PUBLISHED GRAD

What are the names of your books? Who is the publisher?

Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten, Scholastic 2011;

Hedgehog’s 100th Day of School, Scholastic 2017;

The Star in the Christmas Play, Beaming Books 2018;

Let’s Eat Around the World, Beaming Books 2019

Moldilocks and the 3 Scares, Sterling 2019, plus more forthcoming as well.

Tell us a bit about your path to publishing, from idea to submission to published book.

My career actually began with ICL in 1998. Once I had done the work and graduated and was confident in my writing, I signed up for an SCBWI  Membership and continued my pursuit of becoming a children’s picture book author. Along the way, I published many, many magazine articles as a result of my studies with ICL.

How long have you been writing?
Since 1998.

What’s your favorite genre to write and why?
Children’s Picture Books

What ICL courses have your taken?
Writing for the Children’s Magazine Market

Children’s Institute Magazine Article Workshop

Advanced Writing for Magazines

and MORE.

How has taking our course helped your writing and/or career?
Without a doubt, the courses gave me a solid foundation for my success.

Have any of your class assignments been published? If so, where and when?
Several have, but I do not have additional information at this time. One I recall off the top of my head is Children’s Writer.

Do you have a favorite writing tip you’d like to share?
Just keep reading. Just keep reading. And you can substitute reading with learning, writing, revising and critiquing 🙂

If you could travel back in time and give yourself one piece of writing advice, how far back would you go, and what would you tell yourself?
To stay the course. Often I let life sidetrack me from my dreams and pursuits.

Please tell us the best or most valuable thing you learned from your experience with ICL.

The most valuable thing I learned was the complete basics. A strong foundation of studying, reading and writing is paramount before even  focusing on submitting.

Do I think everyone should begin their career as a children’s writer with ICL?
YES! It is really important to learn and know the basics (and even beyond the basics) BEFORE you throw yourself out in the world as an aspiring children’s writer. It will truly inform your success once you put yourself out there.

Lynne Marie is the author of Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten – illustrated by Anne Kennedy (Scholastic, 2011), Hedgehog’s 100th Day of School – illustrated by Lorna Hussey (Scholastic, January 2017), The Star of the Christmas Play –illustrated by Lorna Hussey (Sparkhouse Family, 2018) and Moldilocks and the 3 Scares (Sterling, pending) . Her stories, poems, folk tales and crafts have appeared in many magazine markets, including Family Fun, Highlights, High Five, Spider, Baby Bug and more. She was a first-round panelist for 2016 Cybils Awards and again, in 2017. In addition, she’s an on-staff writer for Jon and Laura Bard’s Children’s Book Insider and a book reviewer. She lives on a lake in South Florida with her daughter, son and Anakin, their little Schipperke, as well as several resident water birds. You can learn more about her at www.LiterallyLynneMarie.com.