The Bumps Get Bumpier

I am beyond grateful that I live during a time when the internet exists. I remember the time before. You know, when some movie title or song lyric eluded your memory, you would be obsessed with it for hours before falling asleep. Now, almost anything you need to know is just a short search away. 

Laptop open showing a photo of a bridge arising through fog.

When I realized that I needed to educate myself about writing for children, I turned to my new BFF, Google. I must have spent hours perusing the web search results looking for classes, professional organizations, communities, retreats...the list seemed endless. 

I decided to start with an international professional organization focused on children's literature. So I joined the SCBWI (Society for Children's Writers and Illustrators.) I pored over their website and discussion boards, trying to absorb everything I could. I also signed up for the spring conference. 

I remember how excited I was for that conference. I signed up for the courses I wanted to take. I had business cards made up to hand out during the conference. I started planning out what to pack. And then...

COVID.

We all know how that spring turned out. The conference was canceled.

Woman in faceshield, N-95 mask, surgical mask, and scrubs.

As a nurse practitioner in Urgent Care during the pandemic, I had to go to work. There was no work-from-home option for me or my co-workers. We were terrified and exhausted. As you can imagine, this took quite a toll on my creative energy. 

During that time, I needed something that I could control, even if it was only how I spent my time out of the clinic.

I read the SCBWI discussion boards and wrote another picture book manuscript. Those things I could control. And just those small acts of action and creation gave me joy. I craved more, so I looked through The Essential Guide to Publishing for Children. This guide is available to SCBWI members and contains an enormous amount of information about all aspects of publishing for children. 

I'll admit I completely overwhelmed myself. 

I freaked out over how to research an agent and find an editor. 

I wondered how on Earth I was supposed to keep up with social media and build an author platform. 

I doubted that I would ever have 3-5 polished manuscripts at the rate I was going.

I felt like I was drowing.

Then a life raft appeared. I discovered the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge.