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Dare to Read

Well this is something I never saw coming!

PROM was chosen to be part of Elle magazine’s Dare To Read Bookclub. Somehow, this qualifies me as an Elle girl. (I wonder if I can get that on a tee shirt.) Elle is having a contest, too – free books as the prize, so hop over and take a peek! Fellow LJer and cool YA author tanyaleestone is also on the list. Be sure to check out her book: A Bad Boy Can Be Good For A Girl.

In the comments section on the 15th, Anon wrote: You often talk about story arcs in your novels. Would you please define what a story arc is, and discuss how different arcs relate to each other and pull the story along? Is there conventional wisdom for developing and using story arcs?

I will take a crack at it. (If any of you English teacher think I have messed up this definition, let me know.)

A story arc is the storyline… the path of a character as she works her way through the story. She starts the story, stuff happens, she reacts to the stuff that happens, she changes and grows as a result of the stuff that happens, and by the end of the story, she is a more mature and (one hopes) wiser person for having gone through these experiences. The trick in a novel is that you have a number of story arcs – different characters all on their own paths which cross and intertwine with each other. Every scene has to move someone’s arc ahead a little, or there is no point to the scene being in the book. In TWISTED, one of the secondary character’s arc was unclear. He was acting one way in the beginning of the book and a completely different way towards the end, and I hadn’t made clear why the transition happened. Not only was this bad for his character, but it messed up the interactions he had with the other characters in the book. So for the last couple of days, I’ve been studying every scene this guy is in with a microscope. I’ve changed a couple of the scenes. Today, I’m adding in a few more towards the end to better set up a fairly dramatic resolution to his set of issues with the main character.

That, my friends, is what we call revision.

And to answer Max’s question: the historical WIP is on hold until next week while I take a last pass through TWISTED. I occasionally look at the corner of the office where my notes are heaped on the floor and whimper, but I have to finish this project before I’m allowed out to play with the next.

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Shaking out the mailbag

Today’s post empties my email bag… the handwritten stuff is almost finished, too. I’ll be spending most of Saturday at the Sectionals swim meet in Syracuse, and I’ll bring what’s not done with me to finish there. Be sure to read the first letter (below), because I want the opinions of you guys who visit this LJ regularly.

Today’s interesting article about language growth.

Max writes: Hey! I had what I thought was a really good idea. I was reading back on your journal entries, because I haven’t been online in a couple of days, and I first read your most recent entry about what advice you would give to teens, then I scrolled down to read about your AIM chat with your daughters, and the idea hit me! I think it would be awesome if you created a screen name specifically for the website, like writerlady, and put together chats for all of your fans and the people that you inspire to come and chat with you and ask those questions! I’m not sure how much you like this idea, but I think it would be awesome to actually get to chat to you like all of us are on a phone call!

Good to hear from you again, Max! I have mixed feelings about your suggestion. It is a terrific one, and it uses technology, which I like. But I am feeling very pressed for time these days, what with deadlines and road trips coming up. What if we set up a message board so readers could communicate with each other? Check out Neil Gaiman’s board and tell me what you think.

Jenn writes: I have a question about publishing. I am in the process of writing a poetry novel. I want to try to get it published when it is finished but I don’t know how/where to start that whole process. Can you give me some advice?

The best advice I have is to go to a library and ask the librarian to help you find books about the publishing process.

“Melinda-twin” writes: I loved the book speak. Im 15 and my life seems almost like Melindas. I got the site from the book in class! Ha! I thought it was weird… me and Melinda had the same freshman year thing! I had an art teacher I liked more than my others. My English teacher is a Hairwoman.. and my american history teacher….is a mr. neck! I dont really have spanish but i hear she only talks in spanish like melindas! I am suicidal sorta like Melinda.. But she only really tried once.. Im a repetitive suicidal girl. I havnt been raped but some of my old friends… (mostly goths) just dont like me. Me and my mom dont talk… when we do its about the weather. (ha!) I had a friend like Heather.. but she didnt snub me off for some other clan.. her name was Julie…. But i have a friend named heather! not from ohio though! it would be awkwardly funny wouldnt it?! Before I make this horribly long.. I just want to say that I love the book!

I am really glad you’re joining us here! And I hope, more than anything, that my books can help you see that high school does not equal life… and that things will get better. Be strong!

