A writer's interview on plot, the messy middle, where ideas come from, monsters and more on CABIN TALES

 

This week, I'm very happy to be the featured author on Catherine Austen's wonderful Cabin Tales For Young Writers podcast. We discussed how to plot, write endings, what's scarier: humans or monsters, the fun of writing villains, my favourite books, tips for young writers, more about my latest book, FIREFLY, and much more.

Here's the Full Interview: Philippa Dowding on CABIN TALES

Catherine Austen
Writer, blogger, podcaster

Here's a small taste of what Catherine and I talked about:

CA: Do you have any advice to young writers on how to begin? 

PD: The only way you can write it [a story] is to begin, and you can just tell yourself, “I can always rewrite this; this is just a draft” So that you can overcome that fear of looking at a blank page. The first idea that comes to you on how to start is fine. 

CA: And any advice on how to end a story? 

PD: Reading it out loud. When you read it out loud, you can find that there’s a natural cadence to an ending. You can feel there’s a beat missing. It’s the best way to find out how it’s flowing, if you read it out loud.

CA: And what do you think is scarier: humans or monsters?

PD: I think I'm scared and fascinated by both. Humans are scary because you can detect the monster just below the surface, and monsters are scary because — or fascinating because — there is just a touch of humanity in them. You can see yourself in the monster. I’m scared by humans and monsters.

If you have a young writer in your life, or if you'd like to hear what some of Canada's best writers for young readers have to say on all aspects of writing, do visit Catherine Austen's fantastic podcast: Cabin Tales for Young Writers

To torment or not to torment your characters in children's books?

 

As a children's author, I can honestly say I've tormented all of my characters at one time or another.

Can you tell a story worth reading without torment?

This week on the Cabin Tales writing podcast, host Catherine Austen asks me and four more writers: how do you feel about tormenting your characters?

Hear the episode here: Cabin Tales on Torment 

Join children's authors Cary Fagan, Ishta Mercurio, Raquel Rivera, Kari-Lynn Winters and me as we talk about leading our young readers through the murk, with just a little torment tempered often with a dash of hope, or humour.

We also talk about plotting, endings, and how to keep writing when you're stuck in the middle of a story. Listen now!

Here is an earlier blogpost and Cabin Tales episode, in which I talk about using phobias to fuel the creative fire, using a journal and more: Cabin Tales on Spooky Stories

How to write Spooky Stories, writing prompts and more on the CABIN TALES podcast...

Do you have a budding young writer at home? With COVID upon us again this fall, parents, teachers, and children may be looking for engaging, quality online listening. This week I'm honoured to be a guest author on the CABIN TALES podcast, a smart podcast for writerly children, produced by author Catherine Austen. 

Episode 3 is "Spooky Stories Are All Around Us," and offers writing prompts, ideas, writing tips and a spooky story for young authors. You'll find writing truths from fellow authors Amelinda Berube, Kari-Lynn Winters and me, too.

Here's a clip of me talking about using a phobia (long car trips) to fuel a story, in this case Myles and the Monster Outside: Philippa Dowding Clip

And how some of my ideas come from dreams, particularly OCULUM and The Strange Gift of Gwendolyn Golden: Cabin Tales clip 2

Here's the link to the full episode, beware the terrifying chipmunk: SPOOKY STORIES

Here's a later post in which I talk more about writing: Cabin Tales on Tormenting  Your Characters in Children's Books