I Still Love Books: Jane Yolen

Notes from "I Still Love Books: Jane Yolen"

Jane Yolen, often called “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” is the author of almost 300 books. She has won many awards and has received honorary doctorates from six colleges and universities.

1. The business of storytelling isn’t struggling, the book business is.

2. Count on the joy in the process of writing, not on the money or awards that you may want from it.

3. It doesn’t matter where the ideas come from; the ideas need to become a story and written down.

4. You have to be a worker bee to become a queen bee.

5. You need to give back to the system. You need to pay it forward when you succeed to help writers and illustrators.
6. You need to learn about the publishing industry business. Know about the current issues that are going on in the publishing industry.

 7. Never give up!

The Importance of Networking

•  You won’t make mistakes or at least avoid them compared to those who don’t network or join organizations that inform and guide them in the industry.
•  You will keep current with the industry.
•  You will make many good friends.

Jane surely ended the conference by providing much insight, wisdom, food for thought and hope.