Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
In September 2024, I signed with my agent, Laurel Symonds, at the Bent Agency!
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I’ve been writing children’s books since 2013. I started querying agents in 2015 and found an editor instead in 2016. I published two books at Lerner Publishing with editorial director, Domenica Di Piazza. I only queried a handful of agents before February 2021. With each rejection, I felt there was something wrong with my work. Or really, something wrong with me. I worked hard on my craft through critique groups, SCBWI, 12×12 and, starting in 2019, Writing Barn courses online. Courage to Create came along in 2020 at the perfect time: I was ready to get myself out of my way in my writing and my submissions to agents. I knew I needed an agent to move fully into the trade market.
I made the commitment in February 2021 to have a query out with at least four agents. When a rejection came in, I would consider it, learn from it, and send out another query. I received several champagne rejections (e.g. your writing and this topic is fabulous, amazing, innovative, beautiful, etc., but it’s not a fit for us.). So many that I asked the CTC community if it was possible to get drunk on these rejections. The laughter helped, but when these champagne rejections continued, I started interpreting them as I would have in my previous life as an innovator of educational technologies: the market is saturated. My work is good but there’s no room for it. Bethany, kindly but firmly, told me no, that’s not it. Keep going. She even asked my question (If I’m receiving lots of champagne rejections, does it mean the market is saturated?) of a panel of agents. I felt Bethany’s gaze on me across the virtual space. The agents looked surprised and unanimously said No! It means you are on the right track. Keep going!
So I did.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
When people ask me if I’m worried about selling my books, the market, sales… fill in the blank about something to worry about in writing and publishing, I can honestly say no. That doesn’t mean I won’t be down the road, but I’ve promised myself that I’m going to savor this honeymoon time of a milestone reached. I’m going to savor the next honeymoon time too.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
I struggled with this one: the BIG WHY. It’s like asking why am I who I am? There are many reasons. But the real reason underneath it all: I write to learn and to share what I’ve learned with readers (who are really learners).
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
Yes, I was going to quit trying to publish my books because I had about 10 champagne rejections. I went back and counted all my rejections from agents and it’s 23. That’s not a lot. Even if it were a lot, so what? IT TAKES THE TIME IT TAKES. I’m a goal-oriented person. When I focus, nothing has ever stopped me. What does stop me is me. I’m finding a lot of power in coupling the CTC beliefs of FOCUS ON THE GOALS. Forget the noise (that’s my addition) with IT TAKES THE TIME IT TAKES. I’m not patient with myself naturally, but I am learning to be.
Also, when I posted in the CTC FB group that I was considering quitting, I received encouragement from many CTCers to keep going. Brenda Panella-Dominguez specifically reached out to tell me that I could not quit because my writing was too good and that she would be my critique partner to make sure that I kept going.
Thank you, CTC, Brenda, Bethany, and my CTC critique group for all of your encouragement.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
Check in about your work—is it the best it can be? Who can help you make it better? When it’s your best, persist. Persist. PERSIST to achieve your next goal.
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
Focus on the GOALS. Milestones happen on their own.
Melissa Koch writes nonfiction children’s books (PB to YA) that focus on making science and social justice personal and valuable to kids. Her recent publications for young adults include 3D Printing: The Revolution in Personalized Manufacturing (2017) and Forest Talk: How Trees Communicate (2019). For young adults exploring education careers and current educators, she co-authored “Gender Bias: Past, Present, and Future” in Multicultural Education, 10th edition (2019) and Teachers, Schools, and Society, 6th edition (2021). She has also designed award-winning learning technologies and out-of-school learning experiences that encourage women and youth from diverse backgrounds to pursue their dreams in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
I have two books coming out in 2025. Crack Goes the Cascarón illustrated by Rocio Arreola Mendoza and published by KNOPF will be out on February 18, and my picture book biography, Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa, illustrated by Caldecott honoree, Juana Martinez-Neal and published by Roaring Brook Press, will be out on March 18.
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I’ve been writing seriously since 2017 and spent three years cultivating my craft before querying or going out on submission. I didn’t want to send manuscripts before they were ready and was very intentional in building my skillset by taking courses and looking for opportunities to help deepen my craft.
