Jana McBurney-Lin
We had the honor of interviewing Jana McBurney-Lin about her novel, My Half of the Sky. Jana took more than 10 years to write her first book. Now it's out to rave reviews. She scored a top New York agent and is hard at work on her next project.
Jana writes about her writing process, with an emphasis on plot. She talks about doing things differently this time around.
Blockbuster Plots [BBP]: How do you go about plotting your books?
Jana McBurney-Lin [JML]: One year, my husband and I were walking through his village in Fujian, China when I spotted a poster on someone's house which showed a picture of a couple holding a baby. Underneath the picture were the words, "A girl baby is just as much a treasure as a boy baby."
"That is so cool," I remarked. "That the government is behind the valuing of little girls."
"The government can say what they want." He just shook his head. "The fact of the matter is, a house with no male is a real problem."
That's when the seed for My Half of the Sky was planted. What if a girl was born into a household and managed to survive? How would she continue to thrive in this society where traditions were still against her?
However, while I had been freelancing for a dozen years, doing non-fiction articles for magazines and newspapers in seven countries, I had never done any fiction. I had no idea about plot. So, with a vague idea for a beginning and a vague idea for an ending, I just started writing.
BBP: Are you a pre-plotter or after the fact?
JML: With My Half of the Sky -- which I might add took twelve years--I plotted WAY, WAY after the fact. Like I said, I just started writing. I followed different ideas here and there until I discovered a thread that really tugged at me. When I had put all that to paper, I figured I was ready to send my manuscript off to agents. By that time, we had moved to the States, and I ended up in one of your classes. The Blockbuster Plots Scene Tracker helped me see holes in my plot--surprise, surprise-- timing that didn't quite match--surprise, surprise-- and action that remained static for too long. So it was back to the computer screen.
With the sequel--which I'm so pleased to say my agent, Jean Naggar, and readers of My Half of the Sky are anxious to see-- I have been pre-plotting as much as possible in an effort to be more efficient. I plot then write, re-plot then write some more.
BBP: What methods did you find particularly useful in plotting out your project?
JML: I work with children of all ages in the local schools on both fiction and non-fiction writing, and I always tell them to jot down all their ideas--every single one. Then I have them go back through the list to see which ideas go together, what story develops, what sequence evolves. With the sequel, I have started to take my own advice. :)
BBP: Do you consciously develop thematic significance?
JML: No, definitely not. In fact it was almost uncanny how themes popped up. Thanks to the Blockbuster Plots Scene Tracker, though, I became very aware of thematic significance--or lack thereof--in My Half of the Sky. With the sequel, I'd say I'm much more aware of developing themes.
BBP: Are you a character-driven writer or action-driven?
JML: I am more interested in characters and motivation and emotions. Some of my favorite authors are: Jane Austen, Pearl Buck, Anita Diamant, Joshilyn Jackson, Ha Jin, Anchee Min, and Anita Shreve. However, even the most interesting character can't survive without some compelling action.
BBP: Plot tips to share?
JML: Keep writing...and keep that Scene Tracker by your side (or on your wall).