DAWN PROCHOVNIC: Will Write for Cookies PLUS PB Manuscript Critique Giveaway

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WILL WRITE FOR COOKIES

 

Plate of Cookies

INSIGHT – INFORMATION – INSPIRATION

FOR WRITERS

ProchovnicPhoto2018

TODAY’S GUEST

DAWN PROCHOVNIC

 

One of the things that always impresses me is how multi-talented my kidlit friends are. Many have had (or still have) careers as engineers, educators, and doctors. Others are, as Paul Simon wrote:

I’m sitting in the railway station.
Got a ticket to my destination.
On a tour of one-night stands my suitcase and guitar in hand.
And every stop is neatly planned for a poet and a one-man band.

I think, after you finish reading this post, you’ll agree that my guest today fits the bill of that last line.

Dawn Babb Prochovnic is the author of Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?; Where Does a Pirate Go Potty?; First Day Jitters, featured in the award-winning book, Oregon Reads Aloud; and 16 books in the Story Time with Signs & Rhymes Series, including one title that was selected as an Oregon Book Awards finalist. Dawn is a vocal advocate for school and public libraries and was honored as a 2015 Oregon Library Supporter of the Year by the Oregon Library Association. She is a frequent presenter at schools, libraries and educational conferences, and the founder of SmallTalk Learning, which provides American Sign Language and early literacy education. Dawn loves to travel and has visited thousands of potties across the Pacific Northwest and around the world. She lives in Portland, Oregon with her husband, two kids, two cats, and a feisty dog. Learn more at www.dawnprochovnic.com.

Where Does a Pirate Go Potty 9781513262406_fc

ME: Welcome, Dawn! I’m thrilled that you’ve stopped by to chat with us. I want to let everyone know that you are offering a fabulous giveaway – the winner’s choice of either an ARC of one of your new books OR a Picture Book Manuscript Critique! And, since I  know that everyone is excited to hear more about you, I’ll get right to the questions.

ME: Who were your favorite authors/illustrators when you were a child?

DAWN: I’m so glad you didn’t limit me to choosing just one childhood favorite, because that would be really difficult! During the early reader phase of my childhood, my favorite books were in the “I Can Read All By Myself Beginner Books” series. Some of the books I especially loved during that age and stage included The Digging-est Dog and Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb (both by Al Perkins and Eric Gurney); One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Yertle the Turtle, Gertrude McFuzz, and The Eye Book–which I still have my childhood copy of (all by Dr. Seuss / Theo. LeSieg); The Best Nest  (P.D. Eastman) and A Fly Went By (by Mike McClintock and Fritz Siebel) two books that were likely rattling around in my brain when I wrote my book, The Nest Where I Like to Rest.

Eye Book and A Fly Went By Books

By middle school, my favorite books were Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH (Robert C. O’Brien and Zena Bernstein); Where the Red Fern Grows (Wilson Rawls); and Harriet the Spy (Louise Fitzhugh). One summer, I actually became Harriet the Spy … I carried my spy notebook with me everywhere so I could jot down my many observations.

HarrietTheSpyNotebook

If I had to choose one all-time favorite childhood author, however, it would have to be Judy Blume. I read and re-read Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret during junior high school, and did the same with Forever during high school. I loved both of those books so much; they made me feel heard and understood.

ME: What do you know now that you wish you knew when you first started writing?

DAWN: I wish I would have realized sooner that some of my most productive writing time would be when I had limited time to write and that some of my best “writing” would happen when I’m doing something non-writing-related, such as running errands or taking a shower or driving to a workshop I’m presenting. I cannot tell you how many times I’ve had to pull over to the side of the road to scribble down a story idea, or a solution to a plot problem, or a particular word that has thus far escaped me. There is something about being in motion–and likely also related to focusing my conscious brain on an important task such as driving, freeing up my subconscious brain to run wild and problem solve without me getting in the way!

