I’m thrilled to feature Sadia Heil to share an amazing PBParty Success Story–with both an agent and an editor. Wahoooooooo! I’m still happy dancing and can’t wait for all of you to read her inspiring story. 🙂
I have SO.MUCH.GRATITUDE for PBParty—it helped make my dream come true!
I serendipitously came across a shared post about PBParty last year from a fellow writer friend who was a PBParty finalist the year before. I was hesitant to try another pitch party and was pleasantly surprised when I realized this event was completely different. I thought, why not give it a shot?
I decided to submit a manuscript I hadn’t used in queries before and took extra time to sharpen my query letter. I loved how this contest allowed me to highlight my voice via the first 60-70 words of my manuscript, a query letter, AND the inspiration behind the story.
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Here’s my query letter from PBParty:
Dear Judges, Agents, and Editors,
Thank you for participating in PBParty and for your interest in my manuscript!
In Baba’s taxi, there is room for fun and adventures—for Syra’s family and for others. People come together, learn new things, and celebrate in BABA’S CAR! Journey with Baba as he travels through Washington D.C. in his car and reminisces with Syra and her sisters about life back home.
BABA’S CAR is a 502-word picture book for ages 4-8. It combines themes of travel, immigration, and fatherly love from MY PAPI HAS A MOTORCYCLE, written by Isabel Quintero and illustrated by Zeke Pena (Kokila, 2019), and WATCH ME, written by Doyin Richards and illustrated by Joe Cepeda (Feiwel & Friends, 2021).
South Asian culture, Punjabi language, and my lived experience as a Pakistani American taxi driver’s daughter make this book unique. An ode to the frontline workers who serve as the backbone of our communities, BABA’S CAR is also a universal metaphor for the beauty that nestles in each immigrant family’s story. This manuscript allows readers to feel “they are part of America’s dream, that all the rhetoric is meant for them, and that they are wanted in this country.” —Walter Dean Myers.
I am an early childhood special educator and Muslim veteran. An active member of SCBWI, I received a 2023 SCBWI BIPOC scholarship to attend the NYC winter conference. I have been published in The Lily by The Washington Post, The War Horse, and Airman Magazine.
I have additional picture book manuscripts, should you be interested. Thank you for your time and consideration. I look forward to hearing from you.
Warm regards,
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The timing of the contest was impeccable. I submitted right after midnight, and a few hours later, I caught a cross-country flight for a work trip. Work kept my mind preoccupied for weeks, and before I knew it, I was catching a red-eye flight back home. During a layover, I checked social media and realized that PBParty finalists had just been announced. I held my breath and saw BABA’S CAR on the list! I refreshed the page to ensure it was real, cried tears of joy (and avoided awkward glances from the person next to me), and soon took off for my final flight home.
I have learned so much in the past year. Here are some tips I’ve noted along the way:
* Take the chance: Bet on yourself. *
Enter the writing contest. Take the class. Go to the conference.
Writing nourishes me. As a result, I’ve learned that investing in the craft is an act of self-care for me. As an advocate for equity and inclusion, I know this can be hard sometimes. So, research scholarship/mentorship opportunities, and look for virtual events if traveling is not currently an option for you.
* Practice patience and care. *
While waiting for PBParty finalists to be announced, I set down some of my writing and focused on other aspects of my life. (OK—I did some writing stuff, but nothing that made me anxious).
This paid off when finalists were announced, and then interest came in from agents and editors. I feel very fortunate to have received interest from both. I had a few calls with agents, made a list of questions to ask, and spoke with other clients. Ultimately, I enthusiastically signed with Hen&Ink Literary Studio—it was a gut feeling for me. Erzsi was interested in my writing career as a whole; she was excited about my work, and we clicked and bounced ideas off one another during the call.
I feel double fortunate that Kate Fletcher from Candlewick Press expressed interest in my manuscript during PBParty. We also had a call where I felt an instant connection and was ecstatic to hear about the offer. Here is the recent announcement for BABA’S CAR:
Another form of care is celebrating. All the wins, big and small. Writing is hard. Querying is hard. Being in the trenches: hard. There are so many nos. Celebrate when you can!
* Build community. *
I’ve spent much time this past year focused on connecting with like-minded writers. Find your people. Learn from them. And don’t forget to teach others as you progress.
* Keep going. The best is yet to come. *
So many people spend their lives wondering about their purpose, trying to figure it all out. Look at you—you’ve found purpose in writing children’s literature! You are doing great. So, take the chance: bet on yourself, care for yourself, be patient, find and build community, and then KEEP GOING. The best IS yet to come 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your inspiring story and query that worked. Sadia. I loved your PBParty entry the moment I saw it and can’t wait for your beautiful book to be out in the world. Huge congrats!
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