Interview – Children's Writer Sharon Siamon
Author Talks About Getting Published, Rough Drafts, a Writer’s Life
Aug 19, 2009
Sharon Siamon, author of 38 children's books, talked about her writing schedule, getting her first book accepted for publication, and shared insights for aspiring writers in an interview with Suite101’s Jennifer Jensen.
About Sharon Siamon
Sharon Siamon is a successful children's writer, with more than a million copies of her books sold in the US, Canada, and ten other countries. Her middle-grade series include the Saddle Island trilogy, Mustang Mountain, and Wild Horse Creek. Her newest book is Wild Horse Creek #3: Heartbreak Hills.
What’s the Story of Your First Children's Book?
My first book was published in 1985 in Toronto. It was titled A Puli Named Sandor, probably the worst title ever devised by an editor. It was written to celebrate the life of a dog – our Hungarian sheepdog, who had just been killed by a speeding taxi. I wrote a fictionalized version of how getting that dog changed our family’s life and finally got us out of the city. The book has been out of print for years but I still get requests for it.
[At the time, my only published work was] an article about building a log cabin on a wilderness island with our daughters aged eight and six. I worked at several picture book manuscripts before I wrote novels for children. Picture books are hard but I would like to return to one of them in the future and have another try.
How Did You Get the Book Accepted for Publication?
I submitted Puli to a contest, but didn’t win. I submitted it to the same educational publisher who had published my log cabin story and they chose it for their fourth grade novel in a literacy program. (And changed the title.)
How Many Drafts Does a Finished Book Usually Require?
I still write three or four drafts before a book is ready to send off to publishers. (I edit on hard copy so it amounts to a big stack of paper for every book.) The difference experience makes is that the first draft is closer to the final version than when I started. I get less off track than I used to.
Favorite Part of the Writing Process?
I love it when my characters take over. They start to talk in my head when I’m busy doing dishes or taking a shower. I have to stop what I’m doing and race to get the words down. There are moments writing when it seems as though your fingers are only a conduit through which the story flows. Those are the best times.
What is Your Daily Schedule Like?
I write full time except when distracted by horses, any kind of outdoor activity from gardening to canoeing, reading, grandchildren, good movies, housework, almost anything else! It’s the story of my life, that juggling act! Deadlines are wonderful. They force the seat of my pants onto the seat of the chair.
I don’t stick to a schedule, but when I’m seriously working on a book I can work for eight hours at a stretch. When I’m developing an idea, getting ready to take the plunge at the first page (as now) only an hour or two. There’s a rhythm to it, like riding, and it seems to find its own pace.
What Do You Wish You’d Known When You Started Writing?
I wish I’d known how valuable it can be to have a colleague or a member of a writing group read your work. When you start out you’re shy, at least I was, and almost secretive about my writing. But a knowledgeable and supportive reader can spot the places where you go off track so much faster than you can. That saves so much time!
Read How to Write a Children's Book and Find an Agent to find more writing advice from Sharon Siamon.
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