tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-39131579825753638442024-03-05T05:57:54.600-05:00SlushbustersThe adventures of 7 children's writers as they critique, support, and cheer each other on while fighting their way to the top of the slush pile.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.comBlogger322125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-7198206040545131352011-08-12T06:05:00.001-04:002011-08-12T06:05:00.630-04:00A coward no more! (I hope.)<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JqJ9mk_tlN1J_ABJ-i3P4gBKLUOExw0d00N8Le3Em7wJ_dkao_lbGali2160sSCxZc96sJFA1Xi4uuGXmcKjUvVoeEkMtzXBDeEgk15mDBwhsLKKvyQT-6HTNy7sEdWmKt0xsFYOHxw/s1600/Monkey+close+up.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 314px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3JqJ9mk_tlN1J_ABJ-i3P4gBKLUOExw0d00N8Le3Em7wJ_dkao_lbGali2160sSCxZc96sJFA1Xi4uuGXmcKjUvVoeEkMtzXBDeEgk15mDBwhsLKKvyQT-6HTNy7sEdWmKt0xsFYOHxw/s320/Monkey+close+up.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639836927558104946" /></a>
<br />I had a marvelous time at the SCBWI conference in Los Angeles last week. I was able to hang out with friends from <a href="http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/">Chautauqua</a>, the <a href="http://nevadascbwi.org/Mentor.html">Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program</a>, and my too-cool-for-school mentor <a href="http://www.underdown.org/newhdu.htm#personal">Harold Underdown</a>.<div>
<br /></div><div>I had no trouble repeatedly walking through the lobby of a swanky LA hotel dressed as a monkey. (---->) </div><div>
<br /></div><div>And yet, I have been an abject coward, because I <i>really</i> don't like to talk about my book.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>When asked, I said that I wrote YA. (Which is only a little more specific than saying I write for children.) When pressed, I said it was a fairy tale adaptation. (Which is kind of true, but not really.) The truth is, I don't like to tell folks what my book is about because I am afraid.</div><div>
<br /></div><div>I'm afraid I won't explain it clearly and concisely. </div><div>
<br /></div><div>I'm afraid someone won't like it if I do manage to be clear and concise. </div><div>
<br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:arial;font-size:180%;"><b>I'm afraid. </b></span></div><div>
<br /></div><div>That fear is one reason why I gave the worst elevator non-pitch to an agent, ever.*</div><div>
<br /></div><div>So I have resolved that by Sunday I will have written out my story in four sentences or less. Doesn't matter whether I call the description a pitch, a hook, a log line, or give it a Dickensian name like Estoria Quattlebush. From Sunday on, whenever someone asks what my story is about...</div><div>
<br /></div><div>
<br /></div><div>I. Will. Tell. Them. </div><div>
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<br /></div><div>How about you? Is it easy for you to talk about your story? Hard? I'd love tips for making it easier or stories that make me feel better about myself. </div><div>
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<br /></div><div><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:85%;">* He made small talk about staying on the floor right under the penthouses. I said the first thing that came to mind: "But you'd be the first to die if we had a fire." He had a funny expression on his face the next time he saw me. I don't blame him.</span></i></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-28964585202303137492011-08-11T11:48:00.004-04:002011-08-11T12:32:11.428-04:00And .... GO! Time to apply for the Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">If you have talked to me about writing for more than a few minutes, you would have heard me go on ...</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">and on ....</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">and on about how wonderful it was to be part of the:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">
<br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:180%;color:#990000;">Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:85%;">(There should be Star Wars style music right now.)</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">The Mentor Program matches writers and illustrators with mentors who work with them for six full months. Amazing mentors who are authors, illustrators, and (this time) agents.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">A few things you should know:</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><b>It's all about the revising.</b> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">If you don't want someone to tell you how to make your work better, or if you don't like revising, this isn't the program for you.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><b>It's your chance to be fearless.</b> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Your mentor will help you think about your project in new ways. Be prepared for the ride.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><b>It makes you part of an amazing community.</b> </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">Each mentor picks about three mentees, so there were over twenty of us in the Mentor Program. Those people and their mentors have become awesome friends.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">
<br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">So go to the <a href="http://nevadascbwi.org/Mentor.html">Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program page</a>. If you have any questions for me, let me know. I'd be happy to tell you more about my experience in the program. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';">
