Work-for-Hire Author Shares How She Wrote 50+ Kids Books | Writing Career Tips & Publishing Paths

Join award-winning author Aubre Andrus as she reveals how she built a thriving nonfiction writing career through work-for-hire publishing! With 50+ books for Scholastic, National Geographic Kids, American Girl, and more, Aubre shares insider tips on breaking into children's book publishing WITHOUT an agent.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• What work-for-hire really means (and why it's more creative than you think)
• How to network with editors and land your first work-for-hire gig
• The skills publishers look for when hiring freelance authors How to write fast without sacrificing quality
• Tips for self-publishing children's books (including what Aubre wishes she'd done differently)
• How work-for-hire can be an "author bootcamp" for your career

Featured Books: • Chi Chi's Story (Scholastic) • America Celebrates (Quarto) • The Lookup Series (self-published STEM biographies) • Smart Girl's Guide series (American Girl)

Perfect for: Children's book authors, nonfiction writers, freelance writers, aspiring authors, teachers, librarians, and anyone exploring alternative publishing paths.

Connect with Aubre Andrus: Website: AubreAndrus.com

Resources Mentioned: • Writing for the Educational Market by Laura Purdie Salas • Darcy Pattison's "Publish" (self-publishing guide) • SCBWI conferences

[00:00:00] What Is Work-for-Hire? The Writing Prompt Approach

[00:01:00] Real Examples: From Travel Guides to Quiz Books

[00:03:00] Journey from Magazine Editor to 50+ Book Author

[00:06:00] Breaking Down Work-for-Hire vs Traditional Publishing

[00:09:00] Essential Skills for Landing Work-for-Hire Gigs

[00:12:00] Networking Strategies & Getting Your Foot in the Door

[00:15:00] Managing Tight Deadlines & Writing Fast

[00:17:00] Research Strategies for Fast Nonfiction Writing

[00:19:00] Why Self-Publish? The Lookup Series Story

[00:22:00] Self-Publishing for Kids: Costs, Challenges & Kickstarter Tips

[00:25:00] Choosing Your Publishing Path: Agent vs Work-for-Hire vs Self-Publishing

[00:27:00] Writing to Market & What Makes Books Sell

[00:29:00] Upcoming Books & Final Advice for Nonfiction Authors

Join host Kirsten W. Larson for a deep-dive craft conversation with award-winning nonfiction author Deborah Heiligman—known for Vincent and Theo, Charles and Emma, Torpedoed, and her newest YA biography, Loudmouth: Emma Goldman vs. America, A Love Story.

In this episode of Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations, Deborah breaks down her entire narrative nonfiction process:

• How she researches using primarily primary sources

• How to build tension-packed scenes in nonfiction

• Why young adult biography is about telling a story, not being a scholar

• How she finds her mantra for each book

• Why she starts her biographies in the middle

• The surprising challenges of writing Loudmouth

• What she hopes young readers take away from Emma Goldman’s story

Whether you're writing children’s nonfiction, YA biography, narrative nonfiction, or simply love craft discussions with master writers, this episode is rich with insights you won’t want to miss. 📚

Books discussed:

• Loudmouth: Emma Goldman vs America, A Love Story

• Vincent and Theo

• Charles and Emma

• Torpedoed

• She Persisted: Clara Lemlich

🔗 Learn more about Deborah Heiligman: deborahheiligman.com

🔗 Learn more about host Kirsten W. Larson: kirstenwlarson.com

00:00 – Welcome to Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations

00:39 – Introducing Loudmouth & Why Emma Goldman

02:04 – From Clara Lemlich to Emma Goldman

03:51 – Who Was Emma Goldman?

05:36 – Writing Biography: Hook, Theme & Mantra

08:55 – Finding the Book’s Shape & Mantra

11:45 – The Messy Process of Finding What a Book Is About

13:29 – Deborah’s Research Process: Primary Sources First

17:10 – When Secondary Sources Matter

19:11 – Avoiding Bias & Forming Your Own Interpretation

23:05 – When Research Turns Into Writing

25:56 – Choosing Where to Start a Nonfiction Story

27:57 – Building Mystery in Nonfiction Structure

30:51 – Crafting Scenes in Narrative Nonfiction

33:14 – When Research Contradicts Itself

37:01 – Balancing Emotion, Fact, & Tension

43:22 – Nonfiction Details: What You Can and Can’t Include

45:45 – YA vs. Adult Nonfiction: What’s the Difference?

49:34 – What She Hopes Readers Take Away

50:16 – The Amazing Scene That Didn’t Make the Book

52:30 – Where to Find Deborah Heiligman

53:40 – Closing Thoughts & How to Support the Podcast

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Q3KYjmcvyBGfeYBuTqY60dE8koU5eae8/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=111347193035867287487&rtpof=true&sd=true

How do you write an authentic story rooted in a real place and culture?

In this episode of Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations, host Kirsten W. Larson talks with Sandhya Acharya, author of Living Bridges: The Hidden World of India’s Woven Trees, illustrated by Avani Dwivedi.

Discover how Sandhya turned her immersive travel research in Meghalaya, India, into a stunning informational fiction picture book about the living root bridges made from ficus trees and tended by the Khasi people.

You’ll learn:

✔️How a spark of inspiration led to years of research and discovery

✔️The role of immersive, on-the-ground research in shaping authentic children’s stories

✔️Ways to respectfully connect with experts and communities to ensure cultural accuracy

✔️How to balance fiction and nonfiction in informational picture books

✔️Tips for capturing sensory details and emotional impressions while in the field

This conversation is a must-listen for children’s book authors, nonfiction writers, and educators seeking to bring rich, authentic details into their stories.

📖 Living Bridges: The Hidden World of India’s Woven Trees is available wherever books are sold. Learn more on Sandhya's website. https://www.sandhyaacharya.com/

🔗 Transcript, summary, and writing resources at Kirstenwlarson.com.

Key moments:

00:00 – Introduction: Living Bridges and Authentic Storytelling

01:00 – Inspiration: A Spark from Bridges and Gratitude

05:00 – Research from Afar: Falling Down the Rabbit Hole

07:00 – From Nonfiction to Informational Fiction

09:00 – Traveling to Meghalaya: Immersive Research in Action

12:00 – Writing with All Five Senses

15:00 – Cultural Authenticity and Community Collaboration

18:00 – The Power of Fictional Elements in True Stories

23:00 – Collaboration with Illustrator Avani Dwivedi

27:00 – What’s Next for Sandhya