10 Things I wish I Knew As A New Illustrator

A collection of advice I would give my younger self

I signed the contract for my first middle grade book in July 2008 (the above image). I was 20’something, full of enthusiasm and ready to burn the midnight oil. 15+ years later, I feel like I should sit that kid down and tell her to buckle up. She’ll love the job; it’ll be the fulfillment of so many childhood dreams. But spoiler alert: there’s a couple t…