In addition to researching, drafting, and revising nonfiction and/or picture books…

and submitting and promoting my nonfiction/picture books…

and visiting schools to make presentations about those nonfiction/picture books…

I offer one-on-one consulting to other writers about researching, drafting, revising, submitting, promoting, and visiting schools to make presentations about their own nonfiction/picture books!

(Nonfiction picture books are what I know best, but I can help out with other types of books for young readers, too — I’ve written my share of fiction picture books and delved deep into middle grade and YA nonfiction as both a reader and as a contest judge.)

My rates begin at $100 for an hour on Zoom discussing your project, and my services run the gamut from research advice to manuscript critiques to help with adapting published books into engaging presentations for an array of audience ages.

If you’re interested, the best first step is just to get in touch either right here through my website or via the Reedsy platform and let me know more about what you’re looking for.

Here’s what author Cynthia Levinson, Sibert Medal winner for The People’s Painter, says about what I have to offer:

Chris Barton’s expertise covers every aspect of nonfiction and fiction picture books—finding inspired ideas, archival and personal research, story structure, voice, even titles and dedications! Chris’s probing questions and supportive, insightful critiques have boosted my writing immeasurably.

From Don Tate, author of Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton and It Jes’ Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw:

As a skilled writer, editor, and expert analyzer of children’s nonfiction, Chris Barton has helped me to put better books out into the world, period. He dug into my manuscripts thoroughly and studied the content beyond my expectations. Many times, Chris conducted his own research, and then offered additional resources I could use to learn more about my subject. He has a way of seeing a story from varying vantage points, and has helped me to discover blind spots that need to be addressed when rewriting. My two most award-winning books have Chris Barton’s fingerprints all over them. I highly recommend his services.

From Annette Dauphin Simon, author of Spine Poems: An Eclectic Collection of Found Verse for Book Lovers and picture books including Robot Zombie Frankenstein! and Mocking Birdies:

As a writer for young readers, Chris is part analyst, part poet, part comic, and part wizard. As a trusted critique partner, he’s all that and more. Whether a manuscript is silly or serious, fictitious or factual, Chris’s thoughtful feedback and gentle questions practically summon any magic within.

And from Pat Zietlow Miller, the New York Times bestselling author of Be Kind and Sophie’s Squash:

Writing can be a very solitary endeavor, and after a while, you stop being a good judge of what you’ve written. Is it working? Who knows? Chris is a great, objective resource. He’s looked at many of my manuscripts with fresh eyes and provided thoughtful feedback that’s helped me keep going down the path I started or move seamlessly to a better one.

I’m looking forward to helping you, too!