The Highs and Lows of Being an Afro-Latina Writer in Children’s Publishing

As a children’s books author, I’ve had the privilege of sharing my voice and my stories with the world. But I’ve also faced barriers and biases that come with being a woman of color in the predominantly white world of publishing. My family immigrated to the United States from the Dominican Republic from my mother’s side and Puerto Rico from my biological father’s side for access to better opportunities. I grew up in a poor household with a single mother and I dreamed of becoming an author since I was seven years old. That dream felt unattainable as I did not learn to read until I was in fourth grade. I attended an under-resourced and under-funded public school in the Bronx in New York that didn’t have the resources to teach me how to read as an English Language Learner. But I eventually persevered.

I honestly thought only dead white men became authors because those were the books we read in school. When I got older, I learned the statistics that only 1 percent of submitted manuscripts were published. According to the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), in 2023, of that one percent, 11.4 percent of these stories were written by Latinx authors and 13.4 percent by Black authors while 8.6 percent were about Latinx characters.

These numbers are an improvement after the Black Lives Matter Movement forced the publishing industry to reflect on its role in perpetuating white supremacy. For example, in 1985, only 18 of the 2,500 children’s books published were written by Black Authors and Illustrators, which is .72 percent (less than 1 percent of books). In 2000, less than 1 percent of books were written by or about Latinx authors. In 2017, Black, Latino, Asian Pacific/Asian Pacific American & Native American Authors combined only wrote 15.3 percent of the new books published, even though 37 percent of the U.S. population are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC).

My desire to learn new things and challenge myself kept me going despite the staggering statistics. In my first book, when I was seven years old, I wrote, “Writing is like magic… When I write, I have the power to do whatever I want.” I stopped thinking about the industry and how impossible it felt. Instead, I internalized what 7-year-old Alyssa said and truly believed that I could do whatever I wanted. Additionally, despite growing up poor, my mom showed me how to dream big and work hard.

I did not have connections in the publishing space nor the financial support needed to break into the industry. This required additional research, time, and determination to find my community and opportunities. I honed my craft by taking classes. I created a writing community for myself, and we supported each other and helped each other improve our stories. I applied for mentorship programs to learn about writing and publishing from experienced professionals. I wrote the stories I needed as a kid. I wrote the stories I felt my daughter Isabella needed. Five years later, it all paid off. Now, I am the award-winning author of Plátanos Are Love, The Bronx is My Home, and Gloriana Presente, with more books in the works. These are some of the challenges and some of the greatest rewards I’ve experienced in this journey so far.

Challenge: My ignorance of the publishing industry

My greatest personal challenges included not knowing how the publishing industry works, struggling to find the right critique group, and the difficulties of finding the right literary agent. I did not know where to find credible and accurate information about how to get published. There are many articles out there about getting published, but the more I read the more confused I became because oftentimes the articles contradict each other. Unlike more traditional career paths, becoming an author is often unclear.

For example, you must attend medical school to become a doctor. To become a lawyer, you must go to law school. However, getting a degree in English Literature does not guarantee getting published. Additionally, from what I’ve heard, most of those programs focus on the craft of writing and don’t really help authors navigate the publishing industry. So how would I, a Black Latina with no connections in the industry, break into publishing when I didn’t even know where to start?

I remembered that I went to high school with a fellow Latina who became an editor. I reached out to her via LinkedIn, and she sent me resources to help me get started. She recommended I look into the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), Las Musas, Latinx in Publishing, and We Need Diverse Books. I did as she advised and applied for the Las Musas mentorship program, which expedited my journey into publishing because I was mentored by Donna Barba Higuera, who is of Mexican descent and the first person to win both the Newbery Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. This mentorship program gave me the opportunity to receive valuable feedback on my manuscript and insights into the publishing industry.

Challenge: Finding a Culturally Competent Writer’s Group

Feedback is crucial in the development of any work and finding a group that can provide constructive critcism is crucial. Most of the critique groups I joined initially comprised mostly of white authors who didn’t understand my voice as a Latina. They gave me unhelpful advice at times. For example, they encouraged me to use less Spanish in my manuscripts, which was the total opposite of what my editors then advised me to do. While their intentions were good, it was important for me to find a diverse critique group that could provided culturally competent feedback for my writing.

