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Talking With Melanie Watt About Writing
Welcome to day four of the Mélanie Watt (US) blog tour! Our interview with Mélanie follows (by the way, this is our first author interview! What do you think? Please comment!).
Hip Librarian's Book Blog: Mélanie , what is your writing process?
Mélanie Watt: I usually start with an initial topic/idea about something I would like to talk about. Then I sketch out a character (animal) that reflects the characteristics of the personality that will help me express the idea. I come up with a style for the book and setting. Then I start to divide the story usually in 32 pages and assemble a book. I will go back over and over and make corrections to the pages and pacing. After, I usually illustrate the final art and then revisit the text with my editor and polish it up. It goes back and forth between the art and text through the whole process until I‘m happy with the result.
HLBB: What are your thoughts on the review process?
MW: I welcome reviews and opinions.
HLBB: How do reviews affect your writing?
MW: It gives me good insight on how others can perceive my books, it’s interesting to me to be able to read about what aspects of my work stands out to reviewers, librarians, teachers, and kids of course!
HLBB: What review sources do you use/follow?
MW: I Google on my own and find interesting reviews and blogs about my books. Also, my publisher provides me with reviews that come from different places.
HLBB: Who do you read?
MW: I love collecting kids’ books. I own hundreds of them from various artists and authors. To name a few Michèle Lemieux , Marie-Louise Gay , Mo Willems , Oliver Jeffers , Laurie Keller …all pictures books and the list goes on and on.
I wish I had more time in the day to read all the novels from the many talented authors out there.
HLBB: How do you find out about new books?
MW: Pretty much the same way others do, by visiting bookstores and reading reviews.
Thanks so much to Mélanie for taking the time to answer our questions!
Author Mélanie Watt and her friend Scaredy Squirel will continue on their blog tour through next week, and today, Thursday April 10, they are also stopping by the Metrowest MA Regional Library System Blog. They will be answering questions asked students in Metrowest Massachusetts region, such as:
Q. Where did you get the name Scaredy Squirrel?-
A. I was looking for a named that meant: afraid and Scaredy sounded right to me.Also, I like how it sounds when it's pronounced!
Q. What book are you going to write next about Scaredy? -
A. I think it will be about Scaredy's fears at night.
Q. Why is Scaredy afraid of germs? -
A. Scaredy is mostly afraid of what COULD happen if he does gets germs; like catching a cold!
Want to read more? Visit the Metrowest blog at http://metrowestnews.blog-city.com/
Other stops on the Blog Tour:
Friday April 11
Mother Reader
http://www.motherreader.com
Topic: Mélanie Watt talks about Scaredy Squirrel
And next week, Melanie and Scaredy Squirrel appear on Canadian blogs:
Monday, April 14
KidsSpace Blog
http://kidsspace.torontopubliclibrary.ca
Topic: From nuts to seashells: The progression of Scaredy
Tuesday, April 15
HRM Parent
http://www.hrmparent.ca
Topic: Kid questions for Mélanie Watt
Wednesday, April 16
The Shelf Elf Reading Blog
http://shelfelf.wordpress.com
Topic: Mélanie’s creative process and how she relates to Scaredy
Thanks again to Mélanie Watt for appearing, courtesy of Raab Associates , and to Kids Can Press , for permission to use their banner.
I love the name Scaredy Squirrel! I had a squirrel I recused as a kid for a
pet for a few years, so the your interview brought back fond memories. Best
of luck with the book and the blog tour.
Howard
I would like you to write Scaredy Squirrel shares Christmas, Easter and/or
Scaredy Squirrel goes Trick or Treating. Scaredy Squirrel remembers being
a baby.