R. L. Stedman

Writer

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What I Learned from Writing a Non Fiction Book

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What I Learned from Writing a Non Fiction Book

Picture Book

I’ve often thought of writing a non-fiction book. After all, I have this blog – it’s not as though I’ve never written in the genre. But I’ve never had the courage, or the energy.

But Susan Day, whom I’ve met on Twitter, has.

So when she told me she’s just finished a non-fiction work, I asked her if she’d mind discussing the experience on a blog post.

She very kindly said “Yes”.

So, over to Susan …

Learning from Writing Non-Fiction

I have been writing children’s books for a number of years now. I write middle grade, chapter books in the Astro’s Adventures series. I’ve also turned my creative skills to early readers and picture books. I love illustrating books and designing them.

However, when I became a grandmother at the very young age of 47, I still continued to write children’s books, but my life had changed and I knew as a writer I needed to confront it.

I decided to write a non-fiction book about grandparenting called The Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing! And, like many non-fiction books there would be no pictures, no jokes, and no zany adventures. This would mean quite a change in my writing style.

Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing

So, how did I move successfully from a fiction author to a non-fiction author?

Facts and Figures are about Real People

As I began to research my book I discovered that most of the facts were about real people. Of course, statistics are just numbers, but behind those were stories and lives that were interesting.

I was touched when I read how some parents had become suicidal after being separated from their grandkids. I was buoyed when I read that when a positive relationship exists between grandparents and grandkids neither group are likely to fall victim to depression.

There’s Always a Story to Tell

Being a storyteller by trade I knew that my experiences of being a grandparent weren’t unique. I believed that many other young grandparents were probably going through similar experiences as me.

While researching the book, I discovered that grandparents are richer and healthier than they have ever been in the history of the world. I discovered that they come in all different shapes and sizes, and that my original idea of a granny being grey-haired and dressed in an apron was far from reality.

I wanted to include my story and stories I had heard from others. Sometimes the stories are poignant, and other times funny. I was able to use my fiction writing skills to make the research more relatable so that anyone reading it would be able to say, “Oh, that’s me!” or “Yes, I feel like that.”

Touch the Reader’s Heart

I wrote The Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing! so that grandparents could feel more empowered, and do something positive about their relationship with their grandkids.

I didn’t like the way that many grandparents just sat back and played a passive role; babysitting when asked, cooking for special occasions and helping out with cash.

The Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing! encourages grandparents to create their own Grandparenting Philosophy. This is a real document that they put together as they read through the book. There’s a whole section for compiling the information or those savvy grannies can complete the form online.

WTF

It was this aspect of writing a non-fiction book that dramatically changed from writing a fiction book. When one is writing fiction you can create worlds, and control the emotions of your characters. Non-fiction books, however, deal with real people who have a wealth of experiences and knowledge to draw from. Part of the writing process for me was to respect that, and provide a platform from which my readers would feel safe. Feeling safe leads to feelings of trust, and once trust is established it is much easier to get your point across.

Did I Love Writing a Non-Fiction Book?

Yes, I did love creating and writing a non-fiction book. It took me back to my university days when I was scribbling down notes and adding references to end notes: an old skill I had to learn again!

I loved telling my story and using it to build a connection with other grandparents. I also loved showing them how much they do have to offer, and how important it was that they spend precious time with their grandchildren in simple, but meaningful ways.

Now that my first non-fiction book is complete, I don’t have plans for any more as yet, but you never know.

Susan Day

You can find The Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing! on all online stores – here’s its Amazon link

About Susan Day

Susan Day is a passionate author, educator and, of course, a grandmother. She wants to empower all grandparents to build meaningful relationships with their grandchildren. Discover here the Top 10 Things Happy Grandparents Never Regret Doing.

Also, her blog, Astro’s Adventures Book Club, is full of ideas and tips for grandparents who want to build a strong relationship with their grandchildren through reading and sharing books.

Susan lives in country Australia with four dogs, three bossy cats, two rescue guinea pigs, and an errant kangaroo.

The Perils and Pitfalls of Writing a Trilogy

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Writing a Trilogy? Here’s What to Do (And What Not To Do)

SoulNecklace Stories (Box Set)

I’ve just published the final book in The SoulNecklace Stories.

This feels like a momentous occasion; it certainly has felt like a lot of work! This series has been nearly eight years in the making, with a fair number of fits and starts along the way.

