As an aspiring children’s book author, I’m a student of the kidlit industry. An apprentice.
On this blog I record what I learn from participating in critique groups, attending conferences and workshops, reading books and blogs, and talking to published authors.
Hopefully you’ll find something that’s useful to you. But please remember, publishing is a subjective industry. The information I collect from one editor might not agree with another professional’s opinion.
So take what works for you. Leave everything else behind.
And keep writing!
Thanks for visiting.
9 comments
Comments feed for this article
March 9, 2009 at 9:00 pm
CA
I look forward to visiting your blog for added inspiration.
April 8, 2009 at 7:23 pm
Taylor Beisler
Nice!
Keep writing; that’s definitely the key!! 
I just recently became a YA author and that was some hard work right there, but it was truly worth while. 
Hope your writing becomes a success!
God bless,
Taylor J. Beisler
http://www.taylorbeisler.com
http://www.eloquentbooks.com/ArintSaratir-WarriorsLight.html
May 2, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Robin Tyndall
Thanks Taylor! I love your site! (Mine is dull.) I am an aspiring YA and kidlit writer but I love flash fiction (just entered the WOW contest). Your site reaffirms I’m not alone in the journey.
May 13, 2009 at 2:51 pm
Donald Saxman
I found your site when we bid on the same critique on the Bridget Zinn auction. What kind of high tech marketing did you do?
I’ve published about 80 non-fiction technology market reports over the years and my day job is a proposal writer and business analyst. But what I REALLY want to do is publish science fiction. I’ve published a few SF role playing games over the years but (as I bet you already know) none of this is the same if you love fiction writing.
Anyway, I’d be happy to exchange any information on non-fiction writing, especially technology analysis, and can assist in getting this kind of thing published through a non-fiction writer’s co-op (see http://www.stix-market-research.com).
I’m pretty good at this, but am pretty bad at marketing my YA-ish science fiction novels and could use all the help I can get in this area (see http://www.thesestrangeworlds.com).
Maybe there’s somebody out there who is a marvel at YA marketing who badly wants to get into tech analysis (seems unlikely, but I can dream).
June 2, 2009 at 10:47 am
Vicki
Hi Tara
Congrats on all of this! I didn’t realise you wrote. Hope to bump in to you sometime and catch up on the kids.
Vicki
July 6, 2009 at 4:59 pm
Taylor
Hi there! I just now saw your comment! I’m so sorry…life is really busy.
And, thank you about my site! Yours is not dull at all; it’s clean-cut and nice to look at…believe me: a lot of people get all caught up in a bunch of fancy stuff and it looks crazy. This is nice! That’s so great that you are an aspiring YA author; you’re right: you are definitely not alone out there! Keep writing! I hope to see your name on a book shelf some day!
God bless,
Taylor J. Beisler
July 29, 2009 at 4:50 pm
Nina Aksell
Hi. I just found your blog and want to thank you for this great resource. I’ll be popping by regularly.
September 1, 2009 at 4:29 am
Nicola Morgan
Hi
So sorry to bother you but I notice that you’ve very kindly linked to my publishing blog (Help! I Need a Publisher!) on your blog. I need to tell you that I’ve just moved it to a new address and I’d be really grateful if you could find time to change your link.
The new address is: http://www.helpineedapublisher.blogspot.com
If you want to confirm that this is actually me, do go to the old blog at http://www.need2bpublished.blogspot.com through your existing link, and see the message I have left there.
Thank you!
Best wishes
Nicola
Nicola Morgan, children’s author
http://www.nicolamorgan.co.uk
http://www.helpineedapublublisher.blogspot.com
September 7, 2009 at 7:25 pm
Chris Wilson
Hi Tara –
Came across your blog through a link on someone else’s blog (linda-leftbrainwrite). I just started a website myself a few months ago, on children’s literature. Still not sure where I’m going with it, but was told I should add a page on how to get published.
Like you, I LOVE children’s books and someday hope to write one. Unlike you, I’m not currently working on one. Am still trying to make money doing the stuff I’ve done in the past (writing articles & newsletters, editing, and a little copywriting thrown in now and then).
I’m bookmarking your blog, and will probably mention it in my own blog at my Kids-and-Books site.
Good luck getting published!