 It's our 10th Anniversary! 24 Carrot Writing started as a four person accountability group of pre-published KidLit writers who met monthly at a coffee shop to share goals. Amanda Smith wondered if a wider swath of authors might benefit from the topics and tips we shared. Did we dare? It felt daunting. But after months of research and preparation, we launched the 24 Carrot Writing blog on September 29, 2014. Since then, all four members of the original group have become published authors, we’ve written 219 blogs, interviewed 69 authors and industry professionals, hosted 93 guest bloggers, reviewed 87 mentor texts, and expanded our community of four to hundreds. On this momentous milestone, we’ve reflected on the most significant takeaways from ten years of hosting and invited members of the carrot patch to share what they love about 24 Carrot Writing.  Open Hearts and Supportive Hands Founding Member Amanda Smith I am not naturally a brave person. I tend to be a wallflower, side-liner, introvert-chicken. But 24 Carrot Writing has taught me to be brave enough to say “yes.” Saying yes to a coffee invitation by a fellow NESCBWI conference-goer led to my writing family – women who always encourage me to stretch myself to be braver and better. Saying yes to a vague idea for a blog about carrots led to a community we love and cheer and celebrate. Saying yes to illustrator spotlight and a graphic novel series led to interviewing numerous marvelous illustrators and creators even though I was intimidated to no end by their brilliance. (And the joy of interviewing Matthew Cordell mere months before he won the Caldecott for Wolf in the Snow.) Brave yesses included spotlighting debut authors and boosting those new to publishing, and experiencing the joy of seeing them take off and soar, some becoming household names. Book birthday and cover reveal yesses meant being part of the jittery excitement of launching a book baby. And through all this saying “yes” I learned that others also like saying “yes” - that open hearts and supportive hands reach in all directions. That our writing community is generous and kind. Making even this introvert chicken a little braver.
 Patience, Young Grasshopper Founding Member Annie Romano Okay, so I may not be young—and I am most certainly not an insect—but patience has always been a challenge for me, so stick with me on this. Writing as a career is a long game. Very few published authors are overnight successes, despite what it might seem like from the outside looking in. Being a part of 24 Carrot Writing’s kidlit community since the beginning has been a vital reminder that patience is of the utmost importance. It can be tempting to throw in the towel after several or dozens (or even hundreds) of agent rejections or a few tough peer critiques. And writing that next book draft can feel like climbing Everest when the ideas simply aren’t flowing. But as I’ve read the posts and experiences of the members here—their winding roads, perseverance through passes and unpublished manuscripts, craft advice, and cheers of support—I have been reminded to be patient, not only with my writing journey but with myself as a human (grasshopper!) as well. Giving myself the room to step back when a mental break is needed and feeling the openness to jump into writing again when my writing spirit is ready is key to maintaining the joy I find in writing. And, ultimately, that’s what writing should do: bring you joy. Whether it was a post about goal-setting, a blog on brainstorming, an inspirational book pick, or advice on how to handle a book event (even an unattended one!), the content and enthusiasm I have found being a member of the 24 Carrot Writing community has been a beacon on my most challenging days and a pat on the back on my best. I have been able to play the long game and enjoy the journey—being patient with the process—because of this vibrant group. Thank you for 10 wonderful years!
 Brave Honesty Resonates Founding Member Kelly Carey One of the biggest lessons I have learned from ten years of hosting the 24 Carrot Writing blog, is that the most honest and raw posts become the most popular. The posts that share fears, faults and failures become the most loved. The 24 Carrot Writing blog has taught me to embrace my writing journey and to be open in sharing it with my fellow writers. Artists are told to draw what you see and not what you think you see. In blogging, the same is true. I have learned that sharing what you think will impress folks or what sounds professional is not as impactful as sharing my true experiences – the silly, the embarrassing, and the cringy. The benefit of brave honesty is that it allows us to find community. A community of folks who nod their heads in agreement and who validate our feelings by showing us their matching moments. I think that’s a lesson for our writing too! When we write with unashamed candor, our readers see the heart of our story and it makes the work magical. Ten years of 24 Carrot Writing has been magical and I’m looking forward to more tricks and tips to come!
 Growth Happens When You Step Out of Your Comfort Zone Regular Contributor Kristi Mahoney I’ve been a fan of 24 Carrot Writing since discovering it in 2016. At the time, I was a wall-flower member that sipped the fantastic writing advice like tea from the comfort of behind my screen. However, in 2021, after becoming critique/accountability partners with some of the 24 Carrot founding members, I was asked to become a regular blog contributor. If I’m being honest, my first thought was –I’m not qualified. I knew the 24 Carrot Writing community was filled with many seasoned authors and illustrators and providing any sort of writing advice/info was way out of my comfort zone. Not to mention, 24 Carrot Writing is all about setting writing goals which, at the time, wasn’t one of my strong suits. Yet, I said yes. And once I saw how this yes inspired growth in every aspect of my writing, it inspired me to say yes to other things too. Would I like to go to an incredibly intimidating (yet fabulous) in-person book event? Count me in. Should I sub to a publishing house because it’s one of my monthly 24 Carrot Writing goals? Absolutely. Should I continue to submit to agents despite the possibility of another rejection? Yes. They do say that you miss 100 percent of the chances you don’t take. I have learned countless tips from 24 Carrot Writing since discovering it almost a decade ago, but perhaps the biggest lesson is this – sometimes the biggest growth happens when you do things you think you’re not ready for. Because sometimes... you really are ready.
 Be True to Yourself Regular Contributor Megan Litwin I've been reading the 24 Carrot Writing blog posts for years now, appreciating the honest, funny, and inspiring advice. I was even fortunate enough to be a regular contributing member for a while, relishing the chance to write some "Book Picks" - book recommendations with ideas on how writers can use the titles as mentor texts. The blog offers a little something for everyone, and more than once, it has offered up exactly what I needed in the moment. That’s what happened when I read Amanda Smith's post here - a post about how we sometimes need to step back in order to move forward. She writes: "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." At the time, I was feeling pulled in many directions, between my writing and book promotion and blogging and school visit work. Amanda’s words reminded me that all I really need to do is what is truly necessary. That will look different for everyone, of course. But for me, I immediately knew it meant consistent writing and strong work in schools. Those were MY necessary. And so I stripped away some things…including my regular presence as a blogger here, preferring instead to remain an enthusiastic reader. Among so many other things, the gracious, generous, insightful 24 Carrot Writing Crew has helped me to define who I am and where I want to go in this beautiful book world.
so much over the years. I find that the articles, while short and quick to read (which I appreciate!) go beyond surface advice.I always learn something new when I read a post on the blog. One that I’ve referred back to a number of times is Anika Denise’s post Marketing Beyond the Book Launch Party, from 2018. I learned so much from it when I was getting ready to launch my first picture book in 2020, and still refer back to her timeline and tips. Thanks for that post, and so many more!
Thank you to all our contributors, guest bloggers, and mostly to you, our readers and supporters. Whether you are new to 24 Carrot Writing, or whether you’ve been rooted in our patch from those very first tentative blogs, we are so grateful that you are part of this nourishing community.
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