That’s right, my friends. You can win a free copy of Girl Stuff and a ton of bragging rights by entering the giveaway from YA Books Central. Details are at the end of this interview. Yep, you have to slog through my words of wisdom first. You didn’t think I’d make this easy, did you?

YABC:   What gave you the inspiration to write Girl Stuff?

When I began developing this series I had two sons in middle school. I was surrounded by inspiration, growing pains, and serious B.O. (still am.) I realized I didn’t need to create a fantastical world to deliver drama. Puberty is dramatic. Maintaining old friendships while you’re discovering new things is dramatic. Crushes, peer pressure, school pressure, style pressure, and academic pressure are dramatic. All I had to do was pay attention to real life. It was all there.

YABC:   Which came first, the title or the novel?

The novel came first. It usually does. Titles are hard. But my favorite part about this one? The red period at the end of the title. You’re welcome.

YABC:   Do you have a favorite writing snack?

I chew disgusting amounts of gum while I write. My dog finds it off-putting, but it helps me think and she respects that. In 2019 I read a study in Psychology Today magazine that said gum chewing improved cognition. It was very validating.

YABC:   Thinking way back to the beginning, what’s the most important thing you’ve learned as a writer from then to now?

I learned that each time I revise, the work becomes 200% better. Keep this in mind if your computer ever crashes and you lose chapters. It’s happened to me several times. Of course, I had a complete breakdown, but my rewrite was always better than the original. I’ve also learned that when you ask someone for their opinion they will give it to you. Be your own editor for as long as possible. If you get people to weigh in too early it can be a huge confidence killer.

YABC:   What’s on your TBR pile?

I’d really love to get to the stack of Writer’s Digest magazines on my coffee table. I’m obsessed with them. I have a giant binder full of writing articles I’ve clipped and highlighted over the years. When I’m stuck or uninspired I look to my binder. There’s always something in there that digs me out of my hole.

YABC:   What’s up next for you?

I just finished Crush Stuff (the second book in the series) and I’m about to start writing the third. I also have another middle-grade series called The Pack that comes out later this year. It’s about a private school for girls with secret animal powers.

YABC:   Which character gave you the most trouble when writing your latest book?

To be honest, none of the Girl Stuff characters gave me trouble. They all came very naturally to me. That said, Drew and I are very different. She’s blonde and athletic. I’m a brunette spaz.

YABC:   Which part of the writing process do you enjoy more: Drafting or Revising?

Revising, by far! I’m a huge outliner so the first draft is like building a house. I’m concerned with strong foundations, solid structure, and flow. Snoooooozer!  Revising is like decorating the house. It’s all flourish and fun. The hardest part is over.

YABC:   What would you say is your superpower?

My writing superpower is character development and dialogue. I hear voices very clearly. In fact, they never shut up! I can also find humor in dramatic situations. Maybe that’s less of a superpower and more of a survival skill.

YABC:   What advice would you give to new writers?

The first question I get from new writers is often, “How do I get published?” My advice is don’t ever ask that question again. If you’re just starting out you should be focused on finding your voice. Journaling is the best way I know how to do that. I have hundreds of journals in my garage and they’re filled with embarrassing, tear-soaked rants that are teeming with grammatical errors and run-on sentences. They’re not about perfection, they’re about imperfection—connecting with the parts of yourself that make you unique and human. I spent decades working through my feelings and hearing the sound of my own voice. It’s how you discover your point of view, values, and cadence. It’s how you hear the sound of your own brain. Start there. Oh, and chew lots of gum.

*GIVEAWAY DETAILS* 

One winner will receive a copy of Girl Stuff (Lisi Harrison) ~ (US Only)

*Click the Rafflecopter link below to enter the giveaway*

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

The post Words of Wisdom and a Free Book! You’re Welcome. appeared first on Lisi Harrison.

1) Swimsuit models didn’t buy boobs. Flat was where it was at and that’s much sexier if you ask me. I am wondering what that pepperoni-shaped object is on her chest, though. If only sunscreen had a stronger presence in the 70s.

