Investing in Your Writing

Money. It's so hard for me to invest in myself. Do you have the same problem? Or maybe you have to be really careful with your budget. I've already posted about some amazing FREE resources here. But sometimes it's worth saving up to invest in something to improve your writing. Here are a couple of ways you can invest in your writing:

1. Writing communities

There are two major writing communties for picture book writers: SCBWI and 12x12.

SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators): Chances are you've heard of this one. Any newbie starting out has probably received the enthusiastic recommendation to join SCBWI. SCBWI is an organization of writers and illustrators for all of kidlit from board books and picture books to chapter books, middle grade, and young adult. There are message board where you can find critique partners, get feedback on your work, or ask questions. There are monthly periodicals giving advice and news. There is support specific to new writers or to published writers. There are regional chapters which often organize in-person meetings and critique groups. Some regions host small conferences/workshops throughout the year. National conferences occur in Summer and Winter.

I have to be honest. I didn't get much out of my first year in SCBWI. Maybe I just didn't know what features could benefit me. As a writer with small children, in a suburban/almost rural area, the in-person critique groups and workshops were not accessible to me. From what I could tell, everyone who raves about SCBWI participates in those in-person activities. If you have the availability and are in proximity to lots of writers, you might really have a good experience! I did find some really good webinars, but the downside was having to pay extra for them. And it might depend on your region. Some regions have a stronger online presence than others. 

A lot changed in 2020. This was the start of some amazing digital resources from SCBWI, many of which are included for no extra cost to all members. I hope this continues. I think after the resources and conferences became available to EVERY member, they realized how many members were being left out of live events. They have a goal of inclusion, so I'm hoping they continue these wonderful digital resources.

12x12 (Julie Hedlund's 12 x 12 Picture Book Challenge): 

12x12 is a community of picture book writers with the added challenge of trying to write one picture book per month, for a total of 12 in 12 months. Unlike SCBWI, 12x12 is all online. There is a forum similar to SCBWI for asking questions and getting feedback on your work. There is an active facebook group and a blog as well. Probably one of the best parts of 12x12 is the montly webinars (for no added cost to memebers).

As a picture book writer, the benefit of 12x12 is that its sole purpose is picture books whereas SCBWI is much broader and not every resource is going to apply to picture book writers. However, if you write in multiple age categories, SCBWI would definitely be worth it. I am a member of both and have found different benefits from each. Do some more investigating if you are unsure which you want to spend you dollars on.

2. Critique services

Rate Your Story: The only critique service I know of is Rate Your Story. A year-long membership will get you 18 submissions. The RYS judge will assign a number to the manuscript from 1 (query ready) to 10 (needs a lot of work). You will also get a BRIEF critique of a few of the major points in need of revision. Let me emphasize that the critiques are much shorter than what you might receive if you paid a professional for an individual critique (see below for more about that). I typically receive 1-2 paragraphs of big-picture feedback, with the occasional comment about a specific line. The feedback is shorter, but the membership averages out to around $10 per submission--quite the bargain! If you do well with getting number ratings, this might be the service for you. However, if you think receiving a 6 rating on your manuscript will crush you (even though you will also get advice on how to improve the story), then you may do better to invest elsewhere.

3. Paid critiques

First of all, always get someone else to read your work before you submit it anywhere. Swapping critiques with other writers is the perfect (free) first step to improving your writing. However, I have to say the times I've received a professional critique has improved my writing about a bajillion times more than with critique partners alone. Let me back up a second. You should have critique partners help you with your story BEFORE you pay money to have someone else look at it. You don't want the professional to be distracted by very easy-to-spot mistakes that your critique partners could have done for free. You will get the best bang for you buck if the manuscript has already been seen by your peers. If you don't have critique partners yet, SCBWI and 12x12 are great ways to find some. I got my start swapping in the (free!) Kidlit411 Manuscript Swap group on Facebook.

Lots of writers offer paid critique services. Kidlit411.com has some good resources for getting started in your search here. Many of the Rate Your Story judges offer full critique services on their personal websites. Check out the list of judges here. You can always just do an internet search for picture book critique services or picture book editing services. If you have the budget, I highly recommend getting a professional critique!

EDIT: I am now offering critiques! Check out what services I offer here!

4. But wait! There's more!

Don't forget you can always take a class at a college or university. And here are a few more places you can check out. I don't know much about them, but they are popular learning resources.

Storyteller Academy: Varying levels of courses.

Children's Book Insider: Courses, newsletter, includes exclusive Facebook group.

The numbers:

SCBWI: around $100 for first year members, join anytime

12x12: around $175 for first year members, registration opens around January 1

RYS: around $190 for first year members (or a bit less during early-bird registration which begins November 1)

Critiques: a typical critique is usually around $45, but pricing varies between different critiquers and depends on what specific service you choose.

Storyteller Academy: around $60 for a mini-class, around $300 for a signature course

CBI: about $50 or $5.50 for a single month

There you have it! Several ways you can invest in your writing. Take your time researching, and ask around what others' experiences are. Happy writing!

Do you have any other resources you've found to help improve your writing? Or care to share your experience with one of those mentioned here? Leave a comment!