Tuesday, December 3, 2024
Children’s book author Ann Koffsky started out as an illustrator and broadened her horizons by becoming a writer, a talent that just fell into her lap.
Koffsky, of West Hempstead, repeatedly submitted her illustrations to publishing houses, but was rejected each time. She showed the publishers that she had a story and a voice, her illustrations were accepted.
“The journey is personal to each writer,” Koffsky said. “You will face a lot of rejection, but you have to keep going. Practice makes perfect as the saying goes. To be a good writer, you must keep reading and you’ll improve. Don’t be discouraged by your rejections. Just keep going.”
Her new book, “My Dreidel,” is the fourth in a series of books she has written with a similar possessive tense in the title. The corresponding books in the series are titled, “My Shofar,” “My Matzah” and “My Mezuzah.” Koffsky’s aim is for these books to teach young children about the different household items that Jewish children would come across and how to use them.
Koffsky doesn’t consider anybody to be her mentor. Instead, she looks to her peers in her unnamed writers group. The group members seem to inspire each other, bouncing ideas around and debating on whether an idea is good enough to go to print or straight trash. Koffsky organized the group and has guided the Zoom meetings with members from across the country.
Jacqueline Jules, another prominent member of the group, took over the Zoom meeting responsibilities for Koffsky after a short time. Instead of someone filling the leadership role, Jules noted how the group uses teamwork to dispense constructive criticism on each person’s copy.
“During our meetings, no one actually leads.,” Jules said. “Instead, we make a conscious effort to give everyone a chance to provide feedback. Sometimes, we set a timer to make sure we don’t discuss one piece longer than the others, so everyone has a chance to share something during the two hours allotted.
“As a group, we provide constructive comments to help each other grow as writers and artists. This group has a lovely supportive chemistry, and we often email each other between meetings.”
The group members see multiple drafts of the same story and watch it become stronger each time.
Rebecca Klempner, another member of the group, sees the group as inspiration.
“Our group members are all published authors and/or illustrators with years of experience. Each of us has unique strengths,” Klempner said. “For example, Ann works more hours, I think, than the rest of us. I would describe her as a real go-getter. She also brings years of art direction and editing experience to bear on any publishing project.”
Apples and Honey Press, an imprint of Behrman House, published “My Dreidel.” The book is set for release on Nov. 5. It is a 10-page book with illustrations. It can be purchased directly through Koffsky’s website — AnnKoffsky.com — and Amazon.
