by Kristi Mahoney
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​There is nothing more exciting than when we get to celebrate one of our own. Today we’re thrilled to announce that Amanda Smith, one of the founding members of 24 Carrot Writing, has a poem “Wonder” in a beautiful anthology launching this month. Bless the Earth: A Collection of Poetry for Children to Celebrate and Care for Our World (Convergent/Penguin, 2024) is a stirring collection celebrating our awe-inspiring planet.

Lessons We’ve Learned from Amanda
 
Perseverance
Every writer knows the sting of rejection in this industry. Whether from feedback on a manuscript, a pass from an agent, or a “not for me” response on a submission, those stinging rejections can make us consider giving up our craft. Amanda once told us that she thought about not writing anymore, but quickly reconsidered as she contemplated what she would do with the characters and stories still inside her.
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Amanda not only follows her heart in all her writing endeavors, but she listens carefully to the stories and words inside her soul. Those tales pour forth with the calming and beautiful thump-thump of a heartbeat that makes those lucky enough to read Amanda’s words instantly fall in love with her work.

Thank you, Amanda, for reminding us that if we are truly passionate about writing, we must continue until there is not a story in our hearts asking to come out.
 
Nailing the Ending
Every month, a group of us at 24 Carrot Writing read picture books and discuss them from a writer’s perspective. Amanda is skilled at knowing the optimal time to end a story. (Hint: usually it’s sooner than we think.) She’s pointed this out on several occasions during our discussions, and now we find Amanda’s voice in our heads as we’re writing book endings. We find ourselves asking: Is this going on too long? Is there a better way to end this? What would Amanda say? Endings are so important to stories and we’re grateful that Amanda is constantly pushing us to polish them up until they shine. And more importantly reminding us to resist the urge to keep writing past the ending. (Did we mention the ending is usually sooner than we think?)
 
Limitless Creativity
As writers we all create. But Amanda has taught us that we shouldn’t limit ourselves when it comes to creativity. She has taken this to heart and has written drafts in many genres, from poetry, to picture books, to graphic novels, to young adult and, most recently, middle grade. Amanda’s creativity also transcends the writing world. She dabbles in painting and refers to herself as a “budding potter.”  However, anyone that has seen her pottery can attest she’s being modest because her pieces are true works of art. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Big Magic, once said, “A creative life is an amplified life.” For years, Amanda has shown us this through example as she continues to weave her many creative passions together to make writing magic.
 

​Amanda - All of the members of 24 Carrot Writing agree that we are incredibly thankful to have found you on this beautiful Earth. Congrats on your recent published work! We feel truly blessed to know you. 

Amanda is a high school English teacher, an immigrant, a full-time mom, a budding potter, a joyful poet, and an enthusiastic writer. Several of her poems have been published in anthologies, most recently “Wonder” in Bless the Earth: A Collection of Poetry for Children to Celebrate and Care for Our World (Convergent/Penguin, 2024) which will be released in March 2024.

To learn more about Amanda visit her website. To order a copy of Bless the Earth click here. ​

Guest Blog by Hope Lim

Picture books are written for children, but they often appeal to both adults and kids, which makes the genre unique and special. A 32-page book can challenge and change the way we see and think of the world with immediacy due to its brevity, aided by amazing visual elements. Around the time I opened my eyes to the power of picture books, I read an interview with Stephen Fraser, who shared the following:
 
“Composing words in a story or any kind of book is a responsibility, as a kind of gatekeeper of literature. Don’t take that lightly. Writing should be both worthy of you and worthy of your reader.”
 
As an aspiring writer at that time, I was moved by this quote and felt the desire to create stories worthy of my reader and worthy of me. I was also drawn to the word, “responsibility,” which not only spoke to the power of words, but also reminded me of the importance of choosing each word deliberately in a picture book text. Over time, I have developed a fondness for writing stories with a simple narrative that also deliver a deeper meaning through the deliberate choice of words. 

In I Am Bird (Candlewick, 2021), birds represent being free from prejudices and bias, while also serving as a tool that connect people from different backgrounds.
 
In My Tree (Neal Porter Books, 2021), trees embody the circle of life and resilience of nature. A hopeful beginning is shown by a new plum tree taking root in the same place where an old tree once stood.
 
