Season 2, Episode 36: The Book Fair
IN THIS EPISODE
Abby visits the school book fair and takes a hard look at what's selling. (Hint, swag and animal books.)
Kemlo points out that this is smart research for every author to do, take a look at where your book sits on the shelf. What's around it?
The book fair is an extra-special excellent place to do this research because of the energy. The kids are excited! What are they drawn to, what are they saying about all the books?
Abby hints at her next series, which luckily for her falls into the animal category – a perpetual kid-favorite!
Abby also revisits the idea of romance in her MG novel, and she decides that maybe she should take it out. She feels like it's complicating her story, but not in a good way.
They also brainstorm ways to bring more magic into the book, which is always fun! (And it highlights how un-cool we are with some popular culture references! Case in point, none of the three hosts know much about X-Men...)
“I think it’s so easy to just put writing at the bottom of your really long to-do list. And when you prioritize it, however you decide to do that or whatever that looks like, I think, you know, you’re really, sort of just giving space to yourself.”
We talk about what this can look like. (And it looks different to everyone, but don't you just love listening to how different people approach their writing time?!)
To Kathleen, that looks like reading poetry before she writes and taking those beautiful words into her writing session. To Abby, it looks like imaging opening a box of books-- her books-- and feeling the excitement of holding it in her hands for the first time. And Abby brings that energy into her writing time.
Kathleen and Abby talk a little about visualization and meditation and how it can connect back to your writing practice and your identity as a writer.
“I had a supervisor who used to say to me, you know, you can’t control the outcome, but what you can control is the process. Especially with traditional publishing, like there’s so much as writers that we don’t have control over. But what we do have control over is our process. Are we showing up? Are we giving it our all? You know, how are we devoting ourselves to our craft? And I think that that is what we can control, and that’s what really matters.”
Kathleen also talks about her writing group and their methods for helping and supporting each other. Fun fact: it involves writer's tarot cards!
Kathleen talks about the importance of story and human experience. She references Elizabeth Gilbert and her TED talk, where she says you don't have to have a traumatic existence in order to be creative. And she references Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's TED Talk The Danger of a Single Story.
Kathleen talks about being a juror at the Scholastic Teen Writing Awards. One of the most memorable stories for her was one written about a first kiss. She points out that she didn't think anything new could be written about a first kiss, but the teen writer's fresh spin on it was unique.
“Whatever we’re experiencing, I think there’s value and there’s story in that.”
Lastly, we share some routines that Author Accelerator writers in our Membership Circle shared with Abby. There are some great tips in there if you're looking to try something new that might resonate with you and your schedule!
