Donna Galanti and I have had a lot of fun together doing character interviews and showing up on The Secret Files of Fairday Morrow when we’ve had new books out. She’s taking over my blog today to give me a break. I have some family business to take care of. I know you’ll enjoy her post. Thank you, Donna.
I lost my childlike wonder for quite some time. As my son became an avid and selective reader, I started reading the books on his bookshelf and fell in love with the magic of being a child again. And in doing this I began to see patterns in these kid adventure tales – and I began applying what I learned to create my own stories. So, I started out my author career writing thrillers for adults but a newfound love for reading and writing middle grade books inspired me to switch to writing thrillers for kids. But still, sometimes, my childlike wonder fades.
What evokes childlike wonder? And as adults writing for children, how can we recapture that?
Regaining a childlike sense of wonder isn’t about returning to a childlike state, it’s about letting yourself be awed by the little things in your grownup life. The mundane every day is what can dull our wonder. And just because those little things happen every day doesn’t mean they aren’t miraculous.
But keeping your childlike wonder can be difficult when grownup duties mount. Two years ago, in a pressure-cooker twist I had final proofs to revise and edit on book one in my fantasy series, Joshua and the Lightning Road, and was committed to deliver book two on the same day. Did I say “same day”? I did. With two books due on February 1st I had to grasp the wonder again – and fast.
So I ran away to a secret lodge to get it all done. I wallowed in editing drudgery. Line by line. Word by word. Character by character. Emotional moment by emotional moment.
Book one was the story I spent three years writing and revising with a developmental editor and after I got an agent and book deal for it, was presented with additional story edits. Book two was the story I wrote in four months and had six weeks to revise – and know what needed to be done. But did I really? And could I?
And somewhere in my editing elbow grease, I lost what the stories had become, and how to edit them. What words to eliminate. Sentences to re-arrange. Ensure consistent details through the series. Repetitive scenes to cut and move. Find and replace. Etc. Etc. Etc.
Each day through my lodge window I watched two kids sled. Up and down the hill they went. And their laughter and joy snapped me out of my trapped trance. I remembered being ten years old and how a whole day of sledding was magical. I also remembered turning twelve and sad with the awareness that I didn’t want to sled anymore. I had moved on, just like we move on into adulthood.
And I realized now that in order to do my job well as a children’s author and to find joy in it, I needed to rekindle my kid wonder again. Just as I pondered this, a video of babies going through tunnels popped up in my Facebook feed. I couldn’t help but laugh at their wonder. And I thought, as writers of middle grade, how can we keep that kind of wonder with us?
My wonder list:
1. Re-visit pictures of ourselves as kids. Daydream about what we were doing in those photos. What we were excited about?
2. Did you write diaries as a child or teen? Go back and read them to inspire that voice of youth in your own writing.
3. Look at the world from a different perspective. Like that tunnel. Like the snow. I went out in it and made a snow angel and looked up at the sky. Something I hadn’t done in years.
4. Create a new bucket list together with our kids or grandkids. What do they dream of doing that we could do with them?
5. Read stories by our own children, or grandchildren, to see how they view the world in their words.
6. Revive memories of being the age of our characters. Draw a map of the neighborhood we grew up in. Remember what we saw, what we felt, and how we reacted to events there and write them down.
7. Act out a scene in our book, or any book, with dramatic flair.
8. Face a childhood fear (mine was going down in our dark 200-year-old cellar where I was sure dead bodies were buried in the dark hole in the wall).
So, what did I pick to do on my retreat? I paced and read my books aloud, acting them out with great dramatic flair. I became the hero running for his life (in my son’s voice of course) and his fierce but loyal mentor (Thorin Oakenshield from The Hobbit) and the bad guy (Liam Neeson).
And I remembered how awesome it was to be a kid again and lost in the moment. And that every day as a kid was about being lost in the magical moments. Kind of like tiny miracles over and over – in the little things.
So…I made my deadline.
I turned in the best stories I could for my Joshua and the Lightning Road series with the time that I had.
And on my way home at dusk through the snow-covered Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania, the Lehigh Tunnel loomed in twilight. Its lights were ablaze in the dark. I raced through it like a wide-eyed rider surfing a lightning road. Fitting I think. And I was once again, lost in the wonder – and the small things.
Donna Galanti is the author of the paranormal suspense Element Trilogy (Imajin Books) and the children’s fantasy adventure Joshua and The Lightning Road series (Month9Books). She is a contributing editor for International Thriller Writers the Big Thrill magazine and blogs with other middle-grade authors at Project Middle Grade Mayhem. Donna has lived from England as a child, to Hawaii as a U.S. Navy photographer. She enjoys teaching at conferences on the writing craft and marketing and also presenting as a guest author at elementary and middle schools. Visit her at www.elementtrilogy.com and www.donnagalanti.com. She can also be found on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Goodreads. For tips on building your author platform, check out Donna’s course, Create Your Awesome Community for Debut Authors, and sign up to receive free weekly guides and videos. Details here: https://www.yourawesomeauthorlife.com/
Donna is offering book 2 in the Joshua series, Joshua and the Arrow Realm (print U.S. only or choose e-book international). Just tell us if you’d like to enter to win.
