Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Blog, page 60
August 28, 2015
Free print-ready poster: "Be A Reading Ninja!"
I've added a new print-ready poster to my For The Love Of Reading page: "Be A Reading Ninja!" It prints on an 8.5 x 11" sheet of paper.
Download it here. This is also now available as a "Be A Reading Ninja!" greeting card.
You can find ALL my free, print-ready bonus material in my print-ready archives.
August 26, 2015
August 25, 2015
A Reminder To Aspiring Writers and Illustrators
Writers & Illustrators: All the networking/promo in the world can’t help unless you get your book FINISHED first. pic.twitter.com/XeliPtgAHG
— Debbie Ridpath Ohi (@inkyelbows) August 25, 2015
August 24, 2015
Three Questions For Josh Funk: Advice For Young Writers, Scott Pilgrim and LADY PANCAKE & SIR FRENCH TOAST
Josh Funk lives in New England with his wife and kids. He is the author of Lady Pancake & Sir French Toast (launches Sept 1st from Sterling) and the upcoming Dear Dragon (Viking/Penguin, 2016), Pirasaurs! (Scholastic, 2017), and more. Find out more info about Josh at his website, Twitter, Facebook.
Me, Josh (on rock) and Jess Keating at Nerd Camp. Photo: Justin Keating.
I met Josh at Nerd Camp earlier this year. Such a fun and funny guy, and so supportive of his fellow kidlit authors and illustrators!
Synopsis of LADY PANCAKE AND SIR FRENCH TOAST (written by Josh Funk, illustrated by Brendan Kearney, published by Sterling)
"The race is on … Lady Pancake and Sir French Toast are the best of friends until word gets out that there’s ONLY ONE DROP OF SYRUP left. Only one of them can enjoy the sweet, sweet taste of victory. Is their friendship toast?"
Q. Could you please take a photo of something in your office and tell us the story behind it?
I don’t actually have an office. I pretty much do all of my writing from a laptop while sitting in bed (as I am right now). And I often throw on a movie I’m comfortable with in the background, something I know well enough so I won’t get distracted from the writing, but maybe it’ll inspire me. And my favorite movie to throw on is Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (it’s on right now). So here’s the ‘not yet worn out’ disc:
This movie has everything: humor (Michael Cera, Aubrey Plaza, Jason Schwartzman), music (songs by Beck), action (actors who played Superman, The Punisher, & Captain America on the big screen), video games (fighting, music, skating), romance (love story with a pink/blue/green-haired girl), vegans, fantastic cast (at least one Oscar nominated actress), special effects (see: action), based on a graphic novel (KaPow!), one of the best directors out there (Edgar Wright can do no wrong), and it takes place in Canada (who doesn’t love ketchup chips?). It may not be for everybody, but if I were to make a movie, this would be it. And it’s been on in the background while I’ve written many a manuscript.
Q. What advice do you have for young writers?
I’m not a teacher. But I’ll tell you why I write, and I think it applies to any human: I write to entertain myself.
So write something you find fun.
Write what you’d want to read.
Write something to make your family and friends laugh.
Write a play you and your siblings can act out at the next family reunion.
Write a song!
And if it’s a writing assignment for school, put your own twist on it. Only you can write like you. So put a little of yourself into everything you write.
Obviously there are times when writing assignments have to be taken seriously, but there’s usually a way to make writing enjoyable.
Q. What are you excited about right now?
I’m really excited about graphic novels, as you might have guessed from my Scott Pilgrim obsession. But here I’m referring to those for children (and adults like me). There are so many amazing choices out there that we’ve devoured over the last few years. Lunch Lady, El Deafo, Squish, Babymouse, The Flying Beaver Brothers, Ricky Ricotta, Rutabaga the Adventure Chef, Comics Squad, Astronaut Academy, Sidekicks, Smile, Sisters, Drama, Rollergirl, Amulet, The Chronicles of Claudette, and more.
I have personally seen children learn to read (and learn to love to read) by way of the GN. The combination of art and writing makes for an amazing storytelling (and story consuming) experience. The abundance of talent developing graphic novels today is mind blowing. And I don’t see it slowing down any time soon!
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For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive.
August 23, 2015
A survey: Do YOU dog-ear pages in books?
After posting the found object doodle below on FB, a flurry of comments (turns out I'm not the only one who has a strong emotional reaction to dog-eared pages in books :-)) prompted me to post this anonymous 1-question survey:
How do you feel about dog-earing pages? After you answer my anonymous 1-question poll, you'll see what others have said.
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Curious about my other publishing industry surveys? Feel free to browse current and past Inkygirl Surveys online .
August 15, 2015
Am going to try hard NOT to be like these writers while I'm on vacation
Have a great week, everyone!
