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Homeschooling and chores took up so much of my time, where could I unzip the day to find more?
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Let's face it: Writing parents are busy. Were not just talking busy here, we're talking BUSY. Ah, but we're also clever. We can come up with the neatest things to keep the kids busy while we follow our passion.
With this in mind, I reveled in my creativity (usually not one of my strong points) as I taught my children a passion for writing. Since they already knew how to type, it really didn't take a lot of time to teach them how to prepare a manuscript or the Submitting Game. In no time at all, they swooped down on the computers and my word processor, and took to the Process like a pen to paper.
Teaching them this art and guiding them along as they polished their craft, seemed to cover a lot of other subjects and I was pleased to notice that their grades in Grammar, Reading, and English were improving. I was amazed, even with myself. I received hours to finish my projects while they wrote their stories, articles, poems, jokes, and filler tidbits.
After a while, though, they wrote so many stories that I became swamped with their writing. Of course, I had to read and edit the reams, piles, and avalanches of material. Most of it was very good, but my plan to get some time to write seemed to be backfiring on me.
So one day, when I handed the papers back, I made a simple comment. You know the type of comment that's supposed to vent frustration, but not be mean. All I said was:
"You guys should be your own editors."
Yep, that's all I said. They looked at each other, and the rest is history. They decided that they were going to publish their own family magazine. They named it KIDS' HIGHWAY.
So now they're in the Publishing business. They made the 2001 Writer's Digest Best Top 50 List for writers to be published on-line. They've spoken before TV cameras, for interviews and conferences, not to mention they are making money at what they love to do.
And I've got my time back to pursue my freelancing career with an added perk. I've tapped into their business venture to write a few articles. Here's one I thought you might enjoy.
An interview with the editors of KIDS' HIGHWAY
KIDS' HIGHWAY is 2 years old and has recently made the Writer's Digest's Best Top 50 List for writers to be published online. It has a circulation that cruises worldwide, including such countries as Japan and Kenya.
As I sit down at the conference table with Miranda and Hector Cole Garza, they seem very much at home in their business surroundings, even though the brother and sister are both teen-agers. Miranda just graduated from high school and her brother will be 16 at the end of March.
I pigeon-holed them on one of the days that they read submissions, so each had a large stack of envelopes and papers in front on them.
PG: HOW DO YOU DESCRIBE KIDS' HIGHWAY?
Hector Cole: The fun magazine for kids and their grown-ups.
Miranda: We say 'fun' because we believe reading our fiction is fun, and we publish fun things to do.
PG: DO YOU EVER FEEL OVERWHELMED BY YOUR EDITING/PUBLISHING DUTIES?
Hector Cole: Sometimes, because I still have school assignments that are due. But the process gets me used to meeting deadlines and working under pressure. I think I need a lot of practice on that.
Miranda: Only if we come up against glitches, like if the printer runs out of what we need, or if there's a problem with our on-site payment options. Then, I get real nervous.
PG: WHAT ARE YOUR DUTIES?
Hector Cole: I read fiction submissions, maintain our Website, and send out acceptances and rejections that come in by post.
Miranda: Oh, wow, let's see, I take care of all the finances, paying the bills and our writers. I read nonfiction and poetry, and take care of most of the e-mail correspondence. I make sure that our writers get their copies and sample copies. Oh, and I also prepare the issue for the printers.
PG: HOW DO YOU FIND TIME DO ALL THAT?
Hector Cole: We have to keep to a schedule. I'm home-schooled so mine is pretty flexible.
Miranda: Oh yes, scheduling is soo.oo important. Right now I'm taking courses on criminology, so I've got to schedule my time to the minute.
Hector Cole: We also designate different days to do what we have to do.
Miranda: But it's not really that hard because we love doing it.
PG: DO YOU EVER RECEIVE HELP?
Hector Cole: We have a Public Relations Officer to take care of promotion and the public. And a volunteer editor for the Grown-ups' Mini-Mag.
PG: WHAT'S THAT?
Hector Cole: It's a tug-out section of the magazine for adults.
Miranda: We call it a mini-mag because is a smaller portion than the rest of the magazine. But it's for the grown-ups.
PG: WHAT STARTED YOU ON THIS VENTURE?
Hector Cole: Our allowances! (smiles)
Miranda: (hits him) That's not what she meant.
Hector Cole: Well, it's true.
Miranda: Answer the question.
Hector Cole: Yes Ma'am. What was the question? Oh, yeah. Actually, I was having a hard time getting accepted from other publications. And I wondered why. After I did some research, I found out that there weren't many kids' publications out there that had the same philosophy as I did when it came to fiction, namely, to have fun.
Miranda: (Smiles) I was given an assignment once to be a 'girl reporter'. My teacher (MOM) gave me one of those hats reporters wear, a press card to stick in it, a notepad, and a pencil. She told me to go out and find stories to report on, interview people on certain subjects, and to design a mock newspaper. And I did. (laughs) It was a lot of fun for an 8 year old. And it's been with me ever since.
PG: DO YOU EVER GET TIME TO SPARE?
Hector Cole: Sure. I love music, so I practice the guitar, tambourine, and drums, in my spare time. I also like to read comic books, and as well as write them.
Miranda: I collect stamps, dogs, celebrity autographs... Actually, it'd be easier to say, I have a collecting complex. And, too, I've taken it upon myself to keep my 3 brothers in line.
Hector Cole: Not me, though.
Miranda: Ha!
PG: HECTOR, YOU MENTIONED THAT YOUR ALLOWANCES GOT YOU STARTED. I ALSO NOTICE THAT YOU DON'T CARRY ADVERTISEMENTS. HOW DO YOU DO IT?
Hector Cole: We rely on our subscribers to make ends meet. So naturally we had to start out by using our allowances. At first, we couldn't pay our writers. But now that our circulation is up we can pay and still rise up out of the red.
Miranda: Though we understand the need for them, neither of us like it when we open a publication to be entertained, and find it half full with advertisements.
Hector Cole: I also think they're distracting and puts pressure on parents.
PG: WHAT DOES KIDS' HIGHWAY NEED RIGHT NOW?
Hector Cole: Donations. (smiles)
Miranda: (hits him again) Will you stop?
Hector Cole: Oh, alright. I'd like to see more mysteries, sci-fi, and comic book heroes, and some more submissions for our Grown-ups' Mini-Mag from our writers.
Miranda: We need more submissions for our CAREER WATCH, CRAFTS, and HOBBIES columns.
Hector Cole: We haven't even started the hobby column yet.
Miranda: But it's in the works.
Hector Cole: Well, don't forget the reviews columns.
Miranda: That's right, for videos and children's books.
PG: WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE IN KIDS' HIGHWAY's FUTURE?
Hector Cole: I'd like more people to appreciate the fun KIDS' HIGHWAY has to offer. To me, this is the magazine I'D like to receive in the mail. And that's how I work at it.
Miranda: I'd like to see more art.
Hector Cole: That's not what you said before.
Miranda: What?
Hector Cole: You said you'd like to--
Miranda: Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. I'd like to be able to pay our writers more.
Yes, their philosophy is fun, something the editors of KIDS' HIGHWAY are determined to bring to their magazine. And judging from the fun I had at this interview, I can see why they succeed.