#FirstDraftFriday with Melissa Trempe

Today is a #FirstDraftFriday first - our first co-authored book! Melissa Trempe, one of the creatives behind LADYBUG LAUNCH, is here to chat about this fascinating picture book, the co-authoring process, the difference between narrative nonfiction and informational nonfiction, and, of course, first drafts! Read on to get inspired and then draft your own picture book manuscript today.

LADYBUG LAUNCH, written by Melissa Trempe and Natalia Ojeda and illustrated by Manuela Montoya, came out earlier this year from Simon & Schuster.  

To order a copy or to learn more about Melissa, including critique services and school visits, go to: melissatrempe.com. 

Melissa is generously offering a manuscript critique as a prize for someone who completes a draft today! Details on how to enter at the end of this post.

Welcome, Melissa! Tell us a little about your story and how you got the idea for it? 

LADYBUG LAUNCH is inspired by the true story of my co-author, Natalia Ojeda, and her classmates working with NASA to send the first ladybugs to space. However, when I first learned that ladybugs went to space, I didn’t know it was a class of girls who were behind the project. Therefore, the original manuscript was a funny, fictional story about a ladybug determined to build a rocket ship for space travel. Once I started working on the back matter to explain that ladybugs really did go to outer space, I discovered Natalia’s story. The more I learned about the girls from Chile, the more I knew that was the story to tell. 

We'll dive into that being the story to tell in a moment. But first, do you remember what you thought of your first draft of this story when it was done? Did you think it was a winner or were you not even sure you’d keep working on it?

LOL! This question makes me laugh because I often think a story is a winner when I first write it! I get this great feeling when I’ve finally written a first draft, and I think it’s magical and wonderful… but it’s not! Then I work on it more and ride the roller coaster of ‘This is amazing!’ to ‘This is horrible!’ At least that’s how it is for me.

But with this story, it had so many hooks—STEM, girl power, multicultural, based on a true story. I was more confident that it would make its way into the world. I felt that if we could get the story ‘right,' it would be a home run.

So you knew "the story to tell" was based on real life and you wanted to get it "right." How did you decide which way was right?

I could write narrative nonfiction (everything is absolutely true and factual, which meant no talking ladybug) or I could write informational fiction (the story closely follows the real children and their actions, but we get the fun of a talking ladybug!) The decision was easy to make. I wanted the story to feel fun and engaging for kids, so informational fiction gave us more leeway to be creative. 

Why did you decide to co-author this story, and when did that decision come about?

I had written many drafts of this story before I worked up the courage to reach out to Natalia. I really wanted to interview her myself to better understand their journey and add authentic details. Another potential complication was that I’m not Latina. Being white, I worried I wasn’t the “right” person to tell the story. At one point, I wondered if I should let the story go, but I had become so invested and passionate about it. I also knew I was coming from a good and genuine place. I never went out looking to tell the story; it found me. My heart told me to stick with it and reach out to Natalia, and I’m so glad I did. 

I had Natalia’s name and headshot from an article in a Chilean newspaper, so I started looking for her on Facebook. I mustered my courage and sent her a message. I was so afraid she would think it was a scam and not respond. I was relieved when she answered my message! She was happy to answer my questions, and eventually we decided to meet on Zoom, which is when I asked her if she’d like to collaborate more formally on the project. It was important to me that she be a part of the process because it really felt like her story to tell, and for some reason the universe chose me to help bring it to life. 

What was your process like working together?

Natalia is one of the kindest and hardest working people I have ever met, and working together was incredibly easy! She is a very busy mom of four and a doctor in a large hospital, so her time is precious. We communicated a lot through email, but we also Zoomed and talked face to face on What’s App.

Can you share an excerpt of your original manuscript that changed significantly and how it appears in the final book?

Here’s text from the story that really changed in the final version. It’s the spread where Luna and Natalia’s dual narrative comes together. Natalia’s little brother has folded her science paper into an airplane and thrown it into a tree—the same tree Luna is about to crash-land into from her failed attempt to fly to space. This text changed many times during the revision process. When we saw the illustrations, we asked the editor if we could simplify the text to let the illustration tell the story. She agreed! 

Original:

Natalia couldn’t believe her bad luck. “¡Ay!”

Luna couldn’t believe her good fortune. “¡Es perfecto!”

Natalia climbed toward the plane. Luna scuttled into it. But before Luna could liftoff… 

“Gotcha!” [Natalia stuffs the plane (with Luna) into her school bag.]

Final version:

What is the hardest part of writing a first draft for you? And how do you deal with that?

It’s hard to write a first draft if I haven’t worked out the story (at least loosely) in my mind. I usually have an idea and know how it will start and how it will end. Then I muddle through the middle when I write the first draft. 

Sometimes I sit on an idea for over a year as I play around with ideas. Then when I think I know the story, I’ll sit down and write the whole thing. 

Other times I’ve gotten an idea (like a catchy title) and instantly start writing! It all depends, but the longer I’ve been writing, the more I seem to plot ideas out.

What are your tips and tricks for getting that first draft committed to the page?

My tip is do what works for you! We all work so differently. I like to mull an idea over, but don’t wait so long that the spark leaves you!

Now is a great time to find that spark and help it grow into a new manscript because it's #FirstDraftFriday! Let's get the writing started!!

To enter for a chance at a free picture book critique from Melissa (<800 words fiction or <1,000 words nonfiction, preference for prose), do the following by 10 pm ET today (Sept. 6, 2024):

1. Follow me and Melissa on Twitter (if you are on it): @HollieWolverton and @melissa_trempe (or find her with on Instagram with the handle: @melissatrempe.author)

2. Complete a full picture book draft

3. Return to this blog post and comment that you’ve completed your draft and provide your Twitter handle or full name. You will need to Sign Up/Log In to leave a comment (it’s easy - just an email and password).

You don’t need to send in your draft or provide proof - we’re all about the honor system here! The lucky winner will be randomly drawn from the comments and announced on Twitter shortly after 10 pm ET tonight

Happy writing!