by Linden Gross | Aug 6, 2026 | Children's Books
Whenever someone tells me they want to write a children’s book, I usually say, “So do I! But remember, it’s harder than it looks.” People often think writing for kids is easy because the books are short. In reality, having fewer words to play with means every word has...
by Linden Gross | Apr 10, 2025 | Children's Books, Success Stories, Writing
Writer success stories make me happy, especially when they’re huge and hugely unexpected. Meet Jeff Kinney. Jeff wanted to be a newspaper cartoonist. Although the University of Maryland, College Park’s daily newspaper featured a comic strip he’d created,...
by Linden Gross | Apr 11, 2024 | Children's Books, Publishing
Worried about illustrating a children’s book you’re writing? If you’re planning to submit your picture book to a traditional publisher, don’t. They’re only going to want to see your manuscript, even if it’s less than 100 words,...
by Linden Gross | Mar 24, 2022 | Children's Books, Writing
In Judy Blume’s MasterClass about writing for younger readers, the mega-bestselling children’s book author talks about how she saves news clippings and scribbles ideas for plots, characters and their backstories, snippets of conversation she overhears, and...
by Linden Gross | Mar 10, 2022 | Children's Books, Writing
“If you’re a writer, you’re a people watcher,” Judy Blume says in her MasterClass on writing for younger readers. Observations that stem from heightened awareness will generate everything from plot ideas to characters who are real. You also have to create the world...
by Linden Gross | Feb 17, 2022 | Children's Books, Writing
To write a good book, you have to start with a solid idea. Children’s books are no different. The twist with kids’ books is that your storyline has to appeal both to the parent who’s going to buy the book and the child who will read it. And, as with any good book,...
