iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 24/10/2025

Highly recommend taking breaks from querying. I've just started again on my upper YA novel after a 2 month break and feel like I can describe my work better after a bit of distance from it. Feeling optimistic! #amquerying #yaauthor

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 03/09/2025

When a high profile new book is announced with a near identical plot to the one you're querying, is it the kiss of death? Or an opportunity to jump onto a hot topic? Should I hold out hope or move on to the next manuscript? #amquerying

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 28/08/2025

And yet so many children's publishers steer clear of rhyming texts. Yes, they're hard to do, but they are so wonderful when done well. (Also yes, all 3 of my published picture books rhyme. Translation rights be damned.) www.thebookseller.com/news/julia-d...

thebookseller.com

Julia Donaldson becomes first author to break the NielsenIQ BookScan 50-million-unit barrier

Julia Donaldson has increased her lead at the top of the all-time author volume chart, becoming the first writer to sell more than 50 million units through British bookshops since accurate records beg...

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 12/08/2025

Very proud to have my article on publishing in the Blue Mountains in the debut issue of MTNS MADE magazine. Plus a bonus review of my artsy kids book "What Is It?"

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 25/07/2025

My publishing company has a beautiful new book coming out soon: "Aunty's House" a story about kinship by two Aboriginal creators. Pre-order it here: loosepartspress.square.site/product/aunt...

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 17/07/2025

It's very easy to get down about publishing industry news, but this made my day when I learned about it! Kids literacy programming is my jam. Looking forward to seeing what comes of it. www.penguin.com.au/articles/501...

penguin.com.au

Penguin Children’s Bookseller Grant 2025

Learn more and apply for the Penguin Children’s Bookseller Grant – a $200,000 initiative designed to engage young readers.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

I designed our logo as well. Went through many W and M iterations and I liked how the letters worked together in this font, gave it a curvy/femme feel and can even see quotation marks in the negative space.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 24/06/2025

A few months ago, two friends and I started a new group: Writing Mothers for anyone in the Blue Mtns area who identifies as a mum to come together to write and chat. It's been such a great space to commiserate, laugh and lift each other up: www.instagram.com/writingmothe...

instagram.com

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Until I have to talk about myself... 🙃

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

I carried immense shame over flitting from project to project for many years until I realised how much my ADHD played into that. And while it's come at a financial sacrifice, ultimately it's been worth it for the creative peace of mind.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

Sometimes I envy people who just went to college then got 9-5 jobs that they stuck with for years. My career is so all over the place it feels like an identity crisis every time I have to distill it down into a cover letter or bio. I'm getting better at embracing that though.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 20/05/2025

LinkedIn sent me another alert for a job it thinks I'd be great at - an UNPAID graphic designer role at a publishing company. I feel like I'm losing my mind.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 13/03/2025

Today I sent my 50th agent query. It's where I told myself I was going to stop. More than 50 seemed delusional. But then you always wonder, what if #51 is the one who says 'yes.' #amquerying

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 06/03/2025

Loved the 'maybe pile' episode. (And as a querying author I would love to know if I ended up there. Will take any nuggets of encouragement I can! Lol)

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

I mean, so much for 'hope' in my last tweet, I guess...

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

“The industry is in such serious shit at the moment … what with the takeover of Text and Affirm, it’s just the tip of the iceberg. I spoke to [a publishing colleague] and he said to me, ‘You know, we’re dead. You know, it’s just going down the toilet.’” www.theguardian.com/books/2025/m...

theguardian.com

‘Sign our own death warrant’: Australian writers angry after Melbourne publisher asks them to sign AI agreements

Authors asked to allow Black Inc to use their work for ‘training, testing, validation and the deployment of a machine learning’ system

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 05/03/2025

When the world feels as fucked as it does, continuing to make books, create content for and educate kids feels like an act of both hope and resistance.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

Tourist on my train speaking Italian on the phone. Oh boy, I though, I can put my Duolingo skills to test! But this lady did not order one salad or appetiser or describe anyone as a tall father or a shy girlfriend. I feel cheated!

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 20/02/2025

I've got a couple new publishing projects in the works I'm very excited about. Have had my head down in book design mode and can't wait to share. New creative projects are a life raft in the ocean of rejection. 😂🌊

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 17/02/2025

"All I want is to write my books, buy other authors’ books, and enjoy art. So please, I’m begging you, don’t make me use Facebook, Instagram or Twitter just to see or buy your books and art." #indiepublishing

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

One of the criteria is "Extensive contacts in the performing and/or literary arts industries locally and internationally." Ma'am, if I had that I wouldn't need to apply for a minimum wage job at age 43.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

Description for a job paying $50K/year (AUD - that's $31K USD and less than I was making 12 years ago) has 12 selection criteria and wants you to provide 2 "case studies" for each. You want me to write a dissertation for a job paying barely above minimum wage?

