An interview with Jennifer Holm, author of Baby Mouse, Squish, and Sunny Side Up, for Kids Comics Unite

Jennifer Holm Interview

Jennifer Holm is the best-selling and award-winning co-creator of the Baby Mouse, Squish, and Sunny Side Up graphic novel series, and she's also the Newbery Honor winning author of numerous middle grade novels like Our Only May Amelia, The Fourteenth Goldfish, and Turtle in Paradise.

Jennifer Holm interview, June 2020, for Kids Comics Unite

In this interview for Kids Comics Unite, we focus on how she got started in her career, her creative process, and why she branched out into graphic novels with her brother, artist Matthew Holm. She dishes on so many fascinating things:

  • Her first job in NYC, before she became a writer (it involved PeeWee’s Playhouse)
  • How she got her agent, and the unusual route she took to selling Baby Mouse to Random House
  • How her first book ended up becoming a middle grade novel (originally she thought it was an adult book)
  • Her biggest piece of advice for new authors
  • How many times she typically revises (or rewrites entirely!) a book
  • How and why she works with freelance editors, in addition to her agent and editor at her publishing house
  • The television production technique she and her brother Matt use to create graphic novels together
  • The reason why Baby Mouse is 2-color
  • Why Jenni writes for middle grade (hint: she hated being a teen)
  • The exact components of her author visits; how she makes them super interactive and fun
  • The theme she returns to over and over in her work

Jenni is well-known for being an incredibly generous creator who constantly gives back to the children's book community. This interview is a perfect example of that.

Click to view the full interview on YouTube.


Interview with Hmong-American graphic novelist and illustrator Duachaka Her

Interview with Duachaka Her

Tell me a bit about yourself. Where are you from? How did you decide to become an artist?

I am a Hmong-American cartoonist and illustrator from Wausau, Wisconsin.

Hmong-American graphic novelist and children's book illustrator Duachaka Her at home in Wisconsin

My whole life, I have been surrounded by art. When I was little, my older siblings and cousins drew. I read a lot of Japanese manga and watched anime and Saturday morning cartoon shows. All of these influences caused me to write and draw my own stories.

After graduating high school, I didn’t know what else I wanted to do besides art. I knew I wanted to go to college, but didn’t know what to study particularly, so I ended up following my siblings to the University of Wisconsin-Stout. I initially went for a Multimedia Design degree, but during my second semester of freshman year, the university opened a new program for Comics and Sequential Arts. I knew I had to jump into that new program because it’s what I’ve always dreamed of doing! During my time in college, I also took a Children’s Literature course and found a love for children’s books.

I knew drawing and storytelling was something that I wanted to do and make into a career, so that pretty much kickstarted my journey as a cartoonist and illustrator.

Hmong New Year sketch by Duachaka Her

How do you start your day?

My day usually starts out with me going to my day job. I work as a prepress technician at a local commercial printer. Pretty much I prepare files for print and do some designing here and there. After I get off work, I make dinner and spend time with my kids and then finally get to work on personal or client projects.

Hmong-American cartoonist and illustrator Duachaka Her's self-portrait

 

What does your workspace/studio look like? What aspects of it are most important to you?

My studio space takes up a corner of a room. My favorite part of my studio space is definitely my large white desk! There’s a ton of space to put stuff on it (although I usually prefer to keep it clear of clutter) and I can adjust the incline of the table top, which makes for easier drawing.

Graphic novelist and children's book illustrator Duachaka Her's white work desk at home.

Next to the desk is an open closet shelf where I place my favorite children’s books, comics, and resources! I love having books displayed because I can just easily grab something when I’m feeling stuck or in need of inspiration.

Hmong-American illustrator Duachaka Her's "inspiration bookshelf" next to her work desk.

 

What’s your favorite medium, and why do you love it?

Currently, I’ve been loving brush and ink because it allows me to do so much. I love that I can vary my line widths, do dry brush, washes, and ink large areas of black.

Pen and ink on children's book and graphic novel creator Duachaka Her's desk

 

What tool has improved your workflow or creative process recently?

Recently, I turned on the “Downtime” feature on my phone to set time away from the screen. I have a tendency to get distracted easily, so having this option to physically show me that I shouldn’t be on when I’m not supposed to is a helpful reminder. Also, my phone does this thing where it’ll show me my average screen time for the week. I like to review my screen time each week and try my best to reduce it! Less screen time means less distractions and more time to focus on actual work.

 

When you’re feeling “artist’s block,” what do you do to get “unblocked”?