Naomi writes: First of all I would like to start off by saying that I thought Speak was an awesome book and I think you did a great job on it! I read your book for a book report that we recently had to do in English class. It was a multi-genre book review and for one of my genres I wrote a short story. I pretty much shortened your story for a quick read review. Recently I was looking for some scholarship ideas and I found a scholarship where you write a young adult short story to apply. I am very proud of my short story and was wondering if I could submit the story inspired by your story. My version has some different events and the people’s names aren’t the same but I figured I should ask your permission before I entered it. Please get back to me as soon as possible as there is a deadline to this opportunity. If you would like to read my story I would love that also and would be more than happy to e-mail it to you!

Go ahead and enter the story. It would make me very happy (and be ethical) to mention in the title that the story was inspired by my book. That way the judges won’t think you’re ripping it off. I wish I had time to read it, but I am drowning here. Let me know how the scholarship goes.

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Anybody familiar with Los Angeles?

I’ll be in the LA area at the end of March visiting schools. I’ll also be doing a presentation to the public at the Cerritos Library, the evening of March 24th.

Two of the schools had to cancel, so I am left with a hole in the schedule. I wish I could use it for sightseeing, but we all know I have a Deadline Dragon’s claws firmly implanted in my neck, and all free time until the fall must be spent writing.

I am looking for a safe, clean, affordable (yeah, I know, that’s the kicker) hotel or B&B to stay in that is between Palos Verdes and Cerritos. Can anyone recommend a place?

And now, more mail. This first note is rather enthusiastic.

Brittany writes: Hey! My name is Brittany! I’m 13 years old! I just recently read your book Fever 1793. I shared it with my grandmother. We both just loved it! She is an RN and she explanined a lot of stuff in your book! Fever 1793 is the first book of yours that I’ve read, but now that I’ve read it. I want to also read your book Speak. Well I just thought I would email you, if you can please email me back! My email is (removed) or (removed) is fine too! Well if I don’t get an email back its okay because I know you’re really busy! Hope you write lots more GREAT books!
Sincerely, Brittany and grandmother Sondra!

Major props to grandmother Sondra for sharing books. Thanks, Brittany!!!!!!

Emily writes; Hello! I read your book, Fever 1793. It was a wonderful book and I love the style you write with. I think it would be a great movie to make. You should seriously consider having it made into a movie. I would love to be a part of it. I am just like Matilda.

I am always surprised at how many people think that authors control the process that turns books into movies. We don’t. The movie people do. I agree – I think Fever would be a slam dunk movie… and Philly has exactly the resources needed to pull it off. If you know any movie people, please tell them about this book.

Tuyen writes: … I am currently a student in the seventh grade at Indian Valley Middle school. I am sending you this email on the behalf of my reading class where we are doing author study. I chose you because your type of writing has grabbed my attention.
I read in an interview that you wrote when the world turns on you and I felt the same way, but wanted to know why you didn’t just write poems but chose to write books which took a longer time to write. Also in another part of the article I read that your character’s behavior comes from feelings of your own and I wanted to ask you why do you chose to put your problems into the world of your character’s.
Words become short so I’ll end my email saying that I really did enjoy a lot of your books, especially “Fever 1973” and “Speak”.
P.S. You are a great writer so continue what you do best
P.P.S Thanks for reading

I do write poetry, but it is private. Well, so far it’s been private. Poetry is the form I turn to when I am depressed or afraid. I’ve thought about writing a novel in verse (who hasn’t at this point?) but I am not sure I have the skill to pull it off. Putting my problems into the life of a character helps me look at the problem from a new point of view and helps me learn about myself.

Kayla writes: I loved your book speak it was hard to listen to in class because when the book cursed everyone would laugh like they never heard a curse word when the cuss everyday. Well i thought i would let you know i loved the book. Cant wait until we read the next one if we do.

Cuss words are funny. I must write an essay about them someday… after I slay the Deadline Dragon

Caitlyn (age 11) writes: I have read all of your books even though u haven’t made any more books I still appreciate that u wrote all of those books and everyone is wonderful they inspire me to be a writer .

Lisa writes: HEY LAURIE…I’M LISA AND IM IN THE SEVENTH GRADE I LIVE IN CHICAGO. IM READING PROM RIGHT NOW AND I THINK IT IS VERY GOOD. OUR TEACHER ORDERED SPEAK AS A CLASS NOVEL ANDD I CANT WAIT TO READ IT. NICE TALKIN TO U BYE BYE

Nice talking to you, too!

