Ditto!
Picture book author repped by @charlottewenger.bsky.social. Sometimes writer of YA & MG. Wife. Mommy. Band director. 🇵ðŸ‡ðŸ‡ºðŸ‡¸. She/her. #12x12pb. #Kidlitart on IG @ larissa.d.elliott. ADHD is my superpower.
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Ditto!
Bonus: 1-on-1 mentorships, for sure. And probably one of those week long stays in Italy workshopping with some big name from the industry. The dream! #kidlitart
🤣
Those will probably end up being my empty-nester hobbies...in 11 years when my youngest graduates. Maybe sooner if she does the whole locking-herself-in-her-room thing. #kidlitart
I wouldn't mind learning something more physical/3D than just drawing/painting. I was pretty crafty as a kid. I wouldn't mind learning how to throw a pot or do stained glass or carve wood. But those all seem hard, so maybe felt/fabric art? #kidlitart
"I have to do dishes?"
I've toyed with the idea of painting interiors as a contractor if I have a mental breakdown from teaching, lol. I've done a bit of drywall too and wouldn't mind doing that. I'm not a fan of flooring. My poor knees. #kidlitart
I've done some online workshops from Highlights and they're great! The retreat center really is magical too. The food!!! #kidlitart
You get your money's worth with the 12x12 webinars even if you can't do all the rest! #kidlitart
I did a few domestika illustration courses. They have sales all the time so it can be quite affordable if you need that. For writing skills, I highly recommend the 12x12 picture book challenge community. #kidlitart
I mostly do self-taught learning. I did a few YouTube tutorials and some copying of fav illustrations, but I worry my stuff will look too much like copying, so I end up floundering on my own. I haven't had real art education since a drawing class in college. I should probably change that. #kidlitart
Character design and pose sheets are on my to-do list for soon-ish I hope. I very much need to work on them. #kidlitart
Some of my rectangle practice, turned into house doodles. #kidlitart
A1: I've challenged myself recently to draw 100 of basic shapes. First circles that I then turned into faces, then squares/rectangles that I'm working on turning into various doodles. I need to keep studying clothing and general character design. #kidlitart
I hope so too. #kidlitart
I hope it all pans out!
Haha! Yay for "not kid lit at all". Can't wait to see! #kidlitart
I'm a teacher so I'm back to school with the kids! That's the big reason it was so crazy and exhausting. Oh, and one of my kiddos came down with the back-to-school-cold today, so that's a bonus. Ugh. #kidlitart
Super cool! I love the cutout! #kidlitart
Ooh! Finishing first drafts is the best! What type of piece are you showing in the gallery? #kidlitart
YAAAAAYYY! Congratulations!!!!
Hi friends! For August, my win was surviving the flurry of back to school. I'm exhausted. Ugh. I had a teeny tiny bit of time for writing and arting and I think it was *relatively* productive, considering. #kidlitart
How is it almost September? But that means it's time for one of my favorite themes for #diversifymyart! This month is Style and Bling! Celebrate how we decorate and express ourselves through fashion, jewelry, tattoos, hair, makeup, and more! #kidlitart
School barely begun. Kids mingle, share germs, and then… Sniffle, cough, AH-CHOO! #dailyhaikuprompt barely
This is exactly me. All those drafts are in a folder that I revisit every now and then to see if I can mold something into a workable story. I am not afraid of a rewrite. I got my agent with a manuscript that went through several MAJOR rewrites before it was right for her. #kidlitchat
This reminds me--I need to go back to that R&R that I was stuck on. I stepped away from it to let it marinate. #kidlitchat
Nothing refreshing about a Monday morning. I need more coffee. #dailyhaikuprompt refreshing
The bell rings. I’m late, still in my PJs. They laugh. Back to school nightmare. #DailyHaikuPrompt late #haikusaturday
Latest version has more details, inspired by #DiversifyMyArt @larissadelliott.bsky.social Procreate brushes used are by @planetsmudge.bsky.social because new brushes can also help during uninspired times. Website updated! catarinaoliveirastudio.com #kidlitart #picturebooks #nonfiction #t2agency
This is amazing! She is beautiful! Thank you for tagging me and for participating in #diversifymyart!
I realized I missed sharing the #diversifymyart theme for this month. August's theme is "Bandages and Boo-boos"! #kidlitart
Last year I got out of a writing rut by doing haiku Saturday posts a few times. The small format felt achievable. The accomplishment was enough to reignite my creative spark. #kidlitchat
Yellow, orange, red. Their faces follow the light. Sunflowers blooming. #haikusaturday
True!