Challenge: Finding a Literary Agent

My manuscripts were rejected by over 50 literary agents. Experiencing such a level of rejection can make it hard to continue writing. Such rejection clouded my creativity. But, remember, all it takes is just one “yes.” Fortunately, Kaitlyn Sanchez offered to chat with me about my manuscript. She was going to give me a revise and resubmit (R&R) before offering representation. However, during the course of our almost 2-hour conversation, she changed her mind and offered representation. She is an amazing editorial agent, cheerleader, and fierce negotiator with my best interest in mind. Finding the right agent can take months or years, so it’s important to find ways to stay motivated throughout that process. 

Challenge: Finding the right editors

Fortunately, my agent helped me navigate this. Despite getting rejected by editors, for dozens of reasons, I found homes for many of my books. Some editors rejected my manuscripts because they had already acquired enough picture books or because they could not resonate with my work. Other editors felt my work was not marketable enough. My agent and I also noticed that many editors would not acquire my work because they had already acquired another BIPOC author’s work.

Challenge: Finding a work/life balance

My current greatest challenge is balancing it all. It is difficult to balance being a mom, working, writing, and promoting my already existing books. In full transparency, as an author, I don’t make a lot of money and have to work another job in order to support my family. Finding time for all of my roles and responsibilities is an ongoing challenge, but I find the motivation to continue because I know I’m making a difference in the lives of the students and readers I get to meet during school visits and events. Plus, being an author brings my daughter immense pride, so I keep going for her. 

Reward: Representation in Publishing

My presence in the children’s publishing industry helps provide much-needed representation for children who don’t often see themselves reflected in books. My work contributes to a more diverse and inclusive literary landscape, allowing children of all backgrounds to see characters who look like them and share similar experiences. 

I have visited over 50 schools nationwide and met thousands of students who motivate me to keep writing. I love seeing their excitement when I read them my books and they feel seen. When I get hugs during school visits from students who say they want to become authors just like me, I know my work is worth it.

Reward: Making my daughter proud

As a mother, it brings me great joy to see how proud my daughter is of me. She loves telling her friends and schoolmates that her mom is “the best author in the world” (her words, not mine.)

Reward: Inspiring Up and Coming BIPOC Writers

My success in children’s publishing serves as inspiration for aspiring writers and creators from similar backgrounds. By breaking barriers and achieving recognition in the industry, I help to pave the way for others to follow in my footsteps, empowering future generations of BIPOC writers and illustrators. 

I know I am making a difference in kids’ lives. I am an author who looks like them, so they too can dare to dream of becoming authors if that is something they are interested in. One example I like to share that demonstrates this impact is that a student dressed up as me for Latinx Heritage Month; I cried happy tears when I saw this.

Navigating these rewards and challenges requires resilience, determination, and a commitment to amplifying diverse voices and stories in children’s publishing. By leveraging my unique perspective and talents, I have and will continue to impact the literary landscape and inspire positive change within the industry.

These are some of the tips I’ve compiled that will help fellow BIPOC writers aspiring to break into the industry.

1. Read in the genre you are trying to get published in. Before publishing my picture books, I read over 150 children’s books to understand the industry and market better. I studied these books for their character development, plot, themes, word choice (diction), pacing, story structure, tone, length, word count, and so much more. Reading hundreds of picture books helped me determine whether the book idea(s) I had were original.
2. Practice writing every day, if possible. In full transparency, I am not always working on my books every day. Still, I am working on my business as an author by reading other books to improve my writing craft, writing articles like this, and hosting workshops to help other authors break into the industry.
3. Create a community for yourself. Writing can be solitary, but having writing friends can be helpful. You can hold each other accountable and provide each other with feedback. Many authors offer manuscript critiques at a fee, which is a great way to get feedback from an industry professional. I offer both manuscript critiques and author development sessions to help aspiring authors navigate the industry.
4. Mentorship programs are a great resource. These programs have a multitude of benefits including connecting you with a mentor which helps tremendously. You get constructive feedback and you get to meet writers in your genre and learn about the business of writing. On my website, I’ve compiled a list of programs for children’s list, young adult, and all levels. Picture Book Rising Stars, Write Team Mentorship Program, and We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program are among the ones I recommend.
5. Connect with reputable organizations. I can speak highly of We Need Diverse Books, The Word: A Storytelling Sanctuary, and Las Musas Books who all provide great resources.

Alyssa Reynoso-Morris is a queer Afro-Latine/x Dominican and Puerto Rican award-winning storyteller. She is the author of Plátanos Are Love, The Bronx Is My Home, and Gloriana Presente: A First Day of School Book.