Simone Kaplan, children’s picture book consultant and founder of Picture Book People, discusses her journey from a book-loving childhood in South Africa, during a time of political tension, to working inside major New York publishing houses, as she developed her writing skills for young people. Ms. Kaplan also speaks about how her practice of the TM and TM-Sidhi^®programs has shaped the way she works—with clarity, calm, and deep respect for both the creators and the creative process.

Simone Kaplan began a career in South Africa in film production before moving into editorial roles with teenage and children’s magazines. She later moved to New York City, where she worked in traditional publishing at Henry Holt and Company and HarperCollins. During her years with major publishing houses, she gained firsthand insight into what makes a picture book truly succeed both creatively and commercially.

Simone Kaplan … discusses her journey from a book-loving childhood in South Africa, during a time of political tension, to working inside major New York publishing houses…

Drawing on that experience, Ms. Kaplan founded Picture Book People. Since then, she has worked with hundreds of writers worldwide—from first-time authors to bestselling professionals—helping them bring clarity, confidence, and creative depth to their work. She has developed a structured, teachable system that simplifies the process of writing picture books without sacrificing creativity.

Ms. Kaplan’s approach helps writers stop second-guessing themselves, learn from rejection, and transform promising ideas into meaningful manuscripts. Through courses and live mentoring, she empowers writers to bring their strongest, most authentic work to the page.

Christine Albers, host of TM Talks, interviewed Simone Kaplan. This interview was aired on February 22, 2026.