The Enola Holmes movies were great! I can't wait for the 3rd to come out. I loved all the books and would love to see more become movies.
I'm not sure if it's affecting writers casting their books (because I don't do it) but I feel like movie and TV actors have become less of a focus with the rise of content creators and influencers. We don't have a Brad Pitt type dominating the zeitgeist. #kidlitchat
I recently discovered "False Prince" by Jennifer A Nielsen and the masterful twists she pulls (in all of her books) would make good movies. I'm mad that it was optioned and then dropped! #kidlitchat
I keep waiting for the second season of the Percy Jackson series to come out! #kidlitchat
If you’re new to writing picture books, check out the resources on www.kidlit411.com. So many links to great resources! Also check out @12x12challenge.bsky.social
Boom! Sizzle! Kapow! Bursting with celebration? Fight for our country. #haikusaturday
I don't think I ever grew up. I'm a teacher, so all I've known my whole life is hanging around school-aged kids. I won't rule it out, but I probably don't know enough about being an adult to write for adults. #kidlitchat
Maybe they'd give us a good 2 for 1 deal! #kidlitart
Italy was probably my favorite. Florence for all the art!!! #kidlitart
So cool! #kidlitart
I'd love a trip to somewhere in Europe...without kids, lol. (Just kidding! With kids and a babysitter.) Maybe Spain because I've never been there, but I've visited several other countries in Europe that I would love returning to. New Zealand or Alaska would be cool too. #kidlitart
Thanks! It's very inspiring. I've written a few picture book drafts about it and always make some sort of art while I'm there. #kidlitart
Awesome stickers! #kidlitart
I just got back from a week in the mountains of WV. So peaceful! #kidlitart
I did a high ropes course as a teen and it was amazing! #kidlitart
I finally got around to reading Dan Brown's "Origins" (I just started so don't spoil it). And I'm re-reading the Anne of Green Gables series. I'd also like to read some verse novels if I can find some that sound good. #kidlitart
Ooh fun! Do share! #kidlitart
I get my best writing done at Panera. Despite the public space, I go by myself so I don't have my kids distracting me constantly. #kidlitart
My mom was having a yard sale. It was the best deadline for motivation! #kidlitart
Our annual summer family trip to the mountains is the best for getting outdoors to draw/paint. At home, sometimes I get my kids to do watercolor with me in our sun room which is lovely and bright. (Usually I'm on an iPad in my dim living room.) #kidlitart
Haha! I come up with grand plans of decluttering and organizing something like a closet but it usually gets overwhelming half way. I was surprised I ACTUALLY purged a bunch of kid junk out of the basement. Huge win this year! #kidlitart
Yes, the waiting can be excruciating. It's gotten to the point that receiving any response is so surprising that it's almost funny. The good thing about family in the summer is they can distract from the waiting. #kidlitart
Haha! Live critique is brutal! #kidlitart
I don't usually feel the lull in publishing because I'm always working on some sort of project. Writing, revising, or arting. Alt: As a teacher, I spend my summer catching up on all the house work that I didn't have bandwidth for during the school year. #kidlitart
Ooh! Nooks are the best! #kidlitart
Even if can inspires someone to *think* about adding a diverse character to their work is a win! #kidlitart
Awesome!
Hi #kidlitart! My win is that #diversifymyart has inspired people beyond me. It's so wonderful to hear that what started as a personal challenge is affecting others!
Woohoo! There you go!
And it's not too late to jump in! Plenty of time left in the year.
MG and YA Writers: Offering Giveaway! Free critique of query, synopsis, or first pages! Please RT and F! mspitzerfranklin.wixsite.com/mysite/criti... #MG #YA #writers #kidlit #writingcommunity
Feel free to dm me about 12x12! I usually try to watch all the webinars and follow along with Facebook conversations a bit. I only post a story for critique in the forum a couple times a year now, but it's REALLY valuable to get feedback there.
I would have to wake up at 3 am in order to write for 2 hours before work, so that's a big nope for me. I write more at night when everyone else has gone to sleep. But sometimes the mental energy has worn out by then. #kidlitchat
Yes!