Two of the things that shaped my path to publication were participating in a PB Chat mentorship where I worked with author Hannah Holt and connecting with the Writing Barn.
Taking a course with Rob Sanders on how to write a picture book biographies was an absolute game-changer. His teachings helped me to really look at writing in new ways and be more strategic in how I approach a story. It was while taking that course that I first wrote Alberto Salas Plays Paka Paka con la Papa, about Alberto, an intrepid Peruvian plant collector on a mission to safeguard potato crop biodiversity for future generations. That breakthrough manuscript coupled with my mentorship made me realize I was getting closer to my goal of publication. Still, I wasn’t quite ready to begin querying so I joined Write Submit Support (WSS) with Hannah Barnaby to become more disciplined and began setting tangible goals for when I’d go out. By the end of my mentorship and WSS I landed my agent and was out on submission two months later. Paka Paka was the first book that we sold.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
I think celebration and enjoying my path is innate to who I am. Growing up Peruvian-American and seeing so little representation of the diversity within the Latine community is my driving force, so every goal met feels like a communal one. And when I see other underrepresented voices succeed I also feel like it’s a win for all children, all writers, all illustrators.
That is perhaps why I enjoy the Courage to Create community so much, because it embodies what is natural to me, uplifting one another by recognizing that we are on the same journey, and that each milestone met is a cause for us all to celebrate.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
My big why is representation. I know firsthand how painful it can be to not see yourself in a book, a movie, or a cartoon, I grew up without books that showcased my full humanity. Working to reverse that now fading truth is my driving force.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
I’m pretty resilient. I trust in the process and my ability to meditate on the weak points in my manuscripts and focus on developing them. I have dry spells, like anyone, but I know that through hard work, tenacious revisions that incorporate the insights provided by critique partners, my magical agent Nicole Geiger, and my editors I will meet my goals. Sometimes it takes months, sometimes years, but I’m too stubborn to not accomplish them.
But resilience is not developed in a vacuum, it’s developed in community. And that is what I appreciate most about CTC, this sense that we’re all in this together, that the rejections aren’t personal, and that you have a legion of like-minded creators championing you on. Every time I see another success story it motivates me even more. I know it’s possible. That my dreams are possible. But it also makes me aware of the long process it takes to get there, that it’s not overnight, it’s putting in the hard work.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
Your voice is singular. Trust in yourself to bring stories only you can bring to the page. There is a child out there who needs your story. Write for that child. Write for the child that you were who needed this story. Trust that you are meant to be doing this work. All else will fall into place as long as you do the work. And as we always say in Courage to Create, it takes the time it takes.
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
We BELIEVE our books and careers into BEING.
Sara A. Fajardo is a Peruvian-American writer whose dad constantly reminded her that potatoes are from the Andes. So, she jumped at the chance to work as a consultant for the International Potato Center. Over the years she’s learned which potatoes help paint your lips the perfect shade of red, how to cure a sour stomach with potato, and how much we owe the farmers and plant scientists who care for our potatoes. She’s never met a potato she doesn’t love and wants the world to know that a sweetpotato and potatoes are not related. So please don’t tell her your favorite potato is a sweet potato. She is co-founder of LatinxPitch and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two children.
Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc.)!
I’m now represented by Ashley Reisinger of Triada US!
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I’ve been writing my whole life, but I’ve been querying agents since 2019. Courage to Create gave me access to monthly agent/editor insight webinars and submission opportunities, which kept me focused and motivated. Even though I found my agent outside of a CtC submission opportunity, I was able to hone my pitches and stories through the process of submitting to CtC agents and editors.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
I am always growing and learning from the CtC community. It is so comforting knowing that if I have a question on the business side of publishing or about a story I’m working on, I have that community I can lean on and the invaluable webinars to learn from.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
I write because I want to make kids laugh, validate their experiences and emotions, and build their self-confidence. I write because I want to create the magic, adventure, and comfort that stories provided me growing up, and still do. I write because it makes feel creatively fulfilled and heard. My Big Why keeps me motivated because it reminds me that my stories can make other people feel seen, too. My stories can help them and take on a new, personal meaning for each reader.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
I was at a creative low point when I first signed up for Courage to Create in December 2023. I’d been querying agents for 5 years, with many close calls and heartbreaking passes, and I was losing hope.
