Questions for Jennifer and Laura about writing and co-writing
What story parts do you enjoy writing most? Least?
Jennifer: I enjoy writing dialogue the most, especially when characters are bantering. Dialogue almost always gets written first. In fact, I have all sorts of trashed dialogue scenes that never wind up fitting in the actual book. What I like writing least is when I have point A written, and point C, and I’ve forced myself to come up with some sort of reasonable way to get from point A to point C. Basically, I have to create a point B that doesn’t feel forced, which is hard when I’m forcing it to happen! I’ve been known to have huge middle-of-the-story epiphanies after the book is drafted which force me to change major plot points from that point on.
Laura: This is probably super obvious, but the stuff that I enjoy most is the stuff that’s fun. I love fast-paced, funny dialogue and action, to the point where when I’m writing something that’s not that then it just feels like filler that needs to be worked on. The stuff I like least is fight scenes. I’m no good at it unless I make a joke of it, but then once I do that it’s fun and I like it! So I guess as long as I can manage to keep things silly I’m usually happy with writing.
With or without music? What kind?
Laura: With music, but only if it’s instrumental. Lyrics are too distracting. I love Danny Elfman music like the soundtracks for Edward Scissorhands and Corpse Bride and Sleepy Hollow. Generally, any time Danny Elfman does music for a Tim Burton movie the result is something fabulous that’s great for writing. Other music that works sometimes is JP Sousa and Scott Joplin.
Jennifer: Without. I’d rather write in total silence. I’m such a music weirdo. I get totally distracted by it. 90% of the time, I listen to music to make fun of the lyrics. Music is one of those things that makes me suspicious I might have been born on some other planet.
Any authors you wish you could be?
Jennifer: I wish I was Madeleine L'Engle. Was she cool? Maybe I should know more about her life before I commit. I’d also like to go back in time and have written Bunnicula. Along those lines, Louis Sachar was pretty much a writing genius.
Laura: I love Mark Twain, PG Wodehouse, Gideon Defoe, Kurt Vonnegut, Sarah Vowell, and many, many, many other fabulous writers. But I wouldn’t want to be any of them because then I wouldn’t be able to be a reader of their books. Maybe I’d be Margaret Atwood, just because she’s amazing beyond amazing, and I could live with being that.
What’s the best thing about co-writing? The most challenging?
Laura: Co-writing is sort of like a game, especially if there’s not a solid outline ahead of time. One person writes one chapter, the other person writes the next one, which changes stuff and makes it so person #1 has to adapt to the new material, etc. My little sister and I did it growing up (the result being super nerdy and hopefully hilarious Lord of the Rings fan fiction), so it’s always been a hobby of mine. I was super happy when Jennifer asked me if I wanted to do this project, because I love co-writing, and I love the things Jennifer has written on her own. The only problem is when we have to work on something together at the same time. Different time zones and unpredictable schedules can make it tough.
Jennifer: Bouncing ideas off another person and being able to share new writing as it happens is great. Normally as an author, I have to wait forever to share something, and it drives me crazy. A co-writer is pretty much forced to read what you wrote, so that’s fantastic. The biggest challenge is probably finding time when our schedules line up. We’re both really familiar with the “I really meant to have 30 minutes to write tonight, but I ended up cleaning pee out of a Halloween costume instead” problem.
Please ask more questions down below, and stay tuned for guest blogs from some of our favorite characters. If there are any requests, feel free to leave them. I'm sure McManlyman would love to share some recipes or Cedric would love to not answer your questions about...just about anything.