Met the wonderful @danpoblocki.bsky.social today. I am loving his book with Eureka O'Hara and @rbessaaa.bsky.social #kidlit #mg #lgbtqia+ store.abramsbooks.com/products/amu...

Had a wonderful time at yesterday's CWHV Conference! I had lots of great bookish conversations with #easternup members and made a few new connections. #kidlit #writingcommunity

How would my character react to a surprise party? If was for someone else, she'd think it.was fun. If it was for her, she would hate it. #surprise #24hourchildrensbookchallenge

My character's favorite breakfast: Japanese sticky rice #kidlit #24HourChildrensBookChallenge #characterintroduction

This week, I wrote at least 7 poems + a PB draft that is basically a poem. Only problem: I was supposed to writing a novel. 😂 #kidlit #poetry #amwriting #writingcommunity

Just signed my first publishing contract! 🎉 It's only for a flash story, but it's still a cool milestone. 😁 #writingcommunity #easternup #goodnews

Today's nonfiction draft is actually presentable! This feels like a huge accomplishment after the absolute mess that was my first draft. #kidlit #amwriting #pb #picturebook #nf #nonfiction

Just posted my entry for Mighty Kidlit's 100 Mighty Words Holiday Writing Contest! I am speedy when inspired. #kidlit #poetry #writingcontest #writingcommunity

My first triolet became a horror poem. 👻 #poetry #amwriting #kidlit

Such a great #poetry writing day! I found a few submission calls and was thoroughly inspired. 😁 #amwriting #disabilitysky #easternup

Wrote a golden shovel with a line from this lovely poem by @lindapoet.bsky.social today 😊 #poetry #amwriting #kidlit tygertyger.net/nature-by-li...

An excerpt from today's chapter (which may or may not be cut): "My preschool report card said I didn’t skip enough. I maintain that I skipped as much as I wanted to, which is the perfect amount to skip." True story. #amwriting #kidlit #mg

Join #easternup and all the NY Regions of #scbwi for a 24 hour writing marathon! Next weekend, 10 am Sat to 10 am Sun (EST). @kerrymcquaide.bsky.social , @johnbriggsbooks.bsky.social , and I will be moderating overnight. There will be mini-lessons, writing sprints, and community. #kidlit

In the past week or so, I deleted one scene, wrote two more, deleted the second new scene, and decided to replace it with a tweaked version of the first deleted scene. Middles are hard! #amwriting #writingcommunity #kidlit #mg

Educators: You can help show next generation the value of HUMAN creativity. When talking about illustrated books, pls mention illustrators by name? Display student artwork on your walls w/credit. Discuss illustrators w/your class. Invite illustrators to visit your school! #PicturesMeanBusiness

A wonderful read full of gorgeous art AND a great mentor text for non-narrative structure and pacing! Great job @megsodano.bsky.social and @juliehonanjohnston.bsky.social 🐋🐬🐢🐚 #kidlit #picturebook #bookreview #nonfiction

After days of working on a chapter, I decided to cut it. Into the brand new deleted scenes file it goes! Isn't drafting fun? #kidlit #amwriting #mg #writingcommunity

In this week's gem studies, I learned that jade was treasured by both the Aztecs in Central America and the Maori in New Zealand. (Jadeite for the Aztecs; nephrite for the Maori.) #coolfacts #gemstones

Bone kitty--with movable joints!! I love Halloween crafts 👻 #handmade #crafting #stamping #cardmaking

What a difference a contact form makes! I tried contacting a source with their general consumer contact form and got nothing. Then, I tried their news media inquiry form and got a speedy reply. Works for reporters and #kidlit writers who don't think of themselves as "news media." 🙂 #amwriting #nf

Tea has become a thing in my MG. #amwriting #kidlit #mg

Got a pass "after much consideration" 🙂 #amquerying #kidlit #pb

Final edits for my upcoming flash piece are in! #amwriting #flashfiction #goodpublishingnews #goodnews #easternup

Reached 15,000 words in the middle grade! Okay, more like 14,901, but rounding counts. #amwriting #kidlit #mg

