Gail Nall On Finding Inspiration In Your Obsessions

Inspiration is a funny thing. It can come to us like a lightning bolt, through the lyrics of a song, or in the fog of a dream. Ask any writer where their stories come from and you’ll get a myriad of answers, and in that vein I created the WHAT (What the Hell Are you Thinking?) interview. Always including in the WHAT is one random question to really dig down into the interviewees mind, and probably supply some illumination into my own as well.

Today's guest for the WHAT is Gail Nall, who lives in Louisville, Kentucky with her family and more cats than necessary. She once drove a Zamboni, has camped in the snow in June, and almost got trampled in Paris. Gail is the author of the middle grade novel, BREAKING THE ICE and the author of the young adult novel, EXIT STAGE LEFT. Another middle grade novel, OUT OF TUNE, releases TODAY from Aladdin/S&S!

Be sure to scroll down for the giveaway!

Ideas for our books can come from just about anywhere, and sometimes even we can’t pinpoint exactly how or why. Did you have a specific origin point for your book?

I did! I have a tiny (huge) obsession with reading travel blogs, and I kept running into blogs from families who lived on the road. As in, they sold everything and moved into an RV. With kids. And pets. I was fascinated, and I knew it was something I had to write about. As a parent, I totally get the motivation behind a decision like this, but as a twelve-year-old, I would've been horrified. And a horrified twelve-year-old always makes a great book.

Once the original concept existed, how did you build a plot around it?

Once I knew I was stuffing a family into an RV to travel the country, I needed a reason for Maya, my main character, to desperately want to get back home. This reason changed entirely from the first draft to the published version, which meant a lot of rewriting to turn Maya into an aspiring country singer who wants to audition for a reality singing show. Then I had to figure out all of the crazy stuff she was going to do to try to get back home and the obstacles that were going to stand in her way. And – the most fun for me – I had to decide where her family was traveling.

Have you ever had the plot firmly in place, only to find it changing as the story moved from your mind to paper?

Oh yeah, definitely! I rewrote the second half of this book twice before even showing it to my agent because I didn't like how the plot changed as I wrote it. The first version had Maya and company getting lost in the mountains instead of taking a long a bike ride. In my head, it was really light and funny, but as I wrote it, it got more serious (not enough food, wild animals, etc). So I ended up with a second half that didn't match the first half at all. Hello, rewriting!

Do story ideas come to you often, or is fresh material hard to come by?

I keep an ideas file on my computer, but usually I have anywhere from one to three ideas sitting in the back of my brain, demanding to be written. Of the three taking up space in my head right now, one came from a co-worker's unique experience (day jobs are great for inspiration!), one came from something I love to do, and one was inspired by a song.

How do you choose which story to write next, if you’ve got more than one percolating?

This is the hardest part. I write both MG and YA (and last winter, I even tossed a chapter book into the mix to keep things interesting), so it depends on which one I'm in the mood to write. But once I choose, I don't let myself work on another project, unless the other project is already in the publication process and needs attention rightthissecond. Once I decide MG or YA, I pick the project that appeals to me the most at the moment – the one I can see myself excited to get up and write at 5 a.m.

I recently got stitches in my arm and was taking mental notes the entire time about how I felt before, during, and after the process of being badly injured. Do you have any major life events that you chronicled mentally to mine for possible writing purposes later?

Ha, yes! I had a great scene in OUT OF TUNE with slugs attaching themselves to a frozen towel. That came from a real life experience when my washing machine died (while filled with sopping wet towels, of course). Let's just say I had no idea that many slugs lived in my backyard, and I had to Google “how to remove slugs from frozen towels.” (Spoiler alert: Google was unhelpful.) I ended up cutting that scene, but it still lives on my computer, hoping to fit into another book some day.

Tara Sim On Finding Your Community Online

I'm lucky (or cunning) enough to have lured yet another successful writer over to my blog for an SAT- Successful Author Talk. SAT authors have conquered the query, slain the synopsis and attained the pinnacle of published. How'd they do it? Let's ask 'em!

Today's guest for the SAT is Tara Sim, author of TIMEKEEPER coming Nov. 8 from SkyPony Press. When she’s not writing about mischievous boys in clock towers, Tara spends her time drinking tea, wrangling cats, and occasionally singing opera.

Are you a Planner or Pantster?