August 14, 2015
Survey Results: "How Did You Find Your Agent?" "What Resources Did You Find Useful In Researching Agents?"
In my recent survey, I asked those of you working with agents to answer a few questions about how you got your agent. First off, thank you SO MUCH to those who took the time to respond in order to help others in the community. These include: Hayley Chewins, Julie Glover, Kellie DuBay Gillis, Michael Wayne, Anne Marie Pace, Kristin Gray, Denise Gallagher, Corey Schwartz, Beth Ferry, Julie Dao, Stephanie Diaz, Russ Cox, Sarah Albee, Stephanie Fletcher-Stephens, Ashlyn Anstee, Melissa Caruso, Julie Falatko, Bruce Hale, Mike Jung, Heidi Schulz, Amy Lozier, Josh Funk, Jim Averbeck, Edward Willett, Kelley McMorris, Annie Cardi, Carter Higgins, Susan VanHecke, Jennifer Gray Olson, Andria W. Rosenbaum and Juana Martinez-Neal. Others responded anonymously.
74 people responded and almost all were children's/YA book writers or illustrators. Most got their agent through an email query.
While researching agents and given the choices in my survey, respondents said the most useful resources of the ones I listed were Twitter, Publisher's Marketplace, AgentQuery.com, SCBWI conferences and Literary Rambles, followed by Writer's Digest resources like the annual Children's Writer's & Illustrator's Guide and Chuck Sambuchino's Guide To Literary Agents. This survey was mainly conducted through Twitter, so it's not surprising that Twitter came out on top.
Do scroll down to read some of the info-packed comments about other useful resources like QueryTracker, agency blogs and websites, AbsoluteWrite forums, SCBWI BlueBoard forums. Comments also include info about people got their agents, such as getting noticed during the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge, Preditors & Editors, #PitMad on Twitter (Pitch Madness - learn the rules before participating!) and #MSWL on Twitter (Manuscript Wish List - learn the rules before participating!).
Here's a further summary and breakdown of the results as of today (August 14, 2015).
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As you can tell from the above, most of the respondents' represented work focuses on children's/YA writing. About 25% had agents representing their children's book illustration work.
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Approx. 70% of respondents said they were working with their first agent. The others had worked with other agents before.
Here are some of additional comments about useful resources while researching agents:
"Online searches about what agents said and represented, conversations with authors already in the publishing business." - Julie Glover
"The SCBWI blueboard! Also, agent's blogs and agency websites." - Kellie DuBay Gillis
"Author friends - individual agent google searches which often bring up a variety of insightful blog interviews - agency websites." - Michael Wayne
"Probably most helpful was just googling agents to find interviews and other information, especially agency websites. Facebook was helpful mostly because of a private Facebook group of PitchWars '14 mentees that I belong to--networking with other writers is a big help. I also used QueryTracker. The AbsoluteWrite forums are usesful too."
"When I signed with my agent in early 2007, Facebook was just catching on and I don't think anyone had Twitter yet--okay, I checked Wikipedia--it was very small at that time! The Children's Writers and Illustrators Market was only in hardcover, not online! Much has changed, very quickly!" - Anne Marie Pace
"Recommendations from other agented writers, and recommendations from my former agent."
"12 x 12 picture book challenge submission."
"Also Querytracker." - Kristin Gray
"Pitch Madness on Twitter!" - Denise Gallagher
"I also learned about a lot of agents and agencies through other writers and through contests. (This is mostly where Twitter comes in... as a vehicle for word of mouth.) I used Publisher's Marketplace and AgentQuery more as a secondary reference to look up more info on agents, rather than a place to find them in the first place." - Melissa Caruso
"Querytracker.com, pred-ed.com." - Russ Cox
"General online research, agent interviews, etc."
"One of her clients gave me a referral." - Corey Schwartz
"Google. And, of course, the official agency websites are huge sources of information."
"Blog post loutreleaven showing a list of literary agents."
Additional comments about how they met their agent:
"We had never met face to face, but she contracted me after seeing my work in the Portfolio Showcase. Then we met (face to face) a few weeks later. A month or so after that, I signed with her agency. We have seen each other a few times since I signed, but mainly we communicate via email (and occasionally phone)."
"We met through the #PitMad Twitter pitch contest where she requested my work!" - Julie Dao
"I heard her speak at an SCBWI Editor's Day. The following year, I had her critique one of my manuscripts for SCBWI Agent's Day, and was signed soon after." - Stephanie Fletcher-Stephens
"Online via Verla Kay's Blueboards and my blog. Joan contacted me to request pages." - Mike Jung
"It was a case of right match, right time. I liked what he said in his talk, took advantage of his offer to submit stories, and found that he really liked one of my pieces -- enough to represent me." - @storyguy1
"I was referred by another agent."