2) $1 was taken seriously. The value of books was not.

3) That $1 had more “nutrition” than everything in this picture combined.

4) Photos weren’t shopped. Model’s faces moved when they smiled. Pores and facial elasticity were socially acceptable.

5) This cigarette ad is my favorite. Not only is the hunk one inch away from setting his shag on fire, and not only do the tracks on his cord look like they’ve been raked in a Zen garden, but there is something in this photo that defies all logic. Can you figure out what it is?

Try. Really try.

TTYW,

Lisi

(Their cigarettes are lit but no smoke. Man, the ’70s were a magical time.)

The post Boobs, Bucks, and Cigarette Butts: What I learned from a 1970s magazine. appeared first on Lisi Harrison.

1. Anne Lamott from her book Bird by Bird

“Perfectionism is the voice of the oppressor, the enemy of the people. It will keep you cramped and insane your whole life, and it is the main obstacle between you and a shitty first draft. I think perfectionism is based on the obsessive belief that if you run carefully enough, hitting each stepping-stone just right, you won’t have to die. The truth is that you will die anyway and that a lot of people who aren’t even looking at their feet are going to do a whole lot better than you, and have a lot more fun while they’re doing it.”

 2. Zadie Smith, author of White Teeth

“Try to read your own work as a stranger would read it, or even better, as an enemy would.”

3. Donna Tartt, Pullitzer Prize winner and author of The Goldfinch

“Storytelling and elegant style don’t always go hand in hand.”

4. Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche, acclaimed novelist, short story writer and speaker

5. Elizabeth Gilbert, author of Eat, Pray, Love and The Signature of All Things 

“Creativity itself doesn’t care at all about results – the only thing it craves is the process. Learn to love the process and let whatever happens next happen, without fussing too much about it. Work like a monk, or a mule, or some other representative metaphor for diligence. Love the work. Destiny will do what it wants with you, regardless.”

6. Tina Fey, comedy writer and author of Bossy Pants

7. Kurt Vonnegut, author of Cat’s Cradle and Slaughterhouse-Five

“To practice any art, no matter how well or how badly, is a way to make your soul grow. So do it.”

8. Diane Ackerman, author and poet

9. Judy Blume, author of Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. 

“Each of us must confront our own fears, must come face to face with them. How we handle our fears will determine where we go with the rest of our lives. To experience adventure or to be limited by the fear of it.”

10. Joan Didion, author and essayist

11. Amy Poehler, comedy writer and author of Yes Please

12. Anne Lamott from her book Bird by Bird

“You own everything that happened to you. Tell your stories. If people wanted you to write warmly about them, they should have behaved better.”

13. Nora Ephron, journalist, essayist, playwright, novelist, all around ah-mazing creative force 

14. Jim Thompson, author and screenwriter 

“There is only one plot—things are not what they seem.”

15. James Baldwin, author of Giavanni’s Room

16. Joan Didion from her book Slouching Towards Bethlehem 

“I have already lost touch with a couple of people I used to be.”

17. Ray Bradbury, American science-fiction author 

“Let the world burn through you. Throw the prism light, white hot, on paper.”

18. Alice Munro, winner of the Nobel Prize in Literature 

19. Raymond Carver, poet and novelist, author of What We Talk About When We Talk About Love

“You’ve got to work with your mistakes until they look intended.”

20. Mark Twain, American humorist and writer 

“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” Ha!

21. Margaret Atwood, acclaimed novelist, poet, essayist and environmental activist 

22. Zadie Smith

“Tell the truth through whichever veil comes to hand – but tell it. Resign yourself to the lifelong sadness that comes from never being satisfied.”

23. Jeanette Winterson, author of Written on the Body and Gut Symmetries 

“If you continually write and read yourself as a fiction, you can change what’s crushing you.”

