Debut Author Interviews

Sarah Aronson is the author of Head Case (Roaring Brook Press/Holtzbrinck Group, Fall 2007)

• Sarah Aronson on...Writing Process
• Sarah Aronson on...First Novels
• Sarah Aronson on...Family Appreciation
• Sarah Aronson on...Completion
• Sarah Aronson on...Critique Groups
• Sarah Aronson on...The Call
• Sarah Aronson on...Audience
• Sarah Aronson on...Writing Schedule
• Sarah Aronson on...Other Careers
• Sarah Aronson on...Agents
• Sarah Aronson on...Prior Research
• Sarah Aronson on...Ideas
• Sarah Aronson on...Training
• Sarah Aronson on...Celebrations
• Sarah Aronson on...Influential Books
• Sarah Aronson on...Outlines
• Sarah Aronson on...Why Write?
• Sarah Aronson on...Book Memory
• Sarah Aronson on...Self-Help Books
• Sarah Aronson on...Taste in Books

What is your writing process?

First, I need a title. Nothing happens until I have one.

Then I spend some time “loitering.” My process relies heavily on serendipity. I read the newspaper, take long walks, listen carefully to what people I know are talking about. I look around for interesting signs, garbage in the gutter. I eavesdrop.

When I think I have an opening line, I start to write. I write and rewrite the first ten pages until I am satisfied. I play around with POV. I interview the viewpoint character. I think about setting. Spend a great deal of time thinking about how my character sees things. I work on the obstacle….the whole time, I wonder: what does the character want??

Once I’ve settled on title, character, beginning, and obstacle, I write like mad. As fast as possible.

When I’m done with the draft, the real work starts….

Was this the first full-length novel you wrote, or rather the first that you sold?

I wrote four “practice” novels before I began writing Head Case. It was only when I focused on the “process” rather than the “product”—when I began to study craft—that I reached this wonderful milestone. (I started writing in 2000!!)

I think new writers should learn to expect rejection as part of the process. Yes, there appear to be many of us who struck gold right away. But for most of us, it takes time. And that can be great. You learn to develop your voice—and much more.

My advice to a new writer:

READ!
Study craft.
Get a group to evaluate your work honestly.
Accept rejection and stay focused. Enjoy your work. Hopefully, you’ll have lots of support. A safe place—a loving family who believes in you—in essential!!!

Now that you’re under contract, does your family better appreciate your writing?

My kids have been great. We like to joke that while I’ve been writing and working toward an MFA, they’ve been raised by wolves.

Wolves make very good parents!!

How did you know you were “done” with your book and ready to submit it?

Writing is rewriting. It is hard for me to let my manuscripts go.

Writing HEAD CASE was a lot like a human explosion. I wrote most of the first draft when my son was recovering from appendicitis. Lucky for me, I was at Vermont College. I was able to show my work to an advisor. I explored character, form, tense, and made many changes.

Before I had an agent, I relied on my critique friends to assure me my work was ready. This is another great reason to have an agent.

Do you belong to a writing group?

For me, a writing community is essential. None of my novels were written alone. I need to talk things out and hear what others say before I am ready to submit. It is part of the process.

One of the great reasons to get your MFA is that the program helps you create community. The writers at Vermont College are smart and have improved my writing. It was a privilege and learning experience hearing what my advisors had to say. But before they ever saw anything, many dear friends—people I trust—weighed in.

What happened when you received ‘The Call’ that your book would be published?

My phone died. Seriously. Barry (my agent) called. Told me the good news. I started crying. That was it. Dead air. No land line. I couldn’t call anyone for three hours.

My daughter, who has read everything I’ve ever written, was at dance class when I got the news. When I picked her up, I pulled her aside and we started screaming. “We did it!”

Who is the target audience for your book?

I wrote HEAD CASE for readers 14 and up.

It contains some rough language and other ban-worthy elements.

What is your writing schedule?

I have a full time job. It is a fun job, and I talk to many people every day.

I keep a notebook handy so I can write down anything that makes me pause: names, comments, news items, funny stories. If I trip on something in the parking lot, I write it down. If the burrito is spicy, I write it down.

I drive home without the radio or music. I try to think about the day and the place where I’ve left the story.

When the kids start their homework, I get right to work. (This is new for me. My last job started at ten, so I worked in the morning.)

My office is in the living room. It is painted bombay red on three walls. There will be wallpaper on the fourth. The floors are hardwood. My kids’ art work is on the wall. We just moved into this condo. Everything is shiny.

I write either two new pages a day, unless I’m revising, in which case, I try to keep working for two full hours. No posting allowed!!!

What career would you pursue if you weren’t a writer?

My father claims that I have a knack for pursuing low paying jobs that require a huge amount of time and service to the community.

