Quote of the Day:  Fun with a Purpose – the statement on the cover of Highlights for Children magazine.

Our tour guide at the creative offices of Highlights for Children.  As part of our experience for this writer’s workshop, we were invited to tour Highlights.

The first ever Highlights for Children
fun (with a fun “f”) with a purpose magazine.

When I stepped across the threshold of the Highlights offices, I felt like I was walking into someone’s home.  It is, indeed, a renovated old New England home, and the welcoming spirit of the place lingers on.  I was impressed with how open it was – the foyer, the desks in large rooms, and bits of fun scattered throughout.

Look!  Even a dinosaur!

And, the first of our group to gather and meet: Roxane (in the sunlight), Lenore (in the eye of the Giganotosaur), Me (stroking its nose), Cody (hiding behind), and Ashley (giggling at the fun)!

Whenever you’re creating something, whether it’s art or writing or a career, it helps to visualize what it will be.  I can visualize sending my stories to one of these people:

Joelle, the fiction editor.

Debra, who’s looking for good non-fiction.
Spot, the dog, is here for encouragement!

And, so is Larry the book editor!
Across the parking lot from the magazine are the offices of Boyds Mills Press.  Again, I felt the invitation to come in, share my work, and be welcomed into this family of words and pictures, stories that linger in our minds and hearts.  I asked Larry what type of books would people look at and say, “This is a Boyds Mills book.”  He said, “Books that have sustainability.”  They aren’t looking for books that are the hottest and latest.  They don’t want trendy.  What they long for is to open your packet and say, “Wow, this is a great story.”  It doesn’t need to be one that will come sizzling off the presses and hit the best seller list the first week.  What it needs is to have lasting power – like the elements of the magazine – The Timbertoes, Goofus and Gallant, the Hidden Pictures.  Those elements that kept us coming back for more and remembering even as we grew old.

Roxane, at Peace Garden Writer, also wrote about our Highlights tour.

Journaling Prompt: Where do you visualize your work?