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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Who Do You Write For Part #2

This is the middle-grade novel edition.

When I am working on a novel, I am not writing for the Queen (shhhhhh!! Don't tell her. She might be listening.)

I am writing for the child I once was.

I am writing the book I wanted to read when I was eleven.

Eleven year-old Me was such a little conundrum. I loved watching Star Trek re-runs with my dad (the really old ones. "Why does it look like Mr. Spock is wearing eyeshadow, Daddy?"), and found Monty Python hilarious when I sneaked a peek of it on PBS. (More than once. And just for the record, the parrot WAS dead.)

Eleven year-old Me still played with dolls sometimes. Barbies. Yeah, I know...but they really did have them back then. I wanted a princess dress badly, but never, ever had one. And I thought it would be cool to be a general (nice medals) or a super-hero (flying power and super-strength, please.)

Eleven year-old Me created stuff all the time. Seriously, all the time. I loved projects, messes and art...and baking cookies.

I lived in my head a lot.

I was rarely bored.

Don't get me wrong-- I have not written a book with Star Trek or Barbies or Generals in it (yet). My current book is a far, far cry from such things. However, it is still for eleven year-old ME, that little girl that I knew so well. She would have loved something different from what other kids were reading. She would have loved the adventurousness of the MC and the quiet magic that unfolds with the story.

I think she would have read my story more than once. She would have dreamed she was the girl in my story when she closed her eyes.

hrh

11 comments:

Catherine Denton said...

Oh, I'm so glad you're writing for her.

Roxy said...

I love this. You reminded me of a little girl I once knew. I was alone a lot as a child, and I loved to imagine. I never felt lonely while creating a story. Wonderful post.

Tricia J. O'Brien said...

I still live in my head a lot, and my 11-year-old self is still there, excited to read your quiet magic. Are all the stages of our lives always in residence?

Laura Pauling said...

I write the books I'd like to read now but many of the same elements are the same from the books I liked growing up.

Unknown said...

I like the sound of that. Quiet magic and an adventurous MC.

Corey Schwartz said...

Oh, I loved Part 1 of this series and Part 2 did not disappoint! :)

(How come I can't even remember being eleven?)

Susan R. Mills said...

Yeah, I think I write for the 16 year old me.

Jemi Fraser said...

Sounds like you're going to have a terrific story once you're done!

Rebecca Gomez said...

You remind me of me.

I think we should all get reacquainted with our 11-year-old selves!

Sharon K. Mayhew said...

It sounds like you are having fun with this piece....and isn't that what is important?

Unknown said...

Eleven-year-old me would have hit it off with eleven-year-old you.