Jacinta Lou – Writer

Tag: children’s literature

  • My Writing Journey: Successes and Future Goals for 2026

    My Writing Journey: Successes and Future Goals for 2026

    2025 has been and continues to be quite a year. In so many ways.

    On a personal level – I have had success with my writing. The highlight of course my contract with Wombat Books for two early readers.

    In addition with my adult writing I had a tribute to my Dad published in the latest Grieve Anthology. And one of my poems will be published in an upcoming anthology, Her Beauty and Her Terror.

    And, drum roll please, Jacinta Lou has appeared in print for the first time in a wonderful fundraising anthology of whimsy put together by Tasmanian author, Ann Martin.

    The Ballad of Jubal Jacques includes some of Tasmania’s best authors and illustrators. I might have to believe I’m a writer 🙂

    My stories, Aisha and the Olive Tree, and The Book are both in the style of fables and I really enjoyed writing them. The book is available on amazon and all proceeds are for refugees.

    So what is happening now? Well it’s been non stop writing and submitting. The submitting has been picture books. I live in hope I will publish one at some stage. But I’ve expanded my writing to include longer fiction for children.

    I entered a junior fiction short story into an anthology competition and I’m currently working on a young adult short story for another anthology competion.

    So next year I will continue to work on early readers and junior fiction generally and of course, picture books. But my major focus will be a young adult novel I shelved in 2021.

    I found the novel recently and I really enjoyed reading it so I think it’s worth finishing. I’m working with other kidlit novelists to hold each other accountable by setting targets. According to the schedule I have until March to complete the first draft. I’m thirty thousand words in so it feels achievable? What’s it about? Well all I will say for now is that it’s a thriller; full of mystery and intrigue!

    My goals for 2026? It will be the year I learn to build a new webpage. The year my first novel will be sent for appraisal and the year I learn all I can about marketing and school visits in preparation for my 2027 book launch.

    And like every writer, I’m also hoping for more contracts.

    2025 has been a challenging year for children around the world being subjected to hardships and danger no child should endure and if I could give those children one gift, it would be hope.

    Hope for humanity and hope for a peaceful and just future.

    I’m deciding to go forward into 2026 with hope!

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  • Celebrating My First Book Contract: A Writer’s Journey & Imposter Syndrome.

    Celebrating My First Book Contract: A Writer’s Journey & Imposter Syndrome.

    This week I was thrilled to announce I have a two book contract with Wombat books. Two early readers and I am absolutely thrilled. So thrilled and excited I have plastered the internet with the news. I may have gone a bit over board ?

    As writers we work alone. Writing, editing and thinking. Most of the work we create never sees the light of day. Dealing with rejection becomes a way of life. It can feel like a waste of time. I’m sure from the outside it looks like it. But writing is not just a calling. It’s a craft. A skill. And like any skill it requires practice.

    For the last few years I have been writing picture books. I have had success by being awarded an ASA/CA mentorship in 2024. I was also matched in the ASA’s Picture Book Matchmaker. My pitch resulted in a request from the publisher to see the manuscript. To date, there have been no contracts. Yet.

    So when I decided to enter my first attempt at an early reader into Wombat Books open submission in February this year, I did so with zero expectations.

    You can imagine my shock when they asked to see the manuscript!

    Months of rewrites followed and creating another book for the series, and I was offered a contract.

    Throughout the process I felt like the success of this story was unearned. It was my first attempt at an early reader. I had completed several junior fiction courses but hadn’t made it happen. I felt like an imposter.

    Imposter syndrome strikes again. And this is why we have writing groups. ( imposter or impostor? Both are correct so for consistancy on my blog I choose imposter! Despite AI underlining it. I choose to ignore AI)

    Without my kidlit community I wouldn’t have submitted this story. Without my fabulous critique buddies I would have given up on the edits and rewrites. Without their support and encouragement I would have failed to see that all my work on picture books had been the rehearsal for this moment. And without the perseverance of Wombat Books to get me over the line, I wouldn’t have made it.

    So even though we create in solitude – we succeed as a community!

    That’s why I have plastered the internet with my success. Not just for me, but for all the kidlit community.

    I promised myself a new website with my first contract so stay tuned while I try to make that a reality.

    I can’t wait to hold my books in my hands!

    Stand by for even MORE plastering of the internet!

    Thank you

    Jacinta Lou

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  • Getting on With Things

    Getting on With Things

    I don’t usually post twice in a day but I’m trying to learn how to use my website so here is another post!