24. Ray Bradbury

“To sum it all up, if you want to write, if you want to create, you must be the most sublime fool that god ever turned out and sent rambling. You must write every single day of your life. You must read dreadful dumb books and glorious books, and let them wrestle in beautiful fights inside your head, vulgar one moment, brilliant the next. You must lurk in libraries and climb the stacks like ladders to sniff books like perfumes and wear books like hats upon your crazy heads. I wish for you a wrestling match with your Creative Muse that will last a lifetime. I wish craziness and foolishness and madness upon you. May you live with hysteria, and out of it make fine stories — science fiction or otherwise. Which finally means, may you be in love every day for the next 20,000 days. And out of that love, remake a world.”

25. Nora Ephron, Wellesley College Commencement Address, 1996

“Whatever you choose, however many roads you travel, I hope that you choose not to be a lady. I hope you will find som away to break the rules and make a little trouble out there. And I also hope that you will choose to make some of that trouble on behalf of women.”

The last two may have left me with a tear in one eye. Leave me with some of your favorite quotes on writing and life below in the comments.

TTYW,

Lisi

The post Writers Musing appeared first on Lisi Harrison.

Here’s what Lydia said:

Lisi you always give the best advice…
I’ve been writing a book since March and I’m only on Chapter 4. My process is pretty slow, but I want to get it moving a least a little bit. If I can’t think of anything for my current chapter, I write little bits and pieces in my notes. I also feel like my writing style is inconsistent. I try to use descriptive words here and there, but it seems too sporadic. Plus my witty retorts and personalities for the characters remind me of “The Fault In Our Stars” and feel too dated. How can I find my own style of writing without letting the books I read influence it too much? 

Lydia, I feel your pain here. Based on what you explained is happening it sounds like you may not have started with an outline. WRITE AN OUTLINE FIRST. Is there a specific message or idea you want to explore? Is the book plot or character driven? Have you thought about how you want the story to resolve? Characters and some plot lines will probably end up changing along the way, but get down the basic skeleton of where you want the story to go. It’s a must. It will save you days if not months of agonizing over the turns you want to take in your book.

As for your descriptive words feeling a little sporadic, are you peppering in adjectives or are you fleshing out a scene based on the senses? Show, don’t tell. Give your reader a feel for the scene by describing the taste of air on a muggy day, the smell of a character’s home, or the texture of the worn-in hoodie she always wears.

Develop your characters as much as possible. Get to know their dark secrets, their driving motivations, their quirks, worries and fears. If it helps your mind to stay organized, create a doc for each character and include everything about him/her down to their favorite snacks, sayings and what nervous ticks they have. All of this will inform you while you’re fleshing them out. It will also make it easier to imagine what your characters might do in the situations you’re creating for them, which will help with your momentum.

I’d usually say to read as many books as possible by your favorite authors to get familiar with the tone and structure of stories you like, but you’ve mentioned you might be too closely mimicking another writer’s voice. While you’re honing your craft and finding your voice, this isn’t the worst thing in the world to do. You come with an entirely unique set of experiences and will approach TFIOS diferently than John Green did writing it. Even if you’re basing some characters’ personalities off of the ones he’s created, you’ll naturally insert your own twists, which will engender new variations. Play around with that. See which parts of them you like, which parts can be edited back and try to develop what will make your characters complex and memorable.

With all that said… four chapters since March? You’re doing great! Keep it up and let us know how the book is coming along soon.

TTYW,

Lisi

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What does a book have to do to get banned? For censors, it’s usually that the content is too controversial. Maybe the book isn’t exactly “age appropriate.” Fortunately, the best way to sell a book is to ban it first. We are in the midst of Banned Books Week, the annual celebration of the freedom to read. From coast to coast bibliophiles are fighting against censorship and pushing for their right to read… anything they want. I’m in full support. So much so that I’m putting myself on blast and posting my favorite controversial book. Judy Blume’s Forever…

Blume is best known for her Young Adult fiction so this may come as a surprise, but over the last 40 years her books have been banned or challenged dozens of times over. In fact, Forever… is among some of the most frequently challenged books at libraries since its publishing. Blume’s novels were groundbreaking and went where other YA authors never dreamed. Several of her books are on the list of all-time best selling children’s books and she’s earned too many awards to count, possibly thanks to censorship itself. Forever… is truly ah-mazing but whatever you do, DON’T read it… You’ve been warned.

