April 2026 Master Class
Registration is Now Open
"Down in the garden , just under the ground, a small wriggly worm is crawling around."--Worms Are Our Friends by Toni D'Alia April slipped in yesterday, with spring trailing close behind. This time of year, flowers boldly bloom on the trees, grass tentatively peeks up...
When her mother retired and started a raspberry farm, Donna Thornton found her hundred-acre wood. Starting with a baby donkey named Druplet, Donna wrote a picture book as a gift for her mother. This led to a publishing contract, another picture book, and another.
Join us for a book review of Write! Write! Write! by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, a clever and colorful collection of poems for kids.
Introducing... When Cindy Lynn Sawyer wrote The Wonder of Under, she stopped short of hiring an illustrator. After all, the cost of hiring someone to illustrate your picture book is the most expensive part of self-publishing a picture book. So you can imagine her...
Introducing... When Brenda Covert took one of our Master Classes taught by Laura Sassi, she immediately had the idea for Meanwhile, Back at the Manger . A few years later, she finally has a picture book to call her own. A fun re-telling of the birth of Jesus,...
We are so excited to introduce our intern for the Fall 2025 semester, Aubrey Winstead. Aubrey is a senior at North Greenville University and is making her debut on Write2Ignite's blog with a recap of Saturday’s Master Class. Welcome, Aubrey! We are so excited to have...
I have this on the author page of my website: “Children are a tough audience. You can fool an adult with persiflage or purple prose, but a kid can tell if you’re faking immediately.” Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss) As a children’s author, I work to write stories that...
A couple of years ago, at a Write2Ignite Master Class, Wiley Blevins, Associate Publisher at Reycraft Books, presented the beautiful nonfiction picture book, Moon Tree: The Story of One Extraordinary Tree by Carolyn Bennett Fraiser . But that wasn't the first time I...
Children’s book author and indie publisher Darcy Pattison has had her books translated into eleven languages, and she has received over seventy awards for her work. In September, Darcy will share tips on how to “Self-Publish Picture Books and Middle Grade Books” at...
If anyone was qualified to write stories for children, it would be Laura Sassi. She has worn many hats through the years: a mother, a homeschooler, a teacher, and a children’s ministry director. She also wore a special hat for our podcast episode! With over ten books...
Join us for a review of “When I Talk to God, I Talk About You” by Chrissy Metz and Bradley Collins. Illustrated by Lisa Fields
If you’re just joining this blog thread, check out my first two posts on writing engaging picture books: Part One and Part Two. How Do I Become A Kid Again? Here’s the thing. Some adults have forgotten what it was like to be a kid. They’ve grown up and gone all stiff...
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...
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...
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...
Barnaby the Runaway Sheep, written by Maria Antonia and illustrated by Sayani Mukherjee, is a endearing picture book about a sheep who must learn to trust his shepherds. Barnaby is afraid of having his wool snipped so he does everything he can to avoid it. First, he...
Today, I have the privilege of meeting with Laura Sassi to celebrate the launch of her latest picture book, Faithful Feet (illustrated by Emauela Di Donna, published by Worthy Kids). Author Laura Sassi Interview Sue: Hi, Laura. Welcome back to Write2Ignite, and...
In Guess How Much God Loves You author Karen Ferguson reminds little Lucy, and other kids five to seven years old, that God created them because He loves them.
Maisie Discovers Her Fingerprint written by Sandra Kay Chambers is a picture book written to help children understand that God created each of us in a unique and special way. Children will enjoy the repetitive text and will soon join in with the “Yes, Yes, Yes” and...
It’s 2025. A new year to get ideas, write, submit, and get rejected. I mean, let’s be positive. Write, submit and get picked up by your dream publishing house! Woot! But it often feels like we’re playing a kids’ game, doesn’t it? I thought this after I read Julie...
The crisp winter air tweaks my nose as I admire the glow of my town’s twinkling lights. Everywhere I look, I see Christmas trees, bright-eyed children, and outdoor Nativity scenes. The Christmas season fills me with warmth, like a long-forgotten promise of joy being...
A Turkey for Thanksgiving, by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Diane de Groat, is the perfect picture book to read for Thanksgiving.
I was excited to interview Laura Sassi back in October when her book, My Tender Heart Prayer Book, was launched. If you haven’t yet seen that, I encourage you to check it out here and find a review here. (You can also find a review of My Tender Heart Bible here.) This...
“Nothing!” by Natalee Creech and Joseph Cowman, published in 2019 by Worthy Kids, explores the reassuring message of Romans 8:38-39 from a child’s perspective. The book beautifully combines captivating illustrations and lyrical language to convey the unbreakable love of God. With engaging scenarios and literary techniques, it enhances both children’s imaginations and their understanding of God’s love.
C.S. Lewis gave this advice on writing, to a schoolgirl in America: “Always write (and read) with the ear, not the eye.” I think that is sound advice – pun intended! I invite you to join me on September 28, for a day of reveling in lyrical language. We will take a...
If you’ve never attended the Montrose writers’ conference, you’re missing out on something delightful. Montrose is a small conference in northeast PA. This year, the 35th annual Montrose Christian Writers Conference was held from July 15th to July 19th. It has a...
I Dream a Dream for You by Bob Hostetler is a sweet board book of bedtime rhymes to read to little ones. This love-filled picture book of dreams and hopes can be shared with the toddlers and young children in your life. REVIEW Full of bold illustrations, I Dream a...
I breathed deeply as I uttered the last words of The Hello, Goodbye Window : “When you look from the outside, Nanna and Poppy’s house has lots of windows, but there’s only one Hello, Goodbye Window and it’s right where you need it.” Turning the page, I continued:...
