I recently spoke to author, book blogger, and school librarian Travis Jonker about three aspects how he became an author:

• How he got his literary agent through his blog.
• How he developed courage to share his creative work by “failing in public” by creating a series of zines that he would mail to friends and colleagues in the book world.
• A clever idea he had for marketing his new book that riffed off those zines: an illustrated comic that told the behind-the-scenes story of his book, which would be mailed directly to people those who may appreciate the book.

For each instance, Travis was clear about sharing something that was unique and represented what he cared about most; He did so consistently (his blog is more than 10 years old, and in that entire time, he posted 15-30 posts per month); and he found ways to connect with his audience in way that were personal and meaningful.

You can listen to the entire interview by clicking ‘play’ below or on iTunes:

Travis’ kidlit book blog, 100 Scope Notes, can be found here, and please check out his upcoming book: The Very Last Castle. Travis also has a podcast where he takes you behind the scenes in children’s literature called The Yarn.

You can find Dan Blank at: http://wegrowmedia.com  Be the Gateway: http://a.co/evyrsjw  https://www.instagram.com/DanBlank https://twitter.com/danblank