Spring To Success With SpringMingle'19 and ELLEN HOPKINS (Part II)

In anticipation of our SpringMingle novel intensive (which looks AWESOME), Conference Coordinator Randall Bonser interviewed multiple-award-winning author Ellen Hopkins about her most famous YA book series, and about her practice of writing in verse. She also included the homework she wants attendees to do before the workshop. If you haven't signed up for the novel intensive yet, there are still a few more spots (but they are going quickly, so... ):

Do you find that teens are still reading books? Or has anything changed in teen reading habits in the years you’ve been writing for teens?

Teens are absolutely still reading books, and they prefer print to screen. I think the difference between then and now is the sheer number of choices they have. There are books for every teen. 

What kind of habits would you advise for writers who want to succeed in YA fiction?

To spend as much time around teens as you can, in a number of different settings, if possible. And to read, read, read, YA, in its many forms. 

What are some of the things you’re going to focus on when you teach at Springmingle Atlanta 2019?

On the writing side, the value of imagery, sensory detail, and white space on the page. These things are critical to writing prose as well as verse, and all levels of kidlit. Also, balancing personal and professional time, marketing tips (including a discussion about online platforms), and the importance of inclusion, social justice and activism as writers. 

What are some homework assignments you want to assign to writers coming to your workshop at Springmingle?

I’d like everyone to bring a couple of pages of a WIP (Work In Progress) to my intensive sessions so we can see how playing with those sensory details and white space can create mood, and draw readers closer to the characters. And it would be good for those who already have websites or online platforms to bring laptops so we can look at what they’ve already got and how to spice it up.

Thanks, Ellen, for a sneak peek into what we can expect from your intensives at Springmingle'19. Plus, Ellen Hopkins will be delivering our Keynote at Saturday's conference. So you heard Randall Bonser--spots are going quickly! Register today!

              CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SPRINGMINGLE'19 TODAY!

Spring To Success With SpringMingle'19 and ELLEN HOPKINS!

This year's Conference Coordinator, Randall Bonser, caught up with multiple-award-winning author Ellen Hopkins to ask her a few questions about her most famous Young Adult book series and her practice of writing in verse:

What is the draw for writing books in verse? Is this form becoming more or less popular?

For the author, writing in verse is a challenge. Every word must count, and poetic devices such as imagery, alliteration, metaphor, etc. are vital, and must be done well. Verse novels appeal to a variety of readers, however, especially reluctant or hard-to-reach readers, and have become a necessary kidlit format. They are absolutely more popular now than when I began writing them. 

Do you think poetry distances the reader from the difficult action bits, or draws them closer?

Poetry draws the reader inside the characters, so it’s more like living the story than being told the story. This is exactly what appeals to readers who love verse novels. 

Do concrete poems affect readers differently than “free verse” poems? Is there an added emotional layer?

Concrete poems add visual interest to the page, and for younger generations who grow up on a smorgasbord of visual elements (think screens), this adds appeal. 

Why is the plot element of a teen taking drugs important for you to write about?

I think most people know that my first YA novel, Crank, plus its sequels, Glass and Fallout, were inspired by my beautiful daughter’s fall into meth addiction. Watch the downward spiral from straight-A kid to prisoner made me want to change teen lives for the better by showing how easily addiction can happen to even the best and brightest kids. 

What feedback have you gotten from teen readers on the Crank trilogy?

Everything from “I was headed that way, but your books made me change my mind” to “thank you for the insight into my parents’ (or sibling’s or friend’s) addiction.” The books have done much good over the years and continue to do so today. Crank not only remains in print after fourteen years but is regularly replaced in classrooms and school libraries. 

Have you been stigmatized at all by parents or teachers or librarians for your raw coverage of some of these difficult topics?

Of course. However, the pushback was much stronger in the past. I think today people understand the power of novels like those I write to do good.

Come back Thursday for more of Ellen Hopkins' interview, particularly for those who've signed up for her novel intensive. (You'll want to get a head start because pssst! There's homework, y'all!)

And if you haven't registered for Friday's writing intensives, sign up today! There's still room but space is going fast!

                                 CLICK HERE TO REGISTER FOR SPRINGMINGLE'19 TODAY!