OOOWLoween and Fall Favorites...

Zombie owls...why not?!  My imagination is running wild with #Inktober and book ideas!  

There is a certain magic that begins this time of year.  I absolutely LOVE it! After the busyness of summer, fall is an invitation to slow down.  I don't know about you, but I'm ready to slow down a bit. Life has been a little too fast this year!

Here are a few of my favorite things to do in fall ya'll... 

Take a drive. The colors and scents of the fall season are intoxicating.  Pack a lunch, pick a trail and go hiking.  Don't forget to take pictures to share with friends and family.

Use the oven. Nothing says fall like the smell of pumpkin pie, cooked apples, cinnamon...getting hungry yet?  Choose something to bake and share it with a neighbor.  Not only will your kitchen be warm, but you'll warm hearts, as well.

Pull out your favorite sweaters.  Put away summer and bring out warmer clothing.  A chill in the air means snuggling up in our favorite sweaters...or cuddling up a little closer to those we love.  I like the cuddling part myself...

Go for a walk.  A crisp fall night is a good time for a walk.  The smell of fireplaces fill the air with memories.  A cup of hot chocolate always tastes better after a walk, too!  Don't forget the marshmallows.

Go wine tasting.  Pick a winery that's nestled in fall colors and enjoy your company while sitting in awe of God's perfect scenery.

Simply light a favorite candle and enjoy a cup of coffee.  Sit still and connect with God.
Be grateful. Give thanks. Count your blessings one by one.  Sketch or write whatever is on your heart.

No matter what you choose to do, relax.  Slow down and watch the leaves fall....
you can always rake them later.

Splendor and majesty are before Him, strength and beauty are in His sanctuary.
Psalm 96:6

Jot Downs - SCBWI Carolinas Conference - Part 2

  Step forward into the unknown and assume it will be brilliant.

~ Grey's Anatomy

Camille Andros, author of picture book Charlotte the Scientist is Squished, hosted a workshop on How to Write a Picture Book Agents & Editors Can't Say No [to].  I was only able to attend the last part, but I wrote a few notes I will find helpful in the months to come - including the opening quote.

Successful picture books have three things in common:

1. Rhythm (Read it out loud.  What does it sound like?)
2. Repetition (Allows the child to participate in the story)
3. Rule of Threes (Three attempts to solve a problem and the last one works)

And while I didn't get to write this part down exactly as Camille said it, the gist of it is very plain.  No one is going to send me an invitation to write a book, to put the ideas in my head on paper, etc.  I need to show up and do the work.  A quote from Stephen Kings book, On Writing, says it best - 

Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.

That book, by the way, was recommended more than once this weekend.  I'm expecting my copy to arrive tomorrow.

 

You are the BOSS...

The following jot downs pertain to your business...yes, YOUR business.  You are the BOSS OF YOU!  The truth is, MOST illustrators and writers - even the famous ones, hold outside jobs in addition to doing that creative thing they love.  We become adept at juggling.  We find a rhythm that works...until life happens.  It's okay.  Get up. Dust yourself off and keep on going.  You'll find that rhythm again. I promise.

 

No one will send you an invitation...

So, no one is going to send you an invitation to live your dream.  You have a part in making your dream happen.  For illustrators, one piece of the pie is called a POSTCARD.  I can hear you through the Google bots...don't groan.  DO.  

Laurent Linn suggested sending out 3 - 4 postcards a year with these tips:

1. Vary the postcard content each time
2. Make sure your website is on your postcard

Your website IS your portfolio.  Laurent said that, when he looks at a site, it's not necessary to label your art (i.e. education, mass market, etc.).  However, it is helpful to have your art grouped by "styles".  If you have several styles that you do well, such as watercolor, cartoon, etc., arrange your website according to the style.

Postcards can and will get your work noticed.  This past weekend I learned of a postcard success story.  One of our illustrators was contracted to do a picture book based on a postcard she had sent a year earlier.  Sometimes it takes a while so be patient.

If you are in the SCBWI Carolinas region, we have a "Four Out The Door" postcard initiative.  Send me a jpeg of your postcard and I'll put it on our Carolinas region postcard gallery website.

Get your postcard designs ready!  Next blog post will be tips on building a mailing list, research and submissions.  Until then, do what you do best....YOU DO YOU!

Flannel Moose Café...something creative is always brewing!

Flannel Moose Café is my new blog that covers everything creative, including illustration, writing and design.  The tag line, "Something creative is always brewing!" is a catchphrase that describes...well...me!

The idea behind Flannel Moose Café has been brewing for a few years. The bigger picture has been simmering much longer and, hopefully, will be ready soon.

Rather than wait and deliver something in a tidy package (because that's no fun), I am inviting you in to the creative process while I unpack my ideas.

To tell you the truth, it's been a rather busier than normal summer.  Conferences, travel, deadlines...and here it is, the "almost" end of summer.  Nothing really artistically romantic to report, but there have been intentional moments, like those at the SCBWI LA Conference.  Significant snapshots that I will carry for years to come.

Enough about me.  I want to hear about you!  Pull up a chair and I'll grab us a cup of coffee (or whatever your preference).

Tell me about your summer takeaways in the comment section below!