Ask Tania: The Work/Life Balance ... How Do I Write And Manage A Household?

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Dear Tania, 

My question is about making time to write amongst a day filled with jobs, family commitments and household tasks that just don't do themselves (sad face). How do I write AND manage a household? How do you do it?

Cate

Hi, Cate,

I would have to say this is one of the questions I'm most often asked! So it's clearly something a lot of people struggle with ... including me.

It's a convoluted topic, so let's break it down:

kids.
They say there's nothing like mother (or dad) guilt. Although I'm not a guilt-tripper by nature, as my writing has grown into full-time work, the seemingly endless hours I need to put into it has seen that sordid guilt trickle in. Ach--it's SUCH a pain.

The way I deal with it? I remind myself that mothers (and dads) need to be people, too. We also need to do what we love--and invest the time in doing it--and, REALLY importantly, to model passion and drive and commitment and hard work for our kids.

Neither of my kids go without food, clean clothes, a warm house, a great education and oodles of love. Sure, I may not spend endless hours playing Monopoly or watching blockbuster superhero movies with them, but they get my full attention when they need it or ask for it.

Admittedly, both are teens now, and pretty much do their own thing/are out a lot of the time. So, I know this is harder for women (or men) with littlies. When mine were little, I would write early in the morning or late at night or when Dad took them to the park--and I would actually write, not stack the dishwasher. I know this, too, can be hard, especially if you're exhausted. But, as I'll discuss shortly... it really comes down to How Much You Want It.

house.
When my kids were smaller, my house was perennially prepped for a Vogue photo shoot. Now, anyone I know is forbidden from doing the pop-in, lest they catch the six inches of dust under my dining table, the opaque glow of a long-unwashed window, and me looking like an old bag lady with limp hair, ugg boots and a stain on my top.

The way I deal with our house is this: everything has to be in its place, with a clean kitchen and bathrooms. Polished windows and floors, vacuumed furniture and beaten rugs are optional. Plant watering is as occasional as vacuuming and cleaning out fridges and cupboards. We certainly don't live in a pigsty, and I need our house to be uncluttered (for sanity as well as prettiness), but I decided long ago that dust under the bed is better left to accumulate and whisked away in a cleaning frenzy... whenever I get around to it.

I'm all about smarter not harder when it comes to freeing up time from the dreaded housework. I think the best way to do this is cull and declutter, then cull and declutter again. When you've finished doing that, declutter and cull. Basically, the less stuff you have, the less stuff you have to deal with. We all know how chaos derails sanity and sucks away precious time, but it also kyboshes creative impulse. So this step is vital.

I have lots of cupboards and containers and folders and I just stash everything in them until they're screaming to be sorted (or the tax agent is pestering). The only exception are things I know I'll have to deal with soon. I want them out of my head, so I pay a bill the moment in comes in. I answer emails straight away. I get niggly stuff done early in the morning so I have a full day of unfettered creation ahead.

As for the general tidy-up, I get up half an hour early and go into steam train mode... unpack the dishwasher, clean up the breakfast dishes, pick up the clothes, wipe down bathroom, etc. Then it's all done by 8am and I don't have to pass thought to it again, leaving that gloriously full day of unfettered creation ahead.

I abhor the pick-up. One great tip is to grab a laundry basket and run through the house, stashing junk in it, then run from room to room to deposit it. Speedy as anything--et voila--your daily workout!

If I need to run errands and make appointments, I slot everything into a single day then literally plan my route so there's no backtracking. If something happens and I have an hour spare, I might call a girlfriend to see if she's free for that long-overdue coffee. I literally pack in as much as I can and it's the ONLY time I'll make lists, so I don't forget anything. Yes, it's an entire day, but then absolutely everything is done, and I have 6 other full days to dedicate to creation.

Lastly, DON'T MAKE LISTS!!! (unless you're planning a gad-about day). The amount of time people spend on planning what they are going to do is frightening. Don't make lists about what rooms you're going to tackle and what items you're going to cull. Just cull! Don't plan. Don't talk about it with friends. Just do it!

Fundamentally, if you can't keep all you need to get done in your head, then you are doing FAR too much.

social life.
What's that? Seriously?

I look at my social life in two ways.

Firstly, I've had one. It was huge. It lasted almost three decades and I packed a lifetime into it (also paid the price for it, but that's another story...). I'm going to have another social life eventually, and I look forward to that very much. For now, though, it's about work, house and kids. It really is that simple (and don't simple concepts often evade us create types?).

Additionally, most of my social life is actually my work life right now. The majority of active friends are my colleagues--and I find myself frequently interacting with them (mostly online, sadly), so I certainly don't 'want for' social interaction.

The second way I look at it is this: a hole-in one is absolutely possible. The only thing it's dependent on is how many times you're prepared to hit the ball.

That's how I see my career. If I want to get a hole-in-one, I need to keep at it--I need to put the hours in and work hard. And that takes time. Ergo, I need to compromise other parts of my life to make writing, family and health my absolutely priorities. It means I have to compromise on other things like travel, beloved hobbies, pembinaan for the national rolling-down-hill championships, and ... a social life.

It won't last forever. It is what it is.

work.
If you work full- or part-time at another job, prioritising your writing is even harder, of course. But again--let's get real here--it depends on how many times you're willing to hit that ball. On how much you REALLY want it. They say that people will absolutely commit time and energy to something they really, deeply want. I'm not saying it's easy--but it's a choice. There's always nights and weekends and holidays.

social media and emailing.
Yes. We're going to have THAT talk.

It's a time-sucker... but much, much more than you even know, because not only do we spend too much time on these things, we also spend far too much time thinking about them, and having them quash our creativity, especially if we've become despondent, frustrated, furious, desperate or railroaded by the information we're subjected to online.

If you have to install a net nanny, then do it. But suffice to say that social media is only a neighbour, not a friend. It's someone who's always there and is happy to wave hello and have a quick chat, and maybe even spread the word, but that's it. So treat it like your Sometimes Neighbour. Don't be tempted to turn it on when you have a brain freeze. Go for a walk instead. Have your time with it, exchange some information, then wave goodbye and get back to your real life.

Don't check social media first thing in the morning. Don't check it last thing at night. It's creativity- and sleep-crushing in every way.

Emailing--honestly, we are killing ourselves. Fifteen years ago, how many letters did you write in a week? Maybe one? If that? Then why are you sending 35 letters + a day? Why? it's nuts!

So, stop it. If you simply must email, make it succinct, and do it all in one hit. Then turn off email so you can focus.

One last tip I have on emailing, I respond to 99% of them immediately. Leaving them waiting/hanging over your head is a sure fire way to clutter your mind and add to that seemingly endless 'To Do' list. Just rip that bandaid off and respond straight away. Get it over with. If you're writing succinct emails, as you should be, it won't be a big deal, and then--voila--it's done--and out of your head.

Responding immediately also sets things in motion, and when you're a writer, that's exactly what you want. And in terms of your recipient, there's nothing worse than waiting days or weeks for someone to respond to something that could take 2 seconds. It quite literally drives me insane sometimes, especially as we're using email like an office situation... if a colleague approached you in-office and asked you a quick question, would you just sit there and ignore them for three weeks? No. You'd respond immediately.

health.
Now, this one, you simply CANNOT compromise. No way, no how. I try my hardest to eat well (stacks of plant foods and unprocessed foods and a daily green smoothie) and physically move whenever I can. I go for at least one walk a day, plus yoga, and hopping up from my computer to wriggle around, every hour, on the hour (also see importantnutrientsspot/search?q=" target="_blank">Keeping Physically Fit as an Author).

I also take care of my head and heart by taking time out (I was going to say 'to do what I love', but most of what I love is writing, illustrating and reading, ie: work!), visiting a naturopath, shunning the news, avoiding conflict and drama online (ie: the news) and in life, and living as balanced a life as I possibly can.

This is all non-negotiable, and looking after your health means you'll sharpen your axe, and be in a fresher, more lucid, more productive, more creative frame of mind for your work.

your creative pursuit.
Writing. Illustrating. Editing. Presenting. Whatever it is that sends your heart aflutter, needs a lot of commitment and time, and there's NO shame in that. But the bottom line here is TIME.

You just have to give it time. Schedule it in your diary, if you must, but just DO IT. It really is that simple.

