It was just over 200 years ago, in 1820, that John Keats published possibly his most famous poem of all, Ode to Autumn. With the opening line ‘Seasons of mist and mellow fruitfulness’, and then referencing everything from apples, to bees, to swallows, to hazels, it’s a beautiful poem, all about this bountiful season. Poignantly,…
Introducing… new children’s books from the pen of Happydesigner
As children’s book illustrators we like to think we know a thing or two about what makes a good book for youngsters. We’ve illustrated books for children of every age, from 0, to pre-school, to primary, to teens, and we have learnt a lot along the way, from working with many wonderful authors. So now…
Making a career from a love of drawing
Meet children’s book illustrator extraordinaire, Happydesigner’s Sarah-Leigh Wills – lover of the great outdoors, who draws for a hobby as well as for a living, and who is probably named after a dessert! When did you start drawing and what was the first drawing you ever did? That’s a hard one. I have been drawing…
Not rock, paper, scissors but… trees, paper, books!
Trees. There’s nothing Marmite about trees. We’ve not come across a single person who doesn’t love trees. Even those who are pretty much wedded to being city dwellers love the fact that there are parks and green places dotted around, all with trees in them. We have an additional reason to love trees at Happydesigner….
The Motivation Playlist!
We (nearly) all feel like we should be doing more with the time we’ve found on our hands this year. But how to shake off the blues and motivate yourself to write? Check out our top tips for writing motivation!
Proofreading: All You Need to Know
Is it worth paying a proofreader? We give some editing tips!
Write the Theme Tune, Sing the Theme Tune!
Bring your book series to life with a downloadable, read-along extra!
How To Be the Perfect Client!
Approaching an illustrator for the first time can be daunting. Here are some top tips for making that first meeting go smoothly.
So You Want To Illustrate Your Children’s Book!
So you have written a children’s book; but what does it mean to work with an illustrator? We chat to Sarah (Happydesigner) for some top tips about working with an illustrator.
