APPLY to that writing competition/residency (even if you think you don’t stand a chance)

Of course, this is easier said than done. Even after reading many catchy HBR-style articles on how 'women are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification', I often did precisely that regarding my professional life. Each time a friend sent me a JD that they thought I would be a good fit for, I quickly did a cursory read of the often vague statements like 'We are looking for exceptional candidates who have demonstrated outstanding leadership through education and past work experience', and I would somehow conclude that I wasn't 'exceptional' enough or that I am too early in my career to have showcased 'outstanding leadership'.

Then writing happened.

Sadly, I am not the 'I find true joy in writing, and it does not matter if not even one other person reads it' type of writer. I wanted wins. But there are so many aspiring writers out there that you need to apply to MANY opportunities (and have luck) to make it. I could no longer afford to self-select myself out of opportunities.

I have learnt that the audacity of applying to things that I am vastly underqualified for, and the persistence with which I made thoughtful applications despite rejections (or more commonly, the worse outcome of never hearing back), sometimes paid off. And since this post is anyway sounding a bit motivational and LinkedIn-like, why not I lean into it and give you three examples from the last few years of taking writing KidLit seriously:

Scholastic Asian Book Award: When I saw the call for SABA 2023 (a competition open to any writer from Asia with an unpublished kidlit manuscript), my writing portfolio was two lines long: two picture books that I wrote for a friend from college and a self-published children's chapter book. But I took it as a challenge to write a stronger story than I ever did, the only thing in my control.

Fast forward two years, and now my very first traditionally published book has a launch event on Saturday, 24th May! If you have friends in Singapore who love kidlit or have kids, I would love to have them join.

NLF Fellowships for Children's Book Creators: The Neev folks announced in 2023 a Fellowship that would be the first of its kind for Indian KidLit Creators. They were looking for 'a story that captures a slice of India or Indians (anywhere in the world) that is so deeply authentic, moving and immersive that it brings alive an aspect of India'. The story I submitted a few months ago to SABA fit the prompt well. A small voice (always optimistic without being delusional, and somehow intact even after so many rejections) told me I should wait for the SABA shortlist, because WHAT IF?

I am glad I listened, because it pushed me to think of a new story for the Neev submission, and I ended up writing out the first three chapters and the outline for a middle-grade novel set in 1930s Travancore.

I did not win, but I made the shortlist, alongside writers whose books I have loved like Lavanya Karthik, Menaka Raman and Varsha Seshan. It gave me the confidence that I must be doing something right.

But writing a good historical novel for kids is no joke, and this book is forever a work in progress. But I have sent it to other competitions, and sometimes it makes the shortlist (most recently a finalist for the WNDB, We Need Diverse Books mentorship programme), and I have received detailed and careful feedback that I hope will make it a better story when I get around to the second draft of the novel.

Brighter Futures: There are many supportive senior writers in the KidLit industry, and sometimes all you have to do is ask. Some years back, I was part of the first cohort of the 'Nature Writing for Children' online course by APU. Meghaa Gupta, the co-lead and designer of the programme, has been there for so many of us. If she had not recommended me or told me to apply, I would not have had the chance to attend an all-expenses-paid residential retreat in Alcover, Spain, that brought together writers and scientists interested in environmental fiction for children and young adults.

As you can see, I was one of the youngest and least accomplished participants (which meant I likely gained the most).

There are very few competitions for writers, especially in KidLit. There are more opportunities for short story writers, but it is a genre I am bad at, and also not as drawn to as much as a reader. Your roadmap towards your writing aspirations could look different, and I would love to hear your thoughts. But just sending out an email to the generic submissions ID of the publisher is almost never enough.

If you have been following the Diverse Reading Challenge, I am curious what your recommendations are for the May prompt - do add it in the comments!

Till Next Time,

Varsha