Apply for The Verge
Finding the Lead Book in Your Picture Book Pile
You’ve written the drafts. Revised them. Maybe even polished three or four until they sparkle.
But when it comes time to query, pitch, or submit…Which one do you lead with?
In publishing, your first impression matters. The manuscript you choose to send first often determines whether an agent reads the second. Lead Story Lab is a focused, strategy-forward webinar designed to help you identify the picture book in your stack that is both most ready and most marketable right now.
But when it comes time to query, pitch, or submit…Which one do you lead with?
In publishing, your first impression matters. The manuscript you choose to send first often determines whether an agent reads the second. Lead Story Lab is a focused, strategy-forward webinar designed to help you identify the picture book in your stack that is both most ready and most marketable right now.
Who This Is For:
- Picture book writers with 2+ completed drafts
- Writers preparing to query agents
- Creators submitting to pitch events
- Anyone sitting on a small pile of manuscripts and unsure what to lead with
In This Session, We’ll Cover:
- What Actually Makes a “Lead” Book
- Not every polished manuscript should go first.
We’ll break down:
- The traits that make agents lean in
- The difference between a beautiful story and a strong hook
- Why some manuscripts open doors—and others are better as follow-ups
- Market Awareness Without the Spiral
- You don’t need to chase trends. You do need positioning clarity.
- How to evaluate concept freshness
- Understanding shelf placement and category
- Identifying saturation versus opportunity
- Craft Readiness
We’ll assess:
- Structural tightness
- Voice confidence
- Emotional payoff
- Industry-aligned length and pacing
- Strategic Positioning
- Which manuscript best represents you as a creator?
- Which project shows range?
- Which one makes someone want to read more?
- You’ll leave with a clear evaluation framework you can use anytime you’re choosing between projects—before a pitch event, before querying, or before sending that “nudge” email.
About Writing Barn Craft Webinars:
Industry professionals: authors, agents, editors, etc. facilitate these events. Price points are low and attendance is high, anywhere from 50-200+ attendees. Writing craft and industry engagement are explored. *REPLAYS are made available for all registrants 2 business days after the event and are available for a limited time.*
Bethany Hegedus is the founder and creative director of The Writing Barn and the visionary behind the Courage to Create and Courageous Leap programs. An award-winning author of picture books and nonfiction for young readers, Bethany has published with Candlewick, Random House, and other leading houses. Her titles include Alabama Spitfire: The Story of Harper Lee and To Kill a Mockingbird, Grandfather Gandhi (co-authored with Arun Gandhi), and the forthcoming Yours, Mine, Ours: A Celebration of Community and Service.
Bethany has worked with thousands of writers at every stage of their literary life. She brings a unique mix of empathy, entrepreneurial spirit, and industry know-how, guiding writers to clarify their Big Why, sharpen their pitches, and connect courageously with agents and editors. She is also the creator of TWB frameworks like the 3-E’s Pitch Process (Entice, Engage, Empower), the Why Buys, and Industry Engagement Days and all the Courageous Leap programs, which help writers move from idea to industry-ready.
At heart, Bethany is both a maker and a nurturer—continuing to grow her own body of work while cultivating a multifaceted literary garden where all writers can flourish.
Bethany has worked with thousands of writers at every stage of their literary life. She brings a unique mix of empathy, entrepreneurial spirit, and industry know-how, guiding writers to clarify their Big Why, sharpen their pitches, and connect courageously with agents and editors. She is also the creator of TWB frameworks like the 3-E’s Pitch Process (Entice, Engage, Empower), the Why Buys, and Industry Engagement Days and all the Courageous Leap programs, which help writers move from idea to industry-ready.
At heart, Bethany is both a maker and a nurturer—continuing to grow her own body of work while cultivating a multifaceted literary garden where all writers can flourish.
About Bethany Hegedus
