Words and Pictures with Ian Eagleton
How being a teacher helped his writing, the impact LBGTQ+ books have on readers and his three top tips for authors
We really enjoyed chatting to ex teacher Ian Eagleton about how his former career has chnagedhis writing, the impact LBGTQ+ books have on readers and his three top tips for writers. We also touched on his writing routine and the books he’s working on now.
Ian Eagleton is the director of The Reading Realm and a content creator and resource writer for various educational organizations, including The Literacy Shed and Authorfy. Ian has taught in primary schools for thirteen years.
He especially enjoys sharing picture books, poetry and creative writing activities with the children he meets. His debut picture book Nen and the Lonely Fishermen (illustrated by James Mayhew) won the Polari Prize for Best Children’s Book.
You can watch our conversation here:
You can find out more about Ian on his website, instagram and Bluesky.
Submission opportunities and online festivals
There are lots of exciting submission opportunities around for children’s authors and illustrators this month. You can find a full list of them here which now includes these two new ones we recently spotted:
Agents Greene and Heaton are currently running the Green Door project. It is open to underrepresented YA writers. Deadline 21st March.
The Children’s Writers and Illustrators online festival is taking place between 22nd-23rd March.
Why subscribe to Words and Pictures?
We’ll share everything we know about making books and how the industry works in a new post each Monday.
Every month we’ll hold a live session for community members to ask us anything and everything they want to know about writing, illustrating and getting published. The next live session is Sunday 30th March 8pm GMT.
There will also be free interviews every Friday with authors, illustrators and publishing professionals as they spill the ink about life behind the scenes making books.
Every month we’ll also highlight submission opportunities and exciting new releases in the world of children’s books.
This is what one of our paid subscribers recently said about our monthly zoom call:
“Kid lit writers, do not sleep on Naomi & James's monthly subscriber zoom calls. In our half hour chat, I gained a wealth of helpful insight into my own manuscript and the publishing world. This type of access to creative's with their credentials is pretty astounding.”
Naomi and James x