Conversations with the Inspiring Claudia Mills

Today we’d like to introduce you to Claudia Mills.

Claudia, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I got my start as a children’s book author when I worked for Four Winds Press (an imprint of Scholastic) many years ago as an editorial secretary. I had always yearned to be a writer, and now I was plunged into this fascinating world with a chance to be part of a team charged with the wonderful task of making books for children. I began trying to write my own manuscripts, while commuting on the bus from my home in Princeton, NJ, to the Scholastic offices in New York. When I sent my stories to publishers, however, they all came back rejected, with no feedback offered. Then, I hit upon the brilliant idea of submitting my manuscripts to Scholastic, but using a pseudonym, so they wouldn’t know who I was: I could sit at my desk, typing away on my IBM Selectric typewriter, and have a ringside seat to witness how my stories were received. Well, the first two I submitted to Scholastic got rejected – and I was the one who had to type the rejection letter! Then, on my third try, the editor I worked for handed me the story I had written (not knowing, of course, that I was the author), and asked me to write her an editorial critique of it. I surprised myself by finding much to criticize in the story, as well as much to praise. The editor ended up sending me this report, in a letter her secretary (me) typed to the author (me), inviting me to revise the book according to the suggestions in the report, and then she’d be happy to look at it again and consider it for publication. I took all the advice I had the good sense to give myself, and that became my first published book. (Luckily, she had a good sense of humor and laughed when she learned my identity). Since then I’ve published almost 60 books for young readers.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Most of my bumps came at the very beginning, with that nonstop stream of rejections. But I continue to get rejections on manuscripts to this day, and rejection always stings. Once I became a published author, I also had the sometimes painful experience of reading published reviews of my books, either in professional journals or nowadays on websites like Amazon and Goodreads. While many reviews are glowing, others are… not, and it’s the negative ones I tend to remember. Some authors don’t even read their reviews for this reason, but I try to use mine as a learning opportunity, a way to grow in my craft by getting this kind of honest feedback and putting it to use on future projects.

So, the advice I would give those starting their journey is to try to take all feedback on your work as a chance to strengthen your skills rather than as a personal attack. But that’s easier said than done! Most of all, I would recommend finding a supportive community of peers who can cheer you on in your struggles as you cheer them on in theirs. I have always been in a writing group, and I’m also active in organizations such as the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. I love the fellow writers I’ve met in these ways, and that has made any bumps on the road much less bumpy.

What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of? What sets you apart from others?
I write books for children of just about all ages: picture books for very young children, easy readers for those just learning to read on their own, chapter books for readers transitioning to reading full-length children’s novels, and middle-grade novels for kids roughly ages 9-12. Mine are realistic stories, usually with a school setting. I find school delightful to write about as it brings together a diverse group of kids who might not otherwise encounter each other and gives them the chance to learn wondrous new things. I often write about small problems in a child’s life that might not seem that serious to adult observers but are intensely important to the children experiencing them: friendship dynamics, sibling dynamics, small defeats, small victories. My mantra for myself as an author is: “If it matters to a third-grader, then it matters to me.” For example, my most popular book has been 7 x 9 = Trouble!, which is simply about a third grader struggling to master those pesky times tables! My most recent series, After-School Superstars, takes place in an after-school program, where every book is set in a different themed camp. So far I’ve written about cooking camp, in Nixie Ness, Cooking Star, and comic book camp, in Vera Vance, comics star. Next up: Lucy Lopez, Coding Star, and Boogie Bass, Sign Language Star. I think my books are distinctive in the realism of their small details and my attempts to understand the inner lives of children during everyday, ordinary experiences.

Do you have any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general? What has worked well for you?
I have found just about all my professional support through joining writers’ organizations and becoming active in them – not just attending conferences but throwing myself into the work of the organization in as many ways as I can. For children’s book creators, the premiere organization is the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). So the first thing I tell any would-be children’s book author is: join SCBWI! There are terrific books on craft out there, too, and classes you can take, and graduate programs in children’s literature, like the magical one at Hollins University in Roanoke, where I teach. But you can learn so much, and do so much networking, just by going to professional conferences and starting conversations.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.claudiamillsauthor.com
• Phone: 13039280649
• Email: cmills@colorado.edu
• Instagram: claudiamillsauthor
• Facebook: Claudia Mills

Image Credit:
Photo of me: Claudia Mills
Image for Zero Tolerance: Vera Brosgol/Farrar Straus & Giroux
Images for Kelsey Green and Cody Harmon: Rob Shepperson/Farrar Straus & Girous
Images for Nixie Ness and Vera Vance: Grace Zong/Holiday House

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