Join us for a review of Kathleen Long Bostrom’s new book, ‘Since the Baby Came’, a story about new siblings, written in 16 poems.
Join us for an interview with author Kathleen Long Bostrom, to learn about her newest book: Since the Baby Came.
There is something about reading out loud that helps one to better understand a story. As authors, we work hard to use our words to bring our ideas to life. But sometimes it’s difficult when you’re starting out to develop that unique voice that will make a story...
Sharing Christmas books such as Happy Birthday, Christmas Child with little ones is a wonderful way to provide time to treasure the true story of Christmas.
As children’s writers, we all know the importance of choosing the right word to use. Shakespeare has a famous quote “What’s in a name? that which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” That philosophy might work in Romeo and Juliet’s situation but not...
Everyone likes a good party, especially one that gives you a personalized invitation in the shape of a puzzle piece. This is how Tim Tebow's debut picture book, "Bronco and Friends: A Party to Remember," begins. The animals in the story each receive their own unique...
Award-winning nonfiction author, Annette Whipple, discusses writing inspirtaiton.
Book review of Bedtime with Mommy.
Celebrate National Picture Book Month
Image by Amberrose Nelson from Pixabay A picture book is all about your Main Character (MC) and the problem he or she is trying to solve. As in all manuscripts, the first page of your picture book plays an important role. We're going to talk about the text that will...
Image by Evgeni Tcherkasski from Pixaba As any brave explorer would do before embarking on a journey, it’s important for us as children’s writers to choose a reliable flashlight to help us find our way.For writers, our flashlight is a mentor text. What exactly is a...
The video clip is adorable. A racoon dips a chunk of cotton candy into water, anticipating the scrumptious morsal. but it disappears! He frantically looks for his dissolved treat, unable to comprehend the science between water and the fluffy confection. This is the...
I asked our participants what they are looking forward to learning at Laura Sassi's picture book class. Each of these is a reason to attend! This is what they said: A list of traditional publishers currently accepting submissions would be great. Joyce M. How to get...
Laura Sassi, our Master Class instructor, gives us a peek into her publication journey.
Here’s a glimpse into Laura Sassi’s Picture Book Master Class is next month.
We’re pumped up about our Picture Book Master class!
I’ve been working from home for 21 weeks. This prolonged period of isolation has given me time to reflect on happier times in life: adventures and excitement in college, friendships forged in high school, and time spent reading with my mom as a child. Those were the...
According to Elaine Marie Alphin ( Creating Characters Kids Will Love p. 2) “Kids read because a magical closeness springs up between them and the characters in books and stories—the same magical closeness I felt as a child. They read because a writer has brought a...
This information is for writers of fiction seeking an agent. If you hope to have your book published by a traditional publishing house (Christian or general market) you will very possibly need an agent. Have you been thinking about searching for one? The task is...
"A picture book illustrator needs to tell a story with pictures. A picture book author needs to show the same story with words." -Jean Matthew Hall When I attended last year's Write2Ignite conference, I went to Jean Matthew Hall's discussion, What...
Jean Matthew Hall founded Write2Ignite in 2008. For ten years she and I have encouraged one another in our writing and publishing pursuits. I was delighted when she received a contract for four picture books with Little Lamb Books; one for each season. The first one,...
We prepare, plan, and pray for a year and then quickly the conference is over! As a team, we are thankful for each attendee and presenter and are already looking forward to the 2020 conference on September 18-19. SAVE THE DATE! More details to follow. If you weren't...
Here's a sneak peek at conference presenters with descriptions in their own words. We'll be posting a teaser page each Monday. You still have time to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount. Visit: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ Kim Peterson -...
Here's a sneak peek at conference presenters with descriptions in their own words. We'll be posting a teaser page each Monday. You still have time to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount. Visit: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ Tony Snipes - 5 MORE...
Here's a sneak peek at the Conference sessions, described by the presenters themselves. Watch for new "teaser" posts each Monday. You still have time to take advantage of the Early Bird Discount. See: https://write2ignite.com/registration-2019/ ...
After our five judges reviewed the entries, votes were tallied up and "The Costume Closet" by Carolyn Bennett Fraiser is the winner for our Picture Book Manuscript Contest. For her imaginative story, Carolyn wins free registration to our writers conference, an...
As an aspiring picture book author, I had high hopes for breaking into children’s publishing. I worked on my craft, joined a critique group, revised and polished my picture book manuscripts, then sent them off to publishers, hoping my dream would soon be...
Maria Bostian: author of What Should Daisy Do? and Firefighters' Busy Day As Write2Ignite Conference 2018 approaches, we want to highlight what we’re calling “Success Stories”: stories of past participants whose attendance at W2I led to specific contacts, published...
In this post, author Kristi M. Butler shares how her new books about Groundhog Day and groundhogs emerged from attendance at Write2Ignite Conference, a vacation cabin, and meeting illustrator Samantha S. Bell. Write2Ignite is one of my “happy places”! Perusing the...
"For what event would you pack an ax, a vial of serum, and dog booties? Racing in the Iditarod! Find out what else mushers pack. #PBPitch #NF" "Jersey wishes she had spots like the other cows, so she knits herself a spotted sweater, and all the other cows want one...
When you think about writing for children, you might picture stacks of picture books or a shelf full of novels. But did you know there's a large nonfiction market as well? In my workshop session "More Than Just the Facts, Ma'am," I'm going to introduce you to the...
Do you have a picture book in the works? If so, you know picture books are a lot harder to write than most people think. Whether you’re just starting to write your manuscript or are in the final stages of revision, here are some things not to do: Don't write down to...
Some of you know that I'm a teacher as well as an author. I learn from my students and fellow teachers every single day, even---and sometimes especially---from those who are brand new to the profession. What does teaching have in common with writing? So. Many. Things....