We’re here to offer no-nonsense advice for illustrators and image-makers navigating a creative career. At The Good Ship Illustration, we are all about finding y...
What size should your picture book be? (And other silly mistakes to avoid.)
🚢 The Picture Book Course closes TONIGHT!In this episode, we’re tackling three of the biggest picture book questions we hear all the time:1. What size should my picture book be? 2. Do I need kids to write picture books? 3. How do I get my book in front of a publisher? (So that they actually SEE it.)If you’ve been agonising over book dimensions, stressing about margins, or wondering whether your book must be a certain size before a publisher will even look at it, this episode's for you! Plus, we grill our Helen all about how publishers actually work, find out why your picture book does not need to be fully finished before you pitch it, and learn a sneaky way to speed up your storytelling skills (hint: it involves buying lots of books. Oh no, what a shame. Heh.)p.s. The Picture Book Course closes TONIGHT! If you're listening on Friday 21st Feb 2025, this is your last chance to hop jump and skip aboard before the doors close.The world has a your-picture-book-shaped hole in it.Let's fix that.It's time!Click here to read all about the Picture Book Course.Timestamps:00:25 Question: “What size should my picture book be?” 01:10 The real answer 02:50 What actually matters more than page size? 04:00 Bookshop logistics: Why your book needs to fit on a shelf. 06:15 Do publishers ever tell you the exact dimensions? 07:05 The BIG mistake 09:10 Why publishers love flexible illustrators. 10:30 The magic of working with an art director 12:05 The storytelling trick we might steal from Sydney Smith (Sydney Smith if you're reading this, it's a joke. 👀) 14:00 Should you apply to publishers, or just self-publish? 15:45 How to find the perfect publisher for your book. 17:10 Second question: “Can you write picture books if you don’t have kids?” 18:00 The surprising list of famous picture book authors who never had children. 19:30 The secret to writing picture books with emotion (even if you’re not around kids every day). 21:00 School visits, nannying, and other sneaky ways to absorb children’s interests. 22:00 Final call! The Picture Book Course closes TONIGHT at midnight! 🚀Join us over on Instagram (@thegoodshipillustration) for Art Club Live TONIGHT at 7pm UK time! Be lovely to see you there.x Come and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
--------
20:15
The secret to *actually finishing* your picture book ❤️
First things first, we've got to let you know that the doors to the Picture Book Course are FINALLY OPEN AGAIN today! We'll officially fling 'em open tonight at Art Club (7 pm UK time over on Instagram. Our IG username is @thegoodshipillustration.) See you there! 🚢Right, back to the podcast show notes.In this episode, we’re answering a brilliant question from Lou, who asks:"I've got a picture book for adults. Is that a terrible idea?"The short answer = not necessarily, but it could be a tricky sell to publishers.The longer answer = this podcast episode! We discuss bookshop logistics, sneaky ways to get an illustrated book into adult sections, and why tweaking your idea just a little bit might make it way easier to get published.Plus, we talk about what to do when your mind is pinballing between story ideas, and how to anchor your book in a way that makes finishing it muuuuuch more likely.p.s. The Picture Book Course is OPEN! If you're listening before 21st Feb 2025, the doors are still wide open. Scramble aboard before they close for another year!Timestamps:00:25 Question: “Can a picture book for adults work, or should I pivot to kids?” 01:10 The practical problem: Where would it actually go in a bookshop? 02:50 Illustrated fiction for adults: Rare, but not impossible! 04:00 Gift books, philosophy books, and sneaky ways to get into the right section. 06:15 The Charlie Mackesy effect (a rare publishing phenomenon). 07:05 Should you self-publish? A way to test the waters. 08:40 Question 2: “How do I stop my story ideas from fizzling out?” 09:10 The pinball problem: Too many ideas, not enough finished books. 10:00 How we created Salty (and why anchoring your characters makes writing a lot easier). 11:30 A game-changing tip: Make a “character questionnaire” to build stronger stories. 13:45 Reminder: The Picture Book Course is open for one week only! We’ll be back next Friday with more questions and one last reminder before the course doors close.Join us over on Instagram (@thegoodshipillustration) for Art Club Live on Friday 14th Feb & Friday 21st Feb at 7pm UK time! See you there!Come and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
--------
15:20
Saying no as an illustrator: dropping projects can boost your career.
