Manzanita Creative Community offers a hub for children's book and creativity offerings, with a focus on supporting under-represented voices and experiences. This is a gathering and sharing space for children’s book creators – with a radical bent towards interconnection, exchange, celebration and uplifting. It is also an inclusive space where everyone is welcome, and we will particularly feature voices that don’t get enough coverage in the mainstream children’s book world. Black, indigenous, people of color, LGBQT+, different abilities – ALL are welcome. You don’t have to be published, just open to being creative and sharing OUR stories.
This community space offers the following:
1. Conversations and Features
Here you will find interviews and conversations between children's book creators and also creator presentations, with an emphasis on radical and diverse indie book publishers, writers and illustrators.
2. Online Children's Book Creation Classes
Support your creativity while also supporting creative people who offer classes. We will always offer a sliding scale option.
3. Manzanita Mentoring and Workshop Program
Manzanita runs a monthly mentoring and workshop program, with monthly one-on-one mentoring sessions with Manzanita Publisher, Laura Atkins. We have a strong and supportive community, currently with eight members. Contact us to find out more information.
4. Resources
Sites with information related to writing for children, with a focus on radical and under-represented groups in children’s books. Organized into groups – publishers, authors, book delivery services, etc.
This community space offers the following:
1. Conversations and Features
Here you will find interviews and conversations between children's book creators and also creator presentations, with an emphasis on radical and diverse indie book publishers, writers and illustrators.
2. Online Children's Book Creation Classes
Support your creativity while also supporting creative people who offer classes. We will always offer a sliding scale option.
3. Manzanita Mentoring and Workshop Program
Manzanita runs a monthly mentoring and workshop program, with monthly one-on-one mentoring sessions with Manzanita Publisher, Laura Atkins. We have a strong and supportive community, currently with eight members. Contact us to find out more information.
4. Resources
Sites with information related to writing for children, with a focus on radical and under-represented groups in children’s books. Organized into groups – publishers, authors, book delivery services, etc.
Above and all manzanita header photos by Elaine Miller Bond