Tag: Tips on writing for kids

Today, I’m talking with children’s book author, literary blogger, and educator Andrew Hacket. 

But before we jump into our interview, if this is your first time visiting the blog, here’s the scoop on Feature Interviews.

THE SCOOP: WHAT ARE FEATURE INTERVIEWS & WHO ARE THEY FOR?

Feature Interviews are a free resource for writers and illustrators at every stage of the publishing journey.

Every month, I collaborate with industry professionals—authors, illustrators, editors, and agents— many of whom were or currently are also educators and librarians, to discuss all things publishing.

What can these interviews offer YOU?

These interviews give readers an up-close and personal look at the world of publishing from an array of different perspectives on every side of the desk and offer insight into tips, resources, and advice on how to:

• stay current with market trends
• hook an agent or editor
• find writing community & other resources
• discover workshops, contests, and other events
• figure out which path of publication is right for you
• know if your agent is a good match

And more!

AND… if that’s not enough, every guest offers at least one giveaway prize—sometimes more. This means you have multiple opportunities to win prizes every month! *If you’re interested in entering the giveaway, scroll to the bottom of the interview for instructions.*

Not that we’ve shared a little about what’s in store… it’s time to jump into our interview!

BEGINNINGS, INSPIRATION, AND EDUCATION

How did you end up in the amazing world of kidlit publishing?
My path to kidlit stemmed from a childhood creativity that lingered into adulthood. I had always liked the idea of writing, and dabbled here and there, but never had the time or energy to fully explore how to make this dream a reality.

Fast Forward to 2020 and the world was closing down. My 3 young children were going to be home learning from a computer screen, and someone had to be with them. As a result, I left my job as a teacher for the year and stayed home to support my children and their learning. What I quickly discovered was that while I was fulfilling an incredibly important role and need in my children’s lives, I was extremely, mentally, unstimulated. I was used to the fast-paced, mind constantly whirring life of a teacher, and this sudden stillness and calm in my brain was unsettling and not for me. So, with this new mental capacity, I dove headfirst into the publishing waters, listening to every webinar and podcast I could find, embracing the Twitter kidlit community, joining in with contests, and building my network of writing friends. 

Outside of your work as a writer, I know you’re also a literary blogger and elementary school educator of 18+ years. Which is incredible! Can you share more about that, and how those things connect to your writing career?

Working with children is all I have ever done. I began in afterschool programs and summer camps, before doing daycare and moving into my career as a teacher. Having spent so much time with kids (and conveniently my target audience) over the years has helped me maintain a childlike outlook on the world and be in tune with how kids think and what they like. Teaching has also given me a depth of knowledge when it comes to picture books. Reading picture books is embedded in my job and has helped me learn about structure and pacing.My blog is a constant source of inspiration as well. Hearing others’ stories of publication and creativity feed my own creative spirit and motivate me to continue writing. And in addition to all of that wonderfulness, interviewing authors keeps me connected to my community and can often open my eyes to new publishers or editors I had not previously known about. 

Let’s talk a little bit about writing inspiration. I want to touch on a few lines from your bio because I loved them (and related to them) so much! 

Andrew recognizes that being a kid is hard and he writes to create ways for children to see themselves in stories and characters, to accept and overcome their insecurities, or to escape for just a little while through the power of their imaginations. 

-I just love this!

So, it’s obvious you care a lot about children and their world, emotionally and mentally. Which, being a teacher and children’s book writer, only makes sense. Can you share a little more about where this connection to kids really started? What motivated you to want to dedicate your life toward bettering the lives of young readers, and students?

I like to tell students that I am a kid at heart. I have a healthy dose of Peter Pan syndrome and always have. Some kids are excited to grow up and do all of the things they think make being an adult awesome. I never was and I think that is a large reason I work with kids. Their energy keeps me young and connected to my inner child. I have worked with children since I was 16. I began at an afterschool program which then led into summer camps and daycares. What I discovered early on was that not only did I enjoy being with kids, but I was really adept at connecting with their emotions and understanding their wants, needs, and motivations behind their actions. This set me on the path to being a teacher and I have not regretted that choice ever.

“I have a healthy dose of Peter Pan syndrome and always have. Some kids are excited to grow up and do all of the things they think make being an adult awesome. I never was and I think that is a large reason I work with kids.”