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<br /></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-88493807452757481332011-06-15T12:18:00.004-04:002011-06-15T12:35:18.974-04:00Odds and ends- and two sites you should visitThis is my first blog post in ... I don't even know how long. <div><br /></div><div>Not surprisingly, it is the first day of summer break for this teacher. Even less surprising, it is rather late in the day. (Hooray for sleeping in!)</div><div><br /></div><div>This past week, I finished a revision workshop with Cheryl Klein, the ridiculously talented senior editor of Arthur A. Levine Books. Be sure to visit her resource-packed <a href="http://cherylklein.com/">website</a>! There's so much good stuff on the craft of writing and revision. Or just buy her terrific book on revision: <a href="http://cherylklein.com/buying-second-sight/"><i>Second Sight</i></a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Two teacher workdays after that amazing weekend, I'm settling in for a summer of writing. I started, of course, by catching up on blogs while eating breakfast and found this <a href="http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2011/06/15/11218/">amazing speech by Holly McGhee</a>, owner and agent of Pippin Properties.*</div><div><br /></div><div>So there you have it.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Odds and ends:</b> summer has begun and I already started it with a lovely retreat.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Two sites to visit:</b> Cheryl's website and Kathy's website.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Now I'm going to change out of my PJs. </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Many thanks to Kathy Temean for posting it in her </i></span><a href="http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>Writing and Illustrating blog</i></span></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><i>!</i></span></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-81898739283382162502011-05-31T11:04:00.009-04:002011-05-31T11:20:25.821-04:00We're here, and we're reading.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/519lq8HHyAL._SL500_AA300_.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 300px;" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/519lq8HHyAL._SL500_AA300_.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />We've all been pretty quiet on the blog lately, and unless something changes, I expect that to continue. We'll still post from time to time as we have something to share.<br /><br />Our SCBWI friend <a href="http://kathrynerskine.com/Kathryn_Erskine/Home.html">Kathy Erskine</a> has a new book coming out this week. You may remember <a href="http://slushbusters.blogspot.com/2010/04/kathy-erskine-author-interview.html">our interview with Kathy</a> last spring when her book <span style="font-style: italic;">Mockingbird</span> was first released. Since then, <span style="font-style: italic;">Mockingbird</span> has won a bunch of awards, most notably the National Book Award.<br /><br />The buzz on <span style="font-style: italic;">Mike</span> has begun, and we can't wait to see what people say about it. Meanwhile, you can read my take on it over at <a href="http://searchingforagoodread.blogspot.com/2011/05/book-review-absolute-value-of-mike-by.html">Searching for A Good Read,</a> which I wrote after I read an ARC Kathy sent me.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-37157354339160348032011-04-14T10:57:00.007-04:002011-04-14T11:23:34.473-04:00One for the archives<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRC8DQWcuHTa_NSATRLnVAZojzMZxIwrr9Iz11GqYOorV1uOPOxucBkQtwzzERkTvwaekzoA8XThG8rlsq7j9tTX7aHDsk4kVn18CCVmTEMvtCDgSF7xiQdua-_hQy42A4-n6J1hG5k4/s1600/library+flyer+pic.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 339px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLRC8DQWcuHTa_NSATRLnVAZojzMZxIwrr9Iz11GqYOorV1uOPOxucBkQtwzzERkTvwaekzoA8XThG8rlsq7j9tTX7aHDsk4kVn18CCVmTEMvtCDgSF7xiQdua-_hQy42A4-n6J1hG5k4/s400/library+flyer+pic.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5595454845060529090" border="0" /></a>Back in 2008, when the Slushbusters blog was still new, <a href="http://slushbusters.blogspot.com/2008/12/starting-critique-group.html">Steph shared a post</a> about how she started a critique group. If you read the whole thing, you can see that she mentioned posting fliers in the local libraries. That's how I found the group. I was browsing in the children's department of our Central Library and saw the flier.<br /><br />That was over four years ago. I emailed the address on the flier, Steph wrote me back, and a few weeks later I attended my first critique group meeting. It was a good thing I emailed too, because by then the group was meeting at Panera. It didn't come out in the scan you see above, but Steph had written in pencil to "Please call before coming as we sometimes have to cancel."<br /><br />The fun part now is that I had a meeting at the Central Library last week, and the flyer was still there. I took it down. It's funny for us for a few reasons. First, it's amazing that no one had removed it in all this time. Second, it's been years since we either met at the library or did any <a href="http://slushbusters.blogspot.com/2009/05/we-finally-did-writing-exercise.html">writing exercises</a>. (Sorry, Steph!)<br /><br />We used to do a five minute writing exercise at the end of every meeting. Back then, there were usually only two or three of us at a meeting instead of six. Critiques took a lot less time. Also, as we've gotten to know each other better, we usually have too much to say about each other's work and chat too much about other stuff to have any time left over. The other night I swear the staff at Panera were circling our table, trying to hint that we should wrap it up, but we were still offering comments to Joan on her latest chapter.<br /><br />Anyway, I'm keeping the original sign. It's a great reminder of how and where we began, and how far we've come, even on the days it doesn't feel like that.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-9001397430008535342011-03-21T10:56:00.004-04:002011-03-21T11:23:24.866-04:00Monday morning reviewSince I posted about the Virginia Festival of the Book last week, I felt I should tell you all about it. I forgot to bring the camera, and I still haven't figured out how to get pictures off my phone, so if you need pictures, you'll have to visit the <a href="http://www.vabook.org/index.html/">festival website</a> and see the official ones.<br /><br />Friday evening Sarah and I went to Sweet Reads, the dessert reception to honor Ashley Bryan and meet all the children's authors participating in the festival. Fran Slayton and her friends at the Charlottesville Catholic School did an incredible job coordinating the event.<br /><br />I bought a couple of books, chatted with some librarians from other branches in our system, and caught up with a few SCBWI folks. Ellen Braaf, our SCBWI Regional Advisor, made the trip from northern Virginia. We always enjoy seeing her. I talked with local authors Kathy May, Kathryn Erskine, Anne Marie Pace, and Fran. Several of the Slushies have taken Kathy May's class on writing for children, and she always is so encouraging, even though it's been awhile since I was her student. Sarah and I are super excited for Kathy Erskine, because she's going to be on the faculty at Chautauqua this summer. How cool is that?<br /><br />The focus of the evening was the presentation for Ashley Bryan. Fran listed a few of his many accomplishments in children's literature, and Nikki Giovanni and Kekla Magoon, who both know him well, spoke about him. Then Mr. Bryan rolled up his sleeves and did what he does best--poetry. He did a recitation where he walked among the children on the floor, and then had them repeat back his lines. His warmth and humor were wonderful.