In Mommy's Hometown (Candlewick, 2022), an old river represents a steady force of life running through the city in different times as well as the presence and love of Grandmother. 
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​Sourgrass (Beach Lane Books, 2024) is about two best friends who, whether they’re right next door or far apart, find a way to keep their friendship alive. In this story, sourgrass represents friendship, trust, promise, and the return of friend. For me, the return of spring each year is a sure sign of trust in nature, and I wanted to connect that with trust in friends.

I also used the change of colors through the seasons to show the main character’s state of mind, impacted by the absence of her friend. I enjoy adding extra meanings in my texts even though sometimes they may be too subtle to be noticed.

We are often told that the past has no power, but spotting sourgrass blooming in bright yellow flowers everywhere always takes me back to the same place in my memories. In my stories, including Sourgrass, the past matters, as a place where special memories reside. And in Sourgrass, Sofia finds a way to live in hope by connecting with her shared memories with May. 

Striking a balance between staying in a child’s frame of mind and telling stories with thematic elements that are open to interpretation has been challenging. But it gives me an opportunity to share my general reflections on life or on a specific time or event in my life. Most of all, it keeps me on the course of striving to create stories that are worthy of my readers and meaningful on a personal level.

Hope Lim is the author of I Am a Bird (Candlewick, 2021) illustrated by Hyewon Yum; My Tree (Neal Porter Books, 2021) illustrated by Il Sung Na; and Mommy's Hometown (Candlewick, 2022) illustrated by Jaime Kim. She lives in San Francisco, where she spots the yellow flowers of sourgrass every spring. 
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To learn more about Hope visit her website and to order a copy of Sourgrass go here. 

by Amanda Smith

​The first time I heard these words by St. Francis of Assisi, they lit me on fire. I couldn’t shake them from my head. I planned my year’s writing goals around them, and I even wrote a blog in January of 2018 to spark some fire in you, dear reader. You may read it here, but the SparkNotes version is: Let’s do this! Let’s start with the necessary, then set goals for the possible, and in true Robert Browning fashion, let our “reach exceed our grasp” as we strive for those impossible dream-goals. Rah-rah!
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During December 2023, as I did my yearly goal review and planning, I pondered the peg on which to hang my 2024 writing goal hat. St. Francis’ words fizzled somewhere deep in the synapses of my long-term memory. I pushed down that thought.

“Now listen here, St. Francis,” I told the holy friar from Assisi, “life looks different than it did in thirteenth century Italy. It even looks different than it did in 2018.”

Back then I had two boys in elementary and middle school. My stay-at-home mornings were mostly my own. Back then I could easily accomplish the necessary, reach past the possible, and plan for the impossible.
But this is 2024. After eighteen years at home, I’ve been given the opportunity to return to the classroom and finally teach what I’ve always wanted to: High School Literature and Composition. Even though it is fulfilling and exciting, it certainly leaves little head-space for doing beyond what is urgent. I also have a husband who works from home, a college kid on a completely different schedule than the rest of us, and a high schooler that wants to do EVERYTHING.

Post-pandemic 2024-me is telling 2018-me, “Girl, take a chill pill.”

But the old saint is relentless: “Start by doing what is necessary…” he whispers.
As I stare at the fresh new-year page of my beloved bullet journal, I calm my inner-skeptic and make space for his words. And would you know it? St. Francis’ wisdom hits differently than it did way back then:

The wonder of doing the necessary, is that the unnecessary gets stripped away.

We’ve all established goals and routines throughout the years of building our careers, but somehow, mine had become a heavy list of expectations that weighed me down and plucked the wings of my dreams.
Do I need to track all my reading in two places?
Do I need to persist in a monthly querying practice that gobbles up precious writing time, proves ineffective, and sucks the joy out of creating or is there a more sensible way?
Do I really need to plot my writing life months ahead, or is it okay to just draw pencil hearts in my journal on the days that might likely offer an hour or two of writing?

In the beginning of this new year, it is worth asking yourself whether your writing routines and goals still serve you and to strip away the excess until only the necessary remains.
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Now, if you are in the place where I was six years ago, where you can Robert Browning it, go for it. Please do. “Or what is a heaven for?”
But even then, add some St. Francis frugality to your writing goals.
What is truly necessary?
To write.
Let’s start there.
The prophet Zechariah said, “Do not despise the day of small beginnings.”
Small beginnings. One foot in front of the other.
Write.
And then do the next thing.
“Start,” St. Francis said.
That’s it.
Just start.