I tend to get 'other things' done first thing in the morning so I'm free for the rest of the day to create. That would include things like emailing, prepping presentations or other material, reviews, media, blog posts (like this one, at 9am in the morning) and appointments. Then I have the rest of the day unfettered--and for me, that's an ideal way to work, as I need and love long blocks of uninterrupted time.

Don't talk about it. Don't make lists about it. Don't email people about it--especially long-winded emails. Don't faff and plan it. Don't make excuses and don't FEAR it. Sit down and just do it--dirty hair and a stain on your top and dust under the beds and all. Don't wait 'until'. Don't procrastinate. Don't be distracted. Close the door. Turn off the phone and email. Create. The blocks will evaporate if you push through, and you'll enter the flow.

your daily schedule.
I think daily schedules really help us get maximum output for our time. Spend half an hour going over a schedule that would work for you (of course, some days will railroad it, but that's okay). Then stick to it. For inspiration, here's my daily schedule that I stick to (most days!):

6:30 am
Up and into the kitchen, make tea, prepare the family smoothie, unpack dishwasher, make beds, tidy things away, turn on computer, perhaps do my hair and face (not every day!), see the kids off to school.

7:30am
Yoga and/or a walk.

8am
Check emails and social media while I drink my smoothie.

8:30am
Make a coffee and work on 'other' stuff, if needed (today it's this post).

10am
Turn off email and social media, start creating and don't stop.

Get up on the hour every hour to exercise a little.

1pm
Eat lunch.

3pm
Check emails and social media.

4pm
Kids home some days and other days they are out. Continue on with work, if doable.

5:30pm
Prep dinner, spend time with family.

8pm
Return to work if in deadline or the evening situation allows it, but most nights, I take time off.

10.30pm
Bed. Read. Fall asleep despite eyes wanting to stay open to read.

At the moment, I work 7 days a week, but again, it depends on what else is happening, who's home, if we have something planned, etc. For me, it's not 'work'--it's pleasure, so 7 days is not an issue. I've lost count of how many times I've been asked how I 'get it all done'. That's how!!!

conclusion.
Stating the bleeding obvious here--everyone is different, and you need to take the time to formulate a plan that works for you, your commitments, goals and lifestyle.

Whatever the case, the simple fact remains--you just need to dedicate the hours to your craft, and shun as much as you can whilst still remaining balanced and healthy, and--of course--without the wheels falling off the house and family (though unpolished wheels are just fine).

How many times are you willing to hit the ball?

importantnutrientsspot/search?q=" target="_blank">See all the questions so far ...

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Ask Tania: How Do I Throw An Amazing Kids' Book Launch?

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Dear Tania,
I'm launching my first children's book soon and wondered if you had any advice to help me? I've never done this before! What's usually expected? And weekday or weekend? How do I throw an amazing book launch?
Thank you!
Katherine

Hi Katherine,

Congratulations on your first kids' book--how wonderful! I would love to help you with some advice for a fabulous launch, and so, below, you will find a full chapter from my Fantastical Flying Creator e-course (more importantnutrientsspot/search?q=" target="_blank">here). I hope you find it helpful ... and I hope you have a wonderful launch!

Tania

The Kids' Book Launch (from The Fantastical Flying Creator)

Your first book launch is a true Life Moment. It's one of the most exciting things youΓÇÖll ever do, and will be packed with supporters. The more books you launch, like anything in life, really, the more the shine wears off, but I must admit theyΓÇÖre still a lot of fun and I still do launches for most of my books.

Your publisher is unlikely to throw you a launch unless youΓÇÖre Jeff Kinney, but donΓÇÖt worry, it doesnΓÇÖt have to be complicated or expensive.

You can absolutely have more than one launch, and you can host them locally or interstate. If you have family or friends to stay with, it makes things even cheaper.

To attract guests, you should offer something to your audience—a giveaway, bookmarks, cake, goodie bags, balloons and activities for kids … any of these things will attract people, especially cake. People will come for cake.


The Date + Time

The date is a really important factor to consider, as is the day and time. These things depend on your audience.

For kids, you have Saturday or Sunday to choose from and this can be hit and miss, depending on what else is going on. IΓÇÖve found Saturday afternoons or Sunday late mornings best, as these times take sporting and family and sleeping-in commitments into account. 10.30 or 11 in the morning and 2 or 3 in the afternoon tend to be my sweet spots for maximum guests but this could shift, depending on where you are.

You could also host a launch during school holidays but again, this is hit and miss. YouΓÇÖll either be flocked with families looking for something to do, or youΓÇÖll have no one because theyΓÇÖve all gone on a beach holiday.

Be really thorough when researching your date. I made a massive mistake in booking my Tottie and Dot book launch for the morning of FatherΓÇÖs Day and it crippled my attendance numbers. I canΓÇÖt believe I didnΓÇÖt notice this mistake, and my bookstore hosts didnΓÇÖt either. Live and learn.

The Venue

Bookstores are probably your best bet for venues because theyΓÇÖre generally situated in easy-to-reach places, with parking. If you're supplying your own books, they will take a percentage cut on sales {usually 40ΓÇö45 per cent, do negotiate, especially if you're self-publishing} but this is worth it because they totally take care of sales. With my launches, I now ask the store to get the books in and take care of all sales, without any direct royalties going to me {though they do filter to me eventually, of course}.

Most stores also help with marketing... advertising in store and sending invitations to their client base. ItΓÇÖs a lovely way to ΓÇÿpay backΓÇÖ our book retailers, too; getting new demographics in store.

You shouldnΓÇÖt have to pay to host your event in a place that makes money from your books. Sometimes booksellers will charge guests a few dollars to cover wine and nibbles for adult events, and thatΓÇÖs perfectly okay. Most guests are happy to pay. Alternatively, you could provide the wine and cheese, napkins and plastic glasses.

Another option is to ask your local library to host your launch. Some wonΓÇÖt but many love it as it gets new people into their space. Libraries wonΓÇÖt take commission on sales, but you will need to bring along your own books and ask someone to handle the sales for you. The library may offer someone, or a friend or family member could do it.

Some schools also love hosting launchesΓÇöand they operate pretty much the same as libraries. You might like to donate some of your books to schools and libraries as a thank you.

Clubs, shops, cafés or restaurants are also options you could explore. Ask them openly about what they would require/expect, and how you can strike a deal on costs.

Community halls and centres can be hired, and parks or other outdoor areas can be used, but you would need to check with the local council about hosting groups of people, and also about their rules for selling items onsite.

Another option is launching at an actual event, like a local market. This would work particularly well with kidsΓÇÖ books. When Genevieve from Gnome Knoll at CanberraΓÇÖs Floriade contacted me about launching Riley and the Jumpy Kangaroo: A journey around Canberra at her Knoll, I jumped at the chance! Image below, and you can see the spectacular day importantnutrientsspot/search?q=">here.

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Your last option is to host it at a private venue. Maybe your own home or at the mansion of a generous and wealthy friend! Naturally, this would only work if you knew all the guests well, and it could limit your guest list.

The Guest List + Invitation 

Essentially, you need to invite your sasaran market to your launch because they will buy the book. Yes, invite family and friends and neighbours, but be sure to attract your sasaran market, too.

You can send invitations by hard copy or email. Hard copy are really memorable and rare {do this if you want to stand out!}. Make sure you add any catchwords that might attract guests, like ΓÇÿballoons + goodie bagsΓÇÖ for kids and ΓÇÿwine and nibblesΓÇÖ for adults.

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Create a blog post featuring your invitation {make it really visual, as above} and use this to spruik the event onlineΓÇöon Twitter, Facebook and within your literary groups.

Create a Facebook event invitation, too. You can selectively invite all the Facebook friends you have within 100km of the venue!

Start blogging about the event well in advance. It will build the excitement, and consider writing an event press release which you can send to your local media (see The Press Release).

Another idea is to send notice to schools, clubs, your local writerΓÇÖs centre, any associations affiliated with your type of book, subject matter or intended audience.

DonΓÇÖt forget to have your launch host spread the word, too, especially if they are a bookstore. ItΓÇÖs in their interests to attract as many guests as possible.

Sponsors

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While living in Beijing, I launched my first picture book, importantnutrientsspot/search?q=">Riley and the Sleeping Dragon: A journey around Beijing, with a slew of ΓÇÿsponsorsΓÇÖ. These people provided food, champagne, prizes and all manner of wonderful things. In return, I featured their logo on all my launch promotion and had their business collateral on display at the launch. I also had the backing of several expat language magazines with huge audiences, so that did help in terms of exposure for the sponsors.

