Hello friends!

I've been visiting a lot of young readers in these last few weeks of the school year. In late April, I visited six schools in central Wisconsin over two days (probably 1,000 kids total) talking about storytelling and the creative problem solving process. And just last Friday, I saw almost 300 TK-3rd graders at a local school, who asked amazing questions like, "How long does it take to make a book?" There's nothing like connecting with readers in person!

Meanwhile lots of bird activity has been happening at my house. A peacock moved into our yard (temporarily), and arborists discovered a raven's nest with vibrant blue eggs (not pictured) in a pine tree. I'm definitely getting some picture book inspiration! All this bird activity inspired me to dust off an old draft from 2012 on a different bird topic! It just goes to show you, every book takes its own time.

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Want to learn more about THIS IS HOW YOU KNOW (coming in September)? Check out this video Little Brown put together. You can preorder wherever books are sold.

Evaluating writing classes: After I shared last month about a dialogue-writing class I took with Holly Lisle, subscriber Carren asked: "...how do you find and evaluate good writing craft courses?"

Broadly speaking, I work off of recommendations too, but I take a broader view of recommendations. If I have a specific topic in mind, I start with a general web search. That's how I found the Reedsy free course about dialogue I mentioned last time. If a course has a low price point ($25 or less), I do might sign up without a lot of further research.

For courses priced higher, I evaluate:

-Has this teacher written a book on the topic? Can I get it through my library?

-Do they have blog posts or podcast interviews that give me an idea of their teaching style and/or content?

-If the teacher is offering their own courses (as I do), do they also teach through reputable providers like The Writing Barn, SCBWI, or Jane Friedman?

-What do their students say?

In the case of Holly Lisle's dialogue class, Reedsy, a company I respect, quoted Holly in their course. That's how I found her. Then I sought out this blog post, which gave me a clear idea of what I could expect from the class.

Still, no matter how much research I do, I have occasional busts where a course didn't meet my expectations. It happens. But then I console myself with, "It's a tax write off!"

Do you have any tips for evaluating writing courses? Or do you have a FANTASTIC writing course I should share in the next newsletter? Hit reply and let me know.
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Kirsten

Inside this newsletter:

• New to nonfiction picture books? Get started for just $97.
• Reimagine Insiders Office Hours for June 6: Strategies for Reducing Word Count
• Next podcast drops June 6 featuring Michelle Cusolito where we dive deep into revision strategies and working with critique groups (plus get transcripts for the May episode)
• June 2025 "New in Nonfiction" List (116 titles)

New to Nonfiction Picture Books: Get started for $97

Speaking of classes, did you know I have a class for people completely new to nonfiction?

This self-paced class was designed especially for beginners—no publishing experience required. In just four weeks (or at your own pace), you’ll go from fuzzy idea to first draft (and honestly, I have a whole lesson on finding ideas, so you don't even need that!). The course includes:

• 20+ short, easy-to-follow lessons
• A fillable workbook
• Bonus videos and research tools
• A system that builds your writing habit—one step at a time

Whether you’re a teacher, a parent, or a writer exploring nonfiction for the first time, this course will help you write a story that informs, inspires, and connects with young readers.

-->Join now for just $97: Enroll Here​

(NOTE: If you've taken this class already, I could really use some more reviews on it, because, that's one way people evaluate the course, as I mentioned above. Click on the link above, which will take you to the course sales page, and scroll down to the bottom, then select "Write Review." Thank you in advance!)

June 6 Insider Office Hours: Reducing word count

Send me your bloated drafts! That was my recent rallying cry to my Reimagine Insiders community. During our June 6th live office hours, I'll help authors pare down their nonfiction writing in real time over Zoom. Want to join us? For just $5/month you'll enjoy access this session, plus enjoy an archive of past office hours videos and craft posts, discounts on webinars and critiques, and the ability to ask me questions at any time! This summer I'll be offering a couple of free sessions where I demo different research tools. I'd love to have you. Learn more 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 Michelle Cusolito dropping June 6. We had such an incredible conversation covering revision techniques like Michelle's "magnetic poetry approach," as well as how to get the most out of your critiques. I hope you'll listen. And if you do, I'd appreciate it if you rate and review on Apple podcasts to help other nonfiction fans discover the show.

​Click here to get the full transcripts for my May interview with author Carrie Tillotson and authenticity reader Mariana Llanos. Catch up on all past episodes here.

New in Nonfiction

Roundup of June 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 116 books in Edelweiss by clicking the link below. See the list

My books

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