The Rainbow Rowell Fan Group discussion
Ask Rainbow your question here!
I came up with another question.Can we get some Simon Snow stuff? Or are those the graphic novels you're working on?
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Your books have the cutest cover designs! Do you design the covers yourself ? Can you talk about the tools that you use and the process ?
Love your books ! xo"
Thanks! No, no, I don't design them. Often authors have no input at all in their book covers. The publishers makes all these decisions. I'm fortunate that I get to be part of the conversation with my publishing team at St. Martin's Press. I've been able to weigh in on my last three covers. I suggested artist Noelle Stevenson for the Fangirl cover, and I was thrilled when the designer, Olga Grlic, liked her work.
Olga designed Eleanor & Park, Fangirl, Landline -- and the holiday anthology
I'm part of, My True Love Gave to Me.
Which of your characters do you feel you relate to most? Mine is definitely Cather!
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Thank you!"
Thank you! I really like science fiction and fantasy, and I read comic books and graphic novels. Two comics I like are Saga and Fables.
A novel that I've loved recently is The Brides of Rollrock Island by Margo Lanagan. It's a fairy tale-ish story about selkies, and it's so beautifully written.
(I feel pathetic talking about these beautifully written books while I'm thumbing clumsily on my phone. I'm in Scotland right now, and I don't have my laptop.)
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When I started writing Fangirl, I wanted to challenge myself to write a guy who would be very different from my other characters. I'd written about guys who feel awkward and like they don't fit in. I wondered if I could write someone who was charismatic ... (Or whether my own social awkwardness would make that impossible.) So Levi was a character I was daring myself to write.
I did think about two guys I worked with who were extroverted and charming -- and I thought about the way people reacted to them.
Levi is actually my favorite of my characters.
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Yeah, definitely. I loved writing about Simon, and I LOVED writing about Baz. I'm already making plans for those characters.
Hi Rainbow, I'm really dying to know if there's going to be a Eleanor & Park sequel (and i really hope there will be
Hi Rainbow! :) I love your books, especially ELEANOR & PARK. E&P was my all-time favorite book last year.I was wondering, what sparked your interest in writing? Was it a person in your life who inspired you, or have you always loved it?
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They just come to me. It feels natural to me to use pop culture references to explain myself and my feelings. I don't plan ahead of time, but I do go back and evaluate them. I ask myself whether most readers will get the reference. I don't think it's important that every reader gets every reference, but I don't want to be constantly, intentionally obscure. If it's an especially great reference, I don't worry whether anyone will get it.
You mentioned The Gilmore Girls. That show did a great job of including wide and narrow references.
I don't think it bothers readers to miss a few references. It never bothered me when I was watching The Gilmore Girls.
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I wanted to know if you have any plans to write a sequel to fangirl?"
I don't think I'll ever write a sequel to Fangirl, but if you're curious about the characters, you might want to read my new book, Landline.
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I'm glad you liked it -- thank you!
The hardest part was writing Wren in a way that the reader could still empathize with her. We see Wren through Cath's eyes, and Cath is ANGRY, so Wren comes off like a jerk. But I didn't want her to seem like a two-dimensional mean girl. She has reasons for behaving the way she does, even when she's behaving badly.
I tend to write a lot about parent and sibling relationships -- probably because my mom and siblings are a big part of my life.
Rainbow wrote: "Lauren wrote: "Is there a chance that we will, perhaps, ever see any more of the World of Mages?"Yeah, definitely. I loved writing about Simon, and I LOVED writing about Baz. I'm already making p..."
Thanks very much for answering my question! I'm really looking forward to seeing the future holds for Simon and Baz!
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Q: Out of all the books you have written, which one did you have the most fun creating?"
Thank you! Fangirl was by far the most fun to write. I wrote it almost as an experiment, so I let myself do whatever I wanted. I love Levi, I loved writing all the different takes on Simon Snow, I loved writing all the dialogue ... I loved Art, Cath's dad, and all of the advertising scenes.
It's my longest book, and I think that's because I was having so much fun writing it.
I do have to say that I like the book I'm writing now even better. It's another experiment -- a YA fantasy. I think I enjoy myself most when I'm in free fall, as a writer. I like feeling like I have nothing to lose, so I may as well try something scary.
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I think it's wonderful and amazing to think that people are inspired enough by my characters to want to tell their own stories about them. I know how that feels -- I've felt it about other people's books and worlds.
I don't read any of the fanfiction, because I might want to write more about those characters, and I want to keep my headcanon clear.
Rainbow wrote: "Erin wrote: "How do you possibly fit all of your pop culture references in your books? Do they just come out as you're writing or do you know what references you want to use before you write?"The..."
