Calling all Kidlit Authors!
Your Guide to the Kidlit Authors Workshops at the 2025 Women in Publishing Summit
We know there are many options when it comes to choosing a virtual conference for authors, so we’re breaking down the workshops in the Women in Publishing Summit by tracks and areas of focus. The Women in Publishing Summit is a virtual event for authors and publishing professionals that runs from March 5 to 8, 2025.
We focus on building community, educating our community, and creating an environment for support, encouragement, and sharing of resources. While the conference is virtual and runs “live” in zoom over the course of the event, all sessions are recorded, and you can rewatch them as many times as you’d like through the end of the year. We also have networking, community-building events, and special bonus sessions.
This is the breakdown of workshops that are specific to Kidlit authors, however, you’ll find that there are many sessions throughout the conference that will help you understand routes to publishing, marketing, business growth, and more. Check out the full schedule here.
Day 1 – Writing/Mindset
Kidlit 101: How to Write Readable and Appealing Stories for Children to Read and Love and Adults to Buy
Antoinette Truglio Martin
Children’s literature encompasses a wide age range that follows a developmental path for language development and emergent and sustained independent reading skills into a lifetime of reading joy. Understanding how children process readable language in the different stages of development is key to a successful children’s book. Children’s book writers juggle their wordsmithing to meet the developmental levels of their target audiences. They must also mind the readability levels for publishers and marketers purposes and the entertainment value for adults (teachers and parents, grandparents) while appealing to children’s imagination and maintaining creative integrity. Antoinette Truglio Martin is a retired speech therapist and special ed teacher, who now enjoys life as a children’s book author, memoirist, and blogger. She has published a memoir, an award-winning middle-grade historical fiction series, and a picture book.
How to Get Over Self-Sabotage and Back to Writing
Ania Ray
Is it “writer’s block” or self-sabotage? Writers think about their stories all the time, yet they fail to make progress for some reason, over and over again. In ‘How to Get Over Self-Sabotage and Back to Writing,’ Ania Ray will lead writers of every level in a workshop-style class where they will identify self-sabotaging thoughts and behaviors as they manifest in their writing lives. She will teach the psychology behind why writers get stuck and how writers can get back into flow, making sustainable and consistent progress that creates momentum. It’s time for writers to stop feeling disappointed in their lack of action and proud of their productivity instead. Ania is the CEO and cofounder of Quill & Cup, an author, a wife and mama. Ania has published her women’s fiction novels The Cromwell Rules and Breaking the Rules, and is currently editing the third book of The Rules series!
Day 2 – Routes to Publication
Picture Perfect: From Words to Illustrations for Your Picture Book
Karen Ferreira
A picture book should be the perfect harmony of words and illustrations. In this session, you’ll discover how to write a captivating story that inspires enchanting illustrations and how to find and collaborate with the ideal illustrator to bring it to life. Learn how to create a picture-perfect book! Karen Ferreira is a professional book illustrator, bestselling author, award-winning creative director and founder and CEO of GetYourBookIllustrations and Children’s Book Mastery. She helps self-publishing authors get the know-how to succeed with courses and other training.
Copyright and Fair Use
Kelley Way
In this session, you’ll learn what rights authors have under copyright law, and when they can safely use third party content. Kelley Way graduated from UC Davis with a B.A. in English, followed by a Juris Doctorate. Kelley is a member of the California Bar and is an aspiring writer of young adult fantasy novels. She practices copyright, trademark and estate planning law at The Law Office of Kelley A. Way.
Working with a Service Provider to Self-Publish Your Book
Leanne Janzen
Join us to delve into the world of self-publishing. We’ll discuss exactly what self-publishing is, the differences between ‘do it yourself’ and using a service provider, and go into a detailed look at the stages of a book’s typical production life cycle. You can expect to leave this presentation with a clear understanding of the self publishing process, tips for preparing for publication and what options are available to you. Leanne Janzen is the leader of the FriesenPress sales team, guiding authors through the self publishing process with care and attention.
A Children’s Book Guide to Offset Printing – BONUS pre-recorded session
Lori McKnight – MCRL
If you’ve been considering doing your own print run of your children’s picture book, this is a must watch session for you. You’ll learn what you need to know about setting up your files and finding the right printer.
Day 3 – Marketing & Book Launch
Marketing Your Children’s Book to Teachers and Librarians
Jennifer Navarre
Jennifer Navarre will provide information on three resources kidlit authors can create that will appeal to teachers and librarians and show how these resources can be used to market their books and make more sales. Jennifer Navarre is a kidlit editor and book coach who spends her days helping authors refine their audience and their story as they develop their picture books, chapter books, and middle grade and YA novels.
