Category: Guest Blogs & Interviews

Guest blogs and interviews with Chelsea DiCicco.

BOLDJOURNEY Magazine, Interview with Kidlit Author, blogger, Entrepreneur- Chelsea DiCicco

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in Guest Blogs & Interviews, My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

Working in a creative field can be tricky… and mentally exhausting. This career path is littered with wonky obstacles and challenges, one of those being the struggle to keep creativity alive. So where does the happy medium lie between balancing life and keeping creativity thriving?

In this exclusive interview with Bold Journey Magazine on February 19, 2025, we discuss the ups and downs of publishing and ways to keep fresh ideas growing. I share my personal tips and challenges and ways that I’ve been able to juggle life with creative endeavors, as well as different resources/things that have helped me along the way. Check it out HERE!

CanvasRebel Magazine, Interview with Kidlit Author, blogger, Entrepreneur- Chelsea DiCicco

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in Guest Blogs & Interviews, My Writing Journey, View all blog posts

As a creative entrepreneur, it’s my belief that shared experiences are part of the cornerstone for continued growth and success. Having the mindset that you can learn from anyone or any experience opens the door to limitless opportunities and helps you stay a forever student. Which is why I’m so passionate about sharing people’s stories!

If you’re a regular on my blog, you’re probably familiar with the Feature Interview segment, which features guests from all around the world sharing their literary journeys. Hosting these guests on my blog every month brings me such joy because I know that somewhere out there, it’s helping someone else grow!

Normally, I spend my time happily on the side of the host, but at the beginning of January 2025, I was approached by Sarah Garcia, a member of the editorial team of CanvasRebel Magazine, and invited to the other side as one of their interview guests. If you’re unfamiliar with CanvasRebel, they’re a fabulous organization whose mission is “to create a space for artists, creatives, and entrepreneurs to be able to learn from their peers through the magic and power of storytelling.” Which, for me, as a writer and literary blogger, is right up my alley. So, I immediately, without hesitation, said YES!

Our interview went live on January 20th, 2025, in their ‘Stories and Insights.’ During the course of our interview together, we talked about what it takes to be successful, shared writing resources, and discussed resilience in the face of difficulty. READ MORE…

Finding Your Writing Community

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in Guest Blogs & Interviews, Resources for Writers & Illustrators, View all blog posts

Guest blog article written by chelsea Dicicco of chelsea’s World of Books literary blog for Maya Magalani of Writing with a Twist blog- first published in February 2024

MAGIC AND HURDLES

If you’re new to the literary world, welcome, welcome! This industry is truly an incredible place to be. It’s filled with magic. Wonder. Curiosity. Adventure. Eye-opening experiences. But it’s also riddled with hurdles.

Like…
The waiting. Oh, the waiting. It’s a silent killer. Or at least, it can be. But it doesn’t have to be.

What does that mean? What am I talking about?
Ways to look at your writing career.
And the best way to look at your career as a writer is to view it as a journey, not a destination.
If you focus solely on the destination, it will be a very difficult road to stay on.
Is it possible to make it? Perhaps. That being said, having the wrong perspective can directly make or break your odds of reaching success.
So, how can you gain a positive perspective and turn your glass half-empty into a glass half-full?
Ah. Here’s the secret.
It’s your WRITING COMMUNITY.

WRITING COMMUNITY

What exactly is your writing community?
It’s the group of cheerleaders who are there for you when…
You’ve been in the query trenches for eight months and haven’t had a single nibble on the manuscript that you poured your heart and soul into writing for the past year and a half.
Or maybe…
You’ve been querying for a year, and all you’ve gotten back are form rejections. It can be tough.
But, if you have a strong writing community of friends who…

1. Know you.
2. Understand what you’re going through.
3. Appreciate your work.

You may find that the journey isn’t as bad.
And guess what? You’re not alone!
That’s a reminder we all need.

Sometimes, when you’re spending hours on end with characters in your book, it might feel like you’re by yourself in your own little corner of the world. But, really, we’re here with you. And we want to support each other.

Writing community is ESSENTIAL in keeping your wits and spirits about you.

So, okay- that’s great. But where is this “writing community?” How do I find mine?

WHERE TO FIND YOUR WRITING COMMUNITY

There are lots of ways and places you can go to find your people. Today, I’m going to be sharing a list of 7 places where I was able to find mine.

1. Julie Hedlund’s 12 X 12 Picture Book Challenge

Type: kidlit paid membership

If you write kidlit, (ideally picture books, but it can be any genre of kidlit), you’re in luck. Julie Hedlund has created a fantastic writing community through her 12×12 challenge website. This is a HUGE resource for writers. There you’ll find writers who WANT to support and help you. You can find and create critique groups in the forum. You can discover new beta readers. You can join affinity groups. You can find people who are willing to swap manuscripts and offer critiques. You can learn about new writing contests happening near you or virtually. Any information you can think of, Julie’s group has it! And… if that’s not already awesome enough, you can post questions to the forum page or onto the 12×12 Facebook group page. (Note: you must be a member to access the 12×12 forum or 12×12 Facebook group).

