Guest blog by Sarah Jane Abbott

​As a writer myself, I understand the struggle of trying to figure out when a story is “finished.” Is it ready to submit? Or does it just need a few more months of tinkering before it’s ready to be extracted from the bowels of my laptop? The truth is, it’s easy to make little adjustments to a manuscript forever and never send it out. There’s a fine line between putting thoughtful, thorough revision into your manuscript and completely overworking it. So how is one to decide when it’s time to stop tinkering and start querying?

Take A Step Back

One of my best tips is to take a step back for perspective. It’s easy to get so close to a manuscript that objectivity is impossible; if you’ll excuse the cliché, you can’t see the forest for the trees. So put the manuscript away and work on something else. Try not to even think about it for several weeks. Then, when you come back to it, it should feel fresher and you may be able to see it in a way you couldn’t before. Maybe you’ll realize it needs more revision after all. Or maybe, after being away from it, you’ll see that it’s stronger and more polished than you remembered.

Read Aloud

​Picture books are a unique and special form in literature in that they are often read aloud. I always suggest that authors read their work out loud before finalizing it. This will help you see numerous things: Is the language colorful and engaging? In a rhyming text, do the rhyme, rhythm, and meter flow naturally? Does the pacing move along quickly enough to keep a child’s attention, while allowing time for the plot to develop? If all of these things feel good during read aloud, it’s a positive sign that the manuscript is polished.

Get Feedback from Critique Partners

Another helpful tool to gauge readiness for submission can be input from a trusted critique partner or group. It’s one thing to have a non-writer family member or friend read your work; you’ll often be met with sincere, but vague feedback like, “this is really great!” Peers who are familiar with the world of writing for children specifically will be able to give targeted, constructive feedback on your work. Your critique partners can give their honest opinions about the readiness of the manuscript for submission and, if they think it still needs work, their thoughts on how it can be revised.

The possible pitfall, of course, is taking so much feedback from so many critique partners that you lose your own voice or intention. Maybe you’ve followed several different suggestions and ended up with so many different versions of your manuscript you barely remember the story you were trying to write in the first place. Maybe you’ve written both rhyming and non-rhyming versions, both first and third person narration, in past and present tense. It gets confusing! Or maybe you’ve tinkered and tinkered and even though you think it’s a strong manuscript, you just can’t seem to make yourself press send on any queries.

​If you feel stuck, maybe it’s time to bring in a professional. A freelance editor can use their experience and industry knowledge to give you an expert opinion on your manuscript’s readiness for submission as well as what areas need revision. They can read multiple versions and tell you which one they think is the strongest, or help you pull together the best pieces from different iterations of the manuscript to make the heart of your story shine through.

Celebrate!

Most of all, the important thing to remember if you’re thinking you’re ready to query is: it’s a big accomplishment just to be at this point! So take a breath, take a step back, and read through that manuscript one more time. Pressing send can be scary, but once you’ve put in the work to polish up a story you’re confident in, it’s an incredibly satisfying feeling to send it out into the world.

​Sarah Jane Abbott is an experienced editor who has spent eight years making books for children. She got her start at Simon & Schuster’s Paula Wiseman Books and Beach Lane Books, where she had the pleasure of working with many wonderful authors and illustrators including Samantha M. Clark, Samantha Cotterill, Scott Magoon, Anita Lobel, Alice B. McGinty, and Diane Goode. In 2020, she established Sarah Jane Abbott Editorial, and works with authors and publishers on a wide range of projects. Visit her at sarahjaneabbotteditorial.com or get in touch at sarahjaneabbotteditorial@gmail.com. 

~Guest Post by Amanda Davis
​
Hello fellow-24 Carrot Writers! My name is Amanda Davis. I’m an author-illustrator and high school art educator. My debut creative nonfiction picture book, 30,000 STITCHES: THE INSPIRING STORY OF THE NATIONAL 9/11 FLAG, will be hitting shelves May 4th. The story is illustrated by the amazing Sally Wern Comport and will be releasing with WorthyKids/Hachette Book Group. Thank you to the 24 Carrot Writing team for inviting me onto the blog today. I’m excited to kick off my MINI BLOG TOUR for my cover reveal (more about this at the end of the post)  by chatting about all things nonfiction. 
​I learned a lot about writing nonfiction from crafting my debut and attempted to boil my process down to the Three ‘R’s of Writing Nonfiction for Children.
Let’s dive in!

1. The first ‘R’ of Writing Nonfiction for Children is RESEARCH:
 
The research for my debut picture book, 30,000 STITCHES began seven years before I ever started drafting a manuscript for it. Late summer of 2011, I was searching for a lesson I could facilitate with my high school art students to honor the tenth remembrance of 9/11. As I was researching, I came across the story of the National 9/11 Flag and knew I needed to share it with students. We learned all about the flag and then created our own patched together flag inspired by the story

The story of the flag continued to linger, and as I began more seriously diving into the world of kidlit, I was drawn back to it. I have a background in journalism so uncovering stories, facts, and resources, is right up my alley!
 
