Getting writer’s education and subject matter street cred

Whenever writers are asked to submit a query or proposal, they are asked for their biography and specific relevant experience. With articles published in the business world and now writing for children’s literature, there isn’t a direct connection for children’s publishers. And usually topic depth and direct experience are very important.

Well, after volunteering as a frog docent, cleaning the marsh and certainly spending a zillion hours reading and talking to experts about the wetlands, I’m thrilled to find a brand new program just launched by the University of California at Berkeley, the California Naturalist Certification program, or Master Naturalists. What a cool program. So after taking graduate courses (after my MBA) in finance, mergers & acquisitions, and Corporate Directors Certification, now I launch into naturalist education. Quite a switch – or is it?