When I came home to Australia, this sponsorship deal didnΓÇÖt work so well because it seems every man and his dog and cat and budgie are hitting up Dan MurphyΓÇÖs for event booze.

I did manage to score some sponsorship from small businesses, including some brilliant cakes made by partycakescanberra.wordpress/">pARTy Cakes in Canberra {left} for my Riley and the Curious Koala: A journey around Sydney launch. Liz made me cry with her stunning cupcakes and cake tierΓÇöit was so utterly gorgeous. In return, I plugged her business like crazy.

So, while it is possible to secure sponsorship, it does take a little bit of work and tenacity, and you do need to make the effort to ensure your sponsor is well recompensed.

Other than caterers, local food producers and wine merchants, you could perhaps strike a deal with local photographers or videographers, entertainment for kids, music for adults. You could also look for items for goodie bags and prize giveaways but remember, all of this needs to relate strongly to your book and its themes.

Another thing you can do is to affiliate with organisations or charities you support. For example, for Riley and the Curious Koala, I had savethekoala/">The Koala Foundation on board. They provided some sensational stickers and tattoos for my goodie bags and I featured their collateral and a donation tin at the launch.

Lastly, there's nothing like a good old contradeal. I support my colleagues at their launches {say, by taking photos} and they do the same for me in return. This works so well and is a lot less pressure!

Timeframes

For most launches, the event should run for no more than 60 ΓÇô 90 minutes. An hour all-up is ideal for kids. A reading should go for no more than 20 minutes and leave around 20 minutes for signing {though IΓÇÖm hoping youΓÇÖll need a lot longer}. For my importantnutrientsspot/search?q=#more">Riley and the Dancing Lion launch {below}, I had extra entertainment provided by a sponsor--kellysports.au/">Kelly Sports. This was after the reading and signing, in a space outside the bookstore, and it went a little over time. In this case, no one complained!

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Schedule

Give an arrival time and an actual launch start time on your invitation, and get started right on time if you can. Kids are not good at waiting around.

Give a short introduction, have your launch person speak, if that's what you're doing, say a few quick thank yous, then outline what will happen, including food and prizes, and the all-important book signing. Remind guests not to forget to collect their goodie bags on the way out, and that there will be some fun activities for the kids while you sign books.

The book reading is next. Make it quick. No need to linger.

Ask if anyone has a question.

Have a prize giveaway if you want to, and make it quick. Try not to give away the book; choose something else. I use raffle tickets for this, which are handed to people as they arrive {kids--your own or some friends--are great at handing out tickets). You could also do a lucky door prize.

Food and activities should now commence while you sign books. Parents will be happy to peruse your books and queue for signing if the kids are happily occupied.

Denote a clear end time on your invitation. Be sure to finish by the end of the hour.

Activities for Kids

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You can have these on hand as kids arrive, but ensure thereΓÇÖs going to be enough for them to get stuck into during the book signing, too.

Make it something non-messy. The last thing you want is Clag glue all over the floor and on the venueΓÇÖs books. I suggest colouring pages, word searches, paper folding and making masks and headbands and hats out of cardboard and staples or sticky tape. Use pencils instead of crayons and textas. Other options are little activity books featuring your characters, singing songs and doing actions, line-em-up games or memory cards.

A great option for kidsΓÇÖ launches is to have an illustrator demo or other entertainment. Kieron Pratt (the Riley the Little Aviator books) would often do live drawings and they were SO popular. You could also have someone affiliated with the book come alongΓÇöperhaps the RSPCA could visit with animals if your book is about lizards or frogs.

Create something that will look great in your launch photos. Face masks are perfect because they look sensational when all kids are wearing them, and you can take photos and not worry about putting their faces online! IΓÇÖve printed off really simple koala masks made of grey card, and wombat ear headbands made from brown card. You can find such templates online. All the kids need to do is cut and staple.

You could also ask kids to dress up in theme. I did this for my Australian Story launch {below} and the best-dressed kids won prizes. It was sensational.

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Decorations

You can go all out with kidsΓÇÖ launches and make them look incredible. For my first few launches, I invested in helium balloons. They may cost a dollar per child but they are all you need decoration-wise and kids ADORE them. Along with food and goodie bags, theyΓÇÖre crowd-pullers, you'd better believe it.

Being a little launch jaded {!}, I donΓÇÖt do helium any more but I always have balloonsΓÇömost often on sticks or just in goodie bags. TheyΓÇÖre always popular. For balloons on sticks, I stick the stems into upended sieve-like crates. Or you can just poke them through upended cardboard boxes like we did at Floriade, below.

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For my An Aussie Year launches in importantnutrientsspot/search?q=">Brisbane and importantnutrientsspot/search?q=">Canberra, illustrator Tina and I made really simple speech bubbles from firm paper and pieces of dowel from Bunnings. Kids used these in photographs and they looked absolutely gorgeous.

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Other options are simple paper chains or tissue paper pompoms that you can buy or make yourself. I tie the colours in to my book cover.

Another great idea is to print characters from the book onto paper and cut them into triangles. Sew these together with a sewing machine to make quick and easy {and gorgeous!} bunting.

ItΓÇÖs ideal to use colour-themed items {such a simple concept, but so effective}, including tablecloths, and bring along any affiliated objects like a wombat toy or a tin plane.

Food

You can have a lot of fun with the food at kidsΓÇÖ launches but donΓÇÖt do too muchΓÇöit wonΓÇÖt get eaten and kids prefer goodie bags, anyway.

Consider the venueΓÇödonΓÇÖt feature food that could damage carpet or stock. Go for items that can be popped straight into the mouth or arenΓÇÖt ΓÇÿmessyΓÇÖ. At most of my launches, IΓÇÖve just had a lolly bar, providing paper bags for the kids to snaffle their treats.

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At my importantnutrientsspot/search?q=">Riley and the Grumpy Wombat launch, I had the cutest wombat cookies {above left} made from purchased Marie biscuits and fondant which I tinted, rolled and cut out. I glued this to the biscuit with icing then piped on eyes and mouth and a lolly nose. We also had chocolate crackles and {nut-free} rocky road pops stuck into apples. So easy.

One of my favourite things were the poppers with straws {above right}ΓÇöfar less spillage. I simply designed and printed out ΓÇÿlabelsΓÇÖ onto paper and glued them to the front of regular juice boxes.

ENSURE ALL FOOD ITEMS ARE NUT-FREE at childrenΓÇÖs launches. Announce this in your intro. You might also like to include dairy and egg free options. The best are lollies or little jelly cups {make them small and firm!}.

Think thematically and use appropriate colour. For my Riley and the Curious Koala launch {below}, I had a lolly kafe which looked expensive and cost barely anything. I added little signs saying Sydney Opera Houses, Gum Leaves, Mini Koalas, Gumnut Berries, Wombats {these were store bought lamingtons with lollies pushed in for legs, noses and ears}.

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I recommend offering water for all guests, rather than soft drink or juice, and tea and coffee for adults if you can.

Prizes + Goodie Bags

Prizes are always an attendance drawcard {as are helium balloons}, so think about having something, but make it short and sweet.

Goodie bags are a HUGE hit with kids and donΓÇÖt have to cost much. For my Tottie and Dot launch {below}, I had a lemon drop tree {I borrowed a decorative tree from a friend and hung little cello bags full of lemon drops on it; a lemon drop tree features in the story}. The kids also had a little paper cup filled with marshmallows and a straw, with a marshmallow tea recipe, also featured in the story.

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When you make your goodie bags, think thematically: small toys, pencils, balloons, bookmarks, wrapped lollies, notepads, stickers, tattoos and sponsored items. The $2 Shop is your friend. Most publishers wonΓÇÖt pay for launches, so keep all receipts and claim them as tax deductions {you do need deductions as you earn}.

Photographs

These are so important for documenting your event but also for post-event promotionΓÇöand for your blog! Everyone loves to check out a launch.

Have someone take photos and brief them really well on what you want. I suggest asking them to take lots of people shots but also lots of product shots and all the finer details, like my wonderful photographer Nicole Godwin did with the lolly and goodie bag photos, above. If you are asking a non-pro friend to take photos and are pedantic like me, try to take some yourself before the event starts.

Ensure youΓÇÖre photographed while reading the book, and ensure the cover can be seen. Ask the photographer to take multiple shots when youΓÇÖre speaking or readingΓÇöotherwise every shot will have your eyes closed or your mouth hanging open like a drongo. Literally ask them to take shots non-stop because only one in ten will be useable while youΓÇÖre speaking.

