Starting a Writer’s Newsletter: A Neophyte’s Journey

What do you do with twenty years’ worth of articles about writing, presentation handouts, charts, etc.? You could start an author’s newsletter. Which, one day in a fit of boredom, I decided would be just the thing to do. I’d been getting Jane Friedman’s newsletter for years as well as a few others. They were wonderful and full of useful information. Some of the same sort I had sitting in my files. It hurt to see all of the work I’d put into creating those files go to waste. So now, that info is being shared. 

Here are some of the things I did/learned:

Step 1.  Get someone to help you. I hired Debbie Gonzales who has worked with social platforms and newsletters.

Step 2.  Decide on a software. Constant Contact and MailChimp are two of the most common
ones. Mailchimp allows you to use their software free for up to 2,000 contacts in one
audience. I decided on MailChimp and used one of their free templates to get started.

Step 3.  While playing with the design, I had to think about my audience. Who was I going to
send my newsletter to? How was I to get their subscriptions? Mailchimp has a form that
is easily embedded on a website/landing page. So I created a static page on my website
for that at: https://shutta.com/wordsmiths-playground-sign-up.

Step 4.  Then I rooted through the more than 600 personal emails I had to sort out the folks that I
thought might be interested. I downloaded 220+ of those and sent an invitation to
subscribe through my website via MailChimp.

Step 5.  Once the invitees had clicked on the subscribe page and entered very basic info, I was
able to mail out the first monthly edition in early January of 2021.

There were some glitches:

Once I got used to finding where things were in the MailChimp dashboard, most of what I had to do was pretty easy. (Plus, I had Debbie G. to hold my hand and guide me!) There is a preview screen so you can see how your newsletter looks on a desktop or mobile. And you can send a test mailing to your own email first. One caveat: you can’t control the settings folks have for their email providers. So it may not always arrive as neatly as you see in the preview! For ex.: I had three columns across the middle of my first month’s newsletter. However, because of settings, a few friends only had room for two columns across and the third appeared below the others. Next month I may play around with only two columns and see how that looks.

The most difficulty I had was with my audience (my contact list). I soon sorted that out. MailChimp does not have a preliminary kind of designation for a first contact like “invited,” or some such. So, when I downloaded more than 220 contacts they were all listed as “subscribed”—though they really were not. However, MailChimp keeps all kinds of statistics and it told me which ones had clicked through and actually subscribed. Then I used MailChimp’s tagging ability and tagged those folks as actual subscribers. When you mail out a “campaign” (their term for a mailing/newsletter/other) you designate who you want that to go to. So I simply sent my newsletters out to the tagged “actual subscribers.” But I was left with this large contact list—which was only partially correct. I didn’t want to erase all of the others who had not clicked though, in case I want to send another invite at a later date. However, it turns out that MailChimp has an archiving ability. So, I archived those contacts that had initially been invited and who were not yet subscribers. That cleaned up my contact list.

In essence, it just took a bit of fiddling with things. Now, I only check once a week, or so, for new folks (and send them the most recent newsletter), as well as continue to use my template for each month’s news. In addition, I will advertise the newsletter a couple of times on Facebook and at any programs I do. Now that it is set up, it shouldn’t be a huge drain on my time. 

One last thing:

Content is king, as they say. I would not have considered doing a newsletter without all the content I already have. You need something of value to offer. You can, of course, start from scratch writing, interviewing, and creating all new material. If you decide to do that, be sure to study other newsletters already out there so you won’t simply be duplicating what’s available.

Here’s to wishing you all, the best!

Shutta Crum is the author of several middle-grade novels and many picture books, poems and magazine articles. THUNDER-BOOMER! was an ALA and a Smithsonian “Notable Book.” MINE! was reviewed by the N.Y. Times as “a delightful example of the drama and emotion that a nearly wordless book can convey.” Her books have made Bank Street College lists as well as state award lists. WHEN YOU GET HERE, a collection of poems for adults, won a gold medal from the Royal Palm Literary Awards, 2020 (FL). For more information: www.shutta.com. 

To subscribe to Shutta's newsletter: https://shutta.com/wordsmiths-playground-sign-up/

To reach Deb Gonzales: http://debbiegonzales.com 

To learn more about MailChimp: https://MailChimp.com

Coming up on the Mitten Blog:

Writer Spotlights, podcast lessons, conference takeaways, Book Birthday interviews, and another round of Hugs and Hurrahs.

The Mitten Blog welcomes submissions from SCBWI-MI members. We want to connect, learn from each other, and share experiences. Read our Submission Guidelines to learn more. 

That sounds like a lot of work.

I don't know, I'm really busy...

What's in it for me? 

Let us tell you! Read Patti Richard's post, Knitting the Perfect Mitten (Blog post that is...).

Registration is now open for the SCBWI-MI (Virtual) Spring Conference! Sessions will be recorded and available for viewing for 30 days post conference. Critique slots fill-up quickly, so don't delay! 

Everything you need to know is here:
https://michigan.scbwi.org/2020/05/01/spring-conference-2021/

The Merze Tate Explorers: Young Writers Experience the World

Equity and inclusion continues to be at the forefront of our minds – in our reading, writing, and daily lives. One underlying thought is: who gets to tell your story and who decides. This blog post is the second of a two-part series for our Equity and Inclusion Corner that addresses the issue of access. As in part one, this interview aligns with RAWK’s (Read and Write Kalamazoo) mission to “celebrate and amplify youth voices…through creativity, equity, and access.”

While a reporter at the Kalamazoo Gazette, Sonya Bernard-Hollins wrote a story on African American firsts of Western Michigan University. What she discovered was that Merze Tate was an African American with many “first“ accomplishments. She was the first African American female to earn a Bachelor of Science degree from Western Michigan University, and the first African American woman to earn a Ph.D. in Political Science from Radcliffe at Harvard University. 

Sonya Bernard-Hollins

Learn more about Merze Tate from a previous Mitten blog post:

Bringing a Hidden Figure to Life for Children.

Tate’s legacy led Sonya to found the Merze Tate Travel Club (now Merze Tate Explorers) in 2008 to expose girls in 5th-12th grades to the community around them, and beyond. Engaged in nonfiction writing about their experiences, the young journalists have navigated a ship on Lake Michigan, flown small aircraft, floated in gondolas in Venice, climbed Mt. Fuji in Japan, and more to discover their world and passions, much as Tate did with her students decades earlier.  

Grab your favorite beverage and enjoy a chat with Sonya.

~ Angela Verges

Can you tell our readers a little about Dr. Merze Tate and how you discovered her work?

I was amazed that a Michigan woman I’d never heard of had done so many great things in the area of education, international politics, government, technology, and the arts. It was her “first” at WMU that really got the ball rolling in my desire to share her story. When she graduated from WMU in 1927, she had the highest academic record in the school’s history. However, African Americans were not hired to teach secondary school in Michigan because of Jim Crow segregation. With the help of Dr. Waldo, the president of WMU, she received a job at Crispus Attucks High School in Indianapolis. This all-black school was founded in 1927 by leaders in that city’s Ku Klux Klan, to keep schools segregated. She was their first history teacher and started a Travel Club at the school for students to expose them to a world beyond their community. 

How did you begin the Merze Tate Travel Club?

My goal was to write a book about Merze Tate. The actual club began through a challenge from the Kalamazoo Community Foundation. They offered a $500 grant to anyone with ideas on how to provide a unique learning experience for youth. I applied for a chance to take girls on an Amtrak from Kalamazoo to Battle Creek to learn about the Underground Railroad. I received the funds, and the rest is history. Because of my background in journalism, I wanted girls to not simply be observers, but reporters to learn how to share what they learn with those in their families and community. What good was it to simply meet someone if you can’t share what you learned? The hook to provide a travel experience and writing made our program unique. And, the fact that it was based on a Michigan woman made it even more unique. 

After I wrote the book Small Beginnings, Merze Tate’s life grew into something bigger for me. The girls who participated in our travel club became an extension of Merze Tate’s story, continuing her legacy. They learned to become writers. Seeing the things Merze Tate did inspired the girls. They didn’t have some of the barriers Merze did.

How are the girls selected to participate in the Travel Club and how many participate?

Auditions are held at the Kalamazoo Valley Museum. The girls pull an exhibit title from a hat. They have 15 minutes to research the exhibit and record their findings in a newscast format. They participate in fun games about landmarks around the world. The entire process takes about an hour. In the early days of the Travel Club, we’ve had up to 70-80 girls. Over the years this has been scaled down to 25 girls due to COVID-19 and the need to have a more focused group of girls who work best virtually.

Is there a cost for the girls to participate?

The is a $25 fee which covers the cost of a Polo shirt. The girls do a lot of fundraising so all can participate in study abroad, the summer college academy, and more without the fee being a barrier.

What type of things are the girls involved in?

Over the years, the program has evolved. What began as a Saturday program to expose girls to things such as ice skating, plays, and historic landmarks has become so much more. They participate in community service projects, fundraisers, and take trips to apply for study abroad that are learning experiences. They vote on the service projects and how they will use their funds. 

Study abroad experiences have included visits to places such as Hawaii, Japan, and Europe.  Each trip has a themed focus, usually arts or STEM-related. They have met and interviewed women vice presidents of Fortune 500 companies and history makers such as Mae Jemison and Ruth Carter, the first African American to win an Oscar for Costume Design. Their work as journalists is highlighted each year in their Girls Can! Magazine. 

An annual Summer College Academy allows girls to live on a college campus for a week while meeting college students, administrators and visiting museums or corporations in that area. This experience is often the first time away from home for many and the first time in a college dorm. 
 

You mentioned a partnership with Kalamazoo Valley Community College. What does that entail?

When the girls interviewed Dr. Marshall Washington, the first African American president of Kalamazoo Valley Community College, he was impressed. That led to a partnership to provide students the opportunity to take a college course on Saturdays for credit. Students ages 14 and older qualified while younger students took part in interactive career exploration. It was the first time the college ever provided such a partnership and has since opened the doors for other organizations serving youth. 

Any closing thoughts?

The book! It’s funny because the original purpose was to write a book about Merze Tate. In the meantime, the research I have conducted on her has led to a traveling exhibition of her own photographs that debuted in 2012 at the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame (of which Tate is an inductee). As I continue to work on her biography, I have written, Small Beginnings: A Photographic Journey Through the Life of Merze Tate in the same rhythmic pattern as the poem she wrote on her way to Oxford. It includes many of her own photographs to tell her life story. 

So, Tate’s life continues to inspire as girls find their passion and careers through the exposure of
a travel club based on one she founded in 1928. While she has left millions to universities for
scholarships, it is her determination as a woman of color who defied the odds that allows her
story to live on far after her death in 1996. 

Learn more about Sonya Bernard-Hollins and the Merze Tate Travel Club by visiting
https://www.merzetate.org.

Thank you Sonya for bringing the Merze Tate Girls Club to life for us. May the girls continue to experience all the world has to offer, through your guidance.

Angela Verges is an award-winning humorist (in training, waiting to be discovered). She has shared humor through blogging, women’s retreats, and other venues. Angela is a graduate of Michigan State University and mother of two. She encourages the use of humor for healing and believes you can relieve tension, one laugh at a time.

Angela is also the author of Menopause Ain’t No Joke – Blending Faith and Humor in Perfectly Imperfect Situations.

Contact Angela Verges for speaking engagements, comedy, or to share comments. http://www.angelaverges.com

Read more posts from the SCBWI-MI Equity and Inclusion team here:

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/p/scbwi-mi-diversity-blog.html

Ask the Editor with Katherine Gibson

Welcome to our quarterly Ask the Editor feature! Katherine Gibson is an editor at Zonderkidz and was previously at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. She's collecting questions from SCBWI-MI members and sharing her answers with our community. Did you miss her other Q&As? See the links at the end of this post.

Here's Katherine:

Hi there! A huge THANK YOU to everyone who sent in their questions! I’ve answered them the best I could, and I hope you find this post helpful and informative.

As with my previous Ask the Editor posts, I humbly ask that you take my comments in the spirit in which they’re intended. The advice here is meant to be friendly and helpful; I don’t want anyone to finish this post feeling vulnerable or discouraged.

Also, a general disclaimer that my thoughts are my own; I do not speak on behalf of my publisher or the publishing industry in general. I would not be at all surprised to learn that you’ve heard an editor or agent say something that directly conflicts with my perspective. Everyone in publishing has their own views and preferences, and I can only be honest about my own.

If you have any questions about writing, editing, or publishing that aren’t addressed here, please reach out to me. I’m always happy to gather questions for my next post!

Thank you, and happy reading!

How important is the pitch and query letter? If you love the story, but not the pitch, then what? Is it still a determining factor in your final decision on a manuscript? What is your ideal query letter like? Is there a preferred order of information, or is it more about the content? And what about comps? I've heard it's optimal to give three, but what if you don't furnish any? Does it hurt your overall chances if you don’t provide them? 

Lots of great questions here! Speaking for myself, the manuscript is the determining factor in my decision, not the query letter. If I love a manuscript, it doesn’t much matter if the query letter isn’t very good. That being said, I don’t think I’ve ever been impressed by a manuscript that wasn’t accompanied by a solid query letter. I think most people who are serious about writing a children’s book are also serious about presenting it well.

As for the preferred order of information, this can vary depending on the agent/editor, but typically the letter starts with the hook (usually a fun, quick summary of what happens), then moves into the specifics (themes, selling points, age range, word count, comp titles, etc.), and finally includes a paragraph about the author and their credentials. 

You’ll notice I included comp titles in the list of things to outline in the second paragraph. Of all the information that goes into a query letter, I think comps are pretty far down on the list in terms of importance. If you know of a similar title or two (honestly, three feels like a bit much to me!) that have done well in the market, it definitely helps to include them, partly because it helps to place it in the agent’s or editor’s mind, but also because it shows you know the market and have done your homework. But if you can’t find any solid comp titles, or the ones you know of are obscure and/or performed badly, I’d just leave off mentioning them altogether. It’s not the sort of thing that makes or breaks a pitch.

And finally, I’d say my ideal query letter is one that piques my interest in both the project and the author. That probably sounds lofty, but there are really just three pieces of information I’m looking for: What’s the story? Who wrote it? And, most importantly, why should people read it? I love when I read a thoughtful, professional query letter, because it tells me that the author takes the submission process seriously. They’ve done their research and put in the time to make a good first impression, and knowing that, I’m much more eager to turn the page and read their story.

When webinar presenters give participants a chance to submit a manuscript, should you use the same format for the query letter that you use for agents?

Unless the presenter has expressed a preference in regard to the query letter format, I think the typical format you’d use for an agent or editor (which I described in the previous question) should be just fine. And, good luck! 

I submitted a project to a publisher I’ve worked with before, and in the past even when they’ve rejected a manuscript they’ve always been good about sending me a personal response. But it’s been five months since I sent them the project, and I still haven’t heard anything. Should I try to call or email them, or just let it go?

It's totally understandable to be confused by five months of silence from a publisher you've had a good relationship with up until now. I’m not sure if you sent a physical submission or an emailed query, but if it was the former, I can tell you that all the publishing houses I know of have had people working from home since the start of the pandemic, so it's possible that no one's collected the mail since you submitted it! 

In either case, though, I think it would make sense to reach out via email. Maybe you could tell them that since they haven't responded in the past several months, you're going to start submitting the manuscript elsewhere, but that you'd still be happy to hear from them if they decide they want to pursue it. I wouldn't advise calling them unless you've talked to them on the phone before, as that can sometimes feel a bit pushy, especially if the publisher states in their guidelines that they can't respond to every submission. But hopefully an email will prompt them to respond to you.

I received a personal rejection from an editor that seems to leave the option of resubmitting open, but I’m not sure. When do you know if an editor’s response allows for the author to ask to revise and resubmit?

It's often tricky to assess whether or not it's appropriate to rework and resend a manuscript to an agent or editor, but in my experience, unless they directly invite you to make adjustments and send it back, it's probably not an R&R (Revise and Resubmit). I think you can and should send another manuscript to the editor, perhaps something specially tailored to their list, but generally speaking I wouldn't advise revising and resubmitting a manuscript unless the editor directly asks you to.

That being said, I do think there are some exceptions to the rule. If you make significant revisions to the manuscript (enough that it reads like a completely different story), and if it seems like a better fit for their list now, you could probably resend it, explain the changes you’ve made, and ask if they’re willing to take another look. Ultimately though, it’s important to remember that you want to work with someone who’s passionate about your book and your vision. The right editor will love your book almost as much as you do!

While putting together my bibliography, I noticed a spelling error in the title of the article I was using (from a credible source). Do I correct the misspelled word in the bibliography or just credit the article the way it is?

Good question! I’d say the best (or at least, the most common) way to address that issue is to list the source exactly as it’s spelled, with [sic] inserted after the misspelled word. That should communicate to the person reading your bibliography that the typo has been noted and is part of the original source material. When it comes to sources, the most important thing is to ensure that anyone who goes looking for your source will be able to find the correct one, so using [sic] allows you to list the source exactly as it appears while assuring the reader that the typo didn’t originate on your end. 

If I wanted to donate the royalties from my book to a non-profit organization, would the publisher set that up for me? Is it possible to do it in such a way that I don't have any tax obligation because no money would come to me? 

If you would like to donate the royalties from a book, I would recommend establishing that in your book contract with the publisher. It should be relatively easy to set up; just make sure that the contract stipulates that all monies should be wired directly to your chosen non-profit, and that the publisher is able to procure the non-profit’s current tax documents for payment processing. 

If you already have a signed book contract with the money going to you, contact your editor and ask if they can draw up an addendum to change the beneficiary for royalties. It can take some time to update a contract, but the process shouldn’t be too laborious on your part.

When corresponding with an editor, agent, or publisher through email, is it best to continue on an email strand after it has ping-ponged back and forth a few times, even if it’s been a while since you corresponded? Or should you begin a totally new email with a reminder of who you are and what your project is about?

I think if it’s been a while, or if you’re emailing them about a fresh topic or question, it probably makes sense to start a new email thread. Maybe this is just my own idiosyncrasy, but I don’t like it when an email chain gets too long and I have to scroll through months of correspondence to find the one piece of info I’m looking for. Then again, if you’re referencing things in this new email that have already been discussed in the thread, then I’d keep it in the same email strand for consistency’s sake. 

What factors does an editor consider when determining whether or not a standalone manuscript has series potential? Are there things an author can do in advance of publication, to better their odds of their story piquing an editor's interest for a series? 

In my experience, the editor usually knows from the get-go whether a book will be part of a series or a standalone, as that will factor into both the acquisition and the contract. Some publishers get excited by the prospect of a series (it helps them build their future book lists and promises reliable revenue if it’s popular), and some are wary of picking up a series (if the first book doesn’t do well and they’ve signed a multi-book contract, they’re suddenly in a bind). So if you know you want the book you’re submitting to be part of a series, I would recommend stating that in your query, pitching both the individual book and the overall series. The publisher may want to take it a book at a time, or they might want to sign the series all at once.

Otherwise, I think the most important factor in determining whether a standalone book becomes a series is how well it sells. If you write a book that sells like hotcakes, you can bet that your editor or agent will come back asking for more, even if you’ve never talked about turning it into a series before. Look at Hatchet for example. That was supposed to be a standalone book, but it became so popular that fans kept writing to Gary Paulsen asking what happened next, until he finally wrote more books. (I thought there were three books in the set, but it turns out there’s five?? I guess that proves my point!)

Katherine Gibson is an editor for Zonderkidz, having previously worked for Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. She graduated from the University of Denver Publishing Institute in 2013 and has spent the last five years editing and publishing award-winning children’s books, including Sibert Medal and Caldecott Honor book The Right Word: Roget and His Thesaurus and Plume, which was a New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Book.

Thank you, Katherine!

To submit a publishing question, email Mitten blog editor Kristin Lenz with "Ask the Editor" in the subject line, and she'll forward your question to Katherine. Or, stay tuned on the SCBWI-MI MichKids listserv – Katherine will ask for questions a few weeks before her next post.

