KBR+ (Kid’s Book Revisions Plus) —having our 4th Hangout tomorrow from 4:30-5:00. Just a quick reminder for all of you who want to register and join us - me, @hunderdown.bsky.social and @drydenbks.bsky.social Go to www.kidsbookrevisions.com for more on this, and other cool stuff!

When your kids have devoured the samey samey GNs out there and they want a comic that’s a cut above (and doesn’t look like anybody else), that’s when you hit ‘em in the Chernobyl. Far and away a favorite of the year. #kidlit 📚👍 afuse8production.slj.com/2026/04/24/r...

I’m feeling joyful right now. Pure, pure joy.

So exciting!

Sensory Verbs Don't filter your story through a character's sensory verbs. #kidlitlinkoftheday #kidlit #writing #writingtips www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/most-common-...

Reading may seem like a passive exercise—it isn’t, of course!—but for some kids, a little extra engagement or challenge can mean a world of difference for a book’s appeal. These titles feature interactive reading formats across a range of genres and subjects for kids who want more: bit.ly/4eaMoil

The Thrill of Picture Books That Let Kids in on the Joke | The New Yorker

Our 3rd Hangout went well! We talked about different kinds of POV and how to handle tricky ones like close or deep 3rd person. The free half-hour sessions continue next week, and you can still sign up for the remaining ones here: www.kidsbookrevisions.com/KBRPlus-hang...

From “The Simpsons” house genius John Swartzwelder, interviewed in The New Yorker by Mike Sacks

Travis Jonker has built The Ultimate Caldecott Database. Yes, it includes the Medal and Honor winners since 1938, but it’s also a searchable resource with: Illustrator demographics, Artistic mediums, Publisher information, Page/word counts, and more. 100scopenotes.com/2026/04/16/t...

@eileenwrobinson.bsky.social @hunderdown.bsky.social and I are answering revision questions in our KBR+ FB Group. Take a look! #kidlit #YAlit

Over on our KBR+ FB group we're answering revision questions about speech tags, proofreading, and more! Take a look! #kidlit #YAlit www.facebook.com/groups/kidsb...

Revision taught me something drafting never could: I’m allowed to change my mind! #writing #writingcommunity #amwriting #writerslife

I have long said that children’s books should be more friend than mentor. This essay is spot on. “Adults are often looking for something worthy. Children are looking for something alive.” “They want the thrilling little power of knowing what is about to happen and being right.” Yes! ❤️ #kidlit

Canadian author-illustrator Jon Klassen has been named the laureate of the 2026 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award, the world's largest prize for children's and young adult literature! #BCBF

Did you know that Kids Book Revisions Plus has a Facebook Group? We're currently discussing our first Hangout, and some questions that people asked about revision. You can see (and join, if you want) the Group here: www.facebook.com/groups/kidsb...

Ask the Agent Question of the Day: What’s the difference between Romantasy and COZY Romantasy and YA Romantasy (etc etc) My answer: www.tumblr.com/literaticat/...

This is a good, close look at the details of several very prevalent AI-driven writing scams (including contacts on Facebook, which is a major offender) and ways to unmask them feliciasalber.substack.com/p/scam-attac...

Character Names Consider these points when choosing your character names. #kidlitlinkoftheday #kidlit #writing #writingtips www.writersdigest.com/write-better...

World-building will always be my First Love of Writing but Revision comes at a close second. Drafting is a necessary seesaw between despair and delight

Our weekly big list of kid lit links I up (April 10): kidlit411.com/2026/04/the-... Inside: How to Talk about Your Writing, What's Happening in Publishing, Key Publishing Paths, more. Thanks Julianna D'Angelo for the illustration, ABRAMS & @jlockettauthor1.bsky.social for the giveaways.

This will certainly be worthwhile.

This will certainly be worthwhile.

Those of you who may have joined us in our first @kbrplus.bsky.social hangout about revision, what did you think? @hunderdown.bsky.social @eileenwrobinson.bsky.social and @drydenbks.bsky.social had a great time; we hope you did too! #kidlit #YAlit

Those of you who may have joined us in our first @kbrplus.bsky.social hangout about revision, what did you think? @hunderdown.bsky.social @eileenwrobinson.bsky.social and @drydenbks.bsky.social had a great time; we hope you did too! #kidlit #YAlit

Give yourself room to play and mull and discover. Get hyper-focused. Get bored. Get aggravated. Get curious. You only get better by digging in and doing. Creativity is messy, but in the mess, you find the best treasures of all.