 

ME: Where do you like to write – inside, outside, special room, laptop, pen and paper?

DAWN: I do the majority of my writing and revising at my desk next to my kitchen. Most of my ideas are first scribbled onto scraps of paper, then typed into an Evernote document called “idea file.” I spend a fair amount of time writing at my computer, but that is mainly for blog posts, emails, and letters (to my kids, lawmakers, faraway friends…). My stories are generally first written haphazardly in notebooks, then transferred into a tidier format on my computer, then printed out so I can scribble revision notes every which way across the page. These revisions are tidied up and transferred to a fresh document on my computer and the process repeats itself again and again and again. Speaking of tidy, my desk is sadly lacking in that regard. Here it is with my office assistant, Pickle the Cat.

PickleDesk

ME: When do you write – early morning, late in the day, middle of the night, on schedule, as the muse strikes?

DAWN: I’m not someone who keeps a strict writing schedule, and I don’t have a certain time of the day that I write. I do try to write daily, but that is more of a lofty goal than a reality. I do think about my works-in-progress nearly every day. Even if I’m not actively writing or revising, I’m noodling on something related to one or more stories that are in my “active” file.

I will say one of the most important things I do to help me stay on track is to set writing goals each week and share my goals (and my prior week’s report) with a writing partner. I’m not always on time with my goal reports, and I certainly don’t achieve each and every goal each week, but the practice of writing down specific goals and achievements each week does wonders for helping me stay on track and keep moving forward.

 

ME: Why do you write for children?

DAWN: I sincerely believe that literacy is the most important gift we can give to a child.  I write for children because I am hopeful that one of my books will be the book that a child wants to read alongside their parent or other caregiver again, and again, and again. I want to create books that invite parents and children to spend joyful time together. I want to contribute to the collection of books that inspire children to fall in love with the experience of reading and that motivates children to learn to read independently. I have long said that reading is a way to say, “I love you,” and I want to write books that create space for that type of loving.

Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty 9781513262383_fc

ME: Also, if you have any thoughts or advice for aspiring writers, please share. As well as anything else you want to talk about that parents, educators, writers, librarians might want to hear. 

 

DAWN: One additional thought I’d like to share is how valuable it is to interact with, listen to, and learn from folks outside your usual go-to professional community. If, for example, you most typically interact with other authors and illustrators, make an effort to add some teachers and/or librarians to your network. If the bulk of your professional development comes from attending SCBWI events, consider attending a professional development event geared for teachers and/or librarians (such as your state’s school or public library association conference or an early childhood educators’ conference). Likewise, reach out to a bookseller, librarian, and/or educator that you are friendly with, and invite them to attend a SCBWI conference. If you usually read books and articles on the craft of writing for children, consider reading a book about the craft of writing something different, such as screenplays (Save the Cat by Blake Snyder is a good example). One of my favorite online professional communities is Storytime Underground, which is primarily geared for children’s librarians. Keeping abreast of the needs, interests and shared resources within the Storytime Underground community has been tremendously helpful to me in my dual roles of picture book author and early literacy consultant. Another personal example of reaching outside of my go-to network is my decision to intentionally cross paths with some musicians. This started when I decided to write a song for my husband for our 30th wedding anniversary (https://www.dawnprochovnic.com/2018/08/the-song-writing-part-of-writing-life.html). I enjoyed the song writing experience so much, I made a concerted effort to connect with more musicians. That decision led to some wonderful new friendships and the experience of collaborating with two wonderful singer/songwriters to produce the original songs that accompany the book trailers for my forthcoming books.

ME: And Dawn has a question of her own for all of you!!!!!!

DAWN: What are some of your favorite professional networks and resources (bonus points if they are outside of traditional kidlit)? Please share your comment below and indicate if you’d prefer to be entered into a drawing for an ARC of one of my forthcoming picture books (Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? or Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?) OR a professional critique of a picture book manuscript.