Next week I’ll be posting a video of me reading my favorite excerpt out of Forever… 

TTYW,

Lisi

The post Banned Books Have More Fun appeared first on Lisi Harrison.

I will share my opinion whether you ask for it or not. So imagine my joy when PaShai and Emma wrote to me and ASKED for advice. Yes, my friends, dreams do come true.

From PaShai:

Hi Lisi Harrison! I’ve read all your books about 300 times each! I’m not like any other girl that you have met. I have sickle cell anemia. And it is a very disturbing disease that triggers your back with excruciating pain..and if I don’t get it treated I could have a stroke or worse. Please Ms.Harrison you’re my only hope to accomplishing my dream. I want to talk to you about what kind books I would enjoy writing and what I would want to do with my first novel.

To PaShai:

Thank you for reading my books 300 times. I read your letter 301 times, so there! You sound like an incredibly brave person and I love your ambition. You should write that novel and I hope you enjoy doing it. But I can not be “your only hope” in accomplishing that. So I am respectfully returning all that hope you just sent my way so you can pin it on yourself instead. Only you can write this book. Only you know what you want it to be about. YOU! Write about something that speaks to your interests. Create characters who work through the kinds of issues you struggle with. Not necessarily someone with sickle cell anemia. That might be too exact. But you know what it’s like to feel pain. You know how it feels to have different challenges than your peers. You know how hard it is to stay strong when all you want to do is kick something and cry. So create a character who feels those things and then add a few things that you can’t relate to so you can have fun living as someone else for a while. That’s one of the best things about writing fiction. Your world, your rules. HAVE FUN!

From Emma:

Hi there! I have just finished the book Pretenders, and my family and friends are so relieved. They say these past few days they haven’t seen me at all, because I just had to finish the book soon because I was just so engaged and interested while reading this. You are now one of my all time favorite authors, and I can not wait until License to Spill comes out! I also had a question or two about writing. I have actually been working on a couple of books and I was wondering if you had any tips or tricks for any young aspiring writers? Thank you so much for being an amazing writer! Write on! (Get it? Whoops I’m corny).

To Emma:

Thank you Emma. License To Spill comes out June 24th. YAY! Tips and tricks for writing, huh? I wish, sister. There aren’t any tricks. You have to write every day. It’s that simple. Read books in the genre you are writing so you can see how other people do it. Keep a notebook with you and write down amazing details you stumble on during the day. It’s these details that will bring your writing to life. And read about writing. Books on the actual craft are very helpful and inspiring. Most of all don’t try to sound like anyone else. It’s your voice we want to hear because no one sees the world like you do. Now hit it.

TTYW,

Lisi

The post Letter Have It appeared first on Lisi Harrison.

Lisi will return next week!

xx

Alisha, Office Elf

The post Guest Post on the Office Elf Blog – Writer’s Life appeared first on Lisi Harrison.

My world–a white office with yellow accents and a dirty computer monitor–expands. The influx of new sights and sounds fills me with inspiration and always teaches me something new. Here are some of those things:

On Being in Awe

– It’s official. I am no longer an author, I am awe-thor. I met so many incredibly talented YA writers in the past month. I am humbled and inspired.

– I spent a fortune on YA books.

On Starbucks

– Employees are not charmed by my refusal to say things like grande or venti.

– Starbucks in Columbia, SC does not offer yogurt parfait.

– Everyone standing in line looks anemic.

– I now drink tea.

On Airplanes

– I have restless leg syndrome.

– It’s possible to stare at the seat in front of you for six hours straight. The woman in 3B proved it.

– I do some of my best journaling at 35,000 feet.

Most Unusual Questions I Was Asked by Students.