Have some shots taken with family, friends, kids and other authors.

Get crowd shots but be sure to announce you will be using these photos online and if anyone has any issues with this, please let your photographer know. This is especially important with children. Ensure they know the photos will only be used for personal promotional purposes, nothing else.

Take ΓÇÿsocial pagesΓÇÖ shots to send to magazines and newspapersΓÇöthese shots are always close up, with people standing in a line, looking at the photographer. Ask them to note down their full names, and check the spelling. The photographer can match the right people to each shot by taking note of the photoΓÇÖs number sequence in the cameraΓÇÖs display window, or take notes on what people are wearing.

Ensure your camera is on correct setting!! I have had not one but TWO disasters because the camera was on a low light setting. I prefer NO flash be used, as it can be unflattering. Natural light photos can be achieved by using the correct setting and by editing photos afterwards, but only do this if you have a photographer who knows what they're doing. Ask other friends and family to take back-up photos.

General Launch Tips

• Ask for help. Bookstores are great at lending a helping hand, but also have friends, family, kids and colleagues help you out on the day.
• Make sure thereΓÇÖs easy access to a bathroom, especially if kids are involved.
• Ensure there will be a signing table; thereΓÇÖs nothing worse than having to ask someone to lean over so you can use their back.
• Make sure you take the time to sign a personal message in each book; also be wary of chatting too long while people are waiting in line to have a book signed.
• Have lots of book displays; consider having your past books for sale, too.
• If you have sponsors, set up a table to display their business collateral.
• Place your own business cards, bookmarks, any handouts, teachersΓÇÖ notes, business cards or website blurb on your signing table, or consider placing them in goodie bags.
• Have someone rally and rescue youΓÇöitΓÇÖs easy to get caught up chatting at events, which can delay things considerably. Have someone on hand to ΓÇÿrescueΓÇÖ you so things run on time.
• ItΓÇÖs an obvious thing, but IΓÇÖve spent entire events without a single sip of anything, let alone a nibble. Make sure someone keeps you hydrated because you wonΓÇÖt have time to source anything yourself. I usually have a bottle of water with me at all times.
• Consider a small gift for your hostΓÇöthis isnΓÇÖt really necessary if theyΓÇÖre making money from you {bookstores} but it can be nice if youΓÇÖre building a relationship or if theyΓÇÖve gone out of their way for you.

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Ask Tania: Picture Book Structure--Circular, Narrative, Characters, Rhyming--Help!

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Dear Tania,

I've started writing children's stories and am dreaming up some picture books. I've been reading a lot about typical book structures (set-up, incident, events, climax, result, resolution) and I've found reference to other structures sometimes used (circular, concept, cumulative, mirror, parallel and reversal). How strictly should an author keep to these structures? Do you write with this in mind or do you just write? 

On characters, must the main character always have an obstacle to overcome for the story to be successful?

I'm also interested in your thoughts on rhyming books, as I know (particularly emerging) authors are advised against it - and yet, so many picture books still seem to use rhyme and meter.

Paula

Hi Paula,

First thing I have to say is how great it is that you're reading up on book structure and the associated elements that make a story wonderful, particularly picture books. When we were running the kids-bookreview/" target="_blank">Kids' Book Review Unpublished Manuscript Award, so many of the entries suffered from a lack of understanding of story structure, so even when the writing itself was good, the story was little more than an 'account' or a set of descriptions. So understanding story structure is a fine way to embark on your picture book writing journey.

Let's explore your questions--I'll break them down into parts:

Story Structures

The many and varied story styles can be learned about online, as you have already done. Understanding these structures will definitely help you write better stories.

The three most commonly used picture book structures would be:

• linear arc (a classic structure, where we have a beginning, middle and ending, with resolve)

• circular (where the story starts and ends in the same place) 

• episodic (where we present a line-up of concepts or happenings or scenes; the 'concept book'--alphabet books, colours, numbers, etc--falls into this category)

Linear arc is probably the most common of all--it involves setting up a place and character and then taking the story to a peak (often via the rollercoastering of conflict and resolution), followed by a solution, intimation of solution, or some kind of 'outcome', which can also be sad, surprising or negative (ie: not always a happy or fully 'resolved' ending).

I tend to use this structure the most because it's so page-turning, and is a pleasure to write. Having your character, or the storyline, experience shifts and turns and plot twists and challenges, is an engaging technique that not only has your reader championing the characters, but makes them WANT to know what happens next. Books like this are 'repeat reads', and are key to book/author success (sales rely on repeat reads and subsequent word-of-mouth recommendation!).

So yes, stories like this do need characters to overcome things, but more on that shortly.

How strictly should authors stick to structures? Well, like anything in life, learn all the rules, then break them! A general understanding of how story structure works is priceless, and everyone should learn it. Once you learn and grasp it, you tend to write intuitively to a certain style, which you'll get better at doing over time.

For me, I tend to just write the story, once I've set what kind of structure I want it to be (after all these years, this is not a conscious thing). But I also stretch things a little as I go, so the story oftentimes doesn't end up classically adhering to that structure. It might employ two or even three structures.

With Smile Cry, for example, the main structure ended up being episodic because a) it's for very young kids, who respond so well to a series of presented ideas, and b) the subject matter intended to show the varying ways we could smile or cry. A series of independent scenes would best showcase these varying ways, and it worked very well. 

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If this book had been written as a narrative, the emotion-exploration would have been far too subtle, and would have become lost within the storyline  (for very young kids, anyway). I wanted kids to be able to point at a page and relate to that ONE singular scene, and kids most certainly do that with this book. Then they eagerly anticipate the next scene.

So, the episodic style really worked for Smile Cry, but I didn't stop there. I mixed things up by creating a flip-book concept, where two opposing (mirror) stories meet in the middle. I also created a kind of resolve (resolves are most noted in a classic arc structure) where the two stories meet in the middle. This centre spread brings the two opposing themes together in a way that melds and shows kids there's no black and white.

For Tottie and Dot, the overarching premise was consequence. So the very best way to achieve this was with a linear arc, though in this case, there is little rollercoasting (ie: obstacles don't keep appearing to make the story go up and down, faster and slower) but rather an incremental build that reaches a really dramatic climax, before collapsing on itself. This works for stories that need to reach the climax right at the end (in this case, two pages before the end).

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So, as you can see, even the classic structure can be manipulated to suit story content and purpose.

My suggestion for you, as a new writer, would be to write your story. Write it as a stream of consciousness and then let it sit a while. Once you've let it marinate, go back to it and read it over. What kind of structure is it? Does it have a beginning, middle and ending? Is it circular? Episodic? Once you know what kind of structure it sits in, you can then work on honing the story to ensure it achieves an attractive balance that will enchant the reader.

Story vs Account

This is a good way to understand whether or not your story is achieving its intended purpose--entertaining, enlightening, enchanting or educating the reader (or a blend of all). I call these the Four Es.

A story about a bear who gets up in the morning, makes breakfast, goes shopping, meets a friend for lunch, hangs out the washing, feeds the chooks, reads a book, makes dinner and goes to bed is NOT a story. It's an account. Many, many, many stories are just an account.

A story DOES something to the reader. It makes them feel, smile, cry, understand, learn. Even episodic books that DO simply line-up concepts, have to have a hook or an intention that entertains and delights, even if it's just stunning artwork. Clever, well-thought-out books are the books that do well.

It also takes them on a JOURNEY--whether literal or figurative.

Essentially, in your story, something has to HAPPEN. Something has to occur as a result of something else. There has to be a message or meaning or some kind of delight or even horror. Again, the best way to describe this, is that your story should make the reader FEEL something. I'm not going to feel anything reading about that bear. I want something to HAPPEN.

The Ending

Another huge part of a great story's structure is the ending. For me, the ending is EVERYTHING. It's that delectable mint at the end of the meal--that moment of pure satisfaction. No greater let-down to read a fabulous book and find yourself looking for more pages because the ending fell so flat or felt unresolved. Someone going to bed at night and going to sleep is not an ending (unless it's absolutely central to the narrative and resolves the narrative).

An ending needs to in some way resolve the story or at least link to the plot line and theme in a way that is delightful, surprising, unexpected, hilarious, shocking, healing, circular--SOMETHING, other than just nothing. Most emerging author picture books I read have no ending at all, let alone a good one.

