Lexy Smith Art

Another fab evening The Wallingford Bookshop this time for a workshop with all about marketing and branding for indie authors. 📑

Colin has published 7 books in 7 years, and shared all that he has learnt through his experience as a successful indie author. 📚

Helen, the wonderful owner of The Wallingford Bookshop, also shared her tips for getting your into independent bookstores. 📚

All such valuable information, and lots of food for thought going forward, whichever route I take into publishing! 👌

Also, bit of a side note, but Colin talked about remembering your reason why you write. My reason to write is to write stories I know my children will love.

Well... tonight when my daughter was going to bed, I read her a chapter of the book she's currently reading. Then I gave her the book to carry on reading by herself, but she said she didn't want to read it, she wanted to read a friendship book like Lottie Brooks or The Overthinkers Club, but she's read them all!

So, I printed off the book I'm currently writing- the one I'm writing specifically because of her- and she's gone to bed so happily, tucked up reading it to herself. It filled my heart 💖

That is my why ✨

There are many magical moments when working with young children- they see wonder in everything. I feel very lucky to be able to do so much art with them - whether it's learning about an artist or style, using different materials, or just letting their creativity flow 🎨

Last week they were learning about Constable, and we painted scenes from our beautiful village. 🏞️

I always like to join in, to demonstrate different techniques they might like to use, but also just because I really want to 🤣

They were so sweet and impressed with this little river sketch that I whipped up, using the saddest watercolour palettes you've ever seen (honestly, government funding for schools is a joke), bless their hearts! 💖

I brought it home because their innocent compliments just filled my heart, and now whenever I look at it I'm reminded of all of their special artwork too. I wonder what will become of them in the future, and I hope that, maybe, I might have helped some of them keep their creativity sacred ✨