AUTHOR RESOURCES: Write Picture Books That Sell
In February of this year, I was lucky enough to find out I was chosen by amazing author Adam Lehrhaupt as his mentee for three months, as part of Writing with the Stars. (This is a brilliant picture-book mentorship program arranged by Tara Luebbe, that I highly recommend you apply for next year if you're in the early stages of your writing career.)
Being mentored by Adam over the last three months has been the best thing I've ever done for my author career, and I have learned a HUGE amount. I'm actually astounded at how much we've got through, and how far my manuscripts have come. Adam has taught me not only about how to write and edit picture books, but also how to be more focused, productive, and confident - all absolutely invaluable things that are having a profound impact on me.
Happily, Adam recently launched his website Write Picture Books That Sell, through which you can hire him to mentor you one-on-one, or enroll in a picture-book writing online course, or otherwise get access to his brilliant brain (which I have told him numerous times I wish I could bottle!). Read on to learn more about this wonderful new opportunity for writers:
Why did you launch an online course and coaching program?
Ever since I started trying to figure out how to write books for children I’ve wondered if there was an easier way. I mean, as fledgling writers, we read every book on writing we can get our hands on. We attend conferences. Take workshops. And spend hour after hour honing our skills. We invest not just 100’s or 1000’s of hours of our time, but 100’s or 1000’s of our dollars as well.
When my first book was released, and I began to work on my second, I started to realize that there was a process to my writing. A way of moving from idea to finished manuscript that I could duplicate for additional manuscripts. And I did. Time and again. Now, just a few years later, I have sold 15 manuscripts, with more on submission.
My process works. And the best thing I’ve learned, is you can duplicate it. That’s my goal with the Write Picture Books That Sell programs. To put the tools I use in the hands of you. So that you can be where I am. And I can read your published books.
Can you tell us more about your online courses and coaching programs?
Absolutely! I offer a range of options starting with the Write Picture Books That Sell online training course. In this course you will learn everything you need to know in order to go from 0 to published author in just 8 short weeks of online lessons.
Every week you’ll receive a new series of short, 5-10 minute, videos covering everything from idea generation to character, plot, setting, editing, finding the right agent or editor, and a whole lot more. BONUS: for a limited time, I’m offering this course at a huge 90% discount. Stop over here to learn more —> http://writepicturebooksthatsell.com/learnmore/
My 90-day, 1-on-1 coaching program is designed to help you elevate your writing and take it to a whole new level. We'll meet online for 1 hour of instruction and coaching every week for 12 weeks. But that's not all, you'll be workshopping your manuscripts. Developing your ideas. Learning the secrets of writing picture books that sell. At the end of this process, you will have at least 1 complete, submission-ready picture-book manuscript to send to agents and publishers. Head to: http://writepicturebooksthatsell.com/product/1on1coaching/
And now, due to popular demand, I also offer manuscript critiques (http://writepicturebooksthatsell.com/product/manuscript-critique/) and private consultations (http://writepicturebooksthatsell.com/product/private-consultation/).
Do you have a particular person in mind that is most suited to these programs? Do people need a particular level of knowledge and/or experience before enrolling?
I designed the Write Picture Books That Sell program both for those at the beginning of their journey, and anyone who is looking for an all-in-one program that will help them hone the skills they’ll need to write a manuscript that will sell. It’s the perfect place to point someone who tells you “I’ve got a great idea for a children’s book.” And an awesome resource for those who have made some progress on their path to publication but want to rev up their creative engines to push themselves to the next level.
My 1-on-1 coaching program is fully scalable. Each 90-day session is molded to the individual needs of the person I am coaching. Need help with character? We got it. Want to develop some non-fiction? No problem. We’ll work together to help you reach the goals we set for your individual program.
What do you think is the major benefit of enrolling in a Write Picture Books That Sell program? How are your offerings different to other options?
One of the best things about the Write Picture Books That Sell program is that it lays out a proven process in a series of simple steps that anyone can do. Really. If I can write a picture book that sells, anyone can. It’s not that hard. You just need to know what steps to take.
Another unique aspect is the way I deliver the information. The Write Picture Books That Sell program uses a series of short videos that you can watch at your own leisure. At the end of each video are some daily to-dos to help you put the information into action right away.
Last, once you sign up, you have permanent access. This is not a subscription-based program. Your lessons will not disappear.
Do you think publishers look at the learning programs authors have completed when considering whether or not to offer a contract on a book?
Honestly, what I think they focus on is just good storytelling. It doesn’t matter much how you got there, if your story is unique and well written.
Can you tell us a bit about the learning and coaching you did when you were working on becoming a picture-book author? What was one of the biggest takeaways for you, and how have you applied this to Write Picture Books That Sell?
I spent a ton of time, years and years actually, going to workshops and seminars. Some were good. But there were others that didn’t do as much to help push me forward. And in every case, whether the workshop was great, or just okay, I found that I felt like I was leaving valuable information on the table. I’d only leave with whatever notes I took, or a short handout of highlights from the presenter.
Have you ever felt that way? The information in these workshops and seminars is presented so fast, and there’s so much, that it can be overwhelming. I know I try to pack my live workshops with as much as possible so that people feel like they get the most out of them.
Well, I wanted to find a way to present all of this great info in a way that you could go back and make sure you caught each nugget. So you could make use of every piece of information; take what you want and only leave behind what doesn’t work for you.
That’s why I present Write Picture Books That Sell as a series of online videos that you can refer back to at your leisure. You’ll never lose the information. And you can use it however you want.
Where can we learn more? And what is the next step for people who want to sign up for a course or for coaching?
You can learn more here: http://writepicturebooksthatsell.com/learnmore/, or head over and sign up now to take advantage of the massive discount http://writepicturebooksthatsell.com/product/wpbts/ and get started on the first week’s content right away!
