Frequently Asked Questions

I have given many talks to schools and child organizations, and I am always overjoyed to see how enthusiastic and excited kids are about writing. I try to save about fifteen minutes at the end of my talks for questions and answers, but often that is not nearly enough -- many kids hang around after my talk is over to ask me for addtional advice. Many of them are overwhelmed and don't know where to begin in the giant, crazy, wonderful world of writing.

So I thought that everyone who views this site might have questions of their own, and hopefully this page will help provide you with some answers. I will be adding more questions and answers onto this page regularly, so be sure to check back often! And if you have any questions, comments, or would just like to talk, you can always e-mail me at dallaswoodburn@aol.com. I look forward to hearing from you soon!

 

Q: What is some of your advice to a young, aspiring author?

A: My advice to any writer is to...well, write! Write write write and write some more! Write poetry. Write stories. Write novels and write plays. Write for a youth magazine or for your school newspaper. If you don't have one, start one! Write reviews for books you read. Write opinion pieces about an issue you feel strongly about. Write what you feel!

Another thing an aspiring author should do is read. Studies show that reading helps improve your vocabulary, which is a necessary tool for good writing. Plus, you can see what styles of writing you like and try to use them in your own writing. For instance, do you like books with long, flowing sentences or books that are short and to the point? Do you like lots of dialogue in stories or more description? Seeing what you like and dislike in others' writing will help make your own writing better.

Lastly, I encourage you to share your writing with others. One of the most important steps in writing is editing to make your story better. Ask other people whose opinions you trust to help you edit your work; for instance, something might be clear to you because you know what you were trying to say, but it may be unclear to someone else. Get feedback and help! Though it may be hard to edit your work, it is a very crucial part of writing. I have had to tear apart my stories and start all over again, and though it is hard and frustrating to change things, remember that this will make your writing better in the end. Finally, it is good to get different opinions when editing your work, but you are the one with the final decision on what to change and what to leave in your writing. You are the boss!

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Q: How did you go about creating "Write On"? Do you have any advice for other kids interested in starting their own foundations?

A: There aren't really any rules for starting a foundation -- all you need is determination and enthusiasm for what you are doing! That's one of the wonderful things about starting your own organization; you get to do what you want and center your activities around something you love, and meet other people who love the same thing that you do! Starting "Write On!" has been one of the most rewarding things I have ever done, because it feels so good to hear from people who love to write just as much as I do and who make me feel like I really am making a difference!

I started "Write On!" in March 2001 through a $50 grant I received through my school. I used the money to hold an essay contest and to print up fliers about my foundation to hand out at local schools. I was happily surprised by the amount of support and encouragement I received from the teachers and students who heard about my idea, and I received over a hundred entries for my first essay contest, more than I had anticiapted in even my wildest dreams! That's when I decided I wanted to spread "Write On!" nation-wide. I created my website and sent information to magazines and newspapers, and some of them, like "CosmoGIRL!", were very interested and did articles on "Write On!". It has now spread even further than I ever dreamed it would, and it is very rewarding to receive letters from people who live thousands of miles away but who appreciate my work and want to get involved. Writing has been such a rewarding experience for me that I want to spread its joy as much as possible, and "Write On!" has helped to make that dream become a reality.

But I know this all may sound a little overwhelming. You certainly don't have to spread your foundation all across the country -- you can keep it small if you want to, like just in your city or school or even a small group of friends. The important thing is to get started and not lose the spark inside you. Keep doing what you love to do and spread that love to others!

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Q: I read your article in Writer's Digest about how you become pen-pals to authors.  How can I do this, too?

I have so enjoyed getting in contact with my favorite authors and some of them have even become great mentors and friends to me.  Here's what I do: when I finish a book I really love, I first check the author's bio in the back of the book and see if there is an e-mail address or website listed.  If not, I "Google" the author's name and book title, and often I'll be able to find a website for him/her that way, and on the website there will be a "Contact" link to his/her e-mail address.  If I can't find a website, I write a snail-mail letter and send it to the author in care of the publisher.  You can usually find the publisher's address on the copyright page.  This way takes longer, but in my experience the letter always manages to get to the author eventually!  Tell the author what you love about his/her writing, and feel free to ask questions and tell him/her a little bit about yourself, too!  A great majority of authors love to hear from their readers and will be delighted to receive your letter -- and will gladly offer you advice for following your dreams.  Let me know if you get in contact with any authors!

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Q: How do you come up with titles for your stories? Which do you make up first, the title or the story?

A: It doesn't really matter which comes first, the title or the story. It kind of depends on the writer and the situation. Sometimes you might think up a good title after you have written your whole story, while other times you might just come up with a good title and go from there. Personally, I usually make up my titles after I write my stories, and use a specific idea or line from my story to make up the title. The important thing either way is to try to make your titles interesting or mysterious, so the reader is intruiged and wants to read your story and find out what it's about.