SE Witschorke, Middle Grade and Young Adult Author

On my monthly stroll Around the Writers’ Block, I stopped by to visit Eric Elfman—the author of 10 books for children and young adults, including The Very Scary Almanac and The Almanac of the Gross, Disgusting & Totally Repulsive (both published by Random House, the latter named an ALA Recommended Book for Reluctant Readers); three X-Files novels (Harper Collins); two books of scary short stories, Three Minute Thrillers and More Three Minute Thrillers (Lowell House); and The Devil You Know, a young adult novel published by Dutton in 2007. He has also written numerous articles for magazines, including Dwell, Mental Floss, and Disney Adventure Digest.

Several of his books have been optioned by Hollywood. My Three Minute Thriller series was optioned by Merv Griffin Enterprises, and The Almanac of the Gross has been developed as a magazine-style TV show for kids, THAT’S SO GROSS! 

Eric has sold other works with his writing partner, Neal Schusterman, including the original feature film based on a true story, Class Act, to Revolution Studios. They were also hired by Walden to write an adaptation of Shakespeare’s comedy As You Like It, and wrote the sequel to the Curious George movie for Universal Studios. 

We discussed the art of writing, revising, and selling a manuscript.

Me:  What is a common mistake you see in bourgeoning writers?   


Eric:  Using a passive instead of a narrative voice and not engaging the reader.  A story should have something happen from the first line and not be filled with “boring” everyday events such as eating breakfast, getting ready for school, etc.  There should be tension created by events happening to the character.

The reader has to be emotionally vested in the character so make them interesting.  Conversely, some authors have too many things happen and every page brings an obstacle with events changing too frequently.  

Bottom line—the writing needs to be fun to read! 0 0 1 20 89 SE Witschorke, LLC 1 1 108 14.0 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}

Me:  It is said that any writing can always be improved, so how do you know when a manuscript is ready to submit?

Eric:  When the writer is sick of revising!  Ha!  Ha!          
Getting feedback from friends, a critique group, or others like a writing coach, (i.e. Eric), and being honest with yourself will prevent your manuscript from getting the dreaded rejection letter. 
But this can be detrimental to the writer.  If the author has “reached the end of the rope,” it probably is time to set the manuscript aside and come back to it later with fresh eyes.  It’s frustrating to see good writers get tired too soon and submit a manuscript that ends up getting a rejection.

Bottom line—Don’t blow your one shot!


Me:  Every writer hears that nagging internal critic, so is it more beneficial to listen to it or tell it to go away and come back when the first draft is finished?

Eric:  Turn off the internal critic and write until the draft is finished.  Plenty of other people will critique your work.  One of the biggest problems writers do, is thinking of a new idea and abandoning the current one before it's finished.  Jot down the new idea, there’ll be plenty of time to go back to that one when the current one is finished. Bottom line – Don’t listen to the voice! 

Me:  In such a subjective business where rejections can be a dime a dozen, how do you know when to put the manuscript in a drawer and when it needs a revision?



Eric: This is definitely a subjective business.  But all it takes is one yes!
The author of Pay it Forward, Catherine Ryan Hyde, sent her first manuscript, Funeral for Horses, to 40 editors, had 40 rejections, but the 41st said yes.  Persistence pays off!

Even in the face of rejection, have faith in your own work.  But if you’re hearing the same feedback, you should listen to it. 

In the words of Oscar winning director of the English Patient, Anthony Minghella,  “If ten Russians tell you you’re drunk, lie down.”  Take another look at your writing if you hear the same thing over and over.

Bottom line – Revision and patience = success! 

Me:  We are all looking forward to the release of your upcoming book, Tesla's Attic, can you walk us through how you edited and revised it from conception to acceptance?

Eric: Tesla’s Attic will be released by Hyperion in Fall, 2012.  It is co-written by my friend and fellow screenwriter, Neal Schusterman.   




We began writing together about ten years ago while Neal was working on X-Files novelizations.  We co-wrote two X-Files novels together, both of which were sold to Harper Collins.  We have also sold two screenplays to Dreamworks and Universal. 


Tesla’s Attic was sold on a proposal with a fleshed out synopsis of the first novel.  It has been bought as a series.  The book centers around Tesla, a real scientist, who discovered AC power and was Thomas Edison’s adversary.  We are in the process of writing the novel and are about ¾ of the way finished.

Our process works in a couple of ways.  One talks, while the other does the typing or we alternate writing chapters and then swap them for review.  Either way, we work well as a team. One great thing about a collaborator is getting immediate feedback if something is funny!

Bottom line – Two heads are funnier than one!

Look for their book, Tesla’s Attic in Fall, 2012.


My thanks to Eric Elfman for his time and expertise.  If you'd like to learn more about the craft of writing or are in need of some expert advice, visit www.ericelfmancoaching.com.


I'll see you next time Around the Writers' Block.
 
