Light, Shade, Highs and Lows; How I got here (Part 2)

My journey to receiving my first picture book contract

In about my fourth year in the Duck Pond, Jen Storer ran a writing and illustrating competition through Scribbles. I entered my first PB manuscript which was now in it’s 30th iteration, a least! I did not win, but my manuscript was commended in the picture book section of that year’s competition. I also entered the illustration section that first year and did not place. I almost, metaphorically, killed myself entering the illustration section working way more hours than I was well enough to do. Lord it was exhausting!! i was not recognised at all in the competition for my illustrations.

 Not long after the competition was held, I heard a publisher with whom I had become friends in the Pond, was visiting a children’s book shop, very close to my home. I invited her and her husband as friends, to drop in for afternoon tea. During that lovely social afternoon visit, the publisher said she wished she had picked up my story that placed in the competition, when her publishing house was open for submissions. I took a chance and boldly said with a wink in my voice that the story was still available. She then said I could resubmit saying that she and her husband would consider it. Yippee again! 

During our afternoon my lovely publisher guest also happened to express pleasure upon seeing one of my drawings that I had created for Jen’s competition.

Soon after that afternoon, I wrote a polite and professional email with my PB manuscript attached, of course, thanking the publisher for the opportunity to resubmit the manuscript.

Sometime later, I heard from Kathy and Peter Creamer of Little Pink Dog Books, my guests, saying that they liked my story… ‘but’ they wanted me to change the primary metaphor that was at the centre of my picture book manuscript.

Oh boy, another challenge! Eeek. I had to take some time to process the request and then once I wrapped my head around it, I had to ‘do the verk’ of reworking the story with a new central metaphor. Once again I paid Zanni for mentoring as I worked. In the end, we both preferred the new manuscript to the original one! Now that was unexpected and a great learning curve for me. Creating a book is a team effort!

I sent the refreshed PB (picture book) ms (manuscript) to Kathy and Peter. By then the manuscript  was up to well over its 60th draft. Some time later and to my absolute delight they offered me a contract. To say I was pleased would be an understatement! Yippeeeeeee!!! And bring out the custard!!! 

The story does not end here though. Because Kathy had liked my drawing I bit the bold bullet again and politely asked if Kathy and Peter might allow me to illustrate my ms. I attached some images of my work.

Now I think it’s important to say here that Little Pink Dog Books is a very unusual traditional publishing house because its purpose has always been to provide an opportunity for first time illustrators and authors with a chance to receive their first contract. I am convinced that this is the sole reason I was given such a wonderful opportunity to receive a contract with a traditional publisher as both author and illustrator.

The journey and struggle to learn, create and ‘do the verk’ continue for me! But wow am I grateful for the kidlit community, the generosity of the teachers and companions along the way and not least to Kathy and Peter Creamer of Little Pink Dog Books!!!!

I wish my fellow aspiring authors and illustrators courage for the journey and much pleasure and fulfilment along the way. May we all grow as people and creatives as we engage in pursuing our craft.

Light, shade, highs and Lows; How I got here. (Part 1)

My journey to receiving a contract for my first picturebook: Flora’s Basket

Throughout my life I have been drawn to and engaged in various forms of creativity. Visual art and music have been predominant.

Sadly as a vulnerable and impressionable teen I was instructed to leave art school by a misguided church leader. Instead of pursuing art, I trained as a primary school teacher. Whilst I regret having been lured away from making art, it turned out I had an ability to communicate with children; particularly in a one to one situation. I eventually worked as a private music teacher and as a specialist classroom music teacher.

How then do I find myself with a contract with Little Pink Dog Books, as both illustrator and author of my first picture book? The answer is a little convoluted.

I might start by saying that I have heard it said that everyone has a unique path to their first children’s book. Mine is not one I’d wish on anyone because it came by way of serious illness.

I have debilitating chronic fatigue syndrome and fibromyalgia. Due to these illnesses, I had to stop playing my instruments, cease teaching and stop performing as both a singer and marionette puppeteer. All things I loved. Instead, I became primarily housebound and need to sleep or rest for more than half of every 24 hours. 

Having lost my ability to do almost everything, I turned to a long and loosely held thought, that I might like to try and write for children. I enrolled in an online course in creative writing with the Writer’s Studio which I was not well enough to complete. Nevertheless, through this course, I made the exciting discovery that I had some ability in the area! Yippee!!

Soon after participating in the course I heard about a half day course about writing picture books, run by the fabulous Zanni Louise. That half day was the biggest outing I had had for about three years but thank goodness I attended.

