Today we’d like to introduce you to Janet Sumner Johnson.
Hi Janet, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Hi! I am a children’s author from Logan, Utah. I grew up in Orem and Ogden, and studied English at BYU, and French literature at the U of U where I got my Master’s. Though I never wanted to be an author, I have been telling stories since I first learned to write. Even in college, I wrote stories and comic essays in my spare time to share with my roommates at night. I loved making them laugh.
After I graduated, I finally realized that I wanted to tell stories for a living. Specifically, I wanted to be a children’s author.
I joined SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators). I joined critique groups, and learned about writing from the online kid lit community. I participated in pitch contests, which is how I landed my first agent who sold my first middle-grade book. THE LAST GREAT ADVENTURE OF THE PB&J SOCIETY (for ages 8-13) came out in 2016.
When we parted ways, I found a second agent who has been with me ever since. She has sold many books for me, the first, being a picture book, HELP WANTED: MUST LOVE BOOKS, which came out in 2020. My second, BRAVER THAN BRAVE came out in August 2022, and in 2023-24, I have four more picture books coming out, as well as the first two books of a new middle-grade mystery series.
I’ve appreciated the opportunities I’ve had to continue to learn and grow as an author.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
I have definitely not had a smooth road. I spent ten years learning the craft of writing before my first book came out. I was raising a young family while my husband was busy in medical school and residency, so it was a real struggle to find the time to write and participate in the community.
At the first conference I attended, I paid for a professional critique from an editor. He shredded my work, which felt so devastating at the time.
Once I got my agent, we spent two years on submission before my first book sold. And once that book came out, my agent dropped me as a client when she moved to a new agency.
With my current agent, I have had numerous books go on submission and not sell. And many, many times, I have wondered if I was cut out to be an author. Rejection is the one thing you can count on in this career, so it takes a pretty thick skin.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
As a children’s author, I write picture books for younger readers, and middle-grade books for kids aged 8-13.
My books are known for humor and heart. Laughter is such a great way to deal with some of the hardest topics we face. My picture books also deal with SEL (social-emotional learning) topics, such as having a growth mindset, self-awareness, and responsible decision-making.
I write books that remind kids they have agency. They can choose how they react to a situation, and how they face their struggles. I love seeing kids react to BRAVER THAN BRAVE, and hearing how they have chosen to be brave. It’s exciting to help children gain more self-confidence.
My quirky sense of humor mixed with important themes sets my work apart, along with the creative back-matter that can help kids practice the skills they just read about.
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
Luck is a constant in writing and publishing! Timing is all about luck. My picture book editor told me that my first book hit three things she was looking for, which is why it sold: books, family, and bedtime. Very often when I sell a book, I get a comments like, “I was looking for something on that topic!”
And the opposite is also true. So many times I’ve gotten a rejection because the publisher just acquired a book with a similar topic. It can be frustrating knowing you might have had an offer if only you’d been a little quicker in writing your book!
Getting published is not just about writing a good book. It’s about writing a good book and sending it to the right person at exactly the right time. So much luck is involved in that!
However, I believe that you can create your own luck by working hard and being prepared to seize opportunities that come your way. That’s how I sold my first picture book series, THE RECESS GENIUS (Pixel + Ink, Feb. 7, 2023). My agent knew the editor who just started working there, so we worked hard to develop a series idea that would work for Pixel + Ink’s vision. Luckily the editor loved the idea, but the luck wouldn’t have mattered if we hadn’t put in the work first.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://janetsumnerjohnson.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/janetsumnerjohnson/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rjljohnson
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MsVerbose
Image Credits
Anchor + Spire Photography
Eunji Jung
Courtney Dawson
Stacy Ebert
Alexandra Colombo
Capstone Young Readers
