{"id":499,"date":"2020-07-15T10:41:43","date_gmt":"2020-07-15T10:41:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/exisleacademy.com\/?p=499"},"modified":"2020-07-15T10:41:43","modified_gmt":"2020-07-15T10:41:43","slug":"robert-vescio-on-the-topics-that-inspire-him-and-how-to-pitch-your-childrens-picture-book","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/exisleacademy.com\/robert-vescio-on-the-topics-that-inspire-him-and-how-to-pitch-your-childrens-picture-book\/","title":{"rendered":"Robert Vescio on the topics that inspire him, and how to pitch your children's picture book"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\"\"
Robert Vescio<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Robert Vescio<\/a> worked in the publishing industry as a photo editor and production manager for over a decade before leaving to become a stay-at-home dad and children\u2019s book writer. A big kid at heart and self-professed Disney superfan, Robert was in his element when writing books for children. It wasn\u2019t long before his picture books could be found on the shelves of libraries, in bookshops, and even on TV! His book, Under the Same Sky<\/a>,<\/em>\u00a0was read by award-winning actor, Tom Hardy, as a bedtime story on the\u00a0hugely popular UK children\u2019s channel CBeebies. Many of Robert\u2019s other picture books have won awards, been shortlisted for awards, and been translated into\u00a0other languages to be sold around the world. Others have been included in the NSW, VIC and QLD Premier\u2019s Reading Challenges, and\u00a0Dolly Parton\u2019s Imagination Library in Australia. Robert is a huge advocate for getting books into schools and encouraging children to read for enjoyment and to that end, he continues to educate and entertain children of all ages through picture books. \u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What made you want to become a children\u2019s book author?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I get asked that question a\nlot. The answer is easy - I like to write for children. It\u2019s my preferred\ngenre. Children read more books than adults and the world of children\u2019s book\npublishing is welcoming. When you write children\u2019s stories there are no rules.\nThey can be silly or serious. Anything goes! And children\u2019s book authors get\nthe best fans and fan mail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love the idea of creating something that is positive and brings happiness to people. I want kids to develop a love of reading and I hope that through my stories they learn something along the way. As an author, I find it\u2019s extremely rewarding to empower readers with words. This is what I love most about writing for children. I want to arouse their imagination and make them think. Well, that's the perfect segue into my next picture book The Art of Words<\/a><\/em> <\/a>with Joanna Bartel and EK Books about the power and playfulness of words and how they create emotions and ideas in a fun way, releasing early 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stories are fun and powerful. They transport us from one world to another by some sort of magic. I never know where my stories will take me. This mystery is what creates excitement. Embracing the freedom to change things along the way helps every choice I make in my writing. By doing so, I open myself to a world where anything is possible. I want to make certain that children make books a part of their lives. Reading makes you smarter and helps develop empathy. It turns you into a more caring and kinder person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What topics inspire you to write?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I like to write stories that help children cope with changes in their lives and to better understand their world and relationships. Many of my books address serious or topical issues, such as separation, self-esteem, empathy, creativity, and most recently the refugee crisis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My intention when I started writing was never to write self-help books for children, but if you've lived life, you pick up life lessons along the way. So, you naturally employ those life lessons in your work. For instance, I wrote my first picture book\u00a0No Matter Who We\u2019re With\u00a0<\/a><\/em>following my separation in 2008. The story addresses the fact that the children have a place and home with each parent and of course the same amount of love as always. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since then, I have written other stories based on my family\u2019s experiences, such as Finn and Puss <\/a><\/em>a story about doing the right thing, which was inspired by my children. And other stories, not so personal but current and newsworthy, such as The Voyage<\/a> <\/em>a story to help pre-school aged children understand the refugee crisis. Stories help us to make sense of the world around us. They invite us to discover what it\u2019s like to be someone else for a change. They are explorations \u2013 for the writer as well as the reader. My inspiration is fuelled by many things such as books I\u2019ve read, people I\u2019ve come into contact with, art, and my children, of course.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never underestimate the power of stories. A\nwell-told story has the potential to touch hearts and change minds. It\u2019s inspiring\nto know that I can make a difference in someone\u2019s life through my stories.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
\"Many of my books address serious or topical issues, such as separation, self-esteem, empathy, creativity, and most recently the refugee crisis.\"<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

