Success Story Spotlight with Kim Rogers

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

I’m so excited to announce that I recently signed with Tricia Lawrence at Erin Murphy Literary Agency!

How did studying/retreating at The Writing Barn support you in achieving this goal? What workshop/intensives/or classes have you taken with us?

I met Bethany Hegedus at a Highlights last October. She was on faculty for a Writing Picture Book Biography workshop. Before attending, I read her beautiful book GRANDFATHER GANDHI and felt incredibly inspired. Her author’s note touched me deeply and taught me how to be more vulnerable in my own writing.

After the workshop, Bethany told me about The Writing Barn and the upcoming online Picture Book II class she was teaching. But I wasn’t sure I was ready for it because I hadn’t taken the Picture Book I class. Since I’d written several picture books, I was able to enroll. We all wrote two picture books in that class. I’m an enrolled member of Wichita & Affiliated Tribes. One of the drafts I completed was a lyrical book about a Wichita child similar to me that I didn’t know if I could write. It meant being vulnerable. It meant being real. That class gave me courage.

The second class I took, also with Bethany, was her online New Year/New You class that was all about setting writing goals for 2018. We had to come up with our word for the year. My 2018 word is “embrace”. I finally allowed myself to embrace failures as well as successes. It’s freeing.

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

Writing has been my passion since elementary school. In fourth grade, one of our assignments from our teacher, Mrs. Maupin, was to write stories from our spelling words each week. In her class is where I learned to write a story. She liked my stories and told me that I would be a writer someday. I laughed because I didn’t believe that something so fun could be a real job. She kept encouraging me to keep writing. She was my very first writing cheerleader. When I was in high school, I went back to my old elementary school to see her. That’s how much she impacted my life. All because she believed in me.

After high school, I changed my major four times before I finally succumbed to writing. I graduated with a degree in journalism/public relations and worked in PR and as a freelance writer before I became a children’s writer. Writing for children is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done, but I love it.

What fears/hopes did you have before the event?

In 2015, I got really sick and ended up in the hospital. The medication I had to take daily made me exhausted and dizzy, and I was unable to write or even read. It took me awhile to adjust and to recover emotionally and physically. Then in 2016, I was involved in a really bad accident that also required a lot of time to recover.

During those two years, I thought I’d never write again. All I could focus on was getting better. But part of my soul was missing. In 2017, my passion for writing returned with fervor, and my soul was renewed. I’m so happy to say I’ve been writing and reading voraciously ever since. I even won my second NanoWriMo. That’s a lot of writing in one short month! Now in 2018, signing with Tricia was almost two years to the day of my 2016 accident. So thankful to be replacing a bad memory with a good one.

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

The atmosphere is supportive and encouraging. It gives you the belief that you can succeed in the book writing business.

What I also love about The Writing Barn is that you don’t have to be in Austin to participate. I live in Oklahoma. There are so many great online classes offered. I plan to take more in the future and hopefully make a trek down to Austin someday soon to attend an in-person workshop or retreat.

Have you made friendships/colleagues as well? How has that supported you?

I’ve met so many wonderful people in both of The Writing Barn classes I’ve taken. One of my classmates is also a client with EMLA. We are now agent sisters! I’m so glad to keep in touch with classmates on social media. Relationships are incredibly important to me. It’s friendships that propel me forward on those days when I’m struggling with writing most. Having other writers to turn to is a great encouragement.

Why do you think attending workshops/classes is important to writers at all stages of their career?

Whether you are a beginning writer or a seasoned one, you must never stop learning and striving to make your writing better. No one ever reaches the highest pinnacle.

Also, many of us don’t have the time, energy, or money to get an MFA. The Writing Barn is a place where you can get schooled with a mini MFA!

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

The biggest takeaway for me is that succeeding at writing is not a solo effort. It takes being a part of a larger writing community to achieve your goals. You must learn from experienced writers to improve your craft. Having a writing mentor is a godsend. Being able to go to an author pro for advice will help you navigate through unchartered writing waters.

Also in conferences, workshops, critique groups, social media, and classes with The Writing Barn is where you will find your biggest writing advocates and cheerleaders. Having fellow writers on your side gives you confidence that your dreams can come true.

Any advice you have for writers/creatives having trouble staying the course in pursuing their goals?

The best advice I can give any writer is what I have to tell myself:
Run your own race. Everyone’s writing path is different. Keep your blinders on. Comparing yourself with others is a killer of creativity and joy. Strive for excellence not perfection. Perfection will make you fearful of the page. During revision is where the good writing begins. Embrace rejection. It’s part of every writer’s journey. Cultivate relationships only with people who believe in you. Forget the naysayers. Don’t be afraid to go to those deep and dark places in your writing. It is in those scary places that touch readers the most.

We all live busy lives and it sometimes gets in the way of our writing. One writing friend recently told me that she felt so behind that she thought her writing train had already left the station. I thought that was the case for me when I had to take those two years off from writing. But what I’ve learned is your train awaits you when the time is right. It could be now. It could be several years down the road. The key to success IS perseverance. Keep dreaming. Keep striving. Keep believing. That’s what I try to do every day.

More about Kim:

Kim Rogers earned a B.A. in journalism and public relations from the University of Central Oklahoma. She’s an enrolled member of Wichita and Affiliated Tribes, a member of the Oklahoma Federation of Indian Women (OFIW), and a member of the Oklahoma Writers’ Federation, Inc. (OWFI). Her work has been published in Highlights for Children, Guideposts Sweet 16, the Chicken Soup for the Soul series, and many other publications. Kim writes picture books and young adult novels, many highlighting her Native heritage. She lives in Oklahoma with her husband, two boys, and one ornery, but very cute, chiweenie dog named Lucky.