Critique Groups, Friendships and Upcoming Books From MiG Writers

I used to think that I didn't need a critique group, that I could just do it on my own. The thought of having someone else read my writing (other than the editor who would fall in love with my manuscript, of course) horrified me. No, I just wanted people to see my book when it was in bookstores.

MiG Writers at SCBWI-NYC last year

Now, I can't imagine sending a mss out without having someone else read it over first. It took me a while to find the right critique group; the search reminded me of Goldilocks And The Three Bears ("this bed's too soft," "this bed's too hard" etc.). I feel very lucky to have discovered the MiG Writers.

Not only do I value their feedback but also their friendship. It was wonderful for all of us to actually to get together in person for the first time at SCBWI-NYC last year.

And now I'm so looking forward to seeing some of their books come out this year! Like:

ELIZA BING IS (NOT) A BIG FAT QUITTER, Carmella Van Vleet's middle grade debut from Holiday House Books on Feb. 14, 2014, and is a Junior Library Guild selection.

Blurb from Amazon: "In this uplifting novel about determination and the rewards of hard work, a preteen girl struggling with ADHD must stick with a summer taekwondo class to prove that she s dedicated enough to pursue her true passion: cake decorating."

Cover artwork is by Karen Donnelly.

A Teacher's Study Guide is coming soon! Keep an eye on Carmella's website for more details.

Then the following month:

GILDED is Christina Farley's debut YA novel from Skyscape on March 1st, 2014.

Blurb from Christy's site: "When sixteen-year old, Jae Hwa, is uprooted from her home in L.A. to Korea, she thought her biggest problem would be fitting in with her classmates and dealing with her dismissive grandfather. But she was wrong. A Korean demi-god, Haemosu, has been stealing the soul of the oldest daughter of each generation in her family for centuries. And she’s next."

You should also check out Christy's videos about her publication journey with GILDED, including her book deal, significance of the cover (enter for a chance to win a Kindle Paperwhite!), music, inspiration, acting out a scene, and more.

Also in March:

THE VOICE INSIDE MY HEAD is S.J. Laidlaw's second novel, and comes out on March 11th from Tundra Books on March 11th, 2014.

More about the book: "Seventeen-year-old Luke's older sister, Pat, has always been his moral compass, like a voice inside his head, every time he has a decision to make. So when Pat disappears on a tiny island off the coast of Honduras and the authorities claim she's drowned - despite the fact that they can't produce a body - Luke heads to Honduras to find her because he knows something the authorities don't. From the moment of her disappearance, Pat's voice has become real, guiding him to Utila, where she had accepted a summer internship to study whale sharks. Once there, he meets several characters who describe his sister as a very different girl from the one he knows. Does someone have a motive for wanting her dead? Determined to get to the bottom of Pat's disappearance, Luke risks everything, including his own life, to find the answer."

And then there's my book, which comes out on April 29th, 2014:

NAKED! is a picture book written by Michael Ian Black and illustrated by yours truly, coming out from Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers.

Synopsis: "After his bath, the little boy begins his hilarious dash around the house…in the buff! Being naked is great. Running around, sliding down the stairs, eating cookies. Nothing could be better. Unless he had a cape..."

Teacher's Guide coming soon, and I'm also posting about how this book was created in my NAKED! blog.

It's going to be an exciting year!

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes and illustrates books for young people. Her illustrations appear in I'M BORED, a picture book written by Michael Ian Black and published by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. Debbie has upcoming projects with Simon & Schuster BFYR, HarperCollins Children's and Random House Children's Books. You can find Debbie on Twitter at @inkyelbows.

Finding Focus: Tips For Writers, Plus A Print-Ready "A Gift Of Time" Certificate For Writing Parents

One of the many things I've learned over the past few years is the importance of focus. I can get far more accomplished in one solid hour of uninterrupted time than I can in five hours of constant interruptions. I believe this even more of a challenge to writers (and illustrators!) these days than ten years ago, mainly because of the Internet.

Ten years ago, it took longer to get rejection letters for our work because they usually came by snailmail. While this could be frustrating, it also gave us more time to work on a new project while we waited to hear back from an editor. Now...

