Hi Deneice – When I started on this journey writing children’s books about seven years ago, I was unagented and unpublished. Now I’m represented by the fabulous Liza Fleissig and am the proud author of two nonfiction picture books, Milkweed for Monarchs (Beaming Books, 2024) and A Brief History of Underpants (becker&mayer! kids, 2021). If I can do it, so can you!

Let’s backtrack to 2017 when I was just starting on this journey. I knew I had to write manuscripts, but wondered what else I could be doing to kick off my career. For most of us, publication doesn’t happen overnight. Word on the street is that, on average, it takes three to five years from when you have polished manuscripts and begin querying before you land a deal. (I fall into that statistic.) Writing is a business, so think of it as a career that you’re building and growing. We each have a unique path to publication; do what feels right for you. Here are 13 things I did that you may want to try too:

AUTHOR WEBSITE

1) Secure your domain name even if you don’t plan to put up an author website yet. Choose the name that you want to write under (not the title of your book because you’re going to have lots of books published, right?!). For example, my domain name is www.christinevanzandt.com. If your name is taken, consider adding the word “author” or “books” to it.

2) Build your author website. I’m far from tech-savvy, but I accomplished this using prebuilt templates. When hiring someone to create a website for you, stay engaged in the process if you plan to maintain the site rather than paying someone whenever a change is needed. Regular updates improve your site’s Search Engine Optimization (SEO), ranking, and visibility—which is a topic for its own blog post! I try to remember to make minor tweaks when the first of the month rolls around.

3) Add content that’s relevant to you as an author. Read on to find out what I’ve included on my author website over the years.

KIDLIT COMMUNITY AND EDUCATION

4) Join groups like SCBWI (you got that one done!) to start being part of the community and to learn from more experienced authors and illustrators. Other groups I’ve been part of or continue to be involved with are Storystorm, the Children’s Book Insider, The Writers’ Loft, 12×12, and The Lyrical Language Lab. All of these opportunities create content. On your website, mention you’re a member or alumnus. If these organizations offer badges, add those images!

5) Join a critique group, or several. Feedback from other children’s book writers is invaluable. They will keep you accountable with deadlines to swap stories. You’ll have a safe place to vent, ask questions, share successes, and build friendships.

6) Attend bookish events such conferences, workshops, webinars, retreats, book fairs, bookstore events, library events, and so on. Figure out which fit your budget (look into scholarships) and schedule. Be realistic about how much time you have. Find a balance. You want to keep writing—an interested agent may ask to see four to seven polished manuscripts.

SOCIAL MEDIA

7) Engage on social media with relevant content. Be yourself, while also realizing the world sees what you post. Ensure your online presence is positive. It’s likely that agents or publishers will review your posts and, as you move closer to publication, you’ll have to provide the number of followers across the various platforms. Though people moved away from Twitter when it changed to X, at this time, Twitter/X still seems a main place to be for the writing community. Other choices include Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok (watch the news on this one), Bluesky, and more.

8) Support others. Kidlit people are awesome, so give them a boost on social!

YOUR WRITING

9) Enter writing contests. If you win or place, you have content for your website and on social.

10) Submit to magazines. This can mean short stories, poems, crafts, and more. If you’re published, share that news.

VOLUNTEER

11) Give back. Find volunteer positions that match your interests or skills. For example, I’m a freelance editor and have held various positions for SCBWI including a year as the editor for the Tri-Regions of Southern California’s Kite Tales blog and about five years writing this quarterly “Ask an Editor” column. Use volunteer opportunities to connect with others. You’ll also get content for your website or social. For example, before an event, help boost it on social. During or after, post photos.

KEEP LEARNING

12) Read, study, analyze, and enjoy the wide world of diverse picture books published in the past three to five years. Immerse yourself in information about the craft and business of writing.

13) Revise, revise, revise. Someone recently asked me how many rounds of revisions I do before I submit a picture book manuscript to my agent. My guesstimate was about 30; this includes several passes through my critique partners. The first time you type THE END, congratulate yourself. But know that’s only the beginning. It’s true the path to publication is a marathon and not a sprint. Enjoy the journey!

Now that you’ve seen some of the things I’ve done, ask another author or illustrator how they’ve built their careers. Before you know it, YOU will be writing a post like this, sharing what worked for you, and helping others launch their careers in our wonderful kidlit world.

HAVE QUESTIONS?

To ask a question that may be answered in an upcoming Kite Tales, please follow this link and fill in the form. Answers by Christine Van Zandt, children’s book author and owner of Write for Success Editing & Book Coaching Services.

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In order of appearance, photos by SevenStorm JUHASZIMRUS, Tara Winstead, Bich Tran, Ann H