Thank you so much! Ahhhh. I am just so happy that you answered my question because I love when you make those references.
P.S. Kudos for the Amy Sherman-Pallodino one in Landline. I literally got up and did a happy dance when I saw that one.
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Also I'd love it if you could give us all a playlist for when we're reading your books, I find that the kind of music I listen to while reading can really effect the overall tone of the book. "
I make playlists while I write, and I think of them as soundtracks to the books. Each book tends to have a different tone, and you can see that in the playlists.
All of my book playlists are available on my Spotify profile. And I've blogged about my Eleanor & Park playlists on rainbowrowell.com.
(This is where I would link to both sites if I weren't on my phone. I'm sorry. I'm in Scotland right now, on vacation, and I didn't bring my laptop. But I'm worried that I'm autocorrecting ridiculous things into these answers.)
Thank you for your question!
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Question: What do you spend the most time on editing; dialogue, or exposition of the characters?"
Oh man, I loved Dawson's Creek.
I definitely spend the most time on exposition during editing. When I first write a scene, it's almost all dialogue. I don't even write tags (he said, she said). Then I go back and add exposition and clean it up. And then when I start my second draft, I expand even more.
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Sort of. Many of the characters in Fangirl are named after buildings on the University of Nebraska-Lincoln campus, where the book takes place. (Avery, Piper, Manter, Abel.) Cather was a dormitory on that campus, and the dormitory was indeed named after Nebraska author Willa Cather.
Also, I was looking for a name that I could split into two names. Catherine -- Cather and Wren.
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Did you have am alternate ending for eleanor and park? Could you share it with us?
X"
No. I always knew how the book would end. I even knew what the last line would be.
In earlier drafts, there was less from Eleanor toward the end, but it was always going to end that way.
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Hmmm ... Either James Fraser from Outlander or Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Hope its not too late...Rainbow you are a huge inspiration for me and I am insanely in love with your books.
My question is... If you could live inside of any of your books inside of which would you live and who would you be?
Have a good time! And thanks❤️
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Hello! I think there's a very good chance. I like writing about Nebraska. I've lived here my whole life, and I was a newspaper columnist here -- I can visualize it really well.
Also, there aren't many books that take place here. So it feels like there's a lot to explore.
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Thank you! It is my given name. It's nice to have a memorable name, but I think "Rainbow" keeps people from taking me seriously. I've seen people say that they'd never read my books because of my name.
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I think so. Definitely.
When I was a teenager, my favorite books were about adults, and I enjoyed really challenging books. So I don't think there's anything inherently off-putting about Landline.
Also, there is a college love story within the larger story ...
I think that if you enjoyed my other books, you should give Landline a chance.
Thank you!
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I was just wondering, since you're a big fan of Harry Potter, are you planning to write a fantasy book like The Harry Potter series?."
I've always loved to read fantasy, and I'm writing my own YA fantasy now. The fantasy elements of Fangirl were so fun to write ...
Hi Rainbow! What made you want to be an author? Also, what was one of your favorite books as a kid?Thanks so much! :)
Dear Mrs. Rowell, After reading your book (Eleanor and Park), I believe that Eleanor and Park's relationship will last forever. When I was reading the book, I felt that I was apart of their relationship. Every chapter I read, I felt the pain and love both of them experienced from their perspectives. There were many smiles and laughs.
Questions: How would you interpret Eleanor and Park's ending in the book? Where does the ending leave them in? What feelings were you experiencing when you were writing the ending of the book?
Thank you.
Hello Rainbow! I absolutely loved your book Fangirl. Me and my twin sister consider ourselves Wren and Cath in real life. Who/What have you the idea to center the book about the twins?Thanks, Jaylen
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One of the things I loved most about Eleanor & Park was how both Eleanor and Park had issues with the way they looked - and how both are the type of character not that often seen in media, at least not as the main characters in a love story. I felt really good about reading about them, especially Eleanor, being big and crazy-haired myself. Obviously representation matters, but (finally getting to the question here) was this theme originally something you wanted to write about or something that came along with the characters?"
Hmmm ... I think that just came with the characters. If you had asked me, I would have said that I wanted to write about characters who looked and felt like real teenagers. But I didn't think, "I am going to write about people who are underrepresented in popular culture." Characters usually come to me as they are, without much strategy. Then, when I look back, later, I can sometimes see things that were playing on my subconscious.
Thank you!
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First the concept. Then the characters. Then the plot.
Except with Eleanor & Park, I guess. In that book, the concept *is* the characters.