For many of us, email is another potential source of constant interruption. I don't know about the rest of you, but I used to feel compelled (yes, COMPELLED) to check email constantly, just in case something Important came in that needed an immediate response.

There are many problems with this strategy, and one is that others start expecting you to do this and get antsy if you don't respond right away. Which makes you feel that you need to respond because you know that they know that you know...well, you get the idea. The obvious solution: Don't check email so often. But if you're like me, that's easier said than done. What if it's my agent with a book offer? Or my editor or art director with the feedback I've been waiting for?

My solution: I've started using AwayFind, a service where you can get an alert message when you get emails from certain addresses or with subject headings containing particular words or phrases, avoid getting alerted for group mails and much more. There's a free trial version, but I've signed up for the monthly Pro account and am very happy with it so far; I'm checking email FAR less often.

Another tip: don't answer phone calls when you're in workmode. I figure if it's important, they'll leave a message or send an email. 

However, I know this just isn't possible sometimes, especially for parents with young children. Here's a print-ready gift certificate (click image or here for the PDF) that you can use as a gift for a writing parent, or hint strongly to your loved ones that YOU'D like this as a gift:

Happy writing all, and good luck on finding your focus in the coming year.

- Debbie

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi is the illustrator of I'M BORED, a picture book written by Michael Ian Black, published by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, chosen as a New York Times Notable Children's BOok.

Debbie blogs about writing and illustrating for young people at Inkygirl.com. On Twitter: @inkyelbows.

Summary and a few takeaways from SCBWI Canada East "The Art Of Story" Fall Conference in Montreal - by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

With Laurent Linn, my art director from Simon & Schuster Books For
Young Readers, at Montreal children's bookstore, Babar-En-Villes.

Just came back from SCBWI Canada East's "The Art Of Story" convention in Montreal, where I was on the faculty (my first SCBWI faculty position!).

Giving my keynote! Photo: Urve Tamberg.

For my full convention report with lots of photos, read my 3-part blog post series: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3.

The lightning rod analogy I used in my keynote seems to be popular (yay), so I want to make sure that it gets properly attributed. As I mentioned in my keynote, my Torkidlit friend and YA author Maureen McGowan came up with it, not me (in an interview for my Inkygirl blog). And it's so true!

For those who weren't at my keynote, Maureen compares success in the publishing industry to being hit by lightning. While you can't control WHEN lightning will strike, you CAN make bigger and better lightning rods.

Penguin Random House editors Jill Santopolo & Bonnie Bader with
Caldecott-winning illustrator David Diaz.

As I mentioned in my reports, SCBWI regional conferences are a great opportunity for aspiring children's/YA book writers and illustrators who find the national conferences too intimidating. So often at the bigger conferences, faculty tend to get mobbed at the end of their sessions. :-)

At SCBWI Canada East's event, you were much more likely to find yourself in situations where you could chat with faculty.

Casual socializing Saturday night for attendees included Linda Pratt (of
Wernick & Pratt Agency), editors Jill Santolopolo and Bonnie Bader
(Penguin Random House) and art director Laurent Linn (Simon & Schuster BFYR).

Here are just a few takeaways from the convention:

- Both Jill Santopolo and Bonnie Bader mentioned the importance of a having a unique cast of supporting characters in novels for young people.

- Illustrators: Before approaching a possible agent, Linda Pratt advises that you check the portfolios of the agency's current clients to see if any of the art is similar to yours. If it is, then they're less likely to take you on as a client. (From Debbie: Writers can also benefit from this advice as well.)

- Know the rules before deciding to break them. - Laurent Linn.

- Embrace your process. - David Diaz.

Jill Santopolo, Linda Pratt, Bonnie Bader and Laurent Linn during Sunday's Q&A.

For those out there wondering why publishers usually keep picture book authors from interacting with the illustrators during the process, Laurent had some great insights.

He points out that authors often feel ownership over their stories, and some don't realize that creating a picture is a 50:50 collaboration with the illustrator. If authors had input during the illustration process, they'd be more likely to pressure the illustrator over details. And as a writer, how would YOU feel if the illustrator standing over your shoulder as you wrote your story? 

Anyway, it was a wonderful event and I strongly encourage you to check out the SCBWI Canada East website for more info about their members and upcoming events, as well as your own regional conference.

