Breakout Session #4: Create Dynamic, Innovative STEAM books that will Capture an Editor's Attention with Jennifer Swanson

Jennifer Swanson is the author of 50 nonfiction books for kids and the creator and cohost of the Solve It! For Kids podcast.  Her passion for science and technology resonates in all of her books but especially, Brain Games, named one of the 50 Best Science Books Ever by ThePlanets.org. She's a self-described science geek, having started her own Science Club in her garage at the age of 7. Jennifer has been all over the world sharing her books and believes that publishing STEAM books right now is more important than ever before, yet getting the attention of agents and editors remains difficult.

This workshop is designed to help attendees think outside of the box and approach their topics in new and unique ways.  Jennifer discusses how to use POV, structure, voice, and multiple types of media to intrigue readers and tell their best nonfiction story. 

How do you write a STEM/STEAM book that will standout and sell in the tumult of the market and world of 2025?

Jennifer urges attendees to focus on her Three C's:

Content: Pick a topic that interests you and specifically kids, bonus points if it may have tie ins to standard curriculums or has ties to current issues. 

Though she has a literary agent, Jennifer also sends a pitch letter with her manuscripts that outlines where in education a particular book might be specifically relevant to state standards or curriculum, helping her agent show how the book will succeed beyond the standard book markets of bookstores and general readership.

Creativity: Jennifer asks attendees to think outside the box, highlight the weirdest facts of their subject, or consider writing about science in different formats like poetry. Ask an interesting question to help frame how you share a well-known nonfiction topic and consider the use of multiple media types—not just photos, but illustrations and infographics. A well made nonfiction picture book can teach scientific concepts above the grade and reading level of a typical picture book.

Jennifer uses her book, Footprints Across the Planet, as a case study for how she elevated it from a standard nonfiction topic to something special and noteworthy with many many layers.

Connection is Jennifer's third 'C' and she gives attendees many thoughtful questions to answer that will help them develop solid STEM/STEAM book ideas uniquely suited to their strengths that not only appeal to readers but should result in widely successful sales.

BONUS! Jennifer's session comes with a downloadable pdf listing all of the incredible books she mentioned during her talk as well as an actionable outline of the talk. Registered conference attendees will find it (and any other session's handouts!) in their 'My Resources' section of their Member Home page on scbwi.org.

Breakout Session: School’s In: Writing for the Educational Market with Nikki Shannon Smith

Nikki Shannon Smith

Nikki Shannon Smith is an educator, presenter, and the award-winning author of over 20 children’s books. She has five titles in Capstone’s middle grade series, Girls Survive,  and LENA AND THE BURNING OF GREENWOOD: A TULSA RACE MASSACRE SURVIVAL STORY won the 2023 Oklahoma Book Award. Her middle grade novel, STRANDED, is forthcoming from Scholastic in September. 

Nikki believes writing for the educational market is a great way to learn, supplement your income, get books into young hands, build an audience, and… have fun doing what you love. But how does it all work? Her session discussed types of educational publishing, the pros and cons compared to trade, how to break into educational, as well as a great list of resources. 

Nikki shares some of the challenges with breaking into the educational market, it's a lot like traditional trade publishing, but there are more steps and rules for educational as well as a fundamental difference in initial approach. 

There are additional directions for the educational market: You're writing for a publishing company/ editor, but they are not beholden to just themselves.  They're trying to sell to schools and libraries and a publisher has to enforce curriculum and style guidelines or write to state standards to make sure those books are applicable and appropriate for instruction. 

The biggest difference to trade publishing is that educational publishers might be looking for you! They have databases of authors and illustrators, content creators and subject matter experts who are needed all the time. Nikki says breaking in through word of mouth and referrals can happen in the educational market, let people know what you know and help refer others when you can. 

Nikki shares a list of pros and cons between educational and trade publishing as well comparisons of some of the bigger educational publishers and ways attendees can find additional resources on the educational publishing market. 

Educational publishing is more than textbooks—it might be poetry books that incorporate SEL, graphic novels that might be low-reading level but high-interest, picturebooks that STEM, and more—and those could even be projects you ghost write or are based off of licensed IP.