Posts Tagged Tara Lazar

Interview with ABSURD WORDS Author Tara Lazar & Two Giveaways

Welcome back to the Mixed-Up Files, Tara! We’ve loved talking to you about how writers can excel at your awesome Storystorm challenge every January and what to do with their ideas after the challenge is finished. You also showed an easy way for teachers, media specialists, and parents to use Storystorm with children. You can find an interview with all these gems here! And in this post, you shared how Storystorm isn’t just for picture book writers.

And now I’m thrilled to interview Tara about her first MG (which is absolutely amazing for both a middle grade audience and all writers/creatives)! I’d like to welcome to the world Absurd Words: A kids’ fun and hilarious vocabulary builder for future word nerds!

How did you come up with the idea for Absurd Words?

I have a list of “Fun, Cool & Interesting Words” on my website, and it became the most accessed page on my site. So, I thought—why not turn it into a book?

 

Brilliant idea! What surprised you while writing this book?

So many things! The stories I found about word origins proved fascinating, I just couldn’t get enough of it! I even had to contact the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences for a verification—yes, the Oscar people!

 

I’m amazed by how few words the average person uses compared to the amount of words that exist. What do you think are the most important reasons to learn new words?

The more words you know, the more words you can use, the more words you have to inform, educate and persuade others. Words equal power.

 

I love that…words equal power!

What are some fun ways teachers can use Absurd Words with their students?

Well, I have an entire section written that will be available soon! There are tons of games and writing exercises.

 

Ooh, that sounds like it will be such a helpful tool! If you follow Tara on Twitter, you’ll be one of the first to know when the games and writing exercises are up on her website.

In the meantime, I have an idea! Teachers can have kids look through Tara’s book and choose their favorite words to write on one side of an index card with the definition underneath (or on the back—as long as others can’t see it). In small groups, they take turns saying their word and having others write down what they think it means. The answers could be hilarious and might inspire a story! The person who chose the word shuffles the cards so they don’t know who wrote each one, reads them out loud—their favorite definition receives a point (or sticker). Then, they reveal the real definition. The person to their right reads their word, and the game (and learning) continues.  

 

Can you share a bit about your annual Storystorm challenge and how can writers use Absurd Words to help come up with awesome ideas?

These words will evoke memories and emotions, which will hopefully spur a few story ideas. I wrote about this for Storystorm a few days ago.

 

Such a great post. I love how these words evoke emotions. When I’ve needed inspiration for ideas, I’ve checked out your “Fun, Cool & Interesting Words” list. Now you have an entire book full of inspiring words and illustrations. They’ve already helped me come up with a few fun ideas this year.

 

It’s amazing that people can make up words and use them so much, they spread around and around…and end up in the dictionary! If you could choose one of your made-up words to go in the dictionary, what would it be—and why do you love it so much?

My favorite is “adogable” for a really cute pupster. I love it so much because I love animals so much! Frankly, I never met a pooch who wasn’t ADOGABLE!

 

I love, love, love adogable! My rescue pup is laying next to me and says she she’d be the perfect pup to show the world her adogable smile.

 

Can you share some tips to help kids and writers make up their own absurd words?

I made up the title of my first book: THE MONSTORE. The end of “monster” sounds like “store,” so I was able to crash them together easily. That’s all you have to do, find two words that can fit together like pieces in a puzzle (even if you have to force them a little)! These words are called portmanteaus, but that’s a long French word for something so simple. In ABSURD WORDS, I call them “crashwords” instead. Think about it, when these two words crash together, they lose a few letters here and there, like when a tire falls off and bounces away in a car crash.

Anyone can make up a crashword! A recent, popular one is “hangry,” made from hungry and angry. I know a lot about this word because my 15yo daughter never gets hungry, she goes straight to HANGRY. “I WANT AN EGG AND CHEESE SANDWICH NOW!” I thought I taught her better manners. [sigh]

 

Ooh, I’d love to see some crashwords in the comments! Who wants to share their favorites?

What are you working on now, Tara?

Some sequels! But I can’t say for which books!

 

So exciting! I can’t wait for more details. 😊

Is there anything else you’d like to share with us?

 

They say that if there’s a book you want to see in the world, you must write it yourself. As a kid, I always wanted a book like ABSURD WORDS. So, I finally wrote it myself. I wrote it for the kid in me, but I hope lots of other kids—big and small—also love it.

 

I already love it…and am sure it’ll have tons of fans. It’s such a fun and useful book. And as you said, words are power. Think of all the power these amazing, absurd words can create.

There’s still time to sign up for Storystorm, where the goal is to come up with 30 ideas by the end of January. And you can win awesome prizes like signed books, art, critiques and agent feedback on ideas, too.

Thank you so much for stopping by the Mixed-Up Files again, Tara. And happy birthday to Absurd Words!