So this blog post is like a message to my former self – as well as to anyone embarking on a trilogy. Here’s the things I wish I’d done, plus the (few) things I did do that worked well.

Top learnings:

Do

  • Write them! Series are great! They are actually a heck of a lot easier than writing stand-alone novels, because you don’t have to reinvent another world or another set of characters. Writing A Memory of Fire, the last book in my SoulNecklace Stories, felt a little like slipping on a comfy pair of slippers. Once I’d settled on the plot, I could just go.
  • Build your world-rules carefully. When writing fantasy, or indeed any fiction, you create a fictional world. This world has rules: things that are allowed, or not allowed.  Readers are (generally) content to go with these rules, but they do become upset when they spot an inconsistency.

Typically, a writer will have rules that are based around location or appearance (you can’t have a black-haired character suddenly becoming blonde without a reason) but in fantasy the rules are way more extensive and can include magic, technology, religion, geography: in fact, any part of life. This makes writing fantasy fun, but full of pitfalls.

As a writer, it can be hard to remember all your rules, especially once you’re 300,000 words in!

  • Draw maps and pictures. This helps to navigate around castles, houses, villages, countries, whatever. Once I figured this trick out I could get a feeling for distance (how long would it take to travel 40 leagues – and how long is a league anyway?)
  • Plan a little bit, but not too much. I found it helpful to have an idea of the stories ultimate destination (and no, not going to give that spoiler away), but by not being too settled on what would happen too early, interesting characters emerged. Like the Kamaye, the Wayhouses, TeSin and Ma Evans. They all spontaneously arose from my subconscious. I’d not planned for them at all, but weaving their stories into the main narrative added a lot to the overall depth.
  • Write faster! I really wish I’d just knuckled down and put the words on the page. Instead, I became distracted by other projects. This was partly fear – what if the conclusion was awful, what if no-one liked it. So, all in all, it took nearly 8 years to complete the series, but if I’d gotten over my fear issues I could have finished it a lot sooner.

WTF

Don’t

  • Don’t bother too much with the marketing until you’ve finished the series. I really wish I’d figured this out earlier. No point on worrying about Facebook ads or Goodreads giveaways until the series is completed. On a plus side, once a series is completed suddenly readers are very happy, because they can binge-read.
  • Don’t overpromise.  I found that I needed breaks from my imaginary worlds to retain the joy of the process, and this meant I had slow periods. Plus, because writing a series just takes so darn long, life gets in the way. This is part of the writing challenge, but it’s hard to explain to an impatient publisher or reader.
  • Don’t be daunted by the amount of work. Writing a novel is a huge amount of work. Writing a trilogy … oh man! It’s way more! You have to be totally committed before starting, because this world and these characters will be part of your life for a couple of years. It’s a big deal, taking on a two-year project, and not being certain of the outcome. All the time, through your head, a little voice murmurs: What if it’s no good. What if no-one likes it? What if no-one buys it? What if, what if…

And Finally

The most important lesson to anyone embarking on series: ditch the fear. Just do it anyway. You’ll be glad you did.

And, as a bonus, the third book might be so much fun to write that you might be tempted to write another book, or even just a novella, in the same universe.

A Long, Long Life

But that’s another story…

 

You can find The SoulNecklace Stories online or, in hard copy as individual titles on this website, or at your local library.

How to Get Published

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How to Get Published –

How to Get Published

So you’ve got a story you’re aching to share?  Here’s a step by step guide to getting published.

This is the fifth post in a series called Options for Publishing. This series is based on a talk I did recently in Taranaki.

Before reading this post, I suggest you go back and read the other posts in this series, as they tie together. Here’s the links:

This is a long post; you can download the PDF here.

Here are the slides from the talk:

 

How to Get Published:

1. Write

Keep a journal, a diary or a blog. Write poetry. The more writing you do the better. Think of it like fitness training; you don’t build a muscle without exercising it.

2.  Read a lot

Read books from diverse genres. Read classic books, read contemporary novels. I prefer reading books that are ten + years old more than the latest blockbusters, because I find time sifts out a lot of dross. However, I know that’s not always the best idea if you’re trying to work out what the market wants, and writing styles are constantly evolving. But you can NOT write well if you do not read. Period.

