Hey, Teresa!  Great to hear from you!

Forgive me for taking a while to get back to you--I teach writing to college students, and I've been grading their papers.  I mention this because it's part of one of my answers to one of your questions.  Since one of the hardest parts of writing/publishing a book is simply that--it's work!  But I have a feeling you know that already.  And one of the things I love about writing is that I love the WORK of writing.

But back to your questions--in order!

I was actually 11 when I wrote my first poem--it's in the story about me, above.  I can't help wondering--how old were YOU?  BTW, I don't think it really matters. Some people seem to think that starting earlier means something, but holy cats--babies will scribble on a wall if you let them!  That doesn't mean they're really writing.  What matters for writers is to keep at it, no matter what age they started at.

Where do I work?  Mostly in my home office, where I have all my notes and plans for books, etc.

My inspiration comes from ANYWHERE.  I think one of the most important things a writer can do is to pay attention to everything.  You never know what might give you an idea.  Those cheerios floating in your milk--for a moment, might they be shipwreck victims floating on the white ocean of another world?  And that thing your friend said to you that made you laugh--why not put that into the mouth of a character?

Writer's block?  I don't really get it.  Partly because I'm constantly filling file folders with big and little ideas for books I plan to write, so I've usually got ideas waiting for me.  And also because when one project isn't working, I just turn to another one.

Finally, the hardest part of writing a book?  For me it's carving out the time to do it.  Most writers have jobs and families and lots of other things to keep them busy, so they have to plan their time carefully in order to get things written.  That's certainly how it is for me!  I sometimes find myself wishing I didn't need to sleep. But I do--and not getting enough sleep just messes up my writing!  So I do the best I can.

And finally-finally:  I love the question you added!  I have so many favorite words I can't keep track.  Crescent.  Luminous.  Hippopomonstrosesquipedalian.  Dark. West. Kablooey.  The list goes on.  What's cool about your question is that it's a writer's question.  Musicians love notes and chords--painters love lines and colors--and writers?  To us, every single word has a taste, good, bad, or indifferent.  And we can never get enough of them.

Great talking to you!

Tim 

What's up, True?  Thanks for posting a message!

It's very kind of you to say nice things about my stories--that means a lot to me! And not just because it makes me feel good (which it does).  But also because writers want to be read.  The way I look at it, when I write something, I start a circle--and when you read it, you complete the circle.  That just feels right to me!

I'm delighted that you're working on your novel--keep it up!  I have some advice that I think pretty much applies to all writers.  It's not complicated, but it works:

Read, read, read.

Write, write, write.

Live, live, live.

My point is that writing is something we get better at gradually, over time--but only if we really work at it.  I don't mean that the "work" is painful or exhausting, though sometimes it can be.  But writers become good writers like a tree bears fruit--by growing every day in the sunshine of experience.

Best of luck with your book!

Tim 

Wow, Violet!  I'm a storyteller, and I know LOTS of stories and variants of stories, as I'm sure you can imagine--but I never heard that one before.  And I love learning different versions of stories, especially ones I tell or have written up, so I'm very grateful!  I have to say, first, that I'll copy your re-telling, since I want to use some of its details--okay with you?  Second, the details I most like are the large foot, lip and thumb--since those make more sense that the deformities in the version I worked from.  Like I say--thank you!  Writers really appreciate learning about things they can USE IN WRITING!

I also really like your point about the trolls being an "explanation for the generosity of strangers" in fairy tales.  I believe that strangers sometimes are simply generous, giving for the sake of giving, and I think that's deeply beautiful. But I think you've got a writer's instinct for making the different parts of a story make sense.  That's a great instinct to have!

I wasn't sure what NaNoWriMo is, but I looked at the homepage and it seems cool to me.  I'm for anything that gets a writer writing.

And I love your sign-off! Keep at it!  It's a great name to have on a book cover!

Oh, and I'll try to follow your advice.  But I must confess--occasionally, I do forget to be awesome.

Have a great one!

Tim 

Yo, Free Writer!  These are such EXCELLENT questions!  So the first thing I've got to say is--be sure to give yourself credit for your questions!  As a teacher I've realized that good questions are the crucial first step in learning.  Your questions show two wonderful things.  First, that you're elbow-deep in this novel, and that you're getting incredible experience by doing it.  Second, even better, that you're thinking about writing in specific ways.  Believe me:  THAT'S HOW PEOPLE GET BETTER!

