Sue Bradford Edwards, Children's Author, Book Reviewer and Writing Instructor - Page 3
© Sue Reichard
And write. Write, write and write some more. No manuscript is perfect in the first draft so learn to rewrite. This skill separates the wannabe writers from the published authors.
Go to classes and attend conferences--both can help you understand the craft of writing. I know that just teaching a course on writing nonfiction for children forces me to examine the craft at a much deeper level than I might otherwise do.
When you've written the best piece you can, find a good critique group. Feedback from other writers will help you improve your work in so many ways. Even published writers still have their work critiqued by their peers--really! I personally belong to 3 different critique groups, each with a unique specialty.
7.SR: Please discuss any current projects you have or will have in the near future. SBE: Right now I'm working on an article on historical fiction for Children's Writer newsletter. My focus is the level of detail required for excellent historical fiction.
After that I'll be working on several more how to articles for CWIM 2005.
I'm also working on three nonfiction topics. A picture book on eagles and another on horses as well as a middle grade historical nonfiction.
8.SR: What are you reading at the moment?
SBE: Right now I'm reading to write a YA book review. I'm reading Pirates by Celia Rees (Bloomsbury). Its huge--about 400 pages--but excellent. I've read about half of it in just three sittings. Keep in mind that I have a four year-old so I don't get to just sit around and read. I don't stick with a boring book.
Next in my pile is reading Reading Lolitta in Tehran for my book club. I joined this club so that I would read some adult books too. We read classics like Thoreau and Woolf as well as recent titles.
9.SR: What is the hardest part of writing for you?
SBE: Finishing things that aren't under contract. I'm excellent at meeting deadlines and even wrote a Caldecott review through a vicious virus--as in write 4 lines, get sick, go to bed. Twenty minutes later write 4 more lines, etc. Not fun but if I didn't get the job done fast I knew it would go to someone else in the future.
