9 Tips from Author Jennifer Neilsen

Going wireless at Deer Hill has opened us up to entirely new opportunities. This is the story of how our love of a good story turned into an extraordinary video conference.

After reading Betsy's review of Jennifer Neilsen's The False Prince, it immediately went on my "buy" list. I walk in one Thursday morning a month later to see a copy sitting on Andrews desk. My face went red. I was furious. "Where did you get that? I didn't think that was out until Tuesday." Oh, it came from a book fair. Luckily, Janet at Storybook Cove set aside a copy for me when it came in so after school I buzzed on over. Although it was a busy night, I made sure to get a jump on Andrew. Friday morning, when he walked in I asked him where he was in it. His reply gave me the relief I needed. I was 4 chapters ahead. It's not like I didn't admit to Andrew right off the bat that I was furiously jealous and there was no way he was finishing it before me. What kind of person do you think I am? Plus, I had the courtesy of making the situation into an enormous spectacle infront of Andrew's classmates.

I can say without hesitation, that this title did not disappoint. I remember glancing over at the clock several times Sunday night, telling myself that this was to be the final chapter of the night. But the rip-roaring pace had me by the eyeballs. At some ridiculous hour I could barely keep my eyes open, but oh I was so, so close. And I knew that there was no way that I was going to have a productive day with the amount of questions I needed answers to. I set the alarm an hour early and was pleasantly surprised to find that I had no trouble fighting sleep. I just needed the ending.

I even found time that morning to order an additional 5 titles. This was going to be a book that I would be slamming down on the table in front of a kid, "You can thank me later." Plus, I had Andrew coming in every morning with that guess-where-I-just-got-to face. Sure enough, we had ourselves a wildfire. Three more copies arrived and within a month 14 students ate it up.

I mean, 14 kids for Wimpy Kid always impresses me, this sucker's a gritty, in-depth novel. It just happens to also have all the elements of a story you can totally lose yourself over. The plot keeps you on your toes. The pacing leaves you dying to know more at every chapter. You can't help but cheer on Sage, just a smart, smart character. And of course, there's a twist. But, it arrives earlier than expected- so you get to savor some more story after the excitement! Yep, it has everything a good barn-burner needs.

It's my responsibility for helping students build a love of reading. If reluctant readers were all nails, The False Prince is a hammer. I'm not going to lie either, getting the right book to the right reader, especially when it's one they get excited over- totally builds my street cred. It makes want to go out and thank the person who wrote it... Lucky for us it's 2012 and False Prince has a Facebook Page.

You may have noticed that Jen offered to Skype with our class. That was very, very generous. I certainly had no other choice but to take her up on her offer. Now, I can teach writing until I lose my voice but with video so easily accessible, it's a whole lot more effective to hear the same message from a professional. But, recorded video doesn't hold a candle to hearing those messages live, spoken directly to you.

Here are the highlights of one such occasion. Jennifer Neilsen spoke to us for over an hour about reading, its relationship with writing, and life in general. 

10. Inspiration can come from anywhere and everywhere. 

This is the showcase explanation for how writers live wide awake lives. We encourage students to observe people, places, other stories, and their own experiences for story ideas. I can't say that I've ever encouraged a student to look towards a song for a story idea.

Here, Jen explains what Pearl Jam has to do with The False Prince.

9. A great place to find character inspiration is from the people around us. 

Funny things happen when you observe the people around you. It might be the way they laugh, it might be phrases they say, it might be traits too hard to ignore; certain qualities bubble up whenever we think about the people in our lives. And when you're a writer, you have the ultimate control to create unforgettable people.

But, what makes a character unforgettable? Lot's of times, it's the bits and pieces of those around us. In this clip, Jen tells us a bit about the inspiration for Sage.

8. Establishing a routine for writing is very helpful. And, GET FEEDBACK early and often. 

After hearing about how Jen created the character of Sage, she gives away some excellent strategies for developing characters of your own. We were curious to hear about where Jen writes. As she explains some of her habits, there's a lot we can learn about creating our own optimal writing conditions. Finally, she stresses the importance of getting feedback. I have to say, it was nice to hear the students echo her sentiments.

7. Keep a notebook handy so you don't any of the good ideas that hit you in the moment. 

As writing teachers, we encourage our students to keep notebooks of their own. All too often, they become tools to complete assignments. Hearing Jen talk about how she comes up with the names of her countries, hopefully students will see their writer's notebook as a place where anything goes. Jen collects observations of the world around her, fun words, and the ideas they inspire. Keeping a notebook with you can come in pretty handy, especially for those times you need to pull over to the side of the highway so that you don't lose an idea.

6. Be wide-awake readers. Let the stories that impact you the most guide your own creations.


There's a saying that goes, "Good artists copy, great artists steal." We don't mean, literally take somebody's work. The wide-awake reader observes what they like about the books they read. Whether it's the way an author describes a character, the way they invent their settings, even just the tone of the story; when it's time to create your own story, you can adapt the strategies other writers use to fit your work.

5. Read books that you love. They'll stick with you.

Jen talks about her favorite books growing up. It's no secret that writers are readers. Find books that you love to read because chances are they'll stick with you for a long time to come.

4. There are many ways to approach the writing process. It's important to find the style that works for you. Remember, sometimes we're asked to try things a different way, it helps to reflect on how those changes in process affect the final product.

I remember being taught that there is a specific way a writer works. They make a web, then an outline, then a draft, finally they fix the spelling and turn it in. That's why I love asking actual writers about their process. Jen hates to outline and she'd rather let her characters take over. But, when it comes to the job of being a writer, she's asked to produce an outline of the story before it's written. 


I asked if she felt it helped her writing in the end and I loved her response. There's an upside and a downside to being asked to follow a specific process. As a writing teacher I have multiple responsibilities. I have to make sure to guide students to specific goals while enabling them to find the process that works for them. Sometimes these two principles conflict with each other and I'm often lost on how to advise the students on their next step. 


After listening to Jen's response, I feel a bit better about asking that a student partake in certain writing exercises that may or may not help their writing along. I've just learned that it's important for the students to reflect on how these expectations influence their own work. I hope their understanding reflects Jen's experience, whether positive or negative- understand that every step in the process leads to an effect.

2. Our favorite books are most likely a blend of genres. You don't have to just stick to one genre in your writing either. 

1. Dream Big. Be ready to fight for that dream.

This clip began with a story. Jen was in the 6th grade and decided that she was going to be a writer. Her character needed to pick a lock. Doing just what a good writer does, she researched lock picking. The result was a phone call that went so horribly, Jen abandoned her aspirations of writing. 


This story immediately struck a chord with my class. It seemed that the only people in the room who didn't know what was going on were Jen and myself. While their story was heartbreaking, it was clear that in the wake of the incident, they rallied around each other. 


The advice it elicited from this fabulous storyteller was authentic and heartfelt. I won't soon forget the energy in the room that day.

And what did the students think?