Usually when this happens, I step away from drawing or writing for a bit. Sometimes I watch a movie, read a book, or just do something else besides art, like clean the kitchen.

I think having an artist’s block means I need to recharge and come back refreshed.

 

What websites, social media accounts, podcasts, or books are particularly inspiring to you right now? Where do you go when you need a dose of creative inspiration?

I love listening to Dan Berry’s Make It Then Tell Everybody podcast where he interviews cartoonists from all around. It definitely helps hearing from other artists about their journey, struggles, and any advice they may have.

When I’m in need of creative inspiration, I usually go on Instagram and browse through all my favorite artworks or artists. Sometimes I would poke around and find new artists to follow.

Hmong children wearing traditional dress on a bookmark illustrated by artist Duachaka Her

What’s a favorite project that you’ve worked on so far in your career? What did you love about it?

One of my favorite projects I’ve worked on is not a client project, but a group project that I’ve recently done with some artists online. The project was basically illustrating Tarot cards (the major arcana). It was fun because I was able to interpret the piece any way I wanted and the only restrictions were the size of the piece and the fact that it had to portray the card I chose. I think being able to do personal projects helps remind me of the reason I love making art in the first place, which is being able to just dive into your imagination and explore the possibilities!

Tarot card illustrated by Hmong-American illustrator Duachaka Her

What is your dream project in the future?

My dream project would probably have to be a long-form graphic novel.

Then and Now graphic novel page by Hmong-American graphic novelist Duachaka Her

What advice do you wish you could give your younger self?

Stop comparing yourself to others and just make work! Also, stop being hard on yourself and enjoy the process.

 

How do you balance work and art with personal life?

I find this very hard to do especially now that I have kids. All I can say is having family or someone close by to help babysit has definitely helped me get more work accomplished.

Also, time blocking and working when the kids are sleeping is the only way to get things done! This is something I will forever be working on, since every day brings new challenges.

Small child sucking thumb by Hmong-American children's book illustrator Duachaka Her

What’s an example of a past rejection or “failure” that ended up helping you? How did it help?

In the past, I was writing a graphic novel for a publisher, but the project ended up getting terminated. I was devastated, because I thought the story had a chance to shine. For a while, I doubted myself and questioned if I was indeed a good writer after all.

Now that I look back, I believe things happen for a reason. Maybe this setback was an opportunity for me to work on greater things. The best thing I can do right now is to continue refining my craft and write about the things I love.

 

How do you maintain your art career? Either in terms of marketing yourself, or developing multiple income streams?

This is hard to answer because I still find myself struggling and experimenting with what works best for me. In terms of marketing myself, I try to keep a presence on social media and stay up to date with the latest news in the kidlit and comics community.

In regards to income, it’s always about keeping my eyes peeled for opportunities that may come my way. I am involved in several online communities and once in a while someone will post about an interesting opportunity.

Stimulus check comic by Duachaka Her

What are you working on now?

Currently, I am working on a children’s book and planning my next graphic novel! I am also planning to get some personal projects that I have planned completed.

Connect with Duachaka Her:

www.facebook.com/duachakaher

www.instagram.com/duachakaher

See more art by Duachaka Her!

Contact Me About Duachaka

The Future of Children's Book and Graphic Novel Publishing in the Covid-19 Era

Kristen McLean Interview: The Future of Children's Book and Graphic Novel Publishing in the Covid-19 Era

Last week I interviewed Kristen McLean, publishing industry analyst and VP of business development for market research firm NPD Group.

The Future of Children's Book and Graphic Novel Publishing in the Coronavirus Era-kristen-mclean-interview for Kids Comics Meetup April 2020

She answered a lot of burning questions about what's happening in the children's book and graphic novel market right now, like:

  • What's happened to book sales overall since the coronavirus crisis began?
  • What's the biggest "white space" in the book market at this time?
  • How have comics and graphic novel sales been affected in 2020?
  • How might the comics distribution system in the US change in the near future?
  • What categories of books are selling best during this crisis? What's been negatively affected?
  • Which trends might be accelerated by this crisis?
  • How is the crisis causing innovation to happen, and which innovations might change the publishing landscape once the acute crisis abates?

It was a fascinating discussion. Click to view the full interview on YouTube.


Pssst... want to know some insider secrets?

Before dawn tomorrow morning, I'll be on a train with Misako Rocks, heading to Baltimore Comic-con. This will be the first comics show where she reveals art and merchandise for her upcoming graphic novel, BOUNCE BACK.