Guest Blog by Cedar Pruitt

​I think of poetry as the richest form of language, delivered with the sparest set of tools. The constraints of sentences, paragraphs, and punctuation have all vanished. And what remains? Words, pauses, and silence.
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When writing poetry, not everything makes sense—at least at first. For me, letting go of making sense is the magic and art of poetry. And sometimes that process leads to…a nonfiction picture book. 

I wrote my debut picture book in one poetic jumble on a snowy February day. The inspiration? A real-life event in which an owl flew out of a wildfire and into the co-pilot seat of a firefighting helicopter, where it stayed for several water drops.  

 Two years later, we’re celebrating the launch of  Fire Flight: A Wildfire Escape (Capstone Editions, 2024), illustrated by Chiara Fedele.
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Although Fire Flight followed dozens of other manuscripts and years of hard work, it was my first in which I completely handed over the controls to my inner poet. I allowed myself to experience the feeling of the story and stopped trying to write a narrative. I let go of my sentences, paragraphs, punctuation…and expectations. This is all to say that my first pass didn’t make complete sense.
 A snippet:

From the initial text you see above, only two phrases made it into the final book (“owl territory,” and “orange ribbons.”), but if I hadn’t released myself from the need to make sense, I don’t think I would have found those initial words. And the entire story wouldn’t have taken flight.

What I learned: Let go of the story. Find the feeling. Be free to choose only the words that make you FEEL the essence of the narrative. Apply silence liberally.  
 
My second picture book, releasing in 2026, is also poetic and non-fiction. This story took the opposite path. I didn’t burst out into poetry; far from it. Instead, I wrote laboriously complete sentences to document what my 7th grader learned in school. I focused on describing what it must have been like, late summer, for the teenagers who followed a long, cramped tunnel underneath a French forest until they reached hundreds of astounding cave paintings made 30,000 years earlier.

Eventually, I took that plodding narrative…and wrote about it in a way that made a lot less sense but had a lot more feeling – a poem.
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​A snippet:

​Ultimately, none of that made it into the final text, but it freed me to FEEL the beat of the heart of the main character – to let the spaces between words matter as much as the words do. That book, titled What Marcel Found: The Incredible Story of the Lascaux Cave Paintings (Beach Lane Books /Simon & Schuster, 2026) will be illustrated by David Litchfield.
 
What I learned: When you’ve told a story in a completely linear way that makes absolute sense, run it over with your poetry steamroller, and crush the syntax until you have silences that raise questions.
Know that the illustrations will add additional depth and truth to your non-fiction poetic story. 
 
If you ever find yourself stuck in your writing, just try to stop making sense. Embrace liberty in the way my favorite poet Frank O’Hara did. He wrote about everyday things with a joy and an intimacy that was unique. He really was free.
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Here’s to finding the beat of your own writing and the freedom of poetry in your work!

Cedar Pruitt holds an Ed.M. from Harvard University and works as a consultant of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She also holds a lifelong love for the music of the Talking Heads. She lives in Massachusetts with her family and is represented by literary agent Mary Cummings of Great River Literary. To learn more about Cedar visit here. 

Guest Blog by Colleen Paeff
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​I took this picture while hiking through Hidden Valley in Joshua Tree. I love how the rock face looks so hard and unyielding and yet, at the tippy-top – growing right out of the rock – is a tree. And if you let your eye wander downhill, you can see a person standing erect, looking up the hill, as if mentally preparing for the climb ahead. Seems like a perfect metaphor for the new year, right?!

So, how are you feeling about the climb ahead? Strong? Do you have the right tools? A helpful mindset? Can you see your goal out there ahead of you? 

​In 2024, my big goal is to learn to focus through adversity. It’s not a resolution, mind you. I hate resolutions. They always make me feel bad about myself. It’s more like a muscle I want to work. I collected some tips from my newsletter followers on staying focused when life gets tricky and have compiled some great ideas – especially when it comes to staying focused on writing. I will be using these in the new year and I’m sharing them in the hopes you might find them helpful too:

Create Deadlines by Taking Part in a Regular Critique Group
I have friends I rely on for critiques, but we don’t set deadlines. This advice, however, inspired me to join a monthly critique group organized by some of my Soaring ‘20s buddies. Now I have a monthly deadline!

Write First Thing in The Morning – Before Doing Anything Else
Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200. Do not touch the phone or computer! I’ve already started doing this and it’s made an enormous difference in my productivity.