3. Write for free

Writing for a wider audience is good discipline, and helps you to get used to criticism aka “feedback“. I edited a professional magazine; it taught me about deadlines, formatting and word redundancy. School or universities generally have magazines and often welcome contributors. If you’re in a community or church group you could either start or contribute to a magazine or blog.

4. Training

Doing a writing course is not essential, but it does help. There’s nothing like intensive tuition to improve the craft of writing. Personally, I wouldn’t suggest spending enormous amounts of money or time. Gaining a Masters in Creative Writing is expensive and may not be any more beneficial than say a twelve-week course at a polytechnic. I prefer face-to-face to online, but there’s nothing right or wrong. Just make sure you participate. You won’t learn if you do not do.

5. Develop networks

Often in this world it’s not WHAT you know, it’s WHO you know. Talk to other writers. Join professional societies, like the New Zealand Society of Authors. Attend meetings. Read the magazines. Interact in forums. Talk to writers on twitter. Be helpful. Only one rule: Don’t be a dick.

If you write romance, or novels with a romantic theme I strongly recommend joining your national Romance Writers Association. RWAs are generally very commercially savvy and they’re highly internationally networked.

6. Go to conferences

In New Zealand there are very few writing conferences, alas, but if you’re in the States it’s a lot easier. Reason for conferences: you meet other writers (networking), you can have lessons in craft (training) and most usefully of all: you can often do cold reads or pitch agents/publishers. This can short-cut a lot of slush piles.

7. Submit to competitions

This was my break. Competitions are frequently listed in the forums of various professional organisations, and you’ll find more online. I suggest the smaller comps, as anything with thousands of entries are almost a lottery. But with some of the smaller ones, like the RWA ones, (another reason for joining), you’ll get feedback from the judges, and if you’re shortlisted, you may get your manuscript read by an agent or publisher.

8. Publish your own

The last four posts are my explanation of why this isn’t as crazy as it seems! There are pluses and minuses to publishing your own work, just as there are to using a publisher. These days, it’s more about understanding your options than recommending one particular path.

But whether or not you use a publisher to reach your audience, or you do it yourself, I would still follow steps 1 – 7 above.

How to Get Published

How to Submit to Agents/Publishers

If you decide that you don’t want the hassle of publishing your own work, then you’ll probably need someone to publish for you. Generally this involves an agent or a publisher. This is the classical approach, and until 2010 (ish) it was pretty much the only way to get your book published.

Warning: This can take a long, long time.

1. Write your book

2. Find out who the publishers and agents are that might be interested. You want to know who’s looking for new writers, what kind of work they want (no point in sending erotica to a children’s publisher, for example!), what format they want you to submit in. FOLLOW THIS!  Generally, this information will be on their websites.

Here’s what to do:

3. Make a list of who’s looking in your genre.

Be strategic – don’t submit to everyone at once. I’d start with 5 established agents with a great track record and 5 new ones who are hungry. Follow their submission instructions (have I said this before?!).

4. Send your submissions

  • Submissions generally consist of a query letter, a brief synopsis and, if requested, the first three chapters. This may vary, so again: check.
  • General rule of thumb seems to be that simultaneous submissions are okay to agents (that is, you it seems acceptable for you to submit to more than one agent at a time), but a definite no-no to publishers. If you are submitting to multiple agents at a time, I would let them know this; at the very least, it’s polite.
  • Here’s instructions on query letters and Marissa Meyer’s really good blog post on synopsis writing.
  • If an agent likes your work you’ll generally hear reasonably quickly. Publishers seem to take longer.
  • I allow 4 -6 weeks for an agent, and then I follow-up with an email.  If I still don’t hear anything I follow-up with another email advising I’m sending elsewhere. If you’ve submitted to a publisher you may  not hear anything for 4 – 6 months. Longer than that, and I usually send an email.
  • If you don’t get a good response to just a query submission, it might pay to rework your query letter.
  • Keep a spreadsheet of who you’ve submitted to, the date and the outcome.
  • Try not to get depressed. I know of writers who have submitted 1000 times before landing a deal!

If you want to short cut this process, enter competitions and go to conferences (see above!).

5. While you’re waiting, write another book. Or two. Or three…

An alternative approach:

Be famous or otherwise notorious!

Publishers and agents LOVE writers with an audience. If you’ve got a million followers on wattpad, SAY this. If you’ve got a huge youtube following, again: mention it in your pitch.