– Is that your real hair color? (which one?)

– How much money do you make? (That’s up to you.)

– Do you think you look like Victoria Justice? (Who?)

– Do you eat chicken? (Only when it’s raw.)

On You

– Thank you for your hugs and letters and gifts and praise and support and literacy. There’s nothing more inspiring than meeting the people who read my books. It keeps me in my chair on 80 degree days like today and makes returning to the cone of silence a lot less lonely.

– S0 does Twitter.

Until we meet again,

@LisiHarrison

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KEVY: What’s Lisi’s favorite thing to make for dinner?

ANYONE WITH EARS: I dunno, what?

KEVY: Reservations.

(Fake laughter.)

I roll my eyes when he tells it even though it’s true. I can’t cook. And those who can’t do should turn to those who can.

So when S.R. Rhodes sent me a message on Facebook on the difficulties of getting published, I turned to my brilliant editor, Erin, for the answer.

Need a visual? Here we are last week in my office. She was in San Diego for Comic-Con and stopped by Laguna for an afternoon of chit-chat and shopping. The owner of an ah-dorable local boutique called Isla gave us free matching key chains because we bought up the store. As you can see, we were very excited.

My excitement continues because Erin put some serious thought into her advice and if you follow it, I will be reading your books someday.

Here is S.R. Rhodes’ question:

Hi Lisi,

For me, queries can be a bit intimidating. I feel like literary agents focus so intensely on the query letter that the manuscript itself, good or bad, has little importance. I know that rejection is a part of life but in the “author” world it has become overwhelming, especially when no criticism is given. I have read books, web blogs and digest magazines with tips on queries, and just when I think I’ve figured it out… another rejection. No publishers will accept manuscripts without representation except for the ones who ask for hundreds of dollars up front. My passion for writing is a well-lit flame that will never burn out. I write day and night- typing, pen and paper or talking into recording devices. I’m not a quitter…I will fight for my dreams hopefully gaining more knowledge and skills along the way. I need some insight from another author, which is why I’m messaging you. Any words of wisdom? Thank you.

Sincerely,
S.R. Rhodes

Now Erin, over to you…

Hi readers,

Lisi asked me to answer a few questions for you. I know a lot of you are aspiring authors and that is fantastic! Keep writing! As with any artistic calling, it can be hard to break out and get your work noticed. For large publishing houses, the standard policy is to only accept manuscripts that are submitted through an agent. This is largely just a matter of volume—editors couldn’t possibly answer every single query if it was an open-door policy and most publishers do respond to every submission they get. So here are some ideas on making your way in the publishing world…
1) It is easiest to get your manuscript seen by a publisher if you have an agent. An agent truly is a great advocate for an author. So do consider trying to get representation for yourself.

2) Editors keep their eyes peeled for talent out in the world. Try other forms of writing—try your hand at journalism by writing for websites, magazines or newspapers and build up a clip file of published work. Write a blog on a topic that interests you and try to drum up a following. Or self publish through a variety of different platforms and try to garner an initial readership for your book that way. (These kinds of projects are all great experience that you can use to pitch yourself to an agent as well.)
3) Consider paying a small fee to a freelance editor to review your manuscript and help you revise. There are a lot of great people out there who can help you take your writing to the next level.
4) Attend writing workshops or attend a full writing program. It will help you polish your work and meet other authors.
As with any career, the best thing you can do is network! Take classes, talk to local professors or authors, attend seminars, join a writers association—there are trade organizations for all aspects of the publishing industry. Apply for an internship at a publisher, or an agency, or to assist an author. The more people you meet, the more people you are connected to through their connections. The more people you know, the more you can talk about your projects and get advice. If you network your way to an editor, sometimes you can get someone to look at your work without an agent.
Basically, you need to do everything you can to put yourself out there and make connections. You also need to make sure you are putting your best work out there. Really take your time to develop your writing, and if you can’t get anyone to notice the first book you write, write another! A writer’s work is never done (as Lisi can tell you!). Keep creating…and good luck!

