I have been a member of SCBWI for about 19 years. The most impactful thing I've learned is to write with a deep point of view. Don't say things just to say them or because they sound good. Write what your character is seeing, feeling, thinking, judging, etc.
The audience I write for is mostly Young Adults. I don't have a writing process or dedicated time for writing. How boring! I just try to fit it in when I can. I've been writing for about 20 years. I originally started writing a picture book, Cotswold's Pickle Burps, because I couldn't get this one idea out of my head: what if a counting sheep couldn't jump over the fence and so the children couldn't fall asleep? The story ideas just kept coming after that!
I have attended a couple of writing workshops, but most of my training has come from years of attending the SCBWI Summer Conference (and our SoCal events). Worth their weight in gold!
The space I write in is our spare bedroom. I've got a futon for the dogs, a Pac-Man full-size arcade for breaks, and a convertible stand-up desk that's been a lifesaver for my tailbone.
My dream book to write and have published is called The Libby Stone. It's a middle grade, magical realism story about a book-loving girl whose mom goes missing, and when she realizes that all the moms are actually absent from the classic fairytales, she sets off on a dangerous journey to find out where they've gone in hopes of saving her own mom.
My current project is the umpteenth draft of my YA novel, Lip Service. It's just about submission-ready!
My advice for beginning writers is:
First, be okay with the fact that your book may never get sold. Your worth as a beautiful soul isn't dependent on whether or not you make money on your story. You can find your worth in fulfilling your potential, by continuing to create, improve, dream, and treat others with kindness.
Also, the story framework is super simple, and if you stick to this, you'll save yourself a lot of frustration:
1. Your main character has a status quo.
2. They encounter a problem.
3. The rest of the book is your mc trying to solve their problem and get back to status quo.
Currently I do not have an agent, but I hope to someday!
My writing has won some awards. In 2014, I was nominated for the Sue Alexander award at the summer conference (most promising book of the authors who got a critique). In 2021 (I think that's when it was, haha.), I won 1st place in YA at our virtual Tahquitz retreat, and then in 2022 I won 2nd place in YA at our Fall Harvest Conference. I was super grateful for these awards. They were so encouraging that I was on the right track. I don’t have any published books yet.
Some interesting facts about me are I'm a copywriter and copyeditor, my secret desire is to one day work at Bath and Body Works, I love Costco cake, I have a hubby, two kids, and two dogs, and I love living by the beach but hate going to the beach
You can connect with me online at:
Instagram: @ofairone
Website (copywriting): www.karenahamiltonagency.com