Here’s TWO generous Zoom giveaways from Tara. The first is open to everyone. [Winner: Stephanie Wildman]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This 30 minute Zoom is only open to teachers and media specialists for an author visit with Tara (she’ll even show up in PJs and let kids guess which ones she’ll be wearing ahead of time—which makes a fantastic graphing activity). [Winner: Mia Geiger]
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Winners will be shouted out on this post and Twitter on Wednesday, January 12. Good luck. 😊

 

Storystorm: It’s Not (Just) for Picture Book Writers

Tired of sitting on the sidelines while her novelist friends participated in NaNoWriMo each November, kidlit author Tara Lazar created PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month), a monthlong brainstorming event for picture book writers: 30 ideas in 30 days.

That was back in 2009. The event has since been renamed Storystorm, in order to be reflect a “broader range” of writers, moved to January, and now boasts nearly 2,000 participants from across the country and around the world—professionals, amateurs, teachers, and students alike.

Ready, Set… GO!

 

 

 

With this in mind, and eager to get my fun on during the dark days of Covid, I decided to give Storystorm a try. How hard could it be?

Harder than I thought. The first week went by relatively smoothly, with ideas spewing from my brain like Vesuvius lava. But by Day #11, I found myself scraping the bottom of the idea barrel. Such gems from my notebook include: “Tween kidnapping ring”; “Reality show for middle-school tuba players”; and, simply, “oranges.”

In frustration, I decided to kick Storystorm to the curb. The event was for picture book writers, I rationalized—not for middle-grade authors who wrote entire novels. The challenge was that much harder for us.

That was just an excuse, of course. The real reason I didn’t want to continue the challenge is that it was far outside comfort zone. Like, Timbuktu far. I also felt pressure to come up with the “perfect” idea for my next novel. The idea that would catapult me to MG superstardom and make readers go, “Jeff Kinney, who…?”

Under Pressure

Unfortunately, and as any writer knows, pressure can stop creativity dead in its tracks. It can also make you feel “less than” as a writer. So, instead of seeking perfection (which doesn’t exist, anyway), I decided to have fun with the challenge. I added “What if…?” and “maybe” sentences to my brainstorming sessions:

What if the main character is forced to live with her crotchety grandmother for the summer?”

What if she’s left-handed, with fiery red hair, and a dime-size gap between her two front teeth?” “Maybe she’s a gifted tap dancer who loves Cheetos.”

Maybe she’s five feet tall…”

This helped ease the pressure that declarative statements can often bring. Once I started to enjoy the Storystorm journey, rather than the destination, I felt myself relax. And even better? I crossed the finish line, with a slew of sparkling new ideas.

And now, without further ado…

Five questions for the creator of Storystorm, Tara Lazar

MR: Hi, Tara! I know this isn’t your first Mixed-Up Files rodeo. You appeared on the blog in 2019, with this interview by Mindy Alyse Weiss. Welcome back!

TL: Merci beaucoup!

MR: As above, you created StoryStorm in 2009, as a response to NaNoWriMo. Which aspects of the event have changed most since then? What remains the same?

TL: The name and the month changed—because if I had thought about it for two seconds, I would’ve realized that PiBoIdMo is a terrible name and November is an awful month to get anything done. Plus, the first year, I wrote HALF of all the blog posts. Fifteen! Talk about scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas! The following year I invited more authors and illustrators to guest blog and I took on a more administrative role.

Advice for MG writers (including yours truly)?

MR: As I mentioned in the intro, as an MG author I had a hard time generating 30 ideas in 31 days. It felt like a lot! In your opinion, is brainstorming different for writers of MG fiction and nonfiction? What advice do you have for MG writers specifically, in terms of idea generation?

TL: I think picture books sell based more upon concept than MG novels. MG novels have much more “meat” to them—yes, they can have a brilliant premise, but voice, plot, subplot and language play a bigger role than in picture books. Picture books are generally a tougher sell, so the more manuscripts you have, the better a position you’re in. As an MG author you probably don’t need as many ideas as PB authors do, but I believe the more ideas from which to choose, the better.

Storystorm in the classroom

MR: Educators, such as teachers and librarians, are encouraged to participate in Storystorm. From what you’ve seen and heard, what are the most effective ways educators have used Storystorm in the classroom?

TL: Teachers put the daily blog posts on their smartboards in the classroom and encourage their students to brainstorm at the start of the school day. It’s an easy way to get students into a creative mode, plus they will have a portfolio of ideas ready to go for their next writing assignment. It eliminates that “blank page” fear! Writing is less daunting if students already know what to write about!

MR: You can say that again. Now, I’m curious, Tara… Do you participate in Storystorm yourself? If so, have any of your published or soon-to-be-published books been Storystorm ideas? Enquiring minds want to know!

