Eric Daniel Weiner: The Big Lesson Was Keep Trying
As a TV writer and producer, Eric Daniel Weiner co-created and produced several of preschool television’s most successful series such as the smash hit “Dora the Explorer.” Now an acclaimed six-time Emmy Award nominee, he’s happily returned to acting, playwriting, and the theater. Follow him on Facebook and Instagram.
In this interview, Eric discusses writing a joke book with heart and lovable characters with his new children’s book, The Famously Funny Parrott, his advice for writers, and more.
Name: Eric Daniel Weiner
Literary agent: Elizabeth Kaplan
Book Title: The Famously Funny Parrott: More Bird-Brained Than Ever!
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Elevator pitch: From the co-creator of the hit children’s show, Dora the Explorer, comes four more hilarious stories about the friendship between Freddie the purple parrot and his loyal butler, Peccary.
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What prompted you to write this book?
The Famously Funny Parrott: More Bird-Brained Than Ever! is Book 2 of this series. Here’s hoping there will be many more! I’ve fallen in love with Freddie and his butler Peccary and I want to spend as much time with them as possible.
How long did it take to go from idea to publication? And did the idea change during the process?
In this case, the concept changed completely. I first wrote Book 1 as a joke book come to life, with a parrot in the rainforest telling really corny jokes. I had a great time writing it, and I laughed a lot. But when I read it over, I thought, There’s not enough here, and I put it aside for years. When I finally pulled it out of the drawer, the parrot’s dumb jokes made me laugh all over again. With my wife’s encouragement, I showed it to my agent, Elizabeth Kaplan. Luckily, Elizabeth shares my delight in really and truly dumb jokes! She showed the book to Beverly Horowitz, the famed editor at Delacorte. Beverly agreed it was funny (she also likes dumb jokes!) and bought it as a two-book deal.
But she felt like in the end the book needed to add up to something more than just a joke book. It needed world-building. It needed heart. It needed lovable characters. It needed—in other words—not just a rewrite, but a reimagining. I spent a year on my first new version, which Beverly said was worse (I agreed). Another year on the second version, with the same results. My third attempt went better, I had a good time writing it, and this time Beverly felt there was something there. She showed it to a smart young editor, Alison Romig, who had a brilliant idea for restructuring the manuscript. Alison wrote out a detailed road-map for me to follow. The book began to work at last.
Were there any surprises or learning moments in the publishing process for this title?
As you can tell from my loooong previous answer, the big lesson was—keep trying. Then came a very happy surprise. Even though I was really looking forward to seeing what an illustrator would do with this material, I wasn’t prepared for how much I enjoyed Brian Biggs’s art. His illustrations add so much. I’ve been told by several readers that they bought the book in the first place because they like his work. Me too!
Were there any surprises in the writing process for this book?
I didn’t notice how much of myself I was putting into my main character. I was very surprised when people said, “He’s so you!” Freddie, the hero, is clumsy, arrogant, grandiose, and totally oblivious … but lovable, so, I’ll take it.
What do you hope readers will get out of your book?
Freddie’s butler Peccary is kind and loving, an ideal parental force. He keeps Freddie safe, but he also gives him room to try new things, make mistakes, and grow. He never judges him. I hope readers will internalize Peccary. When you’re feeling embarrassed or ashamed, Peccary is a great person to talk to.
If you could share one piece advice with other writers, what would it be?
During the struggles I had with Book 1, I had a revelation. In the end, I thought, This manuscript will be a book—I hope! I wanted it to be a book that when I saw it on my shelf, I felt happy. This is a lesson I seem to have to learn over and over. Yes, I’m writing for others, but I’m also writing for me. I want to please us both.
