Friday Feature: Journeys Toward Publication and Beyond: Casey McCormick

Very early in my agent researching days, I came across Literary Rambles, Casey McCormick's fantastically informative blog about all areas of writing, including agent info for the field of children's literature. I was collecting agent information on little index cards, and realized that she was doing the same thing, in a much more comprehensive and organized manner. And, when I posted some comments, I found that she is a gracious host, and a supportive, kind person. Plus, she has style--she owns just about the coolest book-related purse I've ever seen. I am really pleased to introduce the woman behind Agent Spotlights, Writing/Research Tip Tuesday, and Wednesday Word Count!

In her own words:

Casey McCormick is an aspiring author as well as a reader for a literary agent. She lives in California where she neglects her day job as a medical transcriptionist to write young adult fiction and chase her kids around. To find out more, visit her blog, Literary Rambles, where she yaps about writing, literary agents, and a myriad of other desultory thoughts.

Casey--tell us--what are you currently working on?

For the last year I’ve been writing and rewriting (and writing and rewriting) a young adult novel about a psychologically broken teen and the unique way she deals with the events that broke her. That’s all I’m gonna say. ; )

What made you start to write seriously?

I come from The Harry Potter Wave, as I call it. You know, the masses that were compelled to write after experiencing the magic of HP (the sort of masses now coming from Twilight). I’d been writing off and on for years prior (mostly adult fantasy), but J.K. Rowling led me to discover children’s literature and a passion for writing it. It was like finding my forever home.

If you had to pick one favorite blog, what would it be?

I can’t say that I have just one. Every blog I read religiously offers a little something different, something worthy of favoritism. That said, I really try to keep up with The Guide to Literary Agents blog, and highly recommend it, as it helps me stay current on agent news, interviews, and more.

What is your favorite blog post that you have written?

Gosh, I don’t know! I love one I wrote called “Channeling My Mad Scientist," but I favor all of my Agent Spotlight posts as well. Those posts are filled with care and purpose, and I love that writers appreciate them so much.

What online resource have you found most helpful?

Can I name more than one? Verla Kay’s Children's Writers and Illustrators Message Board, the AbsoluteWrite Water Cooler, and Cynthea Liu’s site Writing for Children and Teens. I’ve learned a ton from all three, and made many new friends from the message boards, including my original, fabulous critique partner. I'm not sure where I'd be now without these resources.

What has been your biggest trial in writing?

Sticking with my novels, probably. I have a tendency to cut my (perceived) losses and run when I get to the dreaded middle and fall out of love with a project. I’ve been focusing on overcoming this little habit of mine this past year, but it’s not going particularly well. I think I bring a new level of harsh to being self-critical and can’t seem to love anything I write enough to get truly behind it. Sometimes I wonder what’s wrong with me when everyone else seems to love their manuscripts so much! Beyond that, I think it's really hard to know where I'm actually at as a writer and how to improve what needs improving.

What tricks have you acquired to make you write or create when you don’t feel up to writing?

I set goals with my fabulous critique partners, withhold things I love until I write, set timers, etc. Whatever I have to do, really. One of the greatest motivators, I think, is to set my writing aside for a while and read instead. When I’m really in a slump, I’ll read a stack of books (or revisit those that have inspired me in the past) and find a strong motivation to write again.

Tell us about a book that has impacted your writing life.

As I mentioned above, Harry Potter led me to discovering kidlit (I didn’t read much of it as an actual kid or teen), so it will always hold a special place in my heart. More recently, I feel that Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson influenced my writing a bit. The poetic nature of the writing made me almost sick with desire to write as beautiful, as good, and as powerful as she does in that book. Let me tell you, it made the self-critic in me a lot meaner, but I learned so much about the potential of the written word in YA fiction by reading Wintergirls that I almost feel indebted to Anderson.

What is your practical goal with your writing? Do you have a reach-for-the-stars goal that you would like to share?

Aside from wanting to touch the lives of others, my practical goal is to achieve a level of writing I can be proud to publish, and then to make a career out of it. As far as reaching for the stars, I’d love to be a prolific bestseller with a dedicated following. I don’t want to be hugely famous like Rowling or Meyers, not at all; just big enough to know I’m touching the lives of many, and doing what I've wanted to do for awhile now—write full time, successfully.

So far, what has been the best part of your writing experience?

The best part is seeing how much I’ve grown as a writer. It’s hard to live (and be patient) with the gut feeling that my writing isn’t good enough. But, seeing the progress I’ve made from draft to draft, especially from my first novel to my most recent, is all the encouragement I need to keep going. If I’ve been able to improve as much as I have in the last few years, I know I’m capable of becoming a phenomenal writer someday.

If you could be a character in a book, and live within their world, what character would you be?

Well, since I’ve done it a couple times already, I’m going to name more than one… Elizabeth Bennet from Pride and Prejudice, Hermione Granger from HP, or, if you don’t mind a gender swap, Harry Potter himself.

Casey--I have to say that I already think that you have accomplished your first goal, of touching the lives of others. Your blog is a very special and helpful place to be! Everyone, let's help make Casey feel at home by posting a question or comment for her in the comments. She'll stop by when she can to answer questions.

Want more Casey? Here is another interview posted on Beth Revis' website, 'writing it out.'