With that in mind…

I have always wanted to run for public office!

Is an agent useful or necessary for a first-time author?

I love having an agent.

Having a person—not a relative—who believes they can make money representing you is the greatest confidence boost. My agent is also a great editor, advisor, and friend.

And could I have read and understood the contract without him???

No way.

My advice to new writers is to look for an agent. And if you get a contract without an agent, use that offer to find one. Then you can concentrate on writing…and blogging…and emailing!
:-)

How much research and/or meditation about your subject did you do before you began your first draft?

HEAD CASE started out as a poetry novel. I think this is because I wasn’t ready to write the story. I started writing when I was very lonely and feeling judged. My son was in the hospital, and I was frustrated. The poems (I still like to call them poems!!) let me start envisioning the protagonist, his backstory, and the plot.

It wasn’t until my third complete revision that I made the decision to write the book in prose. Now it seems so obvious, but at the time, it seemed HUGE! By this time, I had researched spinal cord injury and the latest in rehabilitation. I’d spoken with many young men and women with quadriplegia. Writing in prose opened up my story. When I look at those early drafts, the only thing that stayed the same was the original premise, the protagonist, and the names of the characters.

I enjoyed the revision process. (And still am enjoying it!) With each revision, I learned more about Frank and his story. It took a lot of hard thinking and letting go of old ideas. I had to jump off the cliff.

Where did you get the idea for your book?

I used to be a physical therapist in a rehabilitation hospital. I worked with people with spinal cord and closed head injuries. I often wondered what it was like for my patients to return home. What were those first moments, days, weeks like? Did friends visit? Did they leave the home?

My protagonist, Frank, was not any one of my patients. But he was inspired by many brave people who worked with me in rehab.

What writing training have you had?

I have a BA in English and taught Freshman Writing straight out of school. When I decided to fully commit myself to writing fiction, I joined writing groups and attended many SCBWI events. But I knew I needed more. So I applied to Vermont College and was lucky to get in. Last year, I earned a Masters in Fine Arts. It was a life changing experience. My Vermont College advisors challenged me to try new things. To tear up old drafts and write fresh. To look at my characters in new ways. Studying craft and reading was invaluable. I spent at least 30 hours each week taking chances.

There are many excellent programs. It was a hard decision to take on so much debt. If you can do it, I highly recommend going!

How did you celebrate your book sale?

Shoes.

What books had an impact on you when you were growing up?

As a kid, I watched TV. I went to movies. I loved the theater. I was not a reader until I lived in England at age 16.

There I started reading Dickens, the Bronte sisters, and Thomas Hardy. I was attracted to the darker tones of their work. And the windy, dark climate around me fit my mood! When I came home, I continued to read: Catcher in the Rye, Lolita, and Anna Karenina were some of my favorites. I’ll admit, I loved Agatha Christie, too! I didn’t discover YA literature until I was an adult. I spend a lot of time catching up!!

Do you outline before writing?

Never.

At the start of a project, I usually only know:
the main character
the first line
how I want the book to end.

If I know much more, my interest tends to wane. (Isn’t that strange?) I love the process of exploration—that first draft—when I’m just plunging. Everything can change. It doesn’t have to be good.

Once I’m done with a draft, I make an outline—a story board—of what I have written. That helps me pinpoint where my story has taken inappropriate turns.

Why do you write?

As a kid, I was a compulsive liar. I always wanted to be someone else. Later, I turned to story telling. In performance, I became that character. As a writer, I am able to explore character further. My favorite part about reading: Books offer easy access to the minds of other people.

I enjoy the process of writing. The ups and downs of discovery. It has been a really interesting transition, as I see my process becoming product!

What is your earliest book memory?

As a kid, I was not a big reader.

My first favorite novel was Harriet the Spy. I could identify….

I actually started a spy journal of my own.

What are some of your current favorite writing or author-help books?

Robert Olen Butler, FROM WHERE YOU DREAM The chapter on Cinema of the Mind is a must read—especially if you are having trouble with pacing, scene structure, and POV. The chapter called Yearning is one I also reread.

Janet Burroway, WRITING FICTION A Book every Writer should own.

John Gardner, THE ART OF FICTION He coined the phrase, psychic distance.

I just picked up Francine Prose’s READING LIKE A WRITER. It was highly recommended by reliable friends!

Do you have different taste in kids’ books as an adult writer than as a kid?

As a kid, I did not read. I loved film and TV. Horror and comedy. I didn’t really read much at all until age 16, when I lived in England, and began studying and devouring English literature.

I began to write as I started reading to my kids. I loved that experience. Kid on lap. Book in hand. Drama!!!

Now when I read, I have to remind myself to read for pleasure. I know that sounds ridiculous, but while getting an MFA, I learned to read to learn to write. (It’s the best way!!)