Event Recording
Members Only
April 12, 2024
Proactive authors can earn publicity for new releases by writing essays, op-eds, book lists, Q&As, and other content known as “off the book page” coverage. Think of articles you’ve read in which the author mentions their new book or includes a link in their bio at the end—coverage like this can be an excellent way for a children’s author to reach parents and book buyers.
Betsy Bird (author, librarian, and writer at School Library Journal), Robert Lee Brewer (author, senior editor at Writer’s Digest), and author Alyssa Reynoso-Morris will take part in a discussion of how authors can approach writing and pitching pieces to kid lit outlets and print media in general, moderated by literary agent Sarah Burnes.
Betsy Bird is the Collection Development Manager of Evanston Public Library and the former Youth Materials Specialist of New York Public Library. She writes for the School Library Journal blog A Fuse #8 Production and reviews for Kirkus. She is the host of the Story Seeds podcast as well as the co-host of the Fuse 8 n’ Kate podcast that she creates with her sister. Betsy is the author of nonfiction, picture books, anthologies, the historical middle grade novel Long Road to the Circus, illustrated by David Small, and the upcoming picture book Pop Goes the Nursery Rhyme! with Andrea Tsurumi. You can follow Betsy at @FuseEight on Twitter and @fusenumber8 on Instagram, Threads, and BluSky.
Robert Lee Brewer is Senior Editor of Writer’s Digest, which includes managing the content on WritersDigest.com and programming virtual conferences. He’s the author of 40 Plot Twist Prompts for Writers: Writing Ideas for Bending Stories in New Directions, The Complete Guide of Poetic Forms: 100+ Poetic Form Definitions and Examples for Poets, Poem-a-Day: 365 Poetry Writing Prompts for a Year of Poeming, and more. Also, he’s the editor of Writer’s Market, Poet’s Market, and Guide to Literary Agents. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.
Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer Afro-Latine/x Dominican and Puerto Rican award-winning storyteller. Her ability to weave compelling stories has opened many doors for her as an author and speaker. She is also a mother and community organizer. During the day, she works with community members, non-profit organizations, and government officials to make the world a better place. Then she puts her writer’s hat on to craft heartfelt stories about home, family, food, and the fun places she has been. Alyssa was born and raised in The Bronx, New York, and currently lives in Philadelphia, PA, with her partner and daughter. She is the author of Plátanos Are Love, The Bronx Is My Home, and Gloriana Presente: A First Day of School Book. She hopes you enjoy her stories.
Sarah Burnes, moderator, began her career on the editorial side of publishing, first at Houghton Mifflin, then in the Knopf Group, and last at Little, Brown. She became an agent in 2001, joining The Gernert Company in 2005. As an editor, she acquired and edited literary fiction and non-fiction, and as an agent, she has added children’s fiction to her list. Sarah sits on the board of non-profit progressive publisher the New Press and her writing has appeared on The Paris Review‘s blog. She lives with her husband and three children in Brooklyn.
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