If you missed any of Katherine's previous Ask the Editor posts, click on these links:

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2020/08/ask-editor-with-katherine-gibson.html

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2020/01/ask-editor-with-katherine-gibson.html

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2019/09/ask-editor-with-katherine-gibson.html

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2019/05/ask-editor-with-katherine-gibson.html

https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2019/02/ask-editor-with-katherine-gibson.html

Coming up on The Mitten Blog:

More posts from our Equity and Inclusion Team, Tips for Creating an Author Newsletter, Book Birthdays, Writer Spotlights, Hugs and Hurrahs, and more!

Our SCBWI-MI regional Shop Talks have been virtual during the pandemic which means anyone can participate regardless of where you live. Reminders and Zoom links are announced on our MichKids listerv. The listserv is one of the best ways to be involved and stay informed! If you're not already signed up, learn more about MichKids here: https://michigan.scbwi.org/online/ 

Other ways to stay on top of our chapter events:

Navigate to the EVENTS CALENDAR on the SCBWI-MI homepage and click on the event date.

OR go to one of our social media channels:

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ScbwiMi

Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/SCBWIMichigan

Instagram, all members: https://www.instagram.com/scbwi_michigan/

Instagram, illustrators: https://www.instagram.com/scbwimichiganillustrators/

Writer Spotlight: Three Men Join the Ranks

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our quarterly Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet three new to SCBWI-MI writers: Arthur Brood, Baxter Bramatti and Jeffrey Goeb.

Three Men Join the SCBWI-MI Ranks

Arthur Brood

 

When did you know you were a writer?

 I am a teacher, but had not given thought to being a writer until I was modeling a writing assignment for my students in the early 2000’s.  As I was demonstrating how the outline can be used to write a story I started thinking that I had a story that had potential to become a book.  At that point I realized I would like to write books for struggling boy readers.  I found it was a big process and that writing was the easy part, the hard work starts when the writing is done.

 

You’ve written three middle grade books about antique cars, obviously an obsession with you. Where did your passion for early automobiles come from?

 

I have had an interest in automobiles ever since I was a young child.  My mother tells me I was pushing my bottle and making car sounds when I was 6 months old.  I also remember being at my grandparent’s house and watching a Model T drive by on the road, it is imprinted into my memory.  As the years went by I learned more about the history of the automobile industry and read books and magazines about cars.

 How has your teaching career helped your writing career? How has it hindered it?

I have been very fortunate that I taught 4th grade for many years.  Michigan’s auto history fit perfectly into the curriculum that I taught. With some assistance from a colleague I was able to develop a unit of study on the Ford Model T and the Assembly Line. As part of this project I also purchased a go cart sized Model T replica that I converted to electric so it could be used inside a school building.

 I have presented this to many schools across the state.  In 2009 I was presenting the Model T program at a state conference and was introduced to someone from Macomb County Intermediate School District who oversaw the Author, Specialist, Knowledge (ASK) program and I have been honored to present my books to students in their district for the last 10 years.  

 

In 2015, I was recognized as the Michigan Council of the Social Studies Elementary Social Studies Teacher of the Year and also awarded the Annette and Jim McConnell History Award by Michigan Council for History and Education.  Although these have been a wide range of events, they all contributed to my writing career in some aspect.  

The challenge I face in being a writer and a teacher is that my school schedule pretty closely matches all other schools and thereby limits my ability to present at schools or attend conferences. The teaching schedule is a benefit in one way, but it does limit the discretionary days I can take off.  

 Another challenge I face is that because I chose to self publish I find that I do not have skillsets in all areas of publishing.  I have sought out editors and illustrators, but marketing seems to be my weak area.

 What are you working on right now?

 I am currently trying to relaunch my latest book, Bud: My Adventure Across America.  It was published two weeks before the world shut down for Covid and all the events I had planned were canceled. To further complicate things large publishing houses were providing free materials for young readers, which as an educator was wonderful, but as a small publisher and author I could not compete.

 What are your plans for the future?

 I have ideas for several books in my head, but I have found the reality of teaching full time, raising a family, in addition to my other activities has limited me to focusing on one book at a time.  So at this time there is nothing concrete that I have planned for the future.

 You live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Are you looking forward to the coming winter?

 Not anymore. The older I get the less I enjoy winter.  I like the slower pace of life in the U.P. and the natural beauty, but winter gets very long and creates a lot of work that I do not enjoy anymore.

Contact Arthur: 

 https://www.facebook.com/Author-Arthur-Arthur-Brood-1415120608796209

https://www.instagram.com/arthurbrood/

 

Baxter Bramatti

 

When did you know you were a writer?

 Right now! You’ve confirmed it by the way the question was asked. The question I get more often is, “When did you know you wanted to be a writer?” Wanting and being are two separate experiences. I’ve known I wanted to be a writer since my 4th grade teacher introduced creative writing into my weekly routine.  I’ve known I wanted to be a writer in the same way I’ve known I wanted to be a millionaire. Which, by the way, I am well aware that being a writer and being a millionaire are two completely unrelated dreams. 

Being a writer comes in the form of acknowledgement and confirmation by others (some could argue that perhaps it could come from one’s self); that you have written something someone else sees as a valid form of art. Just like being a millionaire happens when you have a million dollars. Since your question implies that I am a writer, then I say, I am one now, and now is when I know I am a writer. And for that, I thank you.  Now, I’m hoping your follow-up question is, “How does it feel to finally be a millionaire?”