<br /><br />Afterward, people had an opportunity to meet all the authors. With 29 of them there, there weren't even long lines to get books signed. I had a special request to ask Jacqueline Kelly to sign several copies of <span style="font-style: italic;">The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate</span> for me, and she generously agreed.<br /><br />Saturday morning, Sarah and I met our friend and blog follower Kristi, who had come in with her husband from Richmond for the day. After a few minutes catching up over coffee, we went to our separate panels. Sarah and I went to the one on picture books, featuring Jacqueline Jules, Kim Norman, Susan Stockdale, and Charlottesville's own Anne Marie Pace. Each of them talked a bit about how their books came to be.<br /><br />Sarah and I walked to the next panel with Kristi, Adam, and Ellen Braaf. We had a beautiful sunny day to stroll over to the Village School, where five YA authors read from their books. The panel featured John Connolly, Jacqueline Kelly, Valerie Patterson, Tammar Stein, and Steve Watkins. Each of their books was very different, and not a vampire or werewolf in sight!<br /><br />Sarah had to leave right after that. I had lunch with Kristi and Adam, and then we went to the second half of the first pages critique panel featuring the Mosely Writers. We all felt their critiques were kinder and gentler than those we've seen at other conferences. I realized that those panels are usually editors and agents. I think the difference is that a writer has been on the other side of that very public critique, and an editor's job is to really push to get the best work out of someone.<br /><br />By the time that panel ended, I was ready to go home. I visited with a few folks in the lobby of the Omni before I left. All in all, a great day at the festival.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-1142057433734653462011-03-17T10:33:00.012-04:002011-03-17T10:57:17.567-04:00It's that time of year againAround here, a sure sign of spring is the <a href="http://www.vabook.org/index.html/">Virginia Festival of the Book.</a> If you've been following us for a while, you'll remember that the Slushbusters usually try to meet up and go to some of the events as a group. While the festival lasts five days, we do have jobs and families and other obligations, so we generally make Saturday our big festival day.<br /><br /><br /><a href="http://www.cvillecatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/SweetReadsFlyer-1.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 494px; height: 640px;" src="http://www.cvillecatholic.org/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/SweetReadsFlyer-1.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br />This year, there's a <a href="http://www.vabook.org/site11/program/details.php?eventID=224">Friday night event</a> we're going to. If you're in the area, and you haven't heard about it yet, (which is hard for me to believe, because those of you in Charlottesville are usually pretty aware of this stuff) check it out! All the children's and YA authors attending the festival will gather to honor Ashley Bryan, eat dessert and sign books. What more could you want in an evening?<br /><br />There are several other events geared toward children's authors. Saturday morning, there will be a panel on <a href="http://www.vabook.org/site11/program/details.php?eventID=50">Picture Books</a>. Saturday at noon we'll have to choose between panels on <a href="http://www.vabook.org/site11/program/details.php?eventID=49">writing historical fiction for kids</a> and <a href="http://www.vabook.org/site11/program/details.php?eventID=167">books for young adults</a>. Why do they always schedule two things I want to attend at the same time?<br /><br />There are more events on publishing and book signings and speakers and the book fair. It's impossible to get to everything. Especially since this is also a time when we get to catch up with some of our writer friends who will be in town from Richmond, Northern Virginia, and elsewhere. If you'll be around, let us know. We'd love to meet up.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-46803037101434808182011-03-01T10:57:00.005-05:002011-03-01T11:20:29.298-05:00Clearing, freshening, changingThis morning I've been working on critiques to the sound of men talking about everything from where to get a good sandwich to the Charlie Sheen interview on TV. Punctuate that with a very squeeeaaky paint roller, the metallic creaks and clacks of boots on ladders, and the scent of fresh paint, and you have my morning.<br /><br />We're planning to move. Not far, just to a different neighborhood. So we're having some work done on the house to get it ready to sell. And in the middle of it all, I've been packing. Clearing out closets to be painted. Donating stuff we don't want or need anymore. Putting our extraneous clutter into a storage unit, so the house will look clean and fresh and more spacious for showing.<br /><br />All this has taken a lot of time away from my writing. That's okay, though. Although I'm compulsively creative, and need to make something every day in order to feel right with the world, sometimes it doesn't matter what that something is. I've never been one of those writers who must write every day. When I'm in a good place with a project, I have decent self-discipline, and will sit down and produce. Other times, I can go months without writing, and put my energies into something else. I always return to the writing. At best, I get some distance from my project. At worst, I have an excuse for procrastinating. This is the beauty of working without externally imposed deadlines.<br /><br />So in the middle of all this chaos, what lessons can I take that I can apply to writing?<br /><br />Editing is good. Whether it's your coat closet or your book, get rid of the stuff you don't need. I know we all know this, but a reminder never hurts.<br /><br />Sometimes you need a change. It may be as small as a fresh coat of paint, or as significant as a new office window overlooking a new neighborhood.<br /><br />Eavesdropping is fun. Most of the conversation in the background of my world today has been about what to do when, the order in which they're going to do things. Ceiling first in the living room. Drywall taping in the hall. In between, the dangers of cigarettes and too much diet soda.