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Sally Murphy, Australian author

Visiting Author: Suzanne Lieurance

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Today, I am delighted to welcome Suzanne Lieurance to the blog.
Suzanne a fulltime children’s author, freelance writer, and The Working Writer’s Coach. She teaches children’s writing for the Institute of Children’s Literature based in West Redding, Connecticut, and is the founder and director of the National Writing for Children Center.
Suzanne is the author of 20 published books and has written articles for a variety of magazines, newsletters, and ezines lincluding Family-Fun, Kansas City Weddings, Instructor Magazine, New Moon for Girls, Children’s Writer, and many others. She hosts a talk show about children’s books, called Book Bites for Kids, every weekday afternoon on blogtalkradio.com.
As if that isn’t enough, Suzanne offers a variety of coaching programs via private phone calls, teleclasses, listserv, and private email for writers who want to turn their love of writing (for children and/or adults) into a part-time or full-time career.
Welcome Suzanne.

1. Suzanne, you’re both a writer and a writing coach. You created something called The Morning Nudge. Can you tell us about The Morning Nudge?

As a writing coach, I like to encourage my clients to get a little writing done every single day. When I first started coaching, I was sending out a weekly newsletter, but I suddenly thought how much more helpful it would be to my clients and other writers by sending them something every week day. That’s how the Morning Nudge came about.

I have a friend who calls it “The Morning Shove” because some days I just want writers to stop making excuses for not creating the writing life of their dreams. The only way to become a writer is to write! And the purpose of The Morning Nudge is to remind readers of that every day.

2. What are your writing habits? Do you work on an outline before starting the actual story?

I write something every single day. When I’m working on a book length manuscript I work from an outline whether the book is nonfiction or fiction. However, even with an outline I find that many surprises pop up as I’m writing. And that’s part of what makes the writing process so much fun.

3. Is one genre easier to write than another? Why or why not?

For me, fiction is more difficult to write than nonfiction because I have to really, really focus on the world I’m creating when I’m writing fiction. I have to sort of enter this world, and it takes me a while at the keyboard before I’m able to do that fully. But once I’m there in my fictional world, I don’t want to come back to the real world, so I try to write for hours at a time.

When I’m working on nonfiction, I’m able to do that in short bits of time here and there. So it’s easier for me to get a lot of nonfiction writing done in a short amount of time.

4. You always have a project or two in the works. The Locket just came out so tell us a bit about your other soon to be published stories. What was your inspiration for these stories?

I just finished another historical novel for Enslow. Right now I’m reworking several picture book manuscripts. I’m also working with clients to help them create 6 new information products within the next 6 months, and I’ll be creating 6 of my own products right along with my clients.
What inspires me the most – for anything I write – is people who do incredible things. I want to write things that show everyone how we can ALL do incredible things if we follow our passions and believe in ourselves.

5. What advice would you give to aspiring children’s writers who are trying to break into the field?

First, take a course or workshop to learn the basics about writing for children. Next, join or start a critique group for children’s writers and be sure there are at least a few published children’s authors in the group. Third, read, read, read all the children’s books you can. Finally, write, write, write!

6: How do you set about promoting your books? What type of book promotion seems to work the best for you?
I promote my books in a variety of ways. Mostly through school visits and speaking at writers’ conferences and other events, plus through my websites and blogs. However, I probably spend more time every week promoting my coaching than I do promoting my books. Nowadays, I seem to be a coach who also writes, even though I started out as a writer who also coaches. Still I love to make school visits. And I love to talk to other writers about my books and their books.

Speaking at conferences and making author visits to schools seems to work best for me as a means to promote my books. But I also like networking with other children’s authors, illustrators, and editors to help get the word out about all sorts of books for children, not just mine.

Thanks so much for dropping by, Suzanne. If you would like to learn more about Suzanne Lieurance you can visit her at the following sites:
http://www.suzannelieurance.com
http://www.writingforchildrencenter.com
http://www.workingwriterscoach.com

Comments

  2. Thanks, Sally and Suzanne.

    I don’t know how Suzanne does it all. I love her Morning Nudge. I actually printed one that I especially find motivating and helpful and have it beside my computer. I agree with Donna, Suzanne has a knack for coming up with the right nudges!

    I’m a member of Suzanne’s Children’s Writers Coaching Club and she is a wonderful coach.

    Karen

  4. Enjoyed the interview. Suzanne is so prolific and disciplined (working from an outline) I’m envious! I also agree with her that fiction is harder because you have to be in the “other world”

    Great interview!

    Nancy

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