 What books and authors influenced you?

Oh, so you didn’t wire me a million dollars for the purpose of calling me a writer and a millionaire in the same interview? That’s okay, being called a writer is more important anyway.

Okay, to answer the question, and I’m sure this sounds phony, but all of them. Anything I’ve ever read, everything from Richard Wright to Neil Gaiman and Albert Camus to Susan Collins, influences my writing and me as a person in different ways. 

As far as picture books go, Maurice Sendak’s work influences me to dream and create from a child’s perspective; Julia Donaldson’s work pushes me to strive for perfection with my own picture books; and Nancy Tillman’s works of sentimental words set to beautiful art remind me of the importance of the words being shared. Those, as well as others, influence me to find my own path with my writing and not be afraid to try something. 

Even “bad” books influence me in a couple of ways: first, they teach me what mistakes not to make and to find my own path to making new mistakes. Second, they inspire me and give me confidence to put my work out there in the “hey, at least mine won’t be as bad as this one” sense.

You published your first picture book, Moon Puppets, earlier this year. What moved you to create Flora Figgleworth’s story?

There’s two ways to interpret this question. The first is with the story itself, which is about a young girl who wants to cast shadow puppets on the moon for the whole world to see. It was inspired by my father. I have vivid memories of my dad shining a flashlight on the ceiling when I was a kid and we’d lose power during thunderstorms. He’d lower his hand over it to make it look as if there was a giant hand above me coming down to pick me up. It’s the perfect spooky-yet-silly dad-trick that gets kids’ minds off of worrying about when the TV is going to turn back on, if only for a few minutes. Well, I was thinking about his nifty little trick one day when I was looking at a full moon many years ago. I started to imagine how spooky-yet-silly it would be if a shadow of a hand spread across the moon.

The second way to interpret the question is to answer what inspired me to create the actual book. I wrote Moon Puppets not long after I imagined a hand moving across the moon seventeen years ago! But it wasn’t until my daughters entered preschool and kindergarten that I was inspired to create the actual book about Flora’s adventure. If I was going to do a picture book, I wanted to see my kids get to experience the book at the appropriate ages. I fear I wouldn’t have gotten the same kind of excitement, positive feedback, and support from them if I waited until they were in high school to publish it.

 What is your Day Job?

 Whatever it is, I haven’t quit it yet, but I also don’t really see achieving that millionaire label anytime soon.

 What are you working on right now?

The illustrator of Moon Puppets, Taylor J. Graham, and I are working on Flora’s second fantasy adventure. It has a planned release date in February of 2021.

I’m also unofficially participating in NaNoWriMo, working on a sort of Joseph Heller’s Catch-22 meets Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove style novel set in an assisted living facility. However, at the rate I’m going I don’t expect to hit the 50k-word goal. I really like the concept of NaNoWriMo though, and I think it’s a great event for any kind of writer to try.

And of course I always have a stack of unpolished stories and manuscripts to see through to completion.

 What are your plans for the future?

I plan to do things to ensure I keep getting called a writer. So maybe polishing up some of those stories and manuscripts to make them publishable? But besides writing, I’m really looking forward to traveling with my family in the future when this COVID-19 pandemic comes to some kind of an end. I’d also like to visit classrooms and libraries and read my books to kids after the pandemic. But for now, for the short-term future, I suppose it’s a good time to keep writing, keep creating, and keep dreaming.

 Describe the 5XFat series. What are you trying to accomplish when you listen and write?

The 5xFat series was basically a short-lived writing exercise in the form of a series on my blog. With each piece I would listen to a beat that my friend created on repeat and just think about that music and come up with a theme or story, something I could put into words that expressed how that music made me feel or how it spoke to me. 

Listening to music is a big part of my writing. In 2018, the only time I successfully completed a NaNoWriMo challenge, I only listened to music by Future Islands for the entire month, and always while writing. The band’s music perfectly complemented the self-identification and self-pride story told through the perspective of a horse wanting to be a unicorn. It helps listening to music like that when I write. It can set the mood for the story or even pull me back into that world I created when I need to return.

Contact Baxter:

 Anyone is welcome to contact me at baxterbramatti@gmail.com, find me on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook @BBramatti, or see what I’m sporadically up to on my website: www.baxterbramatti.com.

Jeffery Goeb

When did you know you were a writer?

Thinking back to the elementary school days, I feel that I've been decent with the written word from an early age. Having the confidence to put myself out there and open myself up to criticism has been more of a barrier that needed conquering, but reading to my daughter at bedtime is probably the biggest factor in helping me believe that I could write children's books with success. With a multitude of writing styles, and subject matter only limited by the mind, there isn't a whole lot that one can't write about. As a result, I currently have dozens of concepts in an array of styles and topics.

What books and authors influenced you?

For me, "On The Night You Were Born" by Nancy Tillman is hard to beat. It comes across as so heartfelt, and it fits right into my desire to encourage my daughter and constantly remind her of how special she is. I enjoy the fun storytelling and the silly twist of Doreen Cronin's "Click, Clack, Moo, Cows That Type." "Are Pirates Polite?" by Corinne Demas & Artemis Roehrig has great pace and clever rhyme (and pirates!) And Leslie Kimmelman's characters in "Trick Arrr Treat" showcase such diversity in a very simple and understated way.

