| Carma: I ran across your Working Writer's Coach | | | | place must be accurate even though the actual |
| Blog back in March 2007 and I kept being drawn | | | | events are not all true. |
| back to it. Actually I think it was when I | | | | Carma: What advice would you give to aspiring |
| subscribed to the Morning Nudge that kept me | | | | children's writers who are trying to break into the |
| going everyday and still does. Tell us how The | | | | field? |
| Morning Nudge came about. | | | | Suzanne: First, take a course or workshop to |
| Suzanne: As a writing coach, I like to encourage | | | | learn the basics about writing for children. Next, |
| my clients to get a little writing done every single | | | | join or start a critique group for children's writers |
| day. When I first started coaching, I was sending | | | | and be sure there are at least a few published |
| out a weekly newsletter, but I suddenly thought | | | | children's authors in the group. Third, read, read, |
| how much more helpful it would be to my clients | | | | read all the children's books you can. Finally, write, |
| and other writers by sending them something | | | | write, write! |
| every week day. That's how the Morning Nudge | | | | Carma: Who is Suzanne Lieurance, the lady? |
| came about. | | | | Describe an ordinary day in your life. |
| I have a friend who calls it "The Morning Shove" | | | | Suzanne: I think the essence of who I am |
| because some days I just want writers to stop | | | | involves teaching, coaching, and motivating others |
| making excuses for not creating the writing life of | | | | every single day. This may sound strange, but I |
| their dreams. The only way to become a writer is | | | | don't think I have ordinary days. To me, every |
| to write! And the purpose of The Morning Nudge | | | | single day is special because every day I wake up |
| is to remind readers of that every day. | | | | and get to do what I love to do most - write, |
| Carma: What are your writing habits? Do you | | | | coach, and help others in some small way. |
| work on an outline before starting the actual | | | | But the best part is, I get to do all this no matter |
| story? | | | | where I am, so I can work from home in my pjs |
| Suzanne: I write something every single day. | | | | if I want - and I often do want to write in my |
| When I'm working on a book length manuscript I | | | | pjs. I think pjs are totally underrated. |
| work from an outline whether the book is | | | | Carma: Have you ever suffered from writer's |
| nonfiction or fiction. However, even with an outline | | | | block? What seems to work for unleashing your |
| I find that many surprises pop up as I'm writing. | | | | creativity? |
| And that's part of what makes the writing | | | | Suzanne: I don't have trouble being creative. What |
| process so much fun. | | | | I have trouble with sometimes is staying focused |
| Carma: Is one genre easier to write than another? | | | | on ONLY the project at hand. My mind can get to |
| Why or why not? | | | | racing a mile a minute if I don't control it. So, I |
| Suzanne: For me, fiction is more difficult to write | | | | meditate and write in my journal every morning in |
| than nonfiction because I have to really, really | | | | order to get focused before I work on the day's |
| focus on the world I'm creating when I'm writing | | | | writing project. |
| fiction. I have to sort of enter this world, and it | | | | Talking with other writers and other coaches |
| takes me a while at the keyboard before I'm able | | | | unleashes my creativity. |
| to do that fully. But once I'm there in my fictional | | | | Carma: What type of books did you read as a |
| world, I don't want to come back to the real | | | | child? Did you like to do book reports on them? |
| world, so I try to write for hours at a time. | | | | Suzanne: I always loved books about animals |
| When I'm working on nonfiction, I'm able to do | | | | when I was a child. My favorite book was called |
| that in short bits of time here and there. So it's | | | | The Magic Pin and it was about a little girl who |
| easier for me to get a lot of nonfiction writing | | | | found a pin that was shaped like a horseshoe. |
| done in a short amount of time. | | | | Whenever she put this pin on her shirt or dress |
| Carma: You always have a project or two in the | | | | she could talk to animals. I just thought that |
| works. The Locket just came out so tell us a bit | | | | having a pin like that would be the coolest thing |
| about your other soon to be published stories. | | | | since animals were everything to me when I was |
| What was your inspiration for these stories? | | | | a kid - dogs, especially. |
| Suzanne: Right now I'm working on another | | | | Carma: How do you set about promoting your |
| historical novel for Enslow. I'm also working on a | | | | books? How many hours a week do you spend |
| nonfiction book with two other coaches, and I'm | | | | on book promotion? |
| reworking several picture book manuscripts. I also | | | | Suzanne: I promote my books in a variety of |
| write my own materials for my coaching | | | | ways. Mostly through school visits and speaking at |
| programs, including materials for the Working | | | | writers' conferences and other events, plus |
| Writer's Summer Bootcamp that starts June 2. | | | | through my websites and blogs. However, I |
| What inspires me the most - for anything I write | | | | probably spend more time every week promoting |
| - is people who do incredible things. I want to | | | | my coaching than I do promoting my books. |
| write things that show everyone how we can | | | | Nowadays, I seem to be a coach who also |
| ALL do incredible things if we follow our passions | | | | writes, even though I started out as a writer who |
| and believe in ourselves. | | | | also coaches. |
| Carma: Which element of historical fiction writing | | | | Carma: What type of book promotion seems to |
| comes more naturally for you-plot, | | | | work the best for you? |
| characterization, description, dialogue? Which one | | | | Suzanne: Speaking at conferences and making |
| gives you the hardest time? | | | | author visits to schools seems to work best for |
| Suzanne: Characterization comes easiest for me. I | | | | me as a means to promote my books. But I also |
| have to "feel" what the character is going through | | | | like networking with other children's authors, |
| in order to write about this person. But I can | | | | illustrators, and editors to help get the word out |
| generally do that. | | | | about all sorts of books for children, not just |
| Description is sometimes difficult with historical | | | | mine. |
| fiction because every detail about the time and | | | | Thank you Suzanne. |