A mix of both, actually. I’ve found that the best method for me is making a bare bones outline—an idea for the opening, middle, and most important, the ending—and then I’ll fill it in with details as I’m drafting. A lot of the time I’ll discover things as I write, which I’ll incorporate into the outline somehow. It usually all comes together by the end.

How long does it typically take you to write a novel, start to finish?

I’m a pretty fast drafter. My fastest book took two weeks, and one time I wrote 300k in two months. I’d say my average time is two months to do a first draft, although my current WIP is taking much longer because of all the detail and research that needs to go into it.

Do you work on one project at a time, or are you a multi tasker?

I prefer doing one project at a time. Now that I have a series being published, however, I’m learning how to multitask projects better. One month I’ll be revising one book, the next month I’ll be revising another, and the next month I’ll be drafting yet another. Sometimes it helps to jump between projects so that you don’t get burned out.

Did you have to overcome any fears that first time you sat down to write?

I’ve been writing all my life, so it’s difficult to pinpoint the exact moment I sat down and wrote with intention. I do remember sitting down and writing a scene that would eventually become my first finished novel—thankfully unpublished—and there was no fear, just fun. It’s a little different now that there are pressures and deadlines and an audience to think of. Sometimes I have to remind myself about the fun I felt back then, and try to write just for myself. Excitement for what you’re writing will usually surpass fear, in my experience.

How many trunked books did you have before you were agented?

Nine. I had an epic fantasy trilogy I wrote in my teens, two standalone fantasy novels I wrote in college, and a high fantasy series written before I wrote Timekeeper, which is my tenth book and the one that got me an agent/book deal. I didn’t seriously query any of my previous books—the series before Timekeeper only went to five agents—but all of them were integral in learning how to write and what I wanted to write.

Have you ever quit on an ms, and how did you know it was time?

I’ve started and stopped a few projects, yes. A couple of them I’m still interested in and may go back to, but ultimately, I knew they weren’t right because I just wasn’t excited enough. When writing a book feels only like work, it might be time to step back and reevaluate if it’s something you want to stick with. You should be excited about the work on some level. That’s how heart gets on the page.

Who is your agent and how did you get that "Yes!" out of them? 

My agent is Laura Crockett of Triada US. I had just done Pitch Wars that year, which really strengthened my manuscript. A few of the Pitch Wars agents had the book, so I continued to query and heard that Laura was interested in the Victorian era. I queried her the traditional way, was asked for a partial, and got an email a few days later asking for the whole book. Shortly after, she called to offer me representation.

How long did you query before landing your agent?  

I queried for about seven months, but one or two of those months were dedicated to Pitch Wars. I sent just a little over 40 queries total. Since Timekeeper is a very specific type of book, I had to research agents like crazy to figure out who exactly to send those queries to.

Any advice to aspiring writers out there on conquering query hell?

KEEP GOING. I definitely hit a point where it felt like the end of the road, and then I got my offer. In those seven months I was querying, I heavily revised the book twice, so if you have a new idea or a way to make it stronger, take the time to do so. Oh, and find your people! I can’t tell you how helpful it is to have a community of writers who’ll listen to your woes and sympathize.

How did that feel, the first time you saw your book for sale?

My first book won’t be out in the world until November 1, so I can’t say! However, the first time I saw the ARCs was surreal. My story, printed and bound like a real book! It was pretty cool.

How much input do you have on cover art?

A lot of authors don’t get asked or don’t have any input, but I was lucky in that my editor wanted to make sure I was happy with my cover. The first one I saw was lovely, but ultimately not right for the story, so I asked for a slightly different approach. The result is the cover I have right now, which I love! So it never hurts to ask.

What's something you learned from the process that surprised you?

How much time and energy it takes. I was warned that I wouldn’t have much time to write for myself once I got a book deal, and I didn’t believe it. Now I believe it.

How much of your own marketing do you? 

I do the majority of my own marketing. In this past year I’ve set up a website, newsletter, swag, giveaways, character reveals, and submitted proposals/been accepted and/or invited to book conventions and festivals.

When do you build your platform? After an agent? Or should you be working before?

I think that before you get an agent, you should focus primarily on finding your community. The more people you befriend, the better. That way, when you get an agent/book deal, you’ll already have people interested in you and your brand and your book. From there, expand. Get a website. Promote yourself. Promote others. Reach out and find your readers.

Do you think social media helps build your readership?

