First Draft With Sarah Enni

Morgan Matson, New York Times bestselling author of THE UNEXPECTED EVERYTHING, SINCE YOU’VE BEEN GONE, and her latest YA, SAVE THE DATE, talks about having the eleventh book be the hardest yet, “flashpoint” stories, the Morganverse, her unusual editing process, and writing a book in movies’ clothing.   Morgan Matson 2.0 Show Notes The Unexpected Everything by Morgan Matson For Better or For Worse (comic strip) Noises Off by Michael Frayn Morgan’s first First Draft episode Katie Finn (Morgan’s alter ego) Foxtrot (comic strip) Calvin & Hobbes (comic strip) Doonsebury (comic strip) Justin Chanda, Vice President and Publisher at Simon and Schuster Diya Mishra Father of the Bride (movie) Sixteen Candles (movie) The Family Stone (movie) Rachel Getting Married (movie) Frasier (TV show) Friends (TV show) Noises Off (movie) Susan Dennard

Francesca Lia Block, author of more than 25 books, including seminal YA novel Weetzie Bat, talks about her most recent book, THE THORN NECKLACE, a memoir-driven guide to healing through the craft of writing. Francesca talks about meshing her life with that of her most favorite character, shares some incredibly useful writing exercises, and talks about *when* to do research.   Francesca Lia Block Show Notes Joni Mitchell Harry Houdini Linda Venis, former head of the UCLA extension Writers Program H.D., “Sea Rose” The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Jill Alexander Essbaum Fairies in the Kitchen: The Weetzie Bat Cookbook by Carmen Staton and Francesca Lia Block The Midnight Disease by Alice W. Flaherty Hypergraphia Writing as a Way of Healing: How Telling Our Stories Transforms Our Lives by Louise DeSalvo Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott Mrs. Dalloway by Virginia Woolf

Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, soon-to-be-married couple and co-authors of debut, ALWAYS NEVER YOURS (out now!), talk about the joke that brought them together, having co-writing modeled for them by Emily’s parents, and the fact that “whom” will never be in a YA contemporary. Austin Siegemund-Broka and Emily Wibberley Show Notes Cormac and Marianne Wibberley, screenwriting couple who wrote films such as National Treasure Why Won’t You Date Me (podcast) with Nicole Byer 21 Jump Street (movie) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi

Becky Albertalli, New York Times bestselling author of LEAH ON THE OFF BEAT, SIMON VERSUS THE HOMO SAPIENS AGENDA, and co-author of WHAT IF IT’S US, with Adam Silvera, due out in October. Becky talks about how seeing Simon become a movie made her want to write more cinematically, how good AND bad news can be paralyzing while you are revising on deadline, her number one OTP, and retconning her own series and characters.   Becky Albertalli Show Notes Margot Wood from Epic Reads Greg Berlanti Isaac Aptaker and Elizabeth Berger who wrote This is Us (TV show) and the script for Love, Simon Isaac Klausner Aminah Mae Safi Adam Silvera (listen to his First Draft interview here) Brooks Sherman More Happy Than Not by Adam Silvera John Green

Victoria Aveyard, whose latest novel, WAR STORM, is the final volume in the New York Times best-selling RED QUEEN series, talks about how Harry Potter led her to value fat books, balancing fan expectations with the demands of story, promo vs. creative mode, and staying hydrated on planes.   Victoria Aveyard 2.0 Show Notes Victoria Aveyard’s first First Draft podcast Suzie Townsend (literary agent) New Leaf Literary Scrivener Avengers: Infinity War (movie) Empire podcast about Infinity War The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien The Mark Duplass interview on Pete Holmes’ You Made it Weird Podcast

Britta Lundin, whose debut novel SHIP IT, is out now, talks about being a TV writer (Riverdale), choosing to tell queer stories, and being shaped by her fandoms. 

Shane Pangburn and Tori Hill, producers of the YALLWEST book festival, on starting operations off a wedding budget, sending S.O.S. emails, and operating in good faith with festival organizers. Tori Hill and Shane Pangburn, producers of YALLWEST, Show Notes Margaret Stohl Beautiful Creatures by Margaret Stohl and Kami Garcia Pseudonymous Bosch Lewis Peterson, co-author of Cats vs. Robots with Margaret Stohl YALLFest Blue Bicycle Books Santa Monica Public Library Teen ambassadors Maret Orliss, Associate Director of Programming at the LA Times (listen to her First Draft interview here) Writeopia Labs

