Participating in NaNoWriMo: Yes
Previously participated in NaNoWriMo: Yes
Advice for NaNoWriMo: Even if you only have 10 minutes to sit down and brainstorm or draft your story, that’s 10 more minutes that you’ve put toward building out the world of your book. It’s okay to find small pockets of time, that doesn’t make you any less of a writer. I’ve completed entire books in small pockets of time.
Character-building tips: Spend a lot of time getting to know your characters, and accept that not everything you come up with (dare I say most of what you come up with) will end up in your actual book. And that’s okay! Let your characters tell you who they are. And in my experience, the more questions you ask and the deeper you go, the better you’ll be able to hear them.
Favorite place to write: Home, café, or I also love writing outdoors, preferably under or near trees
Favorite café/bookshop: Kos Kaffe in Brooklyn, New York. Amazing food, awesome coffee, a gorgeous space, and the owners and staff are the loveliest humans you can imagine.
Favorite beverage while writing: A large Americano
Favorite genre to read: This is a hard one because I love SO many types of books! But I’m consistently drawn to coming-of-age tales, stories about obsessive friendships, portal stories, meditations on mortality, grief and loss (I’m fun at parties!), stories about magical books, tales that involve sentient trees, all things witchcraft and witchy, and anything with a cast of strong, multi-dimensional female/non-binary/queer characters.
Favorite genre to write: Anything with magic and fierce female characters.
Check out our review of DeRose’s novel For Girls Who Walk Through Fire and the accompanying interview!
Participating in NaNoWriMo: No
Previously participated in NaNoWriMo: No
Advice for NaNoWriMo: Have fun with it! There is always more time later to revise or even redo.
Favorite place to write: Home
Favorite café/bookshop: Mysterious Galaxy Books in San Diego, California
Favorite beverage while writing: Coffee
Favorite genre to read: Upmarket
Favorite genre to write: Young adult contemporary
Check out our reviews of Namey’s novels A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow & A British Girl’s Guide to Hurricanes and Heartbreak!
Participating in NaNoWriMo: No
Previously participated in NaNoWriMo: Yes
Advice for NaNoWriMo: Write with abandon. Edit with surgical skill.
Character-building tips: Always start with a backstory for each major character. Write in scene short paragraphs about your characters’ life experiences. Things that shape their attitude, movement, voice, and belief system. Use that resource to build your character. What are they afraid of? Their favorite foods, hobbies, allergies, ways they calm themselves or get excited. Use those as action tags in your novel.
Favorite place to write: Home
Favorite beverage while writing: Hot tea!
Favorite genre to read: Fantasy with magical characters
Favorite genre to write: Fantastical coming-of-age and self-acceptance stories
Check out our review of Hawley’s novel Curious World of Dandy-Lion and the accompanying interview!
Participating in NaNoWriMo: Yes
Previously participated in NaNoWriMo: Yes
Advice for NaNoWriMo: Just try it! Do the prep work, outline your story, do your research, build your character so when it starts, you are ready to write!
Favorite place to write: Home
Favorite beverage while writing: Tea
Favorite genre to read: Historical fiction
Favorite genre to write: Middle grade
Check out our reviews of Carter’s novels Wait for Me & The Little Green Pumpkin!
Participating in NaNoWriMo: Yes
Previously participated in NaNoWriMo: Yes
Advice for NaNoWriMo: Use focus time apps or create a focus time in sprints.
Character-building tips: Exercises from Story Genius by Lisa Cron.
Favorite place to write: Home
Favorite café/bookshop: Third Place Books in Lake Forest Park, Washington
Favorite beverage while writing: Herbal tea
Favorite genre to read: Fantasy/thriller
Favorite genre to write: Contemporary or fantasy novels/picture books or poetry or nonfiction
Check out her books, She Sang for India and The Runaway Dosa!
Participating in NaNoWriMo: No
Previously participated in NaNoWriMo: No
Advice for NaNoWriMo: Make sure to take breaks to move and stretch, stay hydrated and get good rest. All that helps the muse visit because you’ll be relaxed and not tense or tired.
Character-building tips: Give yourself lots of grace if you don’t make your word count or goals. Progress is progress—even if it’s not as much as you planned.
Favorite place to write: Hotel when on a deadline
Favorite café/bookshop: Nancy’s Homemade Pies and Café in Keys, Oklahoma
Favorite beverage while writing: Water
Favorite genre to read: Nonfiction picture books
Favorite genre to write: Whichever one I’m currently writing, that’s the puzzle I have to figure out
Check out our review of Sorell’s novel We Are Still Here!: Native American Truths Everyone Should Know!
Emilee Ceuninck, Lead Writer & Editor, and Natalie Hsu & Kelly Marry, Co-Social Media Leads