You are in the unique position of being a writer who has also worked in publishing. How has this informed your approach to children\u2019s book writing?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I spent most\nof my working years in the publishing industry as a Production Manager and as a\nPhoto Editor at Studio Magazines. I worked on many titles but it was Studio\nBambini magazine that really propelled me to start writing for kids. It was\nlike being a kid in a candy shop, except picture books were one of the main\nattractions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Working in the publishing industry gave me an insight into how the children\u2019s publishing world worked. I read lots of picture books and started to see patterns emerge from the various different publishers. I had an idea of what to look out for and who to send certain stories to.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In your opinion, how important do you think having an online presence is for children\u2019s book authors?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

I think it\u2019s really important for an author to have\nan online presence. That\u2019s how you raise awareness and build interest. Publishers want to see how you engage with your\naudience. It\u2019s important to make sure that your online presence is cohesive. Link\nyour entire author\u2019s platform on your website to include all your social media\nhang-outs.  Make sure your site is\naccurate and up-to-date with current news and events, blogs etc. Publishers\nfocus on different aspects of an author\u2019s platform but the one thing you need\nto remember is that without an author\u2019s platform you will never get noticed. Out\nof sight, out of mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"
\"I think it\u2019s really important for an author to have an online presence. That\u2019s how you raise awareness and build interest.\"<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What has been the best or most rewarding part of being a children\u2019s book author?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

For me the most rewarding part about being a\npicture book author is sharing my stories with children. Not only do I create\nfans for my books, but it\u2019s great to see how I can make a difference in a\nchild\u2019s life. I enjoy visiting schools because it connects kids to books and gives\nthem an appreciation of the process involved in creating the books they love.\nIt\u2019s a much more powerful way than simply reading them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

I love\npicture books because of the way they express emotions and ideas in simple\nways. Picture\nbooks invite engagement \u2013 a connection. They support an adult-child\nconversation. The pictures help to initiate a discussion with young children\nand express their feelings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Do you have any tips for children\u2019s book authors who want to pitch their book to publishers?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

The hardest part\nof getting your manuscript published is convincing a publisher to read it.\nFirst impressions matter when pitching to a publisher. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are\nmy tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  1. Publishers\nare looking for great stories they will immediately fall in love with. You need\nto write a catchy line to grab their attention \u2013 something to hook them in. Try\nand summarise your story in one sentence and use this as your pitch.<\/li>
  2. Write\na few paragraphs about your story but keep it brief. <\/li>
  3. Add\na couple of lines about yourself, including any publishing achievements.<\/li>
  4. Show that you are prepared to market and promote\nyour work. There is only so much a publisher can do. You will need to put in\nthe hard work, as well.<\/li>
  5. Mention any media contacts you have.<\/li>
  6. Keep it simple and straight to the point.<\/li>
  7. Follow publishers\u2019 submission guidelines.<\/li>
  8. No need to include drawings, unless you are an\nillustrator.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Read your pitch back to yourself and time it. Make sure it doesn\u2019t exceed one minute. Use this as your pitch. Make it count.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Robert Vescio worked in the publishing industry as a photo editor and production manager for over a decade before leaving to become a stay-at-home dad and children\u2019s book writer. A big kid at heart and self-professed Disney superfan, Robert was in his element when writing books for children. It wasn\u2019t long before his picture books […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":500,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\nRobert Vescio on the topics that inspire him, and how to pitch your children's picture book - Exisle Academy - Get Your Book Published<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/exisleacademy.com\/robert-vescio-on-the-topics-that-inspire-him-and-how-to-pitch-your-childrens-picture-book\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Robert Vescio on the topics that inspire him, and how to pitch your children's picture book - Exisle Academy - Get Your Book Published\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Robert Vescio worked in the publishing industry as a photo editor and production manager for over a decade before leaving to become a stay-at-home dad and children\u2019s book writer. 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