It's amazing how I dread awkward conversations irl yet delight in writing them for my character. #amwriting #kidlit #mg

Got the most moving compliment from a critique partner today! #easternup #kidlit #amwriting

According to my editor, my story is "badass." Not an adjective I would ever associate with myself, but I'll take it! #writingcommunity #flash #fiction

Today I went through the agents who have already rejected me to decide who I am willing to requery. So many of the PB agents have switched to author-illustrator only! My requery list is tiny. #kidlit #picturebook #amquerying

Instead of worrying, think of your life like a story: uncertainty makes it more interesting. #kidlit #writingcommunity #amquerying #amwriting

I may not have an agent yet. But it's really cool to have an agent I can go to for advice! #kidlit #grateful #amquerying

Psst! I am opening up to unagented children's book submissions *just for the month of October*! This is an exciting experiment. The email to send submissions to is [email protected]. You can find out about what I'm looking for at www.manuscriptwishlist.com/mswl-post/me...

Highly recommend all the live streams from EveryLibrary for Banned Books Week. Full of interesting and important discussions. #kidlit #bannedbooks #freedomofspeech www.youtube.com/@everylibrar...

Doing my first practice school visit shortly! #kidlit

🔔 Apply for a Walter Dean Myers Grant today! The Walter Dean Myers Grant program was established to provide grants of $2,000 each to promising diverse writers and illustrators who are currently unpublished. Follow the 🔗 below (also in our bio) to apply ⬇️ 💻 bit.ly/WalterGrantsApp

Loving my new concept book! #amwriting #kidlit #picturebook #STEM #STEAM

Interviewed someone special for my nonfiction PB today. I was so inspired I drafted an alternative take on the subject. Now, I have to choose which version to focus on. #amwriting #kidlit #nf #picturebook

I have so many manuscripts, I decided to make a file with categorized lists of them. Now, I won't have to count on my fingers the next time I'm trying to figure out how many polished PBs I can send to an agent. #kidlit #picturebook #amquerying

Tonight's #easternup webinar was amazing. Cherry Mo is so kind and inspiring!! #kidlit #picturebook #scbwi

Singing classical music is great. I get to practice music, French, and poetic language all at the same time. #music #debussy

Anyone else not know how to turn their printer off and just press things until the lights go off? 😂

I've been reworking an ending again and again, but I think I feel good about the book now. And not in a something-is-nagging-me-but-this-is-the-best-i-can-do kind of way 🙂 #amwriting #kidlit #picturebook

Today's scene: ponytail drama. This may or may not get cut out later. #amwriting #kidlit #middlegrade

Drafting interview questions for my first nonfiction PB! #kidlit #amwriitng #picturebook #nf #nonfiction

#kidlit creators, join #scbwi #easternup for a webinar with Cherry Mo! The Caldecott-Honor-winning author-ilustrator will be sharing her process and her path to publication. When: September 29, 2005, 6 pm - 7:15 pm EDT Where: Zoom (will be recorded) Price: $15 ($10 for premium) bit.ly/4mtgC0a

Now that I'm in the middle of my novel, I have no idea how many of my scenes will actually stay when I revise. The only way to deal: just keep writing! #kidlit #amwriting #mg #middlegrade #messyfirstdraft #novelsarehard

"If you know what you’re doing in the arts, then you’re doing it wrong... If you don’t know what you’re doing, then you’re on the right track, because you’re open to the whole world of possibilities." - Terry Riley, composer #kidlit #writingcommunity #art #music #quotes #inspiration

Finally cracked a way to draft a PB idea I've been germinating for a year. My mom actually thought up this topic. #kidlit #amwriting #picturebook 🌻🌻🌻🌻

Got word that my flash piece will appear in a literary journal. More details to come. #goodnews #goodpublishingnews #writingcommunity #flashfiction #easternup

Today's fun-to-say word-of-the-day: Ilakaka A major source for sapphires in Madagascar

Just hit 10,000 words in my MG. Yay!!! #kidlit #amwriting #middlegrade