By Jennifer Swanson

As an author of almost fifty books for kids, I’ve written biographies, history, concept books,
branded books and series, but my main focus is on STEM books for kids. I love what I do! Being
a nonfiction children’s author is so fulfilling and exciting. Kids LOVE nonfiction!
I’m often asked if I have advice to aspiring nonfiction authors. In response, I came up with these
five tips.

1. Where do I find a topic?
Anywhere! Start with something that interests YOU. After all, you are going to be spending a lot
of time with this topic as you research, write, edit, submit, and more. It’s always a good idea to
see if there are events that might tie to your topic, like a big anniversary or a holiday, or
something like Earth Day. But in the end, pick what you like and write it so well, that others will
be intrigued, too.

2. You don’t need to be an expert in the topic you’re writing about
This is a myth. What you need to have is a curiosity and the willingness to dive in and do the
research. As an author of many STEM/STEAM books, I can easily say that my degree in
chemistry didn’t help me with most of my book topics, well, except for my Big Fat Chemistry
Notebook. But even then, I had to do a lot of research for that book because chemistry has
changed since I took it in college. The best way to approach research is to start at the library.
Check out as many books as you can find on the subject. Then head to the internet. Research
legitimate sources, including universities, museums, professional associations, and maybe even
find an expert to help you. Primary sources are awesome! But just remember, you can learn any
topic if you just spend the time and effort to do it.

3. Narrative or Expository?
It depends. I know that’s not a definitive answer, but it really is up to you as the writer to decide
the best way to present your story. Typically, a narrative book tells a story. Not always from
beginning to end, but a definite story arc. You want to show progression in your story and not
just give informational facts. An expository book is mostly about the facts. Remember they are
FUN facts, not boring facts. You might use this to talk about a difficult concept by breaking it up
into smaller, more easily digestible facts, or perhaps you just want to bring attention to a
particular topic by going more in-depth and explaining how it works. Expository books are not
always straightforward, they can be lyrical, poetic, or even have a bit of narrative writing in
them, too.

4. Picture book? Middle grade? YA?
Again, it depends. Sometimes the topic tells you the age of your reader, but not always.
Sometimes the topic tells you the age of your reader, but not always. The big
factor is how you want to approach the topic. Do you want to take a deep dive and get very
detailed? Then an older book might be better. If you want to give the reader a specific view into
the topic, and use fewer words, then a picture book is for you. To decide, my recommendation is
that you do a lot of research on the market. Make the decision to write what you feel is the best
way to present your topic to the reader.
5. What if another book about my topic comes out before I can sell mine. Will that affect
my manuscript from selling?
I’ll be honest, the answer is maybe. I think all of us nonfiction authors have had that happen. I
know I have. If someone writes a book about your same topic, especially if it sounds like it has a
similar approach to yours, is for the same age group, or with a bigger house, that can definitely
affect the sale of yours. That doesn’t mean you should give up. You can either keep working on
it, perhaps by tweaking it so that your book is different, or you can put it away for a while.
That’s what I did. I went out with a biography four years ago and it didn’t sell because another
book came out about the same person and won a ton of awards. Four years later, my newly
revised manuscript about that person sold. It just takes time.
You can do it!! The world is always in need of more writers of amazing nonfiction for kids!

Jennifer has been a featured speaker at the Tucson Book Festival, National NSTA conferences, the Highlights Foundation, the World Science Festival the Atlanta Science Festival, and the Library of Congress’ National Book Festival. You can find Jennifer through her website www.JenniferSwansonBooks.com.

Find Jen Here:
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by Bryan Patrick Avery

It’s a new year and, for many, that means trying new things. A lot of my friends in the kid lit community and considering trying their hands at writing a graphic novel. My advice is always the same: “Do it!”

As a kid, I loved reading graphic novels (yes, graphic novels count as reading). The Uncanny X-Men and Detective Comics were among my favorites. When I started writing for kids, I knew that, one day, I wanted to write at least one graphic novel. I wrote my first, and it’s currently on submission. I plan to complete my second this year. So, for any of you who may be interested in taking a crack a graphic novel of your own. I thought I’d share a few great examples of the genre and a couple of resources that can help you get started.

​If you’re interested in writing a graphic novel in the chapter book space, check out COOKIE & BROCCOLI: READY FOR SCHOOL by Bob McMahon. One book in a fantastic series, it features Cookie and Broccoli who become friends and learn to navigate social situations together. It’s both funny and touching and a perfect example of how simple illustrations can go a long way in a graphic novel.

​For the middle grade crowd, check out Dana Simpson’s PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN. It’s hilarious. Phoebe meets a unicorn and decides they’re going to be best friends. It takes some time though, as this particular unicorn is pretty egotistical. Perhaps that’s not too surprising since her name is Marigold Heavenly Nostrils Still, over time, the two become close as Phoebe learns all about unicorns and Marigold learns all about humans, particularly kids. If you’re looking for an example of great middle grade graphic novel, check out PHOEBE AND HER UNICORN.