Juggling too many plates, saying yes to everything, and wondering if it’s time to let something go... It's not a fun place to be. (And all three of us have been there, got the frazzled t-shirt). In this episode, we share the projects, jobs, and ideas we’ve binned along the way to make room for the shiny new stuff.We chat about:Why it’s okay to drop what isn’t working (even when you love parts of it).Illustrator school visits, online shops, and in-person events.The power of saying no. NOOOO!How dropping things helps you focus on what you’re brilliant at.Links MentionedWe made you some workshops and resources to help you navigate a creative career: The Good Ship FreebiesCome and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
--------
15:13
Why drawing digitally is NAUGHTY 👀 (or is it?)
Nahhh. It's not really. That was a naughty title. Anyway, we got this brilliant and juicy question in our students-only Facebook group for the Find Your Creative Voice, Fly Your Freak Flag Course. 🎺 31ST JANUARY = YOUR LAST CHANCE TO GET SOME GOOD SHIP ILLUSTRATION SNAIL-MAIL STICKERS WHEN YOU JOIN! Don't say we didn't warn you! Sign up here. Megan said: "I just opened up the Microsoft Surface Pro I bought for digital drawing, and I’m freaking out a little. Not just about the expense, but a sense of cheating or something. Will this kill the joy of drawing on paper? Does anyone combine analogue and digital drawing worlds?"TopicsMegan’s question: Is digital drawing cheating?Analogue vs digital: can you mix them?Why digital tools are lifesavers for fixes, tweaks, and deadlines.Handmade isn’t about the tool, it’s about you!The danger of too much choice.Top tips for keeping your digital work cohesive.Happy accidents.Will drawing digitally kill your love of drawing on paper? Other Stuff we mentionedOur Tania’s Genius Colour Workshop: Join in hereBrush sets for Procreate by Vivian Mildenberger: voila (we're not an affiliate, we just love 'em.)Find Your Creative Voice - course doors are open, in case you fancy workin' on flapping your freak flag a bit more in 2025.) Click here to see what all the freak flag fuss is all about.Come and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
--------
17:28
Can you be an illustrator with children and a job?
Chelsea asked us: "Would love some advice goal-wise for those of us still holding part-time jobs and two small kids under five, trying to transition to an illustration career. Is it even possible? I'm feeling impatient and a bit trapped."We chat about:Why “slow and steady” beats high-pressure goals.Low-pressure ways to carve out creative time (even with little ones around).How parenting can inspire your creative work.The importance of being kind to yourself and how to keep drawing.Why editorial illustration might not be the best fit right now. Links MentionedFind Your Creative Voice, Fly Your Freak Flag Course doors are open!Check out Polly Dunbar’s lovely illustrations: Polly Dunbar on InstagramFreebies for illustrators on our website: The Good Ship Illustration Freebiesp.s. Good Ship Illustration NewsOur course, Find Your Creative Voice, Fly Your Freak Flag doors are now open and if you clamber aboard before the end of January we'll send you some exciting snail mail (a brand new Good Ship sticker pack!!) 💛Read all about it here: https://www.thegoodshipillustration.com/freakflag Come and say hello! ✏️ @thegoodshipillustration🌏 www.thegoodshipillustration.comp.s. We love answering your illustration questions. Click here to submit your question for The Good Ship Illustration Podcast 🎙
We’re here to offer no-nonsense advice for illustrators and image-makers navigating a creative career. At The Good Ship Illustration, we are all about finding your creative voice, standing out from the crowd, building career-longevity, and being yourself. We're Helen Stephens, Katie Chappell and Tania Willis - 3 full-time bread-winning (mmm, bread) illustrators working in 3 separate niches of the illustration industry. Between us, we've clocked up over 70 years of experience and illustration wisdom, and we're here to share it!You’d love your creative work if only you could find more time to do it, make more money, and feel confident with what you make. We believe you DO have what it takes, illustration needn’t be scary, and we’re with you all the way, along with the rest of the crew in our online community.
Italia