I’m excited to host
award-winning author and poet Laura Purdie Salas, who has an important message
for us to consider. Thanks, Laura.
I
try not to take it personally, but there’s a common, crushing misconception
that fiction is creative writing drawn from the depths of a writer’s soul,
while nonfiction is simply a recitation of facts that any basic robot could
spit out.
try not to take it personally, but there’s a common, crushing misconception
that fiction is creative writing drawn from the depths of a writer’s soul,
while nonfiction is simply a recitation of facts that any basic robot could
spit out.
The
reality is very different. I think my personality, my beliefs, and my experiences
are deeply embedded in the books I end up writing. Here are some examples.
I tend to think about
topics broadly and ask, “What else?” For example, A Leaf Can Be . . . began when I read an old poem I had written
about Honduran tent bats and their leafy shelters. Some writers might have
wanted to delve into that relationship in great detail. But because I like
lists and variety, my question was not, “Why?” or “How did they evolve to do
that?” It was, “What else do leaves do?”
reality is very different. I think my personality, my beliefs, and my experiences
are deeply embedded in the books I end up writing. Here are some examples.
A Leaf
Can Be . . . (Millbrook
Press, 2012)
I changed majors a lot in college. I tend to get bored easily, and that’s one
reason poetry and picture books call to me. They are small, close, brief
examinations of a topic.
 |
| Credit: Leyo, Wikimedia Commons |
topics broadly and ask, “What else?” For example, A Leaf Can Be . . . began when I read an old poem I had written
about Honduran tent bats and their leafy shelters. Some writers might have
wanted to delve into that relationship in great detail. But because I like
lists and variety, my question was not, “Why?” or “How did they evolve to do
that?” It was, “What else do leaves do?”
Another
way I am present in my Can Be… books is that I have a deeply felt sense of
justice, and I tend to root for the underdog. I find that exploring the wonders
of underappreciated things is a common thread in my work.
way I am present in my Can Be… books is that I have a deeply felt sense of
justice, and I tend to root for the underdog. I find that exploring the wonders
of underappreciated things is a common thread in my work.
If You Were the Moon (Millbrook Press,
2017)
This is another list poem (basically) exploring the roles of an everyday (or
every night) object. But this topic was more personal for me.
2017)
This is another list poem (basically) exploring the roles of an everyday (or
every night) object. But this topic was more personal for me.
My
dad worked as a NASA engineer at Cape Canaveral during my childhood. He talked
about the space program a lot at the dinner table, but it was usually more
about office politics or chemistry and physics way beyond my understanding.
dad worked as a NASA engineer at Cape Canaveral during my childhood. He talked
about the space program a lot at the dinner table, but it was usually more
about office politics or chemistry and physics way beyond my understanding.
 |
| Credit: NASA |
Still, I was awed by our solar system, by space travel, by watching space
shuttle launches. In college, I was devastated to witness the Challenger
explosion.
shuttle launches. In college, I was devastated to witness the Challenger
explosion.
When I started this
book, I needed facts, of course. But I also wanted to explore my own emotions
about space and the moon. And I wanted to present the moon in an accessible way
that would leave kids inspired, not confused. I wanted to help kids make
friends with the moon, in a way I couldn’t as a kid. So, I compared the moon’s
actions to things kids do, like play tug-of-war or miss their friends.
Meet My Family!
This is my brand new picture book, and I feel like it’s been growing wings
inside me for more than 40 years.
book, I needed facts, of course. But I also wanted to explore my own emotions
about space and the moon. And I wanted to present the moon in an accessible way
that would leave kids inspired, not confused. I wanted to help kids make
friends with the moon, in a way I couldn’t as a kid. So, I compared the moon’s
actions to things kids do, like play tug-of-war or miss their friends.
Meet My Family!
This is my brand new picture book, and I feel like it’s been growing wings
inside me for more than 40 years.
When I was a kid, my
family was very different from my friends’ families. My parents were super
strict. Five hours of TV per week, maximum. We kids paid
part of the electric bill. Straight As weren’t good enough. We were estranged
from most extended family.
family was very different from my friends’ families. My parents were super
strict. Five hours of TV per week, maximum. We kids paid
part of the electric bill. Straight As weren’t good enough. We were estranged
from most extended family.
On
top of that, one of my sisters had a brain condition we now call OCD, and she
washed her hands hundreds of times per day. Back then, that was just considered
weird—not recognized as a medical condition.
top of that, one of my sisters had a brain condition we now call OCD, and she
washed her hands hundreds of times per day. Back then, that was just considered
weird—not recognized as a medical condition.
 |
| I’m the small kid with braids in the center. |
While visiting schools, I’ve had students write poems
about divorced parents, parents they’ve never known, being adopted, and more.
Kids often feel such unwarranted shame. My own remembered shame about my family
was like an engine driving this manuscript. It’s a nonfiction book about the
different structures of animal families. But more importantly, it’s a book that
says to kids, “Your family is okay. As long as you are loved, you are okay. You
are okay.” I don’t think there’s anything more important that I have to say to
young readers.
about divorced parents, parents they’ve never known, being adopted, and more.
Kids often feel such unwarranted shame. My own remembered shame about my family
was like an engine driving this manuscript. It’s a nonfiction book about the
different structures of animal families. But more importantly, it’s a book that
says to kids, “Your family is okay. As long as you are loved, you are okay. You
are okay.” I don’t think there’s anything more important that I have to say to
young readers.
