Black History Month 2023 was an incredible journey, with countless events all over the country celebrating Black art, performance, and activism. That being said, let’s not live within the confinements of those 28 days. Let’s amplify Black voices every day of the year, and share all the wonderful art that the community has to offer. We spoke a little about Black authorship over the holidays, but let’s check in with one of the industry's many rising stars.
This month, we chatted to children’s book author Valerie Bolling. She's the creator of the picture books Let’s Dance, Together We Ride, Together We Swim, Ride, Roll, Run: Time for Fun! Bing, Bop, Bam: Time to Jam! and Rainbow Days, a Scholastic Acorn early reader series.
Valerie is also an active member of the Kidlit community, where she teaches classes on creating picture books, presents at conferences, and works as a mentor. Having been an educator for 30 years, Valerie brings both a personal and an educational flavor to her picture books, as well as her online journalism.
Bringing your own experiences and joys into your writing is vital in creating a successful and well-loved story. With this in mind, we asked Valerie about her inspirations, life loves, and advice for young writers.
LittleThings: How did your writing journey begin?
Valerie Bolling: I’ve always loved writing! Writing throughout my school career and adult life has simply been a part of who I am. I started writing picture books in December 2016, and my debut, Let's Dance!, was acquired in June 2018 and published in 2020.
LittleThings: Do you relate specifically to any of your characters?
Valerie Bolling: In my current books, I relate to the activities my characters enjoy – dancing, playing outside, riding a bike, swimming, listening to music, and creating art. These are all activities I liked as a child, and I still engage in many of them now, like dancing and listening to music. Some of my activities have changed slightly, though. For instance, I may not often play outdoor games, but I take walks almost every day. I don’t ride a bike outside, but I get on my exercise bike several times a week. I don’t swim laps, but I enjoy water aerobics and relaxing in a hot tub.
LittleThings: What are or were your main inspirations for your stories?
Valerie Bolling: Children are the inspiration for my stories. I write about the universal, timeless things they enjoy. I’m also inspired by my commitment to make sure children see themselves in my books, especially those who haven’t traditionally been featured.
LittleThings: Does BLM, Say Her Name, Black Girl Magic, and other activist movements impact your work?
Valerie Bolling: When I write, activist movements aren’t at the forefront of my mind, though I do believe in and support them. I’m just not necessarily framing my writing around them, but, as I said in the previous question, I’m committed to making sure my books feature Black and Brown children and others who are marginalized. Interwoven throughout my stories are threads of diversity, community, and joy. Centering characters who are not often seen in books and showing them with their families, friends, and communities, experiencing joy is how I manifest my activism.
LittleThings: For budding authors, children specifically, how would you recommend getting into the flow of writing?
Valerie Bolling: The first thing I would advise budding authors, children or adults, to do is READ. Read as many books as you can, especially in the genre you plan to write. Then WRITE. Write often. Writing is like any other activity. To get good at it, you must do it consistently and keep doing it. You need to get FEEDBACK on your writing. If you’re a child, find others who like to write, so you can provide feedback for one another; adults, you can join more formalized critique groups or find other writers willing to read and comment on your manuscripts.
REVISE, REVISE, REVISE. You’ll be able to use the feedback you’ve received to help with this. STUDY. In addition to reading for pleasure, study books as mentor texts; take classes (classes exist for both children and adults); and read books/articles (watch webinars, too) about how to improve your craft. Most importantly, DON’T GIVE UP! If you ever need writing inspiration, read Storystorm. You will find endless ideas there.
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