303: A Survivor Story as a Middle Grade Novel in Poems — Interview with Sonja K. Solter

Hey there word nerds! Today, I have the pleasure of interviewing Sonja K. Solter.

Sonja graduated from Stanford University and earned an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Hamline University, with a critical thesis on writing trauma in middle grade and young adult realistic fiction.

She is currently a creative writing mentor to youth with the Society of Young Inklings and enjoys writing poetry and prose for children of all ages. When You Know What I Know is her gorgeous debut novel. Visit her website and follow her on Twitter and Facebook.

In this episode Sonja and I discuss:

• The inspiration behind When You Know What I Know
• Plot points in a character-driven story
• Writing a book in verse instead of prose
• How an ensemble cast effects the main character
• Writing about trauma in middle grade and YA
• How attending a conference led to publication

Plus, her #1 tip for writers.

For more info and show notes: www.diymfa.com/303