Picture Book Coaching Services to unlock the storyteller within
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Your picture book dream is closer than you think with expert guidance every step.
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You've been carrying this picture book idea for months, maybe years. You know it's special. You can see it on bookstore shelves, imagine children giggling as their parents read it aloud. But every time you sit down to write, you're overwhelmed by questions: Where do I start? How long should it be? What makes editors say yes?
Here's what I know: You have a story worth telling. The question isn't whether you can write a picture book - it's whether you're ready to learn exactly how to do it right.
You Need More Than Just Writing Skills
You've probably read dozens of picture books to your own kids or students. You think you understand what makes them work. But here's what I learned after years of rejections: writing a picture book that gets published requires insider knowledge most people never discover.
It's not enough to have a sweet story or memorable characters. Publishers are looking for manuscripts that demonstrate:
âś“Â Â Perfect pacing for the picture book format
âś“Â Â Age-appropriate language and concepts
âś“Â Â Stories that work on multiple levels (engaging kids AND adults)
âś“Â Â Understanding of current market trends
âś“Â Â Professional manuscript formatting and presentation
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That's where my book coaching services come in.
How Book Coaching Works:
1
Fill Out The Coaching Form
Share a bit about your goals, and I’ll be in touch to book a free 30-minute Discovery Call. Ready to get started? Purchase a coaching session now.
2
Assessment & Planning
We’ll look at where you are in your writing journey and put together a plan that fits—whether you’re starting with just an idea or already have a draft.
3
Focused Sessions
Our one-on-one coaching sessions are highly personalized and results-focused. We work through my proven step-by-step approach at your pace.
4
Manuscript Ready
You'll end up with a polished manuscript you can be proud of, plus the knowledge and confidence to navigate the submission process.
“Heather Hartt-Sussman is a super coach: she is generous and kind yet will always be honest about your writing and what needs to be done.
Heather knows both the business of publishing AND the art of crafting a well-edited, well-formatted and meaningful manuscript. What I like the most about Heather’s coaching and teaching is that she has the ability to hone in on your style and your goals resulting in a product you are proud to submit.”
- Andrea Massion, Port Hueneme, California
“Working with Heather was such a joy.
From start to finish she made the writing process easy and fun. Heather is a wealth of knowledge and an extremely talented writer and coach. She helped me to refine my work and prepare me for the world of children’s book writing and publishing.
I am so grateful for Heather’s help, she is a true professional, and I would highly recommend her to anyone who is looking to write a children's book.”
- Kate Church, King City, ON
What You Get With My Book Coaching Services
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✏  Personalized one-on-one guidance - Tailored specifically to your story and writing goals
✏  Idea-generating techniques - Tools to uncover the narrative gems within your concept
✏  Professional manuscript formatting - Templates and standards that agents and publishers prefer
✏  Story structure mastery - Learn the fundamentals that make picture books work
✏  Submission preparation - Guidance through industry standards and best practices
Work With A Picture Book Coach:
Interested? A 30 minute discovery call is free
Feeling stuck? Let’s get you motivated and on your way.
WHEN WE WORK TOGETHER YOU'LL GET:
âś” Idea-generating tips - Learn handy tools to generate ideas to uncover the narrative gems within
âś” Help getting started - everything you need to know about transferring the ideas in your head to the page
âś” Prompts - if you want to write but don’t know what to write about, I can provide cues to stir up your creativity
âś” Professional templates - gain access to the format agents and publisher prefer
âś” Assistance preparing for submission - I'll guide you through preparing your manuscript for submission, and introduce you to key industry standards
