Hey friends!
If you like kids and you like writing and you like science, have you ever considered combining them all together?
I’m talking specifically about writing science books for kids. It’s a great way to combine these things all together, and have fun introducing kids to cool science topics. After all, they are the next generation of scientists. Even better, you may be able to make a bit of money off it as a side hustle!
My Aunt Lisa introduced me to Ginger Wallis a little while ago. Ginger is a science schoolteacher by day, and writes children’s science books by night. Her latest book, Finch Discoveries, discusses the tale of Rosemary and Peter Grant, two scientists who studied island finch evolution. It’s a really fun book, and proves in interesting concept about how you can earn a small income as a children’s book writer.
I had to find out more, so I present to you an interview I did with Ginger. Enjoy!
Contents
- 1 How long have you been teaching? And how did you get into writing children‘s books?
- 2 How does your teaching experience inform your writing? As someone who doesn’t interact a lot with children, I imagine it takes a lot of skill in knowing what is age-appropriate vocabulary, for example.
- 3 How does the book publishing process work from an author’s perspective? Do you need to find a literary agent or publisher and write the book beforehand, for example? How do you find these people?
- 4 Science is often students’ least-favorite subject. How do you make it interesting for them, especially in a written format?
- 5 How much can you expect to be paid for each book? Do you think this is a viable way to earn extra income for science educators?
- 6 What advice would you have for people who want to give this a shot? Where can they go to learn more?
How long have you been teaching? And how did you get into writing children‘s books?
I taught environmental education for quite awhile and now I have been teaching middle school biology/ecology for 19 years. A few years ago I took a year leave without pay feeling that I wanted to learn about climate change. I had two projects that I wanted to find funds for and implement that year. One was creating workshops for parents and grandparents around being role models and mentors to the kids in their lives around climate change, energy use, resiliency, etc. The other was to write a children‘s book on a scientific study that I loved of successful adaptation. I found that younger children were worried for penguins and polar bears and I wanted them to know that there will be extinctions and there will also be successful adaptation.
How does your teaching experience inform your writing? As someone who doesn’t interact a lot with children, I imagine it takes a lot of skill in knowing what is age-appropriate vocabulary, for example.
I knew a lot of the science for this story as I lead my students through a simulation of it, but I had never written a children‘s book before. It took me awhile to find my voice. I wrote it with the animals on the island talking to each other. Another version had a father finch telling the story to his granddaughter. Another had a boy working with the scientists and writing letters back to his cousin. But eventually I found my voice and wrote it from the perspective of a teacher who got a grant to work with Peter and Rosemary Grant on their research. I brought my drafts to English classes at the 4th, 6th and 7th grade levels and the students were so helpful in telling me what they liked, what they didn’t understand and that helped me craft it. I also learned so much from two retired English teachers from our school as they edited it and guided me to use more powerful language.
I self-published this book. I talked to a woman who had used a number of different self publishing options and she found CreateSpace to be straightforward and provide helpful customer support. I followed her lead and found that to be true for me as well.
Science is often students’ least-favorite subject. How do you make it interesting for them, especially in a written format?
I found this research of the Grants and their colleagues to be so compelling myself. Darwin felt that natural selection took a very long time and the Grants observed it happening twice in less than 20 years. The finches went through a severe drought that lasted over a year and then later intense rains for eight months; both events changing the island, the plant sources, the seeds, the behaviors of the finches and even the beak size over generations. I wrote the story so that on each page, one side is the story from the bird’s perspective. The other side is the story from the scientist’s perspective sharing their methods and discoveries. One can read just the bird’s story or one could read just the scientist’s story, or read them together.
How much can you expect to be paid for each book? Do you think this is a viable way to earn extra income for science educators?
I think marketing is a key piece and so one has to devote time to marketing. At first I did readings and I am at one fair each year now. That gives me exposure, but doing more marketing than I do would be really helpful. I pay about $4.00 for each copy from CreateSpace and then I sell them for $12.95. I am still paying off my original costs: a wonderful artist, and a designer. There were miscellaneous costs as well.
What advice would you have for people who want to give this a shot? Where can they go to learn more?
Write what you are passionate about. Narrative non fiction is a great place to use your science knowledge and provide these stories to students. Sonya Hakala has a book Your Book, Your Way that has helpful information.
Well, there you have it, friends!
Would you ever consider writing science books for kids? Why or why not? What book would you write? Leave a comment below!
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