ME: Hurray for you, Dawn! Thank you for sharing all of this kidlit awesomeness with us. It’s been wonderful having you here!

DAWN: Thank you so much for including my voice on your wonderful blog, Vivian. (And for giving me an excuse to make a batch of cookies, today!)

ME: Aha! That’s right! There is more goodness coming. Dawn is sharing a fabulous recipe just in time for the fall season: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies! Take it away, Dawn!

DAWN: Based on a recipe originally discovered on Cooks.com many calories ago (https://cooks.com/w06916t4).

Recipe: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

ChocolateChipPumpkinCookies

1 small (15 oz) can of pumpkin

2 tsp baking soda

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2+ tsp cinnamon (I generally do more)

4 cups flour

2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs, beaten

1 tbsp milk (or milk substitute)

1 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate baking chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine all ingredients, and mix well. Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 10-12+ minutes. Do not overcook. When bottoms are just brown, remove from oven and cool. Cookies are rich, cakey, and ridiculously delicious. I dare you to eat just one. 

Yum and yum and yum! I won’t take that dare, Dawn…I know I would definitely lose!

Dear friends, I feel so blessed to be part of such a vibrant kidlit community! We all need to do our part. For those who have the money, please buy the books of your favorite authors. If you are all tapped out in the buying book department, never fear. There are three other ways you can support authors and illustrators: REVIEW THEIR BOOKS, ASK YOUR LIBRARY TO PURCHASE COPIES OF THEIR BOOKS, AND TELL YOUR FRIENDS ABOUT THEIR BOOKS!

Here is the book trailer for Dawn’s newest book, Where Does a Cowgirl Go Potty?

And another way is to SHARE, SHARE, SHARE on social media – that widens the audience for your favorite books and authors and illustrators!

October is going to be jam-packed – here’s a bit of an October itinerary for you:

  1. October 1: Book Birthday post for Nadine Poper’s RANDALL AND RANDALL
  2. October 4: Perfect Picture Book Friday with Dawn Young’s The Night Baafore Christmas
  3. October 5: Picture Book Summit Conference (all-day, online, to be enjoyed in pjs)
  4. October 9: Twitter Chat with Matthew Winner and the Newin19 picture book group
  5. October 10: My grandson’s 11th birthday – he is so proud that he is now nose to nose in height with his grandma.
  6. October 12: Universal Music Day – I’ll be guest blogging on Angie Quantrell’s blog – all about Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe, the real-life characters in my upcoming picture book: Making Their Voices Heard: The Inspiring Friendship of Ella Fitzgerald and Marilyn Monroe (Little Bee, January 14, 2020)
  7. October 15: I fly to Chicago to visit my son and his family – I’m hoping I can meet up with some of you wonderful Chicago-area kidliters.
  8. October 18: Author visit to Lycee Francais in Chicago – presenting to grades 2-5.

I hope you all have a glorious weekend. The color of the leaves is really heating up with scarlets and golds. Today I am at Peter Reynold’s Blue Bunny Bookstore in Dedham, MA -Peter’s newest book, I AM LOVE, is launching today!

And don’t forget to leave a comment to be entered in the giveaway – one lucky winner will get to choose either an ARC of one of Dawn’s new books OR a PB manuscript critique. Please share this post so the kidlit world hears about Dawn and her new books!

63 thoughts on “DAWN PROCHOVNIC: Will Write for Cookies PLUS PB Manuscript Critique Giveaway”

  1. Omg, ladies, this was so much fun and can’t wait to make these cookies!

    My favorite quote: “I sincerely believe that literacy is the most important gift we can give to a child.”😍

    I totally agree with writing when and where you can and connecting to various resources. I’m a teacher, writer, and soccer player, so my circles are all over, but I also love thinking out od the box, like you do, making connections all over. One favorite resource is the BUT WHY podcast for curious kids and news in general, my current book on sub is one that I wrote based on a wsj article that I first heard about on NPR 😁

    Your pirate book looks adorable and as a mom with an extended breastfeeder who is still in diapers at age three, I definitely would like to try this book. Don’t get me wrong, I’m in no rush, whatever’s good for her but new ideas are great!

