Raise Your Voice

Understanding different types of voice and how to put them to work in your manuscripts.

Reserve Your Spot Now - 4 events!

KEEP PICTURE BOOK SUMMIT ON YOUR SIDE AFTER THE SUMMIT ENDS!

Attend Four Special Founders' Sessions Events, Featuring Inspiration, Enlightenment and World-Class Education


You've just attended Picture Book Summit and you're still buzzing. You savor the fresh memories: the fun, the inspiration, and, above all, the amazing learning experiences that will shape your future as a picture book author.
But what happens next month? And the month after that? Will you keep moving forward toward becoming a better and stronger writer?

Or will you fall back into old habits and let those doubts creep back in?

Now you have the chance to keep the Picture Book Summit feeling going after the Summit has ended!



Introducing the PICTURE BOOK SUMMIT FOUNDERS' SESSIONS, a series of four hour-long events featuring the co-founders of Picture Book Summit: Katie Davis, Laura Backes, Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Hedlund.



You'll have a space reserved at every live session with one of our Founders. Each of these extraordinary educators will offer her best insight and advice around a specific theme.

For 2020-21, it's VOICE IN PICTURE BOOKS.

Katie, Laura, Emma and Julie will each lead you on a deep-dive to discover more ways to use voice to develop characters, establish your book's tone, and express your unique way of telling your story. A strong, original voice will help open up your publishing opportunities and connect with readers. Each Session will include a half hour in-depth presentation by the Founder followed by an extensive Q&A.

This is *exactly* the boost you'll need to keep you going — and growing — throughout the year.

And the price is only $397.

You read that right -- it's not $397 per session. It's $397 for all four Founders' Session events. Plus you'll have full access to on-demand replays of all the Sessions.

This is a small investment that will bring you inspiration and education for months to come.

Click below to reserve your place for all four Founder's Session Events.



Here are the Founders' Session events for 2020-21:
  • November 19th at 1 pm ET/10 am PT*: Julie Hedlund - Overview of Voice
  • December 15th at 1 pm ET/10 am PT*: Katie Davis - Character Voice
  • January 28th at 8 pm ET/5 pm PT*: Laura Backes - Narrative Voice
  • February 23rd at 1 pm ET/10 am PT*: Emma Walton Hamilton - Author Voice


Designed for writers like you who take your craft seriously, our team will:

  • define each type of voice
  • give you the keys to writing in that voice
  • show examples of books and authors that do it successfully
  • help you keep that Summit feeling into the new year

And remember: the recordings of the Founders’ Sessions come with lifetime access!
This is a $500 value, but it's available to Picture Book Summit attendees for a limited time for only $397.




Your Instructor


Picture Book Summit Team
Picture Book Summit Team

Emma Walton Hamilton is a best-selling author, award-winning editor, stage and television producer, and writing coach. With her mother, actress/author Julie Andrews, Emma has co-authored over thirty children’s books, nine of which have been on the NY Times Bestseller list, including The Very Fairy Princess series. She teaches Children’s Literature for Stony Brook University’s Creative Writing MFA and is the co-host of the Julie’s Library Podcast. Emma’s first poetry collection, Door to Door, was published in the Fall 2022, along with a new picture book co-authored with her mother, The First Notes: The Story of Do Re Mi. Their next picture book The Enchanted Symphony debuts in September 2023.

Laura Backes is publisher of Children’s Book Insider, The Children’s Writing Monthly, and co-owner of Writing Blueprints (along with husband Jon Bard). Laura has edited and critiqued thousands of picture book manuscripts. Her credits include Best Books for Kids Who (Think They) Hate to Read (Random House); articles for Writer’s Digest, The Writer and Children’s Writer’s & Illustrator’s Market; and technical editor of Writing Children’s Books for Dummies.

Julie Hedlund is an award-winning picture book author and founder of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge. Since 2012, 12 x 12 has encouraged thousands of picture book writers to get their stories out of their heads and onto the page. Julie is a frequent speaker at writing retreats and conferences. Her picture book credits include Over, Bear! Under Where?, My Love For You is the Sun, and A Troop is a Group of Monkeys. Her next book, Song After Song: The Musical Life of Julie Andrews debuts in 2023.

Katie Davis is an award-winning writer/illustrator whose published work includes kidlit genres from picture books to middle grade to young adult. Her first picture book, Who Hops? turns 24 this year, and Kindergarten Rocks! has been a perennial favorite since 2005. Katie critiques manuscripts twice a month through her Writers’ Block membership and is the former Director of the Institute of Children’s Literature and Institute for Writers. Her books have sold over a million copies and her two guides for writers, How To Promote Your Children’s Book and How to Write a Children’s Book, both debuted at #1 on Amazon.



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