"I queried her by email before an SCBWI event that I was volunteering at and she was speaking at." - Jennifer Gray Olson
"Personal reference from one of her existing clients." - Josh Funk
"Answered request from Manuscript Wish List (#MSWL)."
"They noticed me because I won the SCBWI Student Illustrator Scholarship." - Kelley McMorris
"Through my MFA program (VCFA)- she was a fellow student at the time." - Amy
"I met my agent through a #PitMad twitter pitch event."
"I had planned to query her based on research I'd done, but she invited me to submit my query letter, synopsis, and first 3 chapters from a Twitter pitch."
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Again, THANK YOU SO MUCH for those who took the time to respond!
If you have comments or suggestions, including your own experience with researching and finding an agent, I encourage you to post below.
If you haven't already, feel free to also check out my list of agents on Twitter who represent kidlit/YA as well as my FAQ post about finding an agent (and how I found mine).
Curious about my other publishing industry surveys? Feel free to browse current and past Inkygirl Surveys online .
Three Questions For Alice Ratterree: Advice For Young Illustrators, Office Pencil Shavings and LILLIPUT
Alice Ratterree loves illustrating books for the young at heart. She is represented by Marietta Zacker of Nancy Gallt Literary Agency and is currently working on a picture book about the life of Jane Addams. She finds adventure in Greenville, South Carolina with her husband, their two children, and a beloved adopted sidekick, Sam the cat. To learn more about Alice, visit her at her website, and on Twitter and Facebook.
I met Alice through the SCBWI and adore her art. Did you know that Alice started her career as a classical singer? You can find out more about Alice's background as well as art process on Peachtree Publisher's blog.
Synopsis of middle grade novel LILLIPUT (written by Sam Gayton, illustrated by Alice Ratterree, for ages 8-12):
"Inspired by Gulliver’s Travels, LILLIPUT is an exhilarating adventure filled with cunning escape plans, evil clock makers, and talkative parrots. Join Lily as she travels through eighteenth-century London – over rooftops, down chimneys, and into chocolate shops – on a journey to find the one place in the world where she belongs…home".
Q. Could you please take a photo of something in your office and tell us the story behind it?
This small, red cup sits on my drawing table and holds my pencil shavings.
The picture on it is of my grandfather, Bill Thomas, who was a true renaissance man. After serving as a pilot in WWII, he sang opera and worked in education. This memento is from his time singing the role of Count Almaviva in Barber of Seville. I love how each cast member’s photo is lovingly cut and arranged around the cup. Before embarking on my journey as a children’s book illustrator, I was fortunate to have a successful career as an opera singer also. My grandfather and I always had a special bond through music that has informed my life as an illustrator. My first voice teacher, Jane Rolandi, is even pictured here too as Rosina!
Q. What advice do you have for young writers and/or illustrators?
Learn from the masters, but then respectfully ask them to leave your studio.
It’s important to recognize the family tree of artists you belong to. Discover your heroes, and embrace the process they used to they create their work. Soak up everything about their lives and their technique…then, go beyond it. Imitation is a powerful teaching tool, but practice it wisely because it can limit your vision and ultimately squander your potential. How you see the world is uniquely yours. Take what you’ve learned from the masters, make it your own and strive to do it even better!
Q. What are you excited about right now?
My next project! I will be illustrating a picture book biography on the life of Nobel Peace Prize winner Jane Addams, the pioneer of social work in our country and founder of Hull House.
I am in awe of this amazing woman and it such an honor to take on the responsibility of introducing on a non-fiction character to a new generation. I will be travelling to Chicago in a couple of weeks to visit the Hull House and I cannot wait to take my sketchbook with me and spend the day walking where she walked!
Here is a recent sketch:
Thank you, Debbie, for inviting me to chat today!
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For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive.
August 13, 2015
Pernille Ripp's Reading Myth #1: "This is a girl/boy book"
I was so inspired by Pernille Ripp's talk at Nerd Camp earlier this year and just discovered (duh, why didn't I look for this earlier?) that she has a blog! I was inspired to illustrate a quote from her recent piece, "Stop Feeding The Beast - The Reading Myths We Pass On As Truth."
You can find out mroe about Pernille at PernilleSRipp.com, on Twitter at @pernilleripp and on Facebook at Passionate Learners.
August 12, 2015
Quickie anonymous poll for those of you with agents
I've been getting more people asking me for advice about how to get an agent, so in addition to updating my FAQ post about "Any advice on how to get an agent? How did YOU get your agent?", I've also posted a new survey.
If you're a children's/YA author or illustrator currently working with an agent, I'd very much appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to answer this quickie (multiple choice) anonymous poll about how you got your agent.
Results will be included in a future Inkygirl post.
