If you’ve seen the movie Freaky Friday, you know that its premise is about change and growth through role reversal. For my Friday Blog entry I thought it would be interesting to interview aspiring writers; the same writers who spend lots of time reading the interviews of published authors and dreaming of the day when they might get their book on the shelves…
Eileen Feldsott is a fellow Blue Boarder and we were able to meet in person very recently at the 2009 Rutgers One-on-One Conference. We had so much fun that I had to have her do a Freaky Friday interview.
Eileen can you tell us a little bit about how you started writing for children and how your journey took you to Rutgers last weekend?
I began writing middle grade fiction about three years ago. I wrote my first middle grade novel with a good friend – we went to law school together and had done several legal research projects together – so we knew we’d be a good match writing-wise.
It took us about 8 months to complete that novel, and we’ve been revising it since. My second novel – which I wrote alone – is a middle grade mystery. That’s the one I went to Rutgers with. I’d heard great things about Rutgers, and I was so excited when I got in. It was great experience.
Can you tell our massive readership (we dream big here) a little bit about your Rutgers experience and who you would recommend it for next year. I’d also love to know more about the process of co-writing. What are the ups and downs? It sounds like so much fun!
About Rutgers: my initial reaction is that I’m glad I didn’t go any sooner. It’s a conference I’d “save” for when you’re almost ready to sub to agents/editors. It’s such a great networking opportunity, it would be sort of a shame to have access to all those fab agents and editors when you don’t have a completed, well-revised MS ready to send out. I also think it would be intimidating to go too early on in your writing journey. So, I’m not sure I’d recommend it for true Newbies, but I think if you’re like me, and trying really hard to get to the next level with your writing, it’s a tremendous opportunity.
About co-writing: the pros are, I’m not sure I would have completed that first manuscript without someone else pushing along too. Working with another person definitely keeps you motivated, and makes it FUN! Two times the brainstorming/creativity. Plus a built in critique partner. But I don’t think I could have done it with just anyone. Kari (my writing partner) and I were a particularly good fit – we have similar working styles, writing styles. And we are very, very close friends, so we can be really honest with each other.
The only real con is that when our schedules are out of synch (as they are a lot these days) its hard to find time to write at the same time. We definitely work better when we conference call and write vs. emailing drafts back and forth. This has been especially true during revisions. So that gets tricky. And it’s how I ended up writing a second book alone – I have a lot of daytime hours when I can write and Kari can’t.
I agree about being ready for Rutgers. It might even be better to have more than one thing ready, so that you can maximize the imput you get from your mentor. They are usually happy to give advice on more than one project. One of the big topics of conversation at the conference was “Staying Power in Children’s Literature.” It’s hard to think about that when its so difficult to get your foot in the door. What has been your worst low point on your journey to being published and what has been the high point that has motivate you to move forward?
My low point – I guess was about a year ago when I stopped subbing my first MS to agents because I realized that it just wasn’t strong enough to keep putting it out there without a pretty major overhaul. And then, my co-author and I hit a bit of a slump where life just got in the way of writing, so it felt like we just weren’t moving forward the way we wanted to.
My highpoint happened pretty recently, right before Rutgers, when I realized that we’ve FINALLY made the major pacing change to the beginning of the novel that we hope will give it the sparkle it’s been missing. Plus, one of my critique group members just signed with an agent, so I’m feeling pretty optimistic that if I keep at it, something good will eventually happen. And we’ve been much more productive this fall, which feels really great.
You mentioned that you went to law school. Are you currently working as a lawyer? What does being a lawyer bring to that table as a writer?
No, I’m not practiced and really never have. I got married the weekend after my graduation and found out I was pregnant weeks after passing the NY and NJ bar exams. We planned to start a family right away, so I didn’t plan on working when my kids were small. (They are now 10 and 12 and I still have no plans to practice law).
But a background in law was helpful in writing. Legal writing (not overblown legalese, but clear, direct legal writing) is a very sparse, no extraneous verbage kind of writing, so in a way, it was good training for being a fiction writer, too.
I also worked with my co-author on several legal writing projects in law school, so it laid the groundwork for that partnership as well.
Being a mom has its upsides and down sides when it comes to being a children’s writer. Any advice? Tricks of the trade to share?
Advice about combining writing with motherhood? If you’re lucky enough to be a stay at home mom with kids in school (like I am) my advice is leave the laundry and write as much as you can while they’re at school! Writing is a good distraction from middle school homework torture, too, if you have a son like mine – the absent-minded professor type. Smart, lovable, completely disorganized. Writing has been a source of sanity this year!
I think that when you are a mom, the writing can give you a true north on your internal compass. I think it allows your children to see something deep and real about you that isn’t necessarily completely wrapped around them. (Let’s be honest…they can be all-consuming sometimes LOL!)
OK, time for your top 5 books and their influence on you…
My top 5 kids books – ooh, tough. Let’s see: completely unoriginal, but Harry Potter is my absolute favorite. I think they are brilliant, brilliant books. I also love Millicent Min, Girl Genius, and A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth Bunce. (And I think Cheryl Klein edited all 3 – so you could say I’m a huge fan of hers!) My other two faves are much older books – The Mixed Up Files by E.L. Konigsburg, and The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin, both of which I have always loved.
You’ve got some of my favorites in their! Thank you so much for stopping by and being freaky :o) If you’d like to find out more about Eileen Feldsott stop by and friend her on FB or visit her on Verla Kay’s Blue Boards.
Have a Happy Halloween everyone!