Category Archives: Publishing

Working As A Reader To Improve My Writing

Posted on February 12, 2019 by Jennifer Kay

For the past four months I’ve been sneaking a peak behind the scenes of a New York literary agency. Yes, I was snowed in at my Midwest writing office most of that time. I’ve been working remotely as a middle … Continue reading →

Posted in Jennifer, Publishing, Reading, Revision | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

KidLit Nonfiction Beyond Picture Book Biographies

Posted on January 29, 2019 by Jennifer Kay

Earlier this month, I hosted an SCBWI Rockford Network guest speaker who really resonated with me. Michael Leali, the Children’s Department Manager for Anderson’s Bookshop in La Grange, presented Beginning at the End: Informing Today’s Writing By Considering the Future … Continue reading →

Posted in Engineering, Highlights, Jennifer, Nonfiction, Picture Books, Publishing, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

New Year! Same Goals!

Posted on January 6, 2017 by Jennifer Kay

This weekend I’ll be packing my bags to return to VCFA, also known as Hogwarts. Can’t wait to be reunited with this group of amazing and talented writers. Really excited for my first Focus Workshop: Writing the Other taught by … Continue reading →

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Super Hero Writers

Posted on November 13, 2016 by Jennifer Kay

Last weekend Super Heros flew to Chicago to gather for SCBWI Prairie Writers & Illustrators Day. This year my conference posse grew from two writers to four, including one of my VCFA classmates. We happened to sit in the Maw-ha-ha section … Continue reading →

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Wild, Wild Midwest

Posted on May 5, 2016 by Jennifer Kay

Last weekend 500 Wild, Wild Midwest children’s authors and illustrators gathered in Chicago for the SCBWI regional conference. The faculty list was a who’s who of awesome children’s authors, featuring keynote speeches by Lisa Cron, Sarah Aronson, Linda Sue Park, … Continue reading →

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Sample Illustrations

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Jennifer Kay

Where has Jennifer been for the past two months? Attached to my new digital drawing pad. It’s become a third limb. After only three hours of online webinars on how to use Manga Studio 5, I’ve reached below average functionality … Continue reading →

Posted in Creativity, Graphic Novels, Jennifer, Middle Grade Books, Nicole, Publishing, Writing | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off on Sample Illustrations

Writing Characters Who Don’t Look Like You

Posted on November 20, 2015 by Jennifer Kay

Last weekend my critique partner and I journeyed into Chicago for SCBWI Prairie Writer’s Day. Once again it was an event filled with awesome people in the publishing industry (or aspiring to be), invaluable knowledge, and heaps of inspiration. This … Continue reading →

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The Heart of the Story

Posted on July 9, 2015 by Jennifer Kay

This week Jennifer Lynn Barnes published The Fixer, hyped as a YA version of Scandal. As a fan girl of both Jennifer’s books and all political thriller TV shows, I immediately pre-ordered my copy. I’m probably curled up in my … Continue reading →

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Query Time

Posted on March 20, 2015 by Jennifer Kay

My YA manuscript about a teenage con artist who lives the same year over and over to pull off perfect crimes has been completed and copyedited for weeks, but I’ve hesitated to actually submit it. Creating a story is a … Continue reading →

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Prairie Writer’s Day 2014

Posted on November 21, 2014 by Jennifer Kay

Last weekend my critique partner and I trekked to Chicago for the annual SCBWI Prairie Writer’s Day to glean wisdom from a group of awesome editors and agents. Each year we come home feeling we learned less than the year … Continue reading →

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