You know you're a children's writer when ...

I had a dream that I was at the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) LA conference and Josh Groban was singing O Canada. Did I mention that the conference was in a giant hockey arena!? Then I dreamt that a fly bit me on the forehead and I woke up. 


While I was musing about how, next time, I won't eat sushi before napping, I started thinking about this community of writers who writes for babies, toddlers, first readers, tweens and young adults. Collectively know as children's writers.  


You know you're a children's writer if:

You've read a picture book to a child and thought 'I can do that' (then spent the next twenty years learning how!); 


Like Stephen King you have: "the heart of a small boy... and I keep it in a jar on my desk." 


You can recite the books you read as a child and how they shaped your life and world view (for me it's The Little Engine that Could, Curious George, Madeline, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe and who can forget how Nancy Drew has influenced the twin detective characters in my Megabyte Mystery series);


You want to tell a really good story with characters that ring true without being didactic;

When you get an idea about scientists creating giant frogs, you don't think you're hallucinating; 


You read voraciously in the genre that you are writing and the age group you are writing for (that's a good thing for all writers); 


You keep up with current trends and become part of a local and world-wide community of writers who love to write for young people; and,


You really like to think you've touched the reader, and love to get emails telling you that your book rocked and you are their new favourite writer. 

Students doing a writing exercise at one of my school visits. 

What were the signs that you noticed on your way to becoming a children's writer?