<br /><br />Earplugs are useful. I got this one from Sarah. She wore them on one of our trips to a conference, and wasn't awakened at all by the noise in the hall of our hotel. I took a page from her book and used some this morning when I was trying to read and critique through all the background noise. Entertaining as eavesdropping is, it doesn't get the critiques done.<br /><br />Mostly right now, I'm grateful that my office is one part of the house that doesn't need work. Yes, I cleaned out the closet in here too, but at least I can be in here and not feel like I'm getting in anyone's way. It's an odd feeling to be in some stranger's way in your own house.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-83166359600983462052011-02-03T11:38:00.007-05:002011-02-03T11:51:46.856-05:00Advice forgotten, advice rememberedAs writers, we get a lot of advice. We get it from the classes we take, from the blogs we read, from the authors who have gone before us, from editors, and from our peers. In that great sea of advice, we choose the bits that stand out to us, that resonate with our mission. The rest we tend to ignore.<br /><br />Today I've gone back to some advice I heard a few years ago. It was two pieces of advice, really. One was about following the structure of an existing picture book to help you develop a sense of pacing for writing one. The other was similar, to copy a picture book, word for word, to help you get a feel for the rhythm of it.<br /><br />I've decided I need to take a break from the endless revision of my novel, and work on something short for a while. I've got this manuscript for a picture book that I've been fiddling with on and off for about four years, but which has been inside my head for maybe 20 years.<br /><br />Today I took that advice about the structure. I was reading <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Everything-Need-Know-Learned-Childrens/dp/1596433957/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1296751427&sr=8-3">Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book</a> the other day, and I had an epiphany. This story I'd been struggling with for so long has a very similar structure to something else. Not a surprise really, as it's often said there are only so many plots in the world. But nice to have finally figured out which one it goes with. I had tried to do this with the same story before, but the structure of the books I was following didn't mesh with it. I think I've got it this time.<br /><br />So I've spent the morning copying the original. Just to get the structure into my head. And now I'm working my own words and characters and story into the structure. It's fun. I'm not sure how good it will be when I'm done, but either way, I think I've learned something.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-20295887007363992782011-01-26T01:36:00.000-05:002011-01-26T01:55:03.624-05:00Reading to KidsIs there anything better than reading to kids? Walking behind waterfalls ispretty cool, and I do love chocolate. But really, reading to kids is right up there in my favorite things to do. Kids are so responsive, so eager, and so easy to please. And I love doing all the funny voices; I am a theatre teacher, after all.<br /><br />I am so excited right now because my son is about to turn four, and we have recently opened a new chapter in his reading life. We're reading chapter books. Some of them don't have pictures for at least six pages. And he is totally okay with this! He's actually loving it.<br /><br />When I asked him if he missed reading books with more pictures, he said, "It's okay because I see the pictures in my head."<br /><br />We started on the Lighthouse Family series and have moved on to the Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner. We'll be reading those books for a while. Today, we began Little House in the Big Woods. Of course, now Alexander wants to find a hollow log and put a roof on it so we can smoke the deer meat we get when we go hunting.<br /><br />I'm so excited to read all the books I loved as a kid. I'm thinking we'll get to Pippi Longstockings soon, and the Wizard of Oz should be fun.<br /><br />What I want to know is...What books do you love reading to your kids/grandkids/nieces/nephews/neighbors/etc? And what books did you love having read to you when you were a kid?Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07697071777092163740noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-21425373412090161212011-01-19T13:29:00.006-05:002011-01-19T14:16:11.587-05:00Dated LanguageI've been reading <span style="font-style: italic;">The Maltese Falcon</span>, and I've come across a couple of words I had to look up. I like it when this happens. It often means one of two things. Sometimes it means the writer is stretching the language, using a more obscure word, which I like because it pushes me as a reader. Lisa is the Slushbuster most likely to use a word I don't know, and I love that. Other times, it means that the writer used a word that was common at the time the book was written, but isn't common anymore.<br /><br />One of the words I had to look up from <span style="font-style: italic;">The Maltese Falcon</span> was <a href="http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/levantine">Levantine</a>. Now, I had pretty much figured out what it meant from context, but I looked it up anyway. And a little bit sadly, I looked it up online, even though my dictionary is on the shelf right above my desk. I can look up now and see it as I type this. (Hi, Webster's New World Dictionary. Nice to see you. You're dated too, but I love you, so you get to stay there.)<br /><br />I figured that if the story was written today, Hammett would have used the term "Middle Eastern" or more specifically "Syrian" or "Lebanese." Whichever. The use of the word Levantine helps define the time period in which the book was written.<br /><br />Some words disappear because of technology. Anyone dialed a phone and gotten an answering service lately? Saved your work to a floppy disc? No? Some words change because of popular culture. When was the last time you listened to records after you got home from having a malted at the drugstore? Has anyone our age ever done that? Has anyone under the age of 30 ever gone to a video arcade with a pocketful of quarters to play Pac-Man or Zaxxon?<br /><br />Political correctness changes a lot of what we write. The use of Levantine made me think of that other <a href="http://blogs.phillymag.com/the_philly_post/2011/01/18/huck-finn-controversy-rages-on/">dated word that's been in the news</a> a lot lately. Now I don't want to get into a whole "should they or shouldn't they" discussion about whether or not it's appropriate to substitute the word "slave" for "nigger" in Huckleberry Finn. I'm just observing that what is common usage in one time and place becomes inappropriate in another. In our age of political correctness, it happens a lot. For hundreds of years it was appropriate to use the word "cripple." But in the last 50 years, not so much.