Think of a wonderful way to end your stories, hopefully with something that surprises or delights or elicits a realisation of some kind, and you'll write very good stories indeed. Remember--a great ending stands between your book and a repeat read.

A Word on Didactic Books

No one likes a book that hammers them over the head with morals. Kids particularly dislike them, even those too young to know what's really happening. Never talk down to your reader or dumb things down, no matter how young the intended readership. If you simply must teach kids a 'lesson' with your story, do it with intense subtlety, cleverness and humour. The lesson should not be in the least bit obvious. 

Word Count

In general, a picture book should not exceed 500 words ... unless it's for slightly older readers, it's a book designed to specifically impart information, or unless the writer has honed that text down to its purest essence and the result is an absolute and unadulterated pleasure to read, from go to woah. There are some high text picture books (for younger readers) that work beautifully, simply because they are a joy to read, the story gallops along, and there are no superfluous words.

To be safe, especially when starting out, make your text as minimal as possible. They say each word in a picture book must earn its place. A general rule is to not say anything the pictures can show, especially in regard to description. For example, do not describe a character's outfit unless it's a central plot point that you need to make super obvious. And never put anything extraneous in a story (read: enpedia/wiki/Chekhov%27s_gun" target="_blank">Chekov's Gun).

Nutshell: keep things succinct and cut any extraneous text (which is most text, in my opinion!).

Characters Overcoming Things

We don't need to have our main character falling over obstacle after obstacle after obstacle until they are a wrung-out wreck, before miraculously rising at the end. The variety of ways we can 'challenge' our characters can be a lot more subtle, and can appear in multitude ways.

In Peas in a Pod, the girls simply try to overcome their sameness. They want to be different. They don't need to go over mountain and dale over thousands of miles, snow, rain and tornado, to get there--they just make a stand, and assert their individuality.

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Try not to get caught up in how much conflict or resolution you need to add to your story. It's a broad brushstroke of a technique that can be achieved in many and varied ways, but yes, you DO need your characters to be championed by your reader. Kids need to *FEEL something for them, relate to them in some way, and want them to succeed against all odds. That's what carries the most entrancing stories--that essence of survival against storms, prejudice, even just an aversion to broccoli. Readers want your character to triumph, so this obstacle thing IS a fine tool in storytelling, but know that it can be done in clever and almost imperceptible ways.

*Of course, there are some characters kids WON'T feel for--the baddie, for example--but what they will do is feel something ABOUT that character. The more conflict and obstacles you give all of your characters (good or bad), the more well-rounded and real they will be--and the greater emotional response you'll elicit from your reader.

The Dreaded Rhyme

One thing that's struck me over the years, especially where emerging writers are concerned, is their insistence on penning text in rhyme. Perhaps it's a hark back to their own childhood when rhyme was so prevalent, or their adoration for the likes of Dr Seuss and Lynley Dodd and other (yet few!) truly brilliant rhyming creators.

The fact is this: very, very few people write rhyme well. A lack of understanding when it comes to 'meter' is often to blame, but also the rearranging of sentences and the cramming of unbalanced words to effect end-of-line rhyme. Another big issue is the misuse of syllable stress--featuring the word apple, for example, but expecting it to be read as AppLE rather than as APPle, where its natural syllable stress lies.

Remember, rhyming text is not about end-word rhyme. It's about so very much more.

Jackie Hosking has a wonderful facebook/Jackie-Hoskings-Rhyming-Ms-Editing-Service-116219738446045/?fref=nf" target="_blank">Rhyming MS Editing Service that new writers can look into. You can also learn a lot about this online, and by--of course--reading your text out loud. You should also have someone else read it out loud. It's easy to read our own words in an effective rhythm because we have penned them, and know where the stressors lie, but when someone else reads the text for the first time, you may be surprised how frequently they stumble over the words and rhythm. You do NOT want your reader stumbling over words and rhythm.

Another option is to let your text marinate for a month. When you go back to it, you'll find a multitude of issues to fix.

As Jen Storer says in one of her fabulous girlandduck/videos/" target="_blank">Girl and Duck Q+Q Friday videos, publishers don't hate rhyming texts. They just hate BAD rhyming texts! And so do readers. She also mentions a really great point--that rhyming text is very difficult to extend into overseas markets, where translations can falter. So, publishers may also avoid it for this reason.

So, I strongly suggest writing your first picture book attempts in prose. Picture books are hard to write--why exponentially add to the difficulty by choosing rhyme? Practice in prose first, and then study and hone rhyme for later books. 

I must say, I absolutely adore good rhyming works, but I've been writing professionally for almost 30 years and I've only just recently penned my first rhyming book.

Don't be Boring

Some may disagree, but I find most super traditional stories (in terms of content) a little boring. I love unconventional works--works that sit outside the square--and more and more publishers are loving these, too (they're often the award-winners). Think outside the square. Surprise your reader. Do something different.

In Summary!

Essentially, you want readers to feel something when they read your books. And I don't mean in a schmaltzy way. I think a lot of writers believe they need to write sentimental or schmaltzy themes to make readers feel something, but this isn't true. We feel more than just sadness. Our emotions are vast and varied, and we shouldn't underestimate the power of more subtle emotions, even in kids ... those emotions well beyond happy sad angry surprised. 

Writing books about confusion or isolation or trepidation or boredom or contentment or creative satisfaction or thirst or other nuanced topics, can be some of the most successful stories of all.

Writing picture books for the first time can be absolutely overwhelming. An understanding that they are difficult to write is vital, as is the understanding that you WILL get better over time, and--like anything--the more you write, the better you'll get at both the content and structure.

Wishing you the best on your picture book journey!

Tania

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Ask Tania: What's The Best Way To Work Towards Becoming A Full-Time Author?

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Dear Tania,
What's the best way to work towards becoming a full-time author?
Cathy

Hi Cathy,

I could write 1000 paragraphs on this! And even then, it would be part-way subjective and would fail to cover all the intricacies and variations and far-reaching tentacles.

Some of us need to work full-time jobs, some of us work part-time, and some of us have the luxury of all the time in the world. Some of us have small kids, older kids, grownup kids, no kids. Some of us are in marriages, some not, some in supportive relationships, some not. Some of us have self-belief and some of us don't. Each author's life situation and journey is unique, and so very many variables contribute to the acquisition (or not) of a full-time writing career.

I could also regale you with the myriad things you 'should' be doing, but honestly? ... other than the fact that each person has a unique life situation that must be navigated around, authorship is changing. Our online world is changing. The way we read books is changing. The way we write and publish is changing. And it's all changing so fast, I reckon by the time you read this, my 'advice' would be redundant.

So, I'm going to go back to brass tacks. I'm going to hand pluck the 'little things' that I've learned in almost 30 years in the writing industry (first magazines, then adult non-fiction, then children's). I reckon if you can resonate with the following stream of consciousness, you stand a good chance of securing full-time authorship.

Bolded entries are especially important. At the end of these points, I'm going to cover Self-Belief and The Flow--also especially important!

Here we go ...