Options for publishing

What’s best?

This depends on your goals.

If you are desperate to see your book in book stores, you may be better to follow the classical approach of using an agent/publisher. Book stores tend to work through established channels, although there are signs this is changing. If you love literary fiction and you prefer to write richly textured novels, you may be better to approach traditional publishers. If critical acclaim and acceptance is important, again: a traditional model may be better.

However, if you’re just wanting to find people who want to read your work, if you write in a commercial genre with a huge readership (such as romance) and you’ve previously run a small business, my suggestion is self-publishing.

I say this because in the long run, you may be better off by finding your own route to market than by relying on a publisher third-party, who may or may not have the same goals as you. It’s also about the rights. Given that your copyright can last 50 + years, and that rights are constantly evolving, you may be better off in the long run to own the lot.

The good news: nowadays writers have options.

A Question of Rights

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What are Rights?

A Question of Rights

Copyright

Copyright is an automatic right generated by the development of an original work. Sometimes you see it written as ©

In New Zealand, copyright lasts for fifty years after an author’s death. In the United States, it’s SEVENTY years.

The copyright is owned by the creator, but he or she may allow another person to use their work. While the copyright remains in place, someone has to have permission to use it. In the publishing industry, permission is often called ‘licensing’, and permission is usually granted through a formal contract.

You may need to prove that you are the copyright holder. General practice among authors is to register their titles with the US Copyright Office. This is not essential, because copyright is automatic. But if you have a problem with your titles being pirated, this may help.

Copyright is a property right. You can’t hold an idea, like you can hold, for example, a house. Copyright is Intellectual Property; an intangible but valuable product. Sometimes “intellectual property” is shortened to simply “IP”.

There are other forms of intellectual property, like designs, patents and trademarks. This means if you’re writing a book, the front cover and the layout of the words (typesetting or formatting), which are design work, may belong to the publisher or cover designer. It also means you should check the licensing of any art you use in your cover. Don’t forget poetry or songs are also original work. So before using someone else’s ideas, make sure you have permission to do this.

You can find out more information at the NZ Intellectual Property Office (this is a really user-friendly site, and is worth a look even if you’re not based in New Zealand.)

If you want more information on rights, check out Joanna Penn’s podcast here.

Disclaimer: I am not a lawyer and this does not constitute legal advice. For legal advice, see a legal professional!

Rights in Space
Image Source

How are Rights Used?

Rights can be sliced and diced in many different ways. Here are some examples:

  • By format: digital, audio, print, radio, screenplay, braille.
  • By location: World, Asia, Europe, Australia. There is a new rights location, called simply Space! This may sound crazy. But remember: if your rights last for at least 50 years after your death, it’s very possible that people will be in space before your rights expire. I love the thought of astronauts listening to my books on audio!

What Does This Mean For Me?

You should think of your rights as assets. When you write a book, you are in effect creating something that could generate income not just for you, but for your children and your grandchildren.

You need to consider this, when you consider a contract from a publisher. You should ask yourself: Is the amount a publisher offers me more than the amount I may make from this book?

And you should also think: can I exploit these rights myself?

For me, I’m not so worried about having worldwide rights for A Necklace of Souls in say, Chinese. So if someone was to send me an interesting rights offer for Chinese worldwide rights, I could be interested.

However, if translation services go the way that is widely expected, it’s possible I might be better off holding onto translation rights and waiting for a few years.

Take The Long View

The value of your rights may increase as you produce more books. So don’t get discouraged early on. (This is something I am constantly telling myself!) Remember, too, that technology and platforms are constantly evolving, and that something you never dreamed of having a commercial value (like Space) may one day be a real possibility.

I guess at the end of the day it always takes time to create something of value — whether its a book or a house. But an asset is generally worth having!

What Does a Publisher Do?

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What does a Publisher Do?

What does a publisher do?

There are many types of book publishers: traditional (large house) publishers; niche publishers or small press; assisted self-publishing and author-as-publisher. It’s a rapidly changing market place — by 2016 42% of trade fiction in the US was from non-traditional publishers.

This post discusses what publishers do for fiction authors, and what is expected in return.

This post is the third in a series of four posts. You can read the first and second posts here.

Agents

Publishers had so many submissions they began using specialists in finding and sourcing quality work. These specialists are called literary agents. Nowadays, many large houses will only look at work if presented by an agent. This does vary between houses, so check a publisher’s website before applying.

