#ICBDKidLitArtPitch Twitter ART Pitch Party for PB through MG

                                        "Come Join the Fun!"        by Dyann Joyce

Hello there!

I am writing as April 2 is International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) and Hans Christian Andersen's birthday. In celebration, and with the rising popularity of Twitter Pitch parties, we are hosting and formally inviting you to the #ICBDKidLitArtPitch International Children’s Book Illustration Day Twitter Party.

This is an invitation to participate in the Twitter pitch party on April 6, 2015. I am contacting agents and publishers with submissions open to PB, CB, and Illustrated MG novels in the hopes of making it a memorable day for artists and representatives alike!

A Pitch accompanied by excerpts from a picture book dummy will be the content of the Pitches to favorite (star) if you may be interested in seeing the whole Picture Book dummy for #BB or #PB (board book or Picture book), or samples of the illustrations with Pitch for #CB (early reader chapter book that relies heavily on the illustrations), or illustrated #MG (early or later middle grade), we are considering MG covers and usually MG has interior art. We hope to have submissions from cardboard books to illustrated MG novels!

I am making a list of agents and publishers and will post it with constant updates once confirmations come in.

Please join us in this first annual Twitter Art Pitch Party #ICBDKidLitArtPitch to celebrate International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) and Hans Christian Andersen's birthday. The Twitter Art Pitch Party will be from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. PST to respect work and school hours.

We will be formally announcing it and starting the social media blasts the week of Valentine’s Day to honor what could be the perfect match for Children’s Book illustrators and Writer/illustrators with that perfect agent or publisher seeking new talent or new MS.

My co-host is Mark Mitchell from the Make Your Marks and Splashes! Illustration course and Illustrator/Author Match Up. We are also releasing a recorded 6-part series in Spring/early Summer 2015, “The Making of a Children’s Book.”

We will also have free goodies and Illustration Critique prizes throughout the day.

Watch for announcements as we will offer Book Dummy Twitter Pitch making and Illustration Twitter Pitch Workshops beforehand, as well as a "Querying after the Golden Star" workshop afterwards.The point is to make the perfect match!

 We hope to have a Holidays Twitter Art Pitch Party also!


We hope by announcing early artists can get their MS and Picture Book Dummy's ready while we invite agents and publishers to drop by.

Thank you so much for your time!

Sincerely,

Dyann Joyce

@DyannJC 

 GildedDragonflies@gmail.com

Dyann Joyce's Art site

Dyann Joyce's Writers Blog

~~If you want me to personally send a reminder to you when we post contests or the week before the Twitter Art party please leave a  TWITTER # or an  EMAIL below IN THE COMMENTS or a note you have emailed it privately to me~
~ May the Golden Stars ever be in your Favor!! Let's have fun with this!!! Hope to see as many as I can in print! ~~

The Writing Adventures of a children's book writer illustrator 1: Introduction Glamour vs. Reality

For many decades the answer was a lot simpler, just "write" or "draw." Ta-DA you are a writer or an artist. Many have the image of a solitary figure working furiously to complete a personal project, fueled by passion and caffeine to meet their own deadline or in preparation to send out to publishers. While the first image is true in a sense, the last is the reality; it is a lot of work to hone your craft.

The romanticized Glamor of a Children's Book Illustrator's studio

I recently had a client show up after watching the biopic (3 times in a roll he said) on Beatrix Potter, "Miss Potter," and seemed shocked perceptive bunnies, floating glitter, and gilt framed paintings were not everywhere on the walls in orderly rolls.

I didn't want to point out she also lived with rich parents and had no nagging distraction of building her social presence, business sense, writer's platform, and keeping herself relevant and educated on new trends while producing her passion.
It was a surprise visit- he lives 2,000 miles away and it was the day before Christmas Eve- and any working writer illustrator knows you do as much as you can before you have to step away.

You get to a good stopping point with all your thoughts out and down on paper (to be easier to pick up at that point when you start again).

...Versus the reality

So, of course I was in Hello Kitty string-tied pajama bottoms, a thin favorite faded NIN T-shirt (not a perfectly pressed fitted Victorian lacy blouse and fussy bustle), and very comfy socks stuffed in my Jack Skellington slippers. I had coffee on, make-up off, and a list of AudioBooks on play to keep me company while I work. My doggies were full of energy, fridge not so much of home cooked fare.


As Clark Griswold jokes in "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation," I couldn't have been more surprised if I had "woke up with my head sewn to the carpet, Eddie." Not a magical glitter sprinkled carpet either, with fae and animals helping sew a ball gown, more like a cookie crumb and spilled sugar (from the Turbo charged "Deadlines" coffee) crunchy dust with the doggies foraging for goodies. To be perfectly honest, the night before at 5 am I had JUST taken down my Halloween lights and skeletons after the mailman had a weird look at my purple lit Maleficent wreath when he delivered some new supplies.

