Amanda Searcy, author of WATCH YOU BURN, on not being precious about your writing

by Jocelyn Rish

We’re thrilled to have Amanda Searcy with us to chat about her latest novel, WATCH YOU BURN.

Amanda, what was your inspiration for writing WATCH YOU BURN?

Watch You Burn came from many little pieces that melded together in my head. I used to drive past an abandoned, crumbling historic Route 66 motel on my way home from work. Its redevelopment had been very controversial, which left it empty for years. The motel also sits near the bosque—the cottonwood forest that lines the Rio Grande the entire length of New Mexico. Fires (mostly manmade) are always a problem in the spring and summer and cause sleepless nights for the people who live near there.

Jenny and her friend Ro, popped into my head when I was half asleep one night. I saw this image of two girls in the ruins of the motel huddled around a kitten lapping up a saucer of milk. And then as I thought more about them, I knew fire was going to be an important part of their story.

I built the rest of the book around that. It evolved a lot along the way, but Jenny and Ro are still there just as I had originally envisioned them.

What did this book teach you about writing or about yourself?

I learned you really can’t be precious about your writing. “Killing your darlings” is right. You want to write the best possible book, and when time is limited, you can’t spend days (weeks) hemming and hawing over cutting/rewriting scenes because they’re your favorites. If something isn’t working, you have to let it go and move on. That was a good lesson for me because I get really attached to my characters and settings. Creating that bit of distance lets you see that what works for you in your head doesn’t always work for the reader, and it has to be about the reader—not the author.

What’s your writing ritual like? Do you listen to music? Work at home or at a coffee shop or the library, etc?

I’m a morning person, so I write before I go to my day job. I write perched on the edge of the couch with my laptop on the coffee table and the hum of the refrigerator in the background (and my cat sleeping on my feet). I’ve done exactly this for so many years it feels strange to try to write anywhere else. My brain knows this is my spot, and it almost instantly puts me into writing mode, so I end up wasting very little time. (I do think it would be fun to be a writer who camps out in a coffee shop!)

ABOUT THE BOOK

Watch You Burn
by Amanda Searcy
Hardcover
Delacorte Press
Released 10/23/2018

Jenny didn’t want to move to the creepy, possibly haunted town with her dad. But the cops are on to her, and the only way she can protect herself is by moving as far away from her hometown as possible and staying out of trouble.

But even after she moves, Jenny still gets the itch. The itch to light a match and then watch it burn.

It’s something she hasn’t been able to stop, ever since an accident years ago. Now, in a new town, Jenny has the strange feeling that someone is watching her every move. Will her arsonist ways be exposed? Or is the burning truth deep inside her a greater danger?

Purchase Watch You Burn at Amazon
Purchase Watch You Burn at IndieBound
View Watch You Burn on Goodreads

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda Searcy earned a BA from New Mexico State University and an MA in human rights from the University of Essex in England. She works in collection development for a public library system and loves chocolate, cats, and curling up with a good book.

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Have you had a chance to read WATCH YOU BURN yet? If something isn’t working, are you able to let it go and move on? Do you have a spot that puts you into writing mode? Share your thoughts about the interview in the comments!

Happy Reading,

Jocelyn, Halli, Martina, Erin, Susan, Shelly, Kelly, Laura, Emily, and Lori Ann

Jocelyn Rish

Jocelyn Rish is a writer and filmmaker who loves researching weird and wonderful animals and sharing what she learns. Her debut was BATTLE OF THE BUTTS, about ten animals that do weird things with their butts. Her latest book is BATTLE OF THE BRAINS, a Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection about ten animals with mind-blowing brain abilities. When she’s not writing, she tutors kids to help them discover the magic of reading. Jocelyn has won numerous awards for her short stories, screenplays, films, and novels and lives in South Carolina with her adorable dog. Find out more at www.jocelynrish.com.

Post @ Jocelyn Rish and/or Adventures in YA Publishing. All rights reserved.

