Recently, friends and students of the Barn were nominated for the Cynthia Leitch Smith Writing Mentor Award by SCBWI! We reached out to ask a few questions and congratulate these brilliant writers on their accomplishments. Check out what they had to say below:
Romy Natalia Goldberg:
Please share your exciting news.
The amazing Mitali Perkins (whose SCBWI Austin keynote was wonderful) nominated my middle grade novel “How Do You Say Jasy?“ for the Cynthia Leitch Smith Writing Mentor Award! Cue the happy emoticons!
How did studying at the Barn prepare you for conferences and having your work professionally critiqued?
I found the critiquing component of Middle Grade II with Michelle Hurwitz and Erin Golden extremely helpful. Critiquing on a regular basis with a trusted group strengthens your writing muscles – you learn to consider all the elements that make a story flow and resonate with readers. The skills I learned in Middle Grade I and II have helped me to think critically about my work – both as I’m writing those messy first drafts and as I’m editing, post-critique, to make them stronger.
How has having a community of writers behind you aided you in achieving your goals?
Honestly, sometimes you just need a shoulder to cry on, someone to bat an idea around with, or a group to keep you accountable to your writing goals. Of course, the non-writers in your life can (and should) offer you support. But having a community of fellow writers who understand what you’re going through is key. Sometimes you just want to complain about your word count without having to explain what a word count is and why it matters, right?
Any advice you have for up and coming writers/creatives?
Do what you can to support the creators in your life and community, especially those from marginalized backgrounds. A rising tide lifts all boats.
Kara Stockinger:
Please share your exciting news.
It was a wonderful surprise to be nominated for the Cynthia Leitch Smith Writing Mentor Award—such a surprise that I sat blankly after my name was called, uncertain I’d heard right. After the pictures were snapped and the applause died, I crept to the front and asked the event coordinator to confirm. I’ve worked hard on my writing craft for the past few years, but I suppose my confidence hasn’t caught up with the result of my efforts. The climb to writing success often feels steep and obstacle-ridden, which makes receiving this nomination all-the-more meaningful.
How did studying at the Barn prepare you for conferences and having your work professionally critiqued?
Writing Barn classes have helped provide me with tools to speak intelligently about the craft and business of writing, which makes attending conferences a richer, more fulfilling experience. I’m able to engage with conference learning material and with fellow writers at a deeper level than I might otherwise. Classes have helped accustom me to having my work professionally critiqued—to view feedback as an opportunity for growth and to ask questions that will deepen my understanding.
How has having a community of writers behind you aided you in achieving your goals?
I imagine most aspiring writers quickly discover that writing is a collaborative effort. Without both the encouragement and the constructive feedback from fellow writers, my writing would have remained puerile dabblings buried on my hard drive. My writing community buffers my failures, celebrates my success, and enables my growth. Above all, interacting with those who share my passion for writing provides inspiration and the motivation to persist.
Any advice you have for up and coming writers/creatives?
Don’t flinch from honest feedback. Anyone invested enough to give a detailed response to your writing cares about you and about your work. That said, only apply the feedback that resonates. I used to make myself dizzy trying to reconcile conflicting advice from beta readers, and it’s impossible to please everyone.
Connect! Take classes, go to conferences, join a critique group, meet up with writer friends over coffee—whatever fits into your life. Connecting with fellow writers is gold. Getting published often feels like reaching for the moon. It’s comforting to share the struggle with those in your shoes or who’ve been there. It’s a joy to share the love of writing.
Meghan Browne:
Please share your exciting news.
I’m still feeling surprised and ecstatic to have been nominated by editor Sarah Jane Abbot (Beach Lane – S&S) for the Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award with Varian Johnson. Holy Guacamole, that’s a list of powerhouse names in kid lit. I submitted my first stab at Middle Grade, and I’m encouraged that it was so well received.
How did studying at the Barn prepare you for conferences and having your work professionally critiqued?
All of the classes and intensives I’ve taken at or virtually through the Writing Barn have had a workshop/critique component. Those experiences have helped me understand what to expect during critique and how to receive and apply constructive criticism. Having your work dissected can be a highly emotional experience, but all of my Barn teachers, mentors, and fellow students have helped me learn how to navigate the many feelings that come with critique.
How has having a community of writers behind you aided you in achieving your goals?
About the fifth time an editor responded to my picture book manuscripts by telling me how “middle grade” my voice is, I decided to sign up for a middle grade novel class through the barn. Michele Weber-Hurwitz and TA Erin Golden led me and a super-talented group of writers through a six week online course. I feel incredibly grateful to have met those women. We are still in touch once a week to keep each other accountable, and my classmate Romy Natalia Goldberg texts me every once in a while to do a writing sprint together. She and I are both mothers of (many) young children, and I feel a true sisterhood with Romy. She and my husband, Greg (my first reader), were instrumental in encouraging me to get out of my comfort zone and submit those middle grade pages. When Romy and I were both called to the front of the room at conference as nominees for the award, my heart just about exploded. To add an extra layer of icing on a rich experience, my dad attended conference this year on the illustrator tract, and having him there to hug after my nomination was a priceless memory I’ll keep with me forever.
Any advice you have for up and coming writers/creatives?
