About the author:
Laura Michelle Thomas of Laura Thomas Communications, is doing an excellent job at mentoring young minds in the publishing industry.Her LTC website states, "Our mission at Laura Thomas Communications is to foster the development of young writers worldwide through quality contests, conferences, blogging, books, and educational resources."
In the wake of her parents’ separation, Polly, a fifteen-year-old wannabe writer, comes face to face with her inner dragon, a truculent, impatient creature who is a talented but frightful critic of her writing. With the help of Ms. Patience Whitford, a literary dragon trainer and leader of a global writing guild, Polly faces the almost impossible task of going beyond her “good ideas” to finish a publishable piece of fiction. All the while, Polly and her dragon, Scrum, become entangled in a dangerous scheme that threatens the future of every writer on the planet.
About the Book:
Polly Wants to Be a Writer is an imaginative urban fantasy, complete with nefarious villains, intrigue, complex interwoven backstories, evil plots, and a good deal of solid advice on how to become a writer. It is an engaging read, crafted to capture the imagination of young, aspiring writers.In the wake of her parents’ separation, Polly, a fifteen-year-old wannabe writer, comes face to face with her inner dragon, a truculent, impatient creature who is a talented but frightful critic of her writing. With the help of Ms. Patience Whitford, a literary dragon trainer and leader of a global writing guild, Polly faces the almost impossible task of going beyond her “good ideas” to finish a publishable piece of fiction. All the while, Polly and her dragon, Scrum, become entangled in a dangerous scheme that threatens the future of every writer on the planet.
Interview
Your initiative, your website and workshops are all so inspiring for young writers the world over. There must be a story behind this?
Yes, and it's purely selfish. It's about my own struggle to become a writer. Growing up in the 1970s and 1980s, writing was not part of the school curriculum outside English class, which I wasn't a fan of. And no one in my extended family or network of friends earned their living in the arts. I wanted to be a writer as a teen, but I had no idea how or where to do that. As a result I didn't start taking my writing seriously until I was well out of high school. Then, it was the rise of the "Idol" shows that made me realize that writing is still very hidden compared to other art forms, so I decided to do my part to help support young writers. It started with workshops and online courses, then the contest, now my whole business is about helping them. And I know from the daily email and comments I received that I'm making a difference. That keeps me going.
Tell us something about your book Polly Wants To Be a writer.
Polly Wants to Be a Writer comes directly from my experience teaching creative writing to youth for the past several years. My first draft was a non-fiction, how-to book. But then my years of being a professional storyteller kicked in, and I rewrote it as a novel. It is a great, fast-paced story with solid writing advice. I think you will see the book show up as required reading in English and Creative Writing classes.
What is it that triggered the thought of writing what you discuss daily into a book?
See above
How does it feel to interact with and mentor young/prospective writers the world over, who have unbridled imagination and abundance of ideas?
LOL. Young writers (like fifteen-year-old Polly in Polly Wants to Be a Writer) are full of ideas, but they struggle to get them down into a finished piece that is worthy of submitting to a contest or publisher. This is the thing: from the outside writing looks easy, but nothing could be further from the truth. It is an art and a craft that takes time and a lot of practice to develop. When I see a young writer finally grasp that fact and push on, I know that I have saved them years of struggling. That feels great.
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