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What makes a picture book manuscript stand out in a crowded market? With thousands of submissions crossing agents’ and editors’ desks each year, successful picture books must do more than tell a charming story—they must demonstrate strong craft, a clear understanding of the format, and a concept that immediately captures attention.
In this craft-focused session, Literary Agent Paula Weiman shares what they look for when reviewing picture book submissions and how writers can strengthen their manuscripts before sending them out into the world. Participants will gain insight into the elements that elevate a picture book from a promising idea to a market-ready manuscript.
Through discussion of story structure, pacing, character, and the unique demands of the picture book format, Paula will highlight the craft techniques that help stories resonate with both industry professionals and young readers. They’ll also share common pitfalls they see in submissions—and how writers can avoid them.
Whether you’re drafting your first picture book or refining a manuscript for submission, this session will help you better understand the expectations of today’s children’s publishing landscape and how to position your work to stand out.
Through discussion of story structure, pacing, character, and the unique demands of the picture book format, Paula will highlight the craft techniques that help stories resonate with both industry professionals and young readers. They’ll also share common pitfalls they see in submissions—and how writers can avoid them.
Whether you’re drafting your first picture book or refining a manuscript for submission, this session will help you better understand the expectations of today’s children’s publishing landscape and how to position your work to stand out.
Who Should Take This Session:
- Picture book writers preparing manuscripts for agent or editor submission
- Writers who want a clearer understanding of what agents look for in picture book texts
- Authors revising picture book manuscripts that aren’t quite landing yet
- Writers hoping to strengthen pacing, structure, and concept in their stories
- Emerging children’s authors looking to better understand the current picture book market
- Anyone curious about how agents evaluate picture book submissions
Bonus Opportunities:
Participants will receive an exclusive submission opportunity to share their work directly following the event.
Participants will receive an exclusive submission opportunity to share their work directly following the event.
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.*
Paula (they/them) joined the ASH Literary team in 2023 as an agent after a career in literary scouting and educational publishing. Based in New York and with a background in translation rights, they bring an international approach to selling their clients’ work. Their goal is to help as many children as possible to see their experiences represented on the page for the first time. Paula is a graduate of the Literary Agents of Change Mentorship and an active member of AALA.
About Paula Weiman
