Words and Pictures with Mariesa Dulak
Find out if writing courses really make a difference, marketing tips and why diverse books are so important
This week we’re joined by picture book author Mariesa Dulak.
We asked her about writing courses, winning the FAB prize, marketing tips and why she stopped working in publishing.
Mariesa worked in publishing for years before completing an MA in Children's Literature. After that she took a course at the Golden Egg Academy which led to her signing with a literary agent and winning the FAB prize. Her debut book There's a Tiger on the Train illustrated by Rebecca Cobb published in 2024. Mariesa’s second book The Silver Shadow illustrated by Alea Marley is publishing in March 2025.
What do words and pictures mean to you?
Words and pictures are the key ingredients in storytelling and whether the words are working with pictures on the page or creating pictures in someone's mind, I think this is such a magical process.
It's a privilege to write picture books where the magic between the words and the pictures is particularly potent and the experience is often shared with a child.
Did you always want to be an author?
I've always loved reading and writing and I was brought up in a household where both were encouraged and celebrated. I wrote stories which I illustrated (badly!), but I mostly wrote poems and songs.
Buckingham Palace by A.A.Milne was one of my favourites. I would march around the house to that and make up my own words.
But writing books for a living did not feel like an achievable aspiration for a mixed-race girl from Yorkshire so I did the next best thing and went into Publishing.
You previously worked in publishing and completed an MA in children's literature before taking part in the Golden Egg Academy course which you've described as 'life-changing'. We'd love to know more about this course and what it gave you that the MA and experience in the industry didn't. Do you think you'd have got published without it?
The Golden Egg Academy Picture Book course gave me the confidence to write and the tools to polish what I was writing. When I took the course (back in 2020) it was run by Tessa Strickland and Jo Collins - both amazing tutors.
They stripped the writing process down to its bare bones and invited successful authors in to talk to us about their own process.
It was one of Tessa’s courses that taught me how to fine tune my rhyming texts. Golden Egg encouraged me to share my stories with others and believe in myself as a writer.
Why did you decide to stop working in publishing and pursue an MA?
Publishing is a fascinating industry full of creative people, and I had the opportunity to run marketing campaigns for some inspiring authors and brands (Kes Gray & Jim Field's Oi Dog! was one of my favourites).
But after working in the industry for almost 20 years it was time for a change. At that point, I had already completed my MA (through evening classes) and taken the Golden Egg course, so I had reached the point where I wanted to take my writing more seriously.
Winning the FAB Prize with There’s a Tiger on the Train was a brilliant confidence boost at just the right time and helped cement this decision.
You're now a school librarian - how do you juggle your working and writing time?
I have one day off a week but I try to write every day so I squeeze one hour of writing in before I start work. Now that my children are teenagers I can get a few hours of writing done at the weekends too, usually before they even wake up (that was impossible when they were younger!).
Has working as a librarian taught you about anything about children's books that you didn't already know and if so, what?
Sharing books with children on a day-to-day basis is both rewarding and useful. You learn which books children read again and again and see trends. Peer to peer recommendation is huge. I’ve also learned a lot about reading levels and seen the impact first hand of a decent cover.
You won the FAB prize in 2020. Why do you think diversity in children's books is so important?
I didn’t read a book featuring a character that looked like me until I was a teenager. So, I’m passionate about diversity in children’s books. I think it’s crucial that children see themselves and their families represented in the stories they read.
But I also think it’s important to expose ALL children to a diverse range of characters. As a librarian I have seen how this can make a difference.
If a child’s bookshelf reflects the society we live in, it can help children stop seeing colour and difference as ‘other’ and just see a child character like them with a story to tell.
I was honoured to win the FAB prize. There are quite a few prizes for diverse creators now which is brilliant to see. But what Faber are doing is quite special because even though they only have a small list, they try to publish, support, and build those writers who have been shortlisted for the prize.
Your debut book There's a Tiger on the Train illustrated by Rebecca Cobb published last year. It's a brilliant, funny story about a parent who is so busy on their mobile phone that they miss all the excitement on the train. Where did you get the idea for it from?
Thank you! I didn’t set out to write a story with a message. The rhythm of the train and the little boy came first, then the animal passengers and it was only then that I had the mobile phone idea - after that the rest of the story fell into place.
The mobile phone theme of the story was inspired by my own experience of working full time with a young family and finding it hard to get the balance right. I'm sure readers are rooting for the little boy in the story, but I have a lot of sympathy for the Dad too. He wants to spend time with his son, he’s just distracted by the pressures of modern life.
How has your experience in publishing helped you when promoting your book - do you have any marketing tips for authors and illustrators?
There are so many factors that impact whether a book will sell and most of them are out of the author’s control.
Try not to compare the support that your publisher gives you with other campaigns. Yes, some books get a lot of support, but most do not. So do what you can to promote the book yourself and work with your publisher to support anything that they are doing.
Use any skills and/or connections that you have. Don’t be shy about promoting your book on social media. People follow you because they want to hear about your book! Make friends with the booksellers in your area and ask your friends and family to spread the word.
Don’t sit back and rely on the publisher to do everything – it’s your book with your name on the cover. You want to be able to look back and know that you did the best you could.
Given that you have a background working in publishing, was there anything that still surprised you about the industry when you became a published author?
I was shocked at how slowly the wheels of publishing turn from the outside. There were four years between signing my contract and publication and this is not unusual for a picture book. This feels like a lifetime from an author's perspective.
What is the best part about being a published author?
So many best moments! Seeing Rebecca’s illustrations for the very first time was AMAZING, holding my own book in my hands and seeing it in bookshops, meeting children who love the book, seeing my book printed in different languages - I could go on and on. I feel very lucky to be a published author.
What advice do you have for aspiring writers?
Read as widely as you can. Write every day. Know the market. Don’t give up.
You can find out more about Mariesa and her books on her website, instagram or Bluesky.
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