When you over-explain in your novel, you risk bogging down scenes, slowing the pacing of the whole story, and even losing readers altogether. But sometimes you need to explain things! Here's how to find a balance when you are writing your manuscript.

I have been on a "does it need to be a dialogue tag?" tear of late, so here's an incredible resource to think about the clauses that, if they're doing their job right, you don't really want to think about much at all.

This is often mind blowing to students when I am teaching & suggest "just backstitch it." This is part of the "Writing IS revision" concept. Backstitch. Layer that in. It might look like you had it in there all along, but that's just revision doing its thing.

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 115: People are all individuals, their personalities shaped by their culture, experience, parenting, education, gender, physiology and many other factors. The same goes for characters in books: they work best as people, not types.

This is exactly it--not only in journalism, but in #kidlit and #yalit writing, writing books for adults, all creative writing. And in illustration, design... all creative effort. You can't jump over the process to the result!

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 999: Don't be in too much of a hurry to be published. Give yourself time to adjust and grow. In publishing, you have as long as you like to write your first book, but a year to write your second...

Obviously, we're a little biased, but we think diving even more deeply into books and reading, spending time off your screen, slowing down in general is a good response to how overwhelming every goddamn day seems to be. So here's another micro-course on close reading to help you do that...

This is revision. It's hard work. But you need the process. Skipping it through use of AI, jumping to a "result," won't get you the result you need... Revision is part of the creative process. Cherish it.

Our weekly big list of kid lit links is up (April 3): kidlit411.com/2026/04/the-... Inside: publishing news, better book launches, school visits, more. Thanks Ginny Neil for the illustration and @angelapadron.bsky.social for the PB giveaway (LUCÍA'S GOALS) #kidlit #kidlitart

When you're creating, you're not meant to get it right on the first try. Revision is magic. That's when you stumble upon an idea that's infinitely better than you started with. When you discover connections you didn't even know were there. When you find that absolutely essential line is irrelevant.

A reminder: we are starting out first series of hangouts next Wednesday the 8th, and we need your revision questions. Find out how to join us and how to send a question in our latest newsletter: mailchi.mp/6cb2243ecc3c...

Write them out anyway, because bad writing can usually be fixed through revision and practice. Most of writing well happens through practice. It's a skill as much as if not more than a talent. Most people could write decently well, given time and effort.

Hang in there, publishing friends. What you can’t control in this moment: The way the industry is shifting, finding its new normal. What you can control: Your own reading and writing; Supporting publishing peers with reviews, purchases, requests, and even a kind word; Vehemently fighting book bans.

Writing/Revision Tip:

Educators! Librarians! Others who buy books for young readers! Are you looking for *authentic* kidlit/YA book recommendations from people other than the author or illustrator, with NO self-promo? 📚🩷 Browse the Kidlit/YA Book Boosts feed! See below. #KidLit #LibrarySky #EduSky

Im so excited for my upcoming #firstpage on the spot #critique #webinar happening Thurs 4/23 at 7PM ET. Choose from 3 options: listen only, receive a live critique, or receive a written critique afterwards. More info and register here: us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Have you checked the list of participating #PBParty agents, editors & ADs? We recently added two agents & another editor. Wahoooooo! 🎉 I can't wait to see how many entries make it to our duke-it-out-for-final-spots Zoom! Some are truly amazing. 🌟

Nobody is going to steal your idea for a novel.

Publishing Industry People! The origin of the word “blurb”!

A new exhibition at Yale Library highlights notable corrections ranging across centuries from writers like James Joyce, Upton Sinclair and Nicolaus Copernicus.

It was so great to have Patti Gauch, longtime friend and faculty member, on campus this past week! Patti has been a part of the Boyds Mills community since our Chautauqua days. Always so great to see Patti and to listen in on some of her inspiring sessions!

#TalkswithRoger: @ebgoodale.bsky.social talks with Roger Sutton about ROBIN AND THE STICK (Abrams): "It was important to me that readers should be able to have a direct emotional line to and relatability with Robin." www.hbook.com/story/e-b-go...

Our weekly big list of kid lit links is up (Mar 27): kidlit411.com/2026/03/the-... Inside: @inkedvoices.bsky.social PB class, Newsletter Tips, Revision Workshops w/@hunderdown.bsky.social @drydenbks.bsky.social Thanks Karen Ritz for the illo, @dcswanson.bsky.social & GS Harrington for the giveaways.

Albert Whitman Files New Reorganization Plan buff.ly/gr4ikQg