My boiled down nuggets from the research are:

• Ask yourself why?:  To begin your research, ask yourself, why am I writing this story? Why is it important to me? Why is it important for my readers to learn about? Why am I the person to write it? For me, I was not directly impacted by 9/11 but was alive during the events, which will forever be ingrained in my memory. This pushed me to want to teach about the events in my classroom every year. Through these lessons and projects, I’ve connected with so many amazing and selfless individuals who were directly impacted by the tragedy and will forever feel a connection to them and a responsibility to continue to teach about the events so we never forget. I hope the story of the flag reminds people about hope and healing, about the power of our shared stories, and our ability to rise from the shadows if we unite and come together. That is my why for writing 30,000 STITCHES.

 

• Gather reliable sources: If you’ve answered the above questions and decide that you would like to forge ahead with your story idea, I can’t stress enough the importance of finding reliable sources. I feel fortunate that through my research, I connected with many amazing people like the Ground Zero superintendent, and the Flag Tour Staff. Their stories, courage, and selflessness inspired me and they were integral in helping me get the details of the story correct.  To start, I suggest compiling a list of people who were close to the story. Gather their contact information (some detective skills might be needed here) and reach out. Cold calling can be awkward but it’s well worth it in the long run. Many times, people are happy to share their stories and information with you.  You may even get some wonderfully useful information that will spark a whole different seed or trajectory for your story. And the worst that may happen--you won’t hear back. Try not to take this personally and feel good knowing that you tried!

 

• Well-Researched and Complete Back Matter: If you are new to writing nonfiction, I suggest learning all about back matter. Find as many different examples of back matter as you can. When I was navigating how to put together the back matter for my book, I referenced piles of other picture books. From creative timelines to actual photos*, there are many fun ways you can craft your back matter.  I also suggest fully fleshing out the back matter before submitting it to editors and agents. This could give you a leg up when they’re reading your story. I’m a geek for nonfiction, and love me some interesting back matter but I like to believe that agents and editors do, too! When querying, I made sure to mention that I had well-researched back matter and interviewed primary sources who helped verify the details of my story. This element could help your query shine! Because my story is a lyrical creative nonfiction narrative, I left many of the straight facts for the back matter. This put an added weight on the validity of what I chose to incorporate in the back matter and also became a delicate balance of how much of the facts do I include in the story versus in the back matter, which leads me to the next point--

* Side note: If you plan on using photos in your back matter or including photos when you submit to an agent or editor, either 1) make sure you are the owner of those photos or 2) if you are not the owner, make sure you can get signed permissions to use the photos in the book. The publisher will need this from you and in most cases, it will be your job to get it. 
 
2. The second ‘R’ is for REVISION:
After the bulk of my research was complete (or so I thought), I began to revise my story…and revise…and revise again. Looking back, I’m afraid to officially count the number of versions I have so I’ll just leave it at countless. We all know that revision is part of every writer’s process but I noticed I felt an added weight when it came to writing nonfiction because there was no room for error when it came to relaying the facts of the story and the subject matter.
 
My boiled down nuggets for revision are:

• Balance is key: Before the story got acquired, the hardest part about my revisions was balancing how much of the hard facts to include in the story and how much to leave in the back matter. I wanted readers to understand the story without having to read the back matter but also didn’t want to disrupt the lyrical nature of the text by inserting too much of an expository type narrative.  To confuse matters further, when I was submitting to agents and editors, some praised my lyrical writing while others felt it was too sparse and wanted more of the back matter inserted into the main text. This contradicting feedback became a point of struggle for me as I revised and continues to be an area of growth as I write other nonfiction stories. In the end, you only have to find one person who is going to believe in the story and align with your vision. Thankfully, my agent for the story, Melissa Richeson, was that person and later, my editor Peggy Schaefer at WorthyKids connected with my vision as well.

 

• Keep all your notes and versions!! The version of the story that I originally sent WorthyKids was around 780 words and the version that my agent followed up with was around 220 words. Before signing me, the editors asked if we had a version that was somewhere in between. Thankfully, I did! My agent quickly sent along a version that was around 500 words, and we later signed a deal. If I hadn’t saved all my versions or had those three different versions to offer, I hate to think this would have been a deal breaker, but who knows! I’m thankful I held onto all my revisions and kept them (somewhat) organized so that when I needed them, they could easily be referenced. Sometimes when we revise, it can feel like an endless venture but I like to think that with 30,000 STITCHES, each of those drafts ultimately led me to the one that landed me an agent and later a book deal!

 
3. The third and final ‘R’ in writing for nonfiction is REPEAT:
Once you land a deal for your nonfiction story, your research and revision will most likely be on repeat. There will be questions to answer, details to check, and countless times you will dive back into your sources for information.

• Don’t forget the art: Just like the text, the art will need fact-checking and revising, too-especially with nonfiction. If you are fortunate enough to get the opportunity to be involved in this process, don’t be afraid to speak up and share your thoughts.

 

• Just Ask: You should be the subject matter expert of your story and therefore can be utilized as a resource when questions arise. If you find that you aren’t being tapped into for insights during this part of the process, it can’t hurt to ask to be involved. Let your editor know you would love to see the sketches or that you have resources available to them if they need references to help check for accuracy. It will be easier to correct any inaccuracies at the development stage, and everyone will be thankful for that in the end.