Do a Project Brain Dump and Prioritize One or Two
In spare moments (even of just a few minutes) devote some time to working on one of those prioritized projects. If I have a few extra moments I tend to play puzzle games on my phone, but now I’m experimenting with writing during those moments instead of playing games. I keep a dedicated folder in my Notes app for these quick writing bursts.

Rely On To-do Lists
I am a huge fan of checking things off lists, so I will be making better use of to-do lists in the new year. I plan to color code my lists by subject and day of the week and use different colors for different areas of my life. For example, writing projects, school visits, and home life will each have their own colors.
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Here's my challenge to you for the new year:
When your inner critic starts talking, practice mindfulness. Notice the things that surround you, focusing on your senses. What can you see? Is there beauty hiding in the mundane?  What do you smell or hear? Are those senses stronger when you close your eyes? If you’re eating, slow down and really taste your food. What surfaces surround you? How do they feel?
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I’ve noticed a profound difference in my state of mind since I started practicing mindfulness in this way. I hope it will do the same for you. Let me know if it does!

by Kelly Carey 

I love January. A fresh unmarked calendar with crisp pages and a full year of possibilities. Rubbing my palms together, I devilishly consider what I might accomplish in the twelve months ahead.

But first, I look back at what happened last year. There is vital information there that I need to make my new goals shine. I’m looking for those occasions where working toward my rational measurable goals mixed with flow, creativity, and fate. Those are the Zen moments where I hit the peak of productivity, success, and joy. I want to repeat those times and you will too. Taking stock of the past year will help set goals for the upcoming year with a key to happiness mixed in.

So how do you do that? I’m so glad you’ve asked. Here are my tips for setting goals that honor a quest for a happy writing life. 

Sharp Pencil Accounting

First, set aside the Zen, and do a basic accounting of how you did hitting last year’s goals. Pull out that ambitious list you set down last January.

Go ahead. I’ll wait.
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Got them? Good. Now flip through the calendar and assess. Seriously, get out your calendar. I don’t know why our brains do this, but you will invariably forget some of your accomplishments. See. I was right. You forgot that you attended that book chat in April. And look there, you wrote the first draft for a new picture book in February. Don’t let those victories go unrecorded! Scour your schedule and get it all down. I promise, this will be way more fun than pulling out all the documents you need for tax prep, but the idea is  the same.

Be kind to yourself during this investigation. This is not a scoring system for assigning blame, shame, or even regret. This is a tool to guide your goal setting for the upcoming year. Be thorough and honest. No fudging the results or tipping the scales. If you had a goal to write 20K words toward a new middle grade novel, but you hit 3K; be proud of the 3K and keep going with your annual review. Maybe you didn’t have a goal to host three classroom visits, but fate and opportunity intervened, and you accomplished a task you hadn’t even set. Make note of that accomplishment.
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This is an annual report for yourself. Leave emotion, excuses, and even celebration out of this sharp pencil assessment. 

Introspection and Investigation

Now put emotion back in and let the feelings flow. Note the goals that you crushed – you over-achiever you! With grace, peek at the goals you neglected, or decided to ignore because folding laundry seemed way more appealing. Think about what allowed you to zoom past a target and what blocked you from hitting a task. Life events, time, and family can interrupt a goal in your path. But sometimes a shift in desire or a flash of new inspiration can hit.  This data is gold. Before you set new goals, figure out what fed your writing soul last year and capitalize on that for this year.
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Ask yourself:

1. What tasks did I struggle with or avoid? And why?
2. What work made me miserable last year? And why?
3. What goals were easiest to attain? And why?
4. What work made me happiest last year? And why?

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The Zen of Goal Setting

Now combine the functional task of setting goals with the joy you want to feel in your writing. Where did the goals that were easy to attain intersect with the goals that made you the happiest? Yes, fine. Knock yourself out. Make a Venn Diagram.

I know what you’re gonna say. But Kelly if the goal is easy is it worth setting?

Yes. And here is why. You are not a wimp. You did not set slouchy goals. You are trying to be a published writer. By definition your goal is tough and that means you’re a badass.

So here is my question. Why make the journey miserable? Why put yourself on paths with goals that drain your cup and make you unhappy? It’s nonsensical. There are a myriad of ways to move yourself forward on the writing path. I want you to reach for the productive ones that will bring you success BUT I also believe the goals that make you the happiest are the ones that will make your writing dreams come true.

As you set down your goals for the year, be smart. Look for the tough tasks that bring you the greatest joy and set yourself up for a fabulous year. 