<br /><br />I repeat that I'm not trying to start a heated discussion. But sometimes, when I write, I wonder what words will disappear in a generation or two. Or change. Desktop now means what you see when you turn your computer on, not the computer itself. A blackberry is no longer assumed to be something you eat. On the flip side, these evolving words are useful for writing with historical context. So when I tell you one of my books has a main character who was really happy to get an Atari, you know it is set in the 80's.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-43446151053467793672011-01-04T10:48:00.005-05:002011-01-04T11:10:01.757-05:00Clearing out in the new year, or why what you read really does make a difference.Happy new year, everyone! We've been a bit quiet over the holidays. I can't believe how many of the other bloggers have been writing every day through the madness. Good for you!<br /><br />I've just finished a round of critiques for this evening's meeting. They were revisions to stories that Slushies have been working on for a while. I love these kinds of critiques, because I get to see how far the story has come since I first read it. One of them was a story that had been shelved for a while, but it's one of our favorites, and it definitely deserves a fighting chance, so I'm glad it's back in revision-land.<br /><br />I've been working on a project at the library the past week or so, which I thought might interest you. I've been weeding our young adult fiction. Weeding is kind of the library version of inventory. We check the circulation on each item. If it hasn't been checked out in say, two years or more, we give it a good, hard look and evaluate whether or not it deserves to stay on our shelves. With the limited space in a small library, sometimes we have to be brutal. There are other factors, such as whether it is an award winner, or if the author is generally well-known, or whether or not other branches have the book. But the main criteria for keeping something is if someone has read it recently. Even one checkout can make the difference.<br /><br />This is where you come in. If you checked out one of these books I'm looking at, you may have inadvertently cast a vote as to whether it stays or goes. If you recommended that book to a friend, and she checked it out, between the two of you, the circulation just went from a zero to a two in the past year. Another vote for keeping the book. If you recommended it to a book club, therefore increasing the circulation of every copy in our system, well, you've likely just insured the book will stay on our shelves for quite a while.<br /><br />Before I worked at the library, I knew I could request they purchase a book. That was as far as I thought my influence as a patron went. I don't think people consider their role in keeping their favorite books on the shelves once the library owns them. So recommend a favorite to a friend!Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-6672601173465367852010-12-22T01:44:00.002-05:002010-12-22T01:46:21.029-05:00Our charactersThis is <a href="http://kathytemean.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/creating-larger-than-life-qualities/">terrific advice</a>.Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-26428729287721912912010-12-04T22:17:00.011-05:002010-12-04T23:12:33.944-05:00Surprise meI never thought I'd mention Harry Potter and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1155076/">The Karate Kid </a>in the same post.<div><br /></div><div>Of all the talk within the children's writing community about Harry Potter, there is one I remember the most. A speaker at the Mid-Atlantic SCBWI conference (I <i>think</i> it was Bruce Coville) said the biggest draw of the series was that there was a surprise on every page. They were never just jelly beans, or portraits, or even bathrooms. In the world Rowling created, even the most mundane objects or activities were surprising. </div><div><br /></div><div>The world was wondrous. </div><div><br /></div><div>In a much smaller way, The Karate Kid remake surprised me. When I saw Mr. Han working on a car, I expected to hear"Wax on, wax off." I never did. There were the obligatory training montages, but one was punctuated with the young hero flexing and posing in front of his mirror. Nothing huge, but another small, funny, surprise. </div><div><br /></div><div><i>(That the movie surprised me at all is incredible. This post is being written by someone who remembers trying to balance on one foot before delivering a brutal, match-ending kick. I also remember seeing half the playground trying to do the same thing during one second grade recess. We considered ourselves successful if we didn't fall down in the attempt.) </i></div><div><br /></div><div>I knew what was going to happen in the remake. I knew all the plot points it needed to hit. Yet in many small ways, the movie didn't do what I thought it would- and so it kept my interest.</div><div><br /></div><div>I'm in the middle of rewrites, and I keep coming back to the importance of surprising the reader. No conversation, description, or character should be just what the reader expects. That's easier said than done, but it forces me to dig a bit deeper into whatever I'm writing. It's also a way to measure the effectiveness of what I've just written. I feel that I can move on when something unexpected is revealed, even if it's a small something. </div><div><br /></div><div>What about you? What books surprised you in big or small ways? How do you keep your own writing fresh?</div><div><br /></div><div>And did you ever try that kick after watching the first Karate Kid? </div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-44018059226543802762010-11-30T10:29:00.005-05:002010-11-30T10:41:00.560-05:00Turning off the editorOne of the things that has changed as a result of my taking my writing more seriously is that I pay so much more attention to everything I read. The editor in my brain is always working. If a book I'm reading is particularly gripping, I'm able to turn it off. But other times, I just want to take a pencil to the book I'm reading and fix stuff so that I can read it the way I want to.