Book Creators Share Their Jobs #BeforeKidlit

Over on Twitter, Giuseppe Castellano had an idea . . .

I’d LOVE a #beforekidlit hashtag through which industry pros shared what they did before they became popular/famous/successful, etc.

— Giuseppe Castellano (@pinocastellano) October 25, 2017

And authors and illustrators have responded, sharing their jobs before they got into making books for kids. They’re using the hashtag #beforekidlit. I shared some below, click here to see them all.

#beforekidlit lots of talk on how long a book career takes. After I sold my first book I worked for 13 years at B&N. I was broke a lot!

— Meghan McCarthy (@meghanauthor) October 27, 2017

#beforekidlit paperboy, comic book store clerk, nanny to three boys, video game artist, cartoon show creator (The Replacements)

— Dan Santat (@dsantat) October 26, 2017

#beforekidlit I worked at a flower shop, then waited tables at an Italian restaurant, then got a job prepping characters for animation (1/3)

— Renée Kurilla (@reneekurilla) October 26, 2017

#beforekidlit I bagged groceries, washed dishes, ushered, worked in a shop, worked in a bookstore, waited tables at an Italian place frequented by Joseph "Joe Bananas" Bonanno, painted hundreds of D&D books and Magic cards, and taught figure drawing.

— Adam Rex (@MrAdamRex) October 26, 2017

Retail (so much retail, like everyone who graduated college in the early 90s), technical writer and editor, library school #beforekidlit

— Julie Falatko (@JulieFalatko) October 26, 2017

I was very lucky #beforekidlit I worked in animation for over 15 years doing layout and visdev. Before that I made sandwiches.

— Ghost Variety Pak (@kenardpak) October 27, 2017

@pinocastellano Camp counselor, food service, pet store, and delivering newspapers -depending on how far you wanna go back #beforekidlit

— Greg Pizzoli (@gregpizzoli) October 26, 2017

#beforekidlit Subway sandwich artist. Dancing chicken. Farmer. Cook. Wedding singer. Teacher. Airbrush face and body painter.

— Amy Ignatow (@amyignatow) October 26, 2017

#beforekidlit: camp counselor, art teacher & I participated in focus groups for extra money.

— Jarrett J. Krosoczka (@StudioJJK) October 26, 2017

#beforekidlit
Drive-thru at Taco Bell ?
Castmember at the Disney Store ?
Telemarketer *shudders* ??
Animation artist for DreamWorks ?

— Molly Idle (@MollyIdle) October 27, 2017

I was a writer and editor at @CountryLiving for 8 years. #beforekidlit

— Matthew Holm (@mattholm) October 26, 2017

…It was a long road to get here. But it has ALL made me a better artist, writer and book maker. #beforekidlit

— Corinna Luyken (@CorinnaLuyken) October 28, 2017

#beforekidlit I was a low-level producer on crappy poker tv shows. I know more about professional gambling than I would like to.

— JonaFANG Auxier (@JonathanAuxier) October 26, 2017

#beforekidlit I worked in many a things in the arts before kidlit, incl. wedding videographer, film editor, graphic designer, animator… ->

— Ghost Cale (@2dCale) October 26, 2017

#beforekidlit I went to film school, worked as a graphic designer at a T-shirt co, then as a production coordinator on an animated tv show

— Vashti Harrison (@VashtiHarrison) October 26, 2017

Filed under: Articles