 
If you are taking on the challenge of writing nonfiction, hooray! I hope you found these nuggets of information helpful in your process. For me, there is an undeniable pleasure in knowing that I’m sharing an important, true story with the world and making it accessible and fun for children to read and learn about. What could possibly be cooler than that?
 
I’d like to leave you with one final BONUS ‘R’ for the road, which is ROCKS, because simply put, when you truly boil it all down, nonfiction ROCKS!

I hope you will join me in celebrating my cover reveal by following along with the tour. I’ll be stopping by the places below, and using the #30000StitchesTour. There will be fun giveaways and prizes along the way!

Today’s giveaway is a chance to win one of 10 (ten) signed copies of 30,000 STITCHES!
​Enter the giveaway below. Be sure to check out tomorrow’s stop on the tour over at author, Brian Gehrlein’s PB Spotlight blog. I’ll be in conversation with my agent for 30,000 STITCHES, Melissa Richeson, and she’ll be offering a generous giveaway. Stay tuned! 
Happy Creating!
​~Amanda
Enter for a chance to win one of 10 (ten) signed copies of 30,000 STITCHES here:

Amanda Davis is a teacher, artist, writer, and innovator who uses her words and pictures to light up the world with kindness. After losing her father at the age of twelve, Amanda turned to art and writing as an outlet. It became her voice. A way to cope. A way to escape. And a way to tell her story. She was thus inspired to teach art and pursue her passion for writing and illustrating children’s books. Through her work, Amanda empowers younger generations to tell their own stories and offers children and adults an entryway into a world of discovery. A world that can help them make sense of themselves, others, and the community around them. A world where they can navigate, imagine, and feel inspired—over and over again. When she’s not busy creating, you can find her sipping tea, petting dogs, and exploring the natural wonders of The Bay State with her partner and rescue pup, Cora.
 
Amanda is represented by Jennifer Unter of The Unter Agency.
​
Her debut picture book, 30,000 STITCHES, hits stores May 4, 2021 with WorthyKids/Hachette Book Group. 
 
 To connect with Amanda and learn more about her work:
Visit her online at amandadavisart.com (http://amandadavisart.com/)
Twitter @amandadavisart (https://twitter.com/amandadavisart)
Instagram @amandadavis_art  (https://www.instagram.com/amandadavis_art/)
and Facebook. (http://facebook.com/amandadavisart)
​

Guest post by Francine Puckly

A little over a year ago I made the very difficult but necessary decision to retire from 24 Carrot Writing after five wonderful years. I have missed the camaraderie with my friends and co-founders, and I’m excited to be invited back this week to talk about what I hold near and dear — reimagining creative visions, establishing long-term plans, and setting tangible, immediate goals.

Each new year I take several hours (or sometimes a luxurious whole day!) to celebrate the concluding year’s accomplishments and reassess my goals for the year ahead. In the summer of 2019, I saw a large gap in my September calendar approaching — my kids would both be departing for college while at the same time my husband was heading out of town on business. Rather than pack the days and evenings with hikes and dinners with friends (oh, so tempting!), I trusted my gut to take that time for some extensive reflection. I spent four solid days at home — all to myself — to reexamine my writing vision. What I realized during that block of time was that I had become a little too comfortable with my routine and wasn’t exactly thrilled with how I was spending my writing time.

I gathered the nerve to make several pronounced changes to my commitments. While it was scary to be unmoored from what was comfortable and familiar, I created an avenue for new opportunities to seep in. And seep they did! I had additional novel-writing time and took on a freelance editing gig in June that led to a full-time writer/editor position in December, but the biggest shift was that I found myself hired by a publisher to write and submit an entire manuscript in seventeen days!

The work-for-hire pursuit would not have come about if I hadn’t cleared ample space for it. I was e-introduced to the editor in May, and after an initial video interview, she asked me to submit several writing samples for a couple of different book ideas. We went back and forth several times, during which time I submitted additional samples, incorporated editorial feedback and provided revisions. The editor pitched the project to the editorial team, they authorized it, and we set off on our own version of Operation Warp Speed. (For more details of that process and my  takeaways, see Lessons from a Seventeen-Day Book Sprint.) Because I redirected my efforts and reset my long-term goals, The Word-a-Day Vocabulary Workbook, not even a thought seven months ago, hits bookstores today!

The poet, Wendell Berry, said it best. “The life we want is not merely the one we have chosen and made. It is the one we must be choosing and making.” What life will you be choosing and making in 2021?

Here’s what I wish for all creatives this year (beyond health and well-being): Before you set your goals, may you have plenty of time for self-reflection. May you have the courage to make the necessary changes in your life that will bring joy, surprise, and authenticity to your creative endeavors. And may you trust yourself — always — because, deep down, you know what’s best for you.
Warmest best wishes for a joyful writing year!

 
Francine Puckly’s debut book, The Word-a-Day Vocabulary Workbook (Adams Media), is an entertaining nonfiction blend of 365 obscure words, amusing word trivia, and thought-provoking daily writing prompts, perfect for writers who need to get their creative juices flowing each day. It hits stores near you Tuesday, January 12, 2021.
 
