Brandon Marie Miller writes about history for middle grade and young adults. Her books have earned starred reviews in School Library Journal and been honored by the International Reading Association and the National Council of the Social Studies, among others. She lives in Cincinnati with her husband, has two college-age daughters, a calico cat and a German shepherd. Brandon's website is not yet up-and-running (it's in the works), but you can e-mail her at PBJ2@worldnet.att.net to schedule a conference or school visit or if you have a brief question.

Tell us a little about yourself and how you ended up as a historical writer.
I earned a degree in American History from Purdue University, and turned to writing when my daughters were toddlers. Cobblestone, a history magazine for children, was established about this time. I learned all about query letters, SASEs, writing away for guidelines, and had the very good fortune of having my first article (on cowboy clothing) accepted! Many articles later, the editor at Cobblestone (Carolyn Yoder, now the history and world cultures editor with Highlights) recommended me to an editor at Lerner Publishing. I submitted a book proposal including a sample chapter and nine-page outline, and was offered a contract. My first book, Buffalo Gals, Women of the Old West was published in 1995.

You've found a great niche in historical non-fiction. Please tell us about your process and approach.
I feel a certain responsibility writing for young people to make my books as inclusive as possible. I want kids to know that ordinary people impact history as well as the famous names in their textbooks. So far, each of my books describe everyday life, including the social attitudes, of a particular time. I feel nonfiction gives me a chance to enlighten and inspire young readers.

The heart of my writing process is my research. Everything comes from the research. I'll spend months reading and taking notes. After I've organized all the materials, I write the first draft in 4-5 weeks. Then comes the fun part-- revisions. I love putting all the pieces of the puzzle together, creating a stronger, more vivid, and hopefully clearer, manuscript!

What's forthcoming in your publishing life?
I'll soon start editorial revisions for my latest manuscript on peoples' lives during the American Revolution-- publication date in 2005. I'm revising a historical fiction manuscript I haven't touched in years! And I'm mulling over new nonfiction topics. I also try to work on marketing myself for school visits, and I submit session proposals to conferences as a way to get my name out there to teachers, curriculum coordinators, and librarians. I'll be presenting at the national conference for the National Council of the Social Studies in Chicago in November.

Please tell our SCBWI members what you do for school visits? What do kids particularly enjoy?
I've talked to students of all ages from K through college education majors. I usually give three presentations and offer schools the choice of topics. I have a "writing talk" for primary students where we explore juicy words, the senses, and using our mind's eye. Another talk focuses on writing nonfiction for grades 4/5 and up. The students are often amazed that I actually reinforce some of the lessons their teachers stress!

I also offer a variety of history talks, based on my books, which I modify for different grades. These are very popular as students love hearing the gruesome details of how people lived in the past. I've had students who had no idea there was a time when women could not vote, and I've had African American students, as old as 8th grade, come up and tell me they had no idea there were black pioneers out west. So, there are many stories in history that we still need to tell.

I show transparencies on an overhead projector, bring objects, and read quotes from the books to help me tell these stories. Even blasé 8th graders sit up and take notice when you start talking about women's corsets and hoop skirts or the 17th century treatment for a sore throat. It's important for students to realize the struggles of the past, and to have a sense that life has changed over time. And most students agree they are quite happy we live in the present!

Any advice for writers and illustrators who want to break into the non-fiction market? The field is wide open, so give it a try! Most publishers do some sort of nonfiction and the topics are nearly endless. Why cut yourself out of a huge segment of the market? There is something for everybody: history, all the sciences, sports, how-to books, biographies, social issues like dealing with illness, divorce or date rape, world cultures, the arts, and on and on. Pick a topic that interests you and dig in-- don't skimp on the research.

Only use other children's books for a quick overview of the topic. Instead, use the most up-to-date books and articles--written for adults-- for your research. Use the bibliographies at the back of books for more sources on your topic. If you're writing history, you'll also need to use primary resources, as well. For my just-finished manuscript on the American Revolution I read many published collections of letters and documents from the period. Narrow your topic so you are writing about only one slice of the pie-- that helps to focus your research, as well. Look for stories and personalities, themes, facts, quotes. You can use hands-on experience for research, period advertisements, paintings, objects. But-- rehashed encyclopedia information will not cut it nowadays except for basic, quick info on dates, places, etc.

Spend time organizing all your stuff. I take notes on lined note-cards that I can group into piles, shuffle and rearrange. That's basically how my chapters take shape. Keep track of where every bit of information comes from! Illustrators need to do research, as well, to create illustrations accurate down to the last detail.

Let your writing shine with passion and enthusiasm for your topic. Nonfiction has to be presented in a well-organized, clear, logical, and lively (sometimes even humorous) manner. Polish your prose, use active, rich words and elements of story telling. Demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of your material-- if you don't really get it, the reader never will, and an editor will pass. The younger the age of your reader, the simpler and more focused your words and narrative must be, maybe only one or two facts or concepts per page. Illustrations will play a greater part in presenting information. There is a huge need for nonfiction in the younger grades.

Don't worry if there are other books already published on your topic. No two writers will write the same book or choose the same details from their research-- just find your own slant, or your own interest in the story. Besides, by the time you research, write, and go through the publishing process, the competing titles you looked at will be several years old.

What is the difference in your approach for magazine NF writing vs. book NF writing?
Again, many magazines publish some form of nonfiction, so don't neglect this side of the market. I approach writing articles for magazines the same way, except the topic has to be even more tightly focused. You also will do a lot less research for a 600-800 word article than a middle grade or young adult book. But the writing must still tell a story, each sentence must convey information, and it has to be well organized and clear.

Recommended reading.
Look at the library for review journals like Horn Book, Book Links, Book List, School Library Journal (sometimes these publications are not circulated, but librarians are generous about letting interested patrons take a peek). You can read criticisms, see who is publishing what (and the name of nonfiction series), find out book lengths, how the books are illustrated (photos, drawings, maps) what back matter is included, plus they carry publishers' advertisements-- all this is helpful. Seek out the best authors in your field of interest: nature, folktales, history, current events, etc. and do some reading!

Brandon Marie Miller's Books:
Buffalo Gals: Women of the Old West (Lerner, 1995)
Just What the Doctor Ordered: The History of American Medicine (Lerner, 1997)
Dressed for the Occasion: What Americans Wore 1620-1970 (Lerner, 1999)
Growing up in a New World, 1607-1775 (Lerner, 2003)
Growing up in Revolution and the New Nation, 1775-1800 (Lerner, 2003)
Good Women of a Well-Blessed Land, Women's Lives in Colonial America (Lerner, 2003)

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