I work that way too. The muse calls every now and then. Maybe the ADHD does that for me. What helped for a while was that I wanted to earn the monthly badge for 12x12 picture book challenge and so it forced me to write at least once a month...sometimes in the 11th hour. #kidlitchat
That sounds like a dream! I don't really know any local writers. (Other than the email list I'm on and they're always talking about poetry chapbooks or very literary novels.) #kidlitchat
During the school year, I write at Panera while I wait on my son at his club meeting. But I'm usually working on picture book revisions. I need to make myself a "date" night specifically for novels and make it a weekly thing. #kidlitchat
I forget to look at lists. If I make a shopping list, I remember for two aisles, then I realize I forgot to look back when I'm leaving the store and remembering something I was supposed to get. #kidlitchat
I need something to trick me into starting a writing session. Between a hectic life and ADHD forgetting that writing exists until it's past my bedtime, it's hard to get 20 minutes. But probably I'm also scared to open the doc most of the time bc I open it then get discouraged. #kidlitchat
I'm trying! My brain won't listen.
ADHD for the win! #kidlitchat
One thing that evolved in my writing over the decade was I went from 3rd person past pov to 1st person present. One year, I was trying to figure out "voice" with my 3rd POV and decided to write a diary entry from my MC pov in 1st person. I liked it so much, I changed the whole book. #kidlitchat
I think the more I learned about structure, the more scared I got trying to get it right and so I get stuck and leave drafts unfinished more often. #kidlitchat
This fall will be 10 years since I started writing. The "times" didn't change my writing so much, but I evolved. I started with YA. As my family grew and revising got harder, I switched to picture books. I also dabble in illustration. Now I'm writing MG novels in verse. (Also ADHD.) #kidlitchat
I had a similar path but without the fantasy bit. I had a novel with poems and songs in it. I do love reading novels in verse but it took me surprisingly long to start writing any niv. They seem the perfect fit for me! #kidlitchat
Rereading "Anne of Green Gables" and it was IMMEDIATELY apparent that Anne has #ADHD. When I was reading as a kid, she just seemed like a quirky character. Now that I'm diagnosed with ADHD, I recognize so many signs! #kidlit
Sooo wonderful!
I love it! Pretty garden!
She should be reading Starfish by Lisa Fipps!
Beautiful!
Eyelids heavy Curl up on the couch Afternoon nap #haikusaturday
That would be lovely!
The #DiversifyMyArt theme for June is Diversity of Size and Shape! Time to be unique and thoughtful about your characters height, weight, and literal shape! Triangle shaped bodies anyone? #kidlitart
Having someone to cook is a necessity! #kidlitart
I've been to Highlights a couple of times. It's heavenly! Luckily within driving distance. I would love to go to more conferences and retreat centers anywhere! But it's hard to set aside the funds. #kidlitart
I'm polishing up a poetry collection right now! And I have a bunch of rhyming picture book manuscripts. And I'm working on a verse novel. The poetry never left me! #kidlitart
What helps me keep going is to work on the next thing. The "new" thing (new sub, new MS) rejuvenates my hope after a pass. Alt: I started as a poet as a kid, then a novelist, then PB writer, now added illustration. I wouldn't say I've changed the destination, just added more paths. #kidlitart
Brilliant metaphor. A tour! #kidlitart
Yes! Flexibility is key. #kidlitart
#kidlitart
So much is out of my control, I just wing it. But I wing everything in life. I'm a total pantser. Alt: We have to enjoy the journey! It's hard to remember sometimes because of the rejections, but most of your life is going to be the journey. You can't pin it all on one achievement. #kidlitart
I want to be published! I want to have lots of books out in the world and I want to go to schools and do silly voiced read-alouds with props and stuff. Alt: I have felt like I'm sooooo close for the past 5 years, so I guess I have no idea how far I am. #kidlitart
Yay for debut year! I hope it goes smoothly. Ignore the bad reviews! There are so many flavors of ice cream in the world because not everyone loves chocolate. Some people just aren't going to love it which means they need to go find a scoop of rocky road! #kidlitart
Well, yeah I do it a lot too (ADHD for the win), but I usually can retrace my steps and figure it out. Not tonight! Oof. #kidlitart
Congrats on the win! Art for a nursery sounds so fun! I painted each of my kids a canvas for their bedroom when they were born. #kidlitart
I discovered audiobooks when I won a free one right before I had a long drive ahead of me for work. It made time fly! And now I'm addicted. I only listen to books or podcasts for my daily commute. #kidlitart