THANK YOU ERIN!!!!!!

I have to go make my dinner reservations for tonight. I’m expecting company.

TTYW,

Lisi

The post Erin is Carin’: My Editor’s Advice on How to Get Published appeared first on Lisi Harrison.

I am going to mash two popular questions—ANY ADVICE ON WRITER’S BLOCK? and HOW DO I LAND MY CRUSH?–into one spectacular blog. I have gathered quotes from famous writers on writer’s block. They are insightful and should be helpful. Then I will twist their words and apply them to the art of making progress with a crush.

I am cracking my knuckles. Doing neck circles. Reversing the neck circles. And…

MARK TWAIN ON WRITER’S BLOCK

“The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.”

LISI-MARK MASHUP:  The secret to taking this boy off the market and making him your own is to create tiny manageable goals. Instead of saying this stranger must adore me by Friday, try this: Monday–eye contact. Tuesday–smile. Wednesday–ask a question. Thursday–take a step back so he doesn’t think you’re a stalker, but if he starts anything with you respond in a sweet, approachable way. Friday–mini-chat. Figure out your big-picture goal and work toward it with easily achieved, bite-sized goals. That way you’ll feel like a winner every day. And boys like girls who think they’re winners.

ERNEST HEMINGWAY ON WRITER’S BLOCK

“The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day … you will never be stuck.”

LISI-ERNEST MASHUP: Leave while the party is still going strong. Don’t wait until the night/conversation/date starts to dwindle. Drag yourself away while everyone is still loving you; this will leave them wanting more. Game playing? Perhaps. But if you’re going to play, play to win.

CANDACE BUSHNELL ON WRITER’S BLOCK

“Why do I keep evading my work? Is it because I’m afraid of being confronted by my lack of abilities?”

LISI-CANDACE MASHUP: Why yes Candace, it is. Why do we avoid talking to our crushes? Same reason: fear of rejection. I’m not going to puke out that you-never-know-unless-you-try cliche because that’s just so blah-bvious. Plus, not knowing isn’t so bad. It’s less devastating than rejection, right? So I say this: if you’re happy with the fantasy then don’t try. Evade and keep the dream alive. But if you are like me and you need concrete answers, put yourself out there and then feel totally shocked when you succeed. If you don’t succeed, embellish the details so it becomes the most EMBARRASSING rejection story ever and make all of your friends laugh. Then write about it. If there’s one thing we can all relate to it’s a good rejection story.

NORMAN MAILER ON WRITER’S BLOCK

“If you tell yourself you are going to be at your desk tomorrow, you are by that declaration asking your unconscious to prepare the material.”

LISI-NORMAN MASHUP: Visualize the outcome. I do this all the time. Before you fall asleep, close your eyes and visualize the next day. See yourself in all the situations you expect to be in. Of course, make your hair perfect and your teeth free of tartar. Imagine yourself having a moment with your crush and your crush ah-doring you. Visualize this over and over again until you pass out. IT WORKS!!!

RAY BRADBURY ON WRITER’S BLOCK

“If you’ve got a writer’s block, you can cure it this evening by stopping whatever you’re writing and doing something else. You picked the wrong subject.”

LISI/RAY MASHUP: If you’ve tried everything and he’s still not drooling, you’re crushing on the wrong guy. It’s not fair, I know. Your heart wants him and his heart wants someone else. Just know that he can’t control his feelings any more than you can control yours. You can control the songs you add to your “I AM GOING TO FAKE BEING OVER YOU UNTIL I AM ACTUALLY OVER YOU” playlist. iDone.

LISI HARRISON ON WRITER’S BLOCK

“A story outline is like a road map. It gives your drive a destination and saves a ton of gas.”

LISI-LISI MASHUP: If all else fails, start quoting yourself. He’ll think you’re famous and hate himself for missing his chance back when you were just a fabulous nobody. Then attach a picture of yourself looking snobby just to prove you don’t have time for him anymore.

TTYW,

LISI

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