Peggy Archer
Children's Author

On Saturday I spoke to an amazing group of close to 50 aspiring picture book authors. All of us are authors, some published and some not yet published. All of us are aspiring, some of us hoping to be published for the first time, and some of us hoping for that next book.

They were there for information about writing picture books, tips that would improve their writing, tips on research and marketing, encouragement, reassurance, and connection with others who write for children. I hope that I was able to offer some of that to you.

I get so much from meeting and speaking to other children's writers. It renews my spirit, and reminds me of all the things that I've learned myself over time. So many people have given me good advice and direction, and have encouraged me along the way. I hope I can pass that on to others.

I hope that you all went home having gained something new. Thank you, Margaret, for your hard work and enthusiasm in planning the day! Good luck to all of you!

On my list of things to do is 'apply for the SCBWI Work-in-Progress grant.' Heaven knows that I have enough works-in-progress in my file cabinet! The manuscript that I've chosen to submit is something that I was working on before my life went crazy around the holidays. Now that I've pulled it out again, I'm pretty excited about it and about getting it finished.

That's one of the perks of entering contests and applying for grants. It gets you excited about a project, and gets those writing juices flowing. It also gives you a deadline. You have to be disciplined. You have to be focused and follow rules.

Contests and grants have rewards other than winning, too. I've applied for this grant a few times in the past. I didn't win any grant money, but one of my submissions received a letter of approval from SCBWI. What a great thing to be able to say in your cover letter, that the SCBWI grant committee placed your manuscript among the best received. FROM DAWN TO DREAMS eventually sold to Candlewick.

Something else to consider is who the judges are. Another mauscript that I submitted and that did not receive an award was noticed by one of the judges. She was an well-known editor at a trade publishing company, and she sent me an e-mail after the contest and asked me to submit my manuscript to her. She eventually rejected the manuscript, but TURKEY SURPRISE was later accepted by Dial Books and became a NY Times Bestseller.

There are a several grants available for members of SCBWI which you can find on their website (www.scbwi.org). And Indiana offers a number of grants through the Indiana Arts Commission (http://www.in.gov/arts/2341.htm). Highlights for Children has a yearly contest, as does Pockets magazine. These are just a few. You can check on line for other grants and contests for children's writers. Please comment here if there are others for children's writers that you would like to share.

If your writing is in a winter slump right now, this is a good way to get inspired and give yourself a push. Good luck to everyone out there!

My husband and I just celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary. We renewed our vows. Our kids totally surprised us with a celebration with family and friends. It was wonderful.

It made me think about committment. People often want things, but hesitate to make that committment. And it just doesn't work that way. If you love something, or someone, you make a committment to stick with it, through the good and the not so good times. Because it's where your heart it. And it's so worth the journey!

Writing for children is like that, too. First, you have to fall in love with it. Then commit yourself to taking time to learn, and write, and follow through with revision and research and marketing. And stick with it through rejections and acceptances alike. Enjoy the company of this family made up of other writers, librarians, bookstore workers, teachers, editors and readers. Go the extra mile by joining critique groups. Rejoice in their highs, and lift them up in lows.

I've been writing for children for over 30 years. And if you're going to be committed, this is a good place to be.
Thanks to my husband for sticking with me through it all :) And to our kids for rejoicing with us.

Instead of the word 'lonely,' let's substitute 'solitary.'
You certainly can say that 'writing' is a solitary job. The story is yours alone. The characters, the setting, the voice. No one can write it just the way that you can. So you sit with your pen and paper, or at your computer, alone. And you write the story that's in you head, and in your heart.

Once your story is down on paper, however, there are many ways that you as a writer can connect with others to help you along the way to being published.

Critique groups. Getting feedback from other writers helps us get that manuscript ready before sending it off to a publisher. Connecting with other children's writers helps me to improve my writing and my story. It gives me a deadline to keep my writing on track. It connects me to others who share my enthusiasm and can relate to all parts of my journey as a children's writer.

SCBWI. The best resource for children's writers is the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators (scbwi.org). Everything you ever wanted to know about writing for children can be found here. Members reach out to each other across the globe with help and encouragement.

Conferences. Besides the information you learn at conferences for children's writers, meeting and connecting with other writers, editors, and agents happens here.

