The genres I prefer to write are speculative fiction and young adult, separately or together. I am currently working on a novel that combines them, where dreams are not what they seem. Also, I have a short story, “Burning Bright,” pending for another anthology from the same publisher as Ruins Metropolis called Footprints.
2. How long have you been writing for children?
I write where my inspiration leads. The Art of Science is the first project I did specifically geared for a younger audience, and I completed the rough draft about six years ago.
3. How much time do you spend each week writing and/or revising? And how much time on other writing-related tasks such as promotion, researching markets and so on?
Oh, that is a good question. I ought to keep better tabs on it, but time often gets away from me. I am currently at home focusing on writing, and my husband finds it quite difficult to drag me away from the computer sometimes. I’m spending less time writing, and more on revising, promotion, and research lately.
4. How much time do you spend reading children’s books? And what are you reading right now?
Right now I’m reading Hooked, which is about writing. Specifically it focuses on the best way to open a story or novel, but it also covers a big picture concept of projects.
5. What advice would you give other would-be children’s writers, or share with other professional children’s writers?
When I was about a year old but still under two, my mother and a friend of hers were walking in the mall with me. I asked, “Mom, is that a statue or a mannequin?” Mom tells me her friend was flabbergasted that I knew those words at such a young age. It might have been the writer in me showing from an early age or my mother’s own talent for writing and passing on her love of words, but she always taught me the proper words when she could. My advice to other writers is to always consider word choice. I don’t mean writing at the same level for adults as for children, but don’t be afraid to use a word here or there to expand the vocabulary for your readers. Often they learn words from use in context, and the more they run into words the more they’ll understand them.
6. What is your favourite online resource for children’s writers? Why?
I have heard that SCBWI is the best online resource for children’s writers. I plan to join soon! http://www.scbwi.org/
7. Do you have a website or blog? What else do you do to promote your published works and/or your writing skills?
http://ransomnoble.wordpress.com/
I also have a facebook page as an author. I have 20 fans! We all start somewhere, right?
I have done author readings and plan to do more with my upcoming novel. I will be visiting schools and bookstores as well as promoting online with a blog tour and trying to get reviews.
Thanks for sharing your answers Ransom. Good luck with the forthcoming book.
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Deb Hockenberry says
Great interview, Sally!
Deb 🙂