I write a lot of different genres. I write picture books. I write early chapter books. I write non-fiction for middle grade and high school students. While a lot of the process is the same, you really do use your imagination, even with non-fiction.
Whenever I say that, people, “You do?” And I think, “You do!” because when you’re writing a novel, you can make things up certainly. You’re always trying to make up that one perfect detail or that really telling anecdote or a great, funny moment. With non-fiction, you’re still wanting a really great anecdote. You’re still wanting a really funny story. You’re wanting a great piece of dialogue. Of course, you can’t make those up so you end up searching for them.
You have to have a really sharp eye to dig a perfect quote from the mass of information. When I worked on The Lincolns, there is a mountain of information about just everything — every aspect of his life. It took me about six years to dig through all that information. There is a big difference in genres, too. It’s just non-fiction is work intensive in the fact that you just do a lot of research even before you begin writing the first word.
For me, picture books are, oh, it’s like skipping. It’s just pure joy, especially the things I tend to write about rabbits and turtles that go over Niagara Fall and little girls that send boxes to Holland. Those are just wonderful, fun, sweet stories. I have, I think, as much fun writing them.
Not that non-fiction isn’t fun but it feels like a more serious endeavor. Whereas, if you’re writing about a tortoise that goes over Niagara Falls, how serious can it
how do you really be? It’s just a wonderful, wonderful fun thing to do. I have a lot of fun at my desk.
Now with picture books, every single word counts. I can write a first draft in three weeks, but then you pick it apart for the next five months. But that first verse with the picture book is just so much fun. What a great job. Can you imagine?
I’m a grown up and I spend my days thinking about tortoises and skunks and rabbits. I mean, it’s like the best job ever. When I feel serious and I feel like I really need to use that college degree in history, then I go and write about the Lincolns or Eleanor Roosevelt or Benjamin Franklin — people I admire.
American history is something I’m absolutely passionate about. While they’re really related, they feel like two parts of the same person, but completely different parts.