I get this a lot, especially with clients I am doing an illustration for (such a self publishers who are financing their first books) that are newer and this is their first time they are bringing their creation to the world. I understand, as for many this is the first step in putting their dream into a process to have it developed and come into a physical product.
It is magical and very special.
It is something I cherish being a part of, bringing a new creation into the world that didn't exist before the two creative forces blended.


I am writing the series "The Adventures of a Children's Book Writer Illustrator" and
"Tips to become a successful Children's Book Writer Illustrator" and hope it can help others out  who want to get into this field (Children's Book writing OR Children's Book illustration), or just provide some insight into my passion. Jammies optional.


There are also some big announcements coming up for a Live Interactive FAQ and Q & A Series focusing on the several aspects in making children's books AND HOW TO MAKE A LIVING DOING WHAT YOU LOVE (had to shout that, it is possible!), as well as upcoming contests and interactive give-aways!
I will try to post once for each series of The Adventures of a Children's Book Writer Illustrator and Tips to become a successful Children's Book Writer Illustrator  and will post announcements as soon as we have dates and author guests have confirmed.




Thank you for visiting and leave a "Hello!" and feel free to tell us of your space, studio, or magically dusted forest glade where YOU create! I would love to hear it!


Dyann Joyce

Dyann Joyce : Writing Adventures of a Children's Book Author Illustrator 

Navigation through the world of Children's Book Publishing. This writing blog focuses on the writing aspect of Picture Books (PB), Chapter Books (CB), Middle Grade (MG), New Adult (NA) and Young Adult (YA) books and offers tips, insight, querying help, social media help, tax and business side, and advice as one author illustrator makes her way (as she waits for art projects to come to fruition while having queries out). Welcome and enjoy!

For more focus on the art side of Children's Books, fee free to visit my visual Children's Book art portfolio is Dyann Joyce Adventures of a Illustrator Author and my project-based blog is there with my current art projects and upcoming books I have illustrated.

FREE Google+ Hangout on Air with 2014 SCBWI Tomie dePaola Illustration Award winner Akiko White

Another wonderful Google+ Hangout from Mark Mitchell!

Hangout Thursday with a prize-winning cakelustrator!

Join us  this Thursday at noon for a free Hangout on Air with 2014 SCBWI Tomie dePaola Illustration Award winner Akiko White. She’ll show us her working process, answer your questions and chat with her SCBWI, illustrator and cake decorating colleagues — and you in this fun, informal live session. Discover:

• How Akiko became a cakellustrator and how you can do it, too!
• Why she includes bas relief and 3-D cake decoration in her artist’s mediums!
• What it’s like to pioneer a ‘new method’ in an international illustration competition!
• 
  

http://illustratechildrensbooks.com/hangout-with-akiko/ is the address for the free signup and replays!

Using Google's new Hummingbird Search Engine to boost your SEO power in minutes for authors and illustrators

Using Google Hummingbird SEO strategies for your site, project, or blog in minutes

 

How does Google Hummingbird apply to authors and illustrators?

Since a few things Mira of The Craft and Business of Writing Children's Books said in her class last week stuck with me on inquiry letters, I really see how being active on blogs and groups has ushered in a user-centric handle on success. Basically, by saying you will network, build SEO, and use social media on anything you work on can make or break you getting a job over a more socially active applicant. Let's face it, its something that's crucial within the last few years and lets all just start now- so when we need it, its there.
I was not EXPECTING it as I just started my blog again, but I had 2 authors from my homestate contact me so I am beyond tickled! I am now doing a book on one of my favorite subjects from home- and wow!!

 One minute to using Google Hummingbird

Isn't SEO just for tech people and market gurus? No, its a form of marketing yourself, your site, your blog, or your project.

I can't code or do HTML, is using Google Hummingbird or SEO tactics too hard for me?

One minute to SEO

Not at all. Let me show you. Can we all add our blog links to the comments section?
Congratulations! 
You just helped your blog in SEO (Search Engine Optimized) by having blog-to-blog links in 30 seconds (they are rated by Google Analytics and being linked from a higher rated blog will help your rank even more).
Let's do it again.  
We can join one another in helping peers with another quick 30 seconds: if someone visits your blog or site from a comment's link, that's called a backlink. Be sure to leave over 30 words as a comment so its not considered spam.
Tada! In under ONE MINUTE, you just supplied your blog with two forms of SEO, that is registered different than just basic links given out or clicked on from a Google search.

What exactly is Google Hummingbird?

Google uses all the different types of web activity to rate your blog, article, or website when it considers how high to rank you when someone (a potential client or customer) types your name or a keyword (which can be a phrase like Children's book on Ballet) in its search engine, the main Google page. When someone "just Google's it" you want your name, project, or site to come up on the first page, the higher the better. That can only be achieved and maintained by optimization for the search engine.
Since 2010, Google has had several updates on how to boost SEO, like Panda or Penguin, but they were only updates to a decade old engine built on needs of 10 years ago. Google Hummingbird is a revamp of the entire formula for 2014. So the timing is perfect to start a blog or site focused on your writing or illustration as now instead of weeding out what they do not want to see, the new Google Hummingbird algorithm is an overhaul based on user experience. Since search queries are 90% of all searches, you can boost the success of your site or project using a few simple tactics geared towards user content.

