The Children’s Book Industry: How does it Work?

Curious about the intricacies of the children’s book industry? 

From Picture Book to YA and everything in between, writers and industry professionals share their experiences. What’s the relationship between writers and illustrators? Is BookTok a thing? How do you get an agent? Does anyone make any money? 

Join us for a discussion outlining the creativity, process and realities of writing and publishing books for children. 

Featuring Colleen Larmour, Jenny Ireland and Emma Layfield. 

Colleen Larmour is a children’s book author and illustrator from Lisburn.  She studied on the master’s course in Children’s Book Illustration at Cambridge School of Art. She has illustrated 10 picture books which include Brown Bears, Making Friends and the award winning Our Green City - named an Honour book in the Green Earth Book Awards and recipient of a Blueberry Changemaker book award. A Crocodile Should Never Skip Breakfast is Colleen’s new authored picture book, a delicious romp featuring hungry Croc, who can’t catch a break (or snack) on his way to work as the jungle ferry.

After 25 years working for Hachette Children’s Group as Group Picture Book Publisher and Picture Book Editorial Director, Emma Layfield recently made a permanent move to Children’s Book North to expand the growing network as a business. Emma is also a board trustee at Seven Stories in Newcastle, and mentors aspiring publishing professionals with Society of Young Publishers North.

Jenny Ireland is a Young Adult writer who lives outside Belfast with her husband, two children and border collie. She is a Law and French Law graduate. In 2019 she underwent emergency brain surgery. This experience gave her the gift of perspective and the drive to follow her dreams of writing. Her debut novel, The First Move, was published by Penguin in 2023 and her second novel, The Boy Next Door, was published by Penguin in 2024.