Francess Lantz
Francess Lantz is the award-winning author of 25 books for middle graders and young adults. She was born in Bucks County, Pa. and spent her early years drawing pictures and making up stories. But when the Beatles invaded America, she turned to rock 'n' roll and spent the next 15 years writing songs and performing. When it became apparently she wasn't going to become a world famous rock star, she became a children's librarian and eventually returned to writing. She sold her first book -- a YA novel about a girl who wants to be a rock star -- to Addison-Wesley in 1982, and she's been selling ever since.
She's written middle grade fiction (DEAR CELESTE, MY LIFE IS A MESS was a Booklist Pick of the List), young adult fiction (SOMEONE TO LOVE is the lead book on Avon's new hardcover list), non-fiction (about rock music and acting), and series books (including SWEET VALLEY TWINS and HARDY BOYS). She lives in Santa Barbara, CA. with her husband and five-year-old son. When she isn't writing she likes to ride horses, kayak, and talk about backhoe loaders (well, actually it's her son who likes that; mostly, she just listens).
Bibliography (books currently in print):
BE A STAR (non-fiction, Troll)
NEIGHBORS FROM OUTER SPACE (middle grade fiction, Troll)
SPINACH WITH CHOCOLATE SAUCE (middle grade fiction, Troll)
SOMEONE TO LOVE (Avon YA hardcover)
STEPSISTER FROM THE PLANET WEIRD (middle grade fiction, Random
House)
SWEET VALLEY TWINS -- CENTER OF ATTENTION
SWEET VALLEY TWINS -- JESSICA'S BAD IDEA
HARDY BOYS - DANGER UNLIMITED
HARDY BOYS - MYSTERY WITH A DANGEROUS BEAT
FORTHCOMING: FADE FAR AWAY (Avon YA hardcover, 1998)
1) I am writing an adventure for young adults and the there are
two main characters. Will it be a good thing to switch points of
view from one to another as I write?
I think it depends on what you're trying to achieve. If the two characters have very different points of view and/or they will be doing things alone in the book (that is, one has knowledge of an event that the other doesn't) then writing from two points of view can be very effective. I did that in my novel STEPSISTER FROM THE PLANET WEIRD because one main character is a Earthling and one is an alien. It was important for the reader to know both their points of view. But don't do it just for the sake of doing it. And be sure to keep the two characters clear to the reader. You might do one chapter from one POV and one from the other. Or one chapter in diary entries and one in regular text. If you simply assume the omniscient narrator POV and hop in and out of both character's heads, that can be confusing -- but you can pull it off if your writing is top-notch. Good luck!
2) Since my 2nd book has come out, I'm getting lots of calls for school author visits. Do you have any tips to help my school author visits go smoother? And, any tips to help book signings run smoothly?
Good for you! It's great to get author visits and fun to do them. You can send the school a list of friendly tips before you arrive -- things like "have water on hand for me," "have slips of paper for kids to write down their names so they can hand them to me when they ask me to autograph their books" etc. Another good idea is to send flyers to the teachers which they can send home with the kids a few days before you arrive. In the flyer, tell them you're going to be selling books, and include a little exciting description of the book and the price. Then the kids will come prepared with money. If you still have kids saying, "I want a book but forgot my money," you can have order forms for them to take home and if they return with the money, the teacher can send you the order.
Bookstore visits are more "iffy" -- sometimes people show up, sometimes they don't. You can ask for a visit in which the bookstore arranges for a class or a Girl Scout troop to show up at the store. Then you know you have an audience. And check out how much publicity the store is going to do. If they put ads in the paper, write you up in their newsletter, you'll probably get a decent turnout. If they do no or little publicity, it might not be worth you're while. Also, call ahead and make sure they have your books -- or take some yourself just to be sure. Bookstore visits go better if you have a gimmick -- an event -- you can put on. Just signing books is okay, but if you can hold a contest, put on a show, make something, give out prizes -- whatever -- you'll get a better turn out. Go for it!
3) As a dreamer, rather than a writer, I'd like to know just how you get to a point where you write everyday, working on the ideas that you have either come up with yourself, or been stimulated to develop upon getting them from outside yourself, such as from a newspaper article, or an experience you've had on a wintry cold morning's walk to the grocery store? I need a push. Can you give me one?
Believe me, I know how you feel! It's so much easier to dream about writing than to actually sit down and write. It sounds like you have lots of ideas and may have trouble focusing. I think your best bet is to pick one book you want to write and stick with it. Don't jump from idea to idea.
Also, don't just start writing blindly. Sit down and write an outline. I don't mean you have to plan out every single event in your book before you write it -- that would take all the fun and creativity out of writing. But if you don't have a basic idea of what's going to happen in the story -- and how it's going to end -- you'll probably get frustrated and wander away from your computer (or paper). It's best to plan a definite time to write each day. Don't just write when the mood hits you. Tell yourself "From 9 to 11 I will sit in from of my computer and write." Don't get up and wander around! Don't answer the door or the phone. Just sit there and concentrate on writing. Even if you only manage one sentence the first day, that's okay. Try for 2 the next day.
After a week, ask yourself -- am I enjoying this? Am I getting anywhere? Do I feel fulfilled, or at least stimulated? If all you feel is misery, maybe you don't really want to write -- and that's fine. Maybe you'd rather be creative in other ways. Writing is a lonely profession and takes a great deal of self-discipline. But if you really want to do it, I know you can.
4) I am currently writing a mystery novel for YA. Everything I have read suggests that the Young Adult area is very hard to break into. If this is true, how does one get a foot in the door?
