Pull up a chair, a beanbag, or your neighbor, and take a seat, WordHustlers. Our latest WordHustlerInk interview is doozy! Meredith Zeitlin is not only a voiceover artist, actress, genius, and all-around great gal, she’s also coming out with a funny, honest, entertaining YA book that is going to wow the world. It’s called “This Just In: Kelsey Finkelstein Is Freaking Out.” And we’ve got the sneak peek!

WordHustler sat down with Meredith to discuss her book, her dreams for publishing domination and….wine coolers? Hey, everybody’s doing it.

Buckle in and get ready for some wonderful tips and words of wisdom from an author on the brink!

WordHustler: Meredith, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us. Can you tell our readers how you got your start in publishing and entertainment?

Meredith Zeitlin: Thanks for having me! This is my first-ever interview, so I will try not to screw it up.

I’m a VORACIOUS reader, and have been my whole life. I love, love to read. And I actually come from a family of writers – almost everyone on my mom’s side of the family writes professionally. Growing up, I always wanted to be an author (that, and a prima ballerina) and had this plan to write the most incredible books. I’d get an idea (which was always strikingly similar in theme and style to whatever I’d just finished reading) and occasionally make it to page 5 before giving up. I was much more successful with the angst-filled poetry.

In high school, I worked on the paper and eventually became the Editor In Chief; I worked my ass off and loved everything about it. In college, I couldn’t decide whether to pursue writing or theatre, my other main activity, and I ended up doing both: I was a theatre major at Northwestern University, and also a member of the “Creative Writing for the Media” program, which accepts 12 students each year and focuses on screen/television writing and playwriting. (If anyone would like to read a TRULY terrible play that is a thinly disguised attempt by the author to deal with her unrequited love for a young man in her acting class, do be sure to let me know.)

When I graduated I figured I’d immediately be lauded as the next Bernadette Peters, which shockingly didn’t happen. Through a series of lucky strokes I started auditioning for voiceover work and have been doing it ever since. And it’s through a connection in the voiceover world that I found my fabulous literary agent, so I guess if everyone could join me for a chorus of “Que sera, sera” now, that would be great.

WH: What is Kelsey about?

MZ: Kelsey is about a smart, occasionally insecure, very ambitious 14-year-old girl named Kelsey Finkelstein, who is embarking on her freshman year of high school. She was the editor of her middle school paper, has always written for the paper, even thinks in articles (the book is narrated partly in articles that exist only in Kelsey’s mind), and has decided to rebrand herself in high school by doing something totally different - soccer team, school play…whatever she can think of. Unfortunately there are two main obstacles: 1) her little sister is discovered by a talent scout and suddenly becomes a celebrity and the focus of everyone’s attention and 2) everything Kelsey tries to do is a TOTAL DISASTER.

WH: What inspired you to write Kelsey? Were you reacting to the Gossip Girl brand of books and their lack of reality?

MZ: I wanted to write a book that was sort of a response to the Gossip Girl/Clique/etc. craze - a book about a REAL girl in NYC, who isn’t drinking martinis at the Savoy while clutching a limitless platinum card and having X-rated affairs with half of her school, but who drinks wine coolers in her friend’s living room, has parents that drive her insane, and thinks everyone is having sex but her. A book with a cast of relatable characters like the ones I loved growing up in books by Judy Blume, Lois Lowry, and Paula Danziger, for example. Books that made me feel like I wasn’t the only awkward bookworm in the world.

Also, I wanted to write a book that was challenging to read and funny (I hope). Because most young adult books I’ve read in the last decade - not all, but MANY - are so dumbed down as to be insulting. And that makes me furious! Why aren’t we challenging kids to learn anymore? Or more importantly, THINK?

WH: What was your road to getting published like?

MZ: Long. Longer than I thought it would be, despite repeated attempts to remain rational.

Once I finished the writing part, I had some very smart friends read the draft and give me their very helpful notes. I did another pass and when it was super ready-to-go, I made a list of agents who might be interested in the book. The first four were agents I had a direct connection to, the second group were agents I had a nominal connection to, and the third were agents who I had no connection to and would contact if the first two groups were a bust. I was really lucky to sign with the magnificent Elaine Markson, who was in Group One. Then I waited for a year, receiving “good rejections,” all of which said basically the same thing: they loved the voice, the humor, and the characters, but what was the hook!? I was like, Couldn’t the hook be the voice, the humor…but no.

So the hook became the thing to figure out. My agent and I tossed around some ideas and I came up with a secondary storyline and did a rewrite. We sent it out again. This time, John Rudolph, the delightful man who is now my editor at Putnam, told Elaine that he loved the voice, the humor, the characters… but he thought the book needed a hook. BUT – he wanted to have a conversation with me instead of rejecting the book outright. So we had a lovely phone chat in which I expressed my hesitation to make one of the characters a werewolf, and he said another way to go might be changing the narrative style. I brainstormed about that and came up with an idea I thought would be different enough but still totally true to the spirit of the story. I spent the next month rewriting the first 60 pages, I sent it to John, and then Elaine called me a week later with an offer!

