I’m excited to chat with many of you at our PBParty Prep Zoom on Wednesday, February 25 at 6 pm Eastern. Who plans to be there?

If you can’t make it live, I’ll share a recording here as soon as possible after the Zoom. We should have all questions answered by the end of the Zoom, but in case more pop up, you’re welcome to ask them.

During the Zoom, you’ll…
🌟Meet the amazing judges
🌟Receive tons of PBParty tips
🌟See 2025 stats
🌟Go through the Google entry forms
🌟Have all questions answered
🌟Get sprinkled with good luck fairy dust

PBParty Prep Zoom Recording

Click HERE to watch the recording. Enjoy!
Passcode: Xr3m*u$S

Ranking Party

Huge thanks to PBParty finalist and Success Story Callie Dean for running the Ranking Parties for us again. She always does an amazing job with them. 🙂

Here’s the form to sign up for a Ranking Party to help you figure out which manuscript to submit to the 2026 PBParty contest. Please fill it out by Monday, February 23 at 11:59 pm EST.

Callie will e-mail each group soon after. The form questions will help her find the best possible matches for the types of manuscripts, number of manuscripts exchanged, and the size of each group.

Keep writing, revising, seeking feedback, revising, and polishing not only your PBParty entry…but additional manuscripts in hopes of being in the showcase. Some agents request just the PBParty entry if interested, others ask for several manuscripts up front. Plus, most agents want to fall in love with more than one picture book manuscript before signing a client–so be ready to dazzle them!

Pssst…I invited all the agents on Thursday and Friday. So far, we have 25 agents who can’t wait to join the PBParty fun. Several raved about clients they signed from past showcases. I can’t wait to see the number soar–and start inviting editors by next week. 🙂

Here’s the BlueSky Starter Pack of agents, editors and ADs who participate in the PBParty contest. I created it last year and can’t wait to add more. Check them out! You can follow all of them with one click.

The PBParty contest will be here soon. Wahoooooo! The judges and I can’t wait to read your entries. 💗

Sidne Teske

· Reply

February 23, 2026 at 2:19 PM

Thank you for the information. I won’t be able to attend in person so am looking forward to hearing answers to questions. I understand that if your MS is under 200 words that it’s an automatic disqualification. I am an author-illustrator and have a wordless picture book that I was hoping to pitch. I guess I’m disqualified? Thank you. Sidne Teske

Mindy Alyse Weiss
· Reply

Author

February 23, 2026 at 2:39 PM

You’re welcome, Sidne.

You can enter your wordless picture book for consideration in the Illustration Showcase.

A wordless PB isn’t right for the main showcase because there is no text for the sample…and anything under 200 words total would have too much of it online to be safe.

The Illustration Showcase is really popular, and many agents, editors and art directors pop in to request a dummy and portfolio from there. Good luck!

If you still have questions after watching the recording, let me know. 🙂
- Sidne Teske
  · Reply
  
  February 26, 2026 at 3:08 PM
  
  Thank you, Mindy. I was unable to attend in person; because of time differences was unable to sign up for a ranking group. So my next questions are: Where do I find the forms so I can practice my answers and: I cannot figure out how to compress my image-heavy files to below 2 MB (I get them to 2.1MB). Do you have suggestions? Thank you again.

Cindy Pruett

February 23, 2026 at 4:21 PM

Yikes! I missed the deadline (which came and went earlier today) for the “ranking your manuscripts” situation. Would you just suggest allowing friends and family to weigh in on which pb manuscript is the best of what I’ve got? Thanks! Cindy

Mindy Alyse Weiss
· Reply

Author

February 24, 2026 at 3:39 AM

The form is still open–hop on as quickly as you can!

Friends and family typically don’t understand the PB market or the delicate balance of text and illustrations.

Getting onto the form before Callie creates the groups would be best, because you’ll be placed with others who write similar types of picture books. If you miss it, let us know and it’s possible you can be added to a group.

I can also shout out for those who missed the ranking party in the PBParty Participant Facebook group, if needed.

Kim Inghilterra

February 24, 2026 at 8:05 PM

Hi, I will be at the zoom meeting! Looking forward to meeting you in person! Thank you for everything.

Kaye Baillie

February 25, 2026 at 5:00 PM

Is the zoom meeting in one hour, Mindy? I haven’t received an email regarding my group allocation. Thank you, Kaye

Mindy Alyse Weiss
· Reply

Author

February 26, 2026 at 1:02 AM

I hope you made it to the Zoom meeting, Kaye.

Callie kept the Ranking Party form open a bit longer, which worked out great because a lot of participants signed up after the Zoom. You should receive an e-mail connecting you with your group in the next few days. 🙂

March 2, 2026 at 3:07 PM

Thank you Mindy, the Zoom session was great and thank you Callie I am in my ranking team and busily preparing. 😊

2026 PBParty Prep Zoom & Ranking Party

PBParty Prep Zoom Recording

Ranking Party

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