Kirsten Hubbard, author of YA novels Like Mandarin and Wanderlove, as well as middle grade novels Watch the Sky, Race the Night, and most recently, Secrets of Topsea: A Friendly Town That’s Almost Always By the Ocean (as Kir Fox, co-written with Michelle Schusterman, as M. Shelley Coats), talks about the time both of our lives simultaneously blew up, and how we helped each other rebuild. Also: how having a twin means she’s always written for an audience, the pleasures of re-reading, and writing with ADHD.   Kirsten Hubbard Show Notes Maurene Goo (listen to her First Draft interviews here and here) Egmont USA closing Kaitlin Ward (listen to her First Draft interview here) Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar Welcome to Night Vale (podcast) New Leaf Literary, and agents Jo Volpe, Suzie Townsend, and Kirsten’s current agent, Jordan Hamessley Sarah Davies at Greenhouse Literary Roald Dahl YA Highway

Maret Orliss, Associate Director of Events Programming for the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, talks about how authors can stand out to festival programmers, what the L.A. Times is doing in response to sexual harassment accusations in the book world, and the best Margaret Atwood festival story.   Maret Orliss Show Notes Cecil Castellucci Lisa Yee The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood Orange is the New Black by Piper Kerman Reading Aloud, Nate Corddry’s books podcast Brandy Colbert Amy Spalding John Scalzi Roxane Gay Jacqueline Woodson Far From the Tree by Robin Benway Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo The Way You Make Me Feel by Maurene Goo Not the Girls You’re Looking For by Aminah Mae Safi Grace and the Fever by Zan Romanoff I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara Patton Oswalt The Wedding Date by Jasmine Guillory Her new book, The Proposal Sophia of Silicon Valley by Anna Yen

Sara Saedi, author of NEVER EVER and its sequel, THE LOST KIDS (out today!), as well as YA memoir AMERICANIZED: REBEL WITHOUT A GREEN CARD, talks about her earliest boy-meets-girl story, how being the child of immigrants made her write her first screenplay, soap operas as writing boot camp,the blessing of living in the time of email, and putting a narrative onto your own life.   Sara Saedi Show Notes Cocktail (movie) Rain Man (movie) The Babysitter’s Club by Ann M. Martin Brooke Bowman She’s All That (movie) M. Night Shyalaman Tom Jacobson (producer) The Goodwin Games (TV show) How I Met Your Mother (TV show) Carter Bays Craig Thomas Scott Foley Jess Regel at Foundry Literary "The Silicon Valley Suicides," by Hanna Rosin in The Atlantic Perfect Strangers (TV show) iZombie (TV show) John August (listen to his First Draft interview here) Launch, the podcast about John’s book Rob Thomas (iZOmbie, Veronica Mars)  

Ava Dellaira--whose most recent novel, In Search of Us, is out now!--talks about adapting her first novel into a screenplay, the mixed blessing of selling on proposal, and how she never could have written this book after becoming a mother.   Ava Dellaira 2.0 Show Notes Love Letters to the Dead by Ava Dellaira Stephen Chbosky, author of The Perks of Being a Wallflower The Perks of Being a Wallflower (movie) The Fault in Our Stars (movie) Twilight (movie) The Maze Runner (movie) Paper Towns (movie) This Is Us (TV show)

Amy Spalding--whose most recent novel, THE SUMMER OF JORDI PEREZ (AND THE BEST BURGER IN LOS ANGELES), is out today!--talks about the experience of changing publishers, how book promo is becoming more like movie promo, finding a story by combining ideas, and having more queer rom-coms.   Amy Spalding 2.0 Show Notes Amy’s first episode on First Draft The Fault in Our Stars by John Green Scriptnotes with John August and Craig Mazin Love, Simon (movie) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Kissing Jessica Stein (movie) Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertali Sky Pony (publisher) Fun Home by Alison Bechdel Fun Home (musical) The Last Five Years (musical) The Last Five Years (movie)

Alex R. Kahler, author of RUNEBINDER and its sequel, RUNEBREAKER (out in November) the CIRQUE DES IMMORTALES series, THE PALE QUEEN series, the RAVENBORN series, and forthcoming middle grade book, THE COLLECTOR. Alex talks about the burden of taking your work with you, reimagining previous work, the freelance lifestyle, and getting off social media.   Alex R. Kahler 2.0 Show Notes Alex’s first First Draft episode Alex’s B&N Teen blog post Westworld (tv series) Zan Romanoff’s tinyletter

Farrah Penn, debut author of Twelve Steps to Normal, on not loving learning how to read, almost giving up on her book after her father passed, and the injustice of having a trailer full of your things stolen in Arizona.   Farrah Penn Show Notes Hooked on Phonics American Girl books Zenon: Girl of the 21st Century (TV movie) Wendy Tolliver Agent Query Query Tracker The Hunger Games Suzie Townsend (literary agent) Fine Print Literary Stephanie Perkins Sarah Dessen Fall Out Boy Panic! At the Disco I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo Corrie Shatto The Astonishing Color of After by Emily X R Pan Farrah’s articles on Buzzfeed "I'm Still Learning How to Talk About My Father's Alcholism," Farrah’s article on growing up with a parent suffering from alcoholism