An agent is a broker, a negotiator, and editor and sometimes a coach. They may offer advice to an author as to which publishers are short of work, and frequently have a deep understanding of the industry. I don’t have an agent, and they’re not essential. However, many highly successful independently published authors have them, just as traditionally published authors do.

Publishing Process

Traditional book publishing process

From Visually.

 

Types of Publishers

Large house

The publisher provides full editorial, printing, distribution and some marketing support.

Editorial Process:
  1. Developmental edit. An editor will provide an overview of the plot, characters, and identify areas for improvement. For example: you need to bring out one character’s story. Or: it’s too long, you need to lose twenty thousand words. Developmental editing sometimes feels like a dance, and as in dancing, you need to trust your partner.
  2. Structural edit: this is more like a continuity edit – checking for consistency in terminology, things like locations, directions and timelines are correct within the plot. This process sometimes includes a light copy edit – things like em dashes, speech marks, spelling.
  3. Copy edit: detailed spelling. A style sheet for the work is developed and applied consistently.
  4. Line edit/proofing edit: this usually happens just after the work is set for printing; the edit is done on the print proof. This is the last chance to catch any major errors.

Nowdays, many large publishers, having downsized their editorial teams, are likely to outsource to a freelancer. although sometimes they’ll do the copy and line-edit in house.

Marketing:

The publisher may use a PR agent to put out a press release and arrange interviews — radio, TV, newspaper and so on. Sometimes they may organise tours, like attending book festivals. Marketing teams have been downsized, so often they’re small on resource.

Social marketing, like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, is usually done by an individual author; unless you’re a big name author, it seems unusual for the house to provide support in the social space. Some well-to-do authors hire assistants to do these activities.

A publisher works with distributors and printers to make sure the book is printed and ready for bookstores to order and arranges disposal of unsold books.

Other services :

If the publisher has world-wide rights for all formats, they may work with translators. They’ll make sure your book is set out in electronic format, and they may do audio versions.

Other (unspoken) benefits of a large house:

There is more catchet with a large house. If you have a contract with, say Penguin Random, my feeling is you’re more likely to be accepted for residences, have your work in stores, and asked to present at conferences/book tours. In New Zealand you are more likely to be supported by state agencies. For example, the NZ Book Council told me I ‘do not qualify as an author.’

Disadvantages of a large traditional publishing house:

It is very hard to get a book contract with a large house, and it’s normal for a large publisher to take up to a year before confirming they’ll accept your work. Over this time it’s bad form to submit to another house (simultaneous submissions). So submitting to a traditional house may tie your manuscript up for a long time.

Contracts with large houses are frequently drafted in favour of the house. For example, they may not have a termination date, and may require world-wide rights. If you get a contract, read it, and if you’re not sure, check with an author’s advocacy agency, such as the New Zealand Society of Authors.

Although a publisher may sign you up for worldwide rights, they may not exploit them. This can mean you only have your books sold in one territory. Even if you think readers in other places may be interested you’re unable to sell to them. So again: read the contract.

Large houses usually take around 85 – 90 percent of the sales price of the book, although this varies depending on print run and locality. The usual advance in New Zealand for children’s fiction seems to be around $2000 although it is higher internationally. Any advance is paid of over sales of the book, so the author doesn’t receive anything more until the royalties are paid off. In New Zealand, this seems to take around 2 years, although again it can vary between genres and publishers.

If you want to read more information on average incomes, royalties and advances, here’s a useful 2016 article by Horizon Research 

Anecdotally, if you write literature for New Zealand children it is fairly common to receive the $2000 and then that’s it: unless your book is exceptionally popular, your work is unlikely to be reprinted.

A word of warning: If you’re fortunate enough to be offered a large advance, do not spend it; you should see it as a loan. Because if sales do not meet expectations a publisher may seek reimbursement of this advance.

WTF

Small Press

Small presses have low overheads and may be owner-operator, that is, they only have one or two people working with them. As they usually service niche industries and operate with tight margins they can be insecure.

However, a small press may be very collegial, and the authors may act to support each other.

Generally, they’re full-service, offering editorial and other support. They may be only work in ebook format, so you may not be able to access bookstores or print-based distribution.

