Q&A with Jane: Behind the Scenes of a Writer’s Life—Plotting, Surprises, and What It Really Takes to Succeed

How do you typically write?  Do you plot it all out beforehand or do you just let the story pour out?

I plot big chunks—road signs and what I believe will be the key turning points—and then write, but I definitely end up detouring and rethinking those scenes that I think will be the big scenes.

Do you have a favorite place to write or “must haves” while writing?

I need to be able to control my environment as much as possible—space, lighting, noise, amount of time I have to write.  I don’t do well trying to write in bits and pieces, or with lots of activity going on around me.  I can and do write in coffee houses when in a pinch, but then I try to find the quietest place possible, with a corner or wall table with lots of natural lighting and I add my Bose headphones to block out sound.  But honestly, my home office—clean and clear and free of clutter—is best.  I think I’m getting old.

Is there anything that has surprised you about writing, publishing or touring with your books?

Just how hard it all is!  People assume (and I used to be one of these people, too!) that all you have to do is get published, and you’ve pretty much got it mad because you’re on the ‘inside’ now, but that’s just the start of endless, uphill battles.  And it’s all a battle—the writing, the promoting, the marketing and touring and writing while promoting/touring.   It’s not a fluffy, relaxing career.  

  Was there anything (or anyone) while growing up which helped you decide you wanted to be a writer?

Louisa May Alcott.  I loved that Jo, from Little Women, Little Men, Jo’s Boys, etc, was a writer.  I also loved being inspired by the author of my other favorite series of books, Little House on the Prairie, Laura Ingalls.  Being a writer definitely seemed to be the way to go.  And I tried to get published early….I wrote my first picture book in 2nd grade and my first novel in 4th grade.  I was pretty serious about becoming a novelist!

Do you have a job outside of being an author?  

I started a publishing company in 2013 and as the Editorial Director for Tule Publishing I’m involved with a lot of books–over 2,000 so far.   Its work but its also something I’m really proud of!