IS IT REAL? The Truth About Fiction

On June first, a line of devastating storms sped through the state of Massachusetts bringing with it numerous tornados. My home town of Ware, sitting snug in the valley was spared, but much of the surrounding areas weren’t so lucky. In fact, Monson, a neighboring town will be picking up the pieces for a long time to come. As news of the destruction played out across our television screen and family and friends posted pictures on Facebook my four year old daughter became worried and confused.

“Was it a real tornado, Mommy? Or just a make-believe one like in the movie TWISTER?” she asked.

Now keep in mind, TWISTER is one of her favorite movies. Something about the storm scenes amazes her much more than it frightens her. Maybe she is destined to become a Storm Chaser or Meteorologist. Either way, at four, she is confused by the images she is seeing so close to her grandmother’s home. Of course this prompted a discussion of what is real and what is not real. This is a difficult concept for a young child to grasp. The “real” images from the June first tornado are eerily similar to the “fake” ones from the movie. I tried to explain that the movie is fiction; a story somebody made up.

“Why does it seem so real?” She wanted to know.

And herein lays the real root of the problem. As a fiction writer myself, the answer is simple. After all, if it didn’t seem real, it wouldn’t be believable. Who wants to watch a movie or read a book that isn’t believable? The key to writing good fiction is making the reader believe it. Whether you’ve brought your reader to a post-apocalyptic country where children are forced to play deadly games to win food for their village, or, like in my upcoming picture book, you introduce your reader to a slipper wearing bedbug who doesn’t want to share her bed with a human, it must draw the reader in.

If the tornados in the movie TWISTER looked like the funnel in a soda bottle science experiment it certainly wouldn’t have been nominated for an Academy Award and the effects department would find themselves standing in line at the unemployment office. The realistic feel of the movie is what made it a hit. It is what drew audiences to see it.

But not all fiction is cut and dry. Of course my smarty pants daughter wanted to know if the recent documentary we watched on Pompeii was real or fiction.

“That was real,” I said.

“You mean they videotaped it while it happened?” she asked.

Oh boy, this kid never allows for an easy answer. I explained the film we saw was a reenactment of the true story, which is called non-fiction, and the people were all actors. That seemed to appease her for the moment, but now, every story she comes across, either in print or film, spurs a burning need to know if it is fiction or non-fiction. This whole episode had me second guessing my own take on fiction. Therefore I did a little research. Webster’s definition of Fiction is, literature made up of imaginary events and characters. But as I mentioned earlier, fiction is not cut and dry. I came across a few sub-categories which will help straighten out my daughter’s confusions and hopefully yours too.


1. Realistic Fiction: A story which is not true but could actually happen. I think the movie TWISTER is a good example of this.
2. Non-Realistic Fiction: A story where the events couldn’t really happen. Like Nick Jr’s TEAM UMIZOOMI.
3. Non-Fiction: Based solely on fact like the Pompeii documentary.
4. Semi-Fiction, which is a fictional account based on a true story like the 1995 animated film, BALTO.


There are obviously more categories such as Science Fiction or Historical Fiction and more, but that delves a little deeper than this discussion warrants and I’m trying to make sense of this for a four year old after all. Who, by the way, seems to be catching on. This morning, while watching TEAM UMIZOOMI, she proudly announced the show was fiction because there obviously is no real “tiny team,” although she is unsure of the existence of Umi City. Even so, her deduction tells me she’s learning. The concept is not beyond her. The brain-sponge is soaking it in and sending a few drops my way. We’re learning together.

Another lesson we're learning together is compassion in the wake of this tornado disaster. I've sent in my monetary donation and wish I didn't live so far so I could do more. Please keep these people in your prayers.








I’d like to thank Sherri Pelski for use of the photo images of the Monson Tornado. As I mentioned earlier, this community will be picking up the pieces for a long time to come. Monson is a typical Norman-Rockwell type small town and it needs your help in order to rebuild. If you’re able, please take a moment to send in your donation at the following web site: https://www.kintera.org/site/c.kkLRJ7MQKtH/b.6626855/k.275A/Massachusetts_Tornado_Relief_Fund/apps/ka/sd/donor.asp?c=kkLRJ7MQKtH&b=6626855&en=gpKGLLOrH8ICKMOqGeJKJLMrGdKTJ6PFKcJKLTMwFfLKLSOrHhI1G

Children's Book Diva, Jane Yolen, Fires Letter to LA Administrator Regarding Firing of School Librarians

If you're a children's writer or even a fan of children's literature you surely know who Jane Yolen is. To me she is the ultimate children's book diva and a woman who is very respected in her field. When Jane talks books, people listen. Recently, an infuriated Yolen penned a letter to administrators in the LA area regarding an issue where the Board of Education and their lawyers questioned school librarians to assess their "teaching" skills. Here it is in Jane's own words:



Letter to the administrator in charge of firing LA school librarians who had the Board of Ed's lawyers take the librarians into the school basement and asked them to prove they were teachers with such questions as "Do you take attendance?".



Dear Mr. Deasy:


As the author of 300 published books (yes, that is not a typo!), many of them winners of the highest awards given for children's and adult books,

I have to commend you for closing libraries. You are turning out the lights in children's minds. It will make them much easier to recruit as cannon fodder,much easier to move them on conveyor belts, much easier to treat them as cattle.

Of all the people who work in a school, teachers and librarians are the heart and soul of the place. Not administrators. My late husband

was a professor and later on an administrator. You should have heard what he had to say about top-heavy administrations. I suggest you

take the administrators (yourself included) and ask them the same questions the lawyers are asking the librarians in the basement: do YOU take attendance? Do YOU teach in the classroom? Perhaps you should fire the administrators first. And the overpriced lawyers. And when you do, you will no doubt find you have the money to keep the librarians.

And the library.

The ones who turn on lights in children's minds and guard the flame in their hearts. With or without taking attendance.


Yours very truly and to tell the truth angrily as well,


Jane Yolen




At this point, all we can do is hope that Administrator Deasy sits up and takes notice. As far as I am concerned a library is the heart of any school. Can you even imagine a school without books? Thanks for your efforts Jane!

-Niki Masse Schoenfeldt

PLAYOFFS ARE OVER; BACK TO WORK!

Now that the American League Playoffs are finished and my beloved Red Sox came in second place instead of first, the World Series will not garner much of my time. Therefore, as this blog was meant to be, I will dedicate my musings to the craft of writing. Not to say a few extra topics may not arise now and then, but mostly I will report of the things I have learned in the ten years I have devoted to honing my craft, and those in which I continue to learn. It is said we must learn something new every day and I believe it to be true. So come along on this author’s journey as I try to make sense of the common ailments we writer’s all share.

I have learned that the network of children’s writers extends far and wide, yet is small enough to fit within the confines of my desktop. I’ve met many talented people through SCBWI and the internet has paved the way. I am proud to say I consider many clever writers, poets and illustrators among my friends and peers. As you gaze upon my blog, please join in the conversation. Your opinions and comments matter. As a group dedicated to words, I hope we can use them to learn from each other. As unique individuals, we will all describe the same subject in differing ways. Hopefully, one of those ways will strike a chord with someone who needs our help.

Happy Writing!

Niki Schoenfeldt