Alexa says
Lovely post! Rekindling that childhood wonder is such an amazing thing. I think we should all have a regular dose of it.
Alexa
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Stephanie@Fairday's Blog says
Yay for Donna! I love this series and am happy to see her spotlighted here. You two had such great Character Book Clubs together on our blog.
It was wonderful to learn more about how she got book 1 and 2 ready for the same day. Wow! The retreat sounds like it was inspirational. I especially like her list for finding out childhood wonder. Best of luck to Donna!
Denise Covey says
Donna, thanks for this post and Lee, thanks for letting Donna take over today. Loved the childlike wonder. It’d be hard to write for kids without it, but I do well know the spectre of editing so much you lose some sense of the story.
Mark C. Noce says
Ah, so cool! Anything that gets a person in touch with that childlike wonder is special. I felt that way when I first took my kids to Disneyland, it was like I was a kid all over again:)
Donna Galanti says
Lee, thanks so much for having me on this week talking about rekindling childlike wonder!
Hilary says
Hi Donna – good to see you here for Lee – that must have been a wonderful collaboration together. I really should spend some time reading those sorts of books – as not having kids I’ve missed out: wonderful authorly journey you’ve been on – cheers Hilary
Donna Galanti says
Hilary, thanks for stopping by! I never read children’s books until a few years ago and fell in love with them. It’s a wonderful way to keep the magic of childhood alive. Hope you find some that you enjoy to read!
Liz A. says
Wow, two books due on the same day? It’s a wonder you actually did it. Amazing.
Donna Galanti says
Liz, it was quite the challenge! Luckily, I have a husband who allows me to run away 🙂
Karen Lange says
Nice to meet you, Donna. Thanks for the refreshing perspective here. Childlike wonder should be a part of each day. 🙂
Lee, thanks for hosting. Hope all is well. Have a great week!
Donna Galanti says
I agree Karen! I’ve been lucky to rekindle it through my son as well 🙂
Elephants Child says
Welcome Donna.
Fortunately I don’t think I have ever lost awe and wonder. Small things make my world (my ever-loving family says ‘small things for small minds’ but my adult self sticks her tongue out at them.
Donna Galanti says
Thanks for the laugh! I like to stick my tongue out at things too!
HR Sinclair says
Just wonderful! I’m currently writing a MG, so this is superb timing. Recapturing that wonder and joy is good for the soul!
Donna Galanti says
Oh wishing you success with your new book!
Beverly McClure says
Great post and advice. Exactly what I need at the moment with my work. I must go back to those years when life was a miracle and most anything could happen. Thanks for the reminder.
Donna Galanti says
Absolutely! I love writing for tweens as they have one foot in a magical land and one foot in the adult world. It’s such a wondrous time.
Barbara says
Your wonder list is so inspiring. I keep my wonder by reading lots of books from my childhood. I remember some of them almost word-for-word, but I still read them again when I’m feeling a bit jaded.
Please say Hi to Lee from me.
Donna Galanti says
I do the same thing! I have my favorite books (very worn!) from childhood that I re-read. Every few years I read the entire Little House series again. An absolute fave is The Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston. It’s a magical book to read for Christmas!
Pat Hatt says
Kids sure can help you recapture that childlike wonder. We just need to look as they do sometimes indeed.
Donna Galanti says
Yes! This is a wonderful way to recapture that wonder. I do this through my son.
Heather R. Holden says
Ooh, love this post. It’s definitely way too easy to lose that sense of wonder, the older we get. Will have to remember this list the next time I’m feeling overwhelmed by adulthood!
And…two book deadlines in one day?! Whoa. Can’t imagine how stressful that must’ve been. I would’ve been such a wreck!
Donna Galanti says
I like the idea of using this list just for feeling overwhelmed by adulthood, Heather! Not just for writing 🙂
Christine Rains says
Having a child and experiencing all the wonders of the world again with him has really helped bring back my childlike wonder. It’s in the little things, I’ve found. Loved the suggestions! And congrats to Donna. 🙂
Donna Galanti says
Thanks Christine! Glad you have someone to share the wonder with again 🙂
Natalie Aguirre says
I definitely lose that sense of wonder with all the fast pace of life and too much to do. I’ll try your tips and not to be too scared of your story of so many deadlines at one time.
Donna Galanti says
It is easy to lose wonder with adult responsibilities! Hope you can clear your plate to get your deadlines done. Sometimes running away does help 🙂
Thomas Anderson says
Hi, Donna!
I appreciate your tips on recapturing the sense of wonder with which we were blessed in childhood. It was instructive to watch the video compilation of awestruck babies going through tunnels. I see miracles all around me every day. I fill my days with play because I turn all work into play – a game, an exciting challenge. Most importantly, I believe, I maintain a vivid imagination and make sure it gets plenty of exercise. Having lived in Pennsylvania the first half of my life I have pleasant memories of negotiating snow covered roads in the Poconos.
Thank you, Donna and Cheryl!
Donna Galanti says
I love that baby video going through the tunnels! They find such joy in such a simple thing. Happy to hear you are exercising your imagination 🙂