Oohs and Aahs for 3.14.25
Making nonfiction exciting
I used to think nonfiction children’s books were a little ho hum, and I’m sure there are some out there, but after working on hundreds of books, I can see this genre is full of possibility. There’s so much variety and creativity in these books. Lately I’ve been doing some editing for Storey Publishing, which celebrates nature, science, and curiosity, so I’ve worked on books about everything from decomposition to beekeeping. Besides being accurate and informative, my favorite ones:
Are beautifully designed
Include original research and new findings
Leave room for mystery and imagination
Focus on the essential big ideas and invite the reader to learn more
Include humor and personality
If you have an idea for a nonfiction book, I encourage you to explore it, and I hope you’ll bring the same creativity to your nonfiction work that you bring to other genres. It might also help to ask yourself:
👩🔬 Are you an expert in a topic kids are interested in?
👘 Do you have a unique experience or connection to the past you can share?
🪢 Have you found the perfect metaphor to explain a complex topic?
👩🎤 What’s the most avant-garde, original version of this book you could write?
🕳 How can you go deeper?
Want help making your nonfiction manuscript engaging and memorable?
This Week I’m…
Feeling honored to be a part of
’s beautiful interview series on tending—I hope you’ll enjoy reading my take on caretaking as an act of resistance 🫶Reading the behind-the-scenes care and struggle that went into creating
’s oracle cards—one of my favorite decks lately! ♥️Recommending this in-depth explainer to anyone who is worried about the impact the destruction of the DOE will have on kids with disabilities (It’s not good.) 😭
Loving this subversive way of getting more women’s art into museums 🖼
Enjoying Lady Gaga’s joyful approach to working on her craft and always growing 🎵
Watching Deli Boys and laughing 🥤
Listening to the story of the Luna Luna circus 🎪
Telling you to go read this pro-family, too-close-for-comfort dystopian novel right this second (Although maybe not at night…it’s not scary but it is TENSE!) 🤯
Taking notes on Chapter Two of 4,000 Weeks (This next post will be exclusive to paid subscribers, so if you know you want to join the book club, now is a good time to upgrade.) 🤓
Nebula Notebook is a place to meet kindred spirits, get inspired, and learn how to find ease and joy in the creative process—even when life is bananas. 🍌🍌🍌
✏️ PS—The fastest way to grow as a writer is to book a manuscript critique or a creative coaching session with an expert. My clients get agents, sell books, and win awards. They also learn how to enjoy the creative process, so they can keep going when life gets hard. 👏
Loving DELI BOYS here as well! :)