I’ve explained the inspiration behind this blog, but… What can you actually expect from week to week at Keep Writing Kidlit? What will I ask the interviewees? How will this work exactly? Those are all great questions and, in order to give you a sneak peek, I’m going to share an interview… with myself. It’s only fair that I answer the questions because I can’t ask peers to do something I’m not willing to do. Hopefully, you’ll enjoy it! Hopefully, you’ll subscribe! This way, I can truly spotlight the writers who took a leap and agreed to be interviewed. They are the real stars because I couldn’t do this without them.

Let’s jump into it!

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MEGAN MCNAMARA (she/her) has always been a writer. As a child, she’d write family newsletters, poems for school projects, and plays for the neighbors, producing them in the backyard. Yet, she did NOT want plot twists in her own life. She managed to mostly avoid them until she was 13… and her father’s job transferred the family to England. Between attending high school in a foreign country and trying to remember that “crisps” meant potato chips and “chips” meant French fries, Megan began living the story instead of writing it. After returning to the States and graduating from Ithaca College, she moved to LA to pursue screenwriting. Today, Megan still hates plot twists in her own life, but doesn’t avoid them (as much). She writes television dramas, producing them on sound stages. She also crafts whimsical picture books that highlight the playfulness of language and the power of words.

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Q: WHEN DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?

I started seriously writing picture books in 2017. (I dabbled briefly in kidlit during college, taking a class called Writing Children’s Literature. After I graduated, I sent a few queries to editors. But I didn’t do enough research about the industry at the time, and didn’t get any traction.)

Q: WHY DID YOU START WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?

I’d been working as an assistant on a television show. It was a great experience for me — lovely coworkers, an encouraging environment, and a chance to write. Our showrunner wanted to promote me if we were renewed for another season. Unfortunately… the show was canceled. I was heartbroken. I wondered if writing for television would ever truly pan out. But I knew I wanted to write. If I couldn’t write TV… What else would I write? That’s when I remembered my love of books. Around that same time, I had an idea for a picture book. And I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I thought about it so much… I decided to write it.

I chose this format because it allows me to be poetic. It’s so different than writing a script. I get the chance to tap into another side of my creativity.

Q: WHAT DO YOU WRITE?

I write what strikes me, but that mostly falls into the categories of humor, social emotional learning (SEL), and rhyme!

Q: WHAT IS YOUR CURRENT FAVORITE PICTURE BOOK? WHY?

THE STUFF OF STARS written by Marion Dane Bauer, illustrated by Ekua Holmes. I’ve always loved it, but recently I’ve been using it as a comp for my own lyrical story. This book distills a complicated concept into something easy to understand. It makes me feel — big and important yet small and humble all at the same time. And the art pairs perfectly with the text. For me, it’s a true example of two artists serving one vision and creating magic.

Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE BEST PART OF THE JOURNEY TOWARD PUBLICATION SO FAR?

Learning to rhyme! I adore rhyme, and that first picture book I wrote (in 2017) was a rhymer. Unfortunately, I didn’t understand meter! It just didn’t click for me. I didn’t get it. I read articles about rhyme. I studied rhyming picture books. Yet, I was still writing terrible meter. Then, I took a class with Carter Higgins at Storyteller Academy called “Picture Book Wordsmith.” I submitted a rhyming story to her for review, and Carter marked the stresses, showing me what it would look like in meter. Boom! It finally made sense.

And it’s such a cool ability! Fun Fact: I had to write a poem for an episode of television. I was able to write it in meter, and I was thrilled a skill I learned to help me write kidlit ended up helping me with a TV drama. (If you ask in the comments, I’ll tell you the name of the episode and where you can watch it!)

Q: WHAT’S BEEN THE HARDEST PART OF THE JOURNEY SO FAR?

I’d say the unpredictability of the industry itself. Nothing happens on a set timeline. There are many highs and lows. Yet, I tend to blame myself rather than external factors, like the fact that publishing is slow and subjective (and reacting to numerous global events). I want to feel like I’m in control of something, but really the only thing I can control is the writing. Maybe it’s accepting this truth that’s actually the hardest part?

