I learned this week about Authors & Illustrators for Children, which is seeking children’s book creators to add their names to an advertisement supporting Barack Obama for President.

Politically, I’m on board with this. But as a practical matter, it gives me pause.

Children’s book authors and illustrators are among my favorite people on the planet. But are we politically influential? As authors and illustrators, more so than as regular citizens? I doubt it.

I just hope that the action and enthusiasm of the hundreds people who have already signed up doesn’t stop with the zero-commitment step of adding their names to a list. If the outcome of this election is important to you, now is the time for you to carve some hours or even minutes out of your schedule — even if it means cutting into your writing or illustrating or promotional work — to help bring about the results you’re looking for.

There are voters to register, phone calls to make, and citizens to encourage to actually get to the polls. I know some children’s book authors and illustrators who are already doing these things. If you’ve signed up for the advertisement (or think it’s great that others have), I hope you’ll be doing them, too.