<br /><br />Last night I was reading one of those pencil books. It wasn't a book I had chosen, but my book club is reading it right now. Strunk and White would have had a field day with it. Single sentences take up six or seven lines on the page, and are so convoluted, full of commas, semicolons, verbs, adjectives and adverbs that even though they are grammatically correct and properly punctuated, they are exhausting to read and by the time I have finished reading one I have to go back to the beginning because I've forgotten what it was that I was reading about while I was trying to decipher all of it like a sixth grader diagramming sentences in middle school English class. How is it not exhausting to write that way?<br /><br />I wonder if I enjoyed this kind of book more before I automatically edited inside my head.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-55002086938320258502010-11-19T10:20:00.006-05:002010-11-19T10:48:00.686-05:00LurkingYou may have noticed I've been a bit quiet lately. I've had some family stuff going on the past few weeks, so I haven't been blogging. But I've been lurking on your blogs (that sounds so evil, doesn't it?), and keeping up with what's going on in the rest of the world.<br /><br />One thing I just have to mention is that <a href="http://www.kathyerskine.com/Kathryn_Erskine/Welcome.html">Kathy Erskine's</a> book <span style="font-style: italic;">Mockingbird</span> won the <a href="http://www.nationalbook.org/">National Book Award</a> this week! The Slushbusters have come to know Kathy through our local writing community, and we're very excited for her. <br /><br />Another thing that's happened is that I've had a resurgence of communication with some of the friends I made at Chautauqua over the summer. I'm not sure what's up with that, but suddenly I've gotten several messages and emails from the gang. I appreciate everyone staying in touch. Right now, while I'm out of my writing groove, it helps to know these guys have my back when I'm ready to jump back in.<br /><br />I'm on a major reading/audiobook tear right now. We had a Rapunzels meeting yesterday, during which we discussed <span style="font-style: italic;">The Jade Dragon</span> by Carolyn Marsden and Virginia Shin-Mui Loh. The group is younger this year, as some of the older girls have outgrown us, and we've got a lot of new girls. This is where it's challenging choosing books, because the age range of the club is 9-13. Some of the older girls weren't sure they wanted to read a book with such a young character, but they all liked it after they did. If you want an example of how to make a simple problem feel like high stakes, read this one. <br /><br />My big new excitement in audiobooks is that our library is launching <a href="http://www.overdrive.com/">Overdrive</a>, which will allow us to download audiobooks using our library cards. When the "checkout" period expires, the file becomes unusable, but meanwhile, it can be transferred to an MP3 player or burned to CDs. So cool, especially now that I have a car with a docking station for my ipod. <br /><br />So, like my Chautauqua friends, even when you haven't heard from me in a while, I'm here.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-63706787812830513942010-11-16T18:40:00.004-05:002010-11-16T22:00:15.320-05:00Last Lines in Kid Lit<div>I love Sporcle. Today they posted a quiz about <a href="http://www.sporcle.com/games/CrazyCat/Children_Last_Line">last lines in children's books</a>. I scored 11 out of 20, which was still in the 90th percentile. Please, please, someone do better than I did!</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-24196873989561712792010-11-06T21:59:00.005-04:002010-11-07T00:22:06.330-04:00Getting in and then getting out<img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 209px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVBUMis_SkWOzXZlCwftshLYMvoxJDMirVaISTBCx_8y-PYzEXUE2-siSu9fvA7dNJJLkT4hGysE1rePGy5VAwTvy1g02C8J-ioaEIHQE_s-FR9fjeUQVs9acOnf-2p1Ss3e5x19zsVUs/s320/LYALL-1-articleLarge.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5536628966114287234" />I'm going to see "The King's Speech". The movie is about King George VI, the younger son who never thought he'd be king. Hitler is conquering Europe, and the UK needs to hear from their king. George can't speak without stammering, yet he is expected to speak to his country in a radio address. (It can't have helped that Hitler was an amazing orator.)<div><br /></div><div>The trailer captured me. I think many of us write because we can't get the words to come out right the first time.<div><br /></div><div>Or the second.</div><div><br /></div><div>Or the third. But I digress... </div><div><br /></div><div>I read <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/31/movies/31lyal.html?src=un&feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Fjson8.nytimes.com%2Fpages%2Fmovies%2Findex.jsonp">this article</a> about the movie today, and in the article was a link to an<a href="http://video.nytimes.com/video/2010/09/12/movies/1248069018609/speaking-with-colin-firth.html"> interview with Colin Firth</a> who plays King George. He says that as an actor, his job is to get in and get out: to understand his character's dilemma, but not concentrate on expressing it. Rather, he should focus on the character's determination to get out.</div><div><br /></div><div>He argued that if an actor concentrates too much on portraying the problem (in this case, stammering) then the audience sees an actor trying act. But Colin's goal is to pour his energy into portraying his character's struggle against the dilemma. The actor's effort should be towards portraying the fight, not the enemy. </div><div><br /></div><div>He said it enables the audience to connect with the character. Few people want to follow a character whose energy is spent getting into his personal hell. But an audience is willing to walk with a character fighting his way out of one. </div><div><br /></div><div>I've been banging my head against the wall with revisions. I have so much to do, precious little time, and even less creativity. But Colin's point made sense to me as a writer. I'm working to figure out the tension that pulls my MC through the story. That's huge. But once I clarify that dilemma, I need to go back to my MC's fight against it. </div><div><br /></div><div>And speaking of fights- I need to go wrestle my own dilemma into submission. I'll let you know how it goes...</div></div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-28164663872977175282010-11-01T20:41:00.002-04:002010-11-01T20:45:54.609-04:00Mid-Atlantic SCBWI Fall Conference<style>@font-face { font-family: "Times New Roman"; }p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; font-size: 12pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: blue; text-decoration: underline; }a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: purple; text-decoration: underline; }table.MsoNormalTable { font-size: 10pt; font-family: "Times New Roman"; }div.Section1 { page: Section1; }</style> <p class="MsoNormal"></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style=""> </span>This was my second time to this wonderful conference and, like last year, I was not disappointed. Ellen Braaf, the regional advisor, gives everyone a warm welcome. You immediately feel right at home. Being elbow to elbow with a hundred or so other like-minded writers for a whole day was just as inspiring the second time.