Besides teaching the essentials about picture book writing, Zanni led us in some practical writing exercises. Through one of these exercises I wrote a piece based on some very personal experiences in my life. The next day Zanni contacted me, encouraging me and offering her services as a mentor if I wanted to complete the piece I started in her course and turn it into a complete picture book manuscript. I set to and wrote my first manuscript and promptly sent it to Zanni.

I did not love her feedback.  I can laugh now…

I look back on this first experience of having my writing critiqued rather than primarily encouraged - which was the excellent intention of the first creative writing course in which I participated. I was so upset by Zanni’s excellent feedback that I did not look at my manuscript or at her advice again for another year!!

In the interim, I joined Jen Storer’s magnificent Facebook group named The Duck Pond. What a gorgeous community! Not dissimilar to Zanni’s Sunshine House Facebook group. I highly recommend them both.

Jen ran and still runs live question and answer sessions. Back in the day they were called ‘questions and quacks’. Jen taught about the act of writing and about the publishing industry. She was also warm, kind and honest. Through her monthly Questions and Quacks (the replays of which I believe are still available on you tube - on Jen Storer’s channel) I started to wrap my head around what to do, what not to do and the fact that writing a book is a team effort. I also learned that as an author you need to be open to learning, to critique, to practise, to rejection, to basically being transformed by the journey of ‘doing the verk’. ‘Doing the verk’ is a playful phrase Jen often uses to remind us that to become a writer we must write. To be an illustrator we must draw and to do either, we must learn how. Verk, verk, verk.

Wonderfully, through theDuck Pond community, I found ‘my people’; other aspiring writers who, like me wrote and write badly – something we all do. In fact writing badly is part of the process, before we polish and amend our work, until we have something half decent.

Being part of an encouraging and kind writing community is important. I was and still am very active in the online kidlit community. Part of being in the community is as Jen would say, ‘staying in your own lane’. Meaning, if others succeed or experience rejection, don’t compare yourself to them. Everyone, including me and you, is on their own journey. Jen Storer’s teaching was and is, primarily about being a creative human, and as a secondary focus, about working towards the dream of getting published.

So a year after Zanni’s first round of feedback, I reworked my story referring to Zanni’s insights and suggested edits. I then contacted Zanni again and paid her for mentoring sessions where we focused on that PB manuscript and eventually others pieces as well.

I invested money, energy and time and I ‘verked’ when ever I was able.

Jen Storer also started another group called Scribbles, which I paid to join so that I could learn more about writing. I also paid for online manuscript assessments with publishers when there were opportunities to do so through Kidlit conferences. Twice traditional publishers from big publishing houses expressed interest in my writing but neither took up my work for publication. I also submitted my work to Little Pink Dog Books when they were open for submissions. I was unsuccessful there as well.

Then a friend from the Pond asked me to give her feedback on some poems. This opportunity switched my brain into rhyming mode and poetry in general. I started writing kid friendly poetry for my imaginary audience. I think writing a picture book is in many ways like writing poetry. PB text is spare, it is ‘the bones’, it is ‘what is essential’, it is like concentrated vanilla extract in which every word must do heavy lifting. I also read and started writing picture book reviews and began a children’s book review facebook page called Mandy’s Booknook. By doing this I was looking at picture books with an eye to analyse what was working and why it worked.

I know that my pursuit of learning about writing for kids sounds manic…, and perhaps it is/was. To be honest though, it has kept me sane, giving me connection and a sense of purpose during almost ten years of pretty extreme isolation and illness. Had I been healthy enough to work even a little I would not have been in the position to learn and write.

Pursuing writing has been a privilege for which I am extremely grateful.

WHAT’S IN A BLOG NAME?

LightDanceShadowPlay, is a fusion of two phrases, ‘the play of light’ and ‘shadow dance.’ I have chosen this name for my blog, as through this sharing space, I intend to explore with you the experience of engaging in one of life’s most basic, formative and universal dances; the fugue of steps between life’s light and shadow sides.

I am often entranced by literal shadows cast on surfaces within my home. As the sun skims around branches and leaves in my garden or past the gently swaying, bamboo screen at my back door, the interplay of shifting light and silhouette, creates an often mesmerising choreography of illuminated shapes that sings with gentle beauty. Similarly, I dance with the light and dark shades of life. My acceptance of these experiences and my engagement with them, is most often facilitated through play, through creativity. I see patterns cast on the walls of my life as I dance, sing, write, draw and dream my way to making meaning of those moving forms.

Through my blog posts, I invite you to join me on an exploration of creativity as a tool for making sense of the brightness and the shadow sides of life.