You can find Francine online at francinepuckly.com, on Facebook at Francine Puckly, Author, and on Twitter and Instagram @francinepuckly.

 Amanda Smith is a co-founder of 24 Carrot Writing. Her poems "Stingray" and "Cuttlefish" can be found in the Writers' Loft's newest illustrated anthology FRIENDS AND ANEMONES: Ocean Poems for Children. Learn more about Amanda at AmandaSmithWrites.

In June, 2017, this appeared in my inbox:

If you’re intrigued by magazine writing, the first step is to find magazines to write for. There’s a list in The Book, available to members on the SCBWI website. Parents’ Choice Award-winning magazines are listed on their website (https://www.parentschoice.org/product-category/magazines/). If you are really serious, get an account on submittable.com, where you can Discover and Follow magazines, get on their email lists, and keep track of your submissions.
 
Next, go to a magazine’s websites and click on “submissions” (often cleverly hidden in the “contact” section). There, magazines list how to submit material, what format they want it in, and most importantly, what the magazine is currently looking for.
 
Finally, read a few issues. Get an idea of the tone of the articles and what kinds of topics they cover. Check your local library or request a sample issue.
 
If you write fiction, you’ll submit a full article. If you write nonfiction, most magazines ask for a query or pitch.
 
A pitch consists of a paragraph or two describing the scope of your proposed article, an outline, and a list of references you will use. Write your pitch in the format requested by the magazine. Your cover letter (or email) should include your qualifications and a hook: why are kids interested in this? Why is this piece right for Magazine X? As with querying agents and editors, your pitch and cover letter should be your best work and reflect your voice. When you’re starting out, submit pitches that are aligned with your career, hobby, or education.
 
If your pitch is accepted, make sure to meet your deadline (say no if you can’t) and write the number of words asked for, in the agreed-upon outline.
 
If your pitch is rejected, remember that most magazines are fewer than 50 pages, and there are other writers submitting their work. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and submit some more pitches. Or submit the pitch somewhere else!
 
Not only is magazine writing a great way to get published before you get published, but you will also gain an understanding of the publishing process. You’ll experience working with an editor, meeting deadlines, writing to spec, researching, and writing concisely. All skills that editors and agents appreciate.
 
For a more detailed look at the children’s magazine market, check out The Book, the SCBWI Non-Fiction & Work for Hire blueboard thread, and http://evelynchristensen.com/mags.html.

Meg Thacher’s debut book, Sky Gazing: a guide to the Moon, Sun, stars, eclipses, and constellations (Storey Publishing) comes out on October 13, 2020. Find her—and more magazine info—at megthacher.com.

To purchase a copy of Meg's debut book click here. 

Priscilla Alpaugh: Working on the Anthologies was a rare chance to work with such a large group of artists. It was wonderful to see each other’s work and be able to share constructive criticism with one another. It’s a treat to read the poems that the Lofters wrote. So many talented writers! It’s energizing to know that everyone is working towards the same goal.
It is always a challenge to combine different poems on one page or spread. I was lucky and got one of the easier combinations. In each case I went in with a pretty clear idea of what I wanted in the image. Starting with thumbnails for composition and then sketches for content led to a final sketch where I could also consider value. I typically combine watercolor and pencil digitally, but this time it was mostly all digital.

​To learn more about Priscilla, visit http://priscillaalpaugh.com/

Leanne Leutkemeyer: I enjoyed the feeling of community. I love the energy and excitement of being in a room with creative people. I enjoyed being part of the team. This project introduced me to so many wonderful and talented writers and illustrators. The timing of this project was perfect for me. It took my mind off the world and let me escape into oceans, play with whales and stingrays, and make art. The Zoom meetings helped fight feelings of isolation.
However, getting art direction from a group can be a challenge. It can be intimidating to sit shoulder to shoulder with artists you admire. In a meeting full of voices, it’s hard to catch and absorb all of the suggestions as they fly by. I scribbled many notes. It’s more challenging to have group input, but also exciting and inspiring to see the incredible work everyone was putting out.             
In which ways did it stretch me?  I developed new painting techniques to work large and discovered different scanning techniques. I’m excited about the new photoshop skills I’ve picked up through this project. In the past I’ve always fixed mistakes on the illustration as I painted or started over till I got it right. It’s pretty mind-blowing to be able to add an extra tail on a stingray while painting and know that I’ll be able to take the earlier one out that wasn’t working, and not have to repaint the whole illustration.

​To learn more about Leanne, visit ​https://www.leanneluetkemeyer.com/

​Amanda Davis: I was honored to have the opportunity to illustrate several poems in this year’s anthology. It’s the first time my illustrations are appearing in a published children’s book alongside many other talented creators to boot! For this particular anthology, illustrators brought to life the fun and crazy creatures of the sea. I knew I wanted to garner a likeness to the creatures in the poems while also putting my own original spin on them. Typically, my process involves drawing from my imagination or from real-life models or scenes. Since I didn’t have access to real-life models of vampire squids or narwhals, I knew this part of my process was going to be a challenge. With the help of the Loft team, I learned more about properly using reference images, avoiding copyright issues, and finding creative ways to craft original models using materials such as clay.  Because I was illustrating for publication, I also felt an added pressure to get it right. This meant practice, practice, practice and revise, revise, revise! I enjoyed working collaboratively with the other artists and design team who provided me with valuable feedback that helped polish my work. The whole experience was a learning process, and I’m grateful for the knowledge and patience of the Loft community. I can’t wait to share our beautiful, seaworthy collection with the world! 
To learn more about Amanda Davis, visit https://www.amandadavisart.com

