Interview with Tara Dairman

I'm lucky (or cunning) enough to have lured yet another successful writer over to my blog for an SAT - Successful Author Talk. SAT authors have conquered the query, slain the synopsis and attained the pinnacle of published. How'd they do it? Let's ask 'em! Today's guest for the SAT (Successful Author Talk) is Tara Dairman. Tara is the author of the foodie middle-grade novel ALL FOUR STARS, which was published on July 10 by Putnam/Penguin.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

I've become much more of a planner in recent years. For me, the scariest thing about trying to write a novel is the hugeness of the project, so if I can use an outline to trick myself into thinking that I have a handle on what's coming next, that helps.

I also find that I can write a first draft much faster if I'm working from a detailed outline.  96% faster, to be precise! 

How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

My first novel, ALL FOUR STARS, took about seven years from first words to polished, queryable manuscript. But I would put the project down for months at a time to focus on my day job as a magazine editor, or producing my plays in festivals, or getting married, or going on a round-the-world honeymoon.

I'm able to write much faster now, thank goodness. The sequel to AFS took about five months to draft, revise, and turn in to my editor, but there will be a few more months of edits before it's ready to be published.

Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?

I'm terrible at multitasking; I can't even listen to music and write at the same time. So, it's one project at a time for me.

Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

Oh, of course. And every time, really. But I've learned that you can't be a perfectionist, at least not while writing early drafts. And these days, fear of missing a deadline often trumps fear of failure for me, so I manage to get the work done.

How many trunked books did you have before you were agented?

Zero, though I do have a trunked screenplay.

Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

The manuscript I was working on in the year after I sold ALL FOUR STARS is currently in a drawer, though I hope to pull it out again eventually. I stopped working on it because it was making me dread sitting down and writing to an extent that no other project ever had. I think I was trying to write in a voice that just wasn't really mine. But I might rework it someday.

Who is your agent and how did you get that "Yes!" out of them? 

My agent is Ammi-Joan Paquette at Erin Murphy Literary. She spotted my first page in a Secret Agent contest at Miss Snark's First Victim and requested that I query her. I ended up with a few other offers through querying and another contest, but Joan was the best fit for me.

How many queries did you send?  

According to Querytracker.net (awesome site for agent-hunters!), I sent 34 queries, and also had six requests from contests.

Any advice to aspiring writers out there on conquering query hell?

Query in small batches (5-7 agents) so that you can pull back and revise your query and/or pages if you're not having any success. Get your query critiqued, preferably by an author who's been through query hell before (such as our own Mindy McGinnis, in her Saturday Slash series!). And, of course, make sure that your manuscript has been through  many rounds of critique and revision before you start to query it.

How did it feel, the first time you saw your book for sale?

Seeing it for presale online was really exciting, and seeing friends get excited, too, and start preordering with gusto was so heartening. I can't wait to see ALL FOUR STARS on bookstore and library shelves—thanks to my last name, it should be right next to books by one of my favorite authors, Roald Dahl. :)

How much input do you have on cover art?

I expected to have zero input, so when my editor asked me for some ideas, I was pleasantly surprised. I created a short PowerPoint presentation featuring other middle-grade covers I loved and pointing out what elements I thought might work for ALL FOUR STARS. I was hoping to see a girl, food, and a city skyline on the cover, and all three of those elements are there, so I couldn't be more thrilled.

What's something you learned from the process that surprised you?

Generally, I'm a fan of learning as much as possible about the world you're working in—in this case, the world of publishing. But sometimes, I fondly remember the days when I didn't know anything about starred reviews, notable book lists, mock Newbery blogs, etc. It's surprising how crappy it can feel to have your book not be considered for certain accolades—especially when, a year ago, you didn't even know those accolades existed! But mostly I try to focus on the joy and accomplishment of actually publishing a book, and having another one on the way.

How much of your own marketing do you?

I have a blog, Facebook, and Twitter.

