Ask the Author: Sarah Carlson
Answered Questions (15)
Sarah Carlson
The first novel I ever wrote was actually YA sci-fi; I started it at about fifteen. The first version was a terrible 240,000 word monstrosity. I rewrote it entirely and it got better, but still not THERE, if you will. I've been toying around with it some again recently, but I don't know that it'll ever see the light of day haha.
Sarah Carlson
I’m kind of a Pantsner, or a Planster. My natural inclination is to be a Pantser. The novels I write are all about characters, and the plots therefore are driven by the characters. I discover my characters as I write, unique aspects of their personalities and quirks, but also much deeper things like their core beliefs about themselves, the world, and the people around them. I discover their insecurities, which the antagonist exploits or are the antagonists themselves, and what makes them strong, which helps them (maybe) defeat the antagonist in the end. And I discover what they need and why they need it—internal and external stakes that truly matter.
All of these character aspects determine how they will act and react to other characters and the obstacles thrown in their way, which is the plot.
But at the same time, I can’t just totally throw characters together and just see what happens. I need at least a bare bones direction. So, what I generally try to do is start with a general idea of what the central conflict and antagonist are, then I try to flesh out a bit the major points in the novel, based loosely on The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structures by Christopher Vogel.
Then what typically happens is the plot completely evolves and changes as I’m writing and discovering my characters, and it often changes significantly between my many, many drafts as I understand my characters and their motivations even better. It may not be the most efficient way to write a book, but for me, it leads to a story with rich, deep characters who make high stakes decisions based on who they are, rather than to fit my plot.
All of these character aspects determine how they will act and react to other characters and the obstacles thrown in their way, which is the plot.
But at the same time, I can’t just totally throw characters together and just see what happens. I need at least a bare bones direction. So, what I generally try to do is start with a general idea of what the central conflict and antagonist are, then I try to flesh out a bit the major points in the novel, based loosely on The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structures by Christopher Vogel.
Then what typically happens is the plot completely evolves and changes as I’m writing and discovering my characters, and it often changes significantly between my many, many drafts as I understand my characters and their motivations even better. It may not be the most efficient way to write a book, but for me, it leads to a story with rich, deep characters who make high stakes decisions based on who they are, rather than to fit my plot.
Sarah Carlson
I was inspired by a trip to Belfast in July of 2011 during a particularly contentious time of year in Northern Ireland. On the 12th of July, Protestant Loyalists celebrate the victory of Protestant King William of Orange over Catholic King James II in 1690 at the Battle of the Boyne. To be VERY brief, this secured Protestant power in Ireland for generations, and the annual celebration of this victory is not well-received by Catholics and a lot of Protestants in Northern Ireland. Anyway, while I was there, I had the opportunity to attend and Eleventh night bonfire and the Twelfth parade, which features many flute bands dressed in military-looking uniforms carrying banners commemorating battle victories. There were also riots while I was there over parade routes, which go through Catholic areas and, at times, the Protestant bands intentionally play offensive music. I also found there were (and are) still huge "peace walls" between working class Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods. In talking to people there, the pain and loss suffered by so many felt so present even more than a decade after the Troubles officially ended. Over 3000 people were killed during the Troubles by Republican and Protestant paramilitaries and the British Army, and tens of thousands were injured. Plus, looking at the murals on both sides of the wall, one side's martyr was the other side's stone cold terrorist--all less than twenty feet apart. And some of those people went on to hold powerful positions in government.
Prior to this trip, I had some vague memories from middle school about the Troubles, but that was about it. But this experience left me curious to learn more, both about the history of the Troubles and the lingering impact on certain populations in Belfast. I found a story to tell about intergenerational trauma.
It took me about five years to finish ALL THE WALLS OF BELFAST. In terms of research, I answered another question about this in great detail, so I'll be brief here :-). Three trips to Belfast in which I visited every single setting in the book, combined with a lot of Google Maps Streetviewing. Studying the history of the Troubles, and the complicated history leading up to the Troubles. Daily tracking of current events, particularly paramilitary activity, for years. Research on the education system, the peace walls, challenges facing working class youth (in particular around paramilitaries), flute bands, and working class youth perspectives. Extensive dialect and culture research. Using five readers from Belfast, including two professional editors, to ensure authenticity. That's some of the research I did anyway, definitely not an exhaustive list.
Prior to this trip, I had some vague memories from middle school about the Troubles, but that was about it. But this experience left me curious to learn more, both about the history of the Troubles and the lingering impact on certain populations in Belfast. I found a story to tell about intergenerational trauma.
