It’s fascinating how our perspectives can change over time. Last year I attended the regional Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) Spring Conference and saw people receiving critiques from an agent, an editor, and two published authors. I thought, “What kind of people would want to put theirselves through that?” This year, I completed the first ten pages of my current manuscript and anxiously awaited for a chance to compete for one of the thirty available critique slots. I secured one of those sessions, and now completely understand the value critiques play in the writing process.

Admittedly, I’m having much more trouble with my current book, Believing In Horses, Too, than I did with my first book. When I wrote my first book, Believing In Horses, I sat down and wrote. I hadn’t studied books, followed blogs, attended conferences, or listened to webinars all telling me how to write better. I wrote, and revised, edited, and then fortunately had good editors and an excellent publisher. Somehow I thought all I’ve been learning over the past two years would make this next book easier. But it hasn’t. Knowing all that I’m doing wrong has made it that much harder.

[Read more...]