Trade Secrets: Ways to Make Your Picture Book Idea More Commercial
with Miranda Paul
This 90-minute live webinar will focus on helping you develop your ideas into manuscripts publishers are looking for in today's market, including:
- Why you should write a pitch before you even start drafting or before revising
- How to take a manuscript that's not gaining traction and rework it for broader audiences or more commercial appeal
- What it means to have multiple entry points and how they can make your project intriguing or giftable
- Tips for market and comp research to evaluate your list of ideas or WIPs and select the most salable projects
Multi-published and award-winning author and agent Miranda Paul will address the common misconceptions about the author/client relationship, submissions, and the role of an agent. Plus, there will be a live Q&A to answer your questions.
You'll also get this EXCLUSIVE opportunity when you register:
- A chance to submit one pitch (any kidlit genre) to Miranda. This is an incredible opportunity since Miranda is currently closed to picture book pitches outside of industry referrals. Attendees will have until June 30, 2026, to submit their pitch, which will be compiled into a spreadsheet format (along with appropriate contact information and hashtags) and sent to Miranda. Miranda will reach out to the authors of the pitches she's interested in by September 30, 2026. She will not be providing feedback on pitches.
It's a don't-miss webinar from a successful author AND agent who understands today's children's publishing marketplace. Hosted by Julie Hedlund.
Join us May 27th, 2026, at 8pm Eastern/5pm Pacific.
Click the button above and enroll today!
Your Instructor
Miranda Paul is an award-winning author of more than twenty nonfiction and fiction books for children. Her titles One Plastic Bag, Nine Months, Water is Water, and Peace have received multiple starred reviews and her book Speak Up was a National Education Association pick. Miranda is a co-founding member of We Need Diverse Books, an agent at EMLA, and an annual faculty for the Science and Nature Writing retreat at the Highlights Foundation. When she’s not reading, writing, or speaking to audiences around the globe, you can find her gardening, rescuing and fostering animals, and raising butterflies.