Talk with YA and Children’s Authors

Janet Ruth Young – The Opposite of Music

Why she chose to write a book and how…some advice to potential writers

• Woke up one day in May 2001 and she did not want to go to work…
• She felt that she had not lived up to her original dreams of becoming an author
• She had a story running through her head because her family had a history of mental illness.
• She had a little voice telling her to revisit this idea.
• She made a plan to quit her job and work on her novel
• She created a small manuscript and submitted for evaluation –
• She won the Penn NE Award for new writers
• She worked in “micro-chapters” and assigned herself one of these a day
• The titles began as "The Scientists" and ended up as "The Opposite of Music"
• She submitted her book as an independent writer but used many books to help her along the way.
• She polled the publishers to get a feel for her ideas
• While the publisher was interested, she need to work on revisions
• The tone had to be tweaked and the voice must be true to her characters
• She had tried to not preach but the publisher believed that half the book was missing
• She made revisions…and then time went by…and she was eventually rejected
• She made a new plan…to submit to more editors and more publishing companies
• But this time she placed time constraints on the publishers
• Finally she received an offer and negotiated for the best possible contract
• But more revisions were asked for…more than she was willing to concede
• Ultimately, she learned that she had to compromise…but her book was published!

Susan Lubner – Noises at Night & Ruthie Bon Bair: Do not go to bed with wringing wet hair

• She writes children’s picture books
• She loves to write in rhyme
• She published 2 short stories in college
• But got a “real job” after school
• She took a course or workshop on writing children’s stories
• Sold her first short story to a magazine
• She showed the manuscript of her first book, only 350 words on 2 pieces of paper
• Then she held up the large stack of papers involved in the revisions
• Words are kept to a minimum in writing picture books
• The only descriptions are one necessary for the storyline
• Her first book was sent out 30-40 times
• Ideas- everyday occurrences, watching nature, her reading or watching of the news, visuals, personal experiences with embellishment,
• Even though these stories are short…sometimes they take years to write…
• Suggest being part of a writers group to help develop their stories

Then the group was treated to a reading of Ms. Lubner’s book Ruthie Bon Bair… complete with her Ruthie “head of hair” on her head. It was enjoyable to hear her wonderful rhymes out loud.