Joy Nelkin Wieder: Working as a team was the most exciting and educational process in working on an anthology with other Lofters. I learned so much about marketing a children’s book from others on the team that I was able to apply everything I learned when my own book launched in January. Everything from writing up a press release, to making contacts at local bookstores and media outlets, to participating in book signings and presentations, to creating marketing materials such as flyers and posters. During the marketing of An Assortment of Animals, I took the lead in putting together art exhibitions of our original artwork from the anthology. Our framed illustrations were displayed at the Art and Frame Emporium in Westborough and the Hopkinton Art Center in Hopkinton. We currently have an online exhibit of illustrations with the Acton Memorial Library – check it out here: https://www.actonmemoriallibrary.org/events-programs/art-exhibition/ 

​Visit Joy's website at http://jnwieder.com/ to learn more.

Doreen Buchinski: ​I was honored to design An Assortment of Animals. It was a wonderful opportunity and a chance to challenge myself. As a graphic designer, I’ve created brochures, logos, promotional materials, etc., but hadn’t explored designing picture books. I was excited and terrified of the herculean project ahead. Applying principals of good design to the book layout—like alignment, balance, repetition, contrast, type, and space—was priority. Tasks included: researching fonts, colors, and on-demand printing, managing art files, emails, edits, and file prep, while also completing my own anthology illustrations. Yes, there were days when the project felt overwhelming—but I stayed focused on each day’s priorities. With superb anthology editors, Kristen Wixted and Heather Kelly, the Writers' Loft founder, at the helm, the development and completion of the book was successful. Collaborating with talented illustrators and authors, and displaying their beautiful art and poetry on the pages of the book were experiences I will always treasure. 

​Visit Doreen's website at ​https://www.doreenbuchinski.com/

Sarah Brannen: For me, the first step was picking the creatures I was going to illustrate. I went back and forth with the editors as they sorted out who would make art for which poem. I specifically requested jellyfish and they were kind enough to make that work. I also thought I’d like to do sea glass. I was an avid collector as a child and I still have a jar of my very best pieces, which include even rare colors like yellow and pink. 

Kristen Wixted and I talked a lot about how to group the poems. It was her idea to do a spread of things found on the beach, so that I could do a trompe-l’oeil image of everything spread out on the sand. At the last minute Kristen asked me to illustrate the very last poem in the book, Sea Serenity. My most recent book, A Perfect Day, is set on the ocean and it opens with a very calm image of the ocean at dawn. We both felt that something similar would be perfect to close the anthology as well. I sketched a very old wooden lobster pot buoy that I’ve had since I was little, although I changed the colors to white, blue and green. It’s meant to evoke, in some way, the earth itself. Old buoys have numbers carved into them so I put “2020” on the one in the illustration. 

​My web site is www.sarahbrannen.com.

Jodie Apeseche: When illustration assignments were divvied out, I was super excited. I felt that everything was in my wheelhouse-lobsters, cuttlefish, crabs, sea otters, seahorse and sea dragon-yup those would be fun.
 The tricky part was how to make my illustrations connect to the  poems while keeping in my style of painting. For example, after reading Lobster Rainbow more carefully, I was faced with a predicament. I had not realized that I would have to paint 6 different colored lobsters.  I couldn’t figure out how to do that without making a very cluttered illustration. 
 Solution, I created a lobster grid a la Andy Warhol. Problem solving is such a big part of illustration and I owe gratitude to author, Jean Taft, for pushing me to that end.

​For more about Jodie, visit  jodieapeseche.weebly.com or http://art-jam.net/

FRIENDS AND ANEMONES: OCEAN POEMS FOR CHILDREN is set to launch in November and is chock-full of whimsy, fun, and freaky animal facts that will delight children and adults. To learn more about the Writers' Loft visit  www.thewritersloft.org/ and www.thewritersloft.org/anthology for information regarding previous anthologies.

By Ashley Benham Yazdani
 
In most picture books the characters that we write about are humans, or animals, or at least some kind of organism. But what if you want to tell the story of a place? When writing my nonfiction book, A Green Place to Be: The Creation of Central Park, I sought to tell the story of one of America’s beloved landscapes and its two designers, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux.

Bio: Ashley Yazdani is a picture book author/illustrator, reader, and nature lover. She received her MFA from the Illustration Practice Program at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and her BFA in Illustration from California College of the Arts. She has taught illustration courses at the Maryland Institute College of Art, and Towson University. Her debut book, A Green Place to Be, is currently available from Candlewick Press and can be found at your local bookstore. Her tools of the trade are watercolors, colored pencils, and Photoshop, but she also enjoys embroidery, block printing, and screen printing. When not pushing pigment or pixels around, Ashley can be found reading, sewing, or running around in the great outdoors. She lives in Minneapolis with her husband and son. ​

​Kelly Carey presents a guest interview with Jordan Standridge, Marketing Associate, Charlesbridge Publishing

Prior to the release of my debut picture book, many colleagues had warned me that the marketing work for my book would fall squarely and heavily on my shoulders. That was a bit terrifying! I was new to this rodeo and the marketing bulls were rippling with scary muscles and fuming with bad smoky breath. I dove into research, determined to be a marketing bronco buster, and then along came Jordan Standridge, Marketing Associate at Charlesbridge Publishing. And suddenly, I was no longer alone.
 