So all my little quirks, loves, and fears
shape the books that I write. I’d love to see more recognition that this is
true for most nonfiction books. And imagine all the exciting nonfiction that
students will create as we encourage them to infuse all their writing—not just their fiction—with the qualities that
make them who they are.
shape the books that I write. I’d love to see more recognition that this is
true for most nonfiction books. And imagine all the exciting nonfiction that
students will create as we encourage them to infuse all their writing—not just their fiction—with the qualities that
make them who they are.
Laura
Purdie Salas
thought books appeared by magic when she was little. She read non-stop, but the
library had a bottomless supply of books to feed her hunger. As a children’s
author, she knows there’s a lot of work involved in bringing books to the
world—and still plenty of magic, too!
Purdie Salas
thought books appeared by magic when she was little. She read non-stop, but the
library had a bottomless supply of books to feed her hunger. As a children’s
author, she knows there’s a lot of work involved in bringing books to the
world—and still plenty of magic, too!
Laura is a former 8th-grade English teacher,
a former copyeditor (who has nightmares about errors on menus and signs), and a
former magazine editor. She will never
be a former reader. Laura is the author of many poetry and nonfiction books,
including Water Can Be…, BookSpeak!, and Meet My Family! You can meet Laura at her website, laurasalas.com,
where you can also access her blog and her e-letter for educators or learn
where to connect with her on social media.
a former copyeditor (who has nightmares about errors on menus and signs), and a
former magazine editor. She will never
be a former reader. Laura is the author of many poetry and nonfiction books,
including Water Can Be…, BookSpeak!, and Meet My Family! You can meet Laura at her website, laurasalas.com,
where you can also access her blog and her e-letter for educators or learn
where to connect with her on social media.
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Topics
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25 Responses
Laurie, thank you so very much for sharing this with us.
Thanks, Laura. I'm reading Meet my Family right now… and it's fun. I appreciate it more knowing how it grew from your heart.
So true, Laura! It's an exciting time to be reading and writing nonfiction!! Looking forward to your new book! Congrats! 🙂
Great post, Laura! So true that writers bring all of their own backstories to their writing. And I love seeing how the inner you is so connected to your work. Thank you for sharing your personal info!
As an aside, I'm getting increasingly impatient with people (including other writers) who feel the need to make a distinction between nonfiction and "creative nonfiction." Candace Fleming provides a great anecdote when she's teaching. Both nonfiction and fiction writers have to make cakes that readers will think are delicious. Fiction writers can go to the store and buy anything they want to put into their cakes to make them tasty. A nonfiction writer has been given a mixed bag of ingredients and must make something tasty out of it without adding a single thing that wasn't in the bag. Now THAT'S creative!
Great thoughts about nonfiction. Thanks.
Thanks to Laura for writing this piece and to Melissa for allowing her to share it here. I can remember when I was in elementary school and most of the nonfiction available was dry facts. The breadth of creativity and knowledge that come together to form much of today's nonfiction should receive at least the same amount of respect as fiction. My son has dyslexia. It took a lot of perseverance and hard work on his part to eventually get to the point where reading a paragraph wasn't a major chore/challenge. What got him through was creative nonfiction. He was much more willing to do the work when I provided him with books that correlated with is personal interests. I love nonfiction books and the writers who create them.
Many thanks to Laura for her transparency and to Melissa for creating a safe space for it. I imagine it is hard for people who don't write (fiction or NF) books to understand the emotional investment authors make in their subjects/topics. That investment is necessary to shepherd every book into the world!
I'm on a constant campaign as a teacher and writer to show my students the creativity involved in nonfiction writing. This post will help me reinforce this message. Thanks!
Laura's books are always filled with beautiful language and leave readers with something to think about. I enjoyed learning the backstory of these books.
Those personal touches make books richer and stronger. Thanks for sharing this perspective!
Thank you, Laura, for your wonderful essay–we nonfiction writers are human and we write literature that reveals our humanity!
Oh, thank you, Sue!
Thanks, Maria. Can't wait to see your Tongues book. Seeing a ton of buzz about it!
I love that analogy, which someone (maybe you) shared on Twitter the other day. I think "creative nonfiction" is a dangerous term for two reasons: It implies (as you said) that most nonfiction ISN'T creative. Also, some writers/teachers use it to mean nonfiction that isn't really nonfiction, e.g., containing invented dialog, etc. Either way, I'm against it.
Thank you for reading, Barbara!
Thanks for sharing that, Kimberly. Every kid deserves books that excite him or her enough to be worth the (sometimes) struggle to read. Books so good they're more appealing than all the other entertainment options! Good for you on YOUR perseverance, too!
Well said, Carrie! And thank you, indeed, to Melissa for being such an advocate for nonfiction of all kinds:>)
Hooray, Michelle! I don't remember a teacher EVER connecting creativity with nonfiction when I was a kid. So glad you are helping to spread the word!
Thank you, Linda, on all counts:>) It was really interesting to write this post and think about why I wrote these particular books and how they connected to me personally…
Thanks for reading, Beverly:>)
Thanks, JoAnn! It's funny. Until recently, I hadn't given that much thought to this topic related to expository nonfiction (only narrative). Once I thought about it for this blog post, though, it seems so obvious and pervasive. It's that whole "write the book only you can write" advice. But not just because of your own creativity, but because of who you ARE. Thanks for reading!
Thanks, Alexandra–that's it exactly:>)
Hi Laura – I am a retired teacher and have followed your blog and many of your books – they are wonderful. Wish I could meet you one day and talk children’s lit! Best wishes for your continued creativity.
Thank you, Vicki! That is so lovely to hear. I hope we do meet someday, and I appreciate your good thoughts:>)
Very belatedly wandering into this post, but so enriched to read it. Thank you, Laura, for your generous spirit and keen mind as always, and thank you, Melissa, for sharing.