As an educator, I imagine you want to engage your readers on an emotional level and impart some educational messages as well. Can you tell us a little bit about what lessons you hope little readers (and bigger readers) can gain from your books?

My three books vary widely in topic, tone, and structure, but each one has a strong SEL connection that I think comes from my years as an educator and also my own struggles growing up. Every child wants to feel a sense of belonging, and I think at some point, every person struggles with this despite how an outside perspective might perceive it. I hope my books help young readers feel seen and can push them on the path of accepting themselves and others for who they are at that moment. 

Speaking of books… I know you write across genres in kidlit: picture books, early readers, poems, and middle grade. I love talking with people who have a range of writing experience because each genre carries its own set of rules. I’m curious to know, for our readers and myself, how you balance these rules and keep your genres separated while writing? And have there been times when you’ve started, say, a picture book, that eventually “told you” it wasn’t meant to be a picture book and instead turned into something else- like an early reader or a middle-grade novel?

This is such a wonderful question. Overall, I don’t often focus too hard on “the rules”. That being said, I do think a fair amount of those rules become ingrained in our minds from when we were younger readers and perhaps the writing was a bit more formulaic. 

For the majority of my writing, I approach it with the intent of creating picture books. I do try to be mindful of a smaller word count and most of all make sure I am leaving room for the art. Being on the other side of publication now, I can attest to the incredible ability illustrators have to bring our words to life while enhancing our stories in ways we could have never imagined. Leaving room for the illustrator is not only polite to the illustrator but a future gift to yourself when you get to open the pages of the book and see their creativity.

I have never made a choice to switch a genre of a WIP while working on it, but I have had the suggestion made to me by critique partners, my agent, and editors. I have a few manuscripts written with an older voice and the suggestion of MG has been tossed my way, but at this moment, I am just not ready to tackle that many words. 

Another time a suggestion was made was for Curlilocks and the Three Hares. This was subbed as a picture book manuscript and the marvelous, Michele McAvoy at The Little Press had a vision for it as an early reader in their Modern Fairy-Tale Series. After chatting with Michele and hearing more about the series I decided to give it a go and luckily, it did the trick and Curlilocks and the Three Hares with illustrations by Svetla Radivoeva is now out in the world for kids and families to enjoy!

THE WORLD OF PUBLISHING PRE-PUBLISHED – AGENTS, QUERYING, SUBMISSIONS, RESOURCES

Tell us about your pre-publication journey! Starting back at query trenches/early submissions. When did you begin your professional journey?

I began approaching my writing seriously in 2020. COVID had just hit, and I found myself on leave from work, parenting three young kids who were doing remote schooling. While this was a crazy time and incredibly busy in its own right, I discovered that not being in the classroom gave me the mental capacity I had been lacking to research the writing industry and start to put the legwork into learning the craft and business of publishing.

I began with Twitter kidlit contests which is where I met so many wonderful critique partners and learned so much about myself as a writer and what I wanted to say. It was through these contests that I discovered my voice.

My time in the query trenches was short. I queried one story, which sadly has yet to make it to the published page, to about 15 agents with no bites. Then, my current agent, Dan Cramer, posted a query critique giveaway opportunity that I happened to win. I sent Dan my query and was delighted when along with his feedback, he also offered to read the manuscript. I sent that story off as quickly as I could and was amazed to hear back from Dan with an offer of representation. 

While I know my experience was brief and not typical, I always encourage authors to take any and every opportunity for which they have the bandwidth. You can’t count on an experience like this happening, but if you don’t put yourself out there, you are ensuring it doesn’t happen.

-Yes. So true!

“I always encourage authors to take any and every opportunity for which they have the bandwidth… if you don’t put yourself out there, you are ensuring it doesn’t happen.”

Are you currently agented and were you currently agented for your first book deal?

Yes, I am currently agented.  Dan Cramer of Page Turner Literary is still my agent, and we have been partnered together for all three of my book sales. 

What was your agent experience like for that first book deal? And which book was it? 

The first book deal with Dan was wonderful. We sold Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea to Page Street Kids. At that time I was such a newbie, and Dan made me feel at ease asking ALL of the questions. He took time to answer them and walked me through the process in a way that helped me understand this new and foreign side of publishing that I knew absolutely nothing about. 