And it'll be my first show where I present a new workshop which I'm very excited about, entitled...

Insider Secrets on How to Build a Successful Career as a Creator

Woohoo! It's going to be fun. I'll be explaining things like...

  • the four factors that matter most to agents and editors when they're deciding whether or not they want to work with you
  • the three foundational pieces you need in order to grow a powerful "author platform"
  • my favorite ninja trick on how to research the children's book and graphic novel market
  • why creative work requires greater emotional strength and resilience than other types of professions, and how to build your own emotional strength and resilience

And of course, I'll be answering any and all questions you might have on this topic.

The live workshop is happening at 2:45 pm this Sunday, October 20th, in room 339-342 at the Baltimore Convention Center.

I will see you there!!!! Right?

Right?

Hm, maybe you're not attending Baltimore Comic-con. Sadly! I wish I could see you in person.

If you can't make a special trip to Baltimore on Sunday, but you're still interested in the Insider Secrets workshop, I have good news.

I'd be happy to do the workshop online. For free. But I need to know how many people are interested.

If you'd like to join a live workshop on this topic, could you just email me and let me know?


Nine Things You Need to Break Into Children's Book Publishing as an Author, Illustrator, or Graphic Novelist

9 Things You Need to Break Into Children's Publishing

A little while ago, I read a new picture book, The Dreamer, by Korean artist Il Sung Na. It tells the story of a wistful, inventive pig who loves to watch birds soaring through the air.

The Dreamer by Il Sung Na, a children's book about following your dreams“If only I could fly, too,” he thinks.

Before long, his dream turns into an actual goal: he’s determined to figure out how to fly.

He starts clumsily. His first ramshackle contraptions do nothing but break. He gets discouraged, but some friends come to his aid and give him new ideas.

He tries again. And again. Each time getting better and better.

Then one day, with a crowd of friends watching, he straps himself into his latest invention, a hang glider-like machine with big red wings. This time, he runs down a hill and then ascends magnificently into the air.

And that first flight is just the beginning. He continues perfecting his vision, devising new vehicles of various sorts, and soon inspires other animals to take to the air.

I was just about to close the book when the author bio on the back flap caught my eye:

“As a kid [Il Sung Na] loved to draw, but it wasn’t until he visited a London bookstore in college that he discovered picture books were his calling. The real-life trial-and-error pursuit of that calling was the inspiration behind this book.”

That’s one of the things I love most about kids books and comics -- they offer all the life lessons you’ll ever need, in just a few illustrated pages!

In its own allegorical way, The Dreamer encapsulates many of the necessary elements you need in order to succeed as a writer or artist. Things like a long-term vision; a willingness to fail; a community of friends to keep you going. Although soft skills and mindset might seem secondary to talent and technical skills, they are actually extremely important. 

I talk to a lot of people who are just getting started in their careers, or trying to “relaunch” themselves. A lot of times, their questions for me are about narrow, methodological details like:

  • “How do you land a literary agent?” 
  • “How do you write a good book proposal?” 
  • “How do you promote yourself on social media effectively?”

I’ll let you in on a secret: although I answer those questions as helpfully as possible, I subtly try to steer them toward different questions -- better questions. These are questions like: 

  • “How can I develop a positive mindset?”
  • “How can I be more giving in my interactions with other people, both in person and online?” 
  • “How can I be more focused and intentional in my work?”

Building your dream career as an author or artist is totally possible. But one problem with creative people is that they have very good imaginations… which can lead them to build elaborate castles in the air before they’ve even built a solid foundation. 

It’s not the elaborate daydreams that will help you succeed; it’s the fundamentals. Those fundamentals are like magic; they enable you to turn dreams into reality. 

Here are the 9 foundational elements every author or artist needs to succeed in their publishing careers:

1. Start with baby steps.

Everyone starts as a beginner, just like Il Sung Na’s visionary pig. In the beginning, our ambitions almost always far outstrip our abilities. You may aspire to write a multi-volume epic, but you’ll need to start with something simple. Maybe a mini-comic, a zine, or a short webcomic.

I remember the first time I saw Raina Telgemeier’s work. It was a 12-page comic in a group show sponsored by Friends of Lulu. It hinted at the elements that eventually helped make Raina a blockbuster success: the emotional sincerity; the down-to-earth, wry sense of humor; the simple and inviting visual style with obvious inspiration from Lynn Johnstone’s For Better or Worse.