2. SCBWI

Type: paid membership

Here’s another fantastic resource for writers and illustrators. SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) shares all the newest events, both virtually and in person, for writers to join and visit. These events are pivotal for making writing connections within the world of publishing. There you can meet and listen to editors, agents, and fellow writers or illustrators. Yes- these connections can last you a lifetime and help build your career and standing in the literary world.

3. WRITING BARN

Type: Various groups/retreats/events/memberships/classes

This is a new one that I’ve just recently discovered, thanks to a very kind literary agent who offered the recommendation. And I’m so grateful she did! Because joining the Writing Barn this year has been truly amazing. They offer retreats, workshops, classes, and an incredible Courage to Create writing group membership.

4. READY CHAPTER 1

Type: paid membership/all genres

Ready Chapter 1 is a newer resource for writers. It’s not specific to any genre- anyone can join. It offers helpful critique forums, community, monthly webinars, and contests with editors and agents. Pretty cool, right?

5. FALL WRITING FRENZY

Type: free contest/once a year

Let’s see. The first time I joined Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez’s Fall Writing Frenzy Contest was back in 2022. And I can personally attest to the fact that this contest is a great way to meet and connect with fellow writers.

How does it work?

There are a series of pictures provided. You choose one and write a story inspired by it. You have a cap of 200 words (not including title). There’s a submission window. Once the window opens, you post the picture you chose to write about onto your blog and upload your story. Then, you go back to the official website and enter your information into the Google doc provided (with a link to your blog entry). Don’t have a blog? No worries! You can enter your info into the Google Doc and specify that you don’t have a blog.

If you DO have a blog… this is extra cool because everyone in the Google doc can see your title and blog address, and if your title sounds good, they might just visit your website.

You can also scroll through and find new writers this way. Leaving comments on other people’s blogs is a GREAT way to grow your reader audience, gain new followers, and make connections!

Fun fact: I found one of my critique partners through Fall Writing Frenzy. I visited her blog because she chose the same prompt as I did, and then I discovered her entry was a neurodiverse story, just like my entry! We struck up a wonderful conversation and quickly became writing friends. Fast-forward to a year later, she ended up joining my critique group. And it was all because of the connection we made during Fall Writing Frenzy! Putting yourself out there and participating in these community events is a GREAT way to find YOUR writing community.

P.S. Did I mention there are a ton of prize donors who offer FREE GIVEAWAY PRIZES to participants?

This contest happens every October. If you’re interested in learning more about it, what are you waiting for? Check it out today!

6. 50 PRECIOUS WORDS

Type: free contest/once a year

Here’s another incredible annual contest. 50 precious words! Very similar to Fall Writing Frenzy, this contest, hosted by Children’s book author Vivian Kirkfield, challenges writers to write a story in only 50 words, using a visual prompt.

If memory serves me correctly, you CREATE or choose your own image to write a story. So, this one has a little more wiggle room for creativity. My entry for 2023 was on cupcakes.

I can’t tell you how much fun it is to share these images and read other people’s as well. This exercise truly puts joy into writing. And you meet great people along the way.

P.S. In addition to hosting an “adult” contest, Vivian also hosts a “5o precious words for kids” event. How cool is that?!

7. PBPARTY

Type: free contest/once a year

And last on the list, but certainly not least, is PBParty, hosted by Mindy Alyse Weiss. This once-a-year contest has blown up into something incredible. Not only is it a huge opportunity to find an agent or even get yourself a book deal with an editor, but it’s also a great way to make lasting connections in the writing community. Between the Facebook Group, the Critique Trains, and the PBRanking Party, this is a HUGE community connector. Not to mention, if your story is chosen as one of the 50 in the showcase, you’ll be entered into a private Facebook Group, and you’ll have unlimited access for the rest of – ever! That’s right. No expiration date.

Two of my critique partners landed their agents thanks to the help of PBParty! And they’ve made lasting friendships with many of the group members they met through this incredible event. Hopefully, this article has given you some fresh ideas and inspiration on ways to make connections with your writing community.

Guest Blogging: What it is and How it Works.

Posted on by Chelsea’s World of Books in Guest Blogs & Interviews, Resources for Writers & Illustrators, View all blog posts

Guest Blogging: What is that? And how does it work?

In this brief article, we discuss what guest blogging is all about and how it can benefit YOU as a guest or host, and your shared audiences.

In January 2024, I was contacted by Maya, the creator and host of Writing With a Twist blog, about doing a guest post- Writing Community: Why is it so Important and Where Can You Find it? She had read my entry on NEWSLETTER VS. BLOGS: WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE? AND HOW DOES ONE BENEFIT THE OTHER? 

