Hello friends and welcome blog followers!

I’m thrilled to share that my brand-new website is live at kirstenwlarson.com (Thanks Bookend Creative Studio)! One small hiccup? There’s no longer a “follow” button for blog updates.

Here’s what I’m doing instead:​
If you were following the blog, you’re now getting this monthly newsletter. It includes blog roundups, so you won’t miss a post! Prefer RSS? Subscribe via kirstenwlarson.com/feed and use a reader like Feedly. And you can unsubscribe at the bottom of this newsletter if you choose. (But I hope you'll stay!)

Staying Open to Revision - My Graphic Novel Saga

Lately, I’ve been deep in revisions on my graphic novel (sold in 2020) about Rose Valland, the French curator who spied on the Nazis at the Jeu de Paume art museum in Paris where looted Jewish art was held.

While reviewing Barbara McClintock’s revised dummy, my editor and I realized something important: In today’s climate, the book needed a clearer emotional connection to fully explain why looted art mattered in the context of the Holocaust.

So, I dove back into my research (and ordered new sources). My solution? Introduce a single Jewish family whose story we follow:

• Living with their beloved art
• Fleeing Paris
• Losing their collection
• Reuniting with beloved family pieces

This thread will make a stronger argument for why the looting mattered—and give readers visual Easter eggs (like perhaps the Matisse piece shown above, which was in the family's collection and shown to Hermann Goering! It's now at the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena).

Why am I sharing this?​
Because nonfiction takes time. And staying open to new ideas, even years after a book sells can be what transforms a good book into a great one.

Summer Joys

This season, I’m especially grateful for:

• Planning the launch of This Is How You Know (you are invited!)
• A reunion with friends in Colorado (pictured above right)
• A quick visit from my mom
• ​Reading The Listeners by Maggie Stiefvater​
• Helping my son get ready for college 😬

In this issue:

• Three upcoming events (including a free book launch party)
• Blog roundup: Scrivener tips + conference connections
• Reimagine Insiders Office Hours – Aug. 8 at 3 p.m. ET (query letter pitches)
• Podcast: Colleen Paeff on the fiction/nonfiction divide (Aug. 1)
• August 2025 New in Nonfiction list

Happy writing and revising!

Kirsten

Upcoming Events

July 22 at 7 p.m ET– Digging Deeper (Part Two) – Beyond the Library Walls ($25, $10 for Insiders)

• What it is: A hands-on session exploring web archives, digital collections, pro tips for contacting experts
• Why it matters: Ideal for writers ready to dig into online journal and archive research and more. Learn more and register​

August 28 at 7 p.m. ET – Back‑to‑School Workshop: The Heart of Every Great Nonfiction Picture Book

• Format: 90‑minute live online workshop via Zoom with Q&A.
• What you’ll get: A deep dive into heart-centered storytelling techniques, plus a customizable Scrivener template and workbook to jumpstart your writing binder.
• Investment: $37 ($25 for Insiders). Learn more and register​

Sept. 16th – Free Webinar and Launch Party: The Messy Magic Behind THIS IS HOW YOU KNOW

• What it is: A behind-the-scenes, free webinar revealing how This Is How You Know evolved—from a galaxy biography to bio of Hubble to a lyrical nonfiction picture book.
• Why it matters: Perfect for writers curious about crafting narrative arcs, embracing messy revision, and making nonfiction sing. Learn more and register​

📝 Blog Roundup

​5 Smart Tips for Connecting with Teachers & Librarians at Conferences​

Discover how to make meaningful, lasting connections without feeling salesy (based on my podcast interview with Patricia Newman). Five key strategies include:

• Collaborate with educators for credibility
• Add value, don’t just promote
• Include hands-on elements in your sessions
• Target smaller or niche conferences
• Follow up thoughtfully with helpful newsletters
  A favorite reminder from Sibert Honor author Patricia Newman:

​Scrivener 3 for Beginners: Complete Guide to Start Your First Project​

If you’re opening Scrivener 3 and wondering “Now what?”, this is the post for you. Learn how to:

• Start a new project, even if unsure about templates
• Organize your Binder, Editor, and Inspector
• Use naming strategies to label and structure your work
• Master the core functions without getting into the weeds

​How to Export from Scrivener to Word: A Step‑by‑Step Guide​

Perfect if you’re ready to compile and send your manuscript. This tutorial walks you through:

• Opening the Compile window
• Choosing the “Compile for” output format (e.g., DOCX)
• Customizing formatting and layout options
• Exporting clean, editable Word documents from Scrivener

August Insider Office Hours: Nonfiction Pitches (board book - YA)

Let's talk about nonfiction pitches! How do you write a pitch for an expository book? Are there differences between PB bio and fiction pitches? We'll cover this topic in our Aug. 8th office hours. If you are an Insider, please send me your pitches, and we'll dissect them during our live session. Learn more about my Reimagine Insiders community here.​

Next podcast episode, plus transcripts

Tune in for the next episode of the Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations podcast (on Youtube as well as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, etc.) with author Colleen Paeff dropping August 1. Colleen discusses the fine line between nonfiction and informational fiction. I hope you'll listen. Are you enjoying the podcast?

• Please rate and review on Apple podcasts
• Or like and subscribe on YouTube
• ​Click here to get transcripts
• And support the podcast by buying from the Bookshop.​

New in Nonfiction

Roundup of August New Releases Here's the latest roundup of the newest juvenile nonfiction books released by U.S. publishers. You'll find the full list of 125 books in Edelweiss by clicking the link below. See the list

My books

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