    It’s been quite a year and I think I am closer to my publishing goal. I’ve been making slow and steady progress. In 2022, I joined groups and completed courses. In 2023, labelled by me as my ‘year of assessments’, I had lots of my stories assessed and ended the year with a successful pitch at the ASA literary speed dating event.

    In 2024, my year of mentoring, I was fortunate to be awarded a mentorship by the Australian Society of Authors/Copyright Agency for one of my picture books and I have been working with my mentor Kristina Shulz.

    At CYA my assessments went well and I’m seeing the improvement in my writing and in my confidence. My old friend, imposter syndrome, is still lurking in the wings, but having Kristina’s support has helped me believe in myself as a writer.

    One highlight this year was being long listed in the annual ‘Pitch It’ competition, so this morning I submitted that story to Affirm Press.

    I hate submitting, but it’s impossible to get published without going through the process, unless you publish the book yourself.

    I can barely get around social media and this webpage so I know I do not have the skill or patience to self publish, which leaves me throwing my hat in the ring for a shot at a traditional publishing contract.

    I’m enjoying rewriting and restructuring my stories, so the waiting and wondering isn’t too onerous, but like all aspiring writers, I can’t wait to get on with the job of publishing my stories.

    The kidlit community is a wonderful, supportive community. I have a fabulous critique group and other writer friends to chat to both online and locally. Everyone knows how hard it is to get a contract and we all cheer loudly when someone is successful. We are all a part of each other’s journeys even if it’s just to cheer!

    If I never get a contract, being a part of this community is worth it in itself, but I would really love to see one of many stories in print and see how an illustrator interprets my words.

    Fingers crossed 2025 is my year of contracts!

    You will be the first to know!

      • Adding to the Clan

        Adding to the Clan

        Our alpaca family reduced to two alpacas. Bella, a rescued alpaca from the equivalent of a ‘puppy farm’ for alpacas who is getting on in years, and Tilly, who we have had for the last two years from when he was a Cria. Sadly, they don’t get on, which is not ideal for herd animals, so we were on the lookout.

        Brightside Animal Sanctuary advertised they needed to re-home alpacas and invited applications and now we have five more alpacas chomping on grass and filling our hearts with love.

        Our new herd, a group of four with a similar background to Bella and a little surrendered alpaca, made themselves at home. Tilly was so excited. More alpacas to play with. Bella walked down from her hill and sniffed them and then retreated to the furthermost corner of the paddock. She was having none of it. Over the last couple of weeks she has softened her stance and now almost mixes with the new herd. Tilly gets confused as his loyalty was to Bella and he wasn’t sure who was boss. I think it’s Bella, but we let him think it’s him. The two herds are almost one. Almost.

        I just visited and they are now leaving Tilly out on his own. Or perhaps he is leaving himself out. He has always been a little on the skittish side, so perhaps too many confidant alpacas are more than he can cope with. I’m sure he will be back in the herd soon.

        It’s been interesting watching the politics play out. We think two of the newcomers are gelded males, but other than a bit of spitting from Bella and long stares with ears back and tails up from the other two geldings, they have been very gentle with each other. I’ve almost got one of the new ones to eat from a bucket I’m holding. Little steps.

        So the other news since the last post concerns the two new chickens. Turns out they were both roosters, so we had to get earmuffs to sleep while we sorted out their fate. Fortunately, we found someone who wanted a rooster to protect his chooks, and since ours was a bonded pair who had sorted out who was the alpha rooster, he was happy to take both. I didn’t want them to have to become anyone’s dinner.

        One of Rex’s chooks took herself into the bush to build a nest. Every day, she would come back for food and water and every day, while she was a way, a currawong raided her nest. Sadly, she didn’t protect any of her eggs, so she is back home alone. She has a very safe nesting box, so I’m not sure why she went bush. Hopefully she will stay home next year and protect her eggs.

        Throughout spring, the currawongs have been raiding the chook pens for scraps and the occasional egg. I watched one carry an egg in his beak for about twenty minutes, walking around the yard looking for a rock to open his prize. Eventually, he flew up to a post and then tossed it onto the ground. That’s one way to break an egg.

        Watching the birds and the animals is a great way to spend time and I have lots of ideas for picture books, but unless I sit down and write them, all they will be is ideas so it’s back to the computer for me after I just take one more walk to visit the alpacas!