It took me about five years to finish ALL THE WALLS OF BELFAST. In terms of research, I answered another question about this in great detail, so I'll be brief here :-). Three trips to Belfast in which I visited every single setting in the book, combined with a lot of Google Maps Streetviewing. Studying the history of the Troubles, and the complicated history leading up to the Troubles. Daily tracking of current events, particularly paramilitary activity, for years. Research on the education system, the peace walls, challenges facing working class youth (in particular around paramilitaries), flute bands, and working class youth perspectives. Extensive dialect and culture research. Using five readers from Belfast, including two professional editors, to ensure authenticity. That's some of the research I did anyway, definitely not an exhaustive list.
Sarah Carlson
Becoming a traditionally published author is an interesting process. The book baby I've been working on for years, with support from trusted writing friends, now has a team of people around it (editors, marketing, creative director, etc) who are hard at work to make it the best is can be. Now so much is going on behind the scenes that I don't even know about, all to roll out the best debut possible. I think that's what's surprised me most, all the hard work going on behind the scenes, when before it was all just me!
Sarah Carlson
Good question! Most teens have likely heard things in passing about conflicts in the Middle East, maybe Central America and Africa. They know about World War II. The vast majority of them likely have no idea about the Troubles, the conflict that tore apart a tiny place owned by the United Kingdom, but on the island of Ireland. And that even twenty years after the conflict is considered resolved with the Good Friday Agreement, Northern Ireland is still dealing with the aftermath. ALL THE WALLS OF BELFAST has the opportunity to teach something new and broaden the worldview of American teens by exposing them to a new culture and a bit of the history and the legacy of the Troubles.
But beyond that, I also want readers to leave knowing that Belfast and Northern Ireland are both vibrant and beautiful places that are not defined by their complicated past, and that the vast majority of Northern Ireland wants to leave the legacy of the Troubles behind and continue moving forward toward a brighter future.
But beyond that, I also want readers to leave knowing that Belfast and Northern Ireland are both vibrant and beautiful places that are not defined by their complicated past, and that the vast majority of Northern Ireland wants to leave the legacy of the Troubles behind and continue moving forward toward a brighter future.
Sarah Carlson
Great question! I was inspired by a trip I took there in July 2011. When I first learned about the opportunity, my first reaction was, is it safe there? The answer is resoundingly YES by the way; the Troubles ended in 1998 and the vast, vast majority of Northern Ireland has moved on. I remembered learning a little bit about the Troubles during middle school, but had heard nothing really since. When I got there, I was shocked by the fact that there are still over a hundred peace walls across Northern Ireland separating Protestant Loyalist and Catholic Republican neighborhoods so long after the Good Friday Agreements officially ended the Troubles. I was also shocked to learn that only around 7% of students attend religiously integrated schools. The rest of students attend religiously segregated schools. It's possible for some students, particularly from working class communities, to never meet someone from the other religion their whole childhood.
I also had the opportunity to witness Protestant celebrations of the historic defeat of Catholic King James by, which continued setting the stage for the divided island, including attending a massive bonfire built in the middle of the street and a huge Protestant flute band parade which, to me, looked more like a military march celebrating (and, in the eyes of some, gloating about) the defeat of King James. Children participated in these events. And, at the same time, dissident Republicans have been engaging in armed violence against police and others. While I was there, there were riots as well. While Belfast is a beautiful, culturally rich city, and absolutely safe, under the surface, the legacy of the Troubles still hurts many people across Northern Ireland (over 3000 people died over the 30 years of conflict and thousands more were injured) and still grips some mostly working class communities.
After years of research, collaborating with editors and writers from Northern Ireland, and two more trips to Belfast, I found a story to tell about two teens, two families who live only thirty feet apart, but separated by a forty foot wall, religion, and history. I wanted to convey both the unique complexity and the beauty of Northern Ireland, and it seemed like a good stage to explore some more universal themes, like rising above your family's legacy to path your own way, forgiveness for egregious past mistakes, the impact of parents' choices on the lives of their children, and the contagion effect of bigotry on the next generation.
I also had the opportunity to witness Protestant celebrations of the historic defeat of Catholic King James by, which continued setting the stage for the divided island, including attending a massive bonfire built in the middle of the street and a huge Protestant flute band parade which, to me, looked more like a military march celebrating (and, in the eyes of some, gloating about) the defeat of King James. Children participated in these events. And, at the same time, dissident Republicans have been engaging in armed violence against police and others. While I was there, there were riots as well. While Belfast is a beautiful, culturally rich city, and absolutely safe, under the surface, the legacy of the Troubles still hurts many people across Northern Ireland (over 3000 people died over the 30 years of conflict and thousands more were injured) and still grips some mostly working class communities.
After years of research, collaborating with editors and writers from Northern Ireland, and two more trips to Belfast, I found a story to tell about two teens, two families who live only thirty feet apart, but separated by a forty foot wall, religion, and history. I wanted to convey both the unique complexity and the beauty of Northern Ireland, and it seemed like a good stage to explore some more universal themes, like rising above your family's legacy to path your own way, forgiveness for egregious past mistakes, the impact of parents' choices on the lives of their children, and the contagion effect of bigotry on the next generation.
