How To Write Children’s Picture Books

Wouldn’t it be great if there was a picture book writing course that you could take on your own schedule, that was designed to fit into an active, busy life, and that was also affordable?

Well, guess what? There is!

Making Picture Book Magic is a 4 week course that will teach you how to write a picture book… around the edges of your busy life… for a price you can afford… in a fun, friendly atmosphere.

There is all kinds of magic involved in creating a picture book.

The magic of transforming an idea into a story.

The magic of language and art.

The magic of delighting a child.

The magic of finding time in your busy life to learn how to write a picture book and then actually write it! 😊

If you’re here, it’s because you feel that creative pull which means somewhere inside you is a picture book longing to be written.

And if you’re here, you’ve come to the right place.

Making Picture Book Magic is designed to be delivered straight to your inbox. You will receive one lesson a day via email, five days a week for four weeks (plus one!) You get weekends off to unplug, recharge, have family time or do the grocery shopping… or catch up if need be 😊

Each lesson is designed to be completed in 15-30 minutes. Busy as we all are, most of us can find 15 minutes to do something we’re really motivated to do, even if it means getting up 15 minutes earlier or staying up 15 minutes later… even 15 minutes while the baby is napping, or in the carpool lane at pick-up time, or at the edge of the soccer field, or on your lunch hour or your subway commute. By putting in 15 minutes a day, you’ll be getting into the writing habit, learning to make time for something that’s important to you. (And if there are days you simply can’t manage, that’s okay. You can always catch up. Although it’s helpful to get into a regular writing routine, we’re not that strict around here 😊)

The course is offered at 2 levels:

Interactive $150: This is the traditional level that has been offered since the class began in February 2013.  Lessons are delivered to your inbox daily (weekdays only) at 7AM Eastern, providing a structured framework for learning.  You may join the private Facebook group for Making Picture Book Magic Current Class where you can talk with me and others taking the course – discuss lessons, kick ideas around, ask questions, bond with other writers.  If you’re someone who needs accountability to get the job done, there is an option at the end of each lesson to post to the Facebook group or email me (depending on whether you appreciate feedback from others on your assignment or just want to check in with me that you did it.)  It will take about 30 seconds, but you’ll only be able to do it if you’ve completed the lesson. 😊

In addition to the 21 lessons and membership in the Facebook group, you will receive 13 supplements that augment the information in the course and make your writing life a little easier and more organized.

At the end of the course, you will have a completed picture book draft for which, if you have submitted the assignments, you will have received feedback every step of the way from me and your classmates.

If you want to share your work with me or with your classmates you may.  If you prefer to keep it to yourself, that’s fine too.  No one gets called on unless their hand is raised 😊

So you get:

• to ease yourself into the writing habit
• to learn how to write a picture book in 21 lessons – 1 lesson 5 days a week for 4 weeks (plus one day) – about 15-30 minutes a day
• accompanying art for each lesson which may serve as an inspiration for your writing
• 13 supplements
• membership in the private Facebook group (when the course is over you may join the alumni Facebook group or opt out)
• the opportunity for interaction, discussion and feedback from me and the other members of your small class
• to complete a picture book draft for which you have received feedback each step of the way.
• the opportunity to purchase What’s The Story cards (creativity and writing prompts to help get story ideas flowing), currently available only to Making Picture Book Magic students

all at a price you can afford: $150 – which amounts to about the cost of a latte per lesson 😊

As an added bonus, if at any point you decide you’d like to take the Interactive Class again (which many people do for the structure and camaraderie) it is available to returning Interactive students at half price.

The course starts with Lesson 1 on the first Monday of each month.  You will receive a Welcome and Introduction on the preceding Thursday and Friday respectively. Lesson 21 will arrive on a Saturday because it is the last one and there is no assignment.  Course size will be limited to 6-8 writers each month.

Self Study ($79):  lessons are delivered to your inbox daily beginning the day after you enroll, providing a structured framework within which you can tackle the course on your own.  You will receive the full complement of Welcome, Introduction and 21 lessons for a total of  23 emails over the course of 3 1/2 weeks.  In addition, you will receive the 13 course supplements.  You may complete the optional assignments for your own accountability.  If you complete the course materials, you will finish the month with a picture book draft in hand.  Since you are taking the course at the Self Study level you will not have classmates to confer with or get feedback from me, but you will be able to take the course more at your own pace, and you may still purchase What’s The Story cards if you desire and request membership in the Making Picture Book Magic Alumni FB group when you’ve completed the course.

So you get:

• to ease yourself into the writing habit
• to learn how to write a picture book in 21 lessons – 1 lesson a day for 21 days (plus the welcome and introduction that precede the lessons) – about 15-30 minutes a day (and if you need to spread it out and go at your own pace you can do that easily)
• accompanying art with each lesson which may serve as an inspiration for your writing
• 13 supplements
• to complete a picture book draft
• the opportunity to purchase What’s The Story Cards (creativity and writing prompts to help get story ideas flowing), currently available only to Making Picture Book Magic students
• membership in the Making Picture Book Magic Alumni Face Book Group if you care to join

all at the affordable price of $79

The Self Study level can begin at any time and is available every month.

Please select the Interactive month you’d like to take the course, or the Self Study option, in the dropdown menu below. (It will take you to PayPal.)  Self Study is always available, but the Interactive groups are capped.  If your month of choice for Interactive is not available you may select another month and have a chance to indicate your desire to be on the waiting list for your first-choice month.  (Please see below for Cancellation/Change Policy.)

So don’t put it off another moment! Come join the fun and try something that might change your life 😊
[There are sometimes problems with the course signup/dropdown menu below if you try to access it from a phone or iPad or similar device.  If you have difficulty, please try from a computer if possible, or feel free to email me at susanna[at]susannahill[dot]com and I can input you manually and send a paypal invoice.]

As of January 2024, more than 100 writers who have taken Making Picture Book Magic have published more than 200 picture books (both fiction and nonfiction) with publishers including Random House, Scholastic, Albert Whitman, Balzer + Bray, Carolrhoda Books, Charlesbridge, Holiday House, Sterling Children’s Books, Creston Books, Sleeping Bear Press, and many others.

These are just a few of the books published by MPBM graduates 😊

Cancellation/Change Policy:

Changing Your Month of Enrollment: if you’d like to change your month of enrollment, policy is as follows:

• For Self Study: no deadline, no fee – you may change any time at no cost
• For Interactive: you must notify me of your intention to change months at least 10 days in advance of your course start date for there to be no fee, and check for availability of your new month of choice.  If less than 10 days before course start date, only half the enrollment fee will be refunded.

Changing Your Level of Enrollment: if you’d like to change your level of enrollment, policy is as follows:

• From Self Study to Interactive: email me for course availability (as your Self Study month of enrollment may be full for Interactive) and pay the price difference of $71 (for which I will send a PayPal invoice.)
• From Interactive to Self Study: you can always drop down to the Self Study level in terms of availability, but you must notify me of your intent to change levels at least 10 days in advance of your course start date in order to receive a $60 refund ($10 office/processing fee.)  If less than 10 days before course start date you can still switch levels but you will not receive a refund. (So you’ll end up paying the Interactive price to take the Self Study level if you notify me too late.)

Canceling Your Enrollment: if for some reason you need to cancel your enrollment, policy is as follows:

• For Self Study: no deadline, no fee
• For Interactive: you must notify me at least 10 days in advance of your course start date to receive a refund of $135 ($15 office/processing fee.)  If less than 10 days before course start date, no refund.