From Freelancer to Bestselling Author: Writing Lessons from Newbery Medalist Jerry Craft

Talk Freelance To Me

How can staying true to your story unlock your biggest creative breakthrough?

In this episode Ashley Cisneros Mejia chats with award-winning author and illustrator Jerry Craft, creator of New Kid—the first graphic novel to ever win the prestigious Newbery Medal. Jerry opens up about his inspiring journey from a reluctant reader to a New York Times bestselling author, sharing how his personal experiences of feeling like an outsider became the foundation for a story that resonates with readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Tune in to hear Jerry's candid insights on the power of perseverance, navigating countless rejections, and staying true to your creative vision even when the odds are stacked against you. Whether you're a freelance writer seeking to get published or a creative professional in search of inspiration, this episode offers invaluable wisdom on storytelling, tenacity, and building a successful career as a writer.

In this episode, you’ll learn:

• The challenges Jerry overcame before breaking through with a traditional publisher.
• How to transform personal experiences into universal stories that resonate with diverse audiences.
• The importance of perseverance and resilience in pursuing a creative career, even after facing repeated rejection.
• Why staying true to your vision and avoiding limiting labels can be key to long-term creative success.

ABOUT JERRY CRAFT

Jerry Craft is the New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the graphic novels New Kid, Class Act, and School Trip. New Kid is the only book in history to win the John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature (2020); the Kirkus Prize for Young Readers’ Literature (2019), and the Coretta Scott King Author Award for the most outstanding work by an African American writer (2020). Jerry was born in Harlem and grew up in the Washington Heights section of New York City and now travels the world telling kids and their families about the importance of reading. Buy the books at: https://jerrycraft.com/

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Kapitler

1. From Freelancer to Bestselling Author: Writing Lessons from Newbery Medalist Jerry Craft (00:00:00)

2. Introduction to Jerry Craft and his award-winning work (00:01:29)

3. How Jerry Craft transitioned from working in advertising to becoming an author (00:03:19)

4. How Jerry's personal story inspired New Kid and the character of Jordan Banks (00:04:19)

5. The challenge of writing for middle-grade readers and balancing innocence with maturity (00:06:35)

6. How Jerry Craft first got into self-publishing (00:15:43)

7. How Jerry Craft first found out that he won the Newbery Medal (00:18:37)

8. How life changes once you win a Newbery Medal (00:23:19)

9. How Jerry Craft transitioned from self-publishing to becoming a traditionally-published author (00:27:02)

10. A season of rejection and perseverance (00:32:32)

11. Finding the right time, the right editor, and the right publisher (00:34:07)

12. The process of creating a graphic novel (00:36:01)

13. There really are no overnight successes (00:37:41)

14. Glowing emails, hate mail, and book bans (00:41:10)

15. Jerry Craft’s and Kwame Alexander’s forthcoming book, J vs. K (00:53:53)

16. Jerry Craft's advice for aspiring freelance authors and creatives (00:55:18)