A small press can be a great option if you’re new to writing, as you get the editorial support and learn how the publishing process works. You’re less likely to receive an advance, but you may still be seen as being ‘published’ by the establishment, so therefore you may still be eligible for residencies and book tours.

Because small presses are vulnerable to closure or acquisition, make sure any contract you sign will give you your rights back. Sometimes if the publisher closes their author’s rights are sold off as an asset; make sure this doesn’t happen to you. If you’re not sure, talk with your local author’s society.

Assisted Publishing

Assisted publishing is basically a fee-for-service. A company may offer some or all of the services of a large traditional house, but rather than paying the author, the author pays for the services. Sometimes this is called ‘partner publishing’ or ‘vanity publishing’. The model varies between companies so make sure you know what you’re buying.

Assisted publishing is frequently very expensive, and sometimes is a scam: do your homework before you sign any deal. The New Zealand Society of Authors and the Writer Beware websites can offer you more guidance on how to avoid being scammed.

Keep Calm and Carry On
From PinkPot Design

Do-it-Yourself or Independent Publishing

Indie publishers, like me, generally follow a similar process as a traditional publisher: editorial, design and marketing. But instead of an advance, we pay for it ourselves. We source editors and cover art. We may hire a formatter, engage a marketer and source our own PR. Some of these tasks we may do ourselves — for example, I do my own formatting. Sometimes we use software to help. Link to useful tools HERE

Independent publishing is a lot of work. However, royalties are around 30 – 90% on each sale, PLUS the author owns all the rights.

You’re unlikely to be offered a residency as an independent; frequently newspapers and other media are scathing of your abilities.

While it’s not technically difficult to do-it-yourself, it is time consuming. There is one mandatory requirement: you MUST be comfortable with computers.

Other models of publishing:

Publishing is changing all the time. Here’s a few examples:

Over to you – any other publishing processes I’ve missed out?

Writing Spooky Stories for Children: Tingle, Not Terror

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Writing Spooky Stories for Children —

I love ghost stories! My parents never knew this, but I began reading Stephen King when I was ten years old — Carrie, progressing rapidly to The Shining, It (fantastic title) and The TommyKnockers. While I hate horror, and my kids say I’m a total wimp, I love the spine-tingling freakiness of a great ghost story.

And because a good ghost story is EXCITING, they are a great way to encourage kids to read.

Technique and Terror

While ghost stories are great at hooking kids into reading, writing them for children is surprisingly difficult. You have to keep the reader at the edge of their seat, but in no way do you want them traumatised. Writing a good ghost story requires breakneck pacing, comic relief to offset the bleak moments (and there’s no way you can avoid the bleak moments, it’s a ghost story) and characters and settings that are so extreme they’re almost a parody.

Think of The Addams Family, or Ghostbusters: scary, funny but never dull.

So when I learned that my wonderful editor, Sue Copsey, had just finished her first box set of horror books for kids — think RL Stine, but with a New Zealand twist — I grabbed the chance of an interview. I just had to ask this expert writer: ‘How do you do it?’

Here’s her replies. Hope you enjoy.

Sue Copsey
Sue Copsey

How to Write a Spooky Story

What makes a story spooky?

Spookiness in a story is mostly about creating an atmosphere: a waft of chilly air, the feeling of being watched, shadows, darkness, and of course the ever-reliable creaking front door, thunderstorms, and moaning wind!

Spookiness is very different to full-on horror, which I wouldn’t want any child of mine reading. While horror can send you screaming from the room, spooky will have you looking over your shoulder. It’s all about the suggestion of something. It’s … Shh? What was that? Something’s not quite right, something’s making your spine tingle.

 

Why do you write ghost stories? 

I guess most authors write the sort of thing they like to read, and I’ve always been a fan of ghost stories. As a child, there was something delicious about being tucked up in bed reading a scary story by torchlight. I grew up in England, where every village has its myths and spooks, and I was fascinated by the history behind haunted spots. Places like old battlefields, ruins and deserted WWII airfields have such an atmosphere. Is this just because we know what happened there, or is there some sort of echo that we pick up on? I like to explore these ideas through writing.

There’s so much scope in writing ghost stories for children. I can include history, mystery and adventure, as well as the creepy stuff. Generally, I’m keen on finding ways of teaching history that will grab children’s interest. For example, most kids probably have little interest in the Otago Gold Rush (the theme of The Ghosts of Moonlight Creek), but weave that information into a story about a lost golden nugget and a ghostly gold miner, and they might learn some history without even being aware of it.