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  2. I could have totally used these potty books last year! My very stubborn almost 5 year old was a nightmare for the potty – this would have made it much more fun!

    My favourite network right now is my rhyming critique group but honestly, the large kidlit community on twitter is outstanding!! Being able to follow certain hashtags (#PBChat for example) is an amazing resource.

    (I’d love to receive a critique! 🙂 )

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    • I love the #PBChat hashtag on Twitter, too! I’m so glad you mentioned it. As for the potty books … don’t feel like you’ve missed your window of opportunity to enjoy them. Although I’m sure folks who are in the potty training age and stage will turn to them for comic relief, they are more accurately described as potty-humor books vs. potty-training books. I suspect they will give your five-year-old a good giggle!

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  3. Reading about Dawn reminds me of the saying, “If you want something done, ask a busy person to do it.” You sound very busy indeed.
    Vivian, I wish I was going to be in Chicago at the same time you are, but I’m planning for November.
    Great post and I’d love to wake up to those pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! Mmmmmm

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  4. Thank you for the wise and helpful ideas on networking, Dawn. Congrats on your books, too! Combining pirate and potty was brilliant! I loved the trailer and the book looks adorable. I’ve only been writing PBs for a little over a year and I’m overwhelmed by the amount of networking opportunities online for kidlit authors. I feel I’ve only touched the tip of the iceberg. My favorite is my online critique group. Thank you again, Vivian, for all you do to help and promote authors! Thank you, Dawn, for your generous offer to one lucky winner. I’d love to win a critique!

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  7. I’d love an entry in the critique giveaway. As you astutely point out, Vivian, and as Dawn’s experiences show, many of us wear several hats & belong to many different communities. Interactions within those communities can spark ideas, leading to stories. I finally solved an issue in a WIP as I traveled to a meeting to brainstorm fundraising with an organization many of us know & love. I also gather energy & ideas from young entrepreneurs I mentor. Thank you both for an illuminating post!

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  9. Dawn, I applaud the way you immerse your heart and time into a mix of writing media. Snippets of stories do emerge at serendipity moments in life. My phone is filled with voice recordings of story ideas, phrases, songs, and whatnots. Once on my weekly walk around our local Lee Richardson Zoo, an emu began squawking at me. I squawked back. Quickly, I rattled off a squawking story, recording the draft in my phone. FUN…FUN…FUN. I, too, write songs, mostly for children. Within these two years of my Kidlit career, I’ve discovered TED TALKS and podcasts that speak to creativity, humanity, child-rearing, and other timely topics. I link up with educational YouTube videos and listen to what’s presented. The break from reading information and news is a welcome one. I participate actively as a member of our Garden City Arts organization, establishing relationships with artists, chefs, journalists, and other uniquely creative souls outside of authors.
    I’m also the Youth Director at a local church. Boy, “out of the mouth of babes” come so many FUNNY PHRASES and ideas!
    I congratulate you on your writing success and wish you fulfillment of your goal: to write books that readers want to hug close, reading again and again. Writing stories is truly a way to spread love and goodness in this world. Sending you energy and inspiration for your writing journey…

    If I’m the Lucky-Ducky Winner, I’d burst with joy in receiving a manuscript critique. Thank you for your offer of time and talent.

    Vivian, thank you for continuing to inspire us with your heartfelt, entertaining interviews.

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    • Thank you for this thoughtful, idea-filled comment. So many great suggestions for keeping ourselves immersed in good ideas and positive energy (and yes, the break from the news is helpful and necessary!). Thanks for your well-wishes and positive thoughts. I look forward to hearing of your Emu book, someday!