 

Recently I had the opportunity to “drop-in” on Newbery Award winner, Clare Vanderpool, during this week’s stroll Around the Writers’ Block.  Our visit focused on her Newbery award winning middle grade novel, Moon Over Manifest.

First, a little about the novel:
From School Library Journal

Gr 5-8–History and fiction marry beautifully in this lively debut novel. It's as if readers jump off the train in Manifest, KS, in 1936 with Abilene Tucker, 12, the feisty, likable, and perceptive narrator. She is there to live with Pastor Shady Howard, her father's friend, while her father works on the railroad back in Iowa. An equally important story set during World War I is artfully intertwined. Since her mother went off on her own 10 years earlier, Abilene and Gideon have been alone. Though their life together is unsettled, their bond is strong. Shady's place is shabby, but he is welcoming. The mystery about Manifest and Gideon unfolds after Abilene finds a box filled with intriguing keepsakes. It includes a letter dated 1917 to someone named Jinx from Ned Gillen that has a warning, “THE RATTLER is watching.” This starts Abilene, with the help of new friends Ruthanne and Lettie, on a search to learn the identity of the pair. The story cleverly shifts back and forth between the two eras. Abilene becomes connected to Miss Sadie, a “diviner” who slowly leads her through the story of Ned and Jinx. Though the girl is lonely, she adjusts to her new life, feeling sure that her father will come for her at summer's end. The Ku Klux Klan and its campaign against the many immigrants working in the coal mines and the deplorable conditions and exploitation of these men provide important background. This thoroughly enjoyable, unique page-turner is a definite winner.–Renee Steinberg, formerly at Fieldstone Middle School, Montvale, NJα(c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

And now, my interview with Clare Vanderpool:

SE:
The Great Depression is the more familiar historical aspect of Moon Over Manifest, but World War I is a seldom written about time period for middle grade readers, what made you choose this fascinating, yet little known, era for the book? 


Clare:  
Part of the decision was for practical reasons in that I wanted to include backstories from the time in Manifest when Gideon, Abilene's father, was a boy.  So just from an age standpoint, he would have been fourteen in about 1917.  But from the story standpoint, I think that when people are living in tough times, like the Great Depression, there is a natural tendency to harken back to what we perceive to be happier, simpler times.  In my research using local newspapers there was actually a column called "Do You Remember When" and many of the memories listed were from the 1917-1918 time period.  With World War I, the Spanish Influenza, immigration, there was so much to draw from for the story.

SE: 
For some authors, writing is all about the creative process, putting words on a blank canvas, while others thrive on the fine-tuning part of it.  What is your favorite part of the writing process?  Least favorite? 

Clare: 
Ooh, tough question.  I like all of it, but there are also parts of all of it that are challenging.  I would say my favorite part of the writing process is when the story is well under way and I know the nuts and bolts of what each chapter needs to contain and then I can let go and let the more fun and creative side of writing loose.  It is fun to look up after a few hours of writing like this and think, wow, where did that come from?

My least favorite part of writing is what I would call the finagling.  It's kind of like fine tuning but harder.  It's like putting together a jigsaw puzzle and just when you think you're done, you realize you've got several pieces left that you have to fit in somewhere.  Then you have to just keep taking those pieces, one by one, and turning them, twisting them, re-shaping them to make them fit. 

SE: 
We know where you like to read a book - dressing rooms, the bathroom, church, while walking, and math class - but where is it you like to write a book?

Clare:
In order to answer this question I'd also have to describe the kind of day it is, the temperature, the type of tea, etc.  My favorite writing experience takes place upstairs in our house, on my bedroom floor.  I lay out a cushy blanket and sit on the floor with my back up against the ottoman of a big reading chair.  Outside it's fall, the leaves are turning, it's cool and rainy.  I have a dog next to me and a hot cup of tea at hand.  Earl Gray if I want caffeine, mint if I don't.  I like to have a space heater pointing at my feet but that puts me to sleep so I try to just use thick socks.  I put my laptop in my lap (hey, that's why they call it that) and get busy.  Oh, I forgot the most important part.  Candy corn.  A little bowl of candy corn to go with the hot tea and I'm good to go.

SE:
Every character in Moon Over Manifest has such a distinctive voice; how did you go about creating each one?  Are they based on actual people, or are they a mix of influences?

Clare:Most of the people I know in my real life are very interesting and unique people so I figure my characters should be equally interesting.  Some of them are based on actual people but most are at least influenced in some way by real people.  I recall snippets of conversations or exchanges with people that somehow sift and filter their way into my characters and stories.  

SE:
You have a ritual in your home of giving dream presents each night, could you share a dream present Abilene would give her dad?

Clare:             
Just to explain what a dream present is, it is basically the beginning of a really good dream.  It's a story that one person starts at bedtime and just when it reaches a cliff hanger, the storyteller says, "Now you'll have to dream the rest."  It would have been more likely that Gideon would give Abilene a dream present and in fact that's essentially what he did.  He told Abilene stories of Manifest and in sending her to the town of his youth, he was telling her to finish the story.  And she did. 

