Creating Balance as a Kidlit Writer

By Bonni Goldberg
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​Do you ever feel overwhelmed as a kidlit writer? Perhaps the better question is, do you ever not feel overwhelmed? It’s not you. It’s the many moving parts to this creative pursuit:
Let’s look at the list:

Percolation Phase (everything you do before and during the writing of your first draft)

• Reading and studying other author books
• Getting ideas
• Researching your idea (even fiction requires research)
• Writing the first draft
• Learning: courses (like the Children’s Book Academy), books, workshops, conferences, groups, blog posts

Revision Phase (everything you do from finishing the first draft until you publish)

• Revising and revising and revising and revising…
• Participating in critique groups (‘fess up; how many do you belong to?)
• More learning: courses (did I mention CBA?), books, workshops, conferences, groups, blog posts

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Going Public Phase (everything you do to share your book with others)

• Developing relationships with colleagues on social media and in person
• Keeping up with industry news
• Submitting your manuscripts or self-publishing
• Marketing and promoting your books
• Keeping it all organized

Did I forget anything? If so, please add it in the comments.
The point is that for every manuscript you write, you cycle through most or all of these activities. I wish I could offer you a one-size-fits-all method for creating balance between them. I also wish I had a single solution for enjoying (or not dreading) everything on the list. 
Even though that’s impossible, what I can tell you is that it is possible to do both. To start off, forget two things and remember two others:

• Forget perfect. You will never find the perfect solution because all of life is a series of adjustments, and the writing life is no exception.
• Forget equal time. Balance isn’t assigning each activity equal amounts of time. It’s making sure that each activity gets the time necessary during the day, week or month. There will be periods when you will have to give promoting a book more time and energy than writing a new book and vice versa. This is normal in the writing life cycle.

• Remember what you learn from your journey. The point of experimenting with new writing tools and different writing schedules is to bring what you learn into the next writing project or the next phase of your current writing project.
• Remember all creativity is a process, not an event. This is hard because we’re trained to focus on achievements as a measure of success and fulfillment: the thrill of a new idea, finishing a manuscript, getting an agent/publisher, publishing the book, winning an award, etc. And yet, every time we achieve any of the above, we find ourselves right back in the process. 

For more on balancing your writing life including, includes tips, writing exercises and perspectives to embrace your relationship with percolating ideas, revising your manuscripts and going public (publishing), check out my newest writing book, The Write Balance. Feeling balance frees up your creativity, focus and resilience.

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​GIVEAWAY
Please enjoy this free, short ebook full of honest talk: Balancing Writing & Marketing: 8 Authors Reveal Their Secrets (including  our own Melissa Stoller!)

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BIO
Bonni Goldberg’s debut picture book, Dona Gracia Saved Worlds is forthcoming from Kar-Ben, Fall 2023. Bonni is an award-winning and bestselling author of numerous non-fiction books for adults and children. She is currently writing and publishing girl-powered historical fiction and about Jewish identity and about belonging in picture books and middle grade novels. Bonni believes everyone has something important to say and to do to help repair the world. Including you. She lives in Portland, Oregon, in the collective conversation of creative possibilities, and online at www.facebook.com/bonnigoldbergbooks
www.twitter.com/bonnigoldberg