Today’s visting author is Karen Ventrice, come to share her seven answers to my seven questions. Welcome Karen.

1. Tell us a little about your publication credits. If you have none, tell
us about the genres you prefer to write, and your current projects.

I have a children’s bedtime picture book, Day’s End Lullaby
available through
online retailers,such as Amazon. I also have a number of articles on Ezinearticles.com and
just signed up with Helium, another ezine site.
As far as current projects, I am working on two children’s fantasy chapter books
and two picture books. In addition I have entered the freelance arena. I am
writing children’s nonfiction, fiction and rebus articles.

2. How long have you been writing for children?

I’ve been writing for children for a few years now, but only within the last
year began to think of it as a career. I created a family lullaby
over
30 years ago for my children and about a year ago my daughter decided
we should turn it into a children’s bedtime story. This brought me onto the
path of actually going about getting my work published.

3. How much time do you spend each week writing and/or revising? And how
much time on other writing-related tasks such as promotion, researching
markets and so on?

Unfortunately, lately I haven’t been spending much time actually writing and revising.
Between Virtual Book Tours, my critique group, other online groups, and emails the time
just seems to slip away. And, since October I have been working on the promotion of
my book. Along with research for articles, and trying to learn as much as I can about
writing I seem to be spinning my wheels. I have said this so often that I am tired of
hearing myself say it, but I need to create a time management plan and stick to it as
much as possible.

4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you
reading right now?
I don’t spend nearly as much time as I should on reading children’s books.
But, I’m working on changing that. I took 3 books out of the library
last week: Folktales & Fables of The Middle East And Africa; Folktales
& Fables of The Americas & The Pacific; Great American Folklore.
And, I recently finished A Single Shard which I absolutely loved.

5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share
with other professional children’s writers?

I’m not in the business long enough to give advice to professional
children’s writers, but to would-be children’s writers I would say
learn the business. This means:
1. Attend whatever free teleseminars you can find about writing for children.
2. Read as much as you can about writing for children.
3. Read as many children’s books
as you can so you can see what’s
getting published and why.
4. Attend writer’s conferences – there are a couple of free ones online that are
great. One in particular is The Muse Online Conference.
5. Join a critique group.
6. If you can afford it join a writing coaching club. The one I belong
to is Suzanne Lieurance’s Children’s Writers Coaching Club.
7. Join the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.

6. What is your favourite online resource for children’s writers? Why?

My favorite resource is Children’s Writers Coaching Club. I have learned
so much through this club. I know this is going to sound like a plug,
but it’s the truth, for a nominal fee you get teleseminars/telecasts
about writing for children, promotion and marketing. You also get critiques
of your work and guidance along with a little nudging.

7. Do you have a website or blog? What else do you do to promote
your
published works and/or your writing skills?

My blog is: http://karenandrobyn.blogspot.com
My website is: http://www.childrensbooksbykarenandrobyn.com

To promote my book I created the yahoo group Virtual Book Tours. We are
a group of traditionally published and self-published authors who help
one another through virtual book tours and other promotional strategies.
I have also talked to my local librarian about having them carry my book and
I contacted my local paper and they did a 3/4 page article about the book.

In regard to my freelance writing, I publish articles through ezines and submit
articles to mainstream magazines and newspapers. I also use my blog as a tool to promote
myself. Along with this I attend a number of free online telecasts focusing on
marketing and promotion. One of the sites that offers this is
Authors Marketing Experts.

Thanks for joining us, Karen. If YOU would like to be featured here, drop me a line and I’ll sned you the seven questions.