Kim Tomsic is the author of The 11:11 Wish which was published by Katherine Tegen Books/HarperCollins earlier this year. “Wishes, magic, and dares abound when an adorkable tween math whiz tries to fit in at her new school by wishing on a magical cat clock only to suffer catastrophic and hilarious consequences!”
Learn more about Kim by visiting her website, following her on Twitter, or reading her blog.
Describe your workspace & typical workday.
This question makes me smile, because my workspace and workday are in constant motion. Usually around 5:00 or 6:00am, one of my dogs licks my face to tell me they’re ready to start the day. After giving them treats and love, I set my laptop on the kitchen counter, conveniently located near the hot coffee and tea, and dive right into my work–in–progress. Getting started immediately lets me connect with my twelve-year-old self before I have to pay bills, drive to the grocery store, or do anything adult–ish. Eventually, the dogs get tired of me sitting on a kitchen stool, so I move to a room with a cushy couch and room for three. There, I review my corkboard—this is a board I’ve covered with colored index cards. On each card, I’ve written a one sentence scene so the board can be a visual story map. If I get stumped, I walk a lap or two (or three!) around the lake near my house. The lake is pretty magical—I’ve met a falconer’s apprentice, seen bears in trees, nearly stepped on snakes, watched a coyote skitter across the ice, and most recently, I saw my first muskrat. If I’m still stuck after going around the lake, I’ll check out notes in my office, watch Project Runway (while folding laundry, of course!), or best—I’ll read a book. Reading a good story nourishes my writer’s soul! I also teach yoga classes. It serves as great balance for me, because I spend half my day hunched over a keyboard and the other half stretching and realigning.
Morning commute
List three of your most favorite things in your workspace and why they are meaningful.
The majority of writing happens at my kitchen counter. On the wall in the kitchen is a magnetic board with photos of my children and family members. Those photos are the best thing about my workspace. My heart fills when I look up and see the people who are rooting for me. Lucky and Sushi, my two dogs, are the second and third favorite things in my workspace. They’re always willing to listen to me read my pages aloud. I swear that sometimes they even smile!
What do you listen to while you work?
I listen to the sound of the words when I work. It’s embarrassing how much I need to hear my dialogue read out loud! My house has a lot of windows, so those passing by must think, “There’s that lady talking to herself again.”
neighbor passing by
What is your drink and/or snack of choice while you’re working?
“Snack” is my middle name. I like to snack all day! In the morning, I drink decaffeinated coffee and cream and munch on a peanut butter and dark chocolate granola bar, plus I drink lots of water. In the afternoon, black tea, and peanut M&Ms, and more water, and again later in the day, I drink lemon ginseng tea with honey and more water (ALL the water. I drink at least 12 cups of water a day). Someone once told my daughter that students perform 25% better when they are properly hydrated. I’ve never verified that statistic, but I believe it.
What keeps you focused while you’re working?
Knowing where I’ve been and where I’m going helps me stay focused (hence the index cards). I’m a fan of Save the Cat by Blake Snyder, so I use the forty index card method (and the fifteen beats plan). I love the fact that when I work on a picture book, I can digest the beginning, middle, and end in one sitting, but I can’t often do that with a novel unless I create a storyboard. Seeing the whole story in front of me feels satisfying and doable.
Do you write longhand, on a computer, or another way?
I write on a laptop, but every once in a while, I’ll write out a scene longhand, especially if I have a blue ballpoint pen and a pad of bamboo paper.
How do you develop your story ideas? Do you use an outline, let the muse lead you, or another technique?
The muse has to deliver an idea to my doorstep. Once I have the idea, I see if I can craft the 15 story beats like I mentioned in Save the Cat. Then I try to further develop ideas with methods I discovered on a lecture on Audible called The Heroes 2 Journeys. I’m also a fan of reviewing conference notes and craft books to see what stands out and feels important. I toss ideas back and forth with my critiquing groups, and I look at opening scenes in the well-crafted books. I also reach out to my friend, Jerilyn Patterson, who is generous and willing to discuss story beats. She helps me dig deeper and uncover holes. Then I send a plan to my agent, Jen Rofé, along with an S.O.S. saying, “Please call me!” Recently, I was stuck on a source of magic for a new project, so Jen and her intern, Kayla Heinen, and I got on the phone and tossed around possibilities until the perfect idea fluttered to the surface. It takes a village for me to write a book!
If you were forced to share your workspace but could share it with anyone of your choosing, who would it be?
Oh, fun question! Maybe I’d pick Oprah, because I hear she keeps bowls of fresh blueberries in her workspace; or Laurie Halse Anderson, because she’d be up for a hike at a moment’s notice; or Lin Oliver, she’s brilliant and so SO funny; or Vanessa Brantley Newton, she’d teach me more about Tai Chi tapping and we’d decorate the entire space with her gorgeous art.
What is the best piece of writing advice you’ve heard or received?
Linda Arms White said, “Let verbs be your workhorses!”