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 13/02/2025

If Trump is calling you a "very fine man" you might not be on the right side of history 🤔 Something to consider in the next election. Luckily in Australia we don't have a two-party system. #auspol www.sbs.com.au/news/article...

sbs.com.au

'Very fine man': Trump's praise for Albanese as he considers Australian tariff exemptions

US President Donald Trump has described Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as a "fine man" following a call regarding Australia's trade relationship with the US.

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Reposted by Sharon Baldwin

Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social · 09/02/2025

A great website tracking all the companies that have bent the knee to Trump and eliminated their DEI programs, and all the companies that have stood strong. www.dei.watch

dei.watch

DEI WATCH

This guide is broken into three categories: 1) DISMANTLED - companies that have ended or scaled back their DEI efforts; 2) COMMITTED - companies that have active DEI initiatives; and 3) FUNDED - organ...

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 07/02/2025

"Marshmallows are for team players" is the new "coffee is for closers" #severance

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

I think you've missed the context for my comment and misunderstood. I was identifying what is essentially a "pay to play" publishing scheme. Big red flags.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

I wonder how many first time picture book authors with indie presses in Aus would earn that investment back in a year 🧐 #booksky #childrenspublishing #australianpublishing

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 06/02/2025

Well known Aussies children's publisher emailed me to let me know if I take their $300 course I might then qualify to take their $4800 course which might get me closer to being published by them. This is a trad publisher that's been nominated for publisher of the year multiple times.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

Who can talk to me about community publishing as a model? As a small traditional publisher I'm finding my current model unsustainable in the long-term and self-publishing is not respected. But given my background in the nonprofit world, there's a lot that appeals about a more collaborative approach.

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Reposted by Sharon Baldwin

greatgenes @greatgenes.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

Dear ALP / Greens / Inds, If there’s 1 overwhelming conclusion you can draw from the US election, it is that people are tired of Inaction. I do believe our hyperstimulated brains expect the same fireworks from Governments too. It almost doesn’t matter if they are good actions or bad! #auspol 1/

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 01/02/2025

I am grateful form rejections because it's a gift to have my work considered. (Which might be my awkwardly tacky way of asking if I should assume a query I sent you 58 days ago is a pass or should I send a nudge in QT?)

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Australia isn't going down this path too, right? ... RIGHT???

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

If you're interested in supporting independent publishing in Australia several of us in the Blue Mountains have banded together and are distributing under Blue Mtns Books: www.bluemtnsbooks.com.au #australianpublishing #independentpublishing #indiepublishing #australianauthors

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 31/01/2025

Another one bites the dust. For indie publishers it seems the best we can ever hope for is acquisition, but it's not good for readers or creatives, which is ultimately not good for Australian culture.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

And THIS is why I keep querying my current YA manuscript - a fictionalised version of the abusive relationship I got sucked into as a teenager with a man who had power over me. I've spent over 25 years working my way up to talking about it publicly. Soon.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

I've always smugly thought "I could never get sucked into a cult" but watching this video on Neil Gaiman reminded me how much cults are just coercive control, grooming, power imbalances (esp age gap) in relationships but on a larger scale. And oops, yeah, been there. www.youtube.com/watch?v=Id1B...

youtube.com

The Cult of Neil Gaiman

YouTube video by Sounds Like A Cult & Magical Overthinkers

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

I say this as someone who straddles both worlds. I'm a traditional publisher for other people's books, but all of mine have been self-published and I'm currently querying a manuscript in the hopes of getting it traditionally published which still feels like the only marker of true success.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Why is it that when filmmakers self-finance projects they're scrappy? Mavericks. People say "look what they did on this budget." But when authors self-publish they're delusional. Amateurs. Other authors tell you to avoid their books. #selfpublishing

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Reposted by Sharon Baldwin

Christopher Webb @cwebbonline.com · 29/01/2025

I need to be sure everybody caught this... “No more funding for illegal DEI programs… no more funding for the green new scam… no more funding for transgenderism and wokeness across our federal bureaucracy and agencies.” Trump froze federal grants & loans just to target BIPOC & marginalized groups.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Would love to connect with other #ADHDauthor pals, especially those who deal with RSD - what coping strategies do you use? My other current struggle is having my kids at home for the last six weeks of school holidays. My focus is nonexistent and I remember why I barely wrote anything in my 30s.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

Today an agent wrote "I really like the writing of the opening" and that's enough to fuel me at least another week in the querying trenches!

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 29/01/2025

I only recently learned about Rejection Sensitive Dysphoria as a link to ADHD and my life makes so much more sense. It's still a challenge in a field that is literally daily rejection. But I've learned to savour the little morsels of dopamine - the tiniest line in a rejection letter can make my day.

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 28/01/2025

Sometimes I wonder if I've missed my window for the novel I'm currently querying to be considered "timely" because a lot of books with similar themes are now getting to be 5+ years old. And yet, the issue hasn't gone away and I see a lot of pitches using the same comps I use. 🧐 #amquerying

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Sharon Baldwin @sharonbaldwin.bsky.social · 26/01/2025

And I mean, I've been giving my time, energy and skills away for free to charities, community organisations, school P&C and artistic projects for over a decade so I guess they're not wrong. It just sucks that none of this work is considered valuable.

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