Meet Terry Pierce

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Terry Pierce a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Terry , thank you so much for taking the time to share your lessons learned with us and we’re sure your wisdom will help many. So, one question that comes up often and that we’re hoping you can shed some light on is keeping creativity alive over long stretches – how do you keep your creativity alive?

I keep my creativity alive by immersing myself in nature. Since I was a child, I’ve always felt most comfortable outdoors, whether I was sitting in a tree watching birds, riding my bike through mud puddles, or hiking with my family. In my adulthood, I’ve found that same solace and pleasure from nature, so when I began writing, I quickly realized that being outdoors inspired me like nothing else. I head outside often for inspiration… there’s something about the fresh air, natural scents and sounds, and the views that open my mind to story ideas.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

After being a Montessori preschool teacher for over twenty years, I decided to try something I’d thought about doing for years–write children’s books! It looked so easy that surely I–a former preschool teacher who had read countless children’s books–could do it, right? Wrong! Writing for children was much more challenging than I originally thought. It took five years to publish my first book. Not only did I have to perfect my craft by attending conferences, taking writing courses, and practicing, but I had to learn the business side of the industry. And yet, after ten years and seventeen published books, I knew I could learn more, so I returned to school at age 54 and earned my MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

The one constant in my writing journey was getting outside for inspiration. Nature reminds me of my place in the world and inspires me to move forward. Whether I’m gazing at stars and feeling like, compared to the universe, my problems aren’t all that big or gleaning specific story ideas, like hiking in the mountains and encountering wildlife, nature moves me.

What’s most special to me about writing children’s books is knowing that I’m touching the lives of young children. Books and reading are essential for developing young minds (for my detailed take on this, please visit https://terrypierce.blogspot.com/2010/10/five-reasons-why-children-need-picture.html), but perhaps most of all, I want to help children learn to love reading so they become lifelong readers. Knowing I’ve touched a child’s life is pure magic. I once was at a writing event (we all wore nametags). A woman seated near me said, “You’re Terry Pierce? The author of TAE KWON DO! My grandson learned to read because of your book!” It brought tears to my eyes as she shared how her “reluctant reader” grandson read my book to everyone at their Thanksgiving table.

Most recently, I hope to reach children’s lives with two new board books being released in the spring of 2025. First, I’m publishing my third book with Yosemite Conservancy, WE LEAVE NO TRACE! (illustrated by Nadja Sarell, March 11, 2025). This is the last in a trilogy of board books that will inspire the littlest readers to care for the environment and become stewards of the natural world (EAT UP, BEAR! and HELLO, MEADOW! are the earlier books in the series).

My other new board book, I’M A BABY! (Familius, illustrated by Volha Kaliaha, May 6, 2025) is all about bonding between babies and/or toddlers and their parents. It’s a sweet, humorous story about a day in the life of an active baby. I see lots of cuddling and laughter with this book! If a busy parent and their little one can have even a few moments of bonding time, I’ve accomplished my goal.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The most important quality for me in becoming a published children’s author has been my tenacity. It’s a competitive business, and some books take a long time to be published (one of my books took ten years from idea to publication). Not long into my journey, I realized I couldn’t write in a vacuum. I had to receive feedback on my work from other writers or professionals in the industry. It took tenacity to hear criticism, learn from it, and make the changes I thought would improve my stories. Additionally, publishers pass on most manuscripts, so I had to be persistent about submitting my work. Revision and finding the best publisher for my books took time, energy, and resolve.

I also believe it’s important to be open to trying new things, even if it means summoning the courage to step outside of my comfort zone. For example, early in my career, I joined the SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and saw they offered workshops, retreats, and conferences. But for this introvert, it wasn’t a given that I would participate. I had to work up the courage just to show up! It wasn’t easy, but children’s writers are so supportive and welcoming that I immediately made friends and connected with other like-minded folks. Similarly, after a few years, I felt my writing had plateaued, so after three years of working up the courage to do the boldest thing I’d ever done in my life, I applied to Vermont College of Fine Arts to get my MFA. It would require five cross-country trips from California to Vermont and living on campus for two weeks on each trip. Again, I had to be open to whatever the experience would bring me, and I’m so glad I was. It was a life-changing experience and took my writing to a new level.

Lastly, to write children’s books, I needed to read and study the kind of books I wanted to write. Writing children’s books is an art form with different formats of books: board books, picture books, easy readers, chapter books, middle-grade novels, and young adult novels. Each format requires a skill set to write. One of the best ways to develop that skill set is to read and study what works in the writing. This lesson came quickly for me. Early on, an editor critiqued a manuscript for me. She said I was a great writer, but I needed to learn how to write picture books. I had read picture books to my preschool students for over twenty years, but that wasn’t enough. To drive this point home, I had critiqued over 500 picture books while I studied for my MFA.

For anyone interested in learning to write for kids, I’d first recommend joining the SCBWI or taking a writing course. I used to teach for the UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, which offers different courses (online and on-site) on various children’s book formats. Nowadays, many universities provide children’s writing classes. If you’re not ready to make that big of a commitment, the SCBWI offers opportunities for people who are interested in learning more about writing and illustrating for children. One last bit of advice for budding writers… don’t be married to your words. If you want to produce your work with a publisher, you must be open to suggestions from other writers, your editor, and your illustrator. Publishing a children’s book is a collaborative process!

What do you do when you feel overwhelmed? Any advice or strategies?

This is a great question because we live in a time where it’s easy to feel overwhelmed by life. I have a handful of strategies that work for me.

First, I breathe. It sounds simple because we all breathe, right? But I mindfully focus on my breath. Sometimes, in the throes of a stressful situation, this means becoming aware of how I’m breathing–is it all short, shallow breathing in my upper lungs, which stimulates the “fight or flight” response? If so, I breathe more deeply, utilizing my diaphragm to expand my lungs and bring air deeper into my chest. This stimulates my parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” response that calms the body. If I’m not in a stressful moment but still feeling overwhelmed by something, I’ll meditate for a few minutes, focusing on my breath to calm my mind and body. How did I come about this? Early in the pandemic, I developed heart palpitations. My cardiologist told me they were caused by stress, so I started meditating (at first with an app and later with a class). It helped! Later, I read a wonderful book called Breath by James Nestor. The author dives deeply into how we breathe and, more importantly, that modern society has forgotten how to breathe correctly (yes, we can stay alive, but is that really all we want out of life?).

The other strategy I have when I’m feeling overwhelmed is to get outside in nature. As I’ve mentioned, being in nature puts everything in perspective… fresh air, wide views, movement. It reminds me of a grander existence than my own. My mind opens up in nature, so I’m able to take on different ways of looking at a problem and figure out the best way forward. Whether it’s taking a walk, hiking a trail, meditating by a stream, or gazing at a mountain, being in nature helps me figure things out. I’m fortunate to experience nature in this way and live where nature is at my doorstep. Even if someone can go for a walk in their neighborhood or a nearby park, being outside amongst nature can help with feeling overwhelmed.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://terrypiercebooks.com
• Instagram: @tlcpierce
• Facebook: @TerryPierceAuthor
• Twitter: @terrycpierce
• Other: Amazon: amazon.com/author/terrycpierce