It was extremely rad. But what I didn’t realize then is what an even longer road there is to getting the book finished! The momentum is hard to maintain when people say, “Oh you’re getting published? How great! When can I buy your book?” And you have to say, “Oh…maybe in a year and a half? Don’t forget, okay?”

But…I think it’s gonna be worth it.

WH: What’s your writing process? Outline? Synopsis? Seat of your pants?

[Read more →]

Tempany Deckert is a successful children’s book author and an actor on both stage and screen. Originally from Australia, Tempany divides her time between the US and Australia, all while churning out dazzling books for youngsters (Yes, I just said youngsters). Her newest book, entitled “It’s Yr Life,” is being published by Random House. So what keeps this fountain of entertaining brilliance going? And how did she get where she is today?

WordHustler interviewed the talented Ms. Deckert about her road to publishing success, her thoughts on the children’s book market, and…getting a pug dog to fart on command? Ah, the zany life of a children’s author.

WordHustler: Thanks for talking to us, Tempany. First of all, how did you get into writing children’s books? What’s your writing background?

Tempany Deckert: I was fortunate enough at eleven years of age to be asked into a special kids writing group in Australia that got to meet professional authors. We were able to visit their writing studios and enquire about how they wrote. That had me totally inspired to become a writer, but I segued off to being an actress.

After years of professional acting, I took a playwrighting course just for fun, which stirred up my writing juices again. I entered a young playwrights competition and got into the finals. After that, I started writing articles for youth magazines and began experimenting with writing screenplays.

My writing break actually came when I was working as an actress. I did voice-over work for a bunch of audio books for Scholastic, the children’s publisher. One day, one of the Scholastic people said he had read in the paper that I was one of the finalists for the Playwrighting Awards. He asked if I had any kids books I’d written because they were looking for a new girls’ series. I lied and said I did. Then I hurried home, wrote one and sent it to him! Within three months, I had an eight-book deal with Scholastic!

WH: What was your road to getting published like?

TD: Very naive, lucky and gutsy. I took risks, had no fear and just gave it a go. Getting a book published is extremely difficult and it is often a case of being in the right place at the right time. If I hadn’t had the opportunity to speak to the Scholastic representative, I would not be where I am today. It’s that age-old scenario of when you aren’t seeking something it comes to you and when you’re desperate for it, it totally alludes you.

WH: What age range do you like writing for the best?

TD: I mainly write for 8-13 year olds but have recently written for 14-16 and 5-8. I like all of the different age groups for different reasons. I think the eight to thirteen-year-olds are great cause you can influence them much more than the older kids. But, with the older kids you have less censorship in your topics, so that’s liberating as well.

WH: Do you illustrate your own books? If not, how does finding/collaborating with an illustrator work?

TD: I wish! No, I don’t illustrate my own books. Most of my books are novels that don’t have illustrations. But recently I wrote two series that had ink illustrations every six or seven pages as visual cues for reluctant readers. The publishers always choose your illustrator for you and don’t let you talk to them! They don’t want you slowing down business by sticking your nose in and being a pain. I had a tiny bit of say in the illustrations before they were published, but not as much as an author would like.

Often this is the biggest fallacy about writing kids’ books. People assume you team up with an illustrator and then send it in. It’s not in the best interest of the publisher to commit to a book that already has the illustrator attached. It ends up costing them more money!

WH: Interesting. So you find the kids’ book market is controlled by trends, like Hollywood or the adult book market? Are talking pandas all the rage one year then Dora the Explorer types another? Or are there characters and stories that will always sell?

TD: I think books are controlled by trends but, that said, it’s really important that you write the story you want to write because you may be creating the new trend. I remember writing my first book series [Editor’s Note: the series is called “The Shooting Stars”] about child actors/singers/dancers. Some publishers here in the States wouldn’t take it on (it had already been published in my home country of Australia) because they said books about “the industry” don’t sell. A year later, “Hannah Montana” came onto the scene and is currently the most successful kids’ TV show. Yep, it’s a show about “the industry.”

What publishers think is popular isn’t always the case but there’s not a lot you can do. They either go for it or they don’t. Sometimes books you’ve written might be more popular in five years’ time, so give it another shot once some time has passed. But be aware if someone tells you your project has already been published. If so, you are wasting your time. It doesn’t matter how good your book about a boy magician is, Harry Potter already has that place in kids’ literature!

WH: What are some of your own favorite children’s books from when you were a kid?

TD: I grew up on English authors. My favorite was Enid Blyton who wrote Noddy, The Famous Five, The Enchanted Forest. Lots of fantastical whimsical stuff. I also loved CS Lewis’ Narnia Chronicles, Judy Blume’s stuff and a great kids’ comic writer in Australia called Paul Jennings. I was an avid reader and read every book that I could get my hands on.

WH: What are some new/recent children’s books you like?

TD: This isn’t a new one but Freak the Mighty is pretty amazing. I don’t read a lot of kids books cause I don’t want to get influenced too much one way or the other. There is a great book out at the moment that is a picture book that’s all about a girl in Brooklyn growing up in an apartment. It uses the voice of an African-American girl’s dialect so poetically. I really love that book.