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  10. I’m three months into Vivian’s newsletter and love each & every interview. Dawn, your Cowgirl trailer is a call to action to improve my trailer for Haggadah Regatta AND to buy your book to read with my granddaughter. Wonderful inspiration

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    • Hi Carol. I had replied earlier, but it appears that internet gremlins gobbled up my message back to you. Thanks so much for viewing the book trailer and making plans to share my book with your granddaughter. I took a look at your book trailer for Haggadah and enjoyed it, too! If you do decide to create a new trailer and want to add music to it, I can’t speak highly enough about Annie Lynn/AnnieBirdd Music, LLC. She and her creative team wrote the music and performed the song for Where Does a Pirate Go Potty? She is developing a sub-specialty of helping authors with “theme songs” for their books. Warm wishes. Dawn

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  11. Thank you so much for this great post! I retired as a reading specialist several years ago, but I’m still very active in my state reading association, Keystone State Literacy Association (even served as president!). My involvement in KSLA has kept me connected to teachers, librarians, authors, and books.
    Would love to be entered to win a PB critique.

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  12. What a fun idea for a potty-training book! I needed this idea for myself while we went through this stage here. I’d love to be entered into the book drawing as I don’t have a manuscript ready.

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    • Thanks for reading the post and for taking the time to comment. As for the books … don’t feel like you’ve missed your window of opportunity to enjoy them with an already potty-trained child. As I mentioned to another commenter, although I’m sure folks who are in the potty training age and stage will turn to them for comic relief, they are more accurately described as potty-humor books vs. potty-training books. The sweet-spot age range is 3-8 years old, but I suspect they will give potty-humorists of any age a good giggle!

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  14. Thank you for this inspiring interview and for the Storytime Underground resource. One of my favorite outside communities is NCTE. I would love to be entered to win the PB critique. Thanks so much!

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    • Thanks for your kind words. I’m so glad you found the Storytime Underground resource helpful. Thanks also for mentioning NCTE. That’s also a great resource! I’ve presented at their regional conferences before, and they are chalk full of great info!

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  15. Thank you, Dawn, for sharing some insight into your writing. I agree that inspiration can be found in so many places. I’m always recording ideas in my phone. Quite often an idea will come to me when observing kids at family gatherings, in the library, at church, and many other places. I also find encouragement and great tips within the Twitter community. I would love to win a PB critique!

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    • Thank you so much! I LOVE the covers, too … and ALL THE CREDIT for those amazing visuals go to illustrator, Jacob Souva, and West Margin Press’s designer, Rachel Lopez Metzger. (And the covers are even better in real life–they have a special glossy coating on some of the key elements (like the cowgirl’s scarf and braids and the pirate’s bandana and shirt) … for days upon first receiving them, I couldn’t stop looking at them and holding them up to catch the light on the glossy parts ; )

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  18. That trailer is hilarious! And the cat, oh my word, the cat. I could write better if I had a cat like Pickle. Plus, the importance of literacy, chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, and writing advice. This post has it all, Vivian! Congrats on the new book, Dawn. Thank you for sharing info about your process.

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    • Thanks for kind words about the book trailer(s), Jilanne. Jacob Souva, the illustrator for the books, did such an amazing job with the animation, and the musicians outdid themselves with the songs! (And Pickle … love that cat to bits and pieces!)

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  19. What a wonderful interview! (and yummy cookie recipe!) Thanks for the great advice Dawn.
    Here in Canada we have a great organization for children’s authors & illustrators – CANSCAIP. I’ve been to several special presentations and have entered their writing competitions.

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    • Thanks for reading the post and taking the time to comment, Bev. I’m glad you liked the recipe and appreciated the advise ; ) Thanks also for passing along the info about CANSCAIP. That looks like a great resource for folks up north!

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  20. Great interview! I can’t wait top see your new books, Dawn. And thanks for the great advice on seeking inspiration outside the regular kidlit community. I know lots of my writing inspiration comes through musical theater and cabaret groups. Listening to those fantastic lyrics always gives me ideas.

