My motivation comes from the children at my events. I like telling a story a child can relate to and see themselves in my characters. My stories deal with everyday situations that kids deal with, from being teased to having an illness. If I can help just one child with every book, then I feel like my words matter.
Working full-time, I have to plan ahead. I create a monthly calendar for the upcoming year that includes events I would like to do as well as appearances that have been set up. I start each day with a to-do list, which includes postings, proposals, follow-ups, ideas etc. If I didn’t complete something the day before, it gets moved to the next day until completed.
I have to write when there is free time. I can pretty much write anywhere. I started writing “I Love Me And My BIG Hair” on my lunch hour. Although I love technology, my journal is a main source for creating. It allows me to write down my thoughts and ideas even if I can’t complete them at the moment.
I do have my favorite places to write. My dining room table is my work space. I have a beautiful bay window that I enjoy looking out of.
Julia Davis,
Children's Book Author
How Does She Do It?
Working full-time and writing can definitely be a challenge. You have to make every minute count. There is so much more to being an author than writing a book. In today’s world social media is huge and also a great marketing tool, but it is time consuming.
I have learned to make use of my time wisely. I spend a lot of my weekends writing proposals and creating marketing materials. Being organized is a must for me: my computer goes everywhere with me and so does my journal. If it’s not in my journal, I am likely to forget to do it.
My process for writing is definitely not the norm, but it works well for me. I have an amazing illustrator and we work great together – we can almost read each other’s thoughts when creating. I tell her where I want my story to go and what few images/scenes I would like, and I let her create from there. I think the fact that we are both allowed to be creative in our own right is what makes the I Love ME! Book Series so special.
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"I like telling a story a child can relate to."