TL: I do, and I don’t. I generate ideas all year long so I don’t necessarily need to do Storystorm, plus I’m busy behind the scenes. If I get ideas during the event, I write them down, like always. The whole point of Storystorm is to create a habit for writers, and I’ve already cultivated it!

Free to Be You and Me

MR: You sure have. What advice do you have for MG writers who are reluctant to participate in Storystorm because they feel intimidated? Let’s hear your best sales pitch. 🙂 

TL:  It’s free. There’s a great community of writers to keep you on track, and there’s no punishment if you don’t get 30 ideas. And your ideas are for your eyes only—no one has to see them if you don’t want to share. You’re going to end the month with more story ideas than you had before it began, so what have you got to lose? Nuthin’. Did I mention it’s free?

MR: Thank you so much for joining us again on Mixed-Up Files, Tara. And thanks for everything you do for the kidlit community!

About Tara

TARA LAZAR is the author of several picture books, including the award-winning 7 ATE 9: THE UNTOLD STORY from Little, Brown. Her next book BLOOP is illustrated by Mike Boldt and releases from HarperCollins in July ’21.

Tara is the co-chair of the Rutgers University Council on Children’s Literature One-on-One Plus Conference and an SCBWI member. She writes flash fiction for adults and serves as an inspirational speaker, based on her battle with Primary Progressive Multiple Sclerosis.

Tara lives in New Jersey with her husband, two teenage daughters, and a recently rescued stray cat, Phoebe. Learn more about Tara on her website, Twitter and Instagram.

The Skinny on Storystorm: What other MG writers are saying…

Wendy McLeod MacKnight, MG author of It’s Not a Mystery, Pig Face; The Frame-Up; and The CopyCat: “As an author who both struggles to come up with ideas AND flesh them out, Storystorm has been a creative godsend! I’ve got new tools for my idea-generation toolkit and a bunch of shiny new ideas to work on in 2021! I can’t wait for the next iteration!”

Christiana Doucette, MG writer: “Brainstorming alongside so many other writers—the energy and encouragement—has helped me to create an idea-seeds spreadsheet. I’m excited to sift through my list and start drafting my next story.”

Andrea Mack, writer of PBs and MG fiction: “I love how generating ideas through Storystorm inspires me by opening the door to my creativity. Sometimes I get ideas for developing my characters, plot events, or interesting details. If none of the ideas works for my story, starting my day by adding an idea or two to my list sets me up for a good writing day. And I love how I have that whole list of ideas to fall back on when my writing isn’t going anywhere.”

Mindy Alyse Weiss, Mixed-Up Files contributor and PB/MG writer: “Not only is Storystorm great for coming up with potential series ideas, I’ve found that a few ideas can mesh together into one amazing one. Also, I’ve discovered a few tricks to spark ideas, thanks to some of Tara’s archived posts. The ones I use most are: 500+ Things That Kids Like and 100+ Things Kids Don’t Like. I also scroll back to posts from previous years, for both Storystorm and the original PiBoIdMo. Tammi Sauer’s posts are always a huge help!”

Interview and Two 30 Minute Skype Giveaways with Author Tara Lazar

I’d like to welcome Tara Lazar to the Mixed-Up Files blog. She’s an amazing author and has done so much to help the kidlit community as well as teachers, media specialists, and students.

Please tell us all about Storystorm and how you came up with the idea for it. 

Jealousy, that little green monster, is to blame. In November 2008, I saw writing friends post all about the amazing National Novel Writing Month challenge and I came down with a bad case of FOMO. So I thought–what kind of challenge could I create for picture books? Writing one manuscript in a month was not much of a challenge, and writing one every day for a month was pure insanity. So I thought maybe a story idea a day was doable—a challenge, but not an insurmountable one. I called it Picture Book Idea Month or PiBoIdMo, borrowing from the NaNoWriMo nomeclature. That year I did it on my own. The following year I decided to throw it up on my website. What the heck, right? Maybe a dozen people would participate with me. I had no expectations for it whatsoever.

 

I love how this evolved into Storystorm, where writers, illustrators, and students can use this challenge to come up with 30 story ideas in 31 days for any genre each January. You don’t have to write a manuscript (but you can if the mood strikes). You might think of a clever title. Or a name for a character. The object is to heighten your idea-generating senses. Ideas may build upon other ideas. Your list of potential stories will grow stronger as the days pass. On Tara’s blog, daily posts by authors, illustrators, editors and other publishing professionals will help inspire you. By the end of the month, you’ll have a fat file of ideas to spark new stories.

Sign up for this free idea challenge using this link by January 7 if you’d like the chance to win some amazing prizes! 

What are some great ways for teachers, media specialists, and parents to encourage kids to join in your challenge?  

