… the only way to get into the industry is to follow the parameters set out by the trade houses; read their books, follow their guidelines for sending your manuscript and be sure you have edited, edited and then edited the book again, before submitting
Cristy Watson’s work with vulnerable young people gave her a keen insight into their learning and life challenges. She writes high interest fiction books for low reading levels and tackles tough themes. Here she shares her ‘road less taken’ to writing and publication with Orca Books.
Lyndi: The subtitle to your Blog “Cristy Watson Books and Such” describes you as the ‘Frequent Traveler of the Road Less Taken.’ Can you share a story about where these travels have taken you?
Cristy: Thank you for having me share about my writing journey. Though I planned to teach Shakespeare to high school students, a chance visit to a day-treatment program meant I ended up working with at-risk children and youth for all of my career; a wonderful opportunity to help some of our most vulnerable young people. Working with this population also meant I was never out of a job, and I taught in Calgary, AB, San Francisco, CA (with a crazy daily commute from San José), Burnaby, BC, Kamloops and Langley. While working with students who presented with learning, and social and emotional challenges, I gained knowledge around mediating conflicts, and for the final years of my teaching career, I have facilitated Peace Circles with entire classes of students in elementary/middle schools. Because so many of my students faced struggles with reading, I ended up writing books for the niche market of reluctant readers; my books are all geared to this Hi-Lo category (high interest fiction with low reading levels) and all tackle realistic problems facing youth today.
Lyndi: You’ve written Hi-Lo stories with your elementary/middle school students in mind. Yet you don’t shy away from difficult themes and messages. How do these two elements meet the needs of young readers?
Cristy: In doing Peace Circles, I discovered that young people want to see themselves reflected in stories. They are passionate about helping their friends through difficult times. But to do this, they need books that take on tough themes and are able to open doors for discussion. Both my books and the topics covered in Peace Circles, allow for an open dialogue with young people. Youth today are resilient and full of courage and it’s important for authors and publishers to recognize this and offer books that support and challenge them. I am happy to be on this ‘less traveled road’ and do my part.
Lyndi: You’ve written and published eight books for young readers. Are there a couple that particularly stand out for you? Why do they hold more meaning for you?
Cristy: Living Rough, my second book, is in its fifth reprint and I think that’s because it touches on such an important topic: homelessness, and the lack of available resources. I’ve received so many letters from young people telling me that this book changed their views on homelessness. Locked Up, is also a book that stands out for me because my last few years of teaching have focused on restorative work. Our community partner, CJI (Community Justice Initiatives, Langley BC) supports our work in schools, but they also do restorative work with prison inmates. My novel seeks to bring a better understanding of juvenile detention centers, and the youth incarcerated in them. All eight of my novels ask us to challenge our perceptions and to be open to seeing people, and possibilities, in a new light.
Lyndi: Can you share a little bit about your journey to traditional publication? What were your challenges and how did you overcome them?
Cristy: I am almost embarrassed to say that my very first query (to Orca Books) was accepted and that my novel, Benched, was published in 2011. Most authors struggle for years to get a trade book contract. I will say that the best route to making this happen is to know the market well, know the publishers and their expectations, and then follow every step the prospective house requires. Even before writing Benched, I had read almost twenty books in the Orca Currents. When I decided that I could write this kind of book (and my work history/passions suited the category well) I went to the publisher’s website and made sure I wrote the story to their specifications. That’s not to say that I changed how I wrote my characters or the journey they went on, but I specifically chose first-person narrative and wrote the book in a linear style, with hooks at the end of each chapter to keep the reader engaged. I used fewer complex sentences and was purposeful about the use of language. I volunteer at the Surrey International Writer’s Conference and so many publishers/agents say the only way to get into the industry is to follow the parameters set out by the trade houses; read their books, follow their guidelines for sending your manuscript and be sure you have edited, edited and then edited the book again, before submitting.
Lyndi: In addition to writing hi-lo books for young readers, what else do you write?
Cristy: My first foray into writing was poetry, at the age of eight. I love poetry and it continues to be a passion of mine. I have four chapbooks of poetry (self-made) for family and friends, and several of my pieces have been published in Ascent Aspirations, CV2 Magazine, The Poetry Marathon Anthology, and an upcoming Anthology on Trees, Caitlin Press.
Lyndi: Now that you’ve retired from teaching elementary/middle school, you are offering a course for new writers. What can new writers expect to learn?
Cristy: I’m excited to be supporting new writers as they begin their journey. Topics will include how to get the words down (sometimes the hardest part), how to understand the market and know where your writing fits, and initial work on building characters and scenes. Each session will include author tips, a prompt-sprint-share writing portion, and will finish with a Q & A session that allows participants to ask their burning questions (personalizing the presentation to help writers). Because I have been working with authors as a mentor and editor, I know about trade publishing/self-publishing and hybrid models. I also have learned and can share a great deal about marketing, entering contests, and writing and editing, in general. Finally, I have helped authors with poetry, fiction, non-fiction, memoir and children’s books, so I am comfortable supporting writers in many genres.
A retired teacher, Cristy is a writer who lives in Surrey, British Columbia. She hosts a literary open mic at her local art gallery and enjoys entering poetry contests. She worked with an elementary/middle school population for most of her career and she wanted to help readers find books to enjoy that were both at a level they could manage, and shared interesting and pertinent themes. The Orca Currents and Lorimer SideStreets are perfect for this YA audience. She feels privileged to now have eight Hi-Lo novels published by Orca Books and Formac/ Lorimer Publishers. You can find out more about Cristy and her books on her blog: https://cristywatsonauthor.wordpress.com
