In this week’s episode, Marissa chats with Dan Santat about his newest graphic memoir, A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING, which releases tomorrow, as well as: dealing with impostor syndrome after winning a big award, sharing your books with your kids, how traveling can open your heart to the world, give you perspective, and make you appreciate your privilege, continuing to be able to relate to new, younger readers and stay relevant in a time when content is constantly churning, how writers are in the business of selling emotion, and so much more!

SCBWI - Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.

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In this week’s episode, Marissa chats with Lakita Wilson about her debut YA novel, LAST CHANCE DANCE, as well as promoting books on social media, deepening the emotions of characters and making them nuanced, the secret to writing teen dialogue, managing expectations in publishing, the perfect date, and more!

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In this week’s episode, Marissa chats with M. K. Lobb about her debut YA fantasy murder mystery, SEVEN FACELESS SAINTS, along with second book syndrome, the pressure of reader expectations, cover design, how politics and systems can influence a story and characters, tips for creating atmospheric settings, and so much more! 

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In this week’s episode, Marissa chats with Jenna Miller about her debut, OUT OF CHARACTER, as well as how a background in psychology can help with writing characters, on giving yourself grace in the revision process, creating dynamic and interesting relationships between characters, when characters go rogue, and more.

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In this week’s bonus episode, Marissa and Joanne (the Happy Writer Social Media Captain and writer of several middle grade books) chat about the topic they most frequently get asked about from authors and aspiring authors: how to be more productive. In this conversation Marissa and Joanne share their best tips on how to be a productive writer, maximize time management, maintain joy in the process, tackle big goals, find the perfect work/life balance, and more. 

 

Some of the methods/suggestions discussed:

Alphasmart: https://hackaday.com/2020/11/05/alphasmart-neo-teardown-this-is-the-way-to-write-without-distractions/

The Pomodoro Method: https://www.lifehack.org/articles/productivity/the-pomodoro-technique-is-it-right-for-you.html 

NaNoWriMo: https://nanowrimo.org/ 

Write or Die: https://v2.writeordie.com/ 

The Ivy Lee Method: https://medium.com/the-ascent/the-ivy-lee-method-a-profoundly-simple-yet-effective-way-to-get-more-out-of-your-to-do-list-71dea851e3c

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In this week’s episode, Marissa chats with Ellen O'Clover about her debut SEVEN PERCENT OF RO DEVEREUX - as well as her long and twisty journey to publication; how you’ll publish the book you’re meant to publish; researching technology to get inside a character’s head and create believable details that might be outside your own knowledge; about the question of would you want to know the future if given the chance; how giving each character an arc adds depth to the novel, and protecting the magic of writing from the heartbreak of rejection. Bonus: Marissa and Ellen play the MASH game. 

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Marissa chats with Adrienne Young and Isabel Ibañez about their new co-authored writing resource - THE STORYTELLER’S WORKBOOK: AN INSPIRATIONAL, INTERACTIVE GUIDE TO THE CRAFT OF NOVEL WRITING  - as well as a shared nostalgia for school librarians and journalism classes; the reality of how much of our careers we really have control over, and where we should be putting most of our focus and energy; creating boundaries on social media; tips for tackling writer's block; and the myriad ways "The Storyteller's Workbook" can assist in writing and publishing your novel - from developing characters, to coming up with titles, to tracking your progress, to writing your query, and so much more. Plus, we talk about our goals for the new year and dreaming for the future!

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Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Tziporah Cohen and Steven Salerno about their new picture book - ON THE CORNER OF CHOCOLATE AVENUE: HOW MILTON HERSHEY BROUGHT MILK CHOCOLATE TO AMERICA - as well as the process and timeline of a picture book, from manuscript and revisions to artist selection, preliminary sketches, and beyond; the vast amounts of research that go into the creation of a nonfiction picture book, for both the prose and the illustrations; why its important for writers to leave room for the illustrator to bring their own ideas and interpretations to the story; how so often rejection is a result of poor timing, not necessary the quality of the work; having the confidence to identify as a writer; and a few different inspiring stories of perseverance - from chocolate makers to writers!

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Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Mary E. Pearson about her expanded and illustrated edition of MORRIGHAN: THE BEGINNINGS OF THE REMNANT UNIVERSE - as well as how our writing processes tend to change as each new book presents its own unique challenges; the pros and cons of writing a multi-book series; thinking of your romance storyline as a game the characters are playing, in order to imbue the relationship with loads of chemistry and tension; some insight into the process of writing a prequel to a longer work; how the insecurities we feel tend to be universal and ongoing (regardless of where you are in your career), but how tapping into your love of a story - and focusing on making it better in revisions - can help you push past those doubts.

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
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Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/

Marissa chats with Lynn Ng Quezon about her debut historical fiction YA - MATTIE AND THE MACHINE - as well as the similarities between writing historical, retellings, and fanfiction; drawing on primary resources and documents to spin your historical tale, and how small details can spark new ideas in your plot and backstory; deciding when to stay true to history and when to massage the facts, dialogue, or even personalities of your characters to make for a more engaging story; dealing with comparisons and jealousy when it feels like your writing group is leaving you behind, and why it's important to celebrate the successes of others; plus some words of wisdom about ergonomics, stretching, and regular movement. (Productivity is great, but don't neglect your health!) 

The Happy Writer at Bookshop.org
Purchasing your books through our webstore at Bookshop.org supports independent bookstores.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Order The Happy Writer: Get More Ideas, Write More Words, and Find More Joy from First Draft to Publication and Beyond https://bookshop.org/a/11756/9781250362377

Find out more and follow The Happy Writer on social media: https://www.marissameyer.com/podcast/