Success Story Interview with Shachi Kaushik

Please share your exciting news (agent signing, book sale, etc).

I got one step closer in my writing journey. I signed a contract with Lynnette Novak from The Seymour Agency for representation of my work moving forward.  

How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal?

I started my writing journey in 2018 and took my first Writing Barn class – Perfecting the Picture Book I in January 2019 and have been a student with them ever since. I’m glad that I made the right decision to join the Writing Barn. 

What fears/hopes did you have before working with Bethany privately? Or participating in WSS or a WB class/intensive?

With so many ways to get your work published these days, I was confused on what would be the ideal route for me. I was very new to the writing and the publishing industry, and was trying to figure things out. I was fortunate enough to join the Writing Barn in the initial stages of my writing career. After I walked out of my first class with Carmen Oliver, in my heart I knew I was on the right path. After finishing Picture Book 1, my perspective of Picture Books and the market completely changed.

How did the WB programming aid you in both the craft and business of picture book writing?

The Writing Barn not only helps writers hone the art of writing but also provides them with additional recourses that are required for the business side of writing and publishing picture books. The Writing Barn classes provided insight into the industry and how the publishing world works. 

A few things that I specifically learnt from the Writing Barn are:

• Recourses for finding an agent and drafting a sample query letter in class. 
• What to expect from SCBWI conferences and how to fully leverage the resources. I had no idea about these conferences before I joined the Writing Barn. 
• Writers Retreats and how to plan for one
• Existing writing competitions and scholarships and so much more…

How did the atmosphere of The Writing Barn aid you in achieving this goal?

The community of writers are always there to support you and answer any questions one might stumble on. The experiences shared by other authors are useful and informative. Apart from that, the Writing Barn offers one day sessions. These sessions always keep your creative juices flowing. 

What is a takeaway you will carry with you far beyond this good news as you continue to build an develop your career?

The ever-lasting impact of the class has been the friendship developed with peers and extended beyond to form critique groups. As a critique group, we help each other with providing constructive feedback on manuscripts and cheer one another’s success and lift each other up.  

Any advice you have for writers/creatives struggling to stay the course in pursuing their goals?

Network with like-minded individuals, invest in your education, be persistent with writing and keep patience because it takes time.

Bio:

Hailing from a legal profession back in India, Shachi Kaushik found her new calling in life when she moved to US a couple of years back after getting married. Shachi spent significant time volunteering for activities at the Round Rock Public Library, and was the host for their Bilingual Hindi-English Storytime. What started as a volunteer activity for children to bridge the language gap turned into a true passion that propelled Shachi to embark on the journey of becoming a Picture Book author.  In her experience of finding quality literature for kids, she discovered a significant gap in the quality of literature which could truly bind the South Asian culture with the new generation born and raised in the western world. Shachi’s writing is a wholehearted attempt to retain the diminishing culture and tradition that could be passed to generations to come. Shachi also spends time mentoring students which further helps her develop new ideas to serve the Children-Parent community through her book writing. She is a monthly contributor to Austin South Asian for the “Picture Book World” section and her articles have also appeared in Austin Family and BrownGirl Magazine.