If you love all things America’s Next Top Model (we do, we do!) then you will totes heart Melissa Walker’s new book, Violet On The Runway, it’s about…oh, I’ll tell you what, I’ll let Melissa explain, she did write it, after all and she’s agreed to come play in our world o’ pink - whoop, whoop!
Melissa is a writer-girl supreme! She’s a journo-type and an author and she also enjoys cupcake-eating in NYC - Melissa, please will you be our BFF?
Describe author-girl Melissa in five words…
A mix: sarcastic, sincere, honest.
You’re a newbie author-girl - congrats - have you always wanted to be an author and how did you make it happen?
The summer before I started high school, I filled a loose-leaf notebook with the tale of a nerdy girl who wanted to find a prom date, so I guess you could say I always had book dreams.
I worked on my high school yearbook and my college newspaper, and one summer during college I interned at a magazine in NYC and fell in love with that world. My first job was at ROSIE magazine from 2001-2002 as an assistant, and I experience the whole roller-coaster ride there. Then I started at ELLEgirl in 2003 and edited features until 2006. I indulged my tulle and taffeta habit as the 2007 Prom Editor at Seventeen. In between–and especially now that I’m freelance–I do a lot of writing, editing, and reporting for magazines like Glamour, COSMOGirl!, Teen Vogue, etc.
When I pitched the idea for VIOLET ON THE RUNWAY to an editor at Penguin, I had teen magazine clips to back up my experience, so it was a smooth process. (I got an agent after the offer was made, but before accepting).
Your first book is called Violet on the Runway - why will we love it? Sell it to us, Melissa!
ou will love Violet because she’s a real girl–one with huge insecurities and good friends and big dreams–who’s dropped right in the middle of the crazy fashion world. She’s a girl who sees the insanity from the inside and thinks, “Holy crap!” It’s an insane environment, so there’s lots of fodder for adventure, humor and drama, especially from the point of view of a small town girl who’s not yet jaded.
You were a journ-o girl at US Ellegirl - has your behind-the-scenes knowledge of all things glam and fabulous prompted this book?
Yes! My time at ELLEgirl especially gave me insight into the fashion world and how newer models live in NYC (which can be glamorous, scary, thrilling and a little dark all at the same time). That knowledge kind of overlapped with my long-time dream of writing a teen novel about a small town girl in the big city (original, right?). The fashion world thing gave it more focus and helped me nail down the plot.
Having worked for fash mags, would you consider yourself a fashionista?
Not at all, although I do love following fashion much more than I ever thought I would. I’m an H&M girl, with maybe one or two big-ticket items (like a Marc Jacobs coat I got on ebay and a Chanel dress I found at a tag sale!) mixed in. Have you ever considered being a model-type? I dreamt of it around age 9 or 10, but alas, it wasn’t to be. I think all girls think about it at some point–it just seems like such a FUN world. But it can be super-scary too!
If VOTR had a soundtrack what tracks would it have on it and why?
Violet listens to a lot of music, but here are 5 key songs for her:
Not Pretty Enough-Kasey Chambers, because Violet has battled insecurity about her height all her life.
Over My Head-The Fray, because she constantly thinks, “What did I get myself into?”
When You Were Young-The Killers, because she meets a charming, city-wise guy who talks like a gentleman, like she’s always wanted…
No One’s Gonna Love You-Band of Horses, because she finds out that no one knows her like the people she loves back home.
Umbrella-Rihanna, because she does a photo shoot with umbrellas for her first editorial!
What’s a typical day in the life of Melissa…
I eat breakfast, then I write. I don’t allow myself to have lunch until I have 1000 words on the page. They don’t have to be good words, but they have to be there. I try to do that five days a week; afternoons are spent working on magazine stories.
Of course, some days I play hooky in Prospect Park, some days I had lunch-and-drink dates in the city so just write 300 words, etc. I have to let myself enjoy the perks of being freelance sometimes! But in general, I am pretty consistent with the 1000-word rule.
Journ-o girl or author girl, which do you prefer and why? Do I have to choose?
Fiction is fun because characters will say and do what I want them to! Journalism is fun because people are SO fascinating to interview and profile and chat with–I like real people too! Right now, the journ-o girl side of me pays the bills, but I’m hoping author girl comes up with another great series idea soon!
What was your fave book as a teen girl?
I really loved The Babysitters’ Club series, as well as Sweet Valley High and any mysteries by Christopher Pike. Lit-wise, I was heavily into The Great Gatsby and A Separate Peace–I think I liked lonely rich-boy stories.
You live in our favourite city in the whole wide world - care to take us on a whistle stop tour of your fave hangouts?
Sure, it’ll be mostly culinary, cuz that’s how I roll:
Tea Time: Sweet Melissa is the place to be for scones and cream and lovely teas (nice name too)! http://www.sweetmelissapatisserie.com/
Pizza: Pizza Plus is unparalleled! And this is New York City! http://www.yelp.com/biz/IUYI_8EFBzouMfl81hofhg
Ok, ok, Lombardi’s is good too: http://www.firstpizza.com/
Cupcakes: Love them from Two Little Red Hens Bakery in Park Slope, Brooklyn! http://www.twolittleredhens.com/
Drinks: Tucked away and oh-so-dreamy atmospherically, this place services slices of ginger! Heaven. http://www.peguclub.com/flash/
What’s next in the world of Melissa?
I am working on some new book ideas and lots of magazine stories, so there’ll be news soon!
What advice would you give to would-be author girls?
It’s not too early for you to get started if you want to be a writer — there are thousands of venues that want to hear young voices. All the writing you do now is paving the way to a career — if you want it. Here are my three tips to taking the first step, right now:
1. If you don’t have a public writing venue yet, blog. Remember, paper journals still have a function (namely holding your deepest, darkest secrets), and you don’t have to spill your guts online to have an interesting blog. You can write about newsworthy events, your Hills obsession, what you think of Amy Winehouse … and your blog can serve as a writing sample when you take the next step.
2. Put yourself out there. Are you opinionated about issues in the news? Start by sending a few opinion letters to your local paper. Build a relationship with an editor, and soon you could be proposing a column that makes you the voice of your generation in town. If you like writing about fashion or beauty, suggest that your local or school newspaper run a section about style (written by you, of course!).
3. If you have a story idea for a big magazine, send in a summary of what you want to write about (that’s called a “pitch” in magazine terms). Just because you’re young doesn’t mean you can’t report on an issue in your high school, or suggest an amazing person you know to profile. In fact, some magazines want you to write for them because you’re young! So go for it.
Read Melissa’s blog at melissacwalker.com
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