Bumpy Beginnings

I remember sitting in my living room many years ago, probably staring adoringly at my cat when a line flew into my head. Something along the lines of "Which cat was that?" I couldn't shake it and soon, an idea took shape.

I didn't know it at the time, but I was about to come down with a terrible case of beginning kid-lit-itis. This is an awful condition at first. I started with a cute idea and stupidly thought a picture book was a super easy thing to write. So I jotted down my adorable words in terrible rhyme, and then- Eureka! I was a writer!

This happened. It was embarrassing, although I did not know it at the time.

I also had the next symptom of kid-lit-itis: falling completely in love with what I wrote. So much so that I had difficulty listening to any feedback. I only trusted one person to read my story, my poor, sweet husband. He really tried, but poetry is an art form, and neither of us was equipped to critique it. I couldn't bring myself to cut anything, much less "kill my darlings." 

This symptom slowed me way down for a while.

The third symptom of kid-lit-itis is that you don't know how much you don't know. I (kind of) got over my fear of letting someone outside of my house read my work. I was able to collaborate with a lovely friend on the story. She drew the most amazing illustrations! What I didn't know? Editors at publishing houses prefer to choose the illustrator unless the author also illustrates. So, that collaboration went out the window. I still think she should pursue illustration, she is super talented!

After some time, I finally found some good information on truly getting started in writing for children. It took me longer than I would have liked, but I was raring to go by the time I got there. The road is different for everyone. Mine started out pretty bumpy, but I am still infected with a love for children's literature.