8:33 PM
Kelsey Long
Considering that this month is focused on publishing, I thought it would be a great opportunity to interview a published author, who I am proud to say is my aunt! Trudy Ludwig is a published Children's author specializing in issues related to the subject of Bullying. Although her books are intended for children, both the parent and the child can learn from her material. Feel free to check out her website here! Hope you enjoy the interview and comments are appreciated!
Was the passion that you had for writing always something you were eager to pursue or did you notice a lack of literature covering this topic which inspired you to write about it?
It was a combination of both. I’ve been a writer by profession for many years. Throughout my earlier career as an advertising / marketing copywriter, I never quite felt passionate about my craft. I knew I loved to write. I just didn’t love what I was writing.
My creative life turned around when my daughter, who was seven at the time, became the target of bullying friends. As a parent, I have often read to my own children stories that help instill moral values, provide positive role models, and address social/emotional issues. But in my search for age-appropriate books to address the very real and rampant problem of social cruelty among peers, I came up empty-handed. Frustrated with this resource gap, I decided to write my first picture book, My Secret Bully, to help empower my daughter and many children like her to make healthier friendship choices. It was such a rewarding and energizing experience for me that I quit my freelance copywriting career to focus on making a difference in kids’ lives, one book at a time.
Once you knew that writing was something that you wanted to pursue, what were the first steps that you took to get started? Did you shop around for agents/publishers or did you start by self-publishing?
After I had written the manuscript, I approached some organizations and experts and asked for their review and, if they liked what they read, endorsement. Once I had professional endorsements, I went to the library to research literary agents and publishing houses to come up with my target list for submissions. I also networked with other published authors and one of my contacts gave me the name of a small press in Oregon who ended up publishing My Secret Bully.
Once you signed on with a publishing company, did you stick with a one-piece deal or did you agree on a multiple book agreement?
I didn’t sign a multiple book agreement. I wanted my relationship to be based on a book-by-book basis. My first publisher, with my approval, sold my first contract to another publisher, as he had to sell his business due to health reasons, and he made sure I was in good hands with my new publisher, Tricycle Press. I loved working with Tricycle and they had been so very supportive of my books that I constantly kept coming back to them with subsequent manuscripts, which they published. Recently Random House Children’s Books took over Tricycle and I’m now with their imprint, Alfred A. Knopf.
Where can we find your books now?
They are available wherever books are sold (e.g., independent bookstores and national chains, online, and through Random House Children’s Books).
What other outlets have these books provided for you to share your message? What is next for Trudy Ludwig?
I’ve been able to present at schools and conferences around the U.S., educating students, parents, and teachers on these important topics. I also collaborate with leading experts and organizations and have been profiled on national / regional television and radio and in newsprint.
What advice would you have for someone just starting out, who has a great idea for a piece or maybe has even drafted one? It’s important to understand that every writer’s path toward publishing is as different and unique as the story he/she writes. Research the publishing avenues available to you and weigh their advantages and disadvantages with your personal and professional strengths and weaknesses to determine which avenue is the right fit for you.
Write your story. Edit it. Then edit it again. Keep editing your work until you feel that it’s the best it can be. Then have other people read it and critique it. If you’ve written a children’s story, have kids of different ages read your story and give you feedback on the plot, vocabulary usage, etc. Then make further edits, where necessary. Do all this BEFORE you submit your manuscript to a publisher or literary agent.
Research other published books related to your manuscript’s subject matter. Those publishers may be interested in your book, as well. Also check out the author’s dedication page to see if there is any mention of his/her literary agent’s name. That agent may be worth contacting to see if he/she is interested in representing your book.
Network. Network. Network! Join writers groups and associations in your region and around the nation to connect with others in the writing profession. For example, if you want to be a children’s author, check out the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). Search the Internet for listings of those groups you may want to consider joining. Last, but not least, don’t let fear of rejection get in the way of your dreams to become a published author. Perseverance is crucial!