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doing the responsible author thing

We wound up with a little snow. I am trying to be grateful for it and not throw a tantrum.

Must. Deal. With. Mail.

Anna writes: Dear Ms. Anderson, I am in sixth grade and am doing an author study on you. For my study I am requried to write a biography on you. I would like to answer my questions so I could get some first hand details.Why did you write the novels Speak and Prom(i.e.Insprations, family, etc.)? How would you describe your self as a child? What was one of your biggest accomplishments(as a child or now)? What was your dream job as a child? What is your favorite part of your job? What is it like being Quaker? What books did you or still do enjoy reading? What do you think your writing style is? I’m sorry if some of the question seem nosey and I hope you answer me back!

And people wonder why it takes me so long to write the next book. OK, here goes, Anna.

1. I write each book because I have a vision of a character who interests me. I guess you could say that I am very nosy and I want to know what makes that character tick.
2. Me as kid: Quiet and sturdy.
3. Biggest accomplishment? Raising my children.
4. Dream job as a kid? Stewardess on an airplane or a doctor.
5. Fav aspect of my job: Writing books with the phone turned off.
6. I like being a Quaker, but it is a big challenge sometimes because I don’t agree with everything my church stands for. I’m working on it.
7. I like reading history and fantasy.
8. I’d like to think my style is effective.

One more, because it’s long:

Melanie writes: I am a seventh grader at Indian Valley Middle School. The reason I am writing to you today is because in my Reading class, we did an author study and you were the author of my choice. I definitely admire your writing and have a desire to at least publish a book someday, which is a reason why I chose you as my author for the author study.
            As you read this letter you will find that I really did my homework on you. As I researched your web sites, I found that in your interview with YA Books Central on August 2005 you answered that if you could have anybody ask you a question it would be, if you were not an author what would you be and you said you would answer back a lumberjack. If you were answering a lumberjack in a funny way what would you really be if you were not an author and why?
            On a web site of yours, you said that as you solemnly sent your daughter to first grade your promised you would write a book and get it published in five years and you did so in four years. Does this mean that any of your books could relate to your daughters or your life as a small child?
            Because I find that many authors relate to their own lives in books they write. I also found that you were a foreign exchange student on a milk farm in Denmark. Was this chance a very exciting thing for you since you loved learning about different foreign languages?
            After reading your book “Speak 1793” I found Mattie to be a similar kind of person as my self so a question I had for you is if you could be any character in any of your books would you be Mattie and why?
            If this letter is answered I would like to thank you for your time and ask you for an autographed photo if that is not too much to ask?

My knees are getting a little too creaky to be a lumberjack, but if I had to stop working as an author tomorrow, I’d think about doing landscaping during the summer and maybe being a history teacher during the school year, although I’d have to go back to college and get another degree to be able to do this. I have never based a book on any of my children, but some of their little quirks pop up in a few of them. I adored my time in Denmark and wish I could visit there again. And learning foreign languages is a blast. I feel very close to Mattie. And sorry, I don’t have any photos I can autograph and send to you.

Molly E. writes: We have an assignment in school. The assignment is to find a freechoice book and read it. Of course. There’s a catch. The book has to have an award. I look through the books on the shelves and pick out Speak. I like the cover. People tell me all the time not to judge a book by it’s cover. I can’t help it.
Well, the project isn’t due for a while. My teachers have not even set a date for when we have to be finished reading. I started your book on Saturday. I finished your book on Saturday. It was probably around one in the morning when I finished. I guess I couldn’t stop reading.
That book is probably the best book I’ve ever read. I can’t really explain the feeling, it’s just.. I love the way it was written, the characters, everything. So maybe I haven’t been raped. Maybe I didn’t bust up a school end-of-summer party, Still I feel like I can relate to Melinda.
Well I guess I can say I was nervous about writing this email. Yeah, but it needed to be done. I’ve never really written to an author before; you’re the first. So, basically, thanks for writing that book. I honestly appreciate it. Email me any time if you want. About anything. I doubt you’ll have
time. But you can.

Thank you, Molly. You just rocked my world.

  

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Question for teen writers

I have been asked to contribute an essay with my advice to teen writers.

Not surprisingly, I have a lot of it.

But I should probably go to the source, and make sure I am approaching this from the right direction. So here’s the question:

If you and I were getting together for tea (coffee, hot chocolate, etc.), and you had one writing-related question to ask me, what would it be?

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