And yet, it was just a 12-page comic. Raina didn’t start by writing Smile; she started with little xeroxed mini-comics.

2. Be part of a creative community.

The Dreamer begins with a lone pig staring into the sky, but it doesn’t take long before the pig has enlisted a whole group of animals to help him gain traction with his flying project.

That’s no accident. It’s absolutely essential that you make connections with fellow writers and artists. Trying to figure out everything on your own is a dead end street.

After all, being a creative is already a lonely endeavor -- in order to create, you must spend many hours alone with your thoughts, doing the hard work of translating your imagination onto the page. Spending time with other people who understand what you’re trying to do is critical to keeping yourself motivated and inspired.

Just as important, connecting with your peers is also a way to avoid “reinventing the wheel.” Perhaps you’re struggling with a particular plot twist in your script; or figuring out how to promote yourself with limited time and money. By talking these sorts of problems over with other artists, you’ll get fresh ideas and learn from people who’ve already done what you’re trying to do.

3. Put yourself out there.

The first few times The Dreamer’s pig attempts to build a flying machine, he does it by himself -- and always ends in a heap of twisted mechanical parts. It’s only after he starts showing his work to a few friendly observers that he starts making progress.

When you’re just getting started, sharing your work publicly can be scary. That’s because your brain instinctively tries to protect you from unknown situations, which it interprets as “dangerous.” And it easily comes up with rationalizations that seem totally logical. Things like:

  • “I’m not ready. My work isn’t polished enough to share publicly yet.”
  • “I don’t want someone to steal my ideas. People can take your idea off the internet and sell it as their own.”
  • “If I post my work online, publishers aren’t going to be interested in publishing it as a book.”

All of these reasons for keeping your work under wraps until “the right time” are elaborate justifications to avoid the real reason to avoid sharing it: FEAR.

Putting your work out there, inviting public scrutiny and critiques, is undeniably scary. Your creative work is a reflection of your innermost thoughts, your imagination, your artistic talent. Who wouldn’t feel vulnerable offering that up to the world?

However, your biggest challenge, when you’re getting started, is not your amateurishness, or getting your ideas poached, or ruining your chances for a publishing deal.

Your biggest problem is being invisible.

You’ve got to make yourself part of the conversation, to invite feedback, to share your creative journey.

4. Build your online presence.

OK, I’ll admit we never see the pig in Il Sung Na’s book build a website or open a social media account. But in the case of breaking into kids comics publishing today, you absolutely must have some sort of online presence.

As Austin Kleon says, “It sounds a little extreme, but in this day and age, if your work isn’t online, it doesn’t exist.”

That doesn’t mean you must have a fancy website and thousands of followers on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, LinkedIn, DeviantArt, and Pinterest. A simple website and one social media account is enough to get started.

Here’s what you need, at a minimum:

  • A website.
    It can be simple, but you must have this “homebase” on the Internet. It’s your own little piece of real estate over which you have total and complete control. (Never forget, you have NO control over Instagram or Twitter or any other social media platforms! If they change their algorithms and suddenly you can’t reach 95% of your followers, that's your problem, not theirs.)
  • A “keep in touch” strategy.
    You must have a way that you’re keeping in touch with the people who already know and support you. In the beginning, this might be a simple email to 20 friends and family members. It doesn’t matter; what does matter is that you have a consistent routine of sharing your ideas, your work-in-progress, and your inspiration with people who care.
  • An “outreach” strategy.
    This means you’ve thought about how to find and reach MORE people who might like your work. I’m a big fan of the “slow and steady” approach ("The Tortoise and the Hare" is my favorite Aesop’s fable for a reason!). Maybe you have a table at a local comics festival every year, and slowly add to your mailing list. Maybe you organize a happy hour for artists, and grow your own circle by helping others. Maybe you teach comics in schools, and grow a fan base of teachers and librarians through word of mouth.

Any of these strategies is legitimate and effective. Notice that they all involve one-to-one, personal, genuine connections. These are the connections that make a difference when you’re running a Kickstarter campaign or launching your first book.

5. Understand your audience.

This is a truism in any industry: in order to succeed, you must have a very clear, specific, visceral sense of the audience you’re speaking to.

But in the case of creating work for children -- whether it’s a toy or a book or a comic -- you’re not only creating for a specific audience (ie, kids who like scatalogical humor, or dark fantasy, or monster trucks, or anything with the color pink, etc.), you’re also creating for a specific age level.

This is a huge difference between the adult book market and the kids market. Because, when it comes to children's books, there is no such thing as All Ages.