WH: Do you write for the parents (who will be reading the books over and over) as well as the kids?

TD: No. Not at all. My readers are older so their parents aren’t reading the books. And in fact, thinking about parents reading the book is a good way for me to decide if my work is good or not. If I think the parent will like it, I throw it in the trash! I’m writing for the kids!

WH: What are five tips you’d give aspiring children’s book writers?

TD: 1. Aim to write a great book. Don’t aim to get published. Too often people are caught up in the romantic idea of getting published rather than the real goal of writing a book for a child to read. Getting published is so very difficult that the chances of it happening are super small. If you write a great book that you can be proud of and that kids will love to read, that should be enough. Then hope that a good publisher also likes it and more kids get to read it.

2. Listen to criticism from literary agents and editors, they usually do know what they are doing. If they say it’s rubbish it probably is. If they say it’s been done before, it probably has. Before sending your book out, check that your idea hasn’t already been done. There are a LOT of children’s books out there.

3. Write and read a lot. The more you do both, the better you get.

4. Don’t be afraid to let a book go. If you’re not getting anywhere with it, shelve it and start a new one. It might have been a practice book. You won’t know it till later but trust me, you wrote it for a reason and it will help your future work.

5. Don’t talk about your book to other people. It will zap your writing when you’re at the computer.

Oh no, I have more than five!!! [Editor’s note: GOOD. The more the better!]

6. Don’t send an “idea” of a book to a publisher. Have it finished and ready to go. Publishers are busy people and don’t have time for “ideas.”

7. Get an agent. It’s the only legitimate way a publisher will read your stuff. Rarely do they ever read manuscripts unless they come from agents they like and trust. [Editor’s note: Why not get an agent by sending your work out through WordHustler today? You never know til’ you try!]

8. Don’t write only as a hobby. It’s too hard. You have to really want to write kids books to be successful at it!

9. NEVER GIVE UP!

WH: Now, on the other end of the spectrum, what are three things aspiring writers should avoid doing?

TD: 1. Writers should definitely avoid sending out a book to a publisher or agent before five people have read it and given GREAT feedback. You only get a few chances to approach agents and publishers and if the first thing they read is awful, they will never read anything of yours again.

2. Never send out manuscripts with spelling mistakes or bad formatting. You instantly look amateur and editors will throw the book away before getting through the first page. Have 1.5 spacing, in a basic font (usually Times or Courier) and make sure the grammar and spelling has been checked at least ten times before you show it to anyone. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it’s the editor’s job to check your spelling. If you’re billing yourself as a “writer,” you better know how to write!

3. Don’t avoid writing or sending out any of your writing because you don’t have an MFA. Gore Vidal doesn’t have an MFA. All published writers, whether they have degrees or not, have constantly written throughout their whole lives. Once a writer, always a writer. You learn how to write by continuously writing, not by being “told” how to do it. If you stop writing for any period of time, you will lose your voice. Never stop.

Great writers come in all different shapes and sizes. The difference between a successful writer and an unsuccessful one is the successfuls always write and put their work out in the world. The unsuccessfuls keep their stuff hidden away or never start it in the first place. Know that your first draft will be AWFUL and that is okay. It’s supposed to be. It’s all about persistence, persistence, persistence.

WH: Have you noticed any big differences between the Australian publishing world and American?

TD: Yes, both countries have very different opinions about the cover design!

WH: If you could choose one of your book characters to exist in the real world, which one would you pick and why?

TD: I once wrote a book about a pug dog that could fart and vomit on command. That would be useful in real life! [Editor’s note: I agree. Like a party trick gone very, very wrong.]

WH: I’m sure whenever people find out you write kid’s books, they’re always telling you their ideas for a children’s book. What’s the worst idea you’ve ever heard? Come on, you don’t have to tell us who suggested it.

TD: Everyone does have a kid’s book idea and what they don’t realize is that just because you’re writing for children doesn’t mean it’s easier. In fact, it’s harder. Different age groups read different words. There is a lot of censorship of subjects and topics for different age groups and each WORD is meticulously picked in a kids’ book. Most kids’ books take six months to write and edit. What a lot of people mean when they say they’ve written a kids’ book is they’ve come up with a good idea for a kids’ book. Writing takes talent and if you aren’t a talented writer, it doesn’t matter how great your idea is, you’ll need to get a writer to execute it.

WH: Lastly, and most self-promotingly (if that’s even a word), what are your thoughts about WordHustler? Would it have been helpful to you when you were starting out?

TD: Writers are good at writing; not marketing and business. WordHustler easily lays out the business side of life so you don’t waste half your day being a secretary. You’ve got WordHustler now so what are you waiting for? Go and get writing!!!

WH: We couldn’t have said it any better ourselves.

Do you have a children’s book to submit to the world just like Tempany does? Why not land a great literary agent first? Use WordHustler to query Wolf Literary Services or The Ashley Grayson Agency today? The sooner you do, the sooner you can inspire kids to become stars…just like Tempany.