• great work sells; time spent honing your craft is never, ever wasted
• practice, practice, practice--invest in your skills endlessly
• never stop learning
• know your market inside out; live in bookstores whether in person or online; watch what's being published, get to know publisher lists and the work of other creators
• read read read, especially in the genre you want to write in
• write what you love and what calls to you, even if the market doesn't agree
• if you need to work at a full time job, write in your spare time, on weekends and holidays--pass up TV and socialising and all manner of deflections, to dedicate to your craft; this can be tough, but like anything in life, the sacrifices you make for writing are clearly indicative of how much do you want it
• over time, find ways to downscale the full time work you do in terms of hours--then fill those hours with your writing and earning from your writing; over time, if you play it right and dedicate yourself, your writing hours will outweigh the full time work; if your current job would deem this impossible, look for other work
• if you have small children, things will be tougher, of course, but they do grow up eventually; a famous author once told me that I shouldn't even think about being able to achieve an impactful 'career' until my kids were not only older, but had actually left home; so know that one day, you'll have your time (and in the meantime, dedicate what time you can)
• always be curious, and always stretch yourself
• think outside the square and try something new
• learn the formula for storytelling and plot structure, then break all the rules 
• avoid formulaic writing like the plague--surprise your reader
• avoid prescriptive, expositional, predictable, over-written text; write intuitively and don't try to sound like a great writer; rather--BE one
• use your own voice, not someone else's
• avoid overly familiar, typical themes, especially in regard to picture books; if you simply must write about fairies and trucks, do it in an unexpected way
• avoid didactic writing; if you must include messaging, make it barely perceptible, especially in picture books
• never write for publishers or for perceived market gaps; YOU dictate what the market needs (with your fabulous new idea)
• stop asking for critiques of your work; the more others dissect and opine, the faster your work loses authenticity, honesty and clarity; too many cooks DO spoil the broth
• believe in yourself; have faith in your own intuition
• if you do receive criticism, never take it personally, NEVER react badly to it, take what works (or doesn't), let go and move on
• if you get a bad review or an assassination on your character, walk away, let it go, do not respond
• a great idea is far more evocative to an editor or publisher than a perfectly-polished (over-worked) manuscript 
• unique work, with a unique voice is highly sought after
• luck does have a something to do with full-time authorship--but perhaps more than luck--rather being in the right place at the right time; put yourself in situations that increase this 'luck' (you'll find suggestions in this post!)
• always, ALWAYS respond to people in a timely manner--by phone, email, in person; don't leave anyone waiting, even those you perceive 'unimportant'
• always, ALWAYS treat people with respect
• always, ALWAYS thank 
• never look down on, dismiss or judge anyone regarding their work, presence or 'status' in the industry--not only is it mean, you never know who will be whom in five years' time
• ergo, never burn bridges
• excellence all the way--from your beautiful email signature to your carefully proofread manuscript submission
• think twice before gossiping about or deriding colleagues; it's mean and our industry is small
• kindness! generosity! maybe fairydust to some, but you better believe it works
• the vast majority of authors (and illustrators) are smart, intuitive, generous and kind people--get to know them
• give back
• support and uplift your colleagues
• don't look sideways at what anyone else is doing and what they're achieving--put your head down and focus on your own journey
• don't be threatened by anyone else's success--feel genuine happiness for others, even if you don't particularly like their work--there is always enough room in this industry for everyone. Never blow out someone else's candle, because it won't make yours brighter.
• real relationships are everything--get to know people--you may well develop working relationships and opportunities, sure, but you may also make dear lifelong friends and share in immensely rewarding connections and support
• check in on your friends and colleagues--this is a lonely profession--even the high-fliers and those who appear supremely confident, falter sometimes
• never shout about yourself; don't bombard people with sales pitches
• for every promotional post you do, post three that are informative, educational, fun, personal or promoting someone else
• have a solid web presence--a website at the very least; it doesn't have to be fancy, just have one
• don't fret about social networking; have a Facebook page and/or Twitter/Instagram/Pinterest, etc, account and post when you want to!
• be easy to work with and never be demanding
• commit to a writing schedule
• learn ways to streamline your life and kybosh procrastination
• if you are working full-time elsewhere, write at night, on weekends and during holidays--ask yourself, how much do you want this?
• enter competitions and apply for grants
• attend festivals and conferences--they are life-changing and will shuttle your career trajectory into the stratosphere when compared with staying home; meeting publishers personally really does up your chances of becoming known/having work looked at faster/receiving contracts
• get industry involved; this is my TOP TIP and it's huge (and totally underestimated by newbies); do something for your industry; judge awards, support fledglings, volunteer for organisations or festivals, review books for websites, involved yourself with CBCA or SCBWI or ACLA or other children's lit organisations; I frequently volunteer, and founded kids-bookreview/" target="_blank">Kids' Book Review and the facebook/groups/illo52weeks/" target="_blank">52-Week Illustration Challenge, but you don't have to invest an enormous amount of time and energy--just do SOMETHING!
• if you don't know something, ask others (or google it!)
• try not to use too many exclamation points!!! 
• expect nothing while you expect big things
• BE PATIENT--gaining any kind of industry recognition can take at least three years (if you're active in the industry!)--and most authors wait at least 10 years before making a solid impact with their books
• realise now that much of an author's income doesn't come from books--it comes from events, talks, presentations, school visits and other writing gigs; much of mine comes from ELR/PLR payments, copyright payments, presentations and events; also know that over time, your wage will increase as you have more books on the market and earn more ELR/PLR, copyright and reprint payments
• support other creators--attend book launches and writerly/literary events
• be self-effacing; be willing to look objectively at your work and see where you can do better (we are always improving!)
• tenacity and hard work is as vital as talent, oftentimes more so (there are plenty of supremely talented creators who will never publish because they give up or expect things to be handed to them)
• understand this: you simply must put in the hard yards; this career is HARD WORK ... thank goodness it's so much fun
  
• a hole-in-one IS possible; but how many times are you willing to hit the ball?
• believe in yourself
• have I said 'believe in yourself'?

Self-Belief
Self-belief is a curious thing. It's like the tide--it ebbs and flows, and this affects all of us, no matter where we are in our writing career. Any writer's biggest hurdle is self-belief. It's not publishers or editors or the market. It's how we feel about our own work, and how much we believe in it. (And I'm talking truly madly deeply--in our heart. Our brains can tell us they believe in us all they want. It has to come from the heart.)

Having self-belief doesn't mean we stand on chairs and shout. We can be quiet and have self-belief. We can be shy and have self-belief. But the bottom line is--if we don't believe in ourselves and our voice and our stories, publishers won't, and readers won't.

If we want to make authorship a full-time career, we need to believe in ourselves enough to commit the considerable time and energy required to write full-time. We need to trust, despite the inherent solitude and rejection authors suffer, that our investment will pay off. And we have to MAKE that investment--in ourselves and in our work, always bettering ourselves and our words. Growing, moving, changing. Listening to what calls us ... and honouring that call.

We need to trust that we can still be standing after many years of 'getting nowhere', and that we will not (nay, CANnot) give up. Tenacity is as vital as talent in this industry, and although it's tempting (and normal!) to have moments of 'why am I doing this? will I ever get anywhere?!', we must move through them if writing is our true calling. And get back to writing.

Elizabeth Gilbert once spoke of a very talented writer friend who gave up on his authorship journey because he was tired of getting nowhere. She described him as supremely talented, and she remember being shocked and desperate that he would give up 'so easily', but the fact was this: it didn't mean enough to him. He actually told her that. Writing didn't mean enough to him to continue to suffer the slings and arrows of rejection, editing, and idle waiting. So he moved onto other things, and he did so happily.

Indeed, perhaps some of us think we want to write (it IS fun!) but maybe it's not our truest passion or calling. We get this idea in our heads that it will be a certain way and when it proves otherwise, we might become disillusioned and question our direction. And that's okay. We can move on.

But, if like me, writing is like oxygen to you--you can't live without it--then embrace it, claim it and give it every ounce of self-belief you have. This kind of courage and passion is like a magnet for your full-time authorship desire. It's powerful stuff.

The Flow
On a similar note to Self-Belief, above, I really do believe that we need to do what makes our heart sing, yes, but also what fully absorbs us. When we become lost in our work, that's when we know we're on the right path and have stepped into life's flow. Things come easily, things just sort of 'work out'--the obstacles slide on by, synchronicity is rife, and little miracles pop up with sign posts saying 'this way', 'enter this!' and 'meet such-and-such--she's looking for someone like you'.

When obstacles begin flourishing, when things become fraught, difficult, agonising, unbalanced, or just feel 'off', you've stepped out of the flow, and are, mayhaps, not doing what's right for you. You're standing on the riverbank and the water is rushing past and you're feeling that desperate ache in your chest that you're getting nowhere and are somehow missing out/something is not right. It's like you're pining for something and don't even know what it is. (A friend recently made a big realisation in this vein and has made some huge decisions about her future career, which may lie completely outside the kids' market--so utterly inspirational! and brave!)

But when you step back into the river and relax and go with it, you notice the river is running more gently and more smoothly than it appeared on that riverbank. And you are floating along nicely and you are passing wonderful opportunities and people and they're jumping into the river to float alongside you and you just feel GOOD. You float around obstacles and don't even need to look sideways. Your eyes are on the river--the journey. And you're soaking wet, you're so absorbed.

That's being in the flow.

Finding yourself out of the flow doesn't have to mean your writing career is over. It can simply mean you need to change genre. I've lost count of the times a friend or someone I'm mentoring realises the book they've written is sitting in the wrong genre '... whaaaa? It's a picture book, not a chapter book!' or vice versa. A friend recently made an enormous realisation that her future didn't lie in children's picture books. She was meant to write adult romance. And voila--she's just signed a huge deal with a major publisher of women's romance novels!

