Instititute of Children's Literature

Rx for Writers

Transcripts

"Getting on Track--and Staying There" with Joan Broerman

Thursday, June l7, l999

MODERATOR is Kristi Holl, Web Editor for the Institute's web site. Kristi is author of more than twenty juvenile novels and has taught writing at the Institute of Children's Literature for l5 years.

Joan is our guest speaker, Joan Broerman.

Names color coded in green are audience members who had questions.

Interviews are scheduled for Thursday evenings: 8 Eastern, 7 Central, 6 Mountain, and 5 Pacific.

MODERATOR: Good evening, everyone. Welcome to our Thursday night online interview. I'm Kristi Holl, your moderator and the web editor for this site. Tonight we'll be talking with Joan Broerman, one of two l998 SCBWI Members of the Year. She is regional advisor for three "Southern Breeze" states, and the SCBWI award honors her hard work and emotional support of other children's writers. She is published in magazines such as THE WRITER, CHILDREN'S WRITER, and CHILD TIMES. She is currently working on a book called WEEKEND GETAWAYS IN ALABAMA, due out in the year 2000. Let me welcome Joan Broerman!

Joan: Hi, Kristi and everyone out there!

MODERATOR: Joan, you have such a heart for other writers. Have you always wanted to be a writer? How did you get started?

Joan: I was encouraged by my first grade teacher - a nice beginning, hmm?

MODERATOR: During your earlier years, what kinds of writing did you do?

Joan: My first job was as a community paper feature writer. I was in high school and it seemed like a terrific job. Deadlines every week.

MODERATOR: On what kinds of topics?

Joan: I was the drama columnist first. A great way to see shows free!

MODERATOR: But then you went on to win the first POCKETS fiction contest! Are contests a good way for writers to break into publishing?

Joan: The great thing about contests is that they give you a deadline to prepare a polished manuscript.

MODERATOR: Any pointers on writing a winning contest entry?

Joan: Write the best story or article you can - just as if you were submitting.

MODERATOR: You've been published in many well known publications for writers, from the CHILDREN'S WRITER, the CHILDREN'S WRITER GUIDE to 1998 and 1999, and THE WRITER, to the award-winning web site for children's writers, The Purple Crayon. You appear to have a real heart for other writers. Can you talk about that a bit?

Joan: Children's writers are warm and supportive people. Probably because they are usually members of the helping professions such as teaching, nursing, and of course many - perhaps most - are parents. I think our philosophy is pretty much the same. We'd like to be the writers who write that "best" literature for our children, but if we don't do it, we want to be sure someone does. We want the best for our children.

MODERATOR: How very true! Please tell us about your Writers' Wordshops called "We Love to Write." What are they?

Joan: This is an interactive wordshop series for young writers, kindergarten through high school.

MODERATOR: I read that you also work with senior citizens who want to write. Can you tell us about that?

Joan: Senior citizens have wonderful memories of their childhood, just as children are spontaneous. Something wonderful happens when either age group feels free to write.

MODERATOR: A few years ago you spoke at the Tennessee/Kentucky MidSouth SCBWI conference and discussed time management for writers. This is an ongoing struggle for most of us. Just as we get used to managing time in one set of circumstances, our circumstances change. So I'd like to spend some time talking about time management for writers. To start, in Alan Lakein's classic HOW TO GET CONTROL OF YOUR TIME AND YOUR LIFE, he advised us to "work smarter, not harder." Do you agree? If so, what does that mean to you specifically?

Joan: Working smarter means to know when my energy level is up so I can use that for my writing time. It means saving those "no think jobs" such as washing dishes for times when I want to think about a writing problem but not sit at the keyboard.

MODERATOR: Can you be TOO organized when trying to use every minute constructively? How then do you deal with interruptions without losing your cool and your concentration?

Joan: Life is going to happen! When I have to adjust my schedule I ask myself, what is the most important thing that MUST get done today?

Dee: Do you find it helpful to carry a tape recorder when away from key board?

Joan: I have a tape recorder which I use but it hasn't come into its fullest potential yet.

heytallwind: Does frustration ever enter into the picture for you?

Joan: Absolutely! At the end of each day when I tally up what I've accomplished, there's a little gremlin that sits on my shoulder and whispers, "But you didn't get..." I have to out shout it! Then I tell myself I deserve to rest! The next day, I start again.

Boring: I know writers who write a quota of words or pages each day. Do you do that with a project like your WEEKEND GETAWAYS IN ALABAMA?

Joan: No. I have a general idea of where I am and where I'd like to be. Being a mom to seven kids taught me flexibility!

ajack: Do you ever get the feeling that you are overcome with daily activities besides your need to write?

Joan: I try to get my need to write satisfied first. It took a lot of retraining to do that!

MODERATOR: We are told to use commutes, coffee breaks, lunch times and waiting times productively. Do you? In what specific ways?