I had heard great things about CtC from fellow writers. On the CtC website, it said to join if “you want intimate industry connections instead of the crush of conferences and the frenzy of online pitch events” and “you are willing to work with your creative resistances, answering questions to deepen your work and sharpen your passion and purpose.” That was exactly what I needed.
Courage to Create gave me the creative recharge and structure I needed to keep persevering. Not only did CtC give me access to more agent/editor submission opportunities, but it helped me remember why I loved to write in the first place.
In August 2024, the hard work paid off. I had The Call and signed with my agent, Ashley Reisinger of Triada US!
The nos, near misses, and champagne rejections taught me in hindsight that it’s so important to have an agent who truly champions and believes in your work. Ashley and I had the same editorial vision for the work I sent her, and she was so enthusiastic and encouraging. I’m so grateful for her support and expertise!
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
There’s so much out of our control in this industry. Try to focus on what you can control, such as working on new stories, meeting with your critique group, and making new connections (and friendships!). Publishing is a marathon and has its twists and turns. Try to enjoy the journey (always easier said than done!).
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
Shame and silence are creativity killers. We process the passes, and reject rejection, knowing nos will come ON THE WAY to our YESes!
Alison Marcotte is a Chicago-based children’s book author. Her debut picture book SEEKING BEST FRIEND, illustrated by Diane Ewen and published by Beaming Books, came out in 2022. She was one of the winners of Vivian Kirkfield’s 2024 #50PreciousWords contest. Alison is a member of the 12 x 12 Picture Book Writing Challenge, Courage to Create, SCBWI, Author’s Guild, and Chicago Writers Association, and a freelance writer for American Library Association’s American Libraries magazine.
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I have been writing—in various genres and across age groups—for just over a decade. I was agented previously, but we parted ways due to differences in vision for my work. This time around, I queried for 15 months before I got a book deal and signed with my agent.
CTC’s positive programming that uplifts writers at every stage of their journey has helped me shore up my strength to get back into querying trenches. In particular, the various opportunities at CTC (such as Editor Insights, Ask an Agent sessions, and The Writing Barn’s online Confabs) have been great tools in understanding current market trends and how to approach querying this second time around.
I also finished a mentorship with Bethany—her support and the resources she provided were instrumental in honing my craft of writing picture books. Equally significantly, my continual interactions with Bethany helped reaffirm my joy in writing, which was invaluable.
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
I’m new to the soon-to-be-published milestone, and I consciously acknowledge and enjoy the joy and gratitude that come with it. As for next steps, I expect to keep on keeping on with what I have been doing. Additionally, I’ll dig into CTC sessions related to school visits, speaking engagements, how to prepare for a debut book release, etc. to prepare for the next leg of my journey.
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
As a BIPOC creator, I want both children and adults of diverse and marginalized backgrounds to know that their stories matter. That they matter.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
I experimented with writing picture books in various genres and styles—through my mentorship with Bethany—and read voraciously to understand what works and what doesn’t work (at least for me) in a PB.
I also kept submitting to agents and editors through the CTC opportunities and making connections via online conferences and Confabs. It was my entry in #PBParty2024 that eventually got me my first book sale. So, it has been a multi-prong approach that I kept adding to with each no, not yet, or near miss.
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
Keep persevering and persisting but also learn when and how to pivot!
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
We BELIEVE our books and careers into BEING.
Hema writes for all ages except YA—well, at least for now. She draws inspiration for her writing from her diverse cultural heritage as well as her day-to-day experiences of bringing up her two children. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering and a Master’s in computer science.
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal and how has the Courage to Create program/tools served you in reaching this milestone?
I began my creative writing journey in 2017, first focusing on drafting YA novels and then pivoting to picture books in 2019. I began querying my picture books in earnest in 2022.