Dan has been my one and only agent. As my agent he researches publishing houses and editors in search of the perfect match for my manuscripts. He handles all negotiations related to our book deals and deals with the communication with the editor at the beginning of the process. 

Were there any resources (writing organizations, contests, communities, etc) that were especially helpful in getting you to where you are today, that you’d like to share with aspiring traditional, hybrid, or independent kidlit authors or illustrators reading today?

Fall Writing Frenzy, Vivian Kirkfield’s 50 Precious Words, and Halloweensie are the contests that introduced me to the kidlit community and it is through them that I found a sense of belonging in this industry. 

I did join SCBWI early on as well and while I was not the best at accessing all they had to offer, I was able to connect with 2 of my first critique groups as a result. 

Also helpful to me along the way were fast drafting events such as First Draft Friday with Hollie Wolverton and Mindy Alyse Weiss’ PBParty Critique Train. Both of these events help motivate me to get new words on the page which can be hard to do with a fulltime job and family. 

-Fantastic resources, Andrew. Thanks for sharing!

THE WORLD OF PUBLISHING-POST PUBLISHED- BOOK DEALS, AUTHOR EVENTS, PROMOTION, CONNECTIONS

From the time you started pursuing publication, about how long was your journey to your first published work- and how did that feel? 

It was a four year process from my first draft of my first book until its publication. And while four years is no short time, I completely recognize the years and years that many creators invest before finding the success they are looking for and I feel incredibly fortunate for where I am today. 

We're so glad you are where you are today too, Andrew! 

For some of our ones just starting to enter this arena, and could use some tips on where to start... could you share some details about your author visits? 
What activities do you provide- if any other than a basic read-aloud?
What kind of visits to you offer- virtual, in person, or both? 
About how long is your average visit?
What venues do you visit- bookstores/schools/libraries?
And who schedules the visits- do you contact places directly, do they contact you directly, or is this something handled by your publisher/agent?

With three books releasing this past spring I made a concerted effort starting back in the summer and fall of 2023 to begin lining up author visits. 

-Smart planning and foresight!

For the most part these have all been organized by me through contacting bookstores, libraries, and schools. There are some publishing houses who will support and assist in booking events, I just happened to choose to take the responsibility on myself. 

Bookstore and library visits often last 45 minutes to an hour and include an introduction to the book, reading, a craft/related activity, and then conclude with a signing. My best advice here is to have existing relationships with these places. Long before you have a book out be a patron of your local libraries and indie bookstores. Support events that they have and learn what they have to offer as a result of attending. It is always easier for someone to book you for an event when they have seen you be supportive of others. 

My offerings for school visits are a bit different. I book anything from single workshops to half days to whole days, and these can all be virtual or in person. 

On my website I have a menu of workshop offerings that a school can choose from. These range from a traditional journey to publication to hands-on workshops on a variety of topics including brainstorming, fairytale writing, poetry, and character design. 

-I love the range in variety. What a great way to accommodate different needs and interests.

I prefer to work with groups of one to two classes where we can be interactive and create together rather than them just listening to me.  

Being a debut author this year, I found more success in booking author visits when I approached schools with whom I already had a relationship. I also applied and received multiple Cultural Council grants which helped fund a number of local visits. 

-What a great idea!

Okay, so what’s your favorite part of the visit and why?

My favorite part of school visits is seeing students become inspired! It is the most amazing feeling to know that your presence and your words have sparked creativity and enthusiasm in them. As authors we know that jolt of excitement we get with a shiny new idea and it's such a privilege to be able to create that for kids. 

The other part I love about school visits is being able to reach such a large number of kids in such a short amount of time. I'm used to having an impact on my class of 24 second-graders. This spring alone I've met 100s of kids in K-5 from all sorts of diverse backgrounds. 

-Love this!

“My favorite part of school visits is seeing students become inspired! …As authors we know that jolt of excitement we get with a shiny new idea and it’s such a privilege to be able to create that for kids.”

Let’s talk a little about promotion. For newly debuting authors who may not yet have an author and/or illustrator platform built for themselves… where do you recommend starting? Do you have any tips on making connections in the kidlit community as well as your local community?

