About Mary Crockett:
A native of the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, Mary grew up as the youngest of six children in a family of misfits. She has worked as everything from a history museum director to a toilet seat hand model.
In her other life, Mary is an award-winning poet, professional eavesdropper, and the person who wipes runny noses.
What inspires you to write?
Everything! Sometimes a scrap of overheard conversation, sometimes a song, sometimes a dream. I try to be open to life, to what’s happening around me and let that guide my imagination.
Tell us about your writing process.
Since Madelyn and I co-wrote Dream Boy, you might think we used an outline to help keep us both on track. But you’d think wrong.
We had a general idea of the story arc we were going for, but we wrote Dream Boy “by the seat of our pants,” so to speak. Sometimes I’d stop in the middle of a scene–or even a sentence–and shoot it off to Madelyn, who would take it in a new direction. It was an incredibly fun way to write, but as Madelyn will tell you, it made the editing process pretty intense.
For Fiction Writers: Do you listen (or talk to) to your characters?
I definitely listen to my characters–and sometimes they end up saying and doing some pretty surprising things. I don’t argue, though. They’re the boss.
What advice would you give other writers?
A piece of advice. Hmmm. How about two?
First, read what moves you. And as you read, pay attention to how it works. You might pick up something that you can use in your own writing.
Second, finish what you start. At some point, most writers worry that what they’re writing is horrible and want to trash it. But you’ll never know what you have unless you finish it. After all, that’s when the real fun–the editing!–begins.
How did you decide how to publish your books?
I’ve both self published books and gone the traditional route. Both have their advantages. It’s really a matter of finding the best fit for you and your book.
For new authors who are wondering what path they should take, I’d suggest going with your gut. You might want to try a traditional publisher first–or even a hybrid publisher–as it can be pretty daunting to go it alone. On the other hand, there’s much more freedom and flexibility in self-publishing. It all depends on your needs and where you can make the best home for your book.
What do you think about the future of book publishing?
Who knows! I suppose with digital formats and the self-publishing revolution, the nature of book publishing is in flux. It will be very interesting to see what happens in the coming months and years!
What do you use?: Co-writer
What genres do you write?: Young Adult, Middle Grade, Picture Books, Poetry, Children’s Non-fiction
What formats are your books in?: Both eBook and Print
Website(s)
Mary Crockett Home Page Link
Link To Mary Crockett Page On Amazon
Link to Author Page on other site
Your Social Media Links
Goodreads
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
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.