Perhaps you just need to change your direction or style or skillset. A couple of years ago, I made the realisation that I really wanted (needed!) to illustrate as well as write. I hadn't picked up a paint brush since my early 20s (I was a prolific illustrator back then) and had no idea where to restart. But restart, I did (via the facebook/groups/illo52weeks/" target="_blank">52-Week Illustration Challenge) and my first self-illustrated book, Australia Illustrated, is out November 2016. I've also just signed a contract to illustrate a major children's compilation.

If you had told me I'd be doing this even two years ago, I would never have believed you. But I couldn't be happier, more excited or more absorbed by this new, unexpected (deliciously pined-for) turn of events--and all because I just went with the flow. I went with what called me at the time.

Who knows, in six months I might be embarking on another direction--so long as I sit in that river and follow the flow. Who wants to sit on the river bank and watch it all go by? Not me.

So, Cathy, jump in that river. Your full-time authorship awaits.

Tania

ALSO... see my other Ask Tania topics...

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And check out my Fantastical Flying Creator for priceless tips and exercises on flying high in this jam-packed creative world. Click the poster below for more.

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Ask Tania: Non-Fiction Picture Books--Where Do I Start When Submitting To Publishers?

4.bpspot/-SnBPCvBxqpI/Uvg0wqyDY5I/AAAAAAAA6SU/0I1gyrb7yG8/s1600/ask+tania.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">

Dear Tania, 
My question is about approaching publishers with non-fiction picture books. I'm aware how to submit fiction picture books, but is there a difference with non-fiction? If I was interested in writing a book about a person in history, should I go full throttle, researching meticulously, honing my text and sending off a fully-polished manuscript, knowing that all that research could be of no use if the ms is rejected?
Emma

Hi, Emma,

A girl after my own heart--I adore non-fiction PBs! And I most particularly love books on people from history. I'm busting to know who you want to research; might have to ask you privately (sorry readers!).

But to your question. The very first thing you need to tell yourself when it comes to dedicating the endless hours to researching and penning a non-fiction book is this:


Not a single minute nor single word will be wasted. 

Even if the book is never published, every moment you put into that work is a precious and vital part of your author journey. It's what will make you qualified to write--and good at writing--this type of book. You have to tell yourself this, Em, otherwise writing in this genre will send you stark raving mad from the perceived grief at 'losing' that time and effort and resulting words.

It's never easy to create something, especially something lengthy (as is often the way with this genre) without guarantee of publication, but it is the reality for most writers. No author wants to write a word that becomes lost, but we don't need to grieve lost words that never make it to print. They really are invaluable feathers to our bow. They're not a sacrifice. They're an addition to our skillset.

And also remember that words don't have a time limit. Many an author (me included) has had older work published years down the track--with a bit of honing and updating. As market needs and trends shift and change, one book idea presented in 2023 may receive a more positive reception than it did in 2016.

As you progress with your career and have first books published, you'll be in a better position to have work commissioned and approved before creation, so things will change.

This happened with This is Captain Cook and the National Library of Australia. We discussed the concept for the book and I received contract before commencing. This is because I'm a house author, so the same thing happened for importantnutrientsspot/search?q=11/how-to-write-a-non-fiction-query-letter/" target="_blank">article on writing non-fiction query letters.

Look at publishers who have an established series of books in the style you are thinking of. You could always approach them to offer your idea, if it would fit well with the current series.

There's no harm in trying! You never know your luck. Just ask!

The other thing I would do--and I strongly recommend this to all emerging authors--is get industry involved. Network. Make friendships. Go to festivals and conferences and publisher events, and MEET publishers face-to-face. Get to know them. By doing this, you could eventually enjoy marvellous opportunities, like being able to sub directly to a commissioning editor, without having to go through the usual processes. This will up your chances of being contracted prior to commencement of your work.

Also know that you're not alone. As I've recently begun illustrating books, I have several on the go with no contract, and have no way of knowing if they'll ever be contracted. Just because I'm with several publishers doesn't mean they'll take on these books, and some of them don't even publish this type. So I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to finding a home for them--and knowing that I may not ever find that home.

But I simply must create them. If I don't, I'll burst! And I have to reconcile myself to the possibility that all this work may be for nought but skillset enhancement.

You're not alone.

Em, I wish you every success with the creation of your historical Opus. If you love the subject matter and feel passionately about it and do it well, there's every chance it will be snapped up by someone eventually, even if you have to finish it and shop it around. And, as annoying as it sounds, if no one takes it, at least you'll have a priceless addition to your skillset.

Tania

PS: I hope the following writing tips help you on your journey!

Writing Tips for Children's Non-Fiction

• write about something or someone you have a personal passion for; if you have zero interest in a topic, it WILL show, no matter how cleverly you write it; also, you want to enjoy the work!
• define your readership age and adjust text to suit; what interests you as an adult may be of nil interest to kids; keep it age-appropriate
• look for other books on this same topic--is the market too saturated? Who else has done this type of book? How can you make it different/stand out? What is unique about your version?
• STEM topics are particularly sought after in non-fiction, and since history has been added to the anabawang school curriculum in Australia, it has become even more popular with publishers
• consider contacting and subbing to educational publishers or other organisations like state libraries, museums and universities (who often have their own publishing programmes), and the CSIRO
• don't be tempted to fill a market gap unless the subject matter is of deep interest to you 
• remember that non-fiction can absolutely be as creative as fiction; think outside the square
• never believe non-fiction plays second fiddle to fiction; when it comes to kids' books, non-fiction actually outsells fiction
• keep an eye on world events, current affairs, anniversaries, etc--as your book idea may correlate with an upcoming something-or-other; publishers love that
• read read read everything you can on your topic
• don't underestimate the power of film, books, documentaries and imagery when completing your research
• research tools include books, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, photographs, biographies and other books, sites such as Trove, Ancestory, census, radio and television archives, national libraries, museums, universities, national archives and research institutions, as well as talking directly to people, and of course--the internet in general
• when it comes to the internet, you must use government or other official sites, and pay particular attention to authentication; remember, although it can be your greatest ally, the internet is also renowned for spouting rubbish and falsities
• you will want to cross-reference and verify any research (most especially internet research) at least three times ... more if the reference is obscure
• if something sounds fandangled, it probably is
• keep comprehensive notes on ALL of your research sources, including any links!
• know that even the most meticulous research can falter, especially as new light is shed on historical events; for example, in one of my books, I talk of the lamington being made for Lord Lamington, a governor in Queensland--a story that has been touted and authenticated for well over 100 years, but new research shows the cake was more likely made in honour of the Lord's wife, Mary Houghton Hozier (fun fact: Lord Lamington allegedly referred to lamingtons as 'those bloody poofy woolly biscuits'--more evidence they were probably NOT made in his honour!!)
• there will always, always be someone (with nothing better to do) who will try to refute anything you write; don't let this put you off--history records are far from infallible and conflict will always appear (especially as new information arises)
• enjoy every single, incredible moment of discovery--get set to laugh, to cry and stare into the distance in a state of wonder; fact truly IS stranger than fiction

taniamccartneyspot.au/2014/02/ask-tania" target="_blank">Australian Kids Through the Years and other books.

importantnutrientsspot/search?q=11/how-to-write-a-non-fiction-query-letter/" target="_blank">article on writing non-fiction query letters.

Look at publishers who have an established series of books in the style you are thinking of. You could always approach them to offer your idea, if it would fit well with the current series.

There's no harm in trying! You never know your luck. Just ask!

The other thing I would do--and I strongly recommend this to all emerging authors--is get industry involved. Network. Make friendships. Go to festivals and conferences and publisher events, and MEET publishers face-to-face. Get to know them. By doing this, you could eventually enjoy marvellous opportunities, like being able to sub directly to a commissioning editor, without having to go through the usual processes. This will up your chances of being contracted prior to commencement of your work.

Also know that you're not alone. As I've recently begun illustrating books, I have several on the go with no contract, and have no way of knowing if they'll ever be contracted. Just because I'm with several publishers doesn't mean they'll take on these books, and some of them don't even publish this type. So I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to finding a home for them--and knowing that I may not ever find that home.

But I simply must create them. If I don't, I'll burst! And I have to reconcile myself to the possibility that all this work may be for nought but skillset enhancement.

You're not alone.