Pinterest for Authors
Melissa Bourbon
Pinterest may be one of an author’s greatest—and most underutilized—tools. As a search engine (not a social media platform!) with more than 465 million monthly active users worldwide, 98 million of whom are in the US, it is a prime place to build a presence. Wouldn’t you love to be seen by even a tiny fraction of those users? In this workshop, Melissa Bourbon will show authors ways to reach potential readers using Pinterest. She will share tips for creating pins, and show how to use SEO in pins, titles, and descriptions. Melissa Bourbon is the national bestselling author of more than thirty-five novels. A former secondary English/Language Arts teacher and Creative Writing teacher with Southern Methodist University’s CAPE program and the Osher Lifelong Learning Institution with North Carolina State University, she has applied her love of teaching to the creation of WriterSpark Academy, an online school for aspiring and new writers seeking to hone their craft.
Books Reviews: Getting More Stars Than You Know What to Do With
Hannah Jacobson
Hannah Jacobson shows you proven strategies to get genuine, impactful reviews for your book and how to use accolades to make your book soar. Hannah Jacobson is the founder of Book Award Pro, the company that created technology enabling authors to become award-winning authors.
Connected Marketing: How the Principle of Engagement Can Change Your Whole Marketing Approach
Kate Stead, Old Mate Media
Join Kate Stead to learn how the principle of engagement can change your whole marketing approach as an author. Kate Stead is an indie author and publisher with a wide-ranging communications, marketing and events portfolio built on 20 years in the corporate sector. She founded Old Mate Media, a boutique self-publishing company in 2013, with her husband, award-winning author and editor Chris Stead. Focusing on creating beautiful and professional children’s and non-fiction books, she guides authors through the confusing landscape of the self-publishing industry working beside them at every step to bring their vision to life.
Day 4 – Business Growth
Mastering the Art of Creative Presentations – aka: How to Relax and Have Fun with Author Talks
Pat Black-Gould
So you’ve written your book, and now it’s time for author talks and presentations. Easy, right? Well, not for everyone. But relax. In this workshop, you’ll learn techniques and strategies to help you design innovative presentations that entertain and inspire audiences. You’ll learn skills to help you tap into your storytelling and creative nature, allowing you to feel more comfortable with your audiences. In addition, Pat, a children’s picture book author, will show you how to include information and resources to your book’s back matter that can become valuable material for presentations.
Building an Author Business Plan: Strategies for Success
Joyana Peters
Joyana Peters will teach you how to create a comprehensive business plan to professionalize your writing career, including branding, goal setting, marketing strategies, and exploring revenue streams. Joyana Peters is the indie author of the best-selling novels, The Girl in the Triangle and The Girl From Saint Petersburg.
Bonus Post-Conference Sessions
If you register for the Women in Publishing Summit, you’ll get access to these and other bonus events happening throughout the rest of the year!
April 22, 2025, 1:00 PM ET
How to Write a Picture Book
Karen Ferreira, Children’s Book Mastery
Find out how to write a picture book without procrastination, self-doubt or taking months, even if you’ve always struggled to turn your idea into a story. Karen Ferreira is the founder and CEO of Children’s Book Mastery and GetYourBookIllustrations. It is her mission to assist children’s book authors to win on every step of the journey, from writing to publishing to marketing. It’s been her privilege to help hundreds of authors to complete their books, reach bestseller status and sell thousands of copies.
September 11, 2025, 1:00 PM ET
From Idea to Print: An Author’s Blueprint for Board Book Printing
Lori McKnight and Taylor Watton, MCRL
Are you an author looking to bring your story to life in board book form? Join us for an informative and fun session where we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about board book printing! From sizes, finishes and custom interactive features to getting an instant quote for your project and preparing your files for the printer—this webinar covers it all. Lori is the marketing quarterback for MCRL Overseas Group and Boardbookprinting.com. Boardbookprinting.com is powered by the MCRL team, a Canadian-based offset printer of all genres of books from board books to yearbooks to notebooks to custom packaging, card sets, board games and more. Joining Lori, is our boardbookprinting.com lead: Taylor Watton. Taylor is MCRL’s in-house board book expert and your main contact for questions, advice and quotes about printing your board book! Taylor and Lori are passionate about helping authors. With years of experience in the printing industry, they understand how overwhelming the process can be for authors—especially when it comes to board books.
Join us at this year’s conference for authors and publishing professionals and take the next steps to advancing your career as an author or publishing professional!
