A publishing journey

16 Apr 2015

Ella Watkins writes about her experience as a young writer…

I’ve been writing and painting for as long as I can remember, and I’m pretty sure I picked up a pencil before I picked up my own legs from the floor. I discovered Henry when I was 8, when the teacher asked us to “draw a picture to match the poem.” He emerged among coloured pencils and a stapled notebook, standing proud amongst an awkward entourage of circus animals.

Two weeks later he reappeared on a paper napkin just below a fresh curry stain, presented proudly to my two delighted parents. I remember leaving the restaurant, my footsteps drumming their excitement down the footpath, after my dad had commented “Hmm, I could see him in a movie.” I’d decided then and there that one day, Henry the Goat would be the star of his own film. But until that day, he’d splash his exuberance and untamable enthusiasm in watercolor and words and so Henry’s disastrous adventures began.

Henry’s first book was self-published and after that I signed with a publisher. I think what helped was having a large portfolio of work and multiple completed but unreleased books to show. I’ve always made time for art while juggling school and other life factors but have made sure to never push or force a story. After a break to complete my final years of school and travel the world, I’m currently working on another three Henry books that I hope to take to a publisher late next year.

My greatest challenge in entering the publishing world was finding my voice in the ocean of adults. Once you start working with a publisher, things change. Suddenly you have to learn to work with a team and everyone’s going to try and tell you how they think things should be done. While it’s great to be able to take advice and learn from others – especially when those others have been working with children’s books for more than 20 years – I also had to realise that no one knows my own stories better than I do. Stories are like the children who read them: they need to be given the opportunity to be reckless and wild just as much as they need nurture and guidance. While the people around me had studied children their entire lives, I was one, and my greatest challenge was learning to trust myself and not to lose my voice in the adult world of publishing.

The most important piece of advice I can offer any aspiring young writer and illustrator would be don’t let growing up make you forget how to be a child. You’re never too old to get lost in daydreams, climb trees, giggle too loudly, pull stupid faces and believe in the unbelievable. As you get older you’re going to have a whole lot more rules and expectations on how you should act and what you should do thrown at you. What you need to remember is to trust and stand up for yourself – this means not being afraid to say what you think, be different and, at times, a little crazy. Strangely enough, people will respect you for that – and if they don’t, does it really matter? I think creativity comes from the freedom to be totally fearless, and that’s why children make for the best storytellers.

Ella Watkins

Ella Watkins has been writing and painting for as long as she can remember. She wrote and published her first book, ‘Henry’s Holiday’ at the age of 12, and later ‘Henry the Goat’ when she was 14. Now 19, she has another 3 books in the Henry the Goat Series lined up, including ‘Henry the extraordinary Goat’ and ‘Henry’s Beach Birthday’, which she hopes to release internationally some time soon.

Instagram: @ellawhatkins

Image: Henry the extraordinary goat by Ella Watkins