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Creating quality picture books is part art, part science (books are actually quite technical to bring to market), and a lot of collaboration. The collective expertise of the author, illustrator, editors, book designer, formatter, and others is what makes a book ‘pop’. And while all partnerships matter, when you are the author and publisher, your collaboration with the illustrator of your book is particularly critical, delicate, and more nuanced than many expect.

Katherine is an award-winning picture book author who writes stories that celebrate the love and joy found in family life. Her books often feature authentic disability representation, inspired by her belief that every child deserves to see themselves in literature. Katie lives on Cape Cod with her husband and two young daughters.

Every writing conference, blog post, and publishing guide tells you the same thing: "Authors need a professional online presence." But when you start researching your options, it feels overwhelming. Do you spend weekends learning WordPress? Hire a designer for thousands? Use a template that looks like everyone else's? The good news? You don't need to choose between broke and professional.

At Home Author chats with literary agent, James McGowan about publishing and the querying process.

As a literary agent and a children's author, I've been on both sides of this question—and whether or not your story rhymes isn't really what you should be asking. What matters is whether rhyme is the right tool for this specific book. And understanding the difference will save you from a lot of confusion about why certain feedback keeps coming up in your rejections.

Looking for the best software to write a children's book? Compare top writing tools for picture books, revision, layout, and planning.