Mere literary talent is common; what is rare is endurance, the continuing desire to work hard at writing.
— Donald Hall

For all the talk about talent, luck, targeted submissions, and trapping editors in bathroom stalls, the one quality common in all of the successful writers I know is that they haven’t given up.

They’ve continued to write with a determination, even a ferocity, as though it is something they must do and will succeed at. Sure, they have had their downs and doubts, but they rise again and again, even if it means getting kicked in the face. Sooner or later, they figure out how to kick back.

Forget the slush pile. Forget trends. Write your story and the next one and the one after that with all the guts and gusto you have to offer.

Cynsational News & Links

Thanks to Houston SCBWI for featuring my books and promotional materials in its booth at the upcoming conference of the International Reading Association in San Antonio.

Beyond The Library: Researching Non-Fiction for Children with Joanne Mattern from the Institute of Children’s Literature.

The Perfect Author Visit is a Circle from author Jacqueline Davies (a PDF file).

The Vermont Folk Life Center has expanded its children’s book pages with additional background on the books, teacher resources, links to original audio stories and more.