I've been doing a fair amount of outreach over the last few months to bloggers and reviewers, setting up a mini-blog tour. I've had new headers designed for my social media sites and swag like bookmarks and temporary tattoos designed by the terrific Amber at Me, My Shelf, and I. I also made an appointment to introduce myself to the children's staff at my local indie bookstore, and worked with my publisher to set up launch parties in New York and Colorado. And I'm attempting to line up school visits for the fall.

It always feels like there's more I can be doing, but I have to balance marketing with writing and my other work.

When do you build your platform? After an agent? Or should you be working before?

I think that it's smart to be on Twitter (since so many agents are) and have a basic website while querying. The website is especially useful if you have other writing credits, or art to show off; I was able to link to mine in the bio section of my query so that agents could check out my playwriting credentials. And when we sold ALL FOUR STARS to Putnam, my editor checked out my blog and was impressed that I was already building an online presence.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Social media has definitely helped me connect with fellow writers and form a strong community with them—which is really helpful when it comes time to launch your book. Kidlit writers are the most supportive people I know! I've also met most of my critique partners online, and connected with several librarians and book bloggers. Plus, I enjoy interacting with folks online and sharing snippets of my writing and publishing journey—so for me, being active on social media feels natural and worth the effort.

Successful Author Talk with Kelly Loy Gilbert

I'm lucky (or cunning) enough to have lured yet another successful writer over to my blog for an SAT - Successful Author Talk. SAT authors have conquered the query, slain the synopsis and attained the pinnacle of published. How'd they do it? Let's ask 'em!

Today's guest for the SAT (Succesful Author Talk) is Kelly Loy Gilbert, author of CONVICTION coming in 2015 from Disney-Hyperion. Kelly has an overly-active Twitter feed. She serves on the NaNoWriMo Associate Board, is a fan of diverse books, and lives in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

I am an aspiring Planner. I always set out to write a story a certain way, and sometimes I even write outlines for it—and then inevitably it ends up somewhere wildly different than I originally planned.

How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

For a solid, submittable draft, I’d say anywhere from nine months to three years. Hopefully I’m getting faster!

Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?

I used to be a die-hard one-project-at-a-time writer. But with the way publishing works, there’s a lot of down time when you’re waiting for revisions, etc., so it’s not totally practical to put a project completely to rest before embarking on another. At heart, though, I love working on thing at a time––I like to inhabit that world as fully as possible.

Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

This will sound silly, but––running out of notebook space! It was before computers were really a thing, and I had this one totally pristine notebook I would write in really cramped small writing to try to fit as much as possible before running out.

How many trunked books did you have before you were agented?

Six or seven.  I was an overly-ambitious teenager. One, my sophomore year, was about a boy band.  (Weird it didn’t sell….)  

Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

When a project isn’t working and I lose all sight of where it might be going I shelve things, locking them away in drawers where they can’t see the light of day, but I often come back to things even years later. Once you bring a character to life, it’s hard to erase him from existence completely––I always find them hovering somewhere in the periphery of my consciousness, waiting to be invited back in.

Who is your agent and how did you get that "Yes!" out of them? 

My agent is the utterly fabulous Adriann Ranta of Wolf Literary, whom I snagged through the traditional query process.  

How long did you query before landing your agent?  

Actually, it took me nearly a decade; I queried two previous books, once in college and once in high school (when you still sent everything via hard copy directly to publishers). Thank goodness those books never went anywhere, though of course it was totally crushing at the time.  

Any advice to aspiring writers out there on conquering query hell?

Querying’s awful (although it’s sort of exciting knowing at any moment you could get an email or call that changes everything), so you should probably keep lots of ice cream and gummy candies on hand to soothe you.

Also, if you get a ton of rejections and you hate life, go on Goodreads and read one-star reviews of some of your very favorite books, and remind yourself that reading is subjective as all get-out. A no from any one particular agent just means they weren’t right for your project.

What's something you learned from the process that surprised you?