My sincere thanks for Clare Vanderpool's hospitality.  

For more whos, whats, whys, whens, and wheres visit Clare Vanderpool’s website at www.clarevanderpool.com.

I'll see you next time Around the Writers' Block.

I have two great loves in my life, all things Italian and New York City, both of which often appear in anything I'm writing.  Sometimes I don't even realize I've embedded it into my stories.  My critique group pointed this out last week.  In my new manuscript my main character has an Italian heritage and she resides in guess where?  You are correct - the big Apple!  While the setting was intentional, the character was not.  

I had struggled for weeks trying to give her an identity and one day she morphed into this girl who thinks she knows who she is, but throughout the rest of the story, her sense of self is challenged.  I  

It is easy to write about places, events, and people that have impacted your life and are so engrained in your being that they bleed onto the pages.  When I write this way, my work is stronger and truer.  I have tried to write outside my comfort zone and the result is an enormous flop since it's not who I truly am.

Greetings one and all.  It has been awhile since I've posted anything new.  Wondering why?

I have been in the trenches rewriting my manuscript, seldom coming up for air, in addition to winding down the school year.  But now I have the luxury of creating my own schedule with some much needed time off from my first job.

I have some new and exciting things planned for the website, so check back soon.  In the meantime I am working on a new project and reading.

I just finished House Rules by Jodi Picoult and am now enjoying Sweethearts by Sara Zarr as well as Best Friends Forever by Jennifer Weiner.  Wildly different genres for all three books, but as all good writers know - read widely and often!

What is on your nightstand?

I just saw the movie Soul Surfer and remember hearing about this remarkable young lady who lost her arm to a Great White Shark when it happened a few years ago.  But watching the movie inspired me even more.  A phrase that her family used a lot to get them through the ordeal was "With Him all things are possible."

I can't imagine what it would be like to lose a limb, let alone lose a part of yourself that was so integral to doing something you loved.  When I hear about something like that, it makes you stop and be thankful for all the things in your life, even when things seem the bleakest.

A few posts back I lamented over the fact that I had received so many passes on my manuscript, but what I should have taken into account was the fact that I CAN still write and have the opportunity to use this gift I've been given to get back up on my metaphorical horse and keep on "writing." 

Truly, all things are possible, even in the darkest hours. If you have a dream, pursue it.  If you've accomplished your dream, give thanks and enjoy it!

My favorite song at the moment is Sara Bareilles's Uncharted.  It has a great beat and lyrics.  And although the lyrics don't readily relate to writing, I think about my writing journey when I hear the song.

Recently I met with my agent in New York City.  We had a lovely meeting where we formulated a new plan for my manuscript.  Currently, I am rewriting it with a looming deadline of April 1 to resubmit to my agent.  It will be a whirlwind three weeks to meet the deadline as I have several ideas to weave into the story line so that it will become an even stronger piece, but it's a tall order in a short amount of time.

How does this relate to uncharted territory?  Every stage of getting to fulfill my dream of publishing a book is like traveling in uncharted territory.  Those before me have gone down a similar path, but no one has gone down the exact same one I will and to me that is a thrilling prospect.  I am in charge of laying the yellow bricks which lead to my Emerald City.  It's mine to discover and will be filled with excitement and even failures.  The terrain is fresh and unfamiliar to me.  And while others share in this journey, it is mine alone to traverse. 

My point is that not knowing the outcome of something can be a thrilling adventure, kind of like people who've traveled uncharted territory.  You never know what you'll find and it can make the trip though long and ardurous totally worht it! 

Austin SCBWI Writers Conference -
Boots - In true, Austin, eclectic, style there were a fair share of boots but there were also heels, pumps, flats, sandals, and my favorite - flashy, silver, ballet slippers!  Being the shoe aficionado that I am, these are the things I notice when out in public places.  I remember who specifically wore what shoes and whether said shoes matched or complimented the outfit. Oh don't you wish I would spill!  But my lips are sealed. 

Books - There were a fair share of these in hard bound and paper back and one that sucked me in and won't let go until I finish it - The Memory Bank by Carolyn Coman.  A must read!!  But the books that really got my attention were what the conference was more about than anything - those aspiring writers whose work was so lovingly sent to editors and agents to be thoughtfully considered only to be told that it's just not for them or there's no place for it in the market right now.  Great job but really don't see this as a book - good luck!  Oh how my heart ached for them.  I watched them go into room after room full of hope only to return dejected or frustrated after their precious ten minutes.  But on the other hand...

I also got to witness the joyfulness of those who couldn't wait to share with others the glowing comments they'd received and their hope kept alive that one day their idea, turned into manuscript will be a hardback book or ebook as the case may be- something every writer longs for.


Buckskins - Can honestly say I didn't see a single one of these!

Thanks to Debbie Gonzales and Carmen Oliver and countless others who put on a wonderful conference!

Hats off and a big Texas Yeeeeeee-haw!