Just finished my annual reading of BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE (Newbery Honor Book, 2001, and DiCamillo’s first published book), the kind of book I always tell students I’m hoping to write one day, if I live that long! She won the Newbery Medal in 2004 for THE TALE OF DESPEREAUX. Googling Kate DiCamillo (in vain hopes she may offer workshops from time to time) led me to two things:
- She’s doing a bookshop reading/meet and greet in Saratoga Springs, NY on November 1st, and
- this site:
wherein Kate DiCamillo allows us to see inside her process, draft by draft.
Her notes after each of the drafts show that her process is pretty much like any writer’s – one word at a time.
This first draft is how I do all first drafts; single-spaced, capital-free, light on the punctuation and full speed ahead.
She was lucky to find that India Opal’s voice was there from the very beginning. Maybe that’s why the book is so good.
At one point, she talks about putting her name and address on the first page, a sign that the manuscript is progressing, and she thinks she may actually have a story she’s going to try to get published. I do that, too, and I bet a lot of writers do. It’s almost like we don’t want to put our name on it until we think it may be worthy.
So much of writing is like walking down a dark hallway with your arms out in front of you. You bump into things.
Progress is hard to measure in any creative endeavor, I think. It’s often a matter of instinct, of feeling your way through what works and what doesn’t. The only thing I’ve found that works is to keep on working and not to expect that you’ll get it right the first time.
And here’s Kate speaking so eloquently for a couple of minutes about the importance of reading aloud.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SA8GkalW-lU
But enough of that – now I need to figure out how I can get to Saratoga Springs, NY on November 1st… Except that rather than being in a bookshop, it’s in a 500-seat venue. Do I really want to line up for that long just to say hi and get a book signed? Probably not. But I do have her latest book (BEVERLY: RIGHT HERE) on request at the Wolfville Library, although it’s not available yet.
I did a live TV interview about my new middle grade novel, SAY WHAT YOU MEAN, a few days ago. The publisher, Nevermore Press, is donating $1 from each book sold until Thanksgiving to Feed Nova Scotia. Here’s the link, in case you’re interested: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2419569621662341
P.S. Did a Library reading yesterday, and the South Shore Public Libraries bought every kid there a copy of SAY WHAT YOU MEAN – love libraries! And I signed all 58 copies:)
Who’s your writing hero(s)? Have you ever met them?
Jan L. Coates - "What if...?" 
Kate DiCamillo is such a great author and I love her books. The video of her telling the story about reading out loud is excellent and so true. I recall once at a staff Christmas party, instead of hired entertainment, our boss read to us from Stuart McLean’sVinyl Cafe books. We were all mesmerized. It was the best party ever. I have met Margaret Atwood, twice, Carol Sheilds, Michael Ondaatje and Diana Gabaldon. All favourite authors. But I would love to meet you one day as well!
Ditto, Darlene – I have yet to make it to Spain, but some day… And that must have been a very cool boss – great idea.
Because of Winn-Dixie (which I learned belatedly is a famous grocery chain in the American south) is a gem. It’s incomprehensible that it sat at publishers drawers for eons before someone had the wisdom to publish it, but we’re grateful they did. The rest, as they say, is history. We got ourselves a wonderful writer who continues to gift us.
I think reading Winn Dixie was a big part of my decision to try my hand at writing kids’ books. I only wish I could write as poignantly funny as Kate DiCamillo.