What Happened After the Move

If you read my last blog, you know I've recently started a new project with Mia.

Our original idea was to expand her character, MRG, into a show — but we quickly ran into the brick wall of funding. Animation isn’t cheap (nor should it be), and we realized we just weren’t in a place to do it justice. So, we pivoted and decided to start with a book.

The plan was simple: Mia and I would each write half and then merge the two into one story. It didn’t quite work that way.

Here’s the thing — I’ve never written a children’s book before.

But I have read a lot of them — both as a nanny and as a big sister. Still, I knew I couldn't rely solely on my experience as a reader, so I started researching to see what the pros had to say.

Some things I already knew. Some things were brand new. I bookmarked a few sites and even created a playlist of the most helpful resources so I could go back to them again and again. Feel free to use these resources too. You'll find them at the bottom of the page

When we presented our halves to each other, we quickly realized they didn’t fit.

They each skewed towards a slightly different age group, and it was easy to tell that different people wrote each half. On top of that, I really didn't like my half. It wasn’t funny. And kids’ books — especially the kind we wanted to make — should be funny. Unless you’re going for serious, which we weren’t.

I could feel something was off even while I was writing it. Is there a technical word for when anxiety and perfectionism join forces against you?

We regrouped. Took in some feedback.

And then, instead of writing halves again, we decided to each write our own full story and see if we could blend them later.

This time, I stopped worrying so much and instead started writing something just for my five-year-old nephew.

Framing it that way — like I was writing just for him — changed everything. I added inside jokes, picture ideas, and little touches just for him and his little brother. It wasn’t perfect, but it was so much closer.

While we were working on our stories, we also started building our team. We’d need an illustrator and an editor anyway — so why not bring them in early?

Mia started searching for an illustrator.

She put me in charge of finding an editor.

I didn’t love the idea of being in charge of hiring anyone. It felt like too important a task. I didn't want to hire the wrong person, turn down the right person, and generally screw up what Mia and I were working on. I especially didn't want to let Mia down, because while we both were working hard at making something great, she trusted me enough to bring me onto her team.

I’d never hired anyone before, so I took the process seriously. Maybe too seriously — Mia teased me for the very long written interview I sent out. I started the way I always do: research.

Did you know there are two types of editors?

- Proofreading/Copy Editors — fix grammar, spelling, punctuation

- Developmental Editors — help shape the story: structure, tone, pacing, character, etc.

I figured out what kind of editor we wanted, wrote a set of interview questions and started posting on Stage 32. My plan was to move to Reedsy, Fiverr, or Upwork if nothing came up there.

Within days, a few great candidates reached out.

I’ll be honest — I kind of wanted Mia to weigh in on the final decision but she pushed me to make the call. That’s something I’m learning about Mia — she’s really good at putting me in situations that force me to grow. Still deciding how I feel about that haha.

Ultimately, I chose Daniel.

There were strong contenders, and I hated turning anyone down — but I’ve never once regretted choosing him. We clicked right away. Even when I don’t fully agree with his ideas, I trust his instincts. I can’t imagine building this series with anyone else.

Fast forward a bit...

We realized trying to merge both stories into one book just wasn’t going to work. Mine still leaned older, hers leaned younger — and rather than force them to fit, we decided to let them each shine.

So now, instead of one book, we’re working on two books, each with a different main character and for a slightly different age group. I think it was the right call and I'm excited to see how both projects turn out.

Here are the resources I promised:

- A Template for Children's Book Layout, Pagination & Design

- How to Write a Children's Book in 12 Steps

- How to Write a Children's Book in 9 Easy Steps

- Printing Center USA Guide

- Plus, this YouTube playlist I made

PS: If you're curious about the questions I asked potential editors (or want help finding your own), you can find my list here.

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