Author Skype with Beth Revis

Earlier this month we were honored with a skype visit from Beth Revis, author of the Across the Universe series. She happened to be at a convention in New York at the time, but was kind enough to give us a good Q&A session. Here's what we learned:

Q: How do you create tension?
A: Always make the worst possible thing happen.

Q: How do you write a good first kiss?
A: Be aware that not all kisses are perfect. A first kiss should have some awkwardness in it.

Q: How do you start a book?
A: Just start writing. Then cut the first fifty pages. You want to make sure you start on the day that everything changes.

Q: How do you invent new technology for science fiction?
A: Take a look at your story and think about what kind of technology you want to have. Then do your research and find out why we don't have that yet. For example, in Across the Universe, people needed to be frozen for space travel. When I looked it up, I found out that we can't freeze people yet because their cell walls would break. So I invented the "blue goo" to solve that problem.

Q: How do you kill your first character?
A: I've killed so many characters in books it just comes naturally now.

Q: Do you have any advice on writing endings?
A: Endings take a lot of re-writing. Bring something from the beginning and make it part of the end. Come full circle.

Q: How do you get ideas for stories?
A: The ideas are the easy part. Once you get an idea, then you have to figure out what happens next, especially what's the worst possible thing that could happen next.

Q: How do you come up with titles?
A: Make a list of about fifty, and then pick the best one. Have other people help you decide.

Q: What's the hardest part about being a full-time author?
A: Discipline! I have to make my own schedule for turning out a book every year, so that usually ends up with me not writing at all for a few months, then as the deadline approaches, I panic and stay up all night writing.

Q: How do you write a romantic scene without making it too cheesy?
A: Bring in the emotional reactions. There should be some doubt or mistrust. Make it emotionally complex.

Q: How do you do foreshadowing?
A: This is one of the most fun things about writing. I don't outline, but as I write I make sure I include lots of details. As the story goes on, I find ways to make those details relevant later.

Thanks for the visit, Beth!

Author Skype with Heather Dixon

We had a delightful skype visit today with Heather Dixon, author of Entwined, which made the ALA's Best Fiction for Young Adults list and was in the top ten for romance in 2011.

Heather talked about writing romance, especially about the importance of keeping the romantic relationship in suspense. She also shared some of her writing process with us, which includes ripping out and rewriting entire portions of her books. As a storyboard artist, she says she's used to this sort of thing.

To get to know more about Heather, read her charming and hilarious blog, Story Monster, where you'll see her storyboarding skills in action.