Hi Rainbow! I have two questions if that's okay. :) My first question is what has been the inspiration for each of your books? My second question is, do you have more young adult books you plan to write?
Any plans of going in the Philippines? :D
Hi Rainbow! Short question- Are you a musical theatre fan? Favourite/s?
Hi Rainbow Rowell! Not a question but please come to Manila!
What has been your favorite part of writing during all of your books?
When did you know that you wanted to be an author?
Which book has been your favorite out of the ones you've written?
Who is your favorite character out of all your books?
Are any of the plots in your books, or simply events, related to events in your own life? If so, which book(s) and how so?
Rainbow I absolutely love the way you write!!! Are you planning or currently writing anything new right now?
Hello!How many drafts did you write before sending it to your editors?
Thanks!
Hi Rainbow! I've read Fangirl and Eleanor & Park, and I enjoyed them immensely! I'm very excited to read Attachments and Landline (I've read both the previews on my Kindle) so I'll be ordering them soon :) My questions for you are...
1) How do make your characters so relatable? I was reading Fangirl, and the whole time I was shocked about how real your characters were!
2) Do you plan your books in advance, or do you just write as the books progress? Like, whatever comes into your head pours out onto the page :)
3) And finally, have you ever been to NZ? If not, you should come! It's swell!
Did Georgie and Seth ever finish their tv show? Was it successful?
Oh good god, so many questions already! Hi Rainbow,
firstly, i really really adore your books - ALL of them! The characters are people i really really really would like to know personally but no such luck apparently... anyways, questions!
Q: Is there a book you didn't write but wish you had?
Q: What'S the most fun part about writing?
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There are a lot of people asking this or asking similar questions.
It's hard to say what makes a book YA and what makes it adult. Largely, the classification is determined by the age of the main characters. And by point of view. A book that looks back to a character's teen years will probably be classified as adult.
It's also a marketing decision: Publishers think about the existing markets and what books are selling where and which audience responds to what. (The "YA audience" isn't just teens; it's people who buy YA books.)
Some YA books, including mine, are marketed to adults in other countries. And sometimes books will get two different covers for the YA and adult sections.
There are authors, of course, who do aim their books at young people -- who specifically write for and about teenagers.
And there are authors like me:
I have ideas about characters of different ages, and write deeply inside their perspectives. And then I talk to my editor and literary agent about whether my books should be marketed as YA or adult.
I really enjoy the YA community. The readers, librarians, bloggers, booksellers, teachers ... They're passionate and engaged. They love books.
I didn't write Eleanor & Park knowing it would be a YA book, but I'm so glad it's found its home there.
I want know what happend with Eleanor & Park? Please?
I'v eonly read one of your books (fangirl) and I adored it. I'm struggling to decide with which I should read next? Which do you suggest for Teenage girls like myself? And are there any books that aren't yours but you recommend anyway?
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I was just having a conversation with some friends today about Midwestern cuisine (I'm a Midwestern gal, too. Illinois, holla!) I haven't read Landline yet, but jumped in on a Twitter chat to explain to someone what "puppy chow" was. I swear I have a point. The POINT is, do you feel like being from the land o' cornfields has been a major influence on your writing? Do you think you'd ever set a book in a different locale?"
Yeah, it's definitely been an influence. It's where I'm from, it's what I know.
I really like seeing the Midwest in pop culture -- it happens so rarely! -- so I definitely wanted to give people from Nebraska that thrill of seeing their home in a book. (There are a lot of Nebraska references in my book that most readers probably don't even notice.)
Landline is my first book that takes place somewhere else, but it still has Omaha scenes. The book I'm writing now is the first one to take place entirely somewhere else ...
But I'm sure I'll be back in the Midwest soon.
Hi Rainbow, For me those three words at the end of E&P are "I miss you", do you get frustrated that everyone keeps asking you what they are? (btw I like how you left it, it means the reader can make it what they want).
Q2 When can we expect your next novel?
Thank you <3
I loved Eleanor and Park and am such a fan of Fangirl. (Hardy har har...) I have three questions: What is your favorite piece of dialogue or favorite paragraph you've written for one of your ..."
Ha! Thank you!
I think my a favorite thing I've written in Eleanor & Park, the conversation where Park says something like, "You be Han Solo, I'll be Boba Fett. I'll cross the sky for you."
I also like it, in Fangirl, when Cath says she'd like to make an honest woman out of Levi's chin.
And I like the last paragraph of Attachments, when Lincoln says, "There's no air in space."
In Landline, there's a paragraph where Georgie describes what it's like to be married for a long time. I'm proud of that .