As adults, our brains are fully developed. Children, on the other hand, have brains that are still developing. This means that their cognition, reading level, vocabulary, experiences, and sensibilities are constantly evolving. A book that is enthralling for a 5 year old will not be enthralling to that same child when she is 14 -- or even when she is 8 or 9!

Most good children’s book and kids comics creators have a deep empathy for the kids they’re writing for. Mo Willems can get on the level of 4 and 5 year olds who are just beginning to grasp the mechanics of reading (and making jokes). Dav Pilkey can still inhabit the world from the perspective of a 7 year old boy. And Raina Telgemeier definitely remembers in vivid detail what it feels like to be a middle school girl.

So when you’re writing books for kids, some part of your brain has to be accessing your story from a specific stage of development, and relating it in a verbal and visual language that is ideal for that age level. For many writers and artists, that comes intuitively.

Regardless of whether it’s intuitive or a skill that you have to work at, the following tip will help you hone that ability even better.

6. Know the market.

Read widely and deeply, as much as you can. Just like the pig who studies blueprints and equations and the latest in aeronautical engineering, you’ve got to become an expert in what’s currently being published in the genres and age levels that you’re most interested in writing for.

Once you’re ready to look for an agent or publisher, having a strong knowledge of recently published books will help you pinpoint the specific agents and specific editors who might be most likely to appreciate your work. You can narrow down a shortlist of books you like, and then google the author and title with the word “editor” or “agent.” You’ll almost always be able to find who edited and agented those books.

That way, when you approach those agents and editors, you won’t be one of the dreaded “spray and pray” creators who send their proposals indiscriminately to every industry email they can scrape up. Instead, you can write an intelligent query letter that explains why you are interested in that particular agent or editor.

As an added bonus, once you have a meeting with an editor or publisher -- or further along in your career, once you’re appearing on panels and podcasts -- having a solid understanding of how your work fits into the wider publishing landscape will help you contribute more meaningfully to the conversation. Which, in turn, makes you a more credible, appealing candidate for publishing, and a more sought-after panelist or podcast guest.

7. Invest in yourself.

Most children's book creators don’t have a degree in “Children's Book Creatorship,” but that doesn’t mean they haven’t invested in learning as much as they can about the field.

If you want to build a long-term career as a kids comics creator, it isn’t any different than any other profession: spending money is often the fastest and most effective way to make progress and increase your opportunities. You’ve got to develop your skills, attend networking events, promote your work, and get professional feedback and advice.

Here are some of the specific ways you should be investing in yourself:

Or, if you really want to, get an advanced degree! Get your MFA at the Center for Cartoon Studies, or an art school like SVA, CalArts, or SCAD, or a creative writing program like the Vermont College of Fine Arts or Simmons University Writing for Children.

8. Learn to Handle Rejection.

The publishing industry is crammed with best-selling authors who experienced years of discouragement and rejection before finally getting their work published. I remember hearing a keynote speech by Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Bryan Collier at an SCBWI conference a few years ago, where he recounted having spent SEVEN YEARS carting his portfolio to every publishing house in NYC, over and over again, before finally getting his first book deal.

Publishing is competitive and it is highly likely that you’ll face your share of rejection. Rather than hope for the best, I think it’s wise to prepare yourself for it, and develop conscious, deliberate ways to recover from it.

Most importantly, remember that one agent’s or editor’s rejection is not a final reckoning on your talent. It could be that they didn’t have room on their list for another book in your specific genre. Or they don’t have time to offer you the developmental editing that your project requires (sadly, this is the norm nowadays.) Or they simply don’t see your vision.

Facing rejection is another reason why having a community of peers is so important -- you need friends to cheer you up when external forces get you down.

Finally, remind yourself that it takes time to succeed in any craft. You’ve got to put in the hours, get critiqued, confront rejection, and just keep going back to the drawing board again and again.

In fact, you really only need to do one thing….

9. Persist.

When I was young, I thought that the most important factor in success was talent. Many battle-scarred years later, I now understand that the most important factor in success is definitely not talent.

It is PERSISTENCE.

Keep writing, keep drawing, keep imagining, keep sharing, again and again. It’s a simple recipe, but it isn’t easy.

As Dr. Seuss said,

“And will you succeed? Yes! You will indeed! (98 and ¾ percent guaranteed!)”

And he should know….

After all, his first book was rejected 28 times before being published by Random House.


Disclosure: Some of the links above are affiliate links, meaning, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.