What is your day job?

I've had a small home improvement business since 2006; Since being on my own for the past few years,  I've mostly done interior residential painting and bathroom and kitchen remodels. Recently, I've been expanding my business model to include home inspections for the real estate market.

What are you working on right now?

I currently have several concepts in development, including stories about bees, bats, witches, basic Norse mythology and "renaissance festival" types of things-  and something inspired by some of Adam Mansbach's works that I'm particularly excited about (even though it's not for the "little ones.")

What are your plans for the future?

I've had some unique life-experiences in which I've considered writing self-help material and other adult topics, but I think my primary focus moving forward is going to be on writing for kids and really embracing a different kind of creativity that is entertaining, encouraging and empowering to our young generation. I'm pretty new to the whole process and even though it can be intimidating at times, there's literally no limit to what one may be able to create for an audience that is always hungry for new content.

How did you find SCBWI?

I discovered SCBWI pretty early in the process of researching traditional publishing online;  it's been a great way to network and learn about the publishing process, and the workshops are amazing! SCBWI is a phenomenal resource for anyone looking to publish in the children's book genres. I highly encourage members to take advantage of every opportunity available to educate themselves about the creative and rewarding world of children's book writing.

An Interview with Sleeping Bear Press Editor Sarah Rockett

Sleeping Bear Press is a Michigan-based publisher of children's books, and they're currently open to submissions via their standard submission process and their new Own Voices Own Stories Award. Read on for an interview with editor Sarah Rockett to learn more.

Welcome to the Mitten Blog, Sarah! Please tell us a little bit about yourself.

I'm a born and raised Michigander with an undying passion for children's picture books. I honestly think great picture books make the world a more kind, fair, and creative place. I worked with Penguin Young Readers in New York City for several years, but have been back in the mitten with Sleeping Bear Press since 2013. I live just south of Ann Arbor in a 130-year-old house with my husband, 18-month-old son, and lazy dog. 

What are some of your favorite aspects of your job, and what are some of the challenges?

The absolute best part of my job is writing acceptance emails to new authors--their joy is contagious! Beyond that, being able to see a story come to life as it goes from draft to layout and sketches to final art is pretty magical. For me, the biggest challenges in this industry are anticipating trends, reaching new talent, and representing our readers in an authentic way. There's a definite balance we have to negotiate between what our buyers want, what we hear our little readers need, and what we see in our submissions.

In January 2021, Sleeping Bear Press launched the Own Voices, Own Stories Award for BIPOC and LGBTQ writers. Please share the story behind the creation of this new award, how it came to be, and what you hope to see in submissions.

2020 has been full of heartache, right? But one of the great things to come out of it has been the time and motivation to launch something that we're really proud of and excited about. With the spotlight on racial equity and justice this spring, we knew we needed to work harder to reach the readers and writers that are so underrepresented in children's literature. The award came out of a larger discussion around where we need to do better as a company. With our Grand Prize and Honor Awards we hope to serve both our readers and BIPOC and LGBTQ writers. I hope we see joyous, heartfelt, and funny stories that speak to the experiences of children in those communities. I'm SO looking forward to reading submissions!

Give a shout out for some new or upcoming books you're excited about!

I'm so excited about Little Dandelion Seeds the World (by a Michigan author!) and Ocean Soup, both coming out in March. The first really feels like a classic book from my childhood. The illustrations are lovely and the text is lyrical--AND it has a STEM tie-in. Ocean Soup addresses the really urgent need for us to start curbing our plastics use and get our oceans clean, but it's done in bouncing rhyme with really actionable lessons. Fun AND important!

Is there anything else you'd like us to know?

Sleeping Bear Press LOVES telling Michigan stories from Michigan authors--please keep those submissions coming! 

Thanks for your time, Sarah!

Find the Sleeping Bear Press submission guidelines, including instructions for the Own Voices Own Stories Award here: https://sleepingbearpress.com/submissions

Submissions for the Own Voices Award will be accepted from January 1, 2021 through March 31, 2021 with winners notified by August 1, 2021. Awards include a Grand Prize (publishing contract and cash prize) and Honor Awards (cash prize and consulting session with an editor). More information including eligibility and instructions can be found on the submissions section of the Sleeping Bear Press website or visit them on social media.

Coming up on the Mitten Blog: 

A Writer Spotlight, Ask the Editor, Equity & Inclusion Corner, Tips for Starting an Author Newsletter, Book Birthdays, and more! 

We welcome your submissions and are scheduling guest posts for March and beyond. Find our guidelines here: https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/p/submissions_18.html.

What We're Looking Forward To:

For more information, including scholarship opportunities, go here:
https://michigan.scbwi.org/2020/05/01/spring-conference-2021/

https://www.scbwi.org/events/winter-conference-2021/

Scholarship opportunities are available for this conference and more. 

Go here for eligibility and application information:
https://www.scbwi.org/awards-and-grants-new/

Have a great weekend!

