We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Sally J. Pla. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Sally J. below.
Sally J. , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?
Back when my neurodivergent boys were in school, I was only working part time, so I spent a lot of time volunteering in their school library. I reshelved books, organized, helped with inventory, checked items in and out, and — I read those books! I was a terrible volunteer, because I read more than I worked! But the books were so awesome — so profound, so creative, so fun. Their themes were universal, deep, and fascinating. I engaged with some of the middle-grade and young-teen books as much as, if not more than, most adult stories.
But I discovered one big problem.
None of the kids’ books I so voraciously read featured an autistic or otherwise neurodivergent character, like my own sons. Not unless that neurodivergent character was meant to be either laughed at (as the kooky, eccentric sidekick), or ‘learned’ from (as the poor disabled kid who helps the “normal” character to “have empathy, and be a better person.” (This is known as “disability porn,” and it’s wrong on so many levels). Wrong, wrong, wrong!
Thus, a small seed was planted in me: I vowed that one day I’d write a DIFFERENT sort of disability story. One that respected, uplifted, and celebrated a disabled main character as a natural kid, just having an adventure in the world. A story that showed a neurodivergent character as a real and deserving part of the community.
And I’ve now written many such books! I’m the author of the Dolly Gray Award-winning THE SOMEDAY BIRDS, and the American Library Association Schneider Award-winning THE FIRE, THE WATER, AND MAUDIE MCGINN, as well as four other stories. All my books have earned acclaim and starred reviews, have appeared on best-of-the-year lists, and state award lists. I’ve been on radio and television and I speak at conferences as an autism/neurodiversity advocate.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I have always worked as a writer — a business journalist, a magazine editor, a features writer, a freelancer. I’ve only been a published, award-winning children’s author since 2017. It’s my middle-age career switch, and I love it, absolutely love doing this. I am also a neurodiversity/autism advocate, since I have a diagnosis myself. I speak about autism, children’s lit, and the power of positive representation. I am a private person but I feel it’s important for me to try and stand up and be visible for the sake of today’s kids: they need to see autistic grownups modeling that this complicated world can be navigable.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I had a rough time as an adolescent and young adult because, as an undiagnosed autistic person, I was too confused and introverted to ask even the most basic questions. So I really floundered at school. I didn’t even know the career center at my college existed. I sure wish I’d known about the many grants, writing programs, scholarships, etc. that would have been available to me.
I’m telling you this because, if you are hesitating about what your heart’s telling you to do in your life: ASK FOR HELP. Ask around, do some research. One thing that surprises some young people, I think, is how open and happy-to-help most older people are. Find someone in your field who’s older and established, with some relevant experience to your interest, and get brave and ask them to coffee — I bet they might say yes! Ask them for advice and guidance. Chances are they’ll be glad to help.
And if you are interested in a career in children’s writing, I wish I could sit down and have coffee with you! But that not being feasible, an excellent first resource is to join the Society of Children’s Writers and Illustrators – scbwi.org. There’s so much good advice to be had.
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
My first job as a writer was at a well-respected business magazine in New York City. I was in my early 20s and had no clue about business! I got hired on the strength of my writing samples, which were way stronger than the rest of my skills, for sure. Anyhow, on my first day, the editor showed me to my cubicle and told me to call up the CEO of a major accounting firm and interview him about a new court ruling affecting their board’s fiduciary responsibilities.
Um, so, for starters, I had to look up the word ‘fiduciary.’ That’s how little I knew! But by 3 pm I did the interview and it actually went okay! I learned that people don’t expect a brand new hire to know everything on day one. That you can ask questions.
I learned a ton about business in the few years I was there. Writing for that magazine taught me so much – about the business world, and also about having more self-confidence. Okay, I did burn out, after a while, because I’m a kid at heart, not a business person — but that’s another story!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://sallyjpla.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sallyjpla/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sally.pla/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-j-pla-55600226b/
- Twitter: https://x.com/sallyjpla
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=sally+j+pla
Image Credits
Sally Pla