Meet our mentors from our
Mentorship Program 2018-2019
Here’s what our Nonfiction Mentors – Clare Hodgson Meeker, Laurie
Thompson, and Marin Younker have to say.
Tell us a little bit about what you are working on now and your current projects.
Clare:
My current book project is a narrative nonfiction chapter book titled Growing
Up Gorilla, the story of a baby gorilla named Yola at Woodland Park Zoo whose
mother initially refused to care for her at birth. With patient help from zoo
staff and support from a shy adult silverback in her family group, Yola was
able to bond with her mother within five months. The book will be published by
Millbrook Press in the fall of 2019.
Laurie: Right now I’m focusing on promoting TWO TRUTHS AND A LIE: HISTORIES AND
MYSTERIES, which releases June 26, and on completing the backmatter and photo
research for the next book in the series. I’m also revising two picture books,
one fiction and one nonfiction, and working on sample chapters for a YA
nonfiction proposal that I’m really excited about. Somewhere in there, I’m also
trying to find time to revise a MG nonfiction proposal and finish a draft of a
new picture book!
Marin: My work-in-progress is tentatively titled Stuffed and is an exposé of taxidermy.
Like Bleed, Blister, Puke, and Purge,
it’s intended for middle and high school readers with adult crossover appeal.
My agent, Michelle Witte, has a draft of the proposal and manuscript for
editing. In the meantime, I am in the thick of research and note taking which
are my favorite parts of the process.
How does being
a mentor influence and inform your work and why do you do it?
Clare:
I have had many writing mentors over the course of my career. They encouraged
me to believe in my own voice as a children’s book author, taught me about the
writing craft, gave constructive advice on my manuscripts, and helped me find
my way in the writing business. I enjoy mentoring fellow writers at any stage
of the process because that is how I learned and was able to get published.
Laurie: I love being a mentor because it
gives me a chance to give back to the community in the same way other authors
assisted me in my journey, but I also have a completely selfish reason, too! I
firmly believe that one of the best ways to become a better writer yourself is
to carefully critique someone else’s work. It helps me stay focused on the
fundamentals of good writing, and I know that I invariably learn things about
my own writing when I’m giving someone else feedback--both by being reminded of
my weaknesses as well as learning new tricks. I also find a lot of inspiration
through mentoring, because even if someone has a lot to learn there are always
things they do well, too. Plus, people who are looking for a mentorship tend to
be committed and passionate about their work, which is energizing and just
plain fun to be around!
Marin:
In mentoring another local writer, I hope to pay it forward. Like many, I’ve
benefited from the eye and input of other writers, as well as librarians. As a
former librarian, I am fortunate enough to have co-workers who are willing to
read drafts in all their ugliness, as well as act as a sounding board for
ideas. The same can be said for writers in the SCBWI community: those who focus
on non-fiction are especially generous with their time and connections.
Mentoring
is a great way to learn!
What are
some challenges you have encountered in your writing/illustration
journey? How
did you manage to survive through them and achieve success?
Clare:
One of the challenges in writing nonfiction is that your story is based on
fact, not from your imagination. Careful
research is key and that often includes interviewing people who know the
subject you are writing about better than you do. One of my biggest challenges
in my latest book project was being able to get access to interview the keepers
and other zoo staff who helped raise Yola and her mother. The zoo wanted a
commitment from a publisher ahead of time. But publishers don’t usually offer a
contract without seeing a full draft first. So I had to write the story based
on what facts I knew and use my writing skills and imagination to develop the story
narrative in a way that would engage my target audience of 7-12 year old
readers. That first draft along with a full proposal got me a publisher and
access to the Zoo staff. The short
answer to facing these challenges is to be patient, determined, and never give
up.
Laurie: The waiting is always the biggest challenge. It seems like EVERYTHING in
this business moves at a snail’s pace… right up until it becomes an all-out
sprint, at least! In addition to requiring inhuman amounts of patience, the
waiting leaves a lot of time for self-doubt to grow while our confidence
dwindles. Believing in the value of my work keeps me going even when I question
my ability to actually DO it. (And yes, I still question it--every. single.
day.)
Marin: Two areas of particular weakness are underwriting and
narrative structure. I tend towards brevity, which can be both a benefit and
curse. Crucial to my process is an editor who can eagerly ask follow-up
questions. As for narrative structure, sometimes I get so caught up in
research, I neglect to clearly connect the dots, leaving the reader unsure of
what comes next and why. Flow is hard! With Stuffed,
both of those challenges are in the back of my mind as I draft.
What advice
would you give to your beginner self who is just starting out to make a
creative career?
Clare:
Do what feels right to you every step of the way. You need a good idea to start
off with, and from there, be willing to put in the time and effort to finish your
manuscript the best way you know how. Every story and every book is like your
first book. Make sure you care enough about the subject to devote the time to
make it great. Once your book comes out, put on your promotion hat to get your
book out in the world and into the hands of kids and parents who will love it
and want to share it with others.
Laurie: First, you
must be persistent. You will have to keep trying, learning, growing, and trying
again, until you finally succeed. As long as you are making progress, no matter
how slow, you are doing it right and you are on the right road. You just have
to keep going, trust the process, and believe that things will happen when they
are supposed to happen.
Second, you are going
to have to allow yourself to be vulnerable. It’s not easy, but it is what will
allow you to connect with readers, and thus what will open the doors to a
career in the business. Don’t be afraid to show your authentic self and invite
others along on your personal journey.
Marin: Get to know the business, from the craft of writing
to the ins and outs of publishing. After going online and doing some basic
research, treat your local bookseller and/or librarian to coffee and pick their
brain. If there is a relevant book group at a school or library, ask to
observe. Find a group of fellow authors or illustrators to meet with regularly,
if for no other reason than accountability. Plus, read lots!
For
more details of the mentorship program check here.
Clare Hodgson Meeker is an award-winning author of 11 published books for
children including the Spring 2016 Junior Library Guild Selection Rhino Rescue! And More True Stories of Savings Animals,
the Smithsonian Notable Book Lootas, Little Wave Eater and Soccer Dreams: Playing the Seattle Sounders FC Way. Her
next book, Growing Up Gorilla, published by Millbrook Press, is scheduled for
release in the fall of 2019.
Clare teaches writing in schools throughout the
Northwest. She is a frequent speaker at conferences and will be presenting at
the 2018 Southwest Washington Writers Conference in September. She is also a
member of the literary nonprofit organization the Seattle7Writers.
A former software engineer, Laurie Ann Thompson writes
for young people to help them better understand the world we live in and make
it a better place for all. She strives to write nonfiction that encourages
imagination and fiction that reflects universal truths, as seen in Be a Changemaker, an inspiring how-to guide for
teens; Emmanuel’s Dream, a picture book biography of a man who
changed perceptions of disability; My Dog Is The Best; and
the upcoming Two Truths And A Lie series
for middle-grade readers (co-authored with Ammi-Joan Paquette). Learn more
at lauriethompson.com and
on Twitter at @lauriethompson.
A self-described research junkie, J. Marin Younker worked
as a public librarian for thirteen years, spending most of that time working
with teens. Earning a degree in History from Western Washington
University, Marin went on to graduate school for an MLIS at the University
of Washington. Marin now lives in the Seattle area with her family and
animal menagerie. Her first book, Bleed, Blister, Puke, and Purge exposes
the dirty secrets behind early american medicine.
For more information, visit odddelights.com or follow her on twitter at @odddelights.
