Image Credits: Rebecca Donnelly’s Books as seen in cover Image – Change Is in the Air, The Friendship Lie, Total Garbage, Survival of the Fittest, Chess Club, and We Spy Fungi
Rebecca Donnelly is a queer children’s author from Potsdam, NY, who has written forty different books, all aimed towards young readers.
Some examples of her work are:
How to Stage a Catastrophe, The Friendship Lie, Total Garbage, Super Spaghetti, Cats are Liquid, and her most recent book, Change is in the Air: The Hidden Discoveries of Eunice Newton Foote, the First Climate Scientist.
As many writers do, she didn’t study writing in college. Born in the UK and raised in California, she actually attended California State University, Chico, and got her Bachelor’s degree in Liberal Studies. This consisted of a mix between education and general ed classes in her pursuit of becoming an elementary school teacher.
However, her plans took a left turn when No Child Left Behind changed the law of teacher certifications in California, and her certification was no longer valid. Yet this didn’t stop Donnelly, who pivoted into the humanities, getting her master’s degree in both this and the library sciences.
It was then that she found her passion for writing, something she never considered pursuing as a career. While working in New Mexico as a children’s librarian, she saw how reading and writing changed the lives of so many kids. It wasn’t until speaking to another fellow author/librarian that she really saw children’s writing as a way that she could write, and it soon became her catalyst.
But the thing about writing is that you can’t always do it on your own, and so the querying of agents began. Donnelly was lucky, and it only took her about a year and a half to find an agent, Molly Ker Hawn, with whom she works through a British Literary Agency, David Higham Associates. She went on to explain that as a writer, you have to find an agent who fits what you are writing and looking for. If you want to market yourself, you have to find the right match for your desired image.
When asked about any advice she would give to a starting professional, she explained that the reason her career has been as successful as it has is that she said yes to things.
You see, when she started, she thought she wanted to strictly be a fiction writer, but once the work started, she realised that by doing this, it closed her off to a whole many opportunities. So, when she was asked about writing nonfiction, she decided to say yes. These experiences got the ball rolling and made her the full-time author that she is today instead of being a freelancer on the side.
As writers, we don’t always realize the reality of writing, and what it can do by opening ourselves up to new and different opportunities. Trying different genres and seeing what we can create can change our trajectory of success and make us the best versions of ourselves.
Along with her writing, Donnelly is on the board of Potsdam Pride, which is a grassroots organization in the North Country dedicated to helping support the LGBTQIA+ community in the local Potsdam area. Where they, “… strive to create an inclusive and welcoming environment through events, advocacy, and education. Our mission is to foster visibility, unity, and pride while championing equality and acceptance for all. Together, we’re building a brighter, more vibrant community—one where everyone can truly be themselves.”
You can visit their website now to find a full list of events like (but not limited to) Youth Meetings, Zine Club, Board-Game Nights, LGBTQ Coffee Socials, and their 4th annual Potsdam Pride Festival that will be happening this June.
As of right now, Rebecca Donnelly is teaching at SUNY Potsdam as an adjunct professor. She is teaching a “Writing in the Middle and Secondary School” course within the Education program, which focuses on how to connect narrative and nonfiction in the classroom.
She is a fantastic example of what you can do as a proud member of the community, and hopes to continue to write and create in safe spaces for all.
To find her, go to RebeccaDonnellyWrites.com or follow Rebecca Donnelly on both Instagram and Facebook!
And if you’re in the local St.Lawrence County area, don’t forget to check out Potsdam Pride’s website for all the gay ‘ol times!
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