That is the Zen of Goal Setting.

Ohm.  

Dear 24 Carrot Writer –
 
We wish you JOY this holiday season after a year of devotion to a passion we all share – a love of writing.
 
As we ring in the New Year, may 2024 bring you…

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Happy Holidays!
 
~ The 24 Carrot Writing Crew

In between dipping gingerbread toes into warm cups of cocoa, 24 Carrot Writing's guest bloggers, contributors, and active founders have conjured up the 2023 Writer's Holiday Wish List!

While we cannot wrap up a book deal, or tie a shiny bow around a starred review, we are sharing the special items that make our creative endeavors happier, more successful, and wonderfully productive. We hope you find ideas you want to share and maybe a few carrots for your next month of goals.
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If folks are asking for gift ideas, this is the post to send them.

Kirsten is the author of  WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: Emma Lilian Todd Invents an Airplane, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek 2020), A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything, illustrated by Katy Wu (Clarion 2021), and THE FIRE OF STARS: The Life and Brilliance of the Woman Who Discovered What Stars Are Made Of, illustrated by Katherine Roy (Chronicle 2023). Learn more about Kirsten at KirstenWLarson.com.

Cathy Ballou Mealey is the Boston based author of WHEN A TREE GROWS (Sterling 2019), SLOTH AND SQUIRREL IN A PICKLE (Kids Can Press 2021) and MAKE MORE S'MORES (Sleeping Bear Press 2023). Learn more about Cathy here. 

Lindsay H. Metcalf is a former journalist who writes nonfiction and poetry for children. Her latest book, NO WORLD TOO BIG: Young People Fighting Global Climate Change (Charlesbridge, 2023) is a poetry anthology from the team behind the award-winning NO VOICE TOO SMALL (Charlesbridge, 2021). OUTDOOR FARM, INDOOR FARM (Astra Young Readers 2024), illustrated by Xin Li, is forthcoming in the spring of 2024. Learn more at lindsayhmetcalf.com and @lindsayhmetcalf on social media.

Nancy Tupper Ling is a children’s author, poet, book seller and librarian. Basically, she
surrounds herself with books! Occasionally, she creates a few books of her own, including her latest, ONE PERFECT PLAN: THE BIBLE'S BIG STORY IN TINY POEMS, plus THE STORY I'LL TELL, DOUBLE HAPPINESS, THE YING-YANG SISTERS, MY SISTER, AILCIA MAY and FOR EVERY LITTLE THING with co-
author, June Cotner. Visit www.nancytupperling.com to learn more.

Kelly is a 24 Carrot Writing co-founder and an award winning children’s fiction author. Her  picture book, HOW LONG IS FOREVER? (Charlesbridge, 2020) was named a MUST READ by the Mass Center for the Book. To learn more about Kelly visit here. ​

​Kristi Mahoney is a children's book writer from Massachusetts. Her debut picture book, ALPACAS MAKE TERRIBLE LIBRARIANS, will be released by Gnome Road Publishing in Fall 2024. Kristi is a regular contributor to 24 Carrot Writing. She can be reached at www.kristimahoneybooks.com.

Megan is the author of TWINKLE, TWINKLE, WINTER NIGHT (Clarion, 2022) and the DIRT & BUGSY early reader series (Penguin Workshop, 2023). She is a 24 Carrot Writing regular contributor. To learn more about Megan visit her here. 

​Annie Cronin Romano is one of the co-founders of 24 Carrot Writing and is a published picture book author. In addition to her love of kidlit, she also writes adult fiction, works as a bookseller at an indie bookstore, and is a literary associate with Olswanger Literary. Learn more about Annie at www.anniecroninromano.com.

Guest Blog by Susan Lubner

One morning I accidentally locked myself inside a large dog crate with my Standard Poodle. He was pleasantly surprised. Me? Not-so-much surprised, and there was nothing pleasant about it.
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There was the time back in the 1990’s when I thought I had phoned a women’s clothing boutique by the name of Definitely Wendy. A who’s on first type of conversation ensued. “Is this Definitely Wendy?” I asked. “Yes. It’s definitely Wendy’s,” the woman replied. I asked if they had any wraps in stock. (I was hoping for cashmere or at least a blend.)  “We have pita wraps,” she told me.  I thought she said Peter wraps. I’d never heard of that designer.  “What are those like?”  I asked. She said, “You can get them however you want…lettuce, tomatoes, pickles…”  (As a sidebar…I never knew that that Wendy’s served anything but burgers!)