I was surprised by the strength and vibrancy of the YA community. I’m lucky to live in an area (what up SF Bay Area!!) where there’s a great group of women debuting in 2015 along with me, and we meet up regularly and serve as a support network of sorts for one another. And I’ve met amazing people through Twitter and email and some writer forums, and it’s hard to remember what it was like when it was just me and my computer alone! I wouldn’t have guessed that other writers would be so open and accessible and eager to connect.

How much of your own marketing do you?  Do you have a blog / site / Twitter? 

I blog (sporadically) and tweet (compulsively).

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

I guess the jury’s out on that one, although I would strongly, strongly encourage any aspiring authors to get on social media just because the writing community is so totally terrific––people volunteering to CP for others, discussing the need for diverse books, pointing out interesting industry news.

Interview with Tamera Will Wissinger

I'm lucky (or cunning) enough to have lured yet another successful writer over to my blog for an SAT - Successful Author Talk. SAT authors have conquered the query, slain the synopsis and attained the pinnacle of published. How'd they do it? Let's ask 'em! Today's guest for the SAT (Successful Author Talk) is Tamera Will Wissinger, fellow Class of 2k13 member and author of GONE FISHING, a 2014 ALSC Notable Children's Book.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

Most of my writing begins as one tiny nugget of an idea scribbled on a sticky note or receipt, so I definitely start out as a pantster. If an idea grabs hold of my imagination and won’t let go, then I begin to flesh it out, still by the seat of my pants, though, and often in my head. At some point, though, I have to step back and ask what I’m doing and how I might make this lovely mess of ideas into a story or a poem that could hang together and actually become a book. That’s when my writing becomes more planful.

How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

A first draft can take anywhere from six months to two years. Revisions can take that long or longer. From inception to final edits, GONE FISHING took about five years to complete. For picture books, the first draft is definitely shorter, but rewriting can take quite a bit of time. When I began THIS OLD BAND in 2008 it had a different title and an entirely different premise and I was struggling to complete a draft. That version was also a counting concept book that featured cowboys and cowgirls, but it featured a duel. Once I figured out that the characters wanted to play in a band rather than fight, I settled in and wrote the entire book rather quickly, but it took a couple of years of duking it out with that older version to arrive at that point.

Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?

I am a strict multi tasker and typically work on several projects in various stages of completion. That changes if I’m on deadline – then I become a one-project-at-a-time writer. I do think it’s simpler for me to weave from project to project because much of my work is poetry and picture book-length stories. A novelist has to keep many characters and plot threads in her mind for a long period of time; I’ve tried it myself and it’s hard.

Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

I didn’t exactly have fears related to sitting down and writing – I spent many years in the business world and would secretly write poetry and short stories at nights and on weekends. I did fear publicly declaring that I was a writer; I thought that people might judge me. I got over that fear after I left my job and people began to assume that I was a stay-at-home wife with nothing to do. Some tried to offer ways to help me spend my time. When I did come out of hiding, people did judge, but by that point I had stopped caring because I had protected my writing time.

How many trunked books (if any) did you have before you were agented?

I’m unagented, so I’ll answer this based on pre-sale. Before my first sale, I trunked at least a dozen books, many of them picture books, a few readers, the beginnings of a couple of novels, and dozens and dozens of poems.

Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

Yes…many. I knew it was time when my heart and mind were tugged in other directions, and the old ms didn’t tug back. 

Since you’re unagented, how do you submit manuscripts. How did you get that "Yes!" without an agent?

When I first began to feel that my stories were strong enough for publication, started out using Chuck Sambuchino’s Children’s Writers and Illustrator’s Market book. I had spent several years researching, sending out manuscripts or partials, hearing “no,” then a few “maybes” that became “no.” After several years of that and returning to school for my MFA in Writing for Children, I finally heard “Yes!” from my Houghton Mifflin Harcourt editor.

I know that conventional wisdom is to have an agent before you sell your first ms (especially with novels), but if you have a strong manuscript and you’re not getting positive reaction from agents, maybe consider a couple of things. Maybe the manuscript needs to be tweaked just a tiny bit more, or maybe you could try to submit your story directly to a few carefully selected editors on your own. Some publishers accept unsolicited manuscripts; just make sure to follow their submission guidelines.

