Can you share a little about your recent book?
Love Well, My Precious One is a picture book written in rhyme for 4–8-year-olds empowering children to love others in whatever situation they may find themselves in and make the world a better place. I think it’s a great book to show children how to treat others and work out their differences in loving ways.
Another recent book is Noah’s Gloomy Joyful Ark which is a fun glimpse into what it may have felt like to be on the ark. Was it a gloomy experience or joyful? You’ll have to read it to find out and you might just find yourself roaring, barking, and hee-hawing right along with the animals on the ark!
Why do you write? Do you have a theme, message, or goal for your books?
I write because it is part of who I am. My writing teachers in school frequently complemented me on my stories and I usually got good grades on them. Creative writing always came easy to me. When God placed it on my heart to write for publication, I tried my best to obey.
My message has developed over time but essentially I write with the hope that my books will bring children and their loved ones closer to Jesus.
How long have you been writing? I’ve been writing since 1996, so almost 30 years.And how long did it take you to get your first major book contract? Or are you published non-traditionally? How did that come about?
I started writing in 1996. Once I got my book written, typed in Word (I hand-wrote my first book), and followed the steps in a book I bought on how to get published, I received a year’s worth of rejections before getting a positive nibble and a contract a few months later. My first book was released with Honor Books in 1999.
Which of your books is your favorite?
I can’t say that I have a favorite. I have loved each of my books and remember what went into each one: the struggles, the inspiration, the frustration. To hold the finished book in my hands elicits such joy every time. Some books have definitely done better than others, but I believe there’s a place for each of them.
Do you have a favorite character or scene in one of your books?
Most of my books don’t focus particularly on one character, but I love the bamboo sprout in my You’re More than a Sprout book. He’s adorably illustrated (which I had nothing to do with). He pouts as he longs to be part of the beautiful world but is stuck in the ground for years, like bamboo seeds are. Without giving away the whole story, I can say that we see his frustration, his impatience and his longing to be beautiful. Isn’t that what we all experience at some point? Ultimately, he experiences his place in the Master’s plan. He’s just a cute little guy that children can hopefully relate to.
Tell us about an award you won that was particularly meaningful.
Each and every award that my books win is so touching to me. I don’t take any of them lightly. I am thrilled that others think highly enough of my books to grant them awards. It truly means the world to me. But one book stands out to me. I struggled with getting the book That Grand Easter Day just right. I remember being right up to the deadline and still not getting it right. I went back and forth with my editor. I’d write it and rewrite it. She’d give her feedback. I’d rewrite it again. I mean I was literally sweating but still falling short. When it finally came together I was like, “YES!! THIS IS IT!” I pumped my fists in the air as I did the happy dance. My editor loved the final manuscript too. That book turned out so beautiful with amazing illustrations. It won three separate top awards at the Blue Ridge Christian Writers Conference the following year. It was so fun accepting those awards because I knew what went into the writing of that book. It was nice to see it pay off.
How long does it take you to write a book?
Once I get an idea for a book, I’ll toss it around in my head and see if I can work out a few verses. Once I sit down to write, the first draft can usually be produced in a few hours. But then the work begins. It will be months usually before I bring it to my Word Weavers Group for their critique, then rewrite it to make it more publishable.
What’s your writing work schedule like?
It truly is seasonal, but in a good productive season I’m writing a couple days a week. If I’m trying to get a proposal together I might work several days that week.
What has been your greatest joy(s) in your writing career?
I love hearing how my books have touched somebody’s life. Recently I received a heart-wrenching message about a young boy in a drowning incident. The writer of the message told me that the week before the accident he kept asking for one book to be read to him every night and it was one of my books – If Jesus Lived Inside My Heart. The mother was touched by the book and shared this story, after her son’s memorial service, with others who were then inspired to purchase the book to give to other kids so they may come to know and love Jesus in the memory of their precious boy. I mean this brings tears to my eyes every time – tears of sadness and heartache for the family, and tears of joy in what God is doing through this sorrow. God can use our books to bring hope and healing to others in a catastrophic situation. That blows my mind.