Tomi Adeyemi, debut author of Children of Blood and Bone, on thinking she hated reading and writing, spite creativity, and how fantasy helped protect her from the raw pain in her book. Tomi Adeyemi Show Notes The Hunger Games (movie)  Tomi’s blog post, "Why I Write: Telling a Story That Matters." Black Panther Avatar: The Last Airbender (TV show) Ryan Coogler (director) Launch (podcast) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Miles Morales by Jason Reynolds Sign up for Tomi’s newsletter

Lianne Oelke, debut author of NICE TRY, JANE SINNER (out now!) talks about rewriting her diary, the life-changing impact of good beta readers, and writing YA in Canada. Lianne Oelke Show Notes Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien Alice, I Think by Susan Juby Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell American Panda by Gloria Chao The Big F by Maggie M. Martin Fat Girl on a Plane by Kelly DuVoss Becky Albertalli Brooks Sherman Kat and Meg Conquer the World by Anna Priemaza

Dhonielle Clayton, New York Times bestselling author of The Belles (out now!) talks about her teacup obsession, the hell that is Act II Part II, and revision versus Revision.   Dhonielle Clayton 2.0 Show Notes Girls on Fire by Robin Wasserman Dhonielle's first First Draft interview here Elissa Sussman (listen to her First Draft interview here) Delia*s cataloge Prognosis: Love & Death by Sona Charaipotra (hear her First Draft interview here) Kieran Scott, editor at Disney Emily Meehan, publisher at Disney Cynthia Leitich-Smith (listen to her First Draft interview here) The Trouble with Shooting Stars by Megan Cannistra Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh Sister Wives Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Outlander (TV show) The Fosters (TV show) Shadowhunters: The Mortal Instruments (TV show) Famous in Love (TV show)

Amy Andelson and Emily Meyer, screenwriters with their debut young adult novel, LAYOVER, out now!, on being housecats, blurring the line between best friends and collaborators, their annual “corporate retreat” road trip, and complementing each other emotionally through the editing process.   Amy Anderson and Emily Meyer Show Notes Finding Yvonne by Brandy Colbert Louisa May Alcott Edith Wharton I Hate Everyone But You by Gaby Dunn and Alison Raskin (listen to their First Draft interview here) Gossip Girl (TV show) John M. Chu (director) the Step Up movies The Great Gatsby (the Baz Lurhman film) Naomi and Ely’s No Kiss List (movie) Nick & Nora’s Infinite Playlist by David Leviathan and Rachel Cohn (sp) John Green Twilight by Stephenie Meyer The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins John Hughes Book Soup in Los Angeles

Sasha Alsberg and Lindsay Cummings, co-authors of the New York Times bestselling sci-fi novel ZENITH, talk about battling dyslexia/ADD and chronic fatigue, why Lindsay dedicates every book she writes to her father, thinking that writers were cyborgs and/or holograms, deciding to co-write over text, and leaving the subject of their book up to a Twitter poll (but then ignoring it).   Sasha Alsburg and Lindsay Cummings SHIP IT by Britta Lundin The Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins The Mortal Instruments series by Cassandra Clare The Murder Complex by Lindsay Cummings City of Bones (movie) Lily Collins Firefly (TV show) Sasha’s book tube channel, ABookUtopia Lindsay’s book tube channel Guardians of the Galaxy (movie) Peter Knapp at Park Literary Jo Volpe at New Leaf literary The Wayside Inn Mean Girls (movie) The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas Love, Hate, and Other Filters by Samira Ahmed Veronica Roth (listen

John August—screenwriter known for Go, Big Fish, and more, and host of the Scriptnotes podcast—on his debut middle grade adventure novel, ARLO FINCH IN THE VALLEY OF FIRE (out Feb. 6!). John talks about the tricks authors have that screenwriters don’t, what made him think of recording his entire process of writing, selling, and debuting ARLO, the shadow of Harry Potter over all MG, and podcasting as an American art form.   John August Show Notes Go (movie) Big Fish (movie) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (movie) Aladdin (movie) Scriptnotes (podcast) Launch (podcast) Alfred Hitchcock Presents: The Three Investigators (book) Premiere Magazine Nora Ephron Steven Soderbergh Sex Lies and Videotape (movie) Star Trek: The Next Generation Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Charlie’s Angels (movie) A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell Craig Mazin (screenwriter) Serial (podcast) John Gruber’s podcast, The Talk Show John’s blog post about writing Arlo Finch T