Joan: Yes. I have a list of 5 minute jobs, 15 minutes, etc. Saves wondering what I should do next. I also have reading stacks everywhere, the kitchen table, the car. Reading is important to me and I've always read for 5 or l0 minutes, here or there. It adds up. Reading is also my reward for working for an hour.

MODERATOR: With your comment about having seven children, you sparked a flood of questions. So how about this . . . Lakein's book also advocated free time. "Relaxing," he said, "is a good use of time, and sometimes you can get more done by doing nothing." What do you think about that?

Joan: Doing nothing was not an option for me when the kids were at home! That's where my retraining has come in. Now my writing is my primary focus. To stay fresh, I take frequent, short breaks. Some of them could be considered "doing nothing" but I'm regrouping, re-energizing, breathing in all kinds of sensory details, and loving it that I can do this because I'm working. I'm a writer!

MODERATOR: In our quest for packing each minute to the brim, we use faxes, computers, cell phones, e-mail, beepers and answering machines. I have to admit that sometimes all this organization makes me feel wrung out, strung out, and stressed out. How can we eliminate the pressure that so often comes with these "labor saving devices"?

Joan: I use all these things. They are great tools. But that's what they are. MY tools. They work for me. And I can turn them off.

Dee: Do you preplan the next day writing or just let it happen?

Joan: I begin most days with looking over my dreams and goals page. I also have a short devotional time which centers me. Then I feel inspired and ready to start. It isn't a strict daily ritual, but at the end of a week, I can see progress. This inspires me more.

MODERATOR: We all deal with "invasion of the time snatchers." One of the biggest is the telephone. How do you handle it? After all, that call could be an editor or agent or someone wanting you to speak at a school or conference.

Joan: I have an answering machine. I return calls promptly, the same day if I'm in town. I haven't lost anything this way that I know of!

MODERATOR: Phones in summertime are harder, especially if you have kids. They WON'T let the phone ring, so they answer the interrupters FOR you and hand you the telephone solicitor or your chatty neighbor. Any summertime phone strategies?

Joan: The best kid strategy I've had is to make them my partners. They know professionalism is necessary. When they take messages and handle them well, and my success is due in part to something they've done (and I'm very quick to see this!) they share in the rewards and celebrations.

MODERATOR: Great idea! How do you train friends and family members to call during certain hours? Everyone assumes that if you're home, you're not working.

Joan: It took me a long time to see that if I respected my life as a writer, my friends and others would, too. Before I felt comfortable within my writer's skin, I was easily trapped into giving up mornings to those voices on the phone.

MODERATOR: Dee has a question that I've heard over and over and over from writers.

Dee: In The Artist's Way, I believe it speaks of the crazy makers, people that will do anything to use up our time for writing. How do you handle this?

MODERATOR: We seem to be experiencing another technical difficulty . . . one moment. Until Joan is back, Dee's question about crazy makers is a very valid one. For those of you not familiar with The Artist's Way, crazy maker are those who tend to stir up crises just when you're trying to write, something that has to be taken care of NOW. I learned a very valuable phrase to use with my own crazy makers: "A lack of planning on YOUR part does not constitute an emergency on MY part" and then I would finish my work and attend to their problem if they hadn't figured it out already themselves, which happened a lot after a while.

Norene: Do you write better under stress or when it's quiet and you are alone?

MODERATOR: You'd think the answer to this would be obvious, but it's not. When I started writing my four kids were very small and underfoot, and the only way I knew to write was during somewhat stressful times. When they finally went to school, I was so antsy that I couldn't sit down longer than ten or fifteen minutes at a time because that's what I was used to. I tended to waste a lot more time when the pressure was off.

Joan: Sorry. I'm back! I don't know what is going on with my computer! I'm here.

Heidi: Joan, what do you find to be your most effective "writer's block" buster?

Joan: For me writing time has been such a struggle to come by, that I haven't had a real block. When I find myself dragging my feet, I try to think of something that really excites me about writing, even if it isn't what I am supposed to be working on at the moment. Then, when I'm revved up, I have to discipline myself by promising to reward myself with that new idea, story, etc., after I work for an hour.

MODERATOR: Back to time management! What about TV? In years past I've had to go cold turkey off soap operas that were on during my lunch break. I'd be done eating in l5 minutes, yet waste another 45 to finish the show. Any TV tips for writers at home? It can be a real temptation, especially when the writing is going slowly.

Joan: You bet! I, too, eat lunch with my favorite soap but not every day. Most days, I record the soap and play it at night, skipping all those commercials. I was shocked to find out that 20 minutes out of each hour is filled with COMMERCIALS!

MODERATOR: What about interruptions from children of different ages? Can you talk about time management and children of varying ages?

Joan: Each child has a special gift to offer a children's writer! Those interruptions aren't so distracting when you consider them research!

MODERATOR: It's been said that "the first rule is to know your purpose in writing, then adjust your life accordingly." How do YOU determine your priorities?

Joan: When I could see that I was really going to be able to write full-time, I did a lot of soul searching and set up this order. My 3 are priorities: God, family, writing. If each day holds all three, that was a good day.

