Have you ever wanted to write a children’s book? Heidi Fiedler has worked on more than 300 titles, and she’s an approachable and insightful resource on both the magical and business elements of writing for children. In our chat, Heidi shares the unique relationship between stories and illustrations that you only find in children’s books, the most important practice to build into your writing process that will help you grow (besides writing, of course), and how she quiets her inner editor.

MEET HEIDI

Heidi Fiedler does the deep thinking that’s needed to transform ideas into children’s books. She makes picture books, chapter books, and nonfiction for kids with curious minds and kind hearts. She believes books have the power to make us all feel a little less alone, and the best ones leave room for the reader's imagination. Whether it's a poetic picture book, a zippy early reader, or a kid-friendly take on the physics of time travel, her books are philosophical and filled with quirky tidbits, playful language, and lots of heart. It's been her pleasure to work on more than 300 titles for clients ranging from Target to Barnes & Noble. Her credits include 180 nonfiction books in partnership with Time for Kids, 90 picture books, chapter books, and middle-grade novels, plus a wide variety of activity books, and art and craft books. After working in publishing for nearly 15 years, she’s so excited to see her own picture books and chapter books making their way into the world.

Connect:

• HelloHeidiFiedler.com


• Heidi’s books


• Instagram


• Pinterest


• Twitter

EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS

• Why she hesitated going into publishing (even though everyone around her suggested it)


• Her trajectory from a book seller to a book buyer to a book editor (and why her brain is wired for children’s publishing


• Heidi’s dream for children’s books to have more “crazy/strange/weird” stuff…


• Reading a children’s book? You’re actually reading two stories.


• The unique relationship between stories and illustrations that you only find in children’s books


• The tell tale sign you need to narrow down your story idea


• The book Heidi feels is the holy grail of children’s book writing craft


• The most important practice to build into your writing process that will help you grow (besides writing, of course)


• All about “The Idea Sanctuary” and a “Nebula Notebook”


• How the liminal space of waiting to adopt helped make space to build her freelance business


• Heidi’s strategies for navigating being a writer, editor, mom, and business owner


• How she quiets her inner editor


• Editing strategies that don’t involve a computer


• The subtle ways she knows it’s time to return to a project that’s been set asideHow she shifted from being a writer who didn’t always enjoy writing, to a writer who takes joy and pleasure in it

LINKABLE MENTIONS

• Angelina Ballerina by Katharine Holabird


• The Magic Words by Cheryl Klein