I have been incredibly relieved to find that Jordan has proved to be both a partner and champion in marketing my book – which is really our book! I’ve invited Jordan to join us for 24 Carrot Writing’s July Marketing Month to explain how authors can help market their book, what they can expect from their publishing house, and how to have a good marketing partnership with your publisher.
 
Thanks for joining us Jordan!

Thanks for having me, Kelly! It’s been such a pleasure working with you on How Long is Forever?. 

​As the Marketing Associate for Charlesbridge, I work closely with authors. So really, anything that falls under that umbrella: I’m in touch with indie bookstores across the country, and help get events set up; I submit authors and their books for festivals, if timing and fit are there, and organize the planning leading up to it; I reach out to various outlets/influencers for publicity opportunities, and mailing out advance/complimentary copies; I pitch upcoming books at bookseller regionals/conferences, too! Basically, if you’re an author with book releasing with us, we’re going to be working together.

​Many debut authors don’t know where to begin in marketing their book. What are some essential first steps debut authors should take in preparing for a book release? 
 
As much as I am going to help get your book out there in the world, it’s so helpful to have an author to work with that is willing to put in the work, right there with me. So how can a debut author be a partner to market their book?

• Introduce yourself to your local indies, and get to know the kids’ department staff (supporting these stores is a great idea, too). Don’t force anything, but be genuine about it. It shouldn’t be a one-time deal, but an over time, thing. I worked at Powell’s Books in Portland, OR as the Kids’ Lead for a number of years, and we had a bunch of local kid lit creators come through and we’d talk picture books. Usually, it wasn’t even about their books, but the new releases that just came out. When it gets closer to your own release, they’ll be much more likely to order copies and want to host you for an event. So possibly higher quantities, and signing opportunities, too?
• Be willing to put yourself out there. This is definitely connected to the first idea. What I thought was really cool about Portland’s kid lit community was how they all supported one another. When someone had a new book coming out, they all went to the bookstore event and bought a copy. Go and mingle with your fellow local creators — get to know them, and let them get to know you. Do you have a card? Some will likely be active on social media and champion other kid lit work, or have a kit lit blog, and they could be a supporter of you — but they have to know who you are first!
  
• Have a social media presence and your own website. Some self-promotion is key! Let people know when your book is coming out; when and where you have upcoming bookstore events; if you’re also the illustrator, share your illustrations. It can’t always be about you, so share the release dates of your new creator friends and their events. Show support for your local bookstores — cool kids’ book displays, purchases you made. What’s happening soon — Children’s Book Week? Independent Bookstore Day? Get yourself in the mix.
  
• Plan and practice a presentation, and have a tie-in activity. I hope you like public speaking! If that gives you anxiety, start preparing and practicing. Plan a presentation beyond reading the book. How can you engage with a young audience, and make it a little more interactive? What might be a fun (possibly, even educational) tie-in activity you could do together? The more lively the event, the likelier for sales.

The more we have worked together, the braver I’ve become in asking for marketing help. For example, I came up with some classroom activity ideas to go along with the book, but I couldn’t make them look professional. I reached out to you, and the Charlesbridge team designed a spiffy looking activity guide to accompany the book. I’ve also reached out to ask if Charlesbridge would supply books for giveaway campaigns – you did! What sort of support should authors feel comfortable asking for? What support do publishers want to give? And what makes the marketing partnership between an author and publisher work? 
 
I think the most successful marketing partnership between author and publisher is when it can be a more collaborative experience. If you, the author, have relevant kid lit/book subject contacts that would help promote the book, tell us — we’d send out copies. Are you already tight with certain bookstores, and have the event coordinators’ contact info? Pass that along. And yeah, you had an idea for a tie-in activity guide that you would then be able to use at all your events. The publisher sees the value in that material, so of course we helped bring it to life! If you have a reasonable ask, that would help sell copies of the book, the publisher will try to help make it happen.

I’ve been thrilled that you have reached out to bookstores to find me virtual gigs. What helps you get an invitation for an author? What can an author do to help?
 
Those essential first steps I mentioned earlier are the building blocks for this question, too.

Kelly, you’ve been not only willing, but excited, to help promote your book! Do you remember our early conversations around author events (pre-Covid-19), and you essentially said "I’ll drive to any bookstore events you set up in MA and the states that touch it." Haha. That’s dedication. I knew then that you would be awesome to work with. While I don’t expect that level of determination, I admire the spirit, and it was nice to know you gave me the green light to really go for it. When events were starting to go virtual, you adapted, and even learned all of the various platforms that bookstores threw our way. You also worked on your presentation (you had a couple, depending on what the situation called for), even offering a meaningful and easy craft kids at home could make, so it definitely made my job easier.