What SEO strategies can I use to get a higher search rank in the new Google Hummingbird engine?

Google's new Hummingbird search engine has a few guidelines to help SEO (how a search engine brings up your name/blog)

• blog 2x a week, one is good but two keeps activity up. Try to do it the same days of the week.
• its not about just fluff or non-related issues, have relevant content that's useful.
•  inbound links (other blogs or social media linking TO you)
• outbound links (you adding links in your text, not just to the static side)
• conversational tones (IE more forgiving with typos and not so Wikipedia but more "just talking casually" while providing information and be a resource, Google says conversational queries/searches will have a bigger role.
• its a good time to get on Google+ as activity will register when you blog or update, as it does there also. Use the Hangouts, Mark Mitchell does a wonderful job of providing relevant and varied resources for any author or illustrator, especially in the children's and YA market with live Google Hangouts and webinars
• there is no time like now to share an expertise, solve a user's problem, or provide fresh content

I am trying to take one hour (once or twice a week) just to talk on successful strategies in the children's book market and one hour on other topics, if only to talk about projects, classes, critiques, or experiences as I build my art as my brand, as I am finally doing what I love and cannot ever see doing anything else.
If anyone needs comments, visits, or Pinterest links from theirs, let me know as we all can support one another in this passion we have!
Please leave any comments, inquiries, or suggestions on future topics below and thank you!
by Dyann Joyce

Dyann Joyce : Writing Adventures of a Children's Book Author Illustrator 

Navigation through the world of Children's Book Publishing. This writing blog focuses on the writing aspect of Picture Books (PB), Chapter Books (CB), Middle Grade (MG), New Adult (NA) and Young Adult (YA) books and offers tips, insight, querying help, social media help, tax and business side, and advice as one author illustrator makes her way (as she waits for art projects to come to fruition while having queries out). Welcome and enjoy!

For more focus on the art side of Children's Books, fee free to visit my visual Children's Book art portfolio is Dyann Joyce Adventures of a Illustrator Author and my project-based blog is there with my current art projects and upcoming books I have illustrated.

Donna L Martin's ON THE WRITE TRACK: BOOK NOOK REVIEWS: Keiko Kasza

Donna L Martin's ON THE WRITE TRACK: BOOK NOOK REVIEWS: Keiko Kasza




What a wonderful review!! Dyann

Class critique: "Ella's Day Job" by Dyann Joyce

Tomorrow is once again our children's book illustration class critique from Mark Mitchell's Make Your Marks and Splashes: A Power Course on Creating Effective Illustrations for Childrens Books, Magazines and Other Media for Children.

I added this one and am so excited!

On this one, "Ella's Day Job" it seemed to go well. A few things that can be tweaked were maybe a few more contrast-y colors in the ladies hair in the back, but overall I was very pleased that everyone seemed to like it.

Thanks!
Dyann Joyce

Dyann Joyce : Writing Adventures of a Children's Book Author Illustrator 

Navigation through the world of Children's Book Publishing. This writing blog focuses on the writing aspect of Picture Books (PB), Chapter Books (CB), Middle Grade (MG), New Adult (NA) and Young Adult (YA) books and offers tips, insight, querying help, social media help, tax and business side, and advice as one author illustrator makes her way (as she waits for art projects to come to fruition while having queries out). Welcome and enjoy!

For more focus on the art side of Children's Books, fee free to visit my visual Children's Book art portfolio is Dyann Joyce Adventures of a Illustrator Author and my project-based blog is there with my current art projects and upcoming books I have illustrated.

New children's book classes starting up

I also signed up for a few new classes, Will Terry's and Jake Parker's "Painting with Color and Light" Featuring Ty Carter from Bluesky studios and Mark Mitchells and Wendy Martin's  "Vector Your Kidlit Art 6-week Adobe Illustrator Class" as with the apps, learning a painterly way to use vector (sizeable) art seems the perfect transition. Here is a free class intro and I am sure you can buy the recorded series after, View the recording we made of the free webinar.


This is a high Nouveau style of art from Echo-X that is Adobe Illustrator which I had no idea you could do things like this. Vector used to be only logos and more commercial graphic art, but not anymore!

Thanks! Dyann Joyce

Dyann Joyce : Writing Adventures of a Children's Book Author Illustrator 

Navigation through the world of Children's Book Publishing. This writing blog focuses on the writing aspect of Picture Books (PB), Chapter Books (CB), Middle Grade (MG), New Adult (NA) and Young Adult (YA) books and offers tips, insight, querying help, social media help, tax and business side, and advice as one author illustrator makes her way (as she waits for art projects to come to fruition while having queries out). Welcome and enjoy!

For more focus on the art side of Children's Books, fee free to visit my visual Children's Book art portfolio is Dyann Joyce Adventures of a Illustrator Author and my project-based blog is there with my current art projects and upcoming books I have illustrated.