Nancy So Miller with Executive Director George Brown in front of the Art Wall.

“Having the opportunity to write that story in a space where I felt accepted and that my story mattered meant a great deal to me.” (Nancy So Miller)

Nancy So Miller came to the Highlights Foundation campus this summer to work on her middle grade manuscript. As a recepient of the Asian and Asian American Storyteller Scholarship, she was able to make significant progress on a draft (she finished it within two weeks of leaving), connect with the kidlit community.  She has since applied for an author’s residency with a local program to inspire young authors to write their own stories.

About Nancy’s Experience During Her Personal Retreat:

The time I spent at the retreat was a precious respite from work-life commitments, allowing me to delve deeper into the chapters of a middle-grade novel.  I met many encouraging and accomplished authors whose passion for their craft motivated me to keep writing, and each day, I wrote more and more. I am grateful that I did finish my middle-grade novel after two weeks of returning from the retreat. The story kept wanting to get out and is now a first draft. That’s something I can work with, revise, and eventually illustrate. I’ve learned so much from finishing this initial draft that I’ll build on my writing craft.

Nancy also shared other meaningful aspect of her scholarship experience:

I have always had imposter syndrome regarding my writing abilities. I came late to writing at the age of forty-eight. I wasn’t sure about the creative journey I’d chosen for myself, and receiving the scholarship made me feel like I’d made the right choice. The scholarship has been meaningful on so many levels.

My scholarship taught me that the Kidlit community is generous with its time. Chatting with the other authors in attendance, I learned what software they used and how and when they decided to get feedback on their writing. I also found some fellow authors I will keep in touch with in the future.

Having the opportunity to write that story in a space where I felt accepted and that my story mattered meant a great deal to me. It was the first time I’d had three days to write like that, and I saw so much progress and growth in my writing abilities and confidence. One day, I can pay it forward to another aspiring author and illustrator and support the Highlights Foundation scholarship [program].