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Good dialogue captures a character’s personality, moves the story forward, and helps the reader connect with the character. But when dialogue sounds inauthentic, it can throw off the rhythm of a read-aloud and disconnect the reader from your characters.

As a freelance picture book editor, I read hundreds of manuscripts each year. And some common mistakes always stand out.

Comp title is just short for “comparable title.”  It’s an already published book that has something in common with your unpublished manuscript, and including it in your query or cover letter helps the agent or editor understand where your book would sit on the shelves of a bookstore, or what readers would be likely to purchase your book.  

Querying feels incredibly complicated when you’re an author. (I’ve done it myself for years and know the pain!) Now that I’m an agent, it can be just as complicated, but for different reasons.

If you’re looking to lengthen a book that’s short on pages, here are some ideas that will not only help you meet the minimum page requirements, but will also add value for your readers. 

Here’s why they’re wrong and why you should ALWAYS have your manuscript fully edited BEFORE your illustrator begins:

If you're a Latinx author with a story that celebrates your culture, honors your heritage, or amplifies your voice—you belong on these publishers’ shelves. Don’t wait for an agent to open the door when some of the best houses in the industry already have it wide open for you.

...it's critical that you take the time to learn the genre and it's unique expectations before you dive in.

At a recent conference, someone sat down across from me and said, “I wrote a picture book, but it got too long—so now I’m turning it into...

I've had a few people reach out to me asking about how I was able to get 100+ Amazon book reviews in just 5 days for my book, Scribbaloo and the Color Cruncher. So, I would like to share with everyone my journey and what I focused on, so that it may benefit others.

While patent, trademarks and copyrights are 3 foundational types of intellectual property, they are completely different and separate animals.

Welcome to our latest Author Success Story! Our featured author, Clare Short, is a speech-language pathologist of 12+ years, living in...