From scouring through other helpful posts like UNDERSTANDING AND IDENTIFYING STORY STRUCTURES IN PICTURE BOOKS and HOW TO WRITE PICTURE BOOKS- AND STAY SANE found on Chelsea’s World of Books literary blog, and WRITING ROUTINES AND RITUALS and WRITER’S (UN)BLOCK(ED), found on Writing With a Twist, it didn’t take long to realize we both shared a passion for helping other writers on their career path. Once this discovery was made, I knew my answer: YES!

But I had never done one before. So, it was time to do some research. Today, I’ll be sharing what I uncovered.

Who Does Guest Blogging Benefit? And WHAT are the Benefits?

So, let’s start with the benefits of guest blogging. Who exactly does it benefit?

WHO it benefits:

  1. The guest blogger
  2. The blog host
  3. The guest blogger’s audience
  4. The blog host’s audience

Now we know who’s benefiting. Let’s talk about HOW they benefit them.

The Guest Blogger

If you’re invited to join someone on their blog as a guest blogger, congratulations! This means somebody has found value in your blog posts and is interested in sharing your content with their readers. Networking with fellow bloggers is a fantastic way to grow your audience. But it helps in other ways too.

Not only can it help you grow your audience, but it can also help you gain website authority, establish credibility, increase organic rankings, and improve your Google algorithms.

Alright! This is awesome. But how does it work? We’ll get into that too.

Important things to remember when writing a guest post is that you’re writing for whoever’s blog’s audience. So, if you share compatible topics but not everything is the same, remember to tailor your discussion to something that will directly benefit or interest your blog host’s readers. (Your blog host may have a specific set of guidelines or suggested topics for you to write about- we’ll touch on that later.)

So, do your homework. Know your audience. And your blog host’s audience. And… don’t forget to use backlinks.

Adding backlinks (aka link building) to your post is very important. Why? Backlinks are part of what helps you gain website authority, establish credibility, and increase your rankings organically.

They tell Google, “Hey, this is a trusted, credible source.” The more links you can add into your guest post that trace back to your website, the better. But- not just ANY links will work. Technically, they’ll “work”… but you don’t want them to simply be accessible, you want them to be successful. Which goes back to audience. WHO are you writing for? WHAT will this audience care about? What are their interests?

Example: Let’s say you have a blog on animal care, and you’re invited to do a guest post for a blog all about CATS called THE CAT LADY, or NOTHING BUT CATS- THAT’S IT. If you link back to an article on your blog about hermit crabs or birds, this probably isn’t going to be what your readers were hoping to read because it’s not directly related to your audience preference. They’re interested in this blog because they want to read about CATS. So, why not take this opportunity to look over your blog articles and figure out which ones would be MOST compatible with your blog host? Then, use those articles as your backlinks. 

That way, your audience will benefit. This is the goal.

The Blog Host

Now, let’s talk about how the blog host is benefited by having exterior posts written by other writers. If you’re like me (by that, I mean juggling 1,500 hundred things), AKA a very busy woman, you might not have the time to write hundreds of blog posts on your own. 

Let’s be real. Good content takes time. And readers can tell the difference. So, if you’re sloppily throwing together blog entries that don’t have anything truly meaningful, your readers aren’t going to stick around. This means you need to put thought into each article you write. And thoughtful articles take time to produce. But what if you simply don’t have the time to write as much content as you’d like to be sharing?

That’s where guest bloggers can help!

Guest bloggers can offer your readers the extra content that you don’t have the time to create. And, through the use of link building, you can gain more readers. Additionally, by collaborating with other bloggers with higher website authority, it also boosts your website’s authority. And vice versa.

The Guest Blogger’s and Host’s Audience

In summation, both audiences will benefit from guest blog posts. If it’s the guest blogger’s audience, they’ve just discovered a new website that might be of interest to them. If it’s the blog host’s audience- same thing- but also, they’ve been provided with helpful content from a different perspective. This can be a nice change of pace and, again, lends to your credibility as a website. 

As you continue to grow as a blogger, it’s imperative that you connect with other bloggers in the network. Like any successful business, partnerships are mutually beneficial. By doing this, it will help both you and them to continue rising up in ranking and audience.

Where Can I find Bloggers Interested in Creating Content for my blog (aka guest blogging) OR Where Can I go to Write Content for Someone Else’s Blog?

Places to find content writers to help with guest posts OR to pitch yourself as a guest post content writer for others:

  1. Directly on the blog. Comment on blogs you’re interested in having write for you, or who you’d be interested in writing for. Be courteous and respectful of their time, and don’t push if it doesn’t feel like a good fit. You never know, you might just find someone who’s grateful that you reached out.
  2. LinkedIn. LinkedIn is a reputable place with qualified professionals who, for the most part, take their career and business seriously, so it only makes sense that this would be a good place to find like-minded future network comrades. Again, be respectful of people’s time, and DON’T be overly pushy. If you find a fit, be professional, and if the timing feels right, ask. It never hurts. The worst someone can say is “no.”