          1. Jacinta Lou's avatar
          2. Julia Miller's avatar
          3. Jacinta Lou's avatar
          4. Julia Miller's avatar

            It’s great to here your news both good and difficult. Keep writing keep caring and look after that rooster!

          5. Treechange Life's avatar

          My Writing Journey: Successes and Future Goals for 2026

          2025 has been and continues to be quite a year. In so many ways. On a personal level – I have had success with my writing. The highlight of course my contract with Wombat Books for two early readers. In addition with my adult writing I had a tribute to my Dad published in the…

          Jacinta Lou's avatar by Jacinta Lou

          Getting on With Things

          I don’t usually post twice in a day but I’m trying to learn how to use my website so here is another post! It’s been quite a year and I think I am closer to my publishing goal. I’ve been making slow and steady progress. In 2022, I joined groups and completed courses. In 2023,…

          Jacinta Lou's avatar by Jacinta Lou

        • My Latest Poem

          published today on the Australian Children’s Poetry Website.

          The March by Jacinta Lou
            • Time to go on! – Submission ‘Stage Fright!’

              Time to go on! – Submission ‘Stage Fright!’

              Like most writers, I started writing books for children when my children were small. I’ve lost all trace of anything written back then, but I still have some scribblings I did for my eldest granddaughter, which I may resurrect at some stage.

              In 2021, I did a picture writing course with Zanni Louise through the Australian Writers Centre and I fell in love. I did another course in 2022 through The Sunshine House, and I sent out a couple of stories to the crashingly loud sound of silence!

              I have been active in critiques groups and the kidlit community, so I decided 2023 was the year of assessments. Time to get my existing stories into shape to send out into the world. Or to shelve them. I had assessments with editors and of course, CYA. It’s been hectic!

              So here I am in the closing scenes of 2023 getting ready to send my stories out into the world of publishers!

              I still don’t think they are ready and I’ve heard stories of writers who have taken decades to write the perfect story, but I’m not sure I have that amount of time, so ready or not, here they come!

              I have zero expectations, but it was my plan to have stories to send out, so I’m sticking to the plan!

              I belong to a couple of fabulous critique groups and one in particular has a very encouraging cheer leader who brings us along with her enthusiasm. Yes! We can do this! Eeek – I hope at least one of us has success. That’s the best thing about writing for children. Although we all strive for the same thing, there is no sense of competition and we genuinely celebrate other writer’s success. Well, maybe there is a little disappointment, but we are mostly very excited for every writer who succeeds!

              So, in the past week, I have entered two stories to ‘Pitch it’, run by Just Write for Kids Australia, yesterday I was successful in booking two spots in the Australian Society of Author’s Literary Speed dating, to be held later in October and I sent a story out to a publisher! Tomorrow I’ll be sending out more stories and then I will start work on my next batch, patiently waiting in the wings, to get them ready to go out into the world!

              I’m not great at sending things out. I seem to get ‘stage fright’ once I know I am writing a submission and I stutter and stammer and write ridiculous things in my cover letters. Well I did last year. I cringe thinking about it. But in my defence, I did have pneumonia, so everything made perfect sense at the time. And why is it, typos and repeated words etc ONLY become visible AFTER you hit send?

              It’s been a year, so hopefully there have been so many submissions, commissioning editors will have forgotten me. Please let them forget!

              So, I’m on track. My babies are going out into the big wide world of publishing and I wish them every success in finding a home. I will welcome them back at any time, but I may push them out somewhere else and give them the best chance. I really don’t want them to be homeless.

              Now to work out how to conquer ‘submission stage fright’ and write great covering letters! Ironically, I have never experienced actual stage fright. Perhaps writing means more to me 🙂

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            • Four O’clock in the Morning! What the…?

              Four O’clock in the Morning! What the…?

              Friday morning I generally get up at six so I can get ready and walk the dog before I go to my daughter’s house at seven fifteen to take my grandson to school. So this Friday, I looked at my Fitbit, yes six am, got up, showered, got dressed and asked Google about my day. To say I was shocked when she told me in her clipped British accent (I have mine set to UK) the time was FOUR twenty five did cause some frantic looking for my phone to check and yes, with sleep in my eyes and my Fitbit set to night mode, and without my glasses, I had misread the time. Didn’t I feel like a dill?

              No wonder the dog was still asleep!

              Never mind, I did wordle, listened to a podcast and cooked myself breakfast. I still had time to get the washing on the line and plan my day!

