Children’s Book Author: My Gig

Like many mothers, Denise Vega thought she’d like to write children’s books. Unlike most of the rest of us, she actually did it. Her young-adult novel, Click Here (To Find Out How I Survived Seventh Grade), won several awards. She has other books in progress.

We asked her some questions about her profession, and here’s what she said:

CW: What’s your typical day like?

Vega: I drop my kids off at school. I come back and I get right to work. I’ve already done breakfast with the kids. If I am a good writer, I work on my books first, for about two hours. Then I get to email and the administrative things I have to do. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I try to get to yoga, so I focus just on writing on those days.

CW: What do you like about your job?

Vega: Being creative. Being in that place where everything falls away except the world you’ve created is fabulous. My family can tell when I’ve had a good writing day because I’m happier.

CW: What don’t you like?

Vega: Marketing myself and my books. Most authors aren’t best-selling authors, which means we have to promote ourselves and our books. I’m not one of those people who can shamelessly push myself or my books on someone else. I don’t like when people do that to me so I don’t like doing it to others. So I’ve found ways to connect with people that I’m comfortable with—mostly offering workshops and talks at events where I can meet folks who may be interested in having me visit a school or library or meet with a group of kids. Personal contacts are important because teachers and librarians prefer referrals. This can be very time-consuming but as a fairly new author, I think it’s an important part of keeping my name and books out there. It’s also a way for me to give back to the communities that support me as an author in their classrooms and libraries. So though it can be time-consuming and take away from my writing time, it’s also rewarding. Not only do I meet all these amazing and dedicated teachers and librarians, but I get to interact with dozens of my readers—what a gift that is!