Guest Author Kim Taylor-DiLeva: Writing for Children Live

By Kim Taylor-DiLeva, @ktdileva

I get asked all the time about online classes and workshops on writing, so I'm pleased today to welcome Kim Taylor-DiLeva to the blog to tell us all about Writing for Children Live. If you're looking for online education (and free to boot) then check it out.

Kim is a part-time librarian, homeschool mom, and aspiring children's book author. Somewhere along the way she published Once Upon a Sign: Using American Sign Language to Entertain, Engage and Teach All Children - for librarians and teachers. She is also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Upstate New York region.

Take it away Kim...

I’d like to give a big thank you to Janice Hardy for allowing me to share with you today. As an aspiring children’s book author, I’m so tremendously excited to be here.

Like me, you’ve probably had times when you’ve either been closed out of great conferences, had to travel great distances to hear from experts in the field, or spent a lot of money on fees and travel.

This was often frustrating for me, so I decided to do something about it. Having been an author for a very long time (on and off for 12 years – children, career changes, etc. etc.) and having made the decision to finally devote my free time and career to doing what I really loved (writing for children), I needed education and training from the best, experienced children’s book authors available. In an effort to help other aspiring, frustrated, and motivated children’s book authors (and myself), I began Writing for Children Live.

Writing for Children Live is a website where you can learn from the best experts in the field of writing childrens' books, from the comfort of your own home, through free, live teleconference calls and webinars. No fees, no travel. You can listen in on your phone or via your computer. If for some reason you can't make the call or webinar at the time and date it is scheduled for, there is no need to worry. A replay of the call/webinar will be made available for your convenience free for 24 hours following the live call. So no getting closed out, either.

If you miss the replay of your favorite, author, agent or publisher, or if you heard the call, but wish you could hear it again, and again, for all of the great information and tips, all calls will be made available to purchase on an MP3 download (after the 24 hour free replay). All webinars will also be available to purchase, so that you can watch it as many times as you want to.

My favorite quote from the movie Field of Dreams is “If you build it, they will come.” So when I decided to start Writing for Children Live, I thought that if this website was meant to be, the speakers will come. You can imagine the THRILL I had when the first author to submit a proposal to speak on Writing for Children Live was the one and only, Newbery Honor Award Winner for her book On My Honor, Marion Dane Bauer!

I can’t wait to host Marion Dane Bauer’s teleconference call and webinar in September and am so tremendously excited about hosting all of the other great authors that are coming this fall: YA author Angela Morrison, YA author Susan Shaw, nonfiction author John Micklos, Jr. and YA Author K. M. Walton. Even more great authors are coming this Winter and Spring (you won’t want to miss my interview on writing coming this spring with Ella Enchanted’s Gail Carson Levine!!!)

To get notified of how you can access upcoming author presentations, visit http://www.writingforchildrenlive.com.

Now, just in case you were wondering…I have managed to get a professional book published for librarians and teachers, called Once Upon a Sign, but am still waiting for that book contract to come in for a children’s book. I continue to get rejection letters, but am starting to get a few sentence response in my rejection letter instead of just the “form” letter, so I figure I’m getting closer.

I look forward to helping authors achieve our writing and publishing goals together through Writing for Children Live!