Zooming In on Inspiring All Writers with Author Phaea Crede
Resources
Princess Battle Royale (Viking Books - 2025 NEW!)
Oh Deer! (Sleeping Bear Press, 2025)
Stitch Crashes Disney(Disney Books, 2023)
Super Pizza & Kid Kale(Viking Books, 2022)
Jet the Cat (Is Not a Cat) (Barefoot Books, 2021)
Outline
Introduction and Podcast Overview
Melissa Milner introduces herself as the host of the"Teacher as Podcast," a show aimed at educators.
She mentions the podcast's seventh season and expresses excitement about its growth.
Melissa encourages listeners to rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts to help it reach more educators.
She announces the Career Mentorship Program, Major Choice, as a new sponsor of the podcast.
Guest Introduction: Phaea Crede
Phaea Crede introduces herself as a picture book author who writes funny, neurodiverse stories.
Melissa shares that Phaea did an amazing presentation at her school, making her a perfect guest for the podcast.
Phaea and Melissa discuss the importance of embracing and appreciating weirdness.
Phaea mentions her visit to Melissa's school, describing the positive vibe and the fun experience.
Phaea's School Life and Early Challenges
Phaea talks about her tough school life, feeling socially uncomfortable and out of place.
She shares a supportive memory of her first-grade teacher, Miss Griffin, who was very supportive.
Phaea recounts the message she received through elementary school about her grammar and spelling, which made her feel like she wasn't a good writer.
She describes the frustration of being enthusiastic about her writing and being told to calm down by teachers.
Transition to College and Performing Arts
Phaea discusses her emotional struggles in the 90s and the anger and resentment she felt.
She mentions her positive experiences at Sarah Lawrence College, a liberal arts college that was a good fit for her.
Phaea shares her journey into performing arts, including stand-up comedy and sketch comedy at the UCB, Upright Citizens Brigade.
She talks about her audition for "Flight of the Conchords" and her eventual role as a writer on the marketing show "Nintendo Week."
Writing Process and "Princess Battle Royale"
Phaea explains her writing process, including making lists and charts to organize her ideas.
She describes how the idea for "Princess Battle Royale" came from playing with her daughter and her interest in pro wrestling.
Phaea shares her research process, including finding historical versions of fairy tales and creating a dream promotion for the princesses.
She discusses the addition of Swan Princess as the bad guy and the influence of professional wrestling on her writing.
Balancing Writing and Day Job
Phaea talks about the challenges of balancing her writing career with her full-time job in tech.
She mentions the financial realities of being a children's book author and the need for a stable income.
Phaea shares her experience of writing for Disney and other companies as a "writer for hire."
She emphasizes the importance of not giving up and finding ways to move forward in a creative career.
Teaching Techniques and Improvisation
Melissa and Phaea discuss the connection between improvisation in comedy and teaching techniques.
Phaea explains the concept of the Harold, a long-form improv exercise, and how it relates to writing and teaching.
They talk about using improvisation to generate ideas and build stories in the classroom.
Phaea shares her experience of teaching stand-up comedy and the importance of joke writing in storytelling.
Encouraging Writers and Overcoming Writer's Block
Phaea provides tips for encouraging writers and avoiding discouragement.
She emphasizes the importance of feedback and using the "shit sandwich" method for giving constructive criticism.
Phaea discusses the emotional challenges of writing and the need to take breaks when feeling overwhelmed.
She shares her strategy of treating the story as something to serve, which helps her stay focused and motivated.
Planning and Writing Techniques
Phaea explains her planning process, including creating lists and outlines for her stories.
She shares her method of breaking down stories into acts and using graphic organizers to keep track of the plot.
Phaea discusses the importance of having a clear premise and building on it with various ideas and angles.
She mentions the influence of screenwriting techniques, such as "Save the Cat," on her writing process.
Final Thoughts and Future Projects
Phaea talks about her current projects, including a book about a condor who tells it like it is.
She shares her excitement about the potential for "Princess Battle Royale" to be adapted into an animated feature.
Melissa and Phaea discuss the importance of encouraging students to pursue their creative passions.
Phaea expresses her gratitude for the opportunity to share her experiences and insights on the podcast.
Historical Fiction and Humor in Writing
Melissa Milner discusses the importance of humor in historical fiction, mentioning how watching "Little House on the Prairie" helped her understand the genre better.
Phaea agrees, emphasizing that humor can be a personal choice and should be included if it fits the setting.
Melissa Milner shares her regret for not incorporating humor earlier in her writing, urging others to capture funny moments that come to mind.
The conversation touches on the benefits of using picture books and nonfiction for quick learning in historical fiction writing.
Recommendations for Humorous Historical Fiction
Melissa Milner recommends the middle-grade book "The War That Saved My Life" for its impactful storytelling.
She mentions "By the Great Horn Spoon" by Sid Fleischman, a book about the Gold Rush, which she finds humorous and suitable for read-alouds.
Melissa Milner expresses her desire to motivate students to include more humor in their stories to avoid a single tone, making them more appealing to a wider audience.
Writing Techniques and Storytelling
Melissa Milner talks about the importance of deciding who you are as a reader and what style you prefer, sharing that she prefers books that get into the story quickly, so she writes that way.
Phaea mentions the UCB's advice to start a scene in the middle, which helps in understanding character traits without lengthy descriptions.
The conversation covers the challenges of writing short stories within larger narratives, such as the Oregon Trail, and the use of flashbacks, etc.
Melissa Milner and Phaea discuss the influence of Robert McKee's purist views on storytelling, including his dislike for flashbacks.
Exploring Different Writing Styles
Melissa Milner and Phaea delve into the differences between first, second, and third-person narratives, and how they can impact storytelling.
They discuss the challenges of using second-person narratives in picture books and novels, with examples like "Robo" and "Choose Your Own Adventure" books.
The conversation includes tips on rewriting paragraphs in different styles to explore various perspectives and improve writing skills.
Melissa Milner shares her experience with neurodivergent students and how different modalities of expression, such as improv and scripting, can enhance their understanding of humor and storytelling.
Overcoming Writing Challenges
Melissa Milner and Phaea talk about the difficulties of writing, including dealing with self-doubt and imposter syndrome.
Phaea shares strategies for managing negative self-talk and the importance of persistence in writing.
Melissa Milner reflects on her journey from being a theater major to an educator and how her background in drama helps her teach writing and humor.
The conversation concludes with mutual appreciation for the contributions of teachers and writers in fostering creativity and storytelling in students.