Kristin Lenz

Leaving No Voice Unheard: Rawk's Commitment

Equity and access are critical elements of a just society that is inclusive to all. However, members of any given group are often not aware of the organizational biases that are part of their history. It behooves organizational leadership and members to analyze the protocol and practices in place that may serve as invisible barriers. Often, these barriers can become stop signs that may lead people to think this group is not for them. If leaders want to change the trajectory of their organization, they can begin by exploring the answers to these questions: Why is it not equitable? Why is it not inclusive, and how do we change our behaviors? 

This blog post is the first of a two-part series to kick-off our 2021 E & I Corner. In Part I, author and illustrator Emmy Kastner describes how Read and Write Kalamazoo (RAWK) reaffirmed their core values, eliminated barriers and biases, and welcomed everyone in their community. Stay tuned for Part II: An Interview with Sonya Barnard-Hollins.  

~ Isabel Estrada O’Hagin, E & I Team Coordinator

Leaving No Voice Unheard: Rawk's Commitment

Story is life force. Our stories must be told and witnessed. Every one of us needs the time and the space and the support to access our voice. A community can only be as healthy and as just as the spectrum of stories it hears. The challenge of inequity is not solved by one promise, but by a collective commitment to witness one another every day, leaving no voice unheard. This is RAWK’s ongoing commitment.     

--RAWK website.

SCBWI-MI member Emmy Kastner co-founded RAWK with Anne Hensley in 2012. According to their website, their mission is to “celebrate and amplify youth voices through the cultivation of reading and writing skills via joy, creativity, equity, and access.” A nonprofit organization, RAWK is committed to nurturing intellectual and creative confidence in youth throughout Kalamazoo County by providing creative writing workshops, summer camps, in-school programs, after school tutoring, and community partnerships. 

Emmy attributes her initial inspiration to the 826Valencia organization started in San Francisco in 2002 that eventually led to an International Alliance of Writing Centers, including one in Ann Arbor/Detroit. After hearing about 826, Emmy recognized the need for such a center in the Kalamazoo area. In conversations with her close friend, Anne, they dreamed up the idea together, and RAWK took off.

After applying for neighborhood grants, they began offering small writing camps for students during the summer. Soon after, Emmy and Anne asked themselves who they wanted to serve and set a goal of figuring out how their resources could be put to better use. Originally more organic in their approach, they became more intentional not solely for the sake of diversity, but to celebrate youth and community. They shifted from a ‘come to us’ to a ‘go to them’ approach and sought out other youth organizations such as Communities in Schools and the Boys and Girls Club and built relationships and partnerships. According to Emmy, it was not about ‘putting up our flag,’ but a sincere effort to work with students, teachers, and librarians (KPL), and that meant going to places where young people gathered. Gradually, RAWK achieved their goals to obtain their own physical space, offer free programming, and support professional staff. RAWK established their writing center located south of Kalamazoo’s historic downtown. They also sponsor Readers' Room, a program on-site within schools.

RAWK’s commitment to equity and access for all means they do not charge fees. All their programming is free for youth who can come to the center and leave with their arms full. ‘Being intentional,’ the organization shifted from pay what you can as that implied that you should pay, to free services and that has allowed them to get rid of barriers. Donations, grant monies, and corporate sponsorships make it possible to offer free programming and books that students can keep. 

RAWK works with preschool through high school age students, all readers and writers who thrive due to the staff and volunteers. During this pandemic, they have adjusted their approach to go beyond in-person opportunities with remote/virtual learning at school or during their summer camp classes. There are plans to publish students’ works in an anthology (usually a public reading at a local indie bookstore). While their storefront is closed, they are eager to hear from their constituents.

  
During her time at RAWK, Emmy set-up book drops and shelves with thoughtfully curated books for kids to pick up. Believing these efforts last a lifetime—she nurtured young writers with this thought: “You are already a writer and that’s so powerful.” Emmy believes in the power of being heard and connects this to writing. All of their young participants are RAWK rock stars and are able to access the offerings and creative projects. 

Writing is agency and we can empower young people to tell their own stories. 

If you’d like to learn more about RAWK, visit their website: www.readandwritekzoo.org.

You can learn more about the International Alliance of Writing Centers at: https://www.youthwriting.org/

Writing Prompt: 

We invite you to share your thoughts on how we can better reframe SCBWI-MI 
intentions with an access mindset.  

Announcements:

One of our first guest posts on the E&I Corner was from Rachel Werner. She recently reached out to share information about a workshop she's teaching this winter at The Loft Literary Center: Reading & Writing Diverse KidLit & YA. 

Learn more at https://loft.org/classes/reading-and-writing-diverse-kidlit-and-ya. 

To revisit her guest post from last year, How to Pen Diverse Narratives That Work, go here: https://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2020/01/diversity-dialogue-how-to-pen-diverse.html

In January 2021, Sleeping Bear Press is launching their first Own Voices, Own Stories Award for BIPOC and LGBTQ writers. This award elevates their mission to recognize and amplify new and diverse voices in children’s literature.

Submissions will be accepted from January 1, 2021 through March 31, 2021 with winners notified by August 1, 2021. Awards include a Grand Prize (publishing contract and cash prize) and Honor Awards (cash prize and consulting session with an editor). Please see the submissions section of their website or visit them on social media for more information.

Stay tuned - The Mitten Blog will have an interview with Sleeping Bear Press editor, Sarah Rockett, coming up this month!