<span style=""> </span>This conference is high energy and high quality.<br /></p><p class="MsoNormal"><br /></p> <p class="MsoNormal">First in the queue of speakers was author Kathy Erskine. She presented GREAT writing tips. Using “great” as an acronym for her five elements of good writing. An agent panel followed her. We all love to hear what agents are looking for. Chapter books and books for boys were mentioned quite a bit. One of their recommended website was <a href="http://absolutewrite.com/">http://absolutewrite.com/</a>. The website is for all types of writers. It has how-to articles, interviews and a business section. Andrea Tompa, Editor at Candlewick Press, compared revising your writing to wood carving. You get the big picture first then carve away to the details. The keynote speaker was author Lisa Yee. She had us in stitches. Winner of the Sid Fleischman Humor Award, she could be a standup comedian on the side. There was also a book buyer panel. What an interesting idea to hear the perspective of the buyers. The panel included a public librarian, school librarian and owner of an independent children’s bookstore. The conference ended with an editor’s question and answer session.<span style=""> </span>All in all many worthwhile speakers and panelists plus good food and company. </p>Joanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02646258958983456603noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-32893588231354091492010-10-20T14:33:00.003-04:002010-10-20T14:55:17.778-04:00Dropbox Anyone?I'll confess right up front that I'm terrible about backing up my documents. I was using a memory stick for a while but only remembered to do it once a month or so. Then there was the emailing-novel-to-myself phase. I remembered to do that about twice a month. I checked out some of the online services that you pay for (mozy, etc), but I'm so cheap I just can't stand paying for things if I don't have to. (Actually, I think they offer 2 gigs free now.)<br /><br />But still, I thought there must be another way.<br /><br />I just discovered dropbox. I'm not terribly tech-saavy, so this may be old news, but I'll share anyway. You go to <a href="http://www.dropbox.com/">dropbox</a>, download it, and a folder will appear on your computer. Anything you put in this folder can be accessed from any computer connected to the internet.<br /><br />They market dropbox as a way to organize your files across multiple computers, phones, etc, but all of the files you drop in your dropbox folder are also instantly uploaded to the internet. So, if your computer breaks and your phone bursts into flames, you still have access to your files via "cloud computing."<br /><br />Now, when I sit down to write, I open Chapter 18 from the dropbox folder and work on it. When I hit "save," the doc is saved not only on my computer but also on the internet. I don't have to remember to back up. I don't have to do anything special. I'm loving it.<br /><br />So, what do you use to back up your writing and how do you like it? Ever tried dropbox? Have concerns I haven't thought about?Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07697071777092163740noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-34437157726359677442010-10-13T09:27:00.003-04:002010-10-13T14:59:48.996-04:00In the middle of the nightYou know how sometimes you wake up in the middle of the night with what you think is a brilliant idea for your story? I did that last night. I thought about it for a while, after having trouble falling back to sleep. I thought about it long enough that I remembered it this morning, even not having written it down.<br /><br />The problem is that in the light of day, it's not really such a good idea. It basically removes all but the simplest conflicts from my story, leaving it kind of old-fashioned with no real stakes for the main character. What is it about three thirty in the morning that makes us think we're brilliant?Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-17847745279849041152010-10-07T18:09:00.003-04:002010-10-07T18:15:03.173-04:00ObstaclesYou know how we're supposed to write obstacles that get in the way of what our main character wants? I'm having a lot of those lately. Right now, for instance, I want to go to the James River Writers Conference tomorrow. But the obstacle is that I have a drippy, sniffly, chest-rattling cold and really should stay home. If I'm feeling up to it by Saturday, I may just do a one-day visit.<br /><br />Alison will soldier on tomorrow as the sole Slushie. If you'll be at the conference, tell her hello. She's awesome. She called to check on me, and I'm hoping she takes some notes for a post-conference sum-up of her own.<br /><br />My head hurts.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-25998834508561987332010-10-05T10:27:00.004-04:002010-10-05T10:35:47.921-04:00Short and SweetWe've all got a lot going on this week. Sarah is preparing for her trip to the <a href="http://www.nevadascbwi.org/">Nevada SCBWI</a>, where she is going to participate in their mentor program. Alison and I are going to Richmond for the <a href="http://jamesriverwriters.org/">James River Writers Conference</a>. I've looked at the list of registrations, and I know we'll see a couple of you there.<br /><br />JRW offers a five minute agent "elevator pitch" session to conference attendees. I haven't had one in three years. Two years ago the agent I was supposed to pitch couldn't make it due to illness. JRW arranged a substitute, but it was an agent who didn't handle books for children. I gave up my time slot to someone who might have a book that agent would represent. Last year I didn't have project I wanted to pitch.<br /><br />So here I am, trying to tighten up my log line. I know what my book is about, and I can get it down to a sentence or two. I've rehearsed it enough not to ramble, but not so much that it sounds like a memorized speech. But I'd like it to sound more punchy, you know? So that's what I'm working on this week.<br /><br />We'll post a sum-up of the conference next week.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-82044314392378424412010-09-27T11:58:00.012-04:002010-09-27T12:34:41.414-04:00People really do love books.