Being a writer is really very different
than what most people might think. Believe it or not, the writing is the easy part. There is marketing, finding events, going to
events, printing out flyers, doing interviews, packing and sending out orders for books, promoting
your books, promoting other authors, social networking, while continuing to write new works, and many other things
that after four years I am still figuring out. One major thing that most people think is that all writers are
rich! I've even had people ask me why I
still work? My answer most honestly is
"because writers are like artists -- we're all STARVING!" So, I continue to work and continue to write
... but here is a little insight to what makes me tick as a writer.
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| Muffin looking for What's In The Corner? |
I write from my heart, and personal life
experiences. My most recent book titled "What's In The Corner? A
Muffin "Tail" is a musical, mystery for children. My Anatolian Shepherd, Muffin, is a wonderful
inspiration! About two years ago, she
started running to the corner of our backyard and barking at something lurking
in the large, tree-like, bush. Anytime I
would go to investigate, I saw nothing. I then started saying to Muffin, "what's in the corner?"; and
she would run with wild abandon to the corner and give a quick bark. It became amusing to our family! And so, in Laura fashion, I started singing
possibilities of what could be in that corner? The verses all contained things Muffin either adores or loves to chase! While one of her breed traits is
protector/guard dog, I capitalized on that trait in the book as Muffin protects the
backyard and me from "scary" things in the tree. You will have to read or listen to my awesome
audio download (that is sure to sweep at the GRAMMY's next year) to find out what REALLY is in that CORNER! We did eventually find out and you can too!! I enjoy making kids think and try and figure
out what is going on in my books. My books are interactive and I sometimes get caught up in watching children's
expressions and hearing what they think is going on in the book. Each time I do a reading/singing it's a unique and wonderful experience for me and I hope for the children as well!
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Levenger's
Commonplace Journal - Love it! |
What
I do find interesting about writing is that I have a beautiful office space and
a super cool desk, but have a hard time writing there. My office space is better used for putting
book orders together and the all-around administrative end of the book
process. I hand-write, yes ... I said
hand-write my books first. I carry my journal with me
most everywhere, because I find that I get ideas or paragraphs or whole stories
at weird times and in unusual places and any time of the day. The Life of Bud was finished in my head, in
the shower! I did go to the computer to
type out those thoughts, because it was quicker. But, all of my other writing has been done
with pen and ink on paper. When I talk
to kids about the writing process, I show them that writing starts out messy,
with cross-outs, arrows, print, cursive, mis-spellings,and scribbles! It is free-flowing and creative. After I write something, I usually let it sit
for a day or so and then go back to it and recopy it or chuck it. Maybe it's not that great an idea! I don't really get rid of it ... I just leave it in the journal and maybe someday it may turn into something -- it did
take me ten years to finish The Life of Bud!
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| A glimpse inside my journal ... |
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