Wednesday
Aug302017
Welcome to Inkygirl: Reading, Writing and Illustrating Children's Books (archive list here) which includes my Creating Picture Books series, Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, Writer's and Illustrator's Guide To Twitter, Interviews With Authors And Illustrators, #BookADay archives, writing/publishing industry surveys, and 250, 500, 1000 Words/Day Writing Challenge. Also see my Inkygirl archives, and comics for writers. Also check out my Print-Ready Archives for Teachers, Librarians, Booksellers and Young Readers.
I tweet about the craft and business of writing and illustrating at @inkyelbows. If you're interested in my art or other projects, please do visit DebbieOhi.com. Thanks for visiting! -- Debbie Ridpath Ohi
Entries by Debbie Ridpath Ohi (1630)
Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at 9:10 PMTuesday
Aug292017
Launching today: RUBY ROSE, BIG BRAVOS by Rob Sanders & me (HarperCollins Children's)
Hurray!! Ruby Rose, Big Bravos by Rob Sanders and me launches from HarperCollins Children's Books *today*!!!
Wednesday
Aug162017
Anonymous 4Q multiple-choice survey for children's book agents, editors and art directors (plus a doodle giveaway)
A few years ago, I posted a poll for children's/YA book agents, editors and art directors to find out if they researched potential clients, authors and illustrators online before signing them on.
As part of my research for a Social Media Master Class I've giving at the SCBWI Northern Ohio Conference next month, I'm checking for updated stats.
In addition to sharing my results in the workshop above, I'll also be posting summary results here on Inkygirl.com after the conference.
If you are an agent, editor or art director who works with children's book creators, I would very much appreciate it if you could answer my quickie anonymous multiple choice (four questions) survey.
****If you are a children's book creator on Twitter and would like to help gather data, you can retweet this post (the URL shortcut is Inkygirl.com/2017poll)....and thank you! First three people to retweet will get an original mini-doodle from yours truly. Partly for reading all the way to the bottom of this blog post. :-)
Tuesday
Aug152017
Video: Desiderata Daedalus Drawing Demo (Dip Nib On A Fountain Pen!)
As some of you know, I am hooked on fountain pens (it began at a photo shoot for the Toronto Public Library, but I'll save that for another post). Anyway, I'm totally loving my new Desiderata Daedalus! To artists using dip pens: you might want to check this pen out - you can use certain types of dip nibs, but with the convenience of a fountain pen (e.g. avoid having to constantly dip).
Tuesday
Aug152017
Monday
Aug142017
Writers/illustrators: You only fail if you quit. Don't let go of your dreams. Take a break if you need to, but DON'T GIVE UP.
Everyone feels overwhelmed and discouraged sometimes. Or sometimes life gets in the way, with circumstances out of your control.
Take a break if you need to, but don't give up hope. Put your half-finished mss or picture book dummy in the drawer for now and find other ways to keep that part of your creative soul on simmer. Maybe have a small notebook with you all the time, and keep track of story idea snippets? Quick notes about title ideas? Character traits? Settings?
Just don't give up.
Monday
Aug142017
Monday
Aug072017
Writers & illustrators: Be brave. Fail. Try again. Succeed. Rinse and repeat. - Jenny Bent
One of my favourite pieces of advice for writers and illustrators is from literary agent Jenny Bent: "...Be brave. Fail. Try again. Succeed. Rinse and repeat."
It applies as much to the published as well as pre-published.
In fact, this advice is good for life in general.
Thank you, Jenny!
Sunday
Aug062017
Wednesday
Aug022017
Video: Trying out Animation Desk Ultimate app for the first time on my iPad Pro
I admit it: I'm an app packrat. ("Ooo, shiny app! Must get!")
Last night I decided to go through my iPad Pro apps and decide what to keep, what to cull. I had never actually trying Animation Desk Ultimate on my iPad Pro yet, so decided to give it a shot.
Super-easy to use! I created the animation bit of the above in around 30 minutes. This morning, I used Adobe Premiere Pro (which I am gradually learning how to use) to insert the opening slide and add the end text titling. Going to play around some more with this app! I want to experiment with some of the brushes, colour and other features.
I've started uploading more art process videos to my YouTube Channel, by the way! Feel free to check them out.
Wednesday
Aug022017
Wednesday
Aug022017
Monday
Jul242017
What separates writers from the wannabes? Revision, revision & more revision. - Tabitha Olson
What separates writers from the wannabes? Revision, revision & more revision. - Tabitha Olson
Sunday
Jul232017
Wednesday
Jul192017
nErDCamp 2017 (Part 1): 130 Volunteers, Nerdy Beginnings, Author-Illustrator Perspective
With my friend Carrie Davies, arriving at Nerd Camp HQ on Sunday
I just came back from nErDCamp (aka Nerd Camp). It's so hard to sum up this amazing event in just one post but this year I am going to make the attempt because I have had more and more of my kidlit author and illustrator friends ask me about it.