Peggy Archer
Children's Author

I love quotes! I have a collection of quotes and sayings. Many are by children's authors, but some are just inspirational. Quotes help me to re-affirm that all of this time spent writing for children is worth it all.

My favorite is in a frame in my computer room.
"A hundred years from now it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove.... But the world may be different because I was important in the life of a child."

And how about these:

"Books fall open, You fall in."

“The writer’s magic word is BIC—Butt in chair.”—Jane Yolen

"You must write for children in the same way as you do for adults, only better." –Maxim Gorky (1868-1936).

"Inspiration usually comes during work, rather than before it." Madeleine L’Engle

“Dear Editor, Why do you keep sending my stories back? You’re supposed to print them and make me rich and famous. What is it with you???” –Snoopy (Charles Schultz)

Here's one from Winnie the Pooh: "I am a bear of very little brain and long words bother me."
Pooh is probably the one who I write picture books for!

"Growing up with 5 brothers taught me that it’s good to be the guy telling the story after the lamp gets broken." —Jon Scieszka

"Only God gets it right the first time." Stephen King

"I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work." Thomas Alva Edison

A heart hangs on a knob on my desk that says:
"Creative clutter is better than idle neatness."
Whoever wrote that one must have seen my computer room!

And to remind me to keep on believing, and dreaming, and working toward a goal is a postcard that stands on top of my computer. It reads:
"Believe, dream, will... and put it in the hands of God." Dr. Norman vincent Peale.

If you have any favorite quotes, please feel free to share them here!  Read More 

Focus on the Novel, the Indiana SCBWI Spring Conference for children's writers, took place at Purdue University Calumet in Hammond this past Friday evening and Saturday. An inspiring week-end was spent with speakers Stephen Roxburg, founder and publisher of namelos, and Lisa Graff, middle grade author and former editor at FSG.  Read More 

It's Children's Book Week, and the CBC (Children's Book Council) has announced the winners of the 2010 Children's Choice Book Awards--Congratulations to the winners! To see the winners, go to http://networkedblogs.com/3MTTR.

Some time ago children's writers on our listserv talked about their favorite childhood books. I loved Little Red Riding Hood, but my very favorite book was Nurse Nancy. I wanted to take care of people, like Nancy did. When I grew up I went to school and became a nurse.

My friend's favorite books were the Louisa May Alcott books,including Little Women. "I believe those books engendered in me a love of reading, writing and history and I grew up to be  Read More 

I never seem to lack for ideas of things to write about. I write from childhood memories, memories of when my children were small, and observations of what other people say and do. I'm inspired by bits and pieces of life as it happens around me, and from things that I read.

My biggest obstacle is finding the time to write. But I figured out that sometimes we just have to come to terms with the time that we have.

One of my favorite magazines for children's writers was Once Upon a Time, published by Audrey Baird, until it ceased publication not all that long ago. I had a few things published in OUAT. One was a poem that I had written about writing time vs family time. Family has always been a top priority for me. It's also been a huge influence on my writing. I thought I would share that poem with you here this week.

Ideas are many.
Minutes are few.
Should I spend them writing,
Or spend them with you?

The things that you do,
And things that you say,
Are my inspiration,
Day after day.

So in daytime I gather
The bits of our lives
And hold them inside me
‘Til quiet arrives.

And sometimes in morning
And sometimes at night,
Those bits merge with dreams
And I sit down and write

copyright Peggy Archer  Read More