And if you're not already a member of SCBWI, why not? :-)

For my full SCBWI-Montreal conference report: Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3.

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes and illustrates for young people. Her illustrations appear in I'M BORED, a picture book written by Michael Ian Black and published by Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers. For more info about her upcoming books with Simon & Schuster BFYR, HarperCollins Children's and Random House Children's, see her Books page.

On Twitter: @inkyelbows.

My Love-Hate (Ok, Mostly Hate) Relationship With Rejections, Plus What I've Learned Along The Way - by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

I've been getting rejections for many years. They started with form letter rejections that came via snailmail. Even after I started making money with nonfiction sales, I still continued to receive rejections....not just for some of my nonfiction, but also for my fiction.

Fast forward to SCBWI-LA in 2010, when a rejection made it possible for me to get my first children's book contract. I'll always be grateful to Justin Chanda and Simon & Schuster Children and Michael Ian Black for giving me a chance (see my post in defense of "celebrity books"). Illustrating I'm Bored has opened up so many opportunities for me, both as a writer and an illustrator.

It drives me a little crazy when people call me an overnight success, partly because of my many years of rejections but mostly because it sends the wrong message to others who are still struggling to get published. I believe there is no such thing as an overnight success. Whether it's through working hard on your craft, investing money and time to meet people in the industry, building up life experiences and your ability to convey the essence in writing and/or illustration...it's a gradual process.

There are so many things I wish I could tell my younger self about what I've learned (and will be sharing some of these in my keynote at SCBWI-Montreal this October), but here's my positive take on rejections.

Why I'm grateful for rejections:

I may not have been grateful at the time but in retrospect, I'm glad for those earlier rejections. And while rejections still hurt when I get them, I have a better understanding of why they can be useful. Some of the reasons:

- Rejections help make me more resilient and better able to handle criticism and feedback. The more rejections I received (and I've received MANY), the thicker my "sensitive and insecure creative type" skin became over the years. It hurt like crazy, of course, and there were times I felt like giving up. I took some breaks.  In order to have a successful longterm career, however, I needed to learn how to get past the immediate ego-hurt/defensiveness and take an objective look at the criticism and feedback. Plus one of the editors was kind enough to take the time to give me detailed feedback on how to make my mss stronger...although she still ended up rejecting it, I learned so much that I can use for my other writing projects.

- Looking back, I realize that if those rejected pieces/works had been published, it would not have been good for my longterm career. I am a much better writer now. I've also learned how important a debut book can be. It's not enough to just get published (at least not for me); I want to make a longterm career from writing and illustrating books for young people. This means ONLY sending out projects that I believe in 100%, that I'd be proud to see on the bookshelves, that I'd be excited to promote.

- Rejections make me better appreciate any successes that come my way. Yes, it would have been cool to have my first MG novel published by the first publisher that my agent and I chose for submission. Or my second.  I've actually written a third but never ended up sending it out because I realized it just wasn't strong enough. When I eventually start getting my novels published (yes, I said when), I will not only be a stronger writer but I'll also be soooo much more appreciative.

ADVICE ON WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU GET A REJECTION:

Give yourself one day to wallow in self-pity, max. But then put it behind you and move on.

ADVICE ON WHAT *NOT* TO DO WHEN YOU GET A REJECTION:

Be wary about how you post about your rejections online. If you want to post about it publicly, do so with grace. Posting in anger or whining self-pity helps no one, makes you look unprofessional and is self-destructive. Rejection is part of the business, before AND after you're published. Work on developing a thicker skin if your goal is a longterm career as a writer.

A better idea: to find a small group of writers you trust (like the MiGwriters!) and commiserate with them privately instead.

SUMMARY:

Rejections suck. Instead of letting them beat you down, make them work to your advantage. Think longterm, always look ahead.

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes and illustrates for young people. Her illustrations appear in I'M BORED (NYTimes Notable Children's Book 2012, Simon & Schuster BFYR) and NAKED! (Simon & Schuster BFYR, 2014) written by Michael Ian Black. Other upcoming projects include books with Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins and Random House. Her blog for children's book writers/illustrators: http://Inkygirl.com. Twitter: @inkyelbows.

