March 12th
We’re back baby!
Or should I say… toddlers?!
It’s been a hot minute here at Daxo Kids Books. From moving jobs to more lockdowns and meltdowns, we’ve had a lot going on here.
Steph here, as someone who struggles in hot weather, it’s always hard for me to work through the heat longer than my allotted hours of full time work, but now as the weather begins to cool, I find myself back in the writer's chair and ready to rock and write.
We’ve been working on some more projects behind the scenes and, with some help from others, we’re looking forward to releasing them this year and next, so stay tuned!
February 17th
Why personal deadlines can be harmful.
For some people deadlines motivate them. A drive to achieve in an allotted time resonates with so many of us that there’s now even apps and widgets on our devices to create said deadlines.
We’ve learnt to ‘hand things in’ from a young age. Our coursework and homework always had a due by date, our Uni assignments always had a due by date and my mum even gave me due dates to tidy my room.. Though, those were normally within the hour!
However, though we may find these deadlines helpful when it comes to; work, exercise or savings, having personal due dates for your side projects/craft projects can become quite harmful.
For those of us who work a full time job and have to balance our personal projects, we sometimes find ourselves overloaded with thoughts and desires for said projects. We want to write a book by a month, paint by a certain day, or even be published by a certain age. Unfortunately when those deadlines get missed, we become very hard on ourselves.
With personal deadlines we take ourselves into accountability and we will always be harder on ourselves than anyone else could be. When we near a due date, we become anxious or stressed and feel the pressure to do more, work later on our projects or even use substances like caffeine or cheap sugary food to keep us going and this can be very harmful to the soul.
Last year I went through the same. I wanted each book out by a certain time and selling a certain number that the original plan for Daxo Kids Books, (which is to make at least ONE child feel seen), slipped into the background. This caused a breakdown and the most anxiety I had faced, and after reading about so many successful people who took their time but persevered through the years, it made me realise it’s okay to go at your own pace.
I hope those who make promises to themselves can realise that life can change so easily and you don’t have to be so hard on yourself. The most important part of your side hustle journey should be the enjoyment.
Enjoy what you do and others will be drawn to you.
Sep 17
We've found our charity!
50c from each book sold will go to Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.
Andy The Anxious Ant is now available on Amazon and 50c from each sale will go to Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.
The Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand is a charity that works towards creating a society free from discrimination, where all people enjoy positive mental health and wellbeing, regardless of whether or not they have a mental illness or experience of mental distress. Wellbeing is for everybody, and the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand wants to make sure all people of Aotearoa have the tools and support they need to live well.
Amazon link is: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/1838163603/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_98eyFb1E6R0SR
Sep 7
What should you write about?
Ooo what a tough question! Some people start with a concept and then go one to create a Children’s Book from that but others know they want to write a book but they just don’t know what to write about.
With so much going on in the world right now it’s really hard to know what the best thing to write about is and how to be inclusive whilst also keeping your own morals. I find that it’s easier to think of the theme of your book first and then create the world of the book and then the characters in that world.
For example; when I began my journey with Andy the Anxious Ant, I knew that I suffered from anxiety and knew children did too, so I wanted to write about anxiety in children. I then realised that I am an avid animal lover and a lot of children are too, so I could combine the two. So; I’d thought of the concept and then I knew I wanted it to be taking place in the animal world and then I needed my characters, which I then found after I began writing the story.
Everyone's process is different and what truly makes a story great is the that *you’re* writing it, so, no matter what you write about, just make it your own. Write with passion, write with a personal connection to it and most importantly, enjoy what you’re writing. Because, if *you* enjoy your story, then others will too.
Happy writing!
Aug 31
Should All Children’s Books Rhyme?
To rhyme or not to rhyme, that is the question. When writing a book for children, no matter what age, we never know if we should rhyme our words, on every single page… See what I did there?
When I first wrote Andy The Anxious Ant, it only rhymed on every other sentence and I loved the flow. However, the more I spoke to women with children, they discussed their younger ones loving a rhyming flow. Though, when it came to children above the age of five, they preferred a story flow and a more mystical illustration approach.
So, I’d say that if you’re looking to write for children up to the age of 5 then rhyming is usually their preferred method. If I can give you any advice for children’s books, it’s to use bright colours and a funky text design. Children respond better to reading something that looks unusual than something a bit more average. Think of it as ‘peacocking’ - Show them all of your bright feathers and they’ll remember you forever.
Aug 27
How Long Does It Take To Create A Children’s Book?
I personally started my journey of Andy The Anxious Ant in January 2018 and it’s now August 2020. The story itself had been written since March 2018 but at that point, I hadn’t found the ‘right’ illustrator. I then found an illustrator who I adored (Sammy Rowles) who helped design the initial look of Andy but, unfortunately, her work became a bit too hectic for her to continue doing both. At that point, the book was on the back burner for me as I decided to travel the world and try to overcome my own anxiety. Thus, adding on another 7 months of doing nothing to it.
However, thanks to a recent global pandemic (naming no names..) and a super motivating partner, I had the time to work on my own illustrating abilities and decide to get it done myself. So, overall, the whole process of; thinking up the idea of the story, writing the story, finding an illustrator, learning how to illustrate, rewriting the story, creating a brand for all 26 books I want to write and publishing the book, has taken over a year and a half.
In comparison, my very skilled partner who has also created a children’s book called Pukekos present, of which I also wrote, managed to smash that out in 4 months.
So, in conclusion, the journey will take as long as it takes. It’s different for everyone and by no means should you put pressure on yourself to get it done quickly. Like a fine wine, give it a moment to breathe before you put it out into the world. - Good luck!
Jul 7
Why Read Daxo Kids Books?
We've all been there. Waiting too long for a delivery, waiting to long our flatmates to do the dishes, waiting for the ads to be over on our favourite show but mainly, waiting for ourselves to achieve something.
Well, this company and these books have been on my list for the past two years. The first time I started writing Andy The Anxious Ant was Jan 25th 2018. At that time I was dealing with my own Anxiousness and knew that many children out there experience an array of emotions. These emotions, when I was younger, were'nt seen as 'anxious', 'depressive' or 'ptsd' symptoms. Parents use to analyse childrens emotions by a humans simple needs. For example; A child would be in a crowded place and crying, the parent would think 'Are they hungry?', 'Are they too tired?', 'Are they too hot or cold?'. It was never 'Are They Anxious?' or 'Are they feeling unsafe?'. Children may not be able to verbalise all of their emotions/fears at quite a young age but that doesn't mean to say that they don't feel them. I mean sure, offer a person some food when they're emotional and it'll help them for a short while but we need to understand the core of their issues.
As parents, guardians, Aunts, Uncles or anyone else connected to a child, we need to start to let them know that they are being heard. Their emotions, controllable or not, are okay to feel and they are safe to do so with us.
By reading Daxo Kids Books to your children, you'll normalise a plethora of mental and physical issues to make your children feel seen and safe.
