Have you ever wondered what it takes to write and illustrate a children's book? Maybe you have a few ideas but you’re not sure if they’re good. Or maybe your book is complete but you don’t know what to do next. How do you find a talented editor, agent, or publisher? Most people have a great idea to create something but they get caught up in the little things, which stops them in their tracks. Instead they watch other people’s ideas come to life. 

How do you get your idea moving? How can you turn it into a success?

We have 3 tips to get your idea off the ground from Yesenia Moises, children’s book author and illustrator. 

1. Follow your heart. Ok, toy people, this one sounds cheesy but it’s true. Think about the profiles of successful people you’ve read about. They all share the common thread: do what you love. Trust your gut. You won’t go wrong. Yesenia shared that this was a key step in her journey. 

2. Show your work! Remember when your math teacher would yell this one? It’s a great piece of advice but let’s clarify that I mean display your work on social media. You never know who will see it, share it, and contact you. Yesenia says she shared her work on @yeseniadraws with #DrawingWhileBlack and it changed everything for her. 

3. Grab your one-big chance! Toy people, this is nonsense. There is no such thing as one big chance. Can you image how awful life would be if that were true? Screw it up and you’re done!? Yikes! Success is made up of daily choices to keep pursuing your ideas, committing to complete your best work, and never giving up. All of those clichés such as, “when one door closes, another door opens” exist because they are true! 

Whether it’s writing a book, illustrating a project, or bringing to life any ideas you have in your head, we are all on an unusual, unpredictable path. As the nature of work continues to evolve, we’ll continue to evolve with it.

For more on this topic, listen to Making It in the Toy Industry.

Visit YeseniaMoises.com or on Instagram @yeseniadraws.

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