Aja St. Germaine
Pat Zietlow Miller has been writing since the seventh grade and has sold a total of 23 books (12 currently published, 11 more to be published in the coming years). She understands the challenges that great writers in any genre face: writer's block, sensitivity to criticism, and imposter syndrome. She also knows that all writers can overcome these challenges and more.
I was thrilled to chat with Pat on her upcoming virtual craft talk, "Rising From The Wreckage: Revision Tips for Whatever You Write," which takes place September 21 at 7PM central time. The talk will focus on her passion behind the art, the skill of critique and editing, and as she lovingly puts it, "ripping [your writing] apart for the greater good."
Aja St. Germaine: I'll start with an easy one! Your website mentions that reading influences your writing. What are you reading right now, and how is that influencing your own writing process?
Pat Zietlow Miller: I try to read a wide variety of books -- from board books to adult fiction and nonfiction. I learn so much from good writing whether it's in the genre I write or not. There's always something I can appreciate and apply.
Two recent picture books I've read are NEGATIVE CAT by Sophie Blackall and THE PURPLE PUFFY COAT by Maribeth Boelts and Daniel Duncan. While they are very different stories -- NEGATIVE CAT is about a boy who loves his cat so much he'll do anything to keep him, and THE PURPLE PUFFY COAT is about two friends who learn to listen to what makes each other happy -- they both have a lot of heart. You feel something after reading each story, and that's something most successful picture books have in common.
Plus, NEGATIVE CAT contains some lovely, inspiring turns of phrase, and THE PURPLE PUFFY COAT is funny, which is something I'm always trying to add to my work.
The cool thing about reading work by other writers, is that you see what's possible. You get to be inspired. You get to say: "Wow! That's wonderful! I wonder if I could write something half as good." And, often, you can.
AS: Your book BE KIND has been on the New York Times' picture book bestseller list! In what ways has that impacted your writing experience? Was there an impact that you were not anticipating? What emotions did you find yourself feeling?
PZM: Having BE KIND on the New York Times bestseller list for 10 weeks was a thrill and a dream come true. It brought me recognition, opportunities, and royalties I hadn't experienced before. It was a goal that I wrote down when I started writing books for kids, and seeing it actually happen was amazing.
The unexpected part was the stress I felt after making the list. Whether or not a book becomes a NYT bestseller is totally out of an author's control. So, while I felt pressure to do it again, it wasn't something I could just make happen. Like many people, I like to feel in control of my life, and the success of my future books was not something I could control. I also experienced a bit of imposter syndrome -- that I wasn't really good enough or cool enough to be a New York Times bestselling author. It took me a bit of time to get out of my head about it and focus on going back to what I could control -- writing stories that I love and trusting that other people would love them too.
AS: Writing within the realm of children's literature is powerful and impactful genre-work. What draws you into children's literature, and what inspires you to connect with young readers and their minds?
PZM: Being a kid means experiencing so many things for the first time. And, those first experiences can result in a lot of big emotions. I love writing for kids because you can channel those first-time experiences and big emotions into a story that might be funny or reassuring or informative. And, that story you write might make it easier for its readers to handle their emotions and know they're not the only ones feeling them.
In many ways, I write books for the kid I was and for the kids I know. And, by doing that, my books usually end up being for everyone. Because emotions are universal. I always want to write a book that anyone -- from age 4 to 104 -- could read and feel a connection to because, at some point they've had that experience or felt that feeling. And, reminding people of those universal human emotions helps us see that we're more alike than we think.
I also love introducing kids to the wonder of books. I hope that if they love books when they're young, they'll grow to become curious teen and adult readers.
AS: Lastly, during your craft talk, you are focusing on revision tips throughout the writing process. For myself personally, I find myself often dreading revision and critique, even my own. What do you find yourself doing in preparation for your own revision-work?
PZM: One thing I've learned as a writer is that your story can ALWAYS get better. Always. And, sometimes, the more you think your story is done and perfect, the more you need to go back and think about it some more.
So, I approach revision with a reminder to myself of what my goal is. To write the truest, best story I possibly can that excels in every way. Structure, voice, heart, pacing, plot, tension and language. And, as I'll talk about in my presentation, getting to that point sometimes means taking something you love and ripping it apart for the greater good.
Revision is challenging yourself to do better. To reach writing heights you might not have considered before. I've always been competitive and tenacious, so revision is just unleashing those qualities on something that I wrote.
Click here to register today for Pat’s September 21 craft talk co-sponsored with the L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library.
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