Em, I wish you every success with the creation of your historical Opus. If you love the subject matter and feel passionately about it and do it well, there's every chance it will be snapped up by someone eventually, even if you have to finish it and shop it around. And, as annoying as it sounds, if no one takes it, at least you'll have a priceless addition to your skillset.

Tania

PS: I hope the following writing tips help you on your journey!

Writing Tips for Children's Non-Fiction

• write about something or someone you have a personal passion for; if you have zero interest in a topic, it WILL show, no matter how cleverly you write it; also, you want to enjoy the work!
• define your readership age and adjust text to suit; what interests you as an adult may be of nil interest to kids; keep it age-appropriate
• look for other books on this same topic--is the market too saturated? Who else has done this type of book? How can you make it different/stand out? What is unique about your version?
• STEM topics are particularly sought after in non-fiction, and since history has been added to the anabawang school curriculum in Australia, it has become even more popular with publishers
• consider contacting and subbing to educational publishers or other organisations like state libraries, museums and universities (who often have their own publishing programmes), and the CSIRO
• don't be tempted to fill a market gap unless the subject matter is of deep interest to you 
• remember that non-fiction can absolutely be as creative as fiction; think outside the square
• never believe non-fiction plays second fiddle to fiction; when it comes to kids' books, non-fiction actually outsells fiction
• keep an eye on world events, current affairs, anniversaries, etc--as your book idea may correlate with an upcoming something-or-other; publishers love that
• read read read everything you can on your topic
• don't underestimate the power of film, books, documentaries and imagery when completing your research
• research tools include books, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, photographs, biographies and other books, sites such as Trove, Ancestory, census, radio and television archives, national libraries, museums, universities, national archives and research institutions, as well as talking directly to people, and of course--the internet in general
• when it comes to the internet, you must use government or other official sites, and pay particular attention to authentication; remember, although it can be your greatest ally, the internet is also renowned for spouting rubbish and falsities
• you will want to cross-reference and verify any research (most especially internet research) at least three times ... more if the reference is obscure
• if something sounds fandangled, it probably is
• keep comprehensive notes on ALL of your research sources, including any links!
• know that even the most meticulous research can falter, especially as new light is shed on historical events; for example, in one of my books, I talk of the lamington being made for Lord Lamington, a governor in Queensland--a story that has been touted and authenticated for well over 100 years, but new research shows the cake was more likely made in honour of the Lord's wife, Mary Houghton Hozier (fun fact: Lord Lamington allegedly referred to lamingtons as 'those bloody poofy woolly biscuits'--more evidence they were probably NOT made in his honour!!)
• there will always, always be someone (with nothing better to do) who will try to refute anything you write; don't let this put you off--history records are far from infallible and conflict will always appear (especially as new information arises)
• enjoy every single, incredible moment of discovery--get set to laugh, to cry and stare into the distance in a state of wonder; fact truly IS stranger than fiction

taniamccartneyspot.au/2014/02/ask-tania" target="_blank">Australian Story was the book I first approached the Library with--way back in 2010. I met an author who was published by the NLA, I asked her advice on approaching their children's publications team, I did so, I had a meeting with the children's publisher and the rest is history (literally!).

2.bpspot/-lI_NySmyDFU/V8YyYZcF4CI/AAAAAAABI58/NeyHRNO4D0cGLYLKwVTVKZvmk8QX-fhmQCLcB/s1600/VL%2BThis%2Bis%2BCaptain%2BCook.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;">

Two Options

So, there are two ways you could approach the creation of your book.

Number one. You could simply fall into it, begin it and dedicate your heart and passion to it, regardless of outcome, and in the knowledge that whatever happens, you're learning invaluably. Along the way, you could begin researching appropriate publishers and their submissions processes.

Number two. There's nothing stopping you from approaching publishers who publish in this genre, and asking them if your book would be of interest to them. Some publishers are happy to receive a book outline only, particularly when it comes to non-fiction books which can sometimes be more comprehensive and time-consuming than fiction (at least in terms of research and authentication).

If the subject matter is of interest to them, they may be willing to look at the work as you go along and perhaps contract you part-way through. This is entirely dependent on the publisher, for each is very different, and things will change as the publisher goes through their own changes, and works through their annual list. 

Remember, some publishers may respond to this request, some may not. Many have really strict rules (out of sheer necessity) around submissions and submission queries, so don't take it personally if you hear nothing back. Just move on to someone else.

Here's a great importantnutrientsspot/search?q=11/how-to-write-a-non-fiction-query-letter/" target="_blank">article on writing non-fiction query letters.

Look at publishers who have an established series of books in the style you are thinking of. You could always approach them to offer your idea, if it would fit well with the current series.

There's no harm in trying! You never know your luck. Just ask!

The other thing I would do--and I strongly recommend this to all emerging authors--is get industry involved. Network. Make friendships. Go to festivals and conferences and publisher events, and MEET publishers face-to-face. Get to know them. By doing this, you could eventually enjoy marvellous opportunities, like being able to sub directly to a commissioning editor, without having to go through the usual processes. This will up your chances of being contracted prior to commencement of your work.

Also know that you're not alone. As I've recently begun illustrating books, I have several on the go with no contract, and have no way of knowing if they'll ever be contracted. Just because I'm with several publishers doesn't mean they'll take on these books, and some of them don't even publish this type. So I'm in the same boat as you when it comes to finding a home for them--and knowing that I may not ever find that home.

But I simply must create them. If I don't, I'll burst! And I have to reconcile myself to the possibility that all this work may be for nought but skillset enhancement.

You're not alone.

Em, I wish you every success with the creation of your historical Opus. If you love the subject matter and feel passionately about it and do it well, there's every chance it will be snapped up by someone eventually, even if you have to finish it and shop it around. And, as annoying as it sounds, if no one takes it, at least you'll have a priceless addition to your skillset.

Tania

PS: I hope the following writing tips help you on your journey!

Writing Tips for Children's Non-Fiction

• write about something or someone you have a personal passion for; if you have zero interest in a topic, it WILL show, no matter how cleverly you write it; also, you want to enjoy the work!
• define your readership age and adjust text to suit; what interests you as an adult may be of nil interest to kids; keep it age-appropriate
• look for other books on this same topic--is the market too saturated? Who else has done this type of book? How can you make it different/stand out? What is unique about your version?
• STEM topics are particularly sought after in non-fiction, and since history has been added to the anabawang school curriculum in Australia, it has become even more popular with publishers
• consider contacting and subbing to educational publishers or other organisations like state libraries, museums and universities (who often have their own publishing programmes), and the CSIRO
• don't be tempted to fill a market gap unless the subject matter is of deep interest to you 
• remember that non-fiction can absolutely be as creative as fiction; think outside the square
• never believe non-fiction plays second fiddle to fiction; when it comes to kids' books, non-fiction actually outsells fiction
• keep an eye on world events, current affairs, anniversaries, etc--as your book idea may correlate with an upcoming something-or-other; publishers love that
• read read read everything you can on your topic
• don't underestimate the power of film, books, documentaries and imagery when completing your research
• research tools include books, encyclopedias, newspapers, magazines, photographs, biographies and other books, sites such as Trove, Ancestory, census, radio and television archives, national libraries, museums, universities, national archives and research institutions, as well as talking directly to people, and of course--the internet in general
• when it comes to the internet, you must use government or other official sites, and pay particular attention to authentication; remember, although it can be your greatest ally, the internet is also renowned for spouting rubbish and falsities
• you will want to cross-reference and verify any research (most especially internet research) at least three times ... more if the reference is obscure
• if something sounds fandangled, it probably is
• keep comprehensive notes on ALL of your research sources, including any links!
• know that even the most meticulous research can falter, especially as new light is shed on historical events; for example, in one of my books, I talk of the lamington being made for Lord Lamington, a governor in Queensland--a story that has been touted and authenticated for well over 100 years, but new research shows the cake was more likely made in honour of the Lord's wife, Mary Houghton Hozier (fun fact: Lord Lamington allegedly referred to lamingtons as 'those bloody poofy woolly biscuits'--more evidence they were probably NOT made in his honour!!)
• there will always, always be someone (with nothing better to do) who will try to refute anything you write; don't let this put you off--history records are far from infallible and conflict will always appear (especially as new information arises)
• enjoy every single, incredible moment of discovery--get set to laugh, to cry and stare into the distance in a state of wonder; fact truly IS stranger than fiction

taniamccartneyspot.au/2014/02/ask-tania" target="_blank">See all the questions so far

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