Today I worked hard and still felt behind, which is a very specific kind of frustration I haven’t figured out how to fix.

Right now my brain is buffering. Anyone else?

Q1: The biggest #kidlitart positive thing that happened this year was that I got an agent, the wonderful @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social Alt: Still got a house and a job and healthcare, and still in relatively good health all things considered.

My creative process includes writing, deleting, staring into space, and convincing myself I’m not bad at this. 🙃

Parenting while working from home means switching from *deep creative thought* to “WHERE ARE YOUR SHOES” in under three seconds.

Being a parent changed how I create. I don’t wait for perfect conditions anymore. I work with what I have. #writingcommunity

Most of my creative work happens in the margins of the day.

A rejection can be reasonable, kind, and still knock the wind out of you.

A lot of writers think they’re stuck when they’re actually just in the slow, invisible middle where nothing feels rewarding yet. #writingcommunity #amwriting

I’m a little nervous asking, but here goes. 💛 At Home Author is up for Writer’s Digest’s 101 Best Websites for Writers, and today’s the last day to nominate. Your support would mean the world. docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

❤️

My cursor is judging me again.

Sometimes the reason a book doesn’t sell isn’t craft—it’s positioning. That’s a hard thing to sit with when you’ve poured years into the work. #writingcommunity #amwriting #amquerying

I trust writers who admit they rewrote the first chapter ten times.

I did the math. In 2025, I received 4,756 queries. I have now replied to them all, except for the ~15 I'm still reading through and hope to reply by the end of the year. (This does not include live conference pitches, unsolicited email queries, or DMs.)

I truly believe every writer needs someone who says “rest counts too.” Here’s your reminder if you forgot today.

When I first left the classroom, I had no idea how to become an author. I made so many mistakes.That’s why I co-founded At Home Author—so other writers wouldn’t have to figure it all out alone. You don’t have to either. ❤️ #writingcommunity #amwriting #amquerying

Chicago artist Jazmin Rodriguez’s playful prints are "love letters" to the city. The Humboldt Park native draws vibrant digital illustrations of the city, inspired by the folkloric art of her Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage. blockclubchi.co/3XM8s9D

Publishing brain is wild. I’ll forget what I ate for lunch but remember a manuscript someone casually mentioned in 2022.

Well this was insanely cool to read about my own book. 😳

Today’s writing progress: one sentence. Today’s life progress: kept everyone alive and fed. I’m calling that a win.

I promise I’m not ignoring your email. I’m just trapped under a precarious tower of...life.

Holidays + deadlines = a vibe. Not a good one, not a bad one, just… a vibe.

Season's greetings, #KidLitArtPostcard day! I’m Mike and I love creating fun, character-driven work, both animal and human! I'm repped by @vickyweberbooks.bsky.social and am especially looking for middle grade cover work. See more work at mdashow-kidlitart.carrd.co #kidLitArt #dogs #dog

I have only been agenting about 3 years and much of my brand prior to agenting was publicly built around kidlit. But I do SO much more! 😊 buff.ly/UvV6FHc

Someone at a conference said, “Comp titles stress me out,” and I was like… SAME. Which is why I wrote the strangest blog post of my entire career: comparing comps to weird Thanksgiving relatives. buff.ly/kuR0Ql2

LAST DAY! PBCC is 30% off until midnight: buff.ly/8p0eLha Code: BLACKFRIDAY30 🤍✨

Some of last year’s PBCC attendees walked away with pitch requests… and eventually agents. And even those who didn’t said it changed the way they approached their stories. 30% off through Monday. 💛 buff.ly/8p0eLha

Small Business Saturday reminder: PBCC is packed with editors/agents actually acquiring books right now. If you want 2026 to be your year, this is your sign. 30% off. buff.ly/8p0eLha #amwriting #amquerying #writingcommunity

Black Friday PSA for my picture-book people: The PB Creator Conference is 30% off all weekend with code BLACKFRIDAY30. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to finally take your book seriously… tada. ✨ (magical author fairy dust not included) buff.ly/8p0eLha

Black Friday deal for my picture book folks 👀 The Picture Book Creator Conference is 30% off all weekend with code BLACKFRIDAY30. If your 2026 goal is to finally get that story out of your head and into the world… this is your sign. ✨

When I left teaching, I never thought I’d miss the chaos of the music room. …And yet here I am, writing about it. I’ve got a story in Classroom Confidential, an anthology of hilarious and heartfelt tales from music teachers. 🎶 Preorder:

The post I didn’t expect to write this Thanksgiving… open.substack.com/pub/vickyweb...

My two little ones, Eliana and Caladen, are walking, talking (sometimes screaming) reminders that kids are brutally honest, hilariously unpredictable, and full of big emotions in tiny bodies. They’ve changed the way I see picture books and what makes a story work.

Why is it that I can remember a random line I cut 6 months ago but not where my phone is?

A reminder that the median book deal for a debut author in the UK is £7000, paid over 12-18 months. (from 2022 Society of Authors report). Some of your favourite writers are struggling. societyofauthors.org/2022/12/06/a....

‼️Review Alert‼️ What a way to kick off the weekend! 😆 Congratulations @laurajensenwalker.bsky.social on the fabulous review of THE ALPHABET SLEUTHS and thank you to @publisherswkly.bsky.social for the wonderful words 😊 #thealphabetsleuths #publishersweekly #bookreview

Sometimes the best feedback is time. Step away!

Who needs therapy when you can just project all your unresolved trauma onto fictional characters? /s

New post is UP! buff.ly/UvV6FHc

You’re not lazy. You’re probably overwhelmed. Big difference.

You can’t be objective about a draft you just finished. Let it rest. Bread dough, brain, same concept! 😅

Writers: describe your current project in a single emoji. Go.

I'm pretty sad because I was supposed to be able to take much-need time off this month and next, but jury duty, publishing, and life had other plans. Someday, I'll get a vacation!

The last #KidLitArtPostcard day is 2 weeks away. December 4th! #kidlit www.ginaperry.com/postcard

Every book you love almost got abandoned once.

Don’t write what’s trending. Write what you’d fight for.

Finally able to shout this from the rooftops!! Congrats Julie Lew!!!

What’s your go-to comfort read when the world is crumbling around you? 📚

There’s this moment, as an agent, when you stumble on a story that makes your heart race. You forget you’re “working” and just… sink in. Suddenly you’re up too late, turning pages. And then, my favorite part: reaching out to the author.