Check Out Nell Cross Beckerman’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Nell Cross Beckerman.

Hi Nell, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
While I always loved writing, I found it hard to actually finish a project. Taking a class following the book “The Artist’s Way”, by Julia Cameron at Playful Art Studio helped me recognize the creative blocks I was facing and learn tools to manage them. I then signed up for a picture book writing class at the UCLA Writers Program and had to get serious about carving out writing time at home with the support of my awesome husband and kids.

During an in-class writing prompt, I wrote the first draft of DOWN UNDER THE PIER, which ended up being my first picture book, published by Cameron Kids/Abrams and illustrated by Rachell Sumpter.

Through that time (which, in reality, was a years-long process), I became part of a writing group, got agent representation, and joined industry groups like SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) and the 12×12 Picture Book Writing Challenge to learn even more about the craft and business of writing books for kids. I also worked with a great freelance editor named Deborah Halverson, who taught me a lot.

In 2024, I’ll have my fourth and fifth books come out; FROM PARK TO PLAYA: THE TRAILS THAT CONNECT US (Cameron Kids/Abrams, illustrated by Sophie Diao) is inspired by the Park to Playa hiking trail here in LA and VOLCANOES (Scholastic, illustrated by Kalen Chock), is a lyrical tour of all different kinds of amazing volcanoes, including underwater and extraterrestrial volcanoes.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Anyone involved in publishing will tell you there are MANY struggles along the way! From the constant rejections to wrestling with revisions, to “compare and despair”, to waiting for months for responses to queries, it is all a struggle. Luckily, I have an amazing writing group, and we give each other a ton of support. I would not be able to survive without my writing community! My dad is a retired biologist and my best research partner. My family’s support is truly amazing and they help keep me going when I’m feeling down, and celebrate the wins with me as well.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I write lyrical picture books for children about the outdoors. Some of these books, like DOWN UNDER THE PIER, are about kids playing outside and engaging with the animals you find in specific places, like under the pier at low tide. I have other books that invite the reader in to explore and learn facts.

CAVES uses dramatic wording to help kids feel what it is like to go caving and uses the page-turns to reveal the surprising things you can find in caves–from ancient cave art to stalactites and stalagmites, to bats, fossils, giant crystals, and more. CAVES received many starred trade reviews and was on the “Best Books” list for Kirkus and the New York Public Library, plus won an award from the National Council of Teachers of English.

Another book I have is WHEN THE SKY GLOWS, illustrated by David Litchfield and published by Beach Lane Books/S&S, about all the ways nature can make the sky glow, from sunrise and sunset to rainbows, lightning, auroras, fireflies, and shooting stars, plus the science behind all these beautiful phenomena.

I’d say what sets me apart from others is that I write about STEM topics by leading with emotions, not facts. The way you feel seeing a beautiful sunset is what I’m trying to capture, then slide in the science and facts once we are all in a state of awe.

How do you think about happiness?
What makes me happy is connection. Going on a hike up to the top of Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook and seeing the sunset, I feel connected to the earth and to myself. Having dinner and chatting about our days, I feel connected to my family. Meeting with my writing group and sharing notes on each others’ work, I feel a creative connection. And of course, sharing my books with kids during author visits, and seeing them inspired to either write or go on outdoor adventures or both, is the best connection of all!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.NellCrossBeckerman.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nellcrossbeckerman/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nell.crossbeckerman
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/NellBeckerman