April 2026 Master Class
Registration is Now Open
I’m delighted to introduce you to Chelsea Tornetto today. Chelsea is the author of several picture books, a freelance editor, and an author coach. Welcome, Chelsea! Thanks for joining us to discuss your newly-launched picture book, Chalk the Walk (illustrated by...
Some books feel like a gift — and God's Perfect Peace by Glenys Nellist is one of those rare treasures. It’s more than just a bedtime story; it’s a beautifully written and illustrated blessing and invitation to rest in God’s love and peace. Honestly, it’s the kind of...
Last month, I gave some general tips on writing picture books. Today, I want to look deeper into the craft. What You Need to Know First Our competition is fierce. Most beginning writers think starting with picture books is good because they’re short. In a way, they’re...
THE SYNOPSIS Remmy Raccoon is excited because the fair is in town—and that means carnival food! He is very hungry. He dumpster dives to find his favorite munchables, but don’t worry, he always washes them before eating. When he finds a pink, fluffy confectionary...
This past Saturday was our Master Class hosted by Joyce Moyer Hostetter: The Story Safari: Tracking Down the Story Through Research, Focus, and Revision. I read her Bakers Mountain series several years ago and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was excited to get to learn...
Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Bitsy Kemper to Write2Ignite. Known in the children’s book industry for her generosity in sharing her list of Publishers Accepting Children’s Books – No Agent Needed, and The 31-Day Author Platform Challenge, Bitsy is a wife, mother of...
In my multimedia journalism class, our professor talked about “writing for the ear.” If you’re unfamiliar with the term, writing for the ear is when you write something that is meant to be spoken or performed rather than read silently. My Shakespeare professor taught...
In all the years I’ve been a freelance children’s book editor, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard how people want to write picture books because they’re short … and easy. “HA!” I’d say. (And I had to keep myself from slapping them and saying, “Snap out of...
A conversation with Joyce Hostetter, our spring MC teacher.
In Karen Ferguson’s newest picture book, Guess Who Is in God’s Family, Papa Joe once again opens God’s Word to satisfy Lucy’s curiosity about her family. Papa Joe explains God’s creation of the very first family, and that we all came from this first family in gentle,...