Sometimes people forget that I wrote PROM because it is not exactly a depressing book. In fact, it’s pretty funny, if I do say so myself. (If I had dread, depression and death in all of my books, I would not be a healthy person!)
So it is with great joy that I announce that PROM has been nominated to the 2010 Popular Paperbacks List, in the "Change Your World or Live to Regret It" category!!
School Library Journal has posted their annual collection of Christmas Memories written by children’s authors and illustrators. This year’s essays were written by me, my buddy Deb Heiligman, Barbara McClintock, Lauren Myracle, and our National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, Jon Scieszka. Enjoy!
Revision Tip #18
Are you stuck?
Have you tried all my plotting tips and dialog wisdom and adverb scorn and still you are stuck?
Try this.
1. Make yourself some comfort food.
2. Put on music that relaxes you.
3. Snuggle up in a warm, cozy place with a pen and a pad of paper.
4. Write a letter to your main character. Tell her everything that is worrying you about the story in general.
5. Pause to eat a bit. Make some tea or hot chocolate.
6. Pick up pen and paper again. Tell your character why you are specifically worried about her. Ask her what is going on in her life, in her relationships that you don’t understand. Ask her advice about how to help her move forward.
7. Write down what she tells you.
8. If you can’t hear her voice, then it is time to put that manuscript away for a while and work on a different story. But I am pretty sure you will hear the voice, so be chill and write.