MODERATOR: Excellent advice! So, okay, we're organized now. The focus is finally set. Life seems smooth. Of course, it then flip flops. What then?

Joan: We go easy on ourselves. Nurture yourself. Read a great book. Sit in the back yard for ten minutes and listen to all the sounds. What rests you? A rested writer can tackle any problem, including schedules!

Boring: Joan, what are you reading in particular right now that inspires you?

Joan: I just finished reading three books, RULES OF THE ROAD by Joan Bauer (a great voice); HOLES by Louis Sachar (great plot) and WHIRLIGIG by Paul Fleischman (beautiful language). Each one gave me something different and rich.

MODERATOR: What do you do when your stack of work is taller than you are?

Joan: That stack of work question: Pick three things that you can do within the hour. Just watching the stack shrink has an effect!

MODERATOR: In TIME MANAGEMENT FOR WRITERS, Ted Schwarz maintains that "the more you write in a variety of areas, the easier it is to utilize your time most effectively." Is this true for you? Do you have ongoing projects in various genres or for different age groups?

Joan: Yes, I do. Every type of writing enriches other kinds of writing. This results in a time savings.

Dee: I know prewriting is a big must. But how do you prewrite on one thing while working on another? Don't your ideas get crossed?

Joan: No, my ideas do tumble around a lot together, but when I get focused, I'm there.

MODERATOR: Can you talk about schedules for a moment? Do you have a set schedule? Is it best for writers to keep strict office hours? Or should we "go with the flow"?

Joan: Energy levels and body clocks vary. I enjoy a day that gets started around 5 a.m. However, working on the travel book means a different kind of schedule. Wherever I go, I have a bag of work, a notebook, folders, and my laptop plugs into the cigarette lighter in the car.

MODERATOR: I have quite a few more questions that were sent in earlier about time management, and if we have time we'll come back to them. But there's a topic I want to be sure we get to cover that would be so helpful to our viewers . . . So . . . Changing subjects: You're a member of The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Regional Advisor of Southern Breeze (made up of Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi), and were one of two 1998 SCBWI Members of the Year. CONGRATULATIONS! First, can you tell the viewers what SCBWI is?

Joan: SCBWI is a professional organization that supports the production of quality literature for children.

MODERATOR: How does belonging to this organization help to build and maintain momentum?

Joan: It's a nurturing network of writers, illustrators, and others who subscribe to that philosophy of "quality." Within this network, writers hone their craft, learn how to prepare and present it, and make connections that help them achieve publication.

MODERATOR: What efforts does SCBWI make to educate writers and illustrators?

Joan:: First, write down these two web page urls: www.scbwi.org and this one: http://hometown.aol.com/southbrez/ At the SCBWI site, you will see all the events (truly educational opportunities) offered around the world. The second site is a regional site, and there you will have a . . .

MODERATOR: We lost Joan to cyberspace again. Hang on . . .

Norene: Thank you for the web site urls.

Dee: I've heard that SCBWI has grants for writers; is this true?

MODERATOR: Yes, Dee they do; in fact, I got a grant years ago for a fiction project. They have grants for fiction and nonfiction projects, and you can probably get information from the first URL site Joan listed above. If not, write to the address you'll find at the site and ask for grant information. They are given out for works in progress every year, some for $500 and some for $l000.

dhunter4u: What are the requirements for those grants?

MODERATOR: I don't know if they've changed since I won a grant, but you don't have to be published yet or anything. Ask for information directly from SCBWI in case it changes a bit from year to year.

Norene: Are the sites freely accessible or are they scheduled time areas?

MODERATOR: Those web sites are open 24 hours per day, and chock full of useful information.

dhunter4u: Do you have to repay the grants?

MODERATOR: No you don't--they just ask that if your project gets published that you put a little line in the front part acknowledging their help and support.

bernie: I joined SCBWI and received my membership package last Friday. The information is worth the yearly dues. Grant, awards and other information are included.

MODERATOR: Thanks, Bernie, for sharing this. I agree that this is your best route. . . And Joan's back! We're always hearing how important it is to know the right people in publishing. Does SCBWI help with such networking?

Joan: The nice thing is that published and unpublished members pay the same dues and are exposed to the same information.

MODERATOR: I'm really sorry that we're going to have to stop now. First, thank you so much, Joan, for coming tonight and sharing your expertise in so many areas with us! We all need support and encouragement from each other to keep going, and it's easy for us to see tonight why you were voted an SCBWI Member of the Year! We've enjoyed your visit so much!

Joan: Thank you, Kristi. I've enjoyed being here.

MODERATOR: I hope you all can return next week when we'll be visiting with Karen Lynn Williams. Karen is the author of four picture books and five chapter books, many of them making use of her overseas experiences. Her cross-cultural books include the picture books WHEN AFRICA WAS HOME and PAINTED DREAMS, which is set in Haiti. Karen has combined raising her four children in places around the world with her love of writing, and has been publishing steadily for fifteen years. Hope to see you all back here next week! Good night!

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