Honestly, the daily posts are so much fun, they could easily spend just five minutes reading it with the students, then give the students five minutes to brainstorm. It’s just that easy and simple.

 

What has surprised you the most about Storystorm?  

How much writers love it. How many books have been created as a result. I had no idea it would resonate this strongly.

 

How has Storystorm helped writers and students?  

I think it helps everyone tune into their creativity. Creativity isn’t something that necessarily comes naturally. You have to make time and space for it, like anything else in life. The little daily motivation it provides is surprisingly powerful. And hopefully after thirty days, it becomes a habit.

 

If you were giving us a Storystorm Skype right now, how would you motivate us to come up with ideas? 

I often tell students that all you need for a story is a character and a problem. I tell them to just look around the room. Anything can be a character. The chair you’re sitting on. I mean, a chair has a lot to complain about, having all those butts on it all the time.

 

LOL! I wonder if we’ll see a chair book in your future. ?

How do participants keep track of their ideas and how detailed do they need to be?  

Whatever makes the most sense for that writer. A notebook. A Microsoft Word document. A note on your phone. The idea can be one word like “mustache” or a title or a sentence or an entire paragraph. These are your ideas, your rules.

 

Once people come up with all these ideas, what should their next steps be?  

They have to decide what idea calls to them the most, what would make an interesting story. I find I get a gut reaction from certain ideas—they just beg to be written. Maybe not immediately, maybe they just simmer in my brain awhile, but I know I want to write that idea. If you do not get a gut reaction, maybe share your ideas with trusted critique partners or writing friends to see what they think. What idea sounds most promising? This isn’t an exact science, either. Maybe you need to build on your existing ideas until you get an AHA moment. Experiment. Try writing something. You never know what will happen. I love the act of discovery as I am writing a story. Some start out one way and then veer off in a different direction. I then step back and refine the story concept.

 

That’s great advice, Tara! Sometimes I find that a few ideas mesh together into an amazing one. Between the inspiring daily blog posts and Storystorm community, the ideas usually flow for me, but I found a few tricks to spark ideas on slower days, thanks to some of your wonderful archived posts. The ones I use most are 500+ Things That Kids Like and 100+ Things Kids Don’t Like. I also scroll back to posts from previous years, for both Storystorm and the original PiBoIdMo. Tammi Sauer’s posts are always a huge help!

What are some of your favorite tools and tricks for coming up with as many unique ideas as possible?

Get out and live life. I have gotten so many ideas from things that happen to me or things I see around me. The difference is being aware that something can be an idea. If you want lightning to strike, you need to hold a lightning rod. (OK, I don’t mean that literally.) But going through a normal day—knowing in the back of your mind that you are seeking inspiration—causes inspiration to visit. You are looking at the world through a different lens.

 

You have been on fire with your amazing picture books. Huge congratulations to you and all your lucky readers! What are some great ways that teachers and media specialists can use picture books with 9 – 11 year-old students?

Can you find the blue eyeball monster?

I find that the older students are so sharp at picking out hidden humor in picture books and noticing small details. Some of my illustrators have included tiny characters in multiple pages of our books. In 7 ATE 9, there is a tiny mouse in the office of the daring Private I. Who is that mouse? He has his own story. What is it? In THE MONSTORE, there is a furry blue eyeball monster that appears on sixteen pages of the book. Who is he? What is he watching for?

Picture books often have extra characters in their pages—ones who never receive a single line of text from the author. This is a technique many picture book artists utilize to lend more depth to a story.

Have students flip through any picture book to find a recurring background character. They can then write a story from that character’s point of view.

 

That’s a great exercise to use with students. First, they put on a detective hat to find the recurring character and then create a new story from another point of view. Brilliant!

Thank you again for stopping by the Mixed-Up Files, Tara. Your challenge has always been amazing for me (I’ve come up with 40 – 90 ideas each year). I’m so grateful for all the work you put into it and everything you do for writers and readers.

Good luck to everyone who is participating in Storystorm! If you haven’t joined the Facebook group yet, hop on over for some cheers plus even more support and inspiration as your ideas multiply in this fun challenge. I hope the ideas flow and that you discover tons of gems that turn into incredible stories in 2019.

 

Tara has generously donated two half hour Skype visits. Thank you so much, Tara! One is open to everyone—you can ask Tara publishing questions or for extra Storystorm inspiration. The second is a thirty minute Skype school visit for teachers and media specialists—the topic will be decided between Tara and the winner. Teachers and media specialists may enter both Rafflecopter widgets.

Winners will be posted on January 10th. Good luck, everyone!  

You can find out more about Tara Lazar on her website, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, and Facebook. Don’t forget to join the supportive Storystorm Facebook group and check out the challenge chat on Twitter.

Here is the Skype visit that everyone can enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Here is the classroom Skype visit for teachers and media specialists.

a Rafflecopter giveaway