Sarah Carlson
Definitely painting. I’ve dabbled in oil painting and love the way the words leave my brain and all I see are shapes and colors. It’s thrilling to watch the elements (hopefully) come together into something beautiful. I also enjoy photography.
Sarah Carlson
Ooh, this is a tricky one! If I had to pick just one, I'd say The Giver. I remember reading it in 5th grade and it rocked my world. It's a gripping story, and as I got older I began appreciating the themes more and more. The discovery of the value of the individual. The importance of pain to appreciate pleasure and grow stronger. And exploring the true cost of Jonas's seemingly perfect society. I never tire of reading it!
Sarah Carlson
My favorite beverage is pretty cliché for a writer--coffee. But more specifically, I'm always on the hunt for a good flat white in the US as I'm scouring the coffee shops of my city. But otherwise, just coffee. My favorite blend of coffee is Highlander Grog. For food, I don't really have a go-to.
Sarah Carlson
Haha... Well, since I'm a mom, it's been about 4:00 am before toddler wakes up and I go to work or after 8:00 pm when she's down (hopefully for the night). But my brain works best from about 6:00 am to 10:00 am, for a bit in the late afternoon, then between 7 pm and midnight.
Sarah Carlson
Great question! I am definitely writing outside my lane, so the years I spent researching were absolutely critical. So, don't mind me, but I'm probably going to tell you WAY more than you ever wanted to know about my research process.
I first traveled to Belfast as a part of a group, with the purpose of understanding the Troubles and its impact, in July 2011 for nine days. While there, I had the opportunity to go on political tours of the Shankill and the Falls lead by former Protestant Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Catholic Irish Republican Army (IRA) members, attended several different kinds of church services, toured museums, and spoke with individuals who grew up in Belfast during the Troubles. I also was able to attend an Eleventh Night bonfire in the Tiger's Bay area of Belfast and the Twelfth of July parade. I also did the coastal drive to Giant's Causeway/Dunluce Castle.
This experience left me wanting to understand both the history of the Troubles and how it shaped current events. I also found a story to tell around the lingering intergenerational trauma that is impacting some youths, even though they cannot remember the Troubles. I spent several years researching the history of the Troubles. On a daily basis, I tracked current events in Belfast and Northern Ireland (particularly December 2013 through Spring 2016) in local newspapers with a variety of different perspectives, including the Belfast Telegraph, The Newsletter, Irish News, the BBC, and Irish Republican News. I catalogued both UVF and IRA activities from articles to ensure I was accurately capturing a sense of the paramilitary groups. Several of the events in ALL THE WALLS OF BELFAST are based on actual events that happened in 2012, when the book is set, so I read numerous articles and watched newscasts covering those riots to do my best to capture it. I also watched a multitude of videos of riots, bonfires, and flute band parades.
Additionally, I read research articles about the current status of peace walls in Northern Ireland, their physical structures and how they’ve been fortified over the past few decades; working class Protestant and Catholic youth perspectives on the post-Troubles situation and paramilitaries; educational achievement among boys from Protestant working class communities; the activities of paramilitaries and their adherence to the terms of the Good Friday Agreement; and “Blood and Thunder” flute bands. Among other things. Then I also researched things like the educational system in the UK and Northern Ireland (whoa it’s different), the process to enlist as a British army officer, clothing styles and brands popular with different classes in Northern Ireland, and even how to open a current (checking) account at Ulster Bank.
I also had to do tons of research around dialect, starting with the subtle and obvious differences between American and British English, which are immense, and then taking it further and delving into specifically Belfast dialect. Living in Singapore, where British English is standard, and having many English and Scottish friends, helped tremendously. I also used a variety of forms of media, including books, documentaries, movies, TV shows from Northern Ireland, and Facebook groups. I watched interviews with teenagers from working class Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods to get a sense of their world view. I researched the meanings of commonly seen graffiti and several of the memorials in both the Shankill and the Falls,
I visited Belfast on three occasions (Summer 2011, Summer 2015, Summer 2016) and went to every setting location, even the bathroom of a bus station. It was interesting to see how some of the more threatening murals in the Shankill did change over the years. Then I also was constantly Google Maps Streetviewing everything—interesting note, Google Maps updates some areas more than others. While in Belfast, I worked hard to get perspectives from people who grew up in working class Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods through political tours lead by former UVF and IRA members and chance encounters with people at churches, taxi drivers, hotel clerks, museum workers, and friends of friends.
I also worked very closely with a number of writers and editors in Belfast to ensure that I was accurately capturing culture, language, and perspective (both historic and current). They tore apart many drafts.
