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Manika Ward |
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Manika’s 18Q |
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The Eighteen Questions |
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18Q |
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The Exciting Adventures of BOO |
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Bibliography |
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1. Did you choose the writing profession or did the writing profession choose you? Both! My dad is an author as well, so I have always been surrounded by books and writing. Ever since I was three I would watch my dad write. I would sit in his office with my coloring book and observe my dad's writings for hours! I had inherited my dad's talent and love for writing! I love to write! I always work hard on my writings though. I would work every day on my book for two and a half years for two or more hours on week days and sometimes even up to eight hours on weekends! I would re-edit and re-draft over and over again.
2. What is your background? (work, education etc.) I have gone to a private school for all of my life! Currently I am a sophomore in the Henderson International School (a private college preparatory high school). I have received straight A's for my entire life. Currently I am taking AP and Ivy League courses
3. When did you know you were a writer? I knew I was a writer for as long as I can remember! I have always wanted to follow in my father’s footsteps and I would always over achieve throughout school in writing projects! For example, in first grade, when all the students were just learning how to write, our teacher would ask us to write a paragraph about something... when she asked for a paragraph however; I would always turn in a twenty page booklet! In fact, my teacher would even tell me to cut back on my writing!
4. How would you describe your style of writing? My style or writing is NOT narrative! I never narrate the story as, for example saying "Boo was excited; he wanted the ball." No! Instead I would get inside the head of the character and make the scene real. I would instead write, "Boo's heart was pounding. His tongue was panting. He ran in circles. 'Get me that ball, get me that ball,' he said." In my children’s book, "The Exciting Adventures of BOO", I try to make the story as exciting, interesting and real for the children as possible.
5. What is your writing process? Writing "The Exciting Adventures of BOO consisted of a very long writing process. First of all, I wrote down a list of all the lessons I had learned throughout my childhood so far. This list had over a hundred different lessons! I then narrowed it down to the ten lessons I thought were most important for the age group of children 2-12. I would then write down my first rough draft or each story. Next I would have to re-edit and re-draft over and over again, each time focusing on a different aspect. For example, I would go through one draft just focusing on the grammar. Then I would go through another draft focusing on making the scene real. Then I would go through the draft getting inside the head of the character. Then I would edit from the perspective of being inside the head of the child, making sure BOO and they merge as one while reading the ten stories. I would spend hours re-drafting and re-editing! I would always try to work on my book for two to three hours every day, at least! Then on the weekends I would have these writing marathons where I would work for up to eight hours straight! Sometimes I would spend thirty minutes on one page just to make one small change or edit. I would work for hours on end just to make my book one step closer to being a completed lasting value.
6. What was your path to publication? All my life I had always been a straight A student at school. I worked very hard at school, but I noticed how all this hard work only benefited myself. I wanted to find a way to put my hard work towards something that would not only benefit me, but also children and animals. I love children! I have three younger brothers! And I love animals! I have countless pets! So what I did was write down all the lessons I had learned so far throughout my childhood- there were over a hundred of them! I narrowed it down to the ten lessons I thought would be most beneficial towards children ages 2-12. I then thought of how I teach these ten lessons to the children in a fun, yet memorable way. Here is where I decided to create the character BOO and the book, "The Exciting Adventures of BOO". I have always been surrounded by writers and publishers. My father and my grandfather were both publishers and writers. It runs our blood, I guess. So I presented my idea of "The Exciting Adventures of BOO" to my father. My dad said it was a good idea, but he would only publish it if it was something of lasting value- something that my children and their children could enjoy. The next two-and-a-half years took me through the journey of learning how to write. The first thing I learned to do was how to write my story the way it would really happen. To do this I would have to get inside the head of the characters and draw out the scene as what the true emotional reactions and expressions of the characters would be. Then I would go back through getting into the head of m reader and how he or she would perceive this. Ultimately my goal was to get the reader to merge with the main character BOO in order to feel and experience the adventures and therefore, permanently learn the lessons. After two-and-a-half years and many drafts, my father read "The Exciting Adventures of BOO" and told me, "Manika, this is a children's classic." It was one of my proudest moments of my life. About a month later, I was holding the beautiful, glossy 144 page picture book in my hands.
7. What is your favorite self-marketing idea? PR- getting on television, magazines and newspapers for exposure.
8. What are the biggest surprises you’ve encountered as a writer? The biggest surprises I’ve encountered as a writer was how much work and effort needs to be put into your writings! I was surprised how it would take me up to thirty minutes on one page just to make a small edit! Then after spending hours and weeks on one draft, I would only be one step closer to the end product. I would still have to re-draft and re-draft over and over again! For my book "The Exciting Adventures of BOO" I probably went through about thirty drafts, with each draft consisting of much editing, run-throughs and re-reads.
9. How do you inspire yourself? What are your sources of creativity? I inspire myself to write by just knowing that, after each draft of hours of hard work and editing, I am one step closer to the end product. I am one step closer to finishing the book and bringing a value to others. My source of creativity comes from the most brilliant thing on earth- the mind, my mind. The stories in my book come from me and my own experiences/ lessons learned throughout my childhood.
10. What is your proudest writer moment? My proudest writer moment is seeing the end product of my two-and -a-half years of hard work and effort, "The Exciting Adventures of BOO". When I see the amazing reactions from the children, it’s my proudest moment! I know I truly am making a difference and bringing a value to the wonderful children!
11. What’s the best advice you were given about writing? Writing is a long term commitment that requires a lot of digging into your drafts to bring out easy to read writing and clear messages.
12. What is your most embarrassing writer moment? My most embarrassing writer moment was when the printer caught a word that was misspelled in context. I had written the word "aloud” when it was supposed to be "allowed". I couldn't believe it! I couldn't think of how after hours and months of hard work and editing, I misspelled a word! I was so thankful the printer found that word! We quickly fixed the word and then began the printing.
13. What business challenges have you faced as a writer? The business challenges I have faced as a writer is getting my books into book stores. This is a more difficult thing to do than I expected. However, I am steadily making progress.
14. What is your writer life philosophy? Don't talk about it, just do it! If you talk and brag about your writings before they are finished, you will get all the accolades before finishing it which will satisfy you and reduce your drive for completion of your writings.
15. When you’re not writing, what do you do for fun? I love singing, dancing and acting! When I am not writing I am usually writing songs, singing or dancing. I am busy in my school's theater and choir. I love acting and have won outstanding performance awards for three years running in the New York City National Performing Arts Festival for singing, acting and performance. I also am on the student council, varsity volleyball team and varsity cheerleading team. I have also recently started learning how to play piano, drums and guitar. Basically, I love doing anything that has to do with art! Whether it is art in writing, music, dancing or drama, this is what you'll find me doing most of the time for fun.
16. Who do you like to read? I love reading my dad's books! I also love reading classic books from authors such as J.R. Tolkien, George Orwell, and F. Scott Fitzgerald. I also love Shakespeare! His plays are beautiful! I also enjoy J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series.
17. What’s your advice for new writers? My advice for new writers is that writing is not as easy as you may think. Also, many new writers turn to children's books thinking that this will be easy. But it is not! In fact, it might even be harder for them because they have to get into the mindset of a child in order to make the book of lasting quality and value. However, if they are willing to work hard and put lots of work, time and effort into their writings, they will succeed.
18. What are you currently working on? I am currently working on a sequel to "The Exciting Adventure of BOO" which will contain ten more stories and slightly more complex lessons. I hope the children who read the first book can grow up and mature with BOO into reading the second BOO book.
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