Here’s Neal Shusterman’s answer to my question:

How do you edit a novel? Can you describe working with your editor?

The editing process is what really makes a novel come together.  I prefer editors that really challenge me.  My favorite editor fills my manuscript with about 1,000 post-it notes with suggestions for changes, and the manuscript usually comes back with a 20 page editorial letter, detailing the suggestions.  A good editor won’t rewrite you: It’s the editor’s job to see what you are trying to do, and help you reach your vision.   A good editor doesn’t necessarily pose solutions to problems, but instead illuminates exactly what the problem is. Once the problem is crystal clear, it’s easier to solve – and that’s the writer’s job.   A bad editor will pose solutions, or suggest changes without ever figuring out what the core problem is that they’re trying to correct.  That’s maddening, because then the writer must work backwards, trying to figure out WHY the editor made a change.
I usually go through six drafts on my own before I get to something I consider to be good enough to call “draft one.”  That’s the draft that goes to my editor.  Then I will do two drafts with the editor, until we’re both happy with it.   Rewriting, and editing is the most important part of the writing process.  It can be grueling, but you can’t call yourself a writer if you’re not willing to go through it. - Neal Shusterman

Thanks again, Mr. Shusterman!

More author interviews coming soon!

Number One: My friends over at Scott Westerfeld’s blog and I are stsrting a new writing project. If you’ve read Uglies and want to join, click here!

Number Two: We are having a new contest! *cheers and claps* Here it is: The contest is to create a piece expressing an emotion out of these ones: hope, fear, anger, joy, or sadness. The piece can be any form of media. It can be writing (poem, story, essay, etc.), visual art (drawing, painting, sculpture, etc.) or a video. Actually, it can be any media as long as you can either scan it, type it, upload it, or take its picture to post here. All entries will be posted and a winning entry will be picked. (either at random or with a judge or something). Hope you enter!

Number Three: Some of you know that I’ve been writing to various authors and asking them if they’d be willing to post on the site. They sent me back answers to various questions I asked them about writing. I will be posting them on the site one by one, so keep checking them out! If you leave a comment on one of their posts, when I write back to them to thank them, I’ll include your comment!

That’s all… sorry for not posting for so long, but I’m hoping to get back into it now!

As You Wish

By Elizabeth Waid 9/09

Have you ever asked your librarian for a book with a specific plot or characters, and then been disappointed to find out that such a book doesn’t exist? Well, that’s what started the newly published author Jackson Pearce on her writing adventure.

At the young age of 9, Jackson Pearce asked her school’s librarian for a book about an orphan, baby animals, and magic. Upon finding out that no book matched her description, she wrote her own. Her book was about an orphan girl that little baby animals were strangely attracted to.

15 years later, she is now an “official” author. Her book, As You Wish, is about a teenage girl named Viola who accidentally summons a young genie from his world to hers, where he will remain until she makes 3 wishes. Now I bet you’re thinking, Just wish for more wishes! Well, Viola can’t. Like everything else in life, there are rules as to what she can (and can’t) wish for.

Rule #1- You can’t wish for more wishes.

Rule #2- You can’t bring people back from the dead (one lady does bring back a dog, though).

Rule #3- You can’t change what a person is, so you couldn’t turn into a mermaid, or make your mortal enemy suddenly nice.

If more wishes was your first thought for a wish, then I bet world peace was your second thought. Viola thought of that too, but her genie cautioned her against it, because it wouldn’t last. If you’re thinking I’d wish for happiness, then sorry! He told her that she should wish for something that would make her happy, and not just happiness, because it wouldn’t last, just like the world peace.

Anyone would leap at the chance to have 3 wishes granted, but really think about it: whatever your heart desires within your grasp. Would you immediately wish without hesitation? Or would you ponder it for weeks or even months? Viola not only contemplates her wishes, but actually tries to delay them, because once she wishes, her genie will go back to the world from which he came, leaving her forever.

This exciting story is written in 1^st person present tense, with the chapters switching between Viola’s point of view and her genie’s. Jackson prefers 1^st person to 3^rd person, because she thinks that 1^st person is more “in the moment” and that it sort of gives you an inside look on everything.

Jackson Pearce is one persevering tough chick. Her first book she tried to get published was called The Keybearer…it got rejected 76 times. In her frustration, she started writing As You Wish to take her mind off it. The two stories do not resemble each other at all, because she wanted to completely start over.  “The key is to keep writing, even when you think you’re not going anywhere,” she told me. “I’ve always been writing, as long as I can remember.”

I asked Jackson if any of her characters resemble anyone she knows. She said that “there’s never just one person” who completely makes up a character, but little details here and there reminding her of friends. “Whether you intend to or not, people you know start climbing their way” into the story.

When you’re writing, does reading help you, or does it cause you to self-consciously copy other authors? “Anytime you read, it helps your own writing. If I’m stuck, if I read another book it’ll get my mind moving forward again.”

And now, here are 10 fun things about Jackson Pearce.

1. She’s part of a writer’s group called the 2009 Debutantes . It’s made up of about 50 authors that debuted in 2009.
2. She lives in Atlanta.
3. Her Web Site is www.asyouwishthebook.com and her blog is www.jacksonpearce.com .
4. Her YouTube videos are hilarious!
5. She has a cross-eyed cat, “but he counts as 7.”
6. She teaches High School color guard.
7. She dances and twirls batons.
8. When she was in High School, she tried out for the circus.
9. About 3 years ago, she auditioned to be the princess at Medieval Times and even made it to the top 5.
10. She’s an awesome writer!

Making video trailers for books is a popular fan thing, but lately publishing companies have been making movie trailers to advertise their books. It’s a good thing when I’m trying to figure out what the book’s about, but a lot of fans don’t like the trailers for their beloved favorite books. I can’t quote anyone directly, (not sure whether that’s plagiarism or not), but many fans say that the trailers don’t properly represent the book. They complain that the trailer’s actor doesn’t look like the book character, the trailer gives the wrong idea about the story, or it just isn’t done well in general.

However, there are a lot of very good trailers out there too! This post is for the best book trailers! Personally, I have 3 kinds of favorites:

1. YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK! : This kind of trailer is simple in its message: “You must read this book!” It gives you a glimpse of all the action in a book, and gets you excited about reading it! My favorite of these trailers is the one for Scott Westerfeld’s book, Leviathan.  
2. Ooohhh… that’s creepy! : This works best for sci-fi books and mystery. It’s often told by the main character, and it’s told in a kind of spooky way. It’s the kind of thing that leaves you staring at the screen for minutes after it’s over, and when you regain your senses, you immediately watch it again. I have two faves for this category:  
3. The Author’s Thing: This is like the author advertising their own book. They’re often funny or interesting. Here’s one video one: and a LINK TO ONE that’s not postable here, but it’s hilarious!

Okay, that’s enough book videos for one post… anyone have one they want to share?