I have taken numerous creative writing courses through various organizations, but I have to say the Writing Barn has been the most helpful and influential for me in terms of picture book drafting and revising. In addition to the great one-off seminars and replays, I took four rounds of the Writing Barn’s WSS program and learned so much in each one. My instructors were Lisa Katzenberger, Andrea J. Loney, Ann Marie Stephens, and Hannah Barnaby. All were phenomenal and helped me take my craft to a new level. I grew particularly close with Lisa and Ann Marie, whom I consider dear friends and mentors. They continued to help me with my revisions after the program finished, and I owe them both so much. Both really championed my favorite manuscript – the one that caught my agent’s attention. They helped me perfect it, and I would not be starting this new phase in my writing career without their invaluable insights, critiques, and encouragement.
Through the WSS program, I also met my critique partners, Mary Rudzinski and Jennifer Phillips. They, too, have given me indispensable feedback and support, and we are all now achieving amazing agent/publishing/award milestones together. All of this is thanks in big part to the Writing Barn and CTC!
When we reach a milestone, it means we may encounter new fears and challenges, as well as joys along the journey. How has being a part of the CTC community prepared you for both enjoying the celebration of a milestone reached and the work that is next to come?
The CTC community, particularly the online app, provided a truly supportive community. Reading about other members’ wins, but also equally importantly (if not more so) their disappointments (such as query rejections), was eye-opening and valuable. It certainly made me feel less alone. After all, it’s easy to fall into the belief that querying is futile and that your stories aren’t good enough and will never be picked up. Imposter syndrome and defeatism hit hard. But to realize that other authors are feeling the same way as me, that they have been querying for as long or longer, and then seeing their dreams come true is beyond inspirational. Perseverance and hard work are truly what it takes to succeed in this industry. I am fully aware that securing an agent is just one step. I know that more rejections will come my way when my manuscripts go on submission. But as before, I will lean on CTC for support and persevere until my stories are on bookshelves!
In the Courage to Create, we call on our Big Why as we engage in the ups and downs of the literary life? What’s your BIG WHY and how does it keep you motivated to keep working towards new milestones?
My Big Why is the belief that my stories deserve to be told. We all have our own unique perspectives, histories, and insights to share with the world. In my case, I am passionate about my Ukrainian heritage. My goal is to help broaden children’s understanding and horizons, educating and entertaining them. This keeps me moving forward.
It’s not easy to keep creating courage when it comes to our literary lives. Did you ever encounter a low point or period and did you lean on any of the CTC tools or practices? What did the no/not yets, or near misses/champagne rejections teach you in hindsight not that your YES is here?
I did receive several rejections that were critical or somewhat harsh and insensitive in tone. I knew this was part and parcel of the querying journey, but it still stung to receive them and sometimes even sent me into a defeatist spiral. But my CTC mentors, teachers, and critique partners were always there to lift my spirits and put things back into perspective.
In terms of my agent, she loved my main manuscript but wasn’t quite into the other work I had submitted to her. But she offered me a second chance to impress her, which certainly motivated me to keep writing, revising, taking more classes, and trying. I can candidly say it all worked out in the end—she is my dream agent! It really goes to show how much this is all down to the work we writers put in. I’m also happy to report that my manuscripts are now being shortlisted for awards (another thing I thought would never happen). Again, I cannot stress enough how helpful the Writing Barn’s classes have been for me!
As we celebrate your milestone reached, what thoughts can you share with other writers who may doubt they will reach their first or next milestone?
One message I kept hearing over and over is that so many writers give up too easily. That, if they just stuck it out a bit longer in the query trenches, their yes would come. I wanted to believe that, but it was still hard to stop thinking it would never happen. But in the end, it took several years of classes and two years of querying for me to get to this point. Before landing my agent, when people would ask how long I had been querying or how many queries I had sent (more than 100 total for my various manuscripts), I was ashamed to say. I thought it was already taking me way too long and that people would judge–especially potential agents! But since I’ve gotten my yes, I’ve received messages that, for many writers, getting an agent after two years is quite “fast.” So the only thing I can advise is don’t give up. Querying takes a long, long time. Tailoring all those letters is tedious and time-consuming. But if you truly believe in your stories, it’s worth it, and it will happen!
What is your favorite Courage to Create Belief?
Shame and silence are creativity killers. We process the passes, and reject rejection, knowing nos will come ON THE WAY to our YESes!
Christina Paschyn is a picture book and YA author of Ukrainian descent. She is also a documentary filmmaker and journalism professor.
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