About Laurie Woodward:
"I want children to see the magic inside them," says author and long-time educator Laurie Woodward. As an author, her works include The Artania Chronicles, Forest Secrets and co-writing The Dolphin Legacy. Determined to promote peace with children, Laurie is a collaborator on the Dean and JoJo anti-bullying DVD, Resolutions. Ms. Woodward is an award-winning peace consultant and blogger who helps other educators teach children how to stop bullying, avoid arguments, and maintain healthy friendships. Laurie writes her novels in the coastal towns of California.
What inspires you to write?
I am inspired by the peace it brings me. Every time I write everything else just fades away. I become words. I become worlds. I become the characters and live their adventures.
Tell us about your writing process.
I start a project with inspiration, from a dream, a flash of light in the sky, a memory. Next I write a couple of chapters. Once I have a beginning I create character sketches and outline. But these are fluid and change as the story unfolds.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I become my characters, kind of like an actor. If a character is a princess I speak in a British accent. California skaters sound like surfer dudes I've known. The Thinker's voice is noble, deep, and poetic.
What advice would you give other writers?
Write as often as you can. Practice describing. Go to a new place with a laptap or journal and try to make word pictures of the people and things you see. Read broadly, including the classics. Go to conferences and listen to what they have to teach. But always remember to have fun!
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I co-wrote Dean and JoJo after Integral offered a publishing deal but my other projects are indies.
I chose that route after several close calls with agents and Random House. I waited months and even years to hear back. I don't want to wait any more. I have wonderful stories to share now.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
I believe that more and more authors will go with self-publishing. The industry is so competitive that I've heard only .01% ever get publishing contracts. With odds like that authors should take control of their own careers.
What do you use?: Co-writer, Professional Editor, Professional Cover Designer, Beta Readers
What genres do you write?: Environmental biography, Children's fantasy, YA fiction,
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Laurie Woodward Home Page Link
Link To Laurie Woodward Page On Amazon
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
LinkedIn
All information in this post is presented “as is” supplied by the author. We don’t edit to allow you the reader to hear the author in their own voice.
