Writer-driven Facebook Groups for YOU by Kathy Halsey

Last Tuesday I posted about Facebook groups for writers and today I list MORE fabulous groups. These groups are usually closed, but most will accept you if they know you are a writer. Message or email the administrator to join. 

Get the 411 with These Groups

1. KidLit 411 is a great place to start your week off. It really does give you the lowdown on all things writerly in kid lit! The site indicates that it's "A Facebook group of children's writers and illustrators run by the founders of the website www.Kidlit411.com. Share your information and kid lit news, find critique partners, and join a fun community." Illustrators, middle grade, contests, hot blog posts for the week, it's covered by the highly talented and friendly Sylvia Liu and Elaine Kiely Kearns. If you have time for only one group, this is it.

2. WOW nonficpic is the first group I joined and I consider it my home.  Non-ficiton reigns supreme here and the founder, Kristen McGill Fulton, is both generous with information and a great teacher, to boot. This site states that "this group is for non-fiction picture book writers and the Non-Fiction Genre includes: Biographies, Reference, How-To's and Memoirs. It also includes Faction (Facts told in a fictitious way) and Historical Fiction (Fictitious story about real people, events and places).

3. Kids of Color Children's Books, hosted by Leila Monaghan, is a rich site full of information about diverse books and book pairings. We all should read diverse books and here's a place to dive in.  From the site: "A group to support diverse children's books. Home of the #ReadSameReadDifferent campaign promoting reading across cultures including African American, Latino/a, Asian, Native American, Muslim, Euro American, urban, rural and immigrant, of books with similar themes and levels. Think of a pair that would work well together? Just let us know!"

4.  Another worthwhile FB group is the Children's Books by African American Authors and Illustrators. JA McManus keeps this page going. From the site description: "A place where African American Children's Book Authors and Illustrators can come together to talk and network." I lurk here, and it is an open group, so  join up.

This is not the end

Yes there are plenty more groups to join, but as Jane Heitman Healy reminded me in her comments from last Tuesday's post, remember to balance all these connections with the most important part of writing, BIC (butt in chair.)