Episode 16 of Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations
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đź“ť Full transcript
What does it take to build a writing life that stretches across genres and age categories—from lyrical board books to middle grade novels, and even books for adults? In this episode of Nonfiction Kidlit Craft Conversations, I sat down with two authors who’ve mastered exactly that: Marzieh Abbas and Valerie Bolling.
Both write fiction and nonfiction for kids, and both have found ways to say yes to creative opportunities that help them grow. Our conversation covered everything from intuitive storytelling and market realities to plotting systems, creative focus, and what’s next for each of them.
Following the Story Where It Leads
When I asked what draws them to explore so many forms, Marzieh explained that it’s an intuitive process. Some stories arrive ready to be picture books. Others beg for longer treatment:
“Not every book is meant to be a picture book… Sometimes you go down a rabbit hole and might have two books out of one idea.”
Her chapter book debut began as a one-month work-for-hire sprint—and grew into an 18-book series. That leap opened a new lane she hadn’t planned on, but embraced wholeheartedly.
Valerie, meanwhile, shared that her own branching out came partly from market awareness and partly from opportunity. “Picture books are a tough sell right now,” she said, “so I looked at other ways to keep writing and connecting with readers.”
That mindset led her to write board books, early readers, and even books for teachers—each one an expansion of her creative toolkit.
When Fiction Meets Fact
Both writers straddle the line between fiction and nonfiction. Valerie tends to know from the start whether a project will be fiction or nonfiction, but she sets goals that push her craft in new directions—like writing prose instead of rhyme or trying historical fiction.
“You have to challenge yourself to stay interested and stay relevant,” she said in our chat about creative growth.
Marzieh’s approach is more fluid. Her nonfiction ideas sometimes transform into informational fiction—as happened when The Camel Library shifted to a camel’s point of view. “I’m open to where the story takes me,” she told me. That openness often leads her to blend poetic voice, culture, and fact in surprising ways.
Reading Like a Writer
Both guests stressed that reading fuels their versatility—but timing matters. Marzieh explained she avoids reading in the same genre while drafting so she can get her characters’ voices on the page. Valerie reads deeply before trying something new: “When I moved into picture book biographies, I read a lot of them first.”
They also shared their favorite discovery tools. Marzieh relies on Edelweiss+, Kidlit411, and author newsletters. Valerie tracks award lists, newsletters from libraries, Shelf Awareness and Publisher’s Weekly’s Children’s Bookshelf, and books by friends in her writing community.
Craft Across Categories
We talked about what changes—and what doesn’t—when writing for different age levels. Valerie’s key principle is always audience first. Whether she’s crafting a 30-word board book or a 30,000-word professional text, she’s focused on clarity, rhythm, and re-readability:
“No matter what you write, it should be engaging and make people want to come back to it.” (Watch this section)
For Marzieh, structure is the main adjustment. When writing longer forms like her middle-grade novel in verse, she leans on plotting tools like Save the Cat and uses spreadsheets to track timelines and character threads. “By the end,” she laughed, “my living room window was covered in Post-its.” (Watch her process)
Creative Bandwidth and Career Balance
One of my favorite parts of our talk centered on managing creative energy across projects. Valerie shared that while she’s currently focused on books for teachers, that focus can make it hard to switch gears:
“I’ve got teacher-book brain right now.” (See this moment)
Marzieh, on the other hand, thrives on juggling multiple projects. When one stalls, she shifts to another—sometimes in a different age category. “It keeps me productive while things are on submission,” she said. That adaptability, she added, also helps navigate option clauses and slow publishing timelines.
Looking Ahead
We wrapped up with a look to the future. Marzieh hopes to write an adult self-help or productivity book—drawing from her own creative persistence. Valerie is considering a poetry collection for children that could pair with her upcoming book for teachers. Both are proof that there’s no single path to a thriving writing life—just curiosity, courage, and community.
As Valerie put it beautifully near the end:
“You have to keep growing. That’s how you stay inspired.”
Watch & Subscribe
đź”—Connect with Marzieh here.
đź”—Connect with Valerie here.
🎥 Watch Episode 16: Writing Across Genres and Age Categories in KidLit
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