The Founders Sessions
An in-depth look at picture books with the founders of Picture Book Summit
Enroll now!
Enjoy Four Special Founders' Sessions Events, Featuring Inspiration, Enlightenment and World-Class Education
Now you have the chance to keep the Picture Book Summit feeling going all year long. Your learning will stay on track and you'll have something amazing to look forward to winter, summer, spring and fall.
Introducing the PICTURE BOOK SUMMIT FOUNDERS' SESSIONS: AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT SUBGENRES, a series of four hour-long videos featuring the co-founders of Picture Book Summit Katie Davis, Laura Backes, Emma Walton Hamilton and Julie Hedlund.
Each Founder leads you on a deep-dive to discover more ways to express yourself, reach young minds and expand your own publishing horizons. Each Session includes 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.
Designed for writers like you who take your craft seriously, our team will:
- define each subgenre,
- give you the keys to writing in that subgenre,
- examples of books that do it successfully,
- and give you tips for pitching it in your query letters.
- It’s a great way to keep that Summit feeling into the new year.
This is a $500 value, but it's available to Picture Book Summit attendees for a limited time for only $297.
Your Instructor
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.