Luck, Lightning Rods and the Publishing Industry: Tips On How To Make Your Own Luck - by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

I have mixed feelings about the word "luck" when it comes to publishing success because sometimes it's used in a context that doesn't give the writer enough credit for his or her own efforts or work.

At an SCBWI conference earlier this year, I overheard someone commenting to a friend of mine about how lucky she was in her publishing success. No reference to how hard she had worked or how much they enjoyed the book, etc. Just how very LUCKY my friend was.

Hm.

I've also been on the receiving end of the "you're SO lucky" comment several times as well, so can sympathize. In case you're not familiar with my publication story, here's what happened in 2010.

Yet part of me can understand the other person's point of view as well, having had experienced many (many) years of collecting rejection letters myself, in both print and digital format. I still so strongly remember how frustrating and depressing it could get, working hard to improving my craft and seeing increasingly encouraging comments from editors, yet never getting a book contract offer.

"Just write," common writing advice told me. "Don't give up!" Easy for YOU to say, I remember thinking. You're already published.

Here's what I've learned:

Luck does play a factor, but you can help make your own luck.

My friend Maureen McGowan (author of The Dust Chronicles) compares this kind of luck to building lightning rods. You can't control when the lightning will strike but you CAN build better lightning rods.

So my advice is to stop angsting about what you can't control and do what you can to make your own luck. Build better lightning rods.

Don't go overboard while building that lightning rod!

Some suggestions on how to build a better lightning rod:

1. Meet others in the industry. I can't emphasize this enough. Networking online is great, but nothing can replace face-to-face interaction. If I could send a message back to myself before lightning struck, I would have told myself, "Start attending SCBWI conferences." I mention the SCBWI because that's how everything got started in my case. There are many other excellent conferences and events that might better suit your budget, geography and goals. In Canada, check out Packaging Your Imagination in Toronto; registration for this year's conference has just opened.

Registration will also soon be open for the SCBWI Canada East convention in Montreal (Oct.4-6, 2013); I'm going to be on the faculty along with Bonnie Bader (Penguin), Jill Santopolo (Philomel), Linda Pratt (Wernick and Pratt Agency), Laurent Linn (my art director at Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers!!) and David Diaz (Caldecott-winning illustrator and SCBWI Illustration Mentor rock star :-)).



2. And when I say "others in the industry," I don't just mean agents and editors. Meet other writers, both published and unpublished. You can learn from all of them. What helped me: commiserating with others who were in the same situation, for mutual encouragement as well as helping to put things in context. This improved my overall attitude, which I'm sure showed in my public posts. I also became better acquainted with some of these contacts over the years we have helped each other from time to time, including sharing of info and helping promote new books.



3. Establish an engaging, active presence online. Learn how to improve your website and/or blog. Learn how to use social media. I have heard many agents and editors say that before they sign a client or offer a contract, they do research online to see what kind of online presence the author may have, what kind of person they are, etc.


 
BUT REMEMBER:

All the above advice assumes that you already have a good mss with market potential. If your writing sucks or your story idea is lame/overdone, having the biggest and most technologically advanced lightning rod won't help. So...

4. Keep working on improving your craft. Write every day. Work on getting better. Find a good critique group like MiGWriters.

Do you agree or disagree? Any other advice to suggest for writers? Please do post it below.

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes and illustrates for young people. For a list of her current and upcoming books with Simon & Schuster, HarperCollins and Random House, see her Books list. She blogs about kidlit/YA at Inkygirl.com and tweets from @inkyelbows.

MiG Writers: Meeting In Person For The First Time At The SCBWI Winter Conference

Only a couple of weeks left until the SCBWI Winter Conference in NYC! I'm so looking forward to the event, not just because of the amazing faculty line-up and programming, but also because it will be the first time that all members of our MiG Writer group meet in person!

I've met Andrea Mack and Carmella Van Vleet once before and look forward to seeing them again, but I haven't yet met Christina Farley, Kate Fall or Susan Laidlaw in person.

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I started attending SCBWI conventions regularly in 2009. I was so nervous about not knowing anyone there, and about having to go up and introduce myself to strangers. I'm an introvert at heart (I suspect many creative types are), so I decided to do some prep ahead of time to make things easier at the event.

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This prep included:

1. Networking online ahead of time on the SCBWI message boards and other social media. I didn't hide the fact that I was a nervous newbie.