​When you’re a debut, bookstores don’t have a backlist/sales to consider when making event decisions. However, if you’re putting in the extra work, I can better attempt to paint a picture in an event coordinator’s mind on what an event with this author will look like, what we can offer, and how that would be a draw for their community’s families. So, in short, be willing to open up your schedule and prepare!

Thanks Jordan! 

Guest post by Author Carrie Finison

​Please join me in my DeLorean as we travel back in time…
 
On June 7, 2019, I woke up with BIG plans for the day. My 8th grader would be graduating from middle school on June 11. My 4th grader would be in school for only another week after that. Mama had a mile-long to-do list to accomplish before the busy, distracting days of summer arrived! 

​But a brief Twitter check stopped me in my tracks. #NationalDoughnutDay was trending. How could I, author of a soon-to-be-released picture book entitled DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, have forgotten about this important national holiday? As I scanned through the tweets in my feed, one thing became clear. People like to talk about doughnuts. A LOT! It was a festive atmosphere and I wanted to jump in with both feet. 

​At that point, I had officially been on Twitter for six years, since 2013, but I rarely used it. I had joined only to participate in pitch contests when I was seeking an agent. I didn’t spend much time tweeting and didn’t have a large following. But one of my goals in advance of my July 2020 book release was to grow my connections on Twitter. And I wanted to do so in a genuine way, not by participating in many of the “follow fests” that I saw happening. Without knowing the words for it at the time, I was seeking “audience engagement” rather than numbers.
 
Normally, I’m a planner. I second-, third-, and fourth-guess most of the things I do. But right then, I needed to get two kids to school and get on with my day. With no time to play guessing games, I posted the following: 

​Then I packed up the kids and left the house.
 
I’m not sure what I expected. Maybe some fun pictures of doughnuts to fill my news feed? Maybe a few more followers? I was pretty surprised when I came home, checked Twitter, and found over a dozen responses to my tweet. As I started responding to them, more responses came. Everyone, it seemed, wanted to share their favorite doughnut.
 
I tossed my plans – whatever they were – aside and spent most of the morning on Twitter. At some point, I realized my plan to offer a critique needed some parameters, and posted a quick update:

So what were my takeaways? There were some practical things I learned. Keeping track of a lot of responses all at once is tough. The logistics of doing a fair drawing from retweets can be a little complicated. Tweeting on a hashtag that’s already trending (#NationalDoughnutDay) can greatly boost your visibility. But, just as with making a delicious batch of doughnuts, some of the intangible lessons were more important:

1.Don’t rush the doughnuts! Engagement takes time.
You want followers who are interested in you and want to engage, and that means you need to take the time to reciprocate. Offer something of value and people will respond - and that doesn’t necessarily mean monetary value like a critique or a book. I think people had fun that day and valued the interaction as much as (if not more than) the chance at a critique.

2.Just add sprinkles! It’s more fun when you have fun.
This particular giveaway didn’t feel like “work” or a drain on my time because I was engaging with people over a topic we all loved – doughnuts!
​
3.Don’t overmix your batter! Don’t overthink it.
Probably a life lesson for me, but I’m not sure this would have gone as well as it did, if I had spent time planning it in advance. For good or bad, Twitter is a very spontaneous medium and that can work to your advantage.
 
Just to quickly illustrate an example of #3, let’s jump back in the DeLorean and zoom forward to 2020. This year, I planned a big preorder giveaway for DOZENS OF DOUGHNUTS, scheduled to launch on National Doughnut Day – June 5. However, when the day came we were in the midst of major social upheaval and protests against racism and police brutality in the wake of the murder of George Floyd and…well, it didn’t feel like a good moment for self promotion or talk of something frivolous like doughnuts. So, just as spontaneously as I had jumped into the National Doughnut Day celebrations in 2019, I pulled out of them in 2020, and waited for a different moment to announce my giveaway.
 
Twitter can keep you on your toes, for sure, but keeping things spontaneous and real will help you grow your audience in a genuine way – and have fun while you’re doing it!

~Hosted by Amanda Smith
Welcome to the final installment of 24 Carrot Writing's Graphic Novel Virtual Panel Discussion. Over the last two weeks (Part 1 and Part 2), our talented panelists have shared insights about the strengths of graphic novels and their process as creatives. 
Join our panel as we jump into the last two meaty questions:

Middle school students seem particularly drawn to graphic novels, and often graphic novels are set in middle school. What does that communicate about the market for upper middle grade/ lower young adult readers? Are graphic novels purposefully aimed towards the middle school reader, or is there something in the graphic novel format that perfectly mashes with the middle schooler’s brain?
 
​​Breena Bard: Middle schoolers are taking their first steps toward independence, developing their own beliefs and opinions in a way that they hadn’t before. They are exposed to a diversity of ideas and people, and as they begin to open their minds, they are perfectly primed to receive a radical new method of storytelling. Kids are free of the biases that keep many adults away from comics, and they aren’t pressured to maintain a high-brow reading list. And as long as adults react to graphic novels by wringing their hands or turning their noses up, graphic novels will also have a certain rebellious spirit that might attract middle school readers as well. Plus, comics are just super fun!

