How A Story Becomes A Book...

Do you remember that cute Schoolhouse Rock song all about how the little Bill fights his way through all the red tape and goes through all the committees in order to become a Law? Well, it is the same long and complicated trek a story idea takes to becoming a book on a shelf. This week we're going to follow the path a story takes from idea all the way toward its goal of becoming a book on a shelf--from author to agent to editor to book store buyer! Today we're going to talk about how story ideas form and what authors go through to get them down on the proverbial paper!

"The reason I started writing The Gollywhopper Games is well-documented in my acknowledgements (and in some resulting reviews). But wanting to write a book that might appeal to a lover of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory provided a huge set of challenges. Dahl had already claimed candy. Dahl had already claimed a spot as a top master. So how could I craft a book one particular 5th grader would love without being derivative of a master work? I'd give you a replay of my process, but my methods of brainstorming are near-impossible to document. They do, however, involve doodling, massive amounts of pacing and utter disregard for household chores." Jody Feldman author of The Gollywhopper Games

"I was a model booker for years, which gave me lots of material for the book. I worked at two busy agencies, but I was always scribbling down story ideas onto notepads instead of working. Sometimes I’d be interviewing a model, looking at her portfolio, and a detail about her photos would strike me as interesting or funny, so I’d say, 'Excuse me just a sec,' then I’d whip out my notepad and start jotting away while the poor girl had to wait. I also took notes when models made comments I liked, usually something like, 'I’m an excellent actress, as long as there’s no dialogue.' Years later, I referred to all those notepads when I sat down to write BRALESS IN WONDERLAND. I guess I only pretended to be a model booker. I spent most of my time scribbling. I should probably give my ex-boss her money back. " Debbie Reed Fischer author of BRALESS IN WONDERLAND and SWIMMING WITH THE SHARKS

"I paid for my writing time. Seriously. After my third child was born, I hired a babysitter to come for three hours a day, three days per week. I would need a sitter to go to any other job, I rationalized, so why not for being a writer? It is amazing how much you can get done in three hours, especially when those hours are costing you money. However, it’s not the cheapest way to write. Until I sold a book, my job actually cost me more money than I earned. But it was so worth it! I never would have finished my novels without it." Jenny Meyerhoff author of THIRD GRADE BABY and THE IMPOSSIBLE SECRETS OF ESSIE GREEN

Tomorrow our story must head to agent Erin Murphy at the Erin Murphy Literary Agency!