For example, I connected with an editor at a conference. They liked my story and asked to “officially consider it.” I was EXCITED. We talked. I mentioned I was querying, and the editor asked if I wanted to wait until I had representation. After thinking about it, I decided to push forward with querying. I figured if I mentioned this editor’s interest, it would definitely catch the eye of an agent! Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough. After two years of querying, I emailed the editor again, asking to proceed with the official look. They replied they were no longer working in picture books. I was so disappointed. I felt like I missed a huge opportunity. And honestly, I think I did. But I also think I did the best I could with the information I had at the time.

Q: WHAT’S BEEN YOUR MOST VALUABLE RESOURCE?

Storyteller Academy. In those early years, online classes at Storyteller Academy taught me so much. It’s where I learned the basics and most of my foundational skills. And it was a true bright spot during 2020, giving me a real sense of hope and purpose when the television industry was mostly shut down. I will always be grateful to the founder and all the teachers for everything they did during the height of COVID.

Q: CELEBRATE YOURSELF! WHICH WRITING ACCOMPLISHMENT MAKES YOU FEEL THE PROUDEST?

In 2023, I was a finalist in the Storyteller Academy Manuscript Showcase. This was another year I wasn’t able to work in TV (because the Writers Guild was on strike) so it was a real confidence boost! I’d never been selected for anything like this before, and the Storyteller Academy staff worked so hard on putting it all together. A few agents and editors gave comments on my story, and their feedback was illuminating.

Q: HOW DO YOU HANDLE REJECTION?

I’m trying to “collect” them, which sounds strange! I certainly never thought about rejection this way before querying kidlit. But I’m trying to get a lot because each rejection brings me closer to a yes. I am hopeful every time I send out a query, but I realize most responses will be no. Then I think, “One step closer, one less rejection to collect.”

Q: WHAT KEEPS YOU WRITING?

Connection. I write to connect with fellow humans, and to connect with previous versions of myself — whether that be myself as a child or as a teenager, etc. There’s that old adage: Write what you know. I think this means – Write the emotion you know. For example, loss and grief. You can write about that in so many ways, in so many settings, with so many different characters. They could be aliens! Or anthropomorphic food! But if the emotion is real, a reader will connect with it.

Q: WHAT HAS WAITING FOR YOUR “YES” TAUGHT YOU?

There’s freedom in the “before.” I’ve noticed this in the last few years, after making it a little further in the television industry. Sometimes, when I sit down to write a script, I think – Will this sell? Will this help me get that next gig? Can this make me money? That kind of thinking doesn’t help the creative process. Yes, it’s frustrating and disappointing to be rejected, but I also have space. To explore. To create. To try. To fail. And that’s a really big part of being an artist.

Okay, that was harder than I thought! (I’m feeling even more grateful to the writers who have agreed to be interviewed thus far.) But it was also good practice. Truthfully, I’ve been feeling stuck lately, and I needed to reconnect with my WHY. I believe knowing it will help me keep going, and I hope it helps other writers, too.

While these are the main questions, occasionally I’ll change it up. I’ll create a question (or two) and ask a writer to expand on something noteworthy because I’m curious! If I want to know more of their story, I figure others will, too. Truly, everyone has been so forthcoming and shared their experiences so graciously. In the near future, I hope the interviewees sign with agents and secure publishing deals. Then, perhaps I’ll sit down with them again and see if their perspective has changed. I look forward to that day!

In a week or two, I’ll start posting interviews with the wonderful writers I’ve already lined up. There will be community. There will be honesty and vulnerability. There will be giveaways! (I’ve never had a blog before so there may be tech issues. Please forgive me!) At the risk of repeating myself, please subscribe so you don’t miss out. If you want to share your WHY in the comments below, feel free. If not, think about it, and maybe you’ll feel like sharing next week. I’m excited (and nervous) to see the way this all unfolds.