Carrying On Anyway

In this series of posts, we're discussing how to start or reboot a career in writing for children. Carla gave us five really helpful things she wished she had known when she started. I'm focusing more on the reboot.

In my last post, I wrote about That Awful Balky Feeling and carrying on anyway. Here are a few things that helped me:

1. Ugh. Summer cold. Enough said.

2. I'm halfway through Julia Cameron's It's Never Too Late to Begin Again: Discovering Creativity at Midlife and Beyond. I've long been a fan of The Artist's Way, and although much of this book repeated what I'd already read, I found the reinforcement helpful.

3. Around here, we've been clearing out clutter. For me, that means sorting through and recycling lots of paper--ancient work-for-hire contracts, poems that students wrote in my workshops, half-baked ideas, and previous drafts of work I've since revised. It's a big relief to let go of that stuff! The good news: I found a few nuggets I'm excited about working on again. The other good news: If and when we find the perfect new home, we'll have less to move.

Our latest Book Giveaway: Pamela C. has won an autographed copy of Amy Cattapan's middle-grade mystery Seven Riddles to Nowhere. Congratulations, Pamela!

Penny Parker Klostermann has today's Poetry Friday Roundup. Enjoy!

JoAnn Early Macken