              I dropped my grandson off at school at 8:30 am. With some extra time on my hands, I parked my car at the new park and ride and took a bus to Hobart to get a book I ordered. I had never used it before but I met a lovely young lady at the bus stop who promised to go on before me so I would know what to do with the green card I’d purchased previously, just in case I ever needed to catch a bus!

              I know what you are thinking. How hard is it to catch a bus? I live in southern Tasmania where the closest bus stop is two kilometres away, and the walk is on the verge on the side of a road trucks and cars speed along and it’s just scary. Before that I lived almost twenty years in a town without a bus. So now I can drive to the next town and park my car for free and it’s great!

              Safely on the bus, I enjoyed the short trip to Hobart and thanked my new friend. I found the bookshop, a fabulous place called Cracked and Spineless. It’s a shop filled to the ceilings with new and second-hand books and is a must visit if you are ever in Hobart. I could just get lost in there. But I’m trying not to buy so many books. Trying but not succeeding! I came out with the book I wanted, plus another.

              My plan was to jump on the next bus back and make this a very efficient use of time. I’d be home for morning tea. But it was such a lovely day, and I didn’t have to worry about the cost of parking, so I decided chips on the docks were a great idea.

              But on the way, I saw the open topped double-decker tourist bus that drives around Hobart and I thought, what a fabulous way to see the city! So I found myself being a tourist! I loved it. As a driver, you just don’t see much, and sitting up high in the brisk Hobart air was exhilarating! Well, it was for me. Hobart is built in the foothills of kunanyi, Mount Wellington, so as we travelled closer to the mountain, the weather cooled and those tourists dressed for a sunny day soon regretted wearing shorts.

              The tour ended back at the docks, so I continued with my original plan of chips on the water front. I discovered one of the punts in Constitution Dock has an outdoor seating area facing the dock, so bonus for my fish and chips on the dock. Yes, I added fish. I’d built up a hunger being bussed around!

              Finally, I was back on a bus headed to my car. I was back home by one, so, in theory, lots of time for writing, but I’d been up since four, so the couch won me over. I watched the latest Little Mermaid, so still in the world of fairy tales and kidlit.

              As I reflected on my day, I realised recent changes to public transport had indeed made it easier to use busses and I will definitely be using them more often. If I just catch the bus in and go straight back, I get more time. I won’t have to find a park and I’ll save money.

              But will I be able to stick to that? I’m not sure it matters. It was lovely to enjoy the city without worrying about traffic (yes, Hobart has traffic), getting stuck on the outlet or waiting in queues for the multi story car park. Or spending half an hour getting to town, rushing to pick up a book (it’s always a book. No bookshops where I live.) and racing back to the car before the free parking expired. If I hadn’t caught the tourist bus and stopped for fish and chips, my detour to Hobart would have only cost me $3.10, but I loved being a tourist for the morning and enjoying Hobart without the other worries, so no regrets.

              As a writer, it’s easy to spend my time in my head. At my computer. Or staring into space while my mind races through ideas. But it felt good to get out into the world and see my home town as a tourist. Lots of fodder for new stories, plus a very enjoyable day.

              When was the last time you let yourself be a tourist in your home town?

              Let me know in the comments.

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            • The Morning After CYA

              The Morning After CYA

              The CYA conference 2023 is over, oh and before I forget, CYA stands for Children, Young Adult, and Adult Writers’ and Illustrators’ Conference. Well worth a look for writers and illustrators of all genres. Any way, back to what I was saying. The conference is over so for me, getting manuscripts ready for the competitions, booking assessments and preparing submissions, attending assessments and the conference over four weekends on zoom has kept me busy from January till yesterday and I am exhausted.

              Was it worth it? Yes, I think so. Too tired to tell right now. But I’m going to say YES! I received some great feedback both positive and constructive and listened to some great presentations along the way. In the breaks we were put into breakout rooms on zoom and so it was also a great opportunity to meet other writers. I have a better idea of where my writing sits and even though no contracts were offered to a chorus of dancing unicorns, the dream is still alive. Well at least it will be once I’ve had some sleep.

              Assessments can be confusing and I’m sure I looked like a stunned mullet half the time as I worked my mind around the differing views of editors on the same manuscript. But that’s part of it. Finding a home for your writing is about finding the person who sees it the same way you do, or who can give you feedback to get it where you want it to go.