2. Doing some comics about being nervous.

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Turns out I wasn't the only nervous newbie! Plus the veterans were generous in offering advice on how make the conference more enjoyable. I also made plans ahead of time to get together with others:

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But not TOO many plans! I wanted to leave flexibility for hanging out with people I had met at the conference.

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I also read over posts people had written about conference etiquette and tips on how to meet (and how NOT to meet) others in the industry. But the most important piece of advice, I found, was to HAVE REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS:

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Also: to have a clear idea of what my goals were for the conference. And again, make those goals realistic. 

One of my goals for this conference coming up: To meet the other MiG Writers in person.

Can't wait. :-)

p.s. If you'd like to see all my SCBWI Newbie Comics, see this blog post.

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Debbie Ridpath Ohi writes and illustrates for young people. She illustrated I'M BORED by Michael Ian Black (Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers), which was chosen as a New York Times Notable Children's Book Of 2012. Debbie is currently working on two more books for S&S. Blog: Inkygirl.com. Twitter: @inkyelbows.

Congratulations, Debbie!

Our very own Debbie Ridpath Ohi has a book on the New York Times "Notable Children's Books of 2012" list !!!!

Check out I'M BORED and all the other great books that made the list HERE.

We're so proud of you, Debbie! (Don't forget us little people. :-) ) 

I'M BORED Giveaway Winner!!

Thanks to everyone who commented on our posts about potatoes, boredom and other things to commemorate the release day of illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi's picture book:

We've tallied up the entries and we're excited to announce the winner:

Jaye Robin Brown

 

 

 



If you want to get in on more I'M BORED fun, MiG Writer Christina Farley has an interview with Debbie Ridpath Ohi over on her blog, Chocolate for Inspiration, with another chance to win! (Entry deadline is September 19th).

 



Day 4: I'm Bored Celebration

I don't know about you, but I've always thought potatoes were kind of a boring vegetable. So how surprised was I when I went into my kitchen on the release day of I'M BORED, only to find....a potato celebration party!

I think seeing a fellow potato illustrated in a picture book went to their heads...or their hats, anyway.

These two had a lot to say:

So I was wrong. Potatoes are not boring. Still don't believe me? You'd better check out I'M BORED, and see for yourself.

Even better, you can win a copy of I'M BORED by commenting on this post. For even more chances to win, comment on all of our MiG Blog posts this week:

 Day 1: Happy Book Birthday to I’M BORED

Day 2: I’M BORED Celebration

Day 3: The Celebration Contest Continues (and is not boring)

Or tweet about our celebration and mention it in your comment.

 

 

 Our contest closes Sunday September 9 so make sure you get your entries in!

 

To find out more about I'M BORED and Debbie Ridpath Ohi's illustrations, visit her I'M BORED Scrapbook.

Day 3: The Celebration Contest Continues (and is not boring)!

Look at how expressive Debbie's illustrations are! This is the most fun looking bored kid ever. Don't you wish you could give this book to a bored kid in school?

If you win our giveaway contest, you can give I'M BORED to that kid suffering through long division. Or keep it for yourself, which is what I'd probably do. I mean, school is such a unique combination of boredom and enforced sitting and staring. Who'd want their kid to miss that feeling?

Things to do in school when you're bored and you're short so the teacher makes you sit up front:

1. Draw scribbles while you look at teacher. Make scribbles into portraits when your teacher looks away. Someday you may be as good as Debbie!

2. Recite the states in your head, along with what you'd rather be doing in them. Alabama: eat barbecue. Alaska: see a glacier. Don't forget to eat a potato in Idaho.

3. Give your teacher a potato name. Like Mr. Russett Spuds or Ms. Frenchie Eyesprout. Uh, keep it to yourself.

Unlike the news about our giveaway contest. Spread that everywhere like magically non-caloric butter on a baked you-know-what!

Just comment and you're entered for a free copy of I'M BORED, written by celebrity author Michael Ian Black. Tweet about the contest and tell us in your comment, and your entry counts double.

So check out I'M BORED on Debbie's website...
Or follow her on Twitter at @inkyelbows...
Or read about her in Publisher's Weekly...

I promise, you won't be bored. Congratulations, Debbie and Michael!!