are important to generate awareness about you and your book. That can happen with book giveaways at library events, for example. #scbwiSummer25 #selfpublishing #authorpublishing

Professional reviews can help get your books in libraries (like Kirkus Reviews). That's a note from librarians. #scbwiSummer25 #selfpublishing #authorpublishing

Quiz! Quiz! Quiz! ⁠ ⁠ Think of us as BuzzFeed from picture book writers! Take the quiz and find out what type of picture books suit your writing (and reading) style. ⁠ picturebooksummit.co...⁠ #amwriting #amreading #picturebook #kidlit #PBSummit #booksky

So fired up with Soman’s talk, what a way to kick off the SCBWI Virtual Conference!!! He also referenced his podcast Plot Twist ^.^ I’m excited to lock in, listen, connect, & learn! #scbwiSummer25

Patrice Caldwell has a good point. Don't bypass younger agents. They can be a wonderful fit for you. #scbwiSummer25

More bilingual books. Yes, please! #scbwiSummer25

Italicizing words in books that are other than English, "others" those beautiful languages. #scbwiSummer25

The world is a big, wide, wonderful place. Tell stories of joy in immigrant life. #scbwiSummer25

Incredible time with my peer critique group this evening! Thanks #scbwiSummer25 ! Can't wait to experience more writing magic tomorrow!

"Most people don't want yelling and screaming and division at their township library board meetings or their school board meetings. They want well-resourced schools. They want well-resourced libraries with a lot of services." — Daniel Montgomery, incoming ALA ED www.edsurge.com/news/2025-08...

Excited to learn this weekend and watch recordings this month! #scbwi #writinglife #writingcommunity #kidlit

Another batch of 5 ⭐️ reads for July. I now read a mix of YA and adult books now? Weird. #YAlit #readinglife

Outlined a novel based on one of the most challenging experiences I had as a new adult. I've thought about writing it as memoir for years but I think this will be a better path. #amwriting #WritingCommunity

Signed up for the NESCBWI Squam Lake retreat today. #nescbwi #writingretreat

VE Schwab is such a prolific writer and human. Bury Our Bones in the Midnight Soil and Addie LaRue were both masterpieces and I cannot wait to read the rest of her work.

STOP BOOK BANS!! We made it easy to send an email to your representative to fight against book bans in your state! action.everylibrary.org/nationalaccess via @everylibrary.bsky.social (I am not a parent so I changed some of the wording in my letter.)

Catching the writing bug again just in time for summer. Brainstorming picture book ideas from Storystorm prompts. #amwriting #WritingCommunity

What a wonderful weekend being in community with kidlit writers from New England and beyond!

SCBWI Celebrates Dr. Carla Hayden: A Tireless Advocate for Libraries Everywhere Find out how you can support libraries and public access to books with the link here: uniteagainstbookbans.org Photo by Shawn Miller/Library of Congress.

Excited for @newenglandscbwi.bsky.social conference next weekend!! Please connect!

Also, call your government officials and tell them to protect IMLS. All IMLS staff were put on leave and we, the public, will start feeling the effects. Interlibrary loan? Summer reading grants? Free databases provided by the state? All in jeopardy. www.everylibrary.org/statement_im...

Great local event if you're in VT! www.vermontpublic.org/2025-03-17/a...

Just had an awesome session with an international librarian and fellow writer who offered her feedback on the beginning of my YA novel. She graduated from the high school I am currently teaching at! Small world. #WritingCommunity #amwriting

Did another #5amwritersclub revision sesh. What a great mini start to my day! #WritingCommunity

I engaged in another round of revision during #5amwritingclub ! #WritingCommunity