 

Have you ever seen a real ghost?

Maybe! It was on my wedding night (yes, you may make your smutty joke here). It had of course been a long day with a certain amount of champagne, and I was possibly tired-and-emotional enough to be hallucinating, but I’m still pretty sure the figure silhouetted in the bedroom doorway wasn’t imagined (the door flew open and shut in a matter of seconds). And when I discovered the next day that the hotel was notorious for spooky goings-on, then I thought, maybe …

 

How do you make sure your stories are exciting but not too scary for kids?

I aim to give the reader a little thrill rather than a nightmare. One reviewer said my stories have ‘just the right amount of tingle for the spine’. To make them exciting I keep the pace fast – I want the reader to keep turning the pages. Today’s kids have such short attention spans and soon get bored if there’s nothing much happening, and I’m very aware of this as I write – I’m competing with apps and computer games for kids’ time. And I won’t give up; I really really want kids to keep reading!

As far as ‘not too scary’ goes, out of all the ghosts in my books (a total of seven spooks in three books so far), only one turns out to be nasty. The others are benign. I didn’t initially plan it that way, but no matter how I tried to write them, my ghosts wanted to be lost souls trying to right past wrongs, or sending warnings, and for that they needed the help of my hero, Joe, who has the ability to see ghosts.

spooky stories
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What are some things you’ve learned through writing ghost stories?

As a writer, the most important lesson I’ve learned is how to slash and burn my text to keep the pace moving along. My first in the ghost story series (originally published in 2011) was full of surplus words, and I recently re-edited it to fix it. After three books I think I’ve nailed it – I’m now a demon with the red pen (OK, the delete button, but red pen sounds better). I’ve also learned how to get plenty of tension into a story – how to keep the reader turning those pages.

On the factual side, because my books are set in interesting and historical New Zealand locations, I’ve learned a lot about my lovely adopted country, and have greatly enjoyed my ‘research’ trips J

 

What advice do you have for people wanting to write for children? 

Start by reading a wide variety of children’s books – picture books, chapter books, novels – so you can recognize what makes a great kids’ read. Don’t assume that writing for children is easier than writing for adults. Many authors will tell you it’s harder! If you haven’t grabbed them by the end of page 1, you’re doomed. If you have kids of your own, try and put your finger on why they like certain books and not others. Then learn the craft of writing. Even if you have talent and ideas by the bucketload, you still need to learn what makes a story work, how to write a great character, how to nail your beginning and ending, and how to write text for the age level you’re aiming at – not too many difficult words, for example. Don’t send off your first draft to a publisher or agent. Get feedback – attend workshops and join writing groups, and draft and redraft until everyone is telling you, ‘It’s there – submit!’

 

Where can people find you?

My website is at www.suecopsey.com. It’s a mish-mash of information on my books and editing services, and spooky stuff for kids, like jokes, a colouring-in, and a list of the most haunted places in NZ.

 

What are you working on next?

I’m having a break from spooks; I’m a short way into a middle-grade fantasy. Against all advice (publishers don’t want books set in New Zealand, apparently – fools!), I AM making it a New Zealand book, because I want Kiwi kids, as well as the rest of the world, to know what a unique and unusual place this is. I have some vague, hopelessly optimistic idea that in making them aware of how awesome it is, and how lucky they are to live here, the next generation might be inspired to protect New Zealand to a greater degree than my own is failing to do. For an author, there is so much scope here – vast areas of mountain and forest wilderness, full of strange animals found nowhere else in the world. Weird birds, prehistoric reptiles, strange sea creatures … wait, did I say fantasy? Actually, this is our reality! I won’t say any more, I’m only a couple of chapters in but the rest of it is there in my head, waiting for me to find the words. I’m excited about it, can you tell?

 

Spooky Stories
Spooky Spine-Tinglers

About Sue:

Sue Copsey is an award-winning writer of spooky adventure stories for older children. Her 2015 title The Ghosts of Tarawera was  a Notable Book Award. As well as children’s fiction, Sue has produced many non-fiction books, including the UK Times Educational Supplement award winner Children Just Like Me, and Our Children Aotearoa, which also won a Notable Book Award. Sue has two children and lives in Auckland, where she edits AMAZING books (sorry Sue, just had to put that in!)