A new training program for children's book editors will enhance their skills in developing book projects.

Inspired by the highly esteemed Residential Editorial Program, which has been running for over 25 years, the Children’s Editorial Program will address gaps in training available for editorial staff working in children’s publishing. As well as practical skills development, the program will also provide opportunities for community building and knowledge sharing among editors working in this diverse field. 

 

2024 Picture Book Editing Intensive

A two-day Picture Book Editing Intensive will take place at RMIT in Melbourne on 24-25 October 2024. 

The program comprises a series of presentations and workshops on the craft of picture book editing, including topics such as:

  • Developing the use of rhyme 
  • Collaboration with creators
  • Art direction
  • Editing story
  • Developing works for domestic and international markets

The APA’s Children’s Publishers Committee has developed the Picture Book Editing Intensive alongside esteemed children’s book publisher and author Jane Godwin, who says of the unique challenges for editors:

‘Picture books are a huge and varied area of publishing, in terms of style, content and audience. Editing a picture book requires a unique approach, and our aim with this program is to equip picture-book editors with the skills and different perspectives that will help them to create the best version of the picture books they work on. We will explore many aspects of picture-book publishing, from the small technical details to the big picture!’

Program details

The Picture Book Editing Intensive will take place on Thursday 24 and Friday 25 October at RMIT in Melbourne, with accommodation provided offsite on the Thursday night.

Sessions and speakers on the program include the following:

  • A practical look at each editorial stage in the development of a picture book with Clare Hallifax and Clair Hume
  • Jane Godwin in conversation with Erica Wagner and Chren Byng on the key relationships in a picture book team
  • Davina Bell on editorial approaches to different projects, covering fiction, non-fiction, rhyme, rhythm and prose
  • Margrete Lamond on art direction and the successful integration of words and illustrations
  • Miriam Rosenbloom on visual storytelling, and how editors can work effectively with design and production
  • Insights from author Anna Walker’s experience of working with different editors and publishers
  • A case study of Do Not Lick This Book with publisher Anna McFarlane and creators Idan Ben Barak and Julian Frost
  • Literary agent Annabel Barker on creating picture books for an international market

Successful applicants

Twenty-six editors have been selected to participate in the Picture Book Editing Intensive. They were selected by a working group of the APA’s Children’s Publishers Committee out of 42 applicants from across the ACT, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Tasmania and Western Australia.

Further information

Please contact the APA for any further information about the program.

Our thanks to the APA’s Children’s Publishers Committee for their development of the program, the Independent Publishers Committee for their contribution of the bursaries, and RMIT for the venue.