​Then there was the day last spring when I showed up at a meeting wearing my fuzzy slippers (did I tell you that the meeting was at a construction site?) Embarrassed, I apologized for leaving my house so absent-mindedly only to have someone point out that I was also wearing my sweater inside out.

I have a knack for finding myself in situations like these. And it runs in my family. My mother had oodles of her own humorous and seemingly preposterous stories and situations to tell and retell.​​

​In the first book of my new early reader chapter book series, Drag and Rex Forever Friends (November 2023) there are three stories, each with three chapters. My characters, Drag and Rex were created with real qualities of real somebodies…great friends with very different personalities…a truth seed! But then of course, there’s the fictionalized fact that one is a dragon and the other a T-rex. And that’s just the beginning. Their qualities are exaggerated greatly, and I made up other characteristics. Still, they started with that truth seed. 

​In the first story, an impulsive Drag cannot help himself and gobbles up something meant as a surprise for someone else. (There may have been that time I was bringing a fresh baked loaf of bread to a friend’s house for dinner and by the time I arrived there was only half a loaf left.) I use that same truth seed in the next story, and again in book 2 (Sweet and Silly, Fall 2024) each time in entirely different ways, with completely different storylines. That seed of truth…that I ate half a loaf of bread on the way to my friend’s house… is unrecognizable in each book. Yet it was used to successfully “sprout” a variety of fictionalized scenes.

Even if you have never locked yourself in a cage with your dog, we all have truth seeds. What are yours?  And which ones should you catalogue?

It’s possible you already keep a diary or maybe you have one and don’t realize it!  It may be that your truth seeds can be found in your many photos… fabulous trips, numerous family celebrations, your happiest moments with friends. Maybe you have compiled a list of your favorite quotes? Or poems? Or restaurants? Or maybe you keep track of the titles of all the shows you plan to watch (or have watched) or the books you want to read (or have read). Is there a common theme to all of these titles?

Some people keep track of goals or dreams (as in the kind you have when you are sleeping). Do you have a collection of coins or stamps or seashells and a special memory attached to some of them?  Perhaps you have several of these things?

There’s no right or wrong way to use your truth seeds. Maybe a setting is fleshed out from that special beach you captured in your photo? Maybe your opening scene starts with the crazy dream you had last night or the coincidence you experienced two weeks ago? How many different ways can that setting, or scene or character be written?  Try it. See where it takes you…it just may kickstart your next story.
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In the end, it’s very possible that your manuscript will turn into something that doesn’t even resemble that first planted seed. That’s the fun and beauty of fiction.  But the seed will sprout and grow and maybe even blossom. It will serve you well! And that’s the truth.

Susan Lubner is the author of three picture books (Abrams Books for Young Readers) and two middle grade novels, LIZZY AND THE GOOD LUCK GIRL (Running Press Kids/Hachette Books) and THE UPSIDE OF ORDINARY (Holiday House). To learn more about Susan visit her at ​https://www.susanlubner.com/. To order a copy of DRAG & REX click here. 

Guest blog by Nancy Tupper Ling

Here’s the thing. If we knew all the twists and turns of this writing journey at the start, many of us might opt out early on. It’s definitely not for the faint of heart. Sometimes in the midst of this journey, a leap of faith is required. We might decide to pivot, try a new genre, or join a different critique group.

According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a leap of faith is “an act of believing something that is not easily believed.” On this road to publication, we are all taking a hop, a leap, or a gigantic jump in an effort to see our words in a reader’s hands someday. In the case of picture books, we might be praying for beautiful illustrations as well.  

Recently I took a literal leap of faith . . . toward my faith. It was risky. I’ve always included some aspect of my faith in my books, even if it’s simply the Latin phrase Soli Deo Gloria in my dedication, as composers Johann Sebastian Bach and George Frideric Handel did long ago. Simply put, the “glory goes to God alone.”
In the last few years, however, I had a desire to submit anthologies and picture books that were more faith-centric. This meant taking a new road to publication, including joining with agent, Anne Marie O’Farrell, who believed there was a market for these books. Thankfully, she soon met Bunmi, Ishola, an awesome editor from Penguin/WaterBrook, who was in search of manuscripts with God at their heart. Turns out ONE PERFECT PLAN: THE BIBLE'S BIG STORY IN TINY POEMS was a good fit.

