Introducing Kirsten Larson

You may have noted that I put out a call for bloggers a while back. Today I’m happy to introduce our first addition to the Sub It Club team… Kirsten Larson!

Now, you may already know Kirsten from our Sub It Club Submission Support group and her amazingly fun Rejection Bingo that she gifted us all with last year. Kirsten writes picture books, especially nonfiction. She’s the author of 26 nonfiction books for the school and library market, some yet to be published! She also writes nonfiction for children’s magazines from time to time. Today Kirsten is here to do a little q & a so we can all get to know her:

Tell us a little bit about your writing journey so far.

In 2016 I started my agent search in earnest and joined Sub It Club for support. My agent recently sold my first picture book biography (sorry, can’t share details yet).  I’ve also submitted magazine articles and queries to children’s magazines (Boys’ Life, Boys Quest, ASK, Odyssey, etc.). Finally, I’ve submitted packages for work for hire gigs, so my experience with querying is pretty diverse.

What have you learned from your submission experience?

I’ve learned rejection is part of the process, and it only takes one yes. As long as I am working on something new that might lead to a “yes,” I can deal with the “nos.” Each rejection has been a learning process and ultimately has led to better work. Before my picture book sold, the editor asked me to revise and resubmit — over the holidays, no less. However, saying yes to the R&R not only bettered that manuscript (and led to a sale), but also gave me insights on another manuscript. We have to stay flexible.

Any thoughts on how the publishing industry works?

My view is that it is a sloooooooowwww – moving industry, and we need to be patient. However, we shouldn’t sit idly by while we wait for that “yes” or “no.” We always need to be producing new work and sending it out when it’s ready. I also strongly believe that the writing community is a close-knit and supportive one. Writing is a tough road, and we need to stick together. That’s why I love Sub It Club.

What type of blog posts can we expect from you?

I am delighted to join the talented Sub It Club blog team, and hopefully I can bring a new perspective on querying and submissions. I plan to explore new avenues for submissions, like magazine work, nonfiction, and work for hire. I will talk about the submission process after you’ve found an agent, revise and resubmit requests, and more. I’m also always happy to cover topics that most benefit everyone, so if you have suggestions, please feel free to share them below.

I am excited to have Kirsten joining us! I’m so looking forward to her posts on the school, library, and magazine markets. I know she’s going to have all sorts of insightful information for us. And guess what? She’s kicking things off with a brand new round of Rejection Bingo tomorrow! Woohoo!

Watch for Kirsten’s posts, and until then, you can learn more about Kirsten at her blog: kirsten-w-larson.com. You can also find her on Facebook and follow her on Twitter @KirstenWLarson.