The WMF Archives

By Kerrie McLoughlin

I knew I wanted to be a writer from an early age but lacked the confidence to pursue it until I was in my thirties. Jenna White is a 15-year-old not-yet-published writer from Mississippi I found out in Bloggy-Land. I was impressed that a teenager was so confident about being a writer and was actually acting on it. She writes fiction, as well as for FIVE blogs, including the Writer's Chronicle and As the Plot Thickens. Let's show her some support, shall we?

WM: What made you decide to start writing?

Jenna White: Reading. When I was in about fourth or fifth grade, I picked up a book called The School Story, by Andrew Clements. It’s about a girl named Natalie who writes a book and who has a best friend named Zoe who thinks it should be published. So Zoe becomes Natalie’s agent and they navigate the publishing industry, proving that you don’t have to be “grown up” to be a writer. That really stuck with me, and ever since I’ve dreamed of finding my Agent Zoe and getting something published. I actually keep a copy of The School Story at my desk so I can look at it when I get stuck and remind myself that, hey, writing isn’t just for the grownups.

WM: How much of your writing is for you and how much is for other people?

JW: I always write for myself first. If I don’t like what I’m working on, nobody else will, either, and besides that, I’m the one who has to put up with the story and the characters for God knows how long. Edits are when you think of the readers and the “other people,” but writing is for the writer.

WM: What sort of reaction do you get when you tell people you’re a writer?

JW: Stunned silence, disbelieving glances, some amused chuckles, and a lot of raised eyebrows. A lot of people in my age group declare that they want to be writers, but don’t mean it or don’t think it will be a lot of work. That sort of irks me, especially since everybody tends to lump me with that group. But I try my best to ignore the skepticism—I know I’m serious, and eventually they’ll all see they were wrong to think otherwise.

WM: Do you ever think about quitting?

JW: Oh, heck yes. But thinking about quitting and actually quitting are two different things.

WM: What do you like to wear when writing?

JW: Pajama pants and a tank top, I think, make for the best writing costume. And a hat. I have lots of hats, and I’ll switch them out every so often, if I feel like it. My current writing hat is topped with cat ears.

WM: You push out an incredible amount of work in a short time—for example, you wrote 50,000 words in thirteen days last November. How is that possible?

JW: A complete lack of any form of social life. Seriously. I’m not a band geek, a debate nerd, a drama chick, or a jock. When everybody else is at club meetings or at the ballgames, I’m in my office writing. Aside from that, I set goals. They range from lenient to just touching on evil, but I have a goal of a set number of words every day, usually one to two thousand on weekdays and three to five per day on weekends.

WM: What are your thoughts on writer’s block?

JW: I think that writer’s block is more a state of mind than anything. Sure, it can really mess with you, but if you’re really committed to the writing, you can push through and get over it, around it, or just break it down. Whenever I get “blocked,” I just keep writing and trust that I’ll get through it eventually. It always works.

WM: What advice would you give to other teens interested in writing?

JW: Just get out there and do it. Set goals and meet them. Be prepared to get frustrated, be prepared to deal with skeptics and people who think that you’re cute or funny or just plain stupid, and be prepared to spend many, many months on projects that might not ever see the light of day. Know that it’s not easy to write, but it’s always worth it. And know that writing is a journey, not a race, and that each step of the way involves growth and learning. Even the best writer in the world still has room to grow. You don’t learn everything there is to know about history or math or science or English overnight, and you can’t learn everything about writing in such a short amount of time, either.

WM: What sort of things do you prefer to write about?

JW: I’m a fantasy addict. From epic to urban, I’m there. If it’s got magic or paranormal goings-on, I’m there. In my writing, I like to work with things that toe the boundaries between fantasy and other genres, like science fiction, horror, or historical fiction. But no matter what I write, there’s always something a little too fantastic for reality.

WM: Which do you find more interesting to write about, good or evil?

JW: Oh, neither. The grey area is so much more fascinating. Call me a Romantic writer (and by that I mean like Hugo or Shelley, not Katie MacAlister), but plumbing the depths of morality is way, way more fun than just sticking to right and wrong. And, to me, villains are so much more frightening when you know that somewhere in there they have reasons and rationalizations. What’s even more frightening is when you agree with some of what they think and don’t know quite what side of the continuum they fall on.

WM: If you could possess any psychic/magical power what would it be?

JW: Ooh, I don’t know. Telekinesis, I think. It’s such a versatile power. Plus, think of all the “may the Force be with you” jokes I could crack!

WM: If a genie granted you 3 wishes, what would you wish for?

JW: An unlimited supply of sunflower seeds, an office paneled in dry-erase boards, and a tree house that I could move my writing studio into.

WM: If everything in the world had to be one color, what would you pick and why?

JW: Well, I rather like having a full rainbow of colors to paint the world with, but I guess I’d choose shades of green. Purple is my favorite, but too much of it sort of shocks the system. But green is a nice color, and I think different shades of it would suit the world nicely.

Writers to Watch: Jenna White