We’re excited that Author Jenny Turnbull took some time to sit down and tell us about some of her recent success!
Please share your exciting news with us!
I’ve signed with Melissa Nasson at Rubin Pfeffer Content! We’re gearing up to go out on submission with my picture book debut, and I couldn’t be more excited and grateful.
How long have you been writing/pursuing an agent/publishing deal?
I’ve been writing since I was a teenager, but I got serious about a picture book career 5 years ago and began studying the craft and made writing a priority. In 2019, I got laser focused on polishing my manuscripts and ramping up to query.
I attended the LA SCBWI conference, The Picture Book Summit, became a gold member on The 12×12 Picture Book Challenge, joined The Complete Picture Book Submission System, subscribed to writing podcasts, joined a very dedicated critique group and attended Marcie Colleen’s Study Hall as well as author and Writing Barn webinars. Clearly, I couldn’t get enough of the picture book world!
Recently, I also bought a domain name to help visualize my dream, and I just published that website! Investing in my future kept me on track and motivated. It was all worth it.
What was your query process and experience?
Querying is not fun. I did not enjoy it. I know I’m not alone! That said, I’m thankful my query process was rather short, 4 months. I started querying in February of 2020 and got my offer in June. Keep in mind, I waited a long time to query. A long time. I was determined to have 3 polished manuscripts before querying.
I didn’t want to sabotage opportunities by sending work that wasn’t ready. When I was confident I’d taken my manuscripts as far as I could, with the support of the 12×12 community, amazing critique partners, and a few very helpful paid critiques (Katie Frawley, Lauren Kerstein, and Dev Petty), I went full throttle into the query trenches!
* I created a “Query Tracker” for all activity, including dates to follow-up based on submission guidelines. I highly recommend this!
How did the WB programming aid you in both the craft and business of picture book writing?
I attended two ASK AN AGENT webinars, and the one featuring Rubin Pfeffer Content particularly piqued my interest. I’d queried Melissa Nasson two months prior, after she’d been featured on 12×12. After the WB webinar, I felt even stronger about Melissa’s preferences matching my writing style.
I took advantage of the webinar submission opportunity and queried Melissa again with a different story. After sending a brief follow-up, I was thrilled to get Melissa’s response reporting she loved both manuscripts. I offered to send a third, and the rest is history!
The Writing Barn webinar was the catalyst for that second query which ultimately led to connecting with Melissa and my offer.
Can you tell us about “The Call”?
I was excited. Nervous. A little nauseous. All of those nerves were quickly put to rest. It was apparent Melissa and I connected on writing style, preferences, humor, and we also had a lot in common. Our conversation was just easy. I had a list of questions of things important to me in an agent, and Melissa hit all the marks.
It was obvious she was smart, kind, and worked hard for her clients. Most importantly, she had such nice things to say about my manuscripts. To hear someone talk about my work the way she did was overwhelming and gratifying. I wanted to be professional and take time to reach out to other agents I’d queried and inform them of my offer, but I knew Melissa was the one to champion my work. I knew we’d be great partners.
What is a takeaway you will carry with you far beyond this good news as you continue to build and develop your career?
I will always write what’s in my heart. I don’t study or follow trends. There are moments when self doubt and criticism can derail a writer or story, but I know staying true to writing the stories in my heart is what got me an agent. Critiques are priceless and revising is what makes stories shine, but you have to take time to digest criticism, filter, and listen to your gut. Stay connected to the story you want to tell. I believe being your authentic self is how real connections are made and what leads to success.
Any advice you have for writers/creatives having trouble staying the course in pursuing their goals?
I’ll keep it to my top three:
1. It’s so important to be open to advice and critiques, but remember everyone’s experience is different. Don’t compare your writing, routine, timeline or process, to others and don’t try to “be” anyone else. Comparison can be paralyzing. Be you!
2. Be careful about setting your sights on a “dream agent.” You could be setting yourself up for heartbreak. Extensive agent research can lead to discovering gems. You never know when and where the connection will come from, and your dream agent is the one who loves your work!
3. THE GOLDEN RULE: Persistence is your best friend. When rejections roll in, YOU MUST KEEP GOING!
If you need a pep talk, I’m your girl!
About Author Jenny Turnbull:
Jenny Turnbull was born and raised in the Steel City. Pittsburgh, PA. After getting a B.A. in English, she started a career in television. A promotion landed her in Los Angeles, but writing was always her passion. Today, she lives at the beach and does what she loves. She writes picture books for kids…and kids at heart. Animals, nature and the occasional secret agent are her inspiration. She believes picture books are magic. Humor, compassion, and bold characters fuel her ideas, and all of her tales have a deeper meaning.
Jenny is also an animal shelter volunteer and spent time volunteering for Make-A-Wish Los Angeles. She lives in Manhattan Beach, CA, and can be found working in her writing cave, walking the beach thinking through ideas, listening to podcasts, and celebrating pizza night every Friday with her husband and West Highland Terrier, Enzo. Her license plate is PZANITE. You can connect with Jenny on Twitter @jturnbullwriter or her website, www.jennyturnbull.com. Jenny is represented by Melissa Nasson at Rubin Pfeffer Content.