Kids should be encouraged to read both what’s deemed “literary” and more accessible books—period. I read Wonder Woman comics as a kid. I still read Wonder Woman books as a grown up, and hey, I grew up to write superhero graphic novels for young readers.
I also read Nancy Drew.
Continue Reading Writing for Children and Young Adults: Brain Food »
The best way to promote your children’s-YA book is to get the next one written. Prioritize your rest, creativity, and embrace marketing activities that are a fit for your personality and availability.
Cynthia Leitich Smith is the Katherine Paterson Chair of the faculty of the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. She also coordinates and teaches the We Need Diverse Books Annual Native Children’s-YA Writing Intensive and has taught or spoken at various additional writer-education programs, including Kweli: The Color of Children’s Literature,
Curated articles touch on various aspects of the literary agent’s role in the publishing process. They may help in identifying candidates to query or to invite to a writing conference.
Keep in mind that sometimes agents retire or move to a different literary agency or start their own. Double check their job status before reaching out.
Continue Reading Children’s-YA Agents and Agent-Author Relationships »