Tiny Treasury

Last night I tuned in to my first of the Readergirlz 31 Flavorites forum discussions in real time. To be honest, it was an accident. I wanted to check out what Nikki Grimes and Chris Crutcher had to say, but saw Ann Brashares, author of “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants” series, at the top and started there instead. I was about 14 pages and 10 minutes into the discussion when I realized I was at the end only it wasn’t over. I refreshed the page and there was more!

Before I get to the meat of the discussion I have to get a few things out of the way. First of all, Myspace makes my eyes bleed. I’m about 15 years too old for the bizarre fonts, hearts, and flashing backgrounds. Secondly, the structure of the forum was hard for me to adjust to. People ask questions all at the same time and it goes incredibly quickly. I’ve never been in any real online chat groups, so I’m unaccustomed to the format. It’s unlike most forums I’ve been involved with, where people take the time to read previous questions before barreling in with their own.

Aside from my Myspace issues, I was quite impressed with the chat. Ann Brashares did a much better job of keeping up with the questions than I did and did an admirable job of giving the Readergirlz thoughtful answers. The girlz were giggly and excited and through their squeeing they managed to ask equally thoughtful questions, though many came from the Divas and the teachers logged in to the chats.

When asked about how she handles writing from four perspectives her Pants series, Ann responded

I try to approach each of my characters individually. Though you read the book with the characters’ parts spliced together, that’s not how I write them. I focus on one girl at a time and write her story from beginning to end. That way I’m able to lose myself in her as best I can. To spend days and weeks as Carmen, say, and not have to be anyone else. At the end I write the scenes where the girls appear together.

Her advice for the writers in the group

My advice is not original, I’m aftaid–read a lot. You probably do that already. Write a lot. Write so much that writing feels natural the way thinking and speaking do.

Also, leave yourself alone. Give yourself time to imagine things. I am a big proponent of having absolutely nothing to do.

Her thoughts on community service

I went to a quaker school and started community service projects in first grade, so that’s always on my mind. I am just starting the Sisterhood Foundation. I’m putting a bunch of the money from the books into it and using the money to benefit girls and education and literacy. It’s a new project, and I’m excited about it. Also, I’m a mentor to a high school girl. We’ve been together for three years so far, and I love being part of her life.

And one of her low moments as a writer

I have had many low moments! One came recently, when I did a signing at a Costco in New Jersey. (I think it was New Jersey.) I was all set up with my books and not one person came. Not one. Finally a woman ambled along. I got all ready to sign a book for me and she asked where the office furniture was. The saleswoman in the book area felt so sorry for me she hugged me.