Thinking Like a Twelve-Year-Old

No, I have not been recently accused of this. I'm doing a Jolie Gentil short story (as yet untitled) that takes place in between books 10 (The Unexpected Resolution) and 11 (Underground in Ocean Alley). Why?

Book 10 sees Jolie and Scoobie getting married and an 11-year old enters their lives in the form of a half brother that Scoobie did not know he had (Terry). Skip forward 3 years and Jolie and Scoobie have 3-year old twins and a now-high-school-age brother with them. That's Underground in Ocean Alley.

I decided not to write the 'big baby event' of the twins' birth as part of a mystery, but I promised readers that they would see that moment in a future story. Of course, a story has to have legs, so there's a lot more involved than that.

However, having already written Terry as a high school age young man, I'm finding it difficult to depict his younger self. Generally my characters advance in age rather than regress.

These are some of the traits and attitudes I'm trying to imbue in 12-year old Terry.

• Friends, and their opinions, are very important.
• Sports are the best part of school.
• Food, lots of it, is always good.
• It's better to tease than be teased.
• Waiting for a baby is good, because life will really be different when it arrives.

What have I missed? I'd love your ideas!
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To learn more about Elaine or her writing, go to www.elaineorr.com or sign up for her newsletter.

Learning From Jane Friedman

We learn from many sources, but some are more consistent than others. About 25 years ago, at  a Midwest Writers Workshop in Muncie, Indiana, I heard Jane Friedman speak. At that time she was with Writer's Digest (F&W Media), and had a lot of good info on getting into print. She gave practical advice and suggested other resources so a writer who wanted to publish could learn how to go from novice to published author.

Since then, Jane has left traditional employment and become a publishing guru who understands the nexus of the published word and the digital world. Hers is one of the few blogs I read regularly, and I commend to you her book, The Business of Being a Writer.

Nothing can be published until a writer places her tailbone in a chair and puts solid time into writing and revising. And no one needs to learn intricacies of the publishing world until they finish a good product. However, as you write, you can learn the industry in small doses. Jane Friedman's work is the place to start.
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To learn more about Elaine or her writing, go to www.elaineorr.com or sign up for her newsletter.