Modern KidLit with Amy Ignatow ("The Popularity Papers, "Mighty Odds") - 018

Amy Ignatow is a writer and illustrator living in Philadelphia
with her family. After graduating from Moore College of Art and
Design she worked as a freelance illustrator, a stationery
designer, an air-brush face and body painter, an art teacher, an
SAT prep instructor, a reporter, a wedding singer, and a florist.
Amy was not very good at working for other people. Or with other
people.  Or around other people. Now she happily works in a
studio by herself. She is the author and illustrator of the
critically acclaimed middle grade POPULARITY PAPERS series as
well as the upcoming ODDS series. The first ODDS book, THE MIGHTY
ODDS, debuts in September 2016. In her spare time Amy enjoys
knitting, peeling oranges, yelling, and absurdity. She is a
relatively good driver.


As an aside, she is pretty hilarious.


Notes from the show:


She loves it when boys read her book.


Each page is hand draw and handwritten, unlike "Diary of a Wimpy
Kid."


Amy has different handwritings for herself under different
circumstances.


She was working gig jobs, including teaching, but they weren't
her passion.


Shel Silverstein - The Devil and Billy Markham


'Ig City" - weekly web comic


An agent on Craigslist sought clients, didn't like her web
comics.


She sent the site of the comics to the guy who ultimately became
her agent. The agent told her she needed a story. He suggested
writing for kids.


When they started sending out queries for Popularity Papers, 75
pages were sent out. She kept getting rejections, and then Random
House made an offer. They leveraged that offer to get more
offers.


"Amy, you're the writer. You get to wear anything you want."


Went with "Diary of a Wimpy Kid" imprint Abrams Books/Amulet.


Scholastic's office was awesome but they didn't offer enough
money.


"You have to gauge: who am I most comfortable with? Who do I want
to work with?"


Her agent gave her a huge packet titles, "Now You Have a Book
Deal."


She went to Moore College of Art and Design in Philadelphia. She
learned how to take criticism there.


"As an artist, you have to get really used to rejection. And get
used to defending your work and get used to taking criticism to
make you and your work better."


Long Island High School for the Arts


Illustrators are hilarious.


Jim Henson was a big influence.


Sesame Street Old School


Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pens


Canson All-Media Paper


Dyslexic kids like the handwriting in her book series.


Her new book has four main characters in a Lancaster, PA setting,
based on Lititz, PA.


"A Better Place to Be" - Harry Chapin's Greatest Stories Live


She will be part of an anthology of stories called "Funny Girl."


She played Pictionary with Daniel Handler.


Farscape


Buck's Rock Camp


Interview with Charlie McWade


Dan Rothenberg at Pig Iron Theatre


Agent: "You are being a little too kind to your characters."


"Put the work out there. Even if you're afraid, you have to be
fearless."


Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyignatow
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amyignatowauthor/