Jess Horn
Date of Success:
2022
Jess Horn is a children’s writer based in Sydney, Australia. Her debut picture book with Affirm Press is due for release in 2024. Jess has a passion for writing about communication and embracing differences, driven by her background in speech pathology and disability services. Her appreciation of wordplay and mischief are often incorporated into her stories, which tend to serve a subtle message with a good side of quirk.
WHAT CYA CONFERENCE DID FOR ME
In 2021, I entered the CYA competition (picture books, school age) and landed myself at second place! As a newbie to the writing scene, that was a huge confidence boost. The feedback I received on my entries was also extremely helpful in facilitating further editing of my stories.
I booked my first CYA editor assessments in 2022, and the lead up these and the competition really drove my creativity for the first part of the year. Meeting the editors was a fantastic opportunity to learn from the experts and receive guidance on my manuscripts. During my session with Coral Huckstep from Affirm Press, I was excited to hear that she thought my stories could find a place in the Affirm Press collection! A short while later, I signed the contract for my debut picture book. I was over the moon and so very thankful that I had this opportunity through CYA. I can’t wait to share my book with the world!
Read Jess's blog post for the AWC
CYA is not affiliated with the AWC.