How did that feel, the first time you saw your book for sale?

I was so grateful and overjoyed! Beyond simply being published, though, my writing goal was to write a story that would find it's way into children's hands, so the first time I saw children enjoying my book was the real joy for me. I never get tired of seeing and hearing children read - not just my stories and poetry – anything. When they are confident in their reading, children are so genuine and enthusiastic. I love being swept up in that excitement.

How much input do you have on cover art?

Very little. I have been lucky enough to be asked about conceptual style before final decisions about art direction, but the choice of illustrator, the final cover art, and interiors are mostly a collaboration between the illustrator, art director, and editor. The illustrators for both THIS OLD BAND (Matt Loveridge) and GONE FISHING (Matthew Cordell) have exceeded my expectations with their talent and creativity in visual storytelling.

What's something you learned from the process that surprised you?

This is something that I sensed, but had never experienced: Those working in and around the children’s publishing world are smart and generous, and care about the writing, the writers, and helping books reach the hands of young readers. That network includes a wide range of people from those working within the publishing world, to trade publications, authors, teachers, booksellers, librarians, bloggers, parents, and young readers. Really, anyone who loves and acts on the idea of helping children gain access to great books and reading is part of this global, committed network.

How much of your own marketing do you?  

I do a fair amount of my own marketing. I have a website, an online journal, a Twitter account, and a Facebook author page. I also keep an online journal called The Writer’s Whimsy (it’s not a full-fledged blog, but it does allow me the flexibility of blog-type posts when I choose to go that route.) 

And I participate in the Kidlitosphere Poetry Friday meme and am a regular blogger with Smack Dab in the Middle Blog. I’ve also been dabbling in videos – something that I’m hearing quite a bit about, so I think it’s time to learn about creating videos and how to use them as an author. A year and a half ago that would have petrified me – I didn’t even have a Twitter account until the 2k13 Twitter was set up in the fall of 2012. Now I don’t know what I was afraid of. I had pretty serious Twitterphobia before that! The marketing idea that I keep returning to is that it’s not always about me. I believe that there is a great benefit to me even when I’m engaging online in helping someone else.

I also reach out to booksellers, teachers, and school media specialists to engage in events and school visits, and occasionally present at conferences. I enjoy face-to-face interaction and feel lucky that my books allow me a fun way to engage young readers. It's hard to quantify any of these things in actual sales, although schools are great about pre-selling books when I visit.

When do you build your platform? After an agent? Or should you be working before?

Before an agent, before a first sale. When I signed my first contract in 2011 I had email, a rarely used Facebook account, and outdated business cards - that was my entire platform – I’m not kidding. I had been so focused on writing that I had ignored the vast changes happening online. I didn't recognize how – or feel that – I belonged, so I ignored it. I paid for it royally, too, in overcoming fears, coming up to speed, all the while feeling anxious and ignorant. Thank goodness for leaders like Mindy and my good dumb luck of stumbling into The Class of 2k13 and the Lucky 13s! Looking back, not having any sort of platform didn't rob me of the joy of celebrating, it just made that time more intense than it needed to be. 

Engaging now while you have a little more flexibility in your schedule can be simple: a static website with one or two pages describing you and what you write, a Twitter account, maybe a social Facebook page. You don’t need a blog, but you might consider writing a few essays or short tutorials and posting them on your site, or offering to contribute an essay to a few of your favorite blogs, or maybe even join a group blog that you can tie back to your web site. Then when you’ve made your first sale, you have a solid foundation upon which to build.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

That's a great question, Mindy. I'm not sure that I know the answer. I do know that we are all in this together and that there are good and smart people online who are more than happy to help authors at any stage from pre published to well published. I have also noticed that those who know me, even if it's through my online friendships, are some of my strongest advocated. So I guess I would say that social media helps build relationships and that, in turn, may develop into readership.