What would you like to say to those well-meaning adults who act as gatekeepers regarding graphic novels? To those who see graphic novels as inferior reading?
 
​Kayla Miller: Comics ask readers to use different skills than prose books. To really read a graphic novel, you have to read not only the text, but also to observe environments, body language, and facial expressions. It can be a really engaging and emotional experience. When reading prose, you have to imagine the visuals based on the descriptions given to you and fill in details about the world around the characters, but when you’re reading comics you have to fill in the characters’ inner worlds and use context clues from the art to decipher what they’re thinking and feeling.  I don’t think the skills developed reading comics are any less important or useful than those that students gain while reading prose novels. I also get comments all the time from parents that their reluctant readers become eager readers when it comes to graphic novels. If you believe that fostering a love of reading in younger generations is important, you’re only getting in your own way when you disregard graphic novels.

Breena Bard: They should try reading some :) Really though, the fact that graphic novels are told with pictures should not disqualify them, and in fact makes them more accessible and engages students’ brains in a really unique way. Perhaps there is fear because graphic novels are a relatively new medium, but so were computers and tablets, and most schools utilize those to great success. Take time to read some of the new middle grade graphic novel classics (ask a middle schooler and they will surely have a list for you!) and keep an open mind to the possibilities these stories and this exciting format have to offer. They really are quite wonderful!   
 
Terri Libenson: It couldn’t be further from the truth (and if it helps, I avidly read comics as a kid, and now I read such a wide range of books, from non-fiction to fiction, including – yes – graphic novels for adults!). As I mentioned, graphic novels can be quite layered as well as visually stunning and rich in story. And then some are just plain fun, and that’s okay. Graphic novels vary just like prose books. And they are, indeed, BOOKS. 
 
Tom Angleberger: I think people are hung up on word-count. They assume 100,000 words is better than 1,000. Or 100. Or zero, in the case of wordless graphic novels. Well, that’s just dumb. Do they also assume that a novel by Joe Smedlap is better than a sonnet by Shakespeare?
I think we should judge books on how many brain cells they light up. Trust me, Dog Man lights up a lot more brain cells than Tom Sawyer Abroad. (I was forced to read Tom Sawyer Abroad in 7th grade and am still mad.)
 
Terry Ebbeling :  I would tell those reading “gatekeepers” of graphic novels that there are different strokes for different folks in all areas of life, including reading. If students enjoy graphic novels, they are READING! Yay! I do not recommend a steady diet of any one genre, including graphic novels. But, if this genre gets kids into books, then let’s allow and encourage graphic novels. ​

Thank you to Terri, Breena, Kayla, Tom, and Terry for a fabulous discussion. I know I am paying closer attention to details in the settings and characters, as well as other context clues when I read graphic novels. I am also inspired to think visually and cinematically about the scenes I write, and I cannot wait to get my hands on our panel's new releases in May (if I can pry them from my own middle schooler's hands!)

Terri Libenson  is the cartoonist of the internationally syndicated daily comic strip, The Pajama Diaries, and the author of the best-selling illustrated middle grade novels, Invisible Emmie, Positively Izzy, and Just Jaime.  She was also an award-winning humorous writer for American Greetings for 22 years. 
The Pajama Diaries launched with King Features in 2006 and currently runs in hundreds of newspapers throughout the country and abroad. Pajama Diaries has been nominated four times for the Reuben Award for “Best Newspaper Comic Strip” by the National Cartoonists Society and won in 2016.
Terri lives with her family in Cleveland, OH. Her newest novel, Becoming Brianna will be available in May 2020.  To learn more about Terri, visit http://terrilibenson.com/

Breena Bard writes and illustrates comics, drawing inspiration from her childhood in Wisconsin, and the stacks of graphic novels on her bedside table. Her graphic novel debut, Trespassers, is set to release May 5, 2020. She lives in Portland, Oregon, with her husband, two kids, and cranky but lovable cat. Visit http://www.breenabard.com/about-1 to learn more.

Tom Angleberger  is the author of the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling Star Wars Origami Yoda series. He is also the author-illustrator of Fake Mustache and Horton Halfpott, both Edgar Award nominees, and the Qwikpick Papers series, as well as many other books for kids. But he always wanted to draw comics and he’s finally gotten the chance to draw with Geronimo Stilton and the Sewer Rat Stink! (Available May 5, 2020) He’s married to acclaimed graphic novelist Cece Bell, who wrote and illustrated El Deafo. To learn more visit  https://origamiyoda.com/the-books/
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Kayla Miller is the author and illustrator of the best-selling Click series of graphic novels. The third book in the series, Act, is coming out in May 2020 and a fourth book is currently in the works. To learn more about Kayla, visit https://www.kayla-miller.com/
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Terry Ebbeling has been teaching grades 7 and 8  ELA for the past eighteen years. She enjoys delving into reading and writing with her students and finds young-adult literature far more riveting than adult literature!

This week's reading list:
CLICK and CAMP by Kayla Miller
​INVISIBLE EMMIE, POSITIVELY IZZY and JUST JAIME by Terri Libenson
SMILE, SISTERS, and GUTS by Raina Telgemeier
DOG MAN by Dav Pilkey

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