Are Today’s Kids Different Than When We Were Kids?
- Do kids grow up faster now that when we were kids? True? Each child and age group has a huge range of behaviors.
- Kids are more outwardly sophisticated today than we were as kids. But on the inside they are the same.
- It’s hard work growing up.
Why Was A Wrinkle In Time So Successful?
- Great characters.
- Original Story.
- No Fat.
- It’s not the Newbery that makes the book still resonate with kids today.
- Another book that still has resonance today is The Little Princess. And it’s over 100 years old!
We Need More Multi-Cultural Authors!
- Kids need to see voices that reflect their circumstances in life.
How to Get Boy Readers…
- Ask yourself if you can compete with Xbox. Video games are getting more complex rather than shorter, they also have more action.
- We need books that reflect the emotional reality of boy’s lives.
- Kids don’t start reading at age 14. Publishers don’t only want YA. They need readers early so they will grow into YA. Think through what you hear.
- Human beings need stories!
How Publishing and Media is Evolving…
- The delivery systems (for books) are expanding!
- The industry is not getting easier to break into, but there are now more doors/ways for books to be published.
On Writing For Kids…
- “Write up for kids, not down.” – E.B. White
- Childhood is a lot harder than it looks. Dig deep.
Craft and The Writing Process…
- What you experience while you are writing is what we (the reader) will experience when reading.
- Don’t trick-out your protagonist and no one else. Be sure everyone is three-dimensional.
- Pay attention to how people walk, talk, etc. Be a notorious eves dropper.
- Every detail must work within the context of the world you have created.
- If you’re not totally engaged in your work, then something is wrong.
- No set-up scenes! Each scene must be gratifying within itself.
- If every risk you take pans out, then you may not really be risking much.
- Push your protagonist. Readers like to see a protagonist do something they (the reader) would never do.
- Put your characters in the lion’s cage and see who they really are.
- Skill matters! Varying levels of practice is more important than talent. It’s about the time!
Clever Quotes and Anecdotes…
- “Once you have your first draft, re-read to see what you have been avoiding.” – Her editor
- “The idea for my next novel is contained in the scribble my subconscious hands me.” – Choldenko
- “Next time fail better.” -?
- “You need to feel your way through a novel, not think your way.” – Mailer (?)
- “Throw your heart over, and follow.” -?
Take Care of Your Writer Self…
- Keep the caffeine flowing (or not.)
- Stay away from toxic people (who want to tear you down).
- Make yourself the time to read and write!
Set Small Goals…
- BIC = Butt in Chair
- Try to make a page count or word count for the day!
- Beware of quantity over quality.
And a Few Other Words of Wisdom…
- Critique groups are not for everyone.
- Don’t let promotion overshadow your work.
- Make sure you have a book worth marketing.
- Know when to hold on and when to let go. Follow your guy. It’s a visceral decision.
- Rejection happens. Get used to it.
- No one can teach you to write. You have to teach yourself. It’s done through writing!
Gennifer Choldenko’s novel Al Capone Does My Shirts was a Newbery Honor Book and a a School Library Journal, Kirkus, and Publisher’s Weekly Best Book of the Year. Other books by Choldenko include: Notes from a Liar and Her Dog, If a Tree Falls at Lunch Period, and No Passengers Beyond this Point.