Okay, let's talk shop a little.  (Oh, and thanks for that stuff about "Aunties"!). Your first question is about how a novelist keeps her novel consistently good.  One way is by doing exactly what you're doing--thinking about that as a particular challenge and working on it.  (You'd be surprised at how many people DON'T think about that). Some suggestions:

First, don't feel bad about running out of steam--we all do that!  Let yourself rest when you need to, but keep in mind that you still need to come up with something good for those other parts of the book.  Second, think about different possibilities for those parts; let your mind come up with even seemingly crazy ideas, and ask yourself if you'd like to read a part like that.  Remember, you already came up with parts you like--so you can come up with good new parts too! 

When it comes to revising, a writer has to work hard.  But deciding what to keep and what to cut?  It comes down to how you feel about it, and how honest you can be with yourself about your reactions.  I sometimes tell myself, "Hey, this part isn't so bad!..."--when I'm actually just reluctant to cut it.  But keep in mind that there's no black and white way to figure all this out.  You have to trust your own reactions.  That's important:  Be honest and be ready to cut or re-write, but trust your own reactions.

And that's really the answer to your third question too!  My teacher was the first to read my stuff, and her encouragement meant the world to me.  But to attract readers, you have to appeal to people who know nothing about you.  So it's fine to get friends and family to read your stuff.  Just realize that some might like your work because they like YOU (and BTW--don't let it get you down if they DISLIKE it either).  But at some point you need to let people who don't know you read it.

That day, however, can be far in the future.  The most important thing is to keep writing.  I have to add that I wrote for years and years before anyone read my work (with the exception of that teacher).  I didn't really try to get things published till I was in my late 30's.

And as far as finding someone to read your stuff, you might ask your teachers, your school librarian, someone like that.   

Keep on writing right backatcha!

Tim 

Right off I have to thank you--simply because it's so much fun to write "Dear Blackberry Elf-Glitter"!

And I'm delighted that you like my daydreaming point!  The way you described your daydreams shows that they actually are a form of writing.  Of course sometimes we just daydream things that we want or that make us look wonderful.  But even doing that requires coming up with, as you said, scenes, dialogue, good wording, and, as in your case, even a voice-over--which, when you think about it, is just out-and-out writing!

I also like your point about your brain coming up with good sentences on its own.  I've learned that my brain isn't just one thing, and that it doesn't do its work in just one way.  Sometimes a writer has to push his or her brain in a very direct way, a fully conscious way.  But I've also learned to let my brain muse about things, just kind of float and "feel-think," if you know what I mean.  And often I find ideas or lines drifting up out of the depths.  Some are good, some are bad--but when that happens, I know my brain is thinking in a deeper, less conscious way, often more creatively.

I like your lego-idea-generator thing.  And I'd love to see tacos eating people--after all these years, it only seems fair.

Thanks for your kind words!  And thanks so much for asking your library to get my books!  I should add, though, that as of now I don't have any novels published.  I have picture books, but no novels.  I'm working on that! 

Later, Gator!

Tim 

Ruby, I loved your message!  It makes me feel great that you read my stuff.  And yes, "Fox Trapping" is mine too.  But there's a lot more that I liked in what you had to say.

First, I can't really say I have a favorite genre--I just seem to love them all.  Maybe it's because I'm the oldest of eleven kids and I can't imagine preferring any of my brothers or sisters to each other.  And maybe it's because, to put it simply, LIT ROCKS, in any form.  Sometimes I want to write something and it cries out for the musicality and rich language of poetry--sometimes it tells me quietly that it's meant to be a realistic piece of fiction.  The same thing applies to different age groups.  I LOVE writing for kids, LOVE writing for middle-school and high-school-age people, LOVE writing for adults.  Maybe it won't surprise you that, when I'm at a Chinese or Mexican restaurant, I almost always order the combination plates!

My favorite authors?  Way too long a list.  But right off the top of my head:  Ursula LeGuin, Garth Nix, Walt Whitman, Rainer Maria Rilke, William Butler Yeats, Maurice Sendak--oh, holy crow.  It makes my head hurt to try and think of all of them.  

But the best part of your message, to me, was actually the last paragraph.  I'm a writer--and that means I KNOW how precious good editing is, and how powerful.  So I think it's hecka great that you prefer editing--because the world needs great editors!  Writers need them too!  Maybe you can learn how to communicate more carefully with writers, so they won't see your edits as brutal.  But maybe some of them are banning you because they aren't ready to do what a writer needs to do, which is be tough with himself or herself in order to make the writing better.

In any case, be proud of your editing abilities, and keep developing them!  And maybe you can find a group of writers who are ready to listen.

All the best!

Tim