We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Amy Nicolai a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Amy, thanks for joining us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I’m constantly learning the craft of writing. Luckily, there are so many resources readily available, thanks to technology. I’ve been able to attend faraway writing conferences without leaving my home. I have taken several online courses that focus on how to write specifically for children. Additionally, I’ve joined professional organizations (Florida Writers Association and Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators), which offer many helpful resources and opportunities. There is so much value to being an active member of a creative community. For me, this is participating in a critique group and getting feedback on my work. Initially, it was scary to get my work critiqued. Yet, nothing beats having extra sets of eyes on my stories to pick up on things I’ve overlooked. I always come away from critique sessions feeling motivated and inspired (not to mention, I have the honor of reading my partners’ beautiful stories). I am also part of Julie Hedlund’s 12X12 Challenge to write 12 manuscripts in a year. By joining the 12X12 community, I have access to a monthly webinar focusing on specific aspects of writing for children. Lastly, one of the most important things I do to learn the craft is to read many children’s books! I always look forward to visiting the children’s section of my library to see what’s out there. Sometimes I even ask my students what some of their favorite books are so I can see what’s resonating with them. I have found so much joy in the never-ending process of learning the craft and have connected with some extraordinary creative minds.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I got into writing after my son was born. I used writing as an outlet to express how I felt about coming into the most important and rewarding role of my life: motherhood. I started with poetry (which I still write on occasion) and transitioned to focusing primarily on picture books. My first professional writing job was to write blogs for a local interior designer. It was a big jump from children’s book writing, but I grew immensely by stepping outside of my comfort zone.

What distinguishes me from others in the field is my voice. A writer’s voice is not just about style and word choice. It’s about putting one’s authentic self on paper to bring the writing to life. My unique life experiences, values, thoughts, and beliefs helped create and shape my writing voice. I feel like I’m still finding, exploring, and better understanding my voice, but the more I write, the clearer it becomes.

Before, I would have said I’m most proud of winning the Florida Writers Association’s Royal Palm Literary Awards in 2020 for Best Children’s Book, even though I was unpublished (and still am). However, if I’m being honest, I think I’m most proud that I haven’t given up. I’ve been seeking agent representation for two years and have faced countless rejections from agents and publishers, but I’m still trying. Even if I never get one of my books published, I have so much fun creating stories for kids—that alone is enough for me to continue!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

Something that illustrates my resilience is that I’ve had over 100 rejections from publishers/agents (I’ve stopped counting), yet I’m still trying! I thought I would finally see one of my stories in print after being offered a contract with a small independent publisher. Thinking I had done my due diligence by researching the publisher and speaking with other writers signed there, I decided to take a leap and sign with the publisher even though it was new. I figured they were taking a chance on me as a new writer while I was taking a chance on them. Unfortunately, it didn’t turn out the way I’d hoped as the publisher abruptly closed its doors, giving little explanation to its writers. It just wasn’t my time. The industry has so many gatekeepers, and the publishing world is so subjective. Those aspects of the writing world are things I can’t change. I can, however, keep creating and trying to get my words out into the world. If publishing doesn’t pan out, at least I’m having a blast creating!

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

A lesson I’ve had to unlearn is that only published authors are real writers. Real writers are people who write! I also learned the danger of attaching too much meaning to nouns, like “writer,” “teacher,” etc. I am a person who loves writing, but I don’t let that define me the way I once did. I think this came about after my publishing opportunity fell through. I felt like I was in limbo. I had to reevaluate my goals and do some soul searching. I asked myself, if I knew I might never be published, would I continue to write? The answer was a resounding “yes.” Despite taking breaks, I can’t stop writing. So, I believe I am a writer. But I’m also much more than that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.amynicolai.com
• Instagram: @amy_rose_nicolai

Image Credits
Wioletta Bublik