I first traveled to Belfast as a part of a group, with the purpose of understanding the Troubles and its impact, in July 2011 for nine days. While there, I had the opportunity to go on political tours of the Shankill and the Falls lead by former Protestant Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF) and Catholic Irish Republican Army (IRA) members, attended several different kinds of church services, toured museums, and spoke with individuals who grew up in Belfast during the Troubles. I also was able to attend an Eleventh Night bonfire in the Tiger's Bay area of Belfast and the Twelfth of July parade. I also did the coastal drive to Giant's Causeway/Dunluce Castle.
This experience left me wanting to understand both the history of the Troubles and how it shaped current events. I also found a story to tell around the lingering intergenerational trauma that is impacting some youths, even though they cannot remember the Troubles. I spent several years researching the history of the Troubles. On a daily basis, I tracked current events in Belfast and Northern Ireland (particularly December 2013 through Spring 2016) in local newspapers with a variety of different perspectives, including the Belfast Telegraph, The Newsletter, Irish News, the BBC, and Irish Republican News. I catalogued both UVF and IRA activities from articles to ensure I was accurately capturing a sense of the paramilitary groups. Several of the events in ALL THE WALLS OF BELFAST are based on actual events that happened in 2012, when the book is set, so I read numerous articles and watched newscasts covering those riots to do my best to capture it. I also watched a multitude of videos of riots, bonfires, and flute band parades.
Additionally, I read research articles about the current status of peace walls in Northern Ireland, their physical structures and how they’ve been fortified over the past few decades; working class Protestant and Catholic youth perspectives on the post-Troubles situation and paramilitaries; educational achievement among boys from Protestant working class communities; the activities of paramilitaries and their adherence to the terms of the Good Friday Agreement; and “Blood and Thunder” flute bands. Among other things. Then I also researched things like the educational system in the UK and Northern Ireland (whoa it’s different), the process to enlist as a British army officer, clothing styles and brands popular with different classes in Northern Ireland, and even how to open a current (checking) account at Ulster Bank.
I also had to do tons of research around dialect, starting with the subtle and obvious differences between American and British English, which are immense, and then taking it further and delving into specifically Belfast dialect. Living in Singapore, where British English is standard, and having many English and Scottish friends, helped tremendously. I also used a variety of forms of media, including books, documentaries, movies, TV shows from Northern Ireland, and Facebook groups. I watched interviews with teenagers from working class Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods to get a sense of their world view. I researched the meanings of commonly seen graffiti and several of the memorials in both the Shankill and the Falls,
I visited Belfast on three occasions (Summer 2011, Summer 2015, Summer 2016) and went to every setting location, even the bathroom of a bus station. It was interesting to see how some of the more threatening murals in the Shankill did change over the years. Then I also was constantly Google Maps Streetviewing everything—interesting note, Google Maps updates some areas more than others. While in Belfast, I worked hard to get perspectives from people who grew up in working class Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods through political tours lead by former UVF and IRA members and chance encounters with people at churches, taxi drivers, hotel clerks, museum workers, and friends of friends.
I also worked very closely with a number of writers and editors in Belfast to ensure that I was accurately capturing culture, language, and perspective (both historic and current). They tore apart many drafts.
Sarah Carlson
Reading books by other amazing YA authors, running, listening to music, pulling out a notebook and just letting my brain go wild.
Sarah Carlson
Delving into the brains of fictitious people and figuring out how they will think and react to different situations.
Sarah Carlson
Currently, I'm working on a YA contemporary set in my hometown, in rural Wisconsin. It's about a girl who's always been an outsider, even though she's been with the same classmates since kindergarten. She has big dreams to escape her small pond and attend an elite art school after graduation, but when it comes time to make it happen, she faces an impossible choice--stay and protect her younger siblings from the addiction tearing her family apart or follow her dreams.
Sarah Carlson
First and foremost, if you write, you're a writer, not an "aspiring" writer. I think what's really key is the drive to continually push yourself to improve, through reading books on writing, finding other writers to critique your work AND critiquing theirs, attending conferences, and being open to hearing and using tough feedback.
There are lots of ways to define success as a writer. Finishing a book, that's a huge success! Taking the journey to become a traditionally published author is a much longer and harder path, fraught with a whole lot of rejection and self-doubt. Those who make it are the ones who never give up and never stop developing their writing skills. One hundred agent rejections on a book? Find some new critique partners to tear apart your query materials and your book so you can make it better. Or write a new book. Never stop writing. A whole lot of hard work, patience, and perseverence is what gets you there.
There are lots of ways to define success as a writer. Finishing a book, that's a huge success! Taking the journey to become a traditionally published author is a much longer and harder path, fraught with a whole lot of rejection and self-doubt. Those who make it are the ones who never give up and never stop developing their writing skills. One hundred agent rejections on a book? Find some new critique partners to tear apart your query materials and your book so you can make it better. Or write a new book. Never stop writing. A whole lot of hard work, patience, and perseverence is what gets you there.
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