Could you tell us about a dark moment in your writing career?
There was a time where I was inundated with rejection letters. I mean, so many rejections. I was wondering if I had misunderstood God. So, I quit and told God He’d have to lead me into something else and redirect my path. I was done with this. It left an empty feeling inside for sure, but I trusted He would lead me, and He did… right back into writing. LOL.
I had been going to the Florida Christian Writers conference for several years in a row, but now that I wasn’t a ‘writer’ any more I didn’t sign up for it. But, I had a gnawing feeling inside and I really wanted to go. So, I told God I would go but He would have to speak loudly and clearly to me if I was to keep writing or not.
I received positive feedback from others on my manuscripts, but I wanted to hear from God, not people. Sure enough, when I was standing by the swamp whining to God about wanting to hear His voice, I kept hearing a scratching noise. It continued and continued. Finally, I stopped whining and looked up at the tree for the source of the scratching. It was a squirrel working persistently on cracking a nut he held in his little paws. It hit me like a lightening bolt! That squirrel was going to get that prize of a nut unless he threw it down and quit, like I had been doing. That was exactly what I needed to hear. Right then I vowed to keep writing and not throw God’s gift away.
Where do you get your ideas?
Ideas flow from various places. Many times, an idea will pop into my head when I’m on a run. Sometimes when I’m in church, something from a sermon will hit me as an idea for a children’s book. I keep my eyes open all the time for the next inspiration.
Who is your favorite author to read?
As far as children’s books go, Dr. Seuss wins hands down. For my personal reading pleasure, I’ve been enjoying cozy mysteries, from writers like T. A. Williams and Fiona Grace. When I travel, I like to find mysteries or romance novels that happen in similar places to where I’ll be traveling. These two have written many stories that take place in Italy and parts of Europe, my favorite places to visit.
What advice can you give aspiring authors that you wished you had gotten, or that you wished you would have heeded?
Stay persistent. Getting published is not a quick and easy goal to achieve. If God places a story on your heart, stay on it. It may not turn out exactly how you envisioned but roll with it. Work hard at it. You may have to rewrite it many times and that’s just part of the job. Seek out a critique group. Word Weavers is a fabulous writer’s group that has chapters worldwide as well as online groups. Getting other eyes to look at your story and offer tips to make it more publishable is a necessity.
What are common mistakes you see aspiring writers make?
Many people may think if God gave them the idea, then the book should be exactly as they envisioned it. That is rarely the case. The title may change, the story may change a bit, your editor may want you to totally remove some of your favorite lines or parts in your book. They are the professionals and know what sells. Don’t be married to your original version of your story. Allow your book to be improved.
I remember writing a Christmas book as a follow-up to an Easter Book that was published. I had what I thought were three unique and super fun parts in the book. My editor liked the whole book except for those three parts. They had to go. It was painful but the story turned out much better, was published, and is still selling well.
Where/How do you recommend writers try to break into the market?
I remember hearing words of wisdom to write what you know. I knew how to write well in rhyme, so I went with that. You don’t have to stay there, but it’s a nice place to start. Start with what you know, what you feel most comfortable writing. Some people are great story tellers and novels come naturally to them. But always aim to learn more, become a better writer, learn from the pros. In other words, try to attend a writers’ conference. That’s where I learned most of what I know. They are so valuable. Editors from publishing houses and agents attend these conferences and are looking for new manuscripts. Conferences are great ways to get your manuscripts out there and receive feedback on them.
Jill Roman Lord is an award-winning author of over thirty children’s books with her newest one releasing this fall, My Thanksgiving Blessings. She lives in Denver, NC with her husband of 36 years, Bill. Jill also works as a nurse anesthetist when she’s not writing. She enjoys running, playing pickle ball, visiting her adult children and adorable new grandson, and indulging occasionally in dark chocolate.
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