Author Interviews,  Grow Your Writing,  Writing Journey

#GrowYourWriting Participant Journey Series: Author, S. J. Barratt

Welcome to the 2025 Grow Your Writing Challenge Participant Journey Series. I am so delighted to highlight the journeys of many of our wonderful participants. I hope their journeys help inspire your own. We all grow in our own ways in our own time. I love hearing the unique details of everyone’s garden of growth. Our first creator to share about their journey is author, S.J. Barrett.

The Year I Took Flight: My 2024 Writer’s Journey By S. J. Barratt

2024 was a year of caffeine, creativity, and courage. As a children’s author, it felt like a balloon ride—scary at lift-off (when that first book is launched), quiet in the air (slow sales 🙄), but filled with breathtaking views of the literary world. The self-publishing journey, I’ve learned, is a series of balloon rides, each demanding mastery of both take-off and landing—launching a book successfully and crafting one worth celebrating.

Grab a mug of tea or coffee, and let me share my first year as a KidLit author—a story of risks, rewards, and the magical connections that make this community so special.

Storytelling Lessons from the Trenches

This year, I balanced marketing my first book, Living at the Edge of the World – Winter, with responding to tough—but invaluable—feedback on my second, Living at the Edge of the World – Spring. The insights were sometimes challenging, but professional editors pushed me to rework plot lines, refine my voice, and keep improving. And yes, there may have been a few extra kilos from late-night snacks, but it’s all part of the creative journey! A whirlwind of learning and growth. The key is to go at your own pace, take on what you can manage, and to look back and admire how far you have come. 

Connecting with Readers

As an introverted author, cold-selling my book to bookshops was nerve-wracking. Yet one leap turned into a partnership—a storytelling workshop for kids. The highlight? A young storyteller announcing he wanted to be a writer when he grew up. I love that kid. He made my week.😍

During a visit to Scotland, my illustrator @Jenny_Nutbourne and I met with a class of 10-year-olds invited by a lovely librarian in Dundee. The kids were far more interested in Jenny’s illustrations than my words—one even asked if I’d “cheated” by using ChatGPT to write my book. 💀  It was a reminder of how essential illustrations are for middle grade and how they truly bring stories to life!

The Power of Community: KidLit Heroines

The advice, support, and encouragement from fellow authors has been really special, a tether line securing my balloon in order to stay grounded. After entering several literary competitions I am starting to compile a library of short stories and poems—very useful for giveaways and newsletter sign ups.  

Special shoutouts to:

@lou.piccolo_editor for marketing tips and newsletter guidance.

@eevi_jones for invaluable publishing videos and templates.

Susanna Hill’s writing competitions—A wonderful way to write to deadlines and spark new ideas! https://susannahill.com/for-writers/contests/  Check them out!

Milestones & Magic

✨ Awards Season: Living at the Edge of the World – Winter received two accolades in 2024—a Silver BookFest Award and a Bronze Global Book Award in the Children’s categories for diversity and multicultural storytelling.

✨ Bonjour, France! One of 2024’s highlights was seeing my book translated into French and celebrating with a local launch. As a British native living in France, I’m thrilled to finally share my story with local readers—an unforgettable milestone. 

2024 is a Wrap!

During the year I soared to new heights—taking risks, navigating the ups and downs of book marketing, discovering what works, what doesn’t, and who truly has your back in the KidLit world. Above all, I learned to stay grounded in my “why”: to inspire kids to trade WiFi for Wildlife and rediscover the magic of nature.

To my fellow KidLit authors: What’s your “why”? To connect, to inspire, to share a little magic with the world? I’d love to hear your thoughts—share them in the comments below. Whatever your reason, keep dreaming and floating high in your own beautiful balloon.

As I prepare for my next take-off in 2025 with Living at the Edge of the World – Spring, my wish for us all is to think big and inspire the next generation of storytellers.

If you’d like to follow my balloon journey, sign up for my newsletter and receive a complimentary selkie-inspired story! https://www.sjbstories.com/contact 

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