BARBARAGOWAN.COM: For Writers

Barbara Gowan
author - naturalist - homemaker

For Writers

Rockne is my writing partner and greatest critic.

Even as a puppy, she offered encouragement to
sit and focus on my writing.

And yes, I still write the old-fashioned way with paper
and pencil...although that pencil is a foot long!

I am a real believer in professional development and learning from the best so my first piece of
advice to beginning writers is to join the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
SCBWI http://www.scbwi.org acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, book sellers and others involved with literature for young people. The Arizona chapter http://www.scbwi-az.org hosts meetings, conferences, and workshops. I serve as the Networking Coordinator for the north valley so I encourage you to join this professional organization to learn more about the business of children's publishing. The Journey newszine is online and members can participate in the listserve to receive emails with updated publishing news.

I am also a fan of learning from books and one of my favorites is The Complete Idiot's Guide to Publishing Children's Books by Harold Underdown and Lynne Rominger. Harold, a children's book editor, also hosts a great website, The Purple Crayon http://www.underdown.org/ for anyone interested in the publishing of children's books.

So, how does a person with a degree in biology become
a children's author?

Serendipity was on my side when my husband came home from a golf writers' conference and announced that he had a new job for me! He had played golf with the owner of this small publishing house in Michigan, Sleeping Bear Press. They were looking for local talent to write and illustrate their new Discover America series (this was in 2000) and Ed offered my services. The rest is history...
and a lot of hard work!