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kidlitchat

@kidlitchat.bsky.social

#kidlitchat happens every Tuesday night at 9E/6P, co-hosted by @bonnieadamson.com and @gregpincus.bsky.social. The topic is posted here as each chat begins, as well as any important chat news.
Banner art by Brian Kirby: @boringstorybook.com
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TOPIC: Define "picture book." Or "middle grade." What makes a book YA? Is it simply age range? Or how it's shelved in the library? Do you have a firm grasp of the categories and where your writing and/or art fits? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: The publishing industry changes daily, it seems. What are the most reliable sources for information on the currents and eddies that can affect how you navigate your creative career--publications? professional panels? best-seller lists? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: Becoming a part of a group: meet-ups, critique groups, professional organizations, paid communities, workshops, promotional partnerships--each plays a different role in your creative journey. Which affiliations have had the most impact for you? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: What's the best career advice you ever got--and what do you wish you could go back and tell your starry-eyed starting-out self? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: Life happens. Or sometimes you just get overwhelmed. How do you disengage when you need to--and how do you get yourself back on track after a break? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: It's quarterly check-in time! What's new in your creative life since March? Successes? Setbacks? Surprises? What's the plan for summer? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: How do you approach marketing and connecting now as the online and offline worlds keep changing? A newsletter? Social media? Does it matter if you're published or not? And/or???? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: We love having #kidlitchat here on Bluesky, and we hosts are curious: what are some topics you think would be good for us in the months ahead? Craft, business, and existential topics all encouraged (as is pie, of course)!
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TOPIC: Can you trace your decision to write/illustrate for children back to a favorite book, author or artist? What or who made the biggest impression? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: How do you perfect your pitch? Agented or not, you must be able to clearly communicate the essence of your project. Then, for some of us, there's the query. How do you put it all together? Do you have a favorite craft process for these important steps? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: How do you perfect your pitch? Agented or not, you must be able to clearly communicate the essence of your project. Then, for some of us, there's the query. How do you put it all together? Do you have a favorite craft process for these important steps? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: Sometimes, inevitably, the creative business becomes a matter of keeping track--of submissions, of deadlines, of opportunities, of who's where in publishing. What are your favorite ways to get organized and keep current with changes in the industry? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: What do you consider dark topics in children's books today? Has the definition changed? How do you balance dark and light in your own work? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: What recent children's literature movie adaptations are you excited (or not) about? What books do you think SHOULD be movies? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: In a shameless attempt to capitalize on yesterday's celestial event... if we could eclipse the big, glow-y excitement of picture books and novels, what else would we see? Ghost writing? Work for hire? Magazine articles? What else is out there and what have you tried? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: It's National Poetry Month. What are some of your favorite novels in verse? Rhyming picture books? Poetic writing? Do you use any poetry references/resources as you work? Please share! #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: What tools/supplies/talismans can you absolutely *not* do without? What disrupts your creative process if it's missing? The exact brand of pencil lead or ink? Your ratty old office chair? The small stuffed fish on your keyboard? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: Happy Spring! How do you push yourself, your craft, and your career forward towards new growth? Are you planting metaphorical seeds, cleaning up old projects, taking classes, or... what? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: It's about time! The topic . . . is about time. Time management can be a huge issue for creativity, when the muse doesn't show up on schedule, or life happens. How do you keep your productivity ticking along? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: It's time for our quarterly check-in: your chance to share what's new, what you've accomplished since December (everything counts!), and what's on tap for the next three months. #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: So much online activity, so little time! Where are you connecting, networking, and promoting on social media these days? What's working for you? What no longer does? What's next??? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: It's time to send your project out into the world. Query. Pitch. Submit. Yikes! What are your best tips/resources for crafting perfect proposals, killer comps, and scintillating synopses? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: In the spirit of Mardi Gras (without the beads!), when is a good thing TOO MUCH of a good thing? What do you love about your work, but find yourself having to rein in when writing or illustrating? Do you include too many em dashes? Too many bunnies? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: What helps you decide on a structure for your story? Do you use concepts like the hero's journey? Are you a Save the Cat-er? Do you go non-traditional? Share ideas and tips in this freeform #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: You have a new idea for a manuscript! But... how do you decide if it's actually worth pursuing? What makes you move forward or choose to leave something behind? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: Let's talk about Shiny New Things for a Shiny New Year! Will it be a new POV for your work-in-progress? Poetry rather than prose? Something for a different age group? A switch from fiction to non, or vice versa? What's the plan? #kidlitchat
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TOPIC: Let's talk about impatience. Do you deal with it? How do you deal with it? And why is it taking you so long to answer???? #kidlitchat
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