              It’s challenging sitting and listening to words that don’t support your vision of your amazing, perfectly crafted manuscript. And I’m sure it’s challenging for editors to give constructive feedback. It’s a lot easier to receive these words in written form via manuscript assessments, but I decided to do it via CYA this year and I’m glad I did. I think. I got to meet some amazing editors and there aren’t many opportunities to meet face to face, especially in Tasmania.

              My approach to assessments was just to listen and take notes as you only have 15 minutes to look at two picture books. So I probably bumbled through responses when asked questions. I wanted to know what they thought. But they wanted to know about me as well. I’ll be better prepared next time – and yes, there will be a next time.

              My only question was, do my stories have potential? And it seems the ones I had assessed do so now I have to do the ‘Verk’, as Jen Storer would say, and edit, rewrite, restructure until I feel they are ready for another assessment or I submit them to publishers. And that’s a whole other journey!

              Stay tuned as I work to keep the negative Nellie and imposter syndrome at bay!

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            • Finding My Tribe

              Finding My Tribe

              Writing is a solitary activity. And, unless you are writing to contracted deadlines, it’s purely voluntary. No-one is making you write! Well, except for that little voice in your head urging you on. Write, write, write! (Or is that just me?)

              The point is, we writers write because we want to. Write because we have to. Write because we need to communicate, clarify our thoughts, tell a story and we do it by writing.

              So if it’s such a solitary, self driven activity, what are writing festivals and groups all about? I must admit, I used to wonder why a group of writers wanted to get together. It seemed a weird thing for a bunch of predominately introverted people to want to do. People in large numbers (shiver) It didn’t seem like something I would ever enjoy.

              I’m a self-confessed loner, recluse, hermit, and I’m generally happy with my own company. But since entering the world of children’s literature, the kidlit community, I’ve found myself joining groups, attending more live events and fully immersing myself in the community and loving it.

              I have discovered since calling myself a writer, like most things in life, it’s better with friends. Meeting other writers either in person or online, becoming part of a community who will understand your struggles, celebrate your wins, commiserate on your rejections, adds a depth to this writing gig I couldn’t have imagined. And I love it!

              Maybe I’ve found my tribe.

              Writing is still a solitary endeavour. It’s still up to me if I write or not, but now I can talk to others who understand what I experience without explanation. They just get it because it’s their reality too.

              And the very best part, for me, is supporting other writers on their journey.

              So whether I get published or not, I will celebrate everyone who does, because I have some idea what they went through to get there.

              So as I sit at my computer, looking out at the bush, I can talk to other writers, read their stories and see their journey. Celebrate their wins. Empathise with their losses. Have long conversations about all things kidlit.

              What we rarely discuss is why we do it. Why we struggle for weeks, months, years to find that perfect word to finish a story. Why we rewrite, restructure, re edit our writing to prepare it for submission. Why we agonise over every typo we find after we hit submit. Why we share our rejections and know each one is a step closer to a yes.

              We already know. It’s in our blood.

              We are a tribe.

              ©Jacinta Lou

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            • CYA – First Assessments – Self Belief Growing!

              CYA – First Assessments – Self Belief Growing!

              Is it too early to ask for CYA gift cards for Christmas?

              I had two assessments this weekend and I’m so relieved I didn’t shred my stories and run away and hide. Turns out both editors are of the opinion I can write which filled my heart with joy!

              Both of these editors had different stories so I got feedback on four stories which will help me decide whether to keep working on them now, or in the future.

              No offers of contracts with unicorns cheering in the background but a real feeling I am heading in the right direction!

              I have more assessments to come. Hoping for more useful feedback! Wishing for unicorns 🙂

              Imposter syndrome, feeling like nothing you do is good enough etc is incredibly annoying and can be debilitating. It is for me.

              I’ve struggled with self belief for ever, so when someone thinks something I did was good, it feels like, wow – happy dance, huge smile, want to hug the world! And its a genuine surprise.

              I will take this external validation and tuck it into my growing self belief in myself as a writer. I must have a little bit of belief, right? Or why am I doing it?

              The most important message I gained from these assessments is to trust myself.

              I am a writer and I will publish books for children!

              I really want to succeed so I don’t want this pesky Negative Nellie who lives in my head to muck things up for me. Might be a story in that.

              How have you silenced your negative self talk? Perhaps you have never had any? Love to hear your stratagies!

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              © Jacinta Lou 2023