Do the thing you don’t have time for. Do the thing you’re not sure you’re qualified for. Do the thing that feels uncomfortable and difficult but that you can’t stop thinking about. I have to remind myself regularly that the books I want to write won’t get written unless I do the work, and that the myth of perfection often keeps me from the page. Also, rest: I’m learning that rest is as important as hard work.
Shachi Kaushik:
Please share your exciting news.
I’m very excited to share that my manuscript is nominated for Cynthia Leitch Smith Writing Mentor Award.
How did studying at the Barn prepare you for conferences and having your work professionally critiqued?
The classes at the Barn not only focus on making you good writers but also share resources that are vital for your success. My teacher, Carmen Oliver, advises on joining SCBWI community and conference. SCBWI is a wonderful institution focused on budding writers and a great place to network. Receiving constructive criticism is the most helpful part of any class. Teacher and students critique every other student work and provide on the spot feedback. The elaborative discussion helped improve my writing skills.
How has having a community of writers behind you aided you in achieving your goals?
As a writer, there is a lot to learn. Having a community of writers is just a great way to keep oneself going and making sure you are headed in the right direction. We encourage each other to write more often, share resources, and interesting books among each other, share thoughts and ideas for writing. By the last class, you end up making some new great writer friends. The writer’s community is not about competing but supporting each other.
Any advice you have for up and coming writers/creatives?
As a writer, you should never stop reading, learning, and writing.
Heather Harwood:
Please share your exciting news.
It was such a joy to be nominated for the Cynthia Leitich Smith Writing Mentor Award this year! I was nominated two years ago and being nominated again was very validating. I felt like Sally Fields: “You like me! You really like me!”
How did studying at the Barn prepare you for conferences and having your work professionally critiqued?
I’ve been writing novels for nine years now but I came to it late in life, not until shortly after I had my first child. I do not have an MFA, I wasn’t an English major, and I didn’t grow up writing fan fiction. But I’ve always been a reader so when I started writing, I was largely using my own literary instincts to create my work…until I found the Writing Barn.
About four years ago, I participated in a writing intensive weekend at the Barn. It was my first time bringing my work in front of anyone who wasn’t family and my first time to have it professionally critiqued. I sat at a critique table with fellow writers who did have MFAs, and English degrees, and agents, and published novels and our faculty included none other that the great A.M. Jenkins and Matt de le Peña. Needless to say I felt intimidated. But everyone was supportive, complimentary, and helpful, and not only did I survive that critique, but I felt worthy to be there.
It was at the Writing Barn that I first learned about writing organizations including SCBWI. I joined as quickly as I could and because of my experience at the Barn, It was a simple thing to sit across from an agent for a critique six months later when I attended my first SCBWI conference.
How has having a community of writers behind you aided you in achieving your goals?
I think the most valuable thing a community of writers gives me is knowing that I have a cheering section! My family is very supportive, but they don’t know the industry with all its ups and downs. But my writing community is there to understand the downs and remind me of the ups and provide opportunities for real growth.
Just the other day I was bemoaning the fact that I’d never be able to write like one of my favorite authors to a group of writing friends online. One of them reminded me that of course I’ll never write like her. I’m not her. But I have my own self to offer and no one can write like me. It was just what I needed to hear to get myself back to work!
Any advice you have for up and coming writers/creatives?
Finding your community is key. To find your community, you have to become a part of it. But it’s okay to develop your own measurement of support for others. Your circle may be dozens or one or two other writers. You may prefer online contact or crave to meet in person. Big or small, intense or sporadic, find the contact that works best for you and you’ll find joy in celebrating others and in offering support. This community has a lot to offer.
Brooke Hollon:
Please share your exciting news.
During the SCBWI Austin Regional Conference held this past May, I was selected as a finalist for the Cynthia Leitich Smith Mentor Writing Award.
How did studying at the Barn prepare you for conferences and having your work professionally critiqued?
Having learned the elements of strong picture book writing at the Writing Barn, I have been able to more fully absorb the lectures and engage in writing exercises given by agents, editors and authors in conference settings. Also, because the teachers at the Writing Barn use a positive and constructive format for workshop critiques, I am comfortable receiving critiques at conferences. Using the feedback from critiques is a valuable part of my writing process.
How has having a community of writers behind you aided you in achieving your goals?
Being a part of the writing community in Austin and beyond is a true joy. I enjoy discussing new work and bouncing ideas with the writers in my critique group and with peers in the classes I take. I’ve also found picture book intensives to be extremely helpful in meeting and connecting with authors on their own writing journeys. Each time I have hesitated to sign up for an editor pitch or to submit my work to an agent, there has been a mentor, teacher or writing friend there to encourage me to “go for it!” I have become good friends with other writers, whether they live in Austin, San Francisco, Charleston, Toronto or beyond. These friendships are one of the truest gifts of my writing journey.
Any advice you have for up and coming writers/creatives?
Three Thoughts:
– Study the craft continuously and connect with other writers.
– Do not allow yourself to become so discouraged that you give up. Learning to write picture books is a process that takes time and effort.
– Remember that we all have our own unique stories to tell and there is always someone who wants or needs to hear that story. On the days you think you may never find the right agent or become published, take out your favorite story and read it to a child. The smile on her face will tell you that your work is worthwhile.