Libraries and bookstores. These are valuable resources for researching children's books. Librarians and bookstore workers point us in the right direction, and share our enthusiasm for children's books, sometimes with tips on where there is a need for more books for children.

On line resources. Websites, blogs, message boards and listservs are ways to learn by connecting with other children's writers.

Volunteer opportunities. Find ways to volunteer at libraries, schools, conferences and organizations for children's writers. The personal contact that you receive here is an education in itself.

I've met some wonderful people because of this lonely/solitary job of writing for children. It's opened a whole new world to me, and I'm glad that I didn't miss out on it.

Writing is a lonely job! Or is it? Maybe. If you have no kids. And no one knows that you write for children.

I started writing (to be published, that is) when my children were little. It's a bit uncanny how you can write surrounded by six small bodies in constant motion. But I did. In between the "I'm hungry" and "I hafta go potty" and "He/She took that away from me!" I'd sit and write (well, sometimes I would do laundry, or other things).

Occassionally I might hear something like this:
What are you doing, Mommy?
I'm writing a story.
Is it about a pig?
No. But it's about a farmer.
Does he have a pig?
! (more…)

Almost three weeks ago I discovered Kidlitosphere and the Comment Challenge. Kidlitosphere is a community of people who blog about children's and young adult literature. The challenge was to post comments on 100 blog sites within a 3 week period, which amounts to around 5 comments per day.

It sounded easy enough. (more…)

The Caldecott Medal was named in honor of nineteenth-century English illustrator Randolph Caldecott. It is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children.

The Cladecott Medal winner for 2010 is "The Lion & the Mouse," illustrated and written by Jerry Pinkney (Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers).

2010 Honor Books include "All the World," illustrated by Marla Frazee, written by Liz Garton Scanlon, published by Beach Lane Books. And "Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors," illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski, written by Joyce Sidman, published by Houghton Mifflin Books for Children, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

What wouldn't an author give to have their book chosen as a Caldecott Award Book!

But how can an author, who is not an illustrator as well, make a difference?

What if our words could inspire the most fantastic pictures in the mind of the illustrator! So much so, that their hands and fingers would magically translate those wonderful pictures to paper, which become pages in a book. And in the end, the eyes of a child could see into the heart of our story.

For an author, isn't that what's it's all about? Words, inspiring pictures, inspiring a child?

May our words and pictures work together to inspire the hearts and minds of children. I do so appreciate the illustrators who translate my words into pictures to that end.

Baby Luke finally arrived on Tuesday evening! Of course he is absolutely beautiful!
Big brother Logan and I got to meet him yesterday. PapPap comes on Friday. Today Mommy and Daddy brought him home.

Big brother, little brother. Small hand over smaller hand. The wonder of babies, and toddlers.

"He squeaked."
"Yes, it sounded like a squeak."
"He's looking at me!"
"Yes, he is."
"Can I hold him?"
"Only when mommy and daddy are with you."
"Can I feed him?"
"With mommy and daddy's help."
"Can I kiss him?"
"On his head."
"Can horsey kiss him?"
"Only on his head."
"What's he doing?"
"Making faces."
"He tooted!"
"Yes, he did."
"Can I see his diaper?"
"Yes. Will you bring me a clean diaper?"

Dialogue. Simple. To the point.

Welcome to the world, Precious grandson Luke.

I'm writing this from St. Peters (near St. Louis), as I'm waiting for our newest grandson to arrive. My husband is fending for himself while I get to spend time with our kids and the grandchildren that we don't get to see often enough.

What fun hanging out with 2 and 3 year-olds! What imaginations they have already! They enjoy the most simple things, and notice the smallest details. The things that picture books are made of.

I'm working on my new year's resolutions. I've joined jacketflap, a community of people who have an interest in children's books in some way (visit me at http://www.jacketflap.com/parcher), and posted on my facebook page. I brought books to read, but will read some children's books here first. It's at least a start on those goals for 2010.

I still have a hard time remembering to write '2010' but it's off to a good start!

It's that time again for making New Year's Resolutons! My resoluions always seem to be similar to the ones I made the previous year. But if I really think about it, they're a step up, and I've at least learned from my good intentions. Or maybe I'm just making excuses!

In 2010 I will-- or at least I intend to do-- the following:

Read one children's book and one grown-up book a month.
Submit a manuscript to a magazine or book publisher each month.
Finish the picture book manuscripts in my (more…)