My biggest advice here is if you go into this industry with altruistic intentions you will receive way more than you bargained for in return. Make connections with creators, support their work, and offer to help each other, but do it all for the sake of connecting on a genuine level with another creator with no expectations of anything in return. 

I recommend starting locally. Make a habit of attending author events at your local bookstore and library. Introduce yourself to the workers and guests (I know it feels scary!). Be open that you are an author. You will begin building relationships with these people and before you know it they will be calling you by name. Then when it is your time for books to come out, they will be excited to celebrate with you and support you in any way they can. 

-This is such great advice. Yes! 

For authors or illustrators who may be early on in their publishing journey… what words of encouragement would you like to share?

If you haven’t heard already, this industry moves at a glacial pace and there is no way to do it (that I have found) without a healthy heaping of rejection. Enter this path knowing these two facts and make choices that make the journey enjoyable. This includes finding your people who uplift and support you as well as learning how you best tackle the highs and lows associated with this career. 

“…if you go into this industry with altruistic intentions you will receive way more than you bargained for in return. Make connections with creators, support their work, and offer to help each other, but do it all for the sake of connecting on a genuine level with another creator with no expectations of anything in return.”

“Make a habit of attending author events at your local bookstore and library. Introduce yourself to the workers and guests… Be open that you are an author. You will begin building relationships with these people… Then when it is your time for books to come out, they will be excited to celebrate with you and support you in any way they can.”

BOOKS + RESOURCES + FINAL WORDS OF WISDOM

Okay, we’ve arrived at arguably my favorite part of the interview… and that’s the part where we talk books! I’d love to hear about your stories. What was the inspiration for them? What are your favorite spreads/illustrations and what do you love most about them? And maybe hear a brief description of what each book is about. 

Gush over my book babies? I’d love to! I am so fortunate to have had three books release this year and I love each one and am grateful for the editors, illustrators and countless others behind the scenes that helped bring them to life. 

My first book, OLLIE, THE ACORN, AND THE MIGHTY IDEA (Pagestreet Kids) with illustrations by Kaz Windness follows amateur gardener, Ollie Alexander Kandersteen, a boy with a name bigger than he is, as he goes on an absurd and fantastical journey to be as big as a tree in order to stand up to his bully, Everett Lucas Montgomery. Ollie was inspired by my own feelings of smallness as a child, coupled with a summertime discussion with my children about the consequences of swallowing a watermelon seed. I love Ollie because it is a read-aloud through and through. There are refrains for kids to join in with, onomatopoeia, and unexpected antics that cause readers’ mouths to hit the floor. 

Ollie has had a quiet reception in the kidlit world, but I am hoping to spread the word to teachers, parents, and librarians to get this humorous book, with a healthy heaping of SEL and messages of acceptance, into as many hands as possible. 

My second book, CURLILOCKS AND THE THREE HARES (The Little Press) with illustrations by Jan Dolby follows are title character as she ventures into the Three Hares hair salon in order to take her hair into her own hands and find her just right do’ before picture day. As you can imagine, messes and mistakes ensue before our 3 hares return to find their intruder and her unruly hair. Curlilocks was inspired by my daughter and her dislike for her curls when she was younger. This story is an early, illustrated, chapter book just right for beginning readers to grow their skills and independence. 

Last up is HOPE AND THE SEA (WorthyKids) with illustrations by Svetla Radivoeva. This story follows a young girl, Hope, who is having big feelings of loneliness at the beach. It doesn’t take long for Sea to notice and extend a wave and a welcoming embrace to help Hope on her way to finding friendship and belonging. This story is sweet and lyrical with sentence structure and rhythm to match the changing tide. I grew up by the ocean, and my love for the sea poured into this manuscript. 

Any new books and/or book deals on the horizon?

Yes! On July 9, the spooky middle-grade anthology, THE HAUNTED STATES OF AMERICA will be released from Godwin Books. This is a collection of 52 haunted short stories with one from each state, D.C., and Puerto Rico. In collaboration with SCBWI, Godwin Books put out a call for stories. I am honored to have my story, The Tunnel, included in the anthology representing Massachusetts. 

In addition, I do have some secret news about a future publication. However, it is much too soon to discuss any details, so readers will need to stay tuned. 

-Did you hear that readers? If you don’t wanna miss out… you should probably *ahem* subscribe to Andrew’s newsletter HERE…  (find email subscription box at the bottom of the page at the link listed).

