I absolutely adore this week’s topic… writing contests! Adriana reached out to me via the website to pitch this discussion, and it immediately resonated with me. Contests have many benefits… There are usually prizes, like books, critiques, or memberships. It’s a way to engage in the community, reading and commenting on other entries. There are also contests that involve mentorships and possible agent representation, so the rewards are even higher! Yet, Adriana shared a different viewpoint on contests and the reason that entering them IS the win. Full stop! I love her way of thinking about them. I know her mindset helped me, and I hope it helps you, too.
Let’s meet Adriana!
ADRIANA GUTIERREZ (she/her) is a first-generation Mexican American writer. She teaches second grade to diverse multilingual students. She is an active member of her critique writing group, and the 12×12 Picture Book Challenge. She loves participating in writing contests. She has won writing contests like Vivian Kirkfield’s #50PreciousWords in 2023, and Karen Greenwald’s SunWriteFun Nonfiction Writing Challenge in 2023 and 2024. When not writing, she enjoys photography, nature, and eating foods from around the world. She lives in sunny Southern California with her husband, three daughters, and her dog and cat, Enzo and Mochi.
Q: WHEN DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?
I started writing picture books in 2021. I bought a journal and wrote down my goal: “I want to write and publish a children’s book.” I have been committed to my goal ever since.
Q: WHY DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?
I’ve always loved reading. It’s been a passion of mine since I was a kid. I grew up and became a teacher, so books followed me into my career. I enjoyed reading aloud to my students and wondered if I could write a book one day, too.
When I became a mom, I realized what a special bonding moment that is between child and parent. There are so many valuable messages you want to impart on your child. I wanted books with our stories, our language, our culture, but they were hard to find. Again, I wondered if I could write a book. It was just so hard to get started. I didn’t take myself seriously until 2021.
Q: WHAT DO YOU WRITE?
I mostly write cultural picture books inspired by my Mexican American heritage, including heartfelt stories about family, traditions, and food. I also have a couple of adoption-based stories inspired by my third daughter’s adoption. I have an SEL book, a holiday book, and I’ve most recently enjoyed writing informational fiction as well. I have my eye on middle grade and novels in verse, but have yet to take the plunge.
Q: WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK? WHY?
So hard to choose! But my current favorite is THE YELLOW HANDKERCHIEF written by Donna Barba Higuera and illustrated by Cynthia Alonso. The character’s emotional arc throughout the story is so profound and so relatable as a first-generation immigrant. The language is heartfelt and powerful. The text and illustrations are interwoven so perfectly. It’s the kind of book that leaves you thinking, feeling, remembering.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE BEST PART OF THE JOURNEY TOWARD PUBLICATION SO FAR?
Connecting with people! I have met so many writers in person and online, growing my community throughout the years and forming friendships. I have learned so much from critique partners, authors, agents, and editors. And because of these connections, I’ve experienced so many new activities, like book festivals, book launches, and bookish events which I love to attend.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF THE JOURNEY SO FAR?
Besides rejection… The hardest part is having no control over your author journey. I can plan, set goals, work hard, manifest, but ultimately, I have no control over the traditional publishing world. I’m learning to embrace whatever comes my way, and if it’s meant to be it will happen.
Q: WHAT’S BEEN YOUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE?
My critique group! I was blessed to find an amazing critique group right away. They not only helped me learn more about the craft, but also about webinars, mentorships, agents, and pitch events… which helped me discover writing contests!
Q: TELL US MORE ABOUT WRITING CONTESTS. YOU’VE WON QUITE A FEW OF THEM! WHAT’S YOUR MOTIVATION FOR ENTERING?
The first contest I decided to enter was #50PreciousWords, run by Vivian Kirkfield. She’s a beloved kidlit author who hosts this contest on her blog. I thought it sounded fun, so I took on the challenge. As I wrote, I realized 50 words is a very small number of words to tell a story! And that’s when the magic happened. I started rewording, rephrasing, and cutting out excessive details to bring it down to 50 words.
Since that time, writing contests have been invaluable to my growth as a writer. They allow me to stretch my creativity, practice economy of words, write outside my comfort zone, grow my kidlit community, and revise manuscripts with professional critiques I’ve won.
I’m even querying a manuscript that started as a writing contest entry that did NOT win. But I fell in love with the character and his adventure, so I decided to flesh it out into a picture book manuscript. My critique partners loved it, and it’s gotten interest from a couple of agents!
I have won a few contests. But even when I don’t win, I still learn something. No writing is ever wasted.
Q: CELEBRATE YOURSELF! WHICH WRITING ACCOMPLISHMENT MAKES YOU FEEL THE PROUDEST?
I won second place in the SunWriteFun Writing Challenge in 2024. This contest is sponsored by Karen Greenwald, and it focuses on non-fiction and informational fiction writing. They select a theme, and writers take off with any 200-word informational piece about the theme. I wrote an informational story about how 80s kids predicted the future. It was super fun to write since it took me down memory lane. I won a free year of the 12×12 Picture Book Challenge. I was ecstatic!
Q: HOW DO YOU HANDLE REJECTION?
I used to take it personally, which made it devastating. Now, I take it with a grain of salt. Publishing is a business, a very subjective business. I know it’s not me, it’s them. (Just kidding!) It’s a numbers game. I am one of many writers trying to break into the industry. So I see it as a redirection. I literally write “redirected” on my agent list when I get a rejection. That redirection means: “She’s not the agent for me.” Someone else is waiting to say yes.
Q: WHAT KEEPS YOU WRITING?
When I write, I’m in my element. It brings me joy. It teaches me about myself, my values, my beliefs, and what’s important to me. The publishing industry needs more diverse literature to reflect the diversity of our country. I want to be part of that. I want readers like me to be seen and represented. It is such a powerful feeling.
Q: WHAT HAS WAITING FOR YOUR “YES” TAUGHT YOU?
I had a naive timeline of what I thought publishing would look like, which included me having a book deal by now. But writing is a marathon, not a sprint! As cheesy as it sounds, enjoy the journey. I can look back and see how much I’ve grown as a writer. My confidence and self-esteem have improved, and I’ve made so many friends. I’m grateful for all those experiences. My time will come.
Thank you for that great conversation, Adriana! There’s a quote from this interview that’s stuck with me and I just have to highlight it again: “No writing is ever wasted.”
As Adriana and I were talking, figuring out the throughline for this interview, I shared with her about a recent contest I’d entered. I worked so hard on the entry that, when it didn’t win… it completely derailed me. I stopped querying. I thought the entry was so strong, but it didn’t get any attention. That must’ve meant there was a problem with my writing! But Adriana’s outlook unlocked something for me. Even if a story doesn’t get attention, it leads to the next thing. I still met the deadline for the contest. I still love the story I wrote. Maybe everything I did wasn’t a waste. I loved this kind reality check. Not everything will be THE thing. But it’s all part of the journey.
If you’d like to keep in touch with Adriana, you can follow her on Instagram at @FelizReading, Twitter/X at @feliz_reading, or Bluesky at @felizreading.bsky.social. This week, Adriana is generously giving away a NON-RHYMING PICTURE BOOK CRITIQUE (500 words or less). In order to enter, subscribe to the newsletter! Everyone who’s subscribed by 11:59PM PT on December 1st, 2025 is eligible to win. (No purchase necessary. You must be 18+ to enter.)
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