Jackie Hosking and Pass it On

Today we welcome Jackie Hosking to Promote Me Please. Jackie is an author, editor, and also the editor and compiler of the popular Pass It On newsletter. 
Jackie agreed to answer some questions about Pass It On (or PIO as it's known by its grateful subscribers).

Q1. Why should every children’s writer subscribe to PIO?

A. I think because in today's information nightmare, any resource that cuts through the chaff is worth its weight in gold. PASS IT ON is directed at those interested in the children's book industry and so only includes material that is relevant to them.

  

Q2. How does PIO work?

A. PASS IT ON is weekly e-zine, delivered on a Monday via MailChimp (a popular email programme). To subscribe you need to email me jackiehosking@bigpond.com and I will send you out an invoice. You can pay via direct debit, PayPal, Cheque or Monday Order. A yearly subscription is $44.00 (around $1 per issue). Being weekly it is always relevant and up to date.

Q3. How do you gather material for PIO?

A. I collect most of the information for PIO but I do encourage subscribers to share industry news as well. If you come across something that doesn't interest you directly sharing it in PIO is a bit like paying it forward. Your trash is someone else's treasure and someone else's trash may well be your treasure.

Q4. Do publishers ever send you pre-info about markets?

A.They most certainly do. I think the wider the news is spread the less likely it is that they will have to deal with submissions that don't suit their list.

Q5. How do you select artist of the week?

A. This has been a wonderful venture that began back in early 2008. Basically I hunt them down, via facebook or The Style File or other illustrator sites and ask them if they would be interested in being profiled. If they agree, I feature them. I've never turned anybody down because I think it's important to encourage artists at all levels from brand new beginners to the Shaun Tans of the world - who incidentally was in fact featured in August 2008.

Q.6. Is there any charge for advertising with PIO?

A. No I don't charge for advertising but then I only include copy that is relevant to the industry. So if you run a manuscript assessment business for example you can include your details whenever you like!

 Thank you Jackie! By the way, the image at the head of this interview is one of Jackie's own books.

Promote Me Please is an arts promotion blog run in association with Affordable Manuscript Assessments