<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXEZzdlwORI8Ck7qvZP5I0whXiyNXnG0fpg-Iap0ah0_eSCM24wozYgnoQrfOMi0bTzzRWMp5R14oFbsi3SAF6nNAcbL76u4YCIc1Y1vV_mZuW4rFDSDW7js7aBHaHh9tx_dRtOe8fsY/s1600/line+one.JPG"><br /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk-w1nOKUSmFKUR8F4rkisesmS2lVKJ_s7yzd3VDvunHJV_Vj_Oc71uPEvYcFA9ahizEgPl7mfX0DPoZWKGR8ebJO_ge3yCp4AQ9mIgDdzYq0f8k14clhGJn9yccapQCOQaX7gNA8LfI/s1600/National+Book+festival.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWk-w1nOKUSmFKUR8F4rkisesmS2lVKJ_s7yzd3VDvunHJV_Vj_Oc71uPEvYcFA9ahizEgPl7mfX0DPoZWKGR8ebJO_ge3yCp4AQ9mIgDdzYq0f8k14clhGJn9yccapQCOQaX7gNA8LfI/s320/National+Book+festival.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521623625796242930" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I went to the <a href="http://www.loc.gov/bookfest/">National Book Festival</a> on Saturday. I was impressed. I knew it would be big, but I didn't know it would be this big.<br /><br />Due to delays in the Metro system, we got there later than I had planned. I missed the first panel of authors I wanted to see. I stuck around the children's tent, though, long enough to listen to <a href="http://www.haddixbooks.com/home.html">Margaret Peterson Haddix</a> and <a href="http://www.lindasuepark.com/">Linda Sue Park</a> speak about the <a href="http://www.the39clues.com/">39 Clues</a> Series. They talked about the joys and challenges of writing a series with a lot of other authors.<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48g8KsEaNmaHAXK9IO5-dOYtgSuEi7W9LB-IgcZ10JiiUo6qj7DnsXbR-_JRgYmWKEedQfwAE_oy_PIBH7RwkgbdByAPMWdTXpKf4EW4zrd2lgsEzrby4IBikDWX-KxDAp8R4tmYGHUU/s1600/speakers.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi48g8KsEaNmaHAXK9IO5-dOYtgSuEi7W9LB-IgcZ10JiiUo6qj7DnsXbR-_JRgYmWKEedQfwAE_oy_PIBH7RwkgbdByAPMWdTXpKf4EW4zrd2lgsEzrby4IBikDWX-KxDAp8R4tmYGHUU/s320/speakers.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521624422725547394" border="0" /></a>One young person asked them their advice for future authors. Linda Sue gave one of the best and most original answers I've heard. She suggested aspiring authors attach themselves to a losing sports team. The constant cycle of hope at the beginning of a season and disappointment at the end is good practice for the life of an author.<br /><br />After the presentation I headed over to the book signing area, where they were both signing books. They were to be in Tent 8, over there on the left. See all the people standing in lines?<br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXEZzdlwORI8Ck7qvZP5I0whXiyNXnG0fpg-Iap0ah0_eSCM24wozYgnoQrfOMi0bTzzRWMp5R14oFbsi3SAF6nNAcbL76u4YCIc1Y1vV_mZuW4rFDSDW7js7aBHaHh9tx_dRtOe8fsY/s1600/line+one.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHXEZzdlwORI8Ck7qvZP5I0whXiyNXnG0fpg-Iap0ah0_eSCM24wozYgnoQrfOMi0bTzzRWMp5R14oFbsi3SAF6nNAcbL76u4YCIc1Y1vV_mZuW4rFDSDW7js7aBHaHh9tx_dRtOe8fsY/s320/line+one.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521624411575516402" border="0" /></a>That's not the whole line. If we turn to the right, you can see some buses back there. That's about where the lines ended. <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_UaPR4n_fqqSDdkhm4Qi4_0ZNTI6cAqEH_Ow_A5BDd7o_NI0LCKnrMHgXRBbswjhSfWW41K5cZqOvhC4jSkV7SKHIc2DXM82KYmRxwJG74Aa8peGHE7171svmmk-WpTUcTJeu0HJcks/s1600/line+two.JPG"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4_UaPR4n_fqqSDdkhm4Qi4_0ZNTI6cAqEH_Ow_A5BDd7o_NI0LCKnrMHgXRBbswjhSfWW41K5cZqOvhC4jSkV7SKHIc2DXM82KYmRxwJG74Aa8peGHE7171svmmk-WpTUcTJeu0HJcks/s320/line+two.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5521624419077408274" border="0" /></a>I decided I didn't need my books signed that badly. We went to the Pavilion of the States tent instead, stopping to peek in a few other tents along the way. I said hello to <a href="http://www.francannonslayton.com/">Fran Cannon Slayton</a>, who was representing both Virginia and West Virginia. The crowds were so dense I waited in line to say hi, and then moved out of the way for some other folks who wanted to talk to Fran. She looked like she was having a great time.<br /><br />By the time we finished at the States tent, we were done with the crowds. So we retreated to a nice, quiet museum with flush toilets and air conditioning. (The high in DC on Saturday reached 97!)<br /><br />I'm glad I went to the Book Festival, but I much prefer the intimate setting of writing conferences.Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05192888587472646161noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3913157982575363844.post-57594730173850616032010-09-25T23:50:00.003-04:002010-09-26T00:17:10.763-04:00Repeating relationship<div>I just finished reading an <a href="http://www.avclub.com/articles/community-creator-dan-harmon,45508/">interview</a> with Dan Harmon, the creator of the show <i><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1439629/">Community</a></i>. Both the interviewer and Dan talked about having "every relationship between every character different".</div><div><br /></div><div>Now that's interesting.<br /><div><br /></div><div>For those of you who don't watch <i>Community</i>, it's a show with a large cast, and it would be so easy to have repeating relationships: multiple friendships between characters based on common interests, several mentoring relationships, or attraction between peers, etc. But it isn't that way at all. I should take more time to describe the show, but I'm going to move straight to writing.</div></div><div><br /></div><div>I realized- in a blinding flash of insight- that it's easy for me to do that with the secondary characters in my MS. I might have several pairs of characters that relate the same way towards each other. Guess who's going to go back, look at all the relationships she's created, and make sure she's not being lazy with how her characters relate to each other?</div><div><br /></div><div>One of the things that pulls me further into a story is surprise. Shouldn't the way my characters interact be surprising as well? (Not surprising as in: "Golly, Jane, I had no idea you enjoy roller derby in addition to your work CPA." Instead, the surprise should come from a weak person exhibiting strength, or from discovering a stoic character has a well developed sense of humor. </div><div><br /></div><div>My story will be so much stronger if a character is strong with one person and vulnerable with another. That's the way we really are. I have people I'm cheerful around, and a few who will know if I've had a bad day. I might be serious with one person and never have any substantial sort of conversation with another. </div><div><br /></div><div>Yes, the concept of non-repeating relationships is pretty basic, but it stood out to me. Had anyone else ever thought of that before?</div>Sarahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06909176210194176373noreply@blogger.com0