Of course, none of this happened instantaneously. A lot of side streets were taken on this journey, and soul-searching as well. Certainly, I learned a great deal about myself and my priorities along the way. In case these tips might help you make a leap or two in your own writing career, I offer a few to consider:

Heart and Soul
If you do nothing else, take time to think about what makes your heart beat, and what stirs your soul. When you think about it, we’re all writing for someone. Who are you picturing reading your future book? What topic or idea won’t let you rest if you don’t write it? The idea for ONE PERFECT PLAN sat in a drawer for a long time. Really, a LONG time (since 2007). Still, the idea kept coming back, giving me a tap on the shoulder. It began with the premise that one event, one promise, or one person can make a huge difference in this world. Plus, I wanted to tell epic Bible stories in short poems so children might memorize them, and also read the entire Bible (its essence) in one sitting. That idea stirred my soul. What stirs yours?  ​

Mentors
We hear a lot about reading mentor texts, or finding comparative stories, but who are the authors out in the world whom we admire most? Who’s already taken that leap of faith and is writing those stories that reflect their passion and purpose. For me, it was authors who weave their faith into their stories and their lives, mentors like Nikki Grimes and Mitali Perkins. I’ve also learned that traveling this road with a book buddy or two is key, like Janet Costa Bates and Lynda Mullaly Hunt, to name a few. As long as you’re open to learning more about this field of writing, you’ll surely find a mentor to guide you along the way. Who do you admire? 

Post-Its & More
We all need a word of encouragement, or two or three, in this publishing business. The question is: Who are you listening to? Many times after a number of rejections or revisions, it’s hard to keep on writing. It’s hard not to hear those negative voices. So I’ve taken to posting a lot of sticky notes on my bathroom mirror, in my car, and on my laptop. They are hope-filled. I even leave some for my husband and daughters now and then. Sometimes it’s a Bible verse, like this one: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen" (Hebrews 11:1) Or, it could be as simple as “You’ve Got This!” And you can never go wrong with a Mary Oliver quote like:  
“I want to think again of dangerous and noble things.
I want to be light and frolicsome.
I want to be improbable, beautiful and afraid of nothing,
as though I had wings.”
 
And when you run out of encouraging words, there are times when a friend gifts you a Kindness Rock with just the right words on it to inspire you. Think about the gifts you’ve received.

Generosity
This has been my mantra: “It’s a long journey to publication. Yes, it can take a leap or two of faith, but all along the way practice the art of generosity.” Even now I need to be remind myself of this goal. I’ve become a stronger writer in spite of or because of the mistakes I’ve made along the way, and I want to encourage others that getting a book published is possible. One of my favorite poetry teachers was a quiet, soul-filled man named Donald Sheehan who ran the Frost Festival in Franconia, NH, for many summers. Daily, he reminded the participants that while we might be desiring to break into the world of publishing more than anything in the world, if we’re unable to have a kind and generous spirit along the way, we’re missing the essence of the journey. I couldn’t agree more.

So, take heart, and practice some soul-searching. You may discover a sharp pivot is in your future, and it might be the very best move you will make for your writing career. Certainly, I thought this publishing journey would go a lot smoother and faster, but it gave me time to become brave enough to pursue a book that showcased a faith that’s important to me. Cultivate the art, but keep your eyes wide open for the gifts you’ve received already: In Mary Oliver’s words, “Sometimes I need only to stand wherever I am to be blessed.”​

Nancy Tupper Ling is a children’s author, poet, book seller, and librarian. ONE PERFECT PLAN: THE BIBLE'S BIG STORY IN TINY POEMS ​ (WaterBrook, 2023) is her 6th picture book, with two more on the way in 2024  including BLESS THE EARTH: A COLLECTION OF POETRY FOR CHILDREN TO CELEBRATE AND CARE FOR OUR WORLD (The Crown Publishing Group, 2024)  which includes 24 Carrot Writing founder Amanda Smith’s poem, “Wonder,” and HEARTS IN MY POCKET.
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Nancy is also the author of THE STORY I'LL TELL (Lee & Low, 2015), DOUBLE HAPPINESS (Chronicle, 2015), THE YIN-YANG SISTERS AND THE DRAGON FRIGHTFUL (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2018), MY SISTER, ALICIA MAY (Pleasant Street Press, 2009) and FOR EVERY LITTLE THING (Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, 2021) with co-author, June Cotner. To learn more, visit www.nancytupperling.com.
Read our review of ONE PERFECT PLAN here.