​If you’re looking for a mentor text for YA readers that’s a bit darker, check out DAYBREAK. Written and illustrated by Brian Ralph, it takes place in a post-apocalyptic world. What really makes this book interesting though, is that the reader is the main character in the book. Every panel shows the action through the reader’s eyes. Also, Ralph does an excellent job of letting the looming danger drive the action. This isn’t a breakneck race through a horde of zombies. Instead, it’s a careful trek through a world that has obviously been decimated by something awful that still lurks in the shadows. It’s an amazing read, all the way to it’s stunning conclusion.

If you want to dive into writing graphic novels, there are no shortage of books to guide you on your way. I’d recommend checking out MAKING COMICS by Scott McCloud and COMICS AND SEQUENTIAL ART by Will Eisner. Both will give you a crash course in writing comics and will no doubt inspire you to push forward.
​
Well, that’s all for this month. Happy writing and have a magical month!

Bryan Patrick Avery is an award-winning poet and author of more than a dozen books for children. His middle grade collective biography, BLACK MEN IN SCIENCE, illustrated by Nikita Leanne, was released in 2022. Bryan is also the author of the middle-grade story, “The Magic Day Mystery”, which appears in SUPER PUZZLETASTIC MYSTERIES, THE FREEMAN FIELD PHOTOGRAPH, illustrated by Jerome White, the early chapter book series, MR. GRIZLEY’S CLASS, illustrated by Arief Putra and the picture books EARL LEARNS A LESSON and MAX’S MAGIC CHANGE, both illustrated by Roman Diaz.
 
Bryan serves on the board of directors of the Northern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is an Amplify Black Stories Fellow, a joint program presented by the Brown Bookshelf and the Highlights Foundation. Bryan lives in northern California with his family.
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Happy New Year! Cheers to creativity in 2023!
 
Here is an exercise that will hopefully help you set intentions and formulate concrete plans to start off the upcoming year with ideas and writing goals.
 
Write out numbers 1-23 with a line next to each.
 
1  _________________________________
2 _________________________________
3 _________________________________
4 _________________________________
5 _________________________________
6 _________________________________
7 _________________________________
8 _________________________________
9 _________________________________
10  ________________________________
11  ________________________________
12  ________________________________
13  ________________________________
14  ________________________________
15  ________________________________
16  ________________________________
17  ________________________________
18  ________________________________
19  ________________________________
20  ________________________________
21  ________________________________
22  ________________________________
23  ________________________________
 

Credit: Canva Image

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​On each line, write out something that will help you in your writing journey this year. For example, you could include a course/workshop/webinar/challenge you will participate in during the upcoming months. Include any books you will read (either a book about the writing craft or a book in your genre). Include favorite story lines or illustrations. List #kidlit blogs you follow or will read. Write down any writing podcasts you listen to. List critique groups you belong to or critique pals you exchange stories with. List libraries or bookstores you will visit. List any ideas you have already that you want to prioritize this year. 
 
Cheers to creative productivity in 2023! Let me know in the comments how you used this list and if you included any additional categories. 
 
 

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MELISSA’S BIO:
 
Melissa Stoller writes to bring connection, joy, and a bit of magic to her readers. She is the author of the chapter book series The Enchanted Snow Globe Collection - Return to Coney Island, and the picture books Scarlet’s Magic Paintbrush; Ready, Set, GOrilla!; Sadie’s Shabbat Stories; Planting Friendship: Peace, Salaam, Shalom; and Building Bridges: Peace, Salaam, Shalom (co-written with Callie Lovvorn and Shirin Rahman). Melissa is a Blogger and Course Assistant for the Children’s Book Academy, a Rate Your Story Judge, a volunteer with SCBWI/MetroNY, a Book Meshuggenahs member, a Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center Advisory Council member, and a past school and synagogue Trustee. She also interviews authors and offers resources on her blog. In other chapters of her life, Melissa has worked as a lawyer, legal writing instructor, freelance writer/editor, and early childhood educator. She lives in New York City with her family, and enjoys theatre, museums, and Central Park walks. Melissa is represented by Jonathan Rosen at The Seymour Agency. www.MelissaStoller.com


CONNECT:
 
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http://www.twitter.com/melissastoller
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By Sharon Giltrow

Well, here I am wrapping up another year, which was jammed packed with so many fantastic and funny books. Here are the books I featured in 2022 and their wise takeaways…

Now for a sad wrap up.

This will be my last blogpost for The Children’s Book Academy. With three books coming out next year and many more books to write I have decided to focus more on my own writing.

Thank you to Mira and the crew at The Children’s Book Academy for giving me the fabulous opportunity.
I have enjoyed every minute of it and I can’t wait to see who takes over from me 😊.

All the best in your writing and illustrating careers. I will be cheering you from the sidelines.

BIO:
Sharon Giltrow grew up in South Australia, the youngest of eight children, surrounded by pet sheep and fields of barley. She now lives in Perth, Western Australia with her husband, two children and a tiny dog. Sharon is a children’s author who writes humorous and heartfelt picture books. As well as speculative, adventure filled middle grade books. Since 2020 Sharon has built a collection of literary work including BEDTIME, DADDY! GET READY, MAMA! with EK Books and the soon to be released early middle grade series, THE UTILITY BELT. Sharon is represented by Fiona Johnson of Beyond Words Literary Agency

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