Posted: Oct 23, 2018

Category: Imported from AYAP

Tags: YA Author Interviews

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The first slide is an animation of a science/magic room in a castle. A cartoon character of a mad-scientist looking man in in the foreground says: “Hello! Dr. Frankenstein here to say, Well Done on kid lit zombie week! I’m an expert at reviving the dead, and let me assure you, with a little spark, you can bring dead projects to life. Especially if you dig up parts from other dead things. I’ll even let you have a sneak peek at my laboratory’s store room to consider potential parts for your dead project. If you see something with a yellow glow, that means you should click it. Have fun!”

He points to the right side of the screen and a new scene slides in of a castle science/magic storage room. There are various cartoon Frankenstein body parts scattered around. Some of them have a yellow glow. If you click on them, the images below appear (I’ve added alt text to them, so I hope it works).

The Heart of your story is the main character. The protagonist is the beating core that truly brings your story to life. If your MC doesn't make kids (and their grown-ups) care within the first few pages, your story will flatline. </p>
<p>Your main character needs to be:<br />
• Relatable enough for kids to see themselves<br />
• Unique enough to stand out in the slush pile<br />
• Active enough to drive the story<br />
• Memorable enough to survive multiple readings at bedtime</p>
<p>Where do you find this amazing donor heart? It might be the very thing you loved so much about the manuscript you want to revive. It might be the younger sister from your shelved YA novel. Or maybe it’s the hilarious kid you blogged about meeting at a school visit. Find a character beating with potential and place it in the center of your story.<br />

The Brain of your story is the theme or central message. The theme is the big idea that controls everything else. Picture books are more than stories - they're tiny life lessons disguised with humor and heart.</p>
<p>But your theme needs to be:<br />
• Subtle enough not to trigger the dreaded "didactic" rejection<br />
• Clear enough for a four-year-old to grasp<br />
• Universal enough to speak to both kids and adults<br />
• Fresh enough to prevent agents and editors from responding with "Not another sharing/bedtime/first-day story!"</p>
<p>Check your other dead manuscripts to see if there is a recurring theme, something that really seems to be speaking to you. Find the bit of poetry you scribbled on the back of a receipt to see what theme inspired it. Reread the pep talk you texted your critique partner at 1am. Pick the theme that will drive your story, giving it purpose, direction, and deeper meaning.<br />

The Legs of your story is the plot. Not to be confused with a grave plot.🤪 The plot is what keeps everything upright and moving, as well as providing support for all the other elements. You have very few words to use in a picture book, so you need to do a lot with each plot point.</p>
<p>In general, your plot should:<br />
• Hook readers fast<br />
• Build tension that a child can follow<br />
• Create page turns that feel natural<br />
• Wrap up in a way that satisfies</p>
<p>You can borrow a plot twist (a leg) from one manuscript and the opening (the other leg) from a different manuscript. Consider if the subplot of the middle grade novel you trunked would work better as a picture book. Or maybe your Facebook post about a disastrous camping trip could become a story for kids. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other until you have your storyline.

The Arms of your story are the side characters.

The Torso of your story is the setting. Setting helps a story breathe and connects all the elements of the story. It isn't just where your story lives, it's what makes your story ALIVE. It's the difference between "this happened in a park" and "this happened in that park, the one with the twisty slide that burns your legs and the creaky swing that sounds like a baby crying.”</p>
<p>Your setting should:<br />
• Make your character's world feel real<br />
• Contain your story in a way that makes sense to young readers<br />
• Connect different scenes and moments organically<br />
• Give your illustrator enough room to add visual subplots</p>
<p>Half-finished manuscripts are a great place to dig up settings, since you worked out the place details before the plot petered out. Or maybe you had to cut a second fantastic location from your chapter book. You can also revisit the detailed caption from your Instagram carousel documenting your tour of that delish candy shop. Disinter a robust setting that can house all of your story's vital organs.

After you press the Click When Done circle button, the lights flash with the sound of electricity buzzing. Then the screen goes black and lightning zaps across the screen with the sound of thunder.

The screen then lights up to show the storage room, and all the Frankenstein pieces have been assembled into the whole monster. An upbeat song plays in the background. Then a speech bubble pops up with the words, “I’m alive! I’M ALIVE!” Then the screen goes to black.

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