Kelly Bennett: Why Writing a 300-Word Children’s Picture Book Is Harder Than a Novel

I had the absolute pleasure of talking with children’s author Kelly Bennett for a fascinating and insightful interview about her journey in traditionally published picture books and children’s chapter books.

She generously shared her writing process, how she first got started, and the path that eventually led her back to school to earn her MFA.

What began as a six-week writing course taught by a newspaper editor through Tulsa Community College ultimately sparked a remarkable writing career spanning fiction, nonfiction, multiple genres, awards, and countless published works. One of the most inspiring parts of the conversation was hearing how persistence, curiosity, and a commitment to continuing to learn helped shape her success over time.

Kelly is not only an incredibly accomplished author, but also such a warm, gracious, and encouraging person. Her depth of knowledge about children’s literature, storytelling, and publishing made this a must-watch interview for anyone interested in writing!

On the May 21st episode, we discussed:
0:00 Intro and welcome
02:25 Kelly Bennett’s unexpected journey into writing
05:32 Discovering a writing class at Tulsa Community College
10:47 Transitioning from articles to children’s books
17:17 Kelly’s process for writing picture books
18:25 Traditional publishing and working with illustrators
21:06 Writing nonfiction baseball books about Babe Ruth and Yankee Stadium
25:31 Banned picture books and the story behind Vampire Baby
29:18 Why Not Norman: A Goldfish Story was challenged and banned
46:29 Why parents should not solve the problems in picture books
52:43 Kelly’s publishing journey and writing philosophy
55:10 The inspiration behind Dance A Little Longer
59:34 Where readers can find Kelly and her books
1:01:52 If she could wave a wand, where would she be in a year 💫

Let’s Go Live! is my Instagram weekly series featuring interviews with indie and traditionally published authors, editors, bookstagrammers, and book bloggers from around the globe.