Okay, so I’ll start by saying that I love, love, love your website. I could get lost all day in the fun educational things you have going on over there. For our readers who may not know (yet) about all the resources you have… could you enlighten us to what you offer on the Educator Resources tab?

*Snippet of Andrew's offerings below...*

Thank you for the kind words about my website. I created it a few years ago using Wix, and then I hired the incredible Molly Ippy, to spruce up the design to make it more professional and cohesive, which she nailed. I cannot recommend her services enough, so if you are in need of a website facelift or educational resources don’t hesitate in reaching out to Molly.
Check out her offerings HERE. 

Many of the resources on my website come from my years of teaching and designing curriculum. Much of it is science and engineering based and gives educators a starting place to get their students creating and engaging with science in a hands-on manner.

I do have resources for some of my published books and those will be found under the books tab on my website. 

-Download Andrew's FREE educational guide and coloring page for Curlilocks and the Three Hares and/or activity page for Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea on Teacher Corner TODAY!-

Speaking of resources… you don’t just have resources for parents, kids, and educators… you also offer resources for writers, in way of your literary blog, where, just like I’m doing today- you host fellow authors on your blog and talk about the “behind the scenes.” When did you start doing this? And what do you hope readers will gain?

I began The Backstory in 2021. It felt like authors who were gaining traction in the industry had a writing-related side gig going on. I don’t think this is necessarily true, but at that time that was my perspective. When I sat down to brainstorm what I could offer the writing community I landed on my love of learning the inspiration behind things. 

-I can definitely relate to that love!

At first my intention was to provide fledgling authors a place to learn about the process and the opportunity to win critiques and AMA calls from published authors. What I didn’t realize at the time was the service I was providing for those published authors of being part of their marketing and promotion.

-Right?! It's so exciting to be a part of that! 

Running the blog has provided me a tremendous amount of inspiration and has helped me build my relationships and connections with other authors. 

I hope readers can glean little tidbits of knowledge that either encourage, educate, and inspire them along their path to publication. 

- I completely echo this. It's so inspiring to talk with other creatives. The interchange of encouragement by way of shared experiences is indescribably valuable. And the connections made are so rewarding.

Any final words of wisdom that you’d like to share with our readers today?

I know this is not new advice, but it is a tidbit I come back to often. When you sit down to write, write for yourself. Don’t stress over rules. Don’t stress over the market. Don’t stress trying to write the manuscript you think your dream agent is looking for. Doing any or all of these things will lead you astray from who YOU are as a writer. Don’t lose yourself for someone else’s vision. Write authentically who you are in your voice. When your book gets made you will be so grateful that you represented your true self!

Such beautiful advice to end on. Thank you so much for joining us today, Andrew.

“When you sit down to write, write for yourself. Don’t stress over rules. Don’t stress over the market… Don’t lose yourself for someone else’s vision. Write authentically who you are in your voice. When your book gets made you will be so grateful that you represented your true self!”

And now…
It’s time for the GIVEAWAY!

For the month of July, Andrew Hacket is offering the following giveaway prizes to three winners- 1 prize awarded to each winner.

• Fiction, picture book (non rhyming) manuscript critique
• 30-minute Zoom AMA
• Signed copy of one of my books (winner’s choice)

HOW TO ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

• Leave a comment on this post!
• And if you haven’t already, like this post and subscribe to the blog and/or newsletter!

That’s it!

DEADLINE TO ENTER: July 31st, 2024, 11:59 PM CST

FAQ:

What if I was already subscribed to the blog? Does that mean I won’t qualify for the Prize Giveaway? Not at all! If you subscribed before this month, all you’ll need to do is LIKE this Feature Interview and leave your COMMENT below this post within the deadline (the current month/year entry was posted).

If the host is offering more than one giveaway prize, PLEASE LIST YOUR PREFERRED PRIZE IN YOUR COMMENT. This does not guarantee that will be the prize you win, but it will be taken into consideration.

Did you enjoy this interview?

Thank the author & host by purchasing a copy of one of their books or by requesting it be purchased at your local library! Using the sponsored links below also supports this blog.

BOOKS

Purchase Curlilocks and the Three Hares

Purchase Hope and the Sea

Purchase Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea

Purchase ADHD and Me

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