My days are filled with writing, reading, and being a mom. Some days, I get to visit schools around the country and talk about what it's like to be a writer. I often feel like I'm pretending, because it's still hard for me to believe it when I see someone holding a book that I've written.

Kimberly Willis Holt

Categorized in : Me Feel Believe Mom

If you're gonna fret, fret over something you can change. Then stop fretting and do something about it.

Kimberly Willis Holt

fretting ifs

Some people are just afraid of what's different. It doesn't mean different is bad. It just means different is different.

Kimberly Willis Holt

different mean people

Write every day. Make writing a part of your life, but also dont be afraid of learning from others because I think you can. I still try to think of myself as a beginner because that way I can keep on learning.

Kimberly Willis Holt

writing trying thinking

When I was young, I was very shy and quiet, because we moved all the time. My dad was in the Navy, so we moved every two years.

Kimberly Willis Holt

dad two years

Although I always loved reading and putting words on paper, I never thought about becoming a writer until I was twelve.

Kimberly Willis Holt

twelve reading paper

Other writers definitely influence my writing. What encourages me and inspires me is when I read a good book. It makes me want to be a better writer.

Kimberly Willis Holt

writing inspire book

I'm amazed how the tiniest moments grow into books.

Kimberly Willis Holt

grows moments book

A dog pours a pitcher of love into the lonesome spots of your life.

Kimberly Willis Holt

lonesome spots dog

And in this moment, I realize one reason it's so great to have a best friend is sometimes, like right now, Cal and I are thinking the very same thing.

Kimberly Willis Holt

realizing sometimes thinking

My favorite book is 'To Kill A Mockingbird' by Harper Lee. It is multi-layered, and I see something new in it every time I read it.

Kimberly Willis Holt

new see time book

When I was a child, the thing I wanted more than anything was to grow up and live in one house. Since my dad was in the Navy, that wasn't possible. Instead, I lived in a different home every couple of years.

Kimberly Willis Holt

grow child dad home

Most of my story ideas come from my childhood. Sometimes they hatch from stories my parents told me, sometimes they come from experiences in my own life, and sometimes they are inspired by mere moments.

Kimberly Willis Holt

parents me childhood life

Even though writing articles relies completely on truth, you still must tell an interesting story. You can't worry about people knowing who you are and whether or not they want to read your stories.

Kimberly Willis Holt

you truth writing people

My biggest disappointment is that once I'm finished working on the characters, I really do expect to see them in the flesh one day.

Kimberly Willis Holt

day see one-day disappointment

If you're having trouble finishing a book, it might be that you're trying to fix it as you go. Just finish the story, no matter how terrible you think that first draft is. Then let it cool off. In other words, don't look at it for a while. Then you can rewrite it.

Kimberly Willis Holt

words look cool you

One of the reasons I write is to be in other people's skin.

Kimberly Willis Holt

other skin write people

Sometimes I'll get a premise, you know, for a book. In fact, I get those quite often. And I don't commit to it until I really know the voice of that character. It's almost as if the character is speaking to me.

Kimberly Willis Holt

me you sometimes character

I always tend to write about outsiders. And what's been fun for me is, as I travel around and visit schools, is that other kids that feel the same way relate to some of my characters, and so I hope in some way that's helping them when they want to read about somebody that they can relate to.

Kimberly Willis Holt

feel me hope travel

I wear my pajamas. That's the thing I love most about writing. I don't get changed until I actually have to go out of the house. I'll write and take a late lunch or go to a coffee shop when I get where I can't stand the four walls anymore.

Kimberly Willis Holt

stand lunch coffee love

Although I sometimes enjoy writing from an adult's perspective, I feel dedicated to the coming of age story - that part of a young person's life where he must make a decision that will change his life forever. I still remember what it's like to be twelve years old.

Kimberly Willis Holt

perspective change age life