Emmy-winning author teaches D303 students how to write

Betty Birney has taken character immersion to a level to which perhaps no other author has ventured. With dozens of St. Charles Unit District 303 students seated at her feet during a visit at Munhall Elementary School on Friday, Birney revealed the secret of her popular “Humphrey” series of children’s books.

“I actually am a hamster,” she said. “Did you notice I looked like a hamster?”

Despite Birney’s complete lack of fur or propensity to run without ever reaching a destination, about half a dozen of the students raised their hands and nodded their heads in agreement.

Birney, of course, is not actually a hamster, she revealed to the students. But the importance of thoroughly researching a character to the point where you believe you can think like that character, even if it’s a hamster, is the key to good writing, Birney said.

“When I’m working on my books, I feel like a hamster,” said.

The success of the seven books in the “According to Humphrey” series so far is a testament to Birney’s ability tap into the mind of a hamster who spends his days as a classroom pet and the various adventures that leads to.

Birney told the students she didn’t always know she’d write books about a lovable hamster, but she did know she wanted to be a writer since she was 7. That’s when Birney fell in love with books of all kinds. Soon after she wrote her first book, “Teddy Bear in the Woods.”

The book only saw a single printing and was read only by Birney’s parents.

“Writing takes practice,” Birney said. “You don’t pick up a musical instrument and have it sound good the first time.”

Birney honed her writing craft in the world of advertising, eventually writing ads for Disney movies. That led to her writing scripts for one of the Disney Channel’s first shows, “Welcome to Pooh Corner.” She went on to write for “Dumbo’s Circus” and more than 200 episodes of children shows over 20 years including “Clifford,” “Doug” and her all-time favorite, “Madeline.” Her work on that show earned her an Emmy, and taught her another lesson of good writing.

“I think you always do your best work when you do something that you love,” she said.

Deep inside, Birney knew she wanted to write books more than she wanted to write for television. More than a year of tinkering with the idea of Humphrey’s character led to finding a voice for him that Birney loved. The series was born. She’s now committed to writing at least nine books for the series. She guides her plots with thoughts in mind, Birney said.

“The story has to have a beginning, middle and an end,” she said. “And the character has to have a problem to solve.”

Humphrey will next solve a mystery related to the Halloween season and the disappearance of the teacher who owns him.