Absolutely. I’ve met so many amazing book bloggers, librarians, teachers, and booksellers on Twitter alone! Book bloggers in particular keep stunning me with their level of dedication and creativity. This is going back to the idea of community. Be a good member of the community, and they’ll help you spread the word about your book. Hosting giveaways and book teasers and the like on social media really boosts your presence too. Also, it’s just fun!

Carmella Van Vleet On Using Swag Effectively

Most authors will agree that the creative part of the job is where we excel, the business and marketing side, slightly less. It’s lovely when the two can meet in the form of SWAG – Shit We All Generate. I’ve invited some published authors to share with us their secret to swag… little freebies that can sell a book longer after the author is no longer standing in front of a prospective reader. In order to create great swag, you have to be crafty – in more ways than one.

Today's guest for the SWAG is Carmella Van Vleet author of the MG novel ELIZA BING IS (NOT) A BIG FAT QUITTER. Carmella also writes a variety of children's non-fiction titles (you can see them all here) and is a black belt in Tae Kwon Do.

Finding something that represents your book and hasn’t been played out by a million authors before is difficult. What’s your swag?

I carry a box of random things to book signings to lure unsuspecting…er…I mean to give to readers. Most of them are trinkets that have to do with my books in some way but don’t necessarily have my book titles or website info on them. (I know, I know. Bad author.) 

The trinkets include things like: plastic gold coins with dragons or hacky-sacs with the ying-yang symbol and smiley-faced bouncing balls. But I also have things with my web address, too. This include: silicon bracelets that say “Don’t Quit!,” temporary tattoos with the Egyptian eye on it, and sheets of space shuttle stickers. 

I also have bookmarks, of course. But I tried to do a little something different by making them interactive. For my middle grade novel, Eliza Bing Is (Not) A Big, Fat Quitter, the bookmarks say “I won’t quit until I - ” and then there’s a blank line for kids to fill in. I also give away a variety of scratch-n-sniff bookmarks (with my website stamped on the back.) These are a huge hit with both kids and adults.  

Something new I’m about to try are Tyvek bracelets. Those are the temporary sticker-tab bracelets you get at special events. These would be easy to transport, inexpensive, and different. I plan to have a custom design that simply says VIP Reader. Then my web address will be stamped on the back. I’ll have to keep you posted on how it works out. (I’m a little worried about the ink wearing off.)  

How much money per piece did your swag cost out of pocket?

Oh, man! You want me to do math? Grrr. 

The tattoos were - if I remember the price/quantity correctly - were around .30 a piece. 

The silicon bracelets cost roughly .30 a piece.  

The custom bookmarks were around .11 a piece.

The scratch-n-sniff bookmarks cost me .6 a piece. (My best investment!) 

And the space stickers were .25 a piece. 

The Tyvek bracelets will be about .20 a piece. 

Does your swag draw people to your table at an event or conference?

I think swag can definitely help draw people over. (But then again, it could the candy I also set out…) I’ve found that even adults like to pick up the bracelets, the temporary tattoos, and the scratch-n-sniff bookmarks. I’ve made them “generic” enough that they’re not in-your-face promo items. For example, my web address in on the inside of the bracelet. 

What do you think of big item swag pieces versus cheaper, yet more easily discarded swag like bookmarks?

I like using bigger swag items. I think they tend to get more attention. BUT  I’m not sure they make a huge difference in sales and so they’re hard to justify cost-wise. They’re mostly just for fun or for bigger, giveaway promotions.  

From my own personal preference as a reader-consumer, I’ll pick up things that are more book or reading related. For instance, a funny button or poster. If something has someone’s website in giant letters all over it, that’s a turnoff for me so I don’t do that myself. Outside of my bookmarks, nothing has my book covers. 

What’s the most clever / best swag by another author?

I know this’ll sound like I’m kissing up, but I always thought you using water bottles with custom labels for Not A Drop To Drink was brilliant! I’m sure they were a pain to drag around, though. But it was a perfect marriage between swag and book theme. 

I also got a sparkly, silver pen from Ingrid Law that said “What’s your SAVVY?” (Her book is titled Savvy and ink plays a special role in the story.) I used that thing until it ran out. Apparently I tend to like more useful or consumable promo items!

And the biggest question – do you think swag helps sell books?

Honestly? Probably not that much. But it’s fun, and it’s really nice to be able to hand a kid something even if they’re not ultimately buying your book. You’re putting positive energy out into the world and that’s always a good thing.