Creative Director – Children’s Literature & Story Development (Volunteer)

About the role

The Creative Director – Children’s Literature & Story Development leads the vision, editorial cohesion, narrative architecture, and creative standards for MAP’s children’s book writing team. This role oversees story development across manuscripts, ensures narrative consistency and literary quality, and guides writers toward emotionally grounded, culturally responsive storytelling.

Responsibilities

• Define the creative vision and narrative standards for PromisePages
• Guide writers in story structure, character development, emotional pacing, and thematic integrity
• Oversee manuscript review cycles and developmental feedback processes
• Ensure alignment with age-appropriate literacy and social-emotional learning frameworks
• Collaborate with illustrators to ensure visual storytelling coherence
• Maintain editorial consistency across tone, voice, and cultural representation
• Identify narrative gaps or oversimplifications in early drafts
• Strengthen authenticity in stories reflecting housing instability and diverse lived experiences
• Contribute to series architecture, publishing roadmap, and long-term brand voice
• Collaborate with production teams on readiness for submission, CIP compliance, and final formatting standards
• Maintain timely, professional responsiveness via email and chat in Google Workspace

Qualifications

• Background in children’s literature, creative writing, publishing, English, or related field
• Demonstrated experience developing or editing children’s manuscripts
• Strong understanding of narrative structure and literary craft
• Ability to provide developmental editorial feedback
• Commitment to founding leadership role
• Structured engagement (minimum 5–10 hours per week for executive volunteer track; scalable during production cycles)
• 6-month minimum commitment preferred for continuity of story development

Preferred Skills

• Experience working with diverse cultural narratives
• Familiarity with trauma-informed storytelling principles
• Experience collaborating with illustrators and layout teams
• Knowledge of publishing standards, CIP processes, and manuscript preparation
• Experience leading creative teams or editorial boards