I agree, YA is a hard sell, probably because it's not a best-selling genre. Teenagers have so many other things to pay attention to -- TV, CDs, computers, adult books, not to mention school, the opposite sex, etc. Reading YA novels isn't always number one on their list. First, ask yourself why you want this to be a YA novel. Are you dealing with ideas or subjects you can't put in a younger book? If not, why not write your novel for middle graders, with a 12-year-old protagonist. Here's an another idea. Write your book for a younger YA audience -- 15 and under. It's easier to sell books for that age group than for the senior high level. Also -- and I know this sounds glib -- but your best idea is to write a really strong book. Well-written, literary YA novels are the ones that win awards, and the award-winners are the ones that sell best. Also, editors like interesting writing styles -- a novel written in letters, or from many characters' points of view. Like THE VIEW FROM SATURDAY. Or set your story in an unusual location or time, like CATHERINE CALLED BIRDY. Read what's out there and see what's selling. Then write that book!
5) How is it that you have a number of books with many of them published by different houses? Wouldn't one house want you to stay with them for the long run?
I wish! I've had bad luck in that department. It all started with my first novel, GOOD ROCKIN' TONIGHT, which was published by Addison-Wesley in 1982. Just before it came out, the editor informed me that A-W had decided to stop publishing children's books. My book would be on the last list. Suddenly, I was looking for a new publisher. It's been that way ever since. Every time I find a publisher and an editor who likes me, something happens. Sometimes the publishing house is sold and changes direction and suddenly my editor leaves or they decide to no longer publish the kind of books I was writing, or whatever.
For example, in November Random House wanted me to write a 4-book series for them. Then suddenly, they were bought and now they're in limbo, waiting to see what the new owners have in mind. So I'm sitting around, waiting for them to get their act together. Meanwhile, of course, I'm trying to sell to another publisher. On the other hand, having more than one publisher can be good. I sell my funny middle grade books to RH and Troll, and my serious YA to Avon. Each publisher can promote a different facet of my career. And sometimes I'm writing more books than one publisher would want to buy. After all, Avon doesn't want to put out 3 Fran Lantz books per year. Bookstores would say to the salespeople, "Maybe I'll just buy one. Which one do you think is best?" So I sell one book to Avon and one to Random House and everyone is happy.
In any case, the days when a publishing house felt loyalty to an author (and visa versa) seem to be over. Publishers don't care about finding a good author and building his career slowly. They want instant success. If they don't' find it, they're on to the next author. So authors have to hop around, selling where they can. Sometimes a publisher and an author stick together -- usually if the author turns out to be a big money-maker for the publisher. Maybe someday that will happen to me. Until then, I'll sell wherever I can.
6) I see that you've written two SWEET VALLEY TWINS and two HARDY BOYS books. Did you approach the publishers or did they approach you? How did you go about making sure details in your books didn't stray from those in previously published books in the series? How many of each series did you actually read in preparation for your writing?
I -- or my agent -- approached each publisher. You can too. Both series are produced by packagers (companies who edit series for a publisher). You can get their addresses from Children's Writers and Illustrators Market. You usually have to write a chapter and an outline to get hired. They will give you something called a "bible" -- details on all the characters, settings, tone, etc. You must follow it to the letter so you book doesn't stray from previous ones in the series. I read 2-3 books in each series to get an idea of what the editors were looking for. Writing for a series can mean money and a publishing credit. But be prepared to rewrite and rewrite and rewrite. The book is not your own and you must take all the suggestions offered to you by the many editors. It's not very creative, but it's good practice.
7) I read recently that interest in children's series is waning. Do you agree? How does your opinion affect the writing you will do in the future?
I don't know if interest in series fiction is waning. I don't see it now. Editors don't want individual books for the most part. They're always thinking, "If it takes off, can we turn it into a series?" But I write many kinds of books -- individual hardcovers (FADE FAR AWAY, etc), series fiction (THE NEW ADVENTURES OF MARY-KATE AND ASHLEY), and original novels that can be turned into a series (STEPSISTER FROM THE PLANET WEIRD). So I'm not too worried. I'll just keep coming up with ideas and seeing where they lead.
8) How do you assure yourself that your characters' actions and dialogue "ring true"? I worry that the young people in my writing act too young, too old, too geeky, too cool, or just plain unbelievable. Thanks for your help. Joan
Hmmm. If my character seems true to me -- if he seems REAL -- then I don't spend a lot of time second guessing myself. I think your best bet is to work out your characters to your satisfaction before you begin writing. Live with them for a while. Ask yourself questions about them (What is his favorite TV show? His favorite color? What does his room look like? etc), write journal entries from your character's POV, etc. When you've really got his voice in your head, you'll be ready to write your novel. Also, read lots of other children's books in the age range you want to write for. See how other authors do it. Get a feel for the dialogue. Listen to real kids talk. Watch MTV and Nickelodeon. But most of all, spend time thinking about your characters -- what makes them unique, how they look, how they act, how they talk. It's almost like acting. You have to become the character, at least in your mind. Then start writing and don't look back.
9) I'm currently writing my first young adult story in a first-person viewpoint and am having some difficulty deciding whether her sarcastic and sometimes cruel observations of another main character will color the reader's sympathy for either of them. I find that writing the story in first-person easier in order to portray the mind of a fifteen year old girl. Your advice would be greatly appreciated!
You're creating a device called the unreliable narrator -- a character who has a strong point of view but who isn't always sympathetic or right. The idea is that your reader will start to pick up on that and realize your character's viewpoint isn't the only one. It will work if you let your character slowly change and start to see that she isn't always right. If she remains totally sarcastic from beginning to end, you'll lose your readers. But don't change her into a saint. She can change for the better and still retain some of her edge -- that's how it happens in real life. I think your best idea is to read some books that use this devise and see how other authors did it. I'd recommend CRASH by Jerry Spinnelli, DON'T THINK TWICE by Ruth Pennebaker, and my novel, SOMEONE TO LOVE.
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