Suzanne and Melanie Brockmann aren’t just mother and daughter --- they’re co-authors of the YA novel NIGHT SKY, which came out in early October! In this blog post, they interview each other on the writing process --- and what it’s like to work with such a close family member! Read below for each of their questions and answers, and be sure to check out an excerpt of the book, here.
Suz: What was it like writing with me, as your mom?
Mel: Well, at first it was a little weird, because I really wanted our collaboration to work, and I wasn’t sure what I needed to do to make that happen. So I guess I was a little nervous. But you had a clear idea of the foundation of the story --- a YA adventure with a female protagonist that takes place in the world you’d created in your paranormal bestseller, BORN TO DARKNESS. And the first thing we did as co-authors was hang out by the pool behind your house and talk about possibilities for the story. I’d hung out with you back there tons of times, talking about all kinds of things. So once we got started, it was actually kind of easy.
What about you? How was it working with your daughter?
Suz: It was exciting! I’d read your writing from the time you were a little girl, and I always thought you had an amazing storytelling voice --- but you never got beyond the first chapter. I can’t remember how many chapter ones you wrote.
Mel: It was dozens. Maybe hundreds.
Suz: I know! And they were all so good.
Mel: I just had no idea how to plan out a story.
Suz: We took care of that, didn’t we? JWhat was it like growing up in a household with two work-at-home writers?
Mel: I’ve always loved to write, so just knowing that my parents were interested in what I loved was great. It was a little intimidating, sometimes, wondering if I would ever get good enough to do what you and Dad were doing, but overall, I really liked it.
At what point did you think it might be fun to write a book with me?
Suz: You know, I’d thought about collaborating with you on and off for years, but two things would always stop me --- first, I’ve written so many books that it was a little unnerving to think about writing a book in a different way than I was familiar with. And second, I never could come up with something that I thought would be a good story for us to co-write. But then, after I wrote BORN TO DARKNESS, I thought it would be cool to write a story from the point of view of a teenaged girl in this world. And seconds after that idea popped into my head, I realized that your YA writing voice would be a perfect fit for the project. It was a real light bulb moment. J
How did your work with physically and mentally disabled people influence your writing of NIGHT SKY?
Mel: The most obvious answer is that it led to the creation of Calvin, one of the main characters in NIGHT SKY. Working with people who have special needs was a daily reminder of the fact that whatever challenges these people face is only one part of their lives. And just like with any group, some special needs people are optimists, and some are pessimists. Some have a good sense of humor, and some don’t. Calvin is a funny, upbeat person, who just happens to use a wheelchair in a dark world where some people have super powers. He’s easily the character I’m most proud of creating.
Was it difficult for you to give up some control over the plotting and writing process?
Suz: Like I said earlier, when I was thinking --- in general --- about the concept of co-writing a book, it was a little scary. I had no idea what the process would be like. I only knew how I wrote --- all by myself. And because I knew that writing with another author would be different, I feared that it could be difficult. But once we started talking about NIGHT SKY, I found the process of co-creating the story incredibly energizing. And even though it took us a little time to iron out the actual workflow once we started the first draft, I have to say that I really loved it.
What have you learned after writing your first book?
Mel: Too much to put into one interview!! JBut I guess the most important thing I learned was how to outline a story. That’s the reason I could never write more than the first chapter of anything --- I would start to tell a story even though I didn’t know the ending! So I got very good at introducing characters, and a setting, but I always got stuck after that because I had no idea where the plot was going. Working with you taught me how to do that. Thank you so much!!!
You’ve written over 50 books. What advice can you give aspiring authors, or ones just starting out?
Suz: I always tell writers who are early in their career that writers write. It sounds simple, and in a way, it is. But you still have to do it --- not just talk about it. Set aside the time, put your butt in the chair, and write something. Anything. Do not wait for inspiration to strike. Do not expect your first draft to be perfect. Keep going. Fix it later. Get the story onto the page. And then, when you are finished with the first story, start the next one.
Trust me. You’ll get better with each one you write!
When New York Times bestseller Suzanne Brockmann first held her baby daughter, she had no idea she was cradling a future writing partner. Melanie was born with a fierce love for storytelling, so collaboration was inevitable. Suzanne splits her time between Florida and Massachusetts while Mel lives in Sarasota, Florida. NIGHT SKY is Mel’s debut and Suzanne’s 55th book.