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  23. I’ve gotten some of my best ideas from preschool classrooms and my grands! Also, walking, washing dishes, and living life while NOT writing. I just have to remember the ideas, write them down quick, and let them start simmering. Congratulations on your new books! Love Pickle. I have a helper too, but she mostly walks across the computer. I would love an ARC of one of your new books. 🙂

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    • Hanging around preschool classrooms is definitely good fodder for stories! (and all of those non-writing activities you mentioned … as long as I get back to my desk and scribble down the ideas while they’re fresh!) Thanks for reading the post and for your well wishes about my new books.

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  24. Lovely inspiring post. Thank you for the challenge to look beyond my go to networks. One of my favorites is music too. There is magic in tight and meaningful lyrics that blend well with the melody and harmonies. Picture books are similar in many ways. (I’d love to be entered for a critique.) Thanks!

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  25. I love your ‘Potty’ books 😊
    When I first heard of them, I immediately thought of Judy Blume, about how her books filled a gap at the time, and now yours do the same.
    Besides being a writer, I’m also a healthcare engineer (that’s my day job). Obviously, I love science but so far I’ve not been able to use that love in any of my stories. Hopefully, one day I’ll find a way in.
    My favorite resource outside the kidlit community is an app called ‘Science News’ that I’ve installed in my phone. It provides me with a live feed of the latest events in the science and maths field.
    I’d love to be entered for the critique giveaway.

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    • Thanks for your kind words about my books, Riya…you’ve officially made my day. The app you’ve mentioned sounds like a great resource for story ideas. Best wishes for your own projects. I encourage you to look at the work of Jess Keating and Elizabeth Rusch. They’ve both done an excellent job turning their love of science into compelling books for kids. Also take a look at the work of Amber Keyser. She writes longer non-fiction on topics that interest her (sneakers, undergarments, marriage) that would be great mentor texts. Also, Josh Funk (a computer programmer by day) has two great books about coding (How to Code a Sandcastle and How to Code a Rollercoaster) that provide a nice roadmap for how to incorporate your unique knowledge/interests into inspiring books for kids. Best wishes! Dawn

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  26. Thank you for the wonderful post! Isn’t it so true that some of our best writing happens when we’re doing something else like running?! And sometimes you need to stop and make yourself write because your best ideas are about to come out!! The Eye Book is also one of my favorites too!!

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    • Thanks for taking the time to view the trailer(s) and comment, Mary. All the love for the book trailers goes to Jacob Souva (the illustrator for the books and the animator for the book trailers) and the amazing musicians I got to work with (Annie Lynn/AnnieBirdd Music, LLC and Marshall Mitchell).

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  28. Thank you for this inspiring post! It is interesting to hear about your journey and also how you have incorporated music into your process. Congratulations on your latest book! I appreciate the opportunity for a critique.

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  29. I’ll be honest: I don’t have an in-person writing network. I wish I did! That’s why I read so many writing blogs. There are some great online writing challenges –.StoryStorm is one of my favorites. (If I’m a lucky winner, I’d love a PB critique. Thank you.)

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    • Storystorm is great … and one of my favorites, too, for sure! I also appreciate the communities created through blogs such as Vivian’s here, and Twitter chats such as #PBChat. I encourage you to connect with your local SCBWI chapter if you haven’t already…that’s a great way to connect with folks in person ; )

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  30. Great post – and I love my networks. SCBWI/twitter/critique groups have been great, but I am also a dietitian and I enjoy networking with fellow dietitians when I can (conferences/workshops). I get inspiration from everything I do and I LOVE combining my knowledge of nutrition/health/science with PB writing!

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    • That’s such a GREAT point, Vashti. There are definitely opportunities to learn and be inspired by hanging out with folks outside of the industry. Also, I just spent several days a conference for BOOKSELLERS and I learned so much from them!

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