I'm so excited about Write On Con 2012!
In case you don't know, this is an online writing conference for children's writers that takes place on August 14-15. There are opportunities for pitching agents or getting critiques, and getting your questions answered about writing for children. It's crammed with great stuff!
Here's a few of their tentatively scheduled events:
Tuesday, August 14, 8:30 AM (EDT): Live Picture Book Query Critique event with bestselling author Emma Walton Hamilton (previously submitted)
Wednesday, August 15, 11:15 AM (EDT): Live Q&A with literary agent Pamela van Hylckma Vlieg on Social Media/Blogging
Wednesday, August 15, 1 PM (EDT): Live critiques on Building Better Sentences with author Gennifer Albin (previously submitted)
And did I mention it's free? (But they do appreciate small donations to cover the expenses of organizing this fantastic opportunity -- and you can win extra prizes.)
If you're like me and you never seem to be able to get to an in person writing conference, you might want to check this one out. I learned a lot here last year, even though I was on vacation and couldn't participate in many events. Their transcripts stay up afterward, so you don't have to miss anything.
Friday, August 3, 2012
Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Four Ways to Remind Readers of Out of Scene Characters
In my work-in-progress, my character spends part of the story away from her family and friends. This is tricky, because I don't want the reader to forget about these early characters, especially since one or two of them have important roles later on. So I had to think of some ways to keep these characters in the back of the reader's mind, even though they're not around in the middle of the story. Some strategies for keeping off-stage characters in the story:
Introduce some memories. If the main character thinks about a time or event when they were with the out of sight character, it can do double-duty. You remind the reader of the character who isn't there, as well as adding in some emotion for the main character.
Send a message. When the off-stage character sends a message, it needs to be natural, so this doesn't work if there isn't a good reason for it. But it might also be a way to include a little mystery.
Use imagination. Sometimes, if you're really close to another person, you think about what they might think when they're not with you. I can totally see a girl imagining what her friend (or her sister or her mom) might think of a situation.
Drop a name in conversation. Not exactly subtle, but if there's a natural way to do it, characters who are in the scene could mention the out-of-sight character. It could be a way to advance the plot while reminding the reader of that other character who will eventually show up again later.
Do you have any other ideas for how to remind the reader of characters who aren't front and centre in the action?
Introduce some memories. If the main character thinks about a time or event when they were with the out of sight character, it can do double-duty. You remind the reader of the character who isn't there, as well as adding in some emotion for the main character.
Send a message. When the off-stage character sends a message, it needs to be natural, so this doesn't work if there isn't a good reason for it. But it might also be a way to include a little mystery.
Use imagination. Sometimes, if you're really close to another person, you think about what they might think when they're not with you. I can totally see a girl imagining what her friend (or her sister or her mom) might think of a situation.
Drop a name in conversation. Not exactly subtle, but if there's a natural way to do it, characters who are in the scene could mention the out-of-sight character. It could be a way to advance the plot while reminding the reader of that other character who will eventually show up again later.
Do you have any other ideas for how to remind the reader of characters who aren't front and centre in the action?
Monday, July 30, 2012
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Inside Out and Back Again
Today’s pick: Inside Out and Back Again by Thanhha Lai
My take:
Thanhha Lai lives in New York and worked as a journalist for
a short time before deciding to concentrate on writing fiction.
***Marvelous Middle Grade Monday was dreamed up by the incredible Shannon Messenger.
Visit her blog for an up-to-date list of all the bloggers who are participating
and posting about middle grade books today!***
HarperCollins, 2011
Publisher’s
Description:
No one would believe me but at times I would choose wartime
in Saigon over peacetime in Alabama.
For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon:
the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, the warmth of her
friends close by . . . and the beauty of her very own papaya tree.
But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her
family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward
hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of
its strangers, the dullness of its food, the strange shape of its landscape . .
. and the strength of her very own family.
This is the moving story of one girl's year of change,
dreams, grief, and healing as she journeys from one country to another, one
life to the next.
As a writer, I admired the way the author could use so few
words to create compelling emotion and imagery.
How I discovered this
book:
I recently looked at the list of recent Newbery Medal andHonor books and decided I should read more of them, so I got this one at the
library.
Other info:
She was born in Vietnam in 1965—the year of the snake.
This is her first novel.
According to the Harper Collins website, she tries to read a
novel a night: “If I love the novel, I read every word until I finish it. If
not so much, I flip and get the essence of what the writer is doing.”
For more about the author, visit Thanhha Lai's author page at Harper Collins.
For more about the author, visit Thanhha Lai's author page at Harper Collins.
Friday, July 27, 2012
What I Learned This Week: Story Development
I recently discovered this blog: How To Plan, Write, and Develop Your Book by Mary Carroll Moore.
It's packed full of information and strategies for developing a story. It's like an entire writing course online. I recently watched her video about storyboarding and came away with some new ways of looking at the writing process.
I liked the way she described the purpose of the three-act structure as a way to give your book a shape that other people can understand.
And I also like her suggestion about brain-storming before beginning a new writing project. I usually start with a character or a problem that catches my interest and then I start sticking stuff to it and asking "what if" questions to expand on it.
But I'm intrigued by the idea of taking a bunch of elements that I'd love to see in a novel (or that I'd love to write about so I can learn more about them) and then trying to develop a structure around them. I might try this sometime as an experiment. I'm also going to look for the book A Writer's Time by Kenneth Atchity, which she mentioned in her video.
Have you ever sat down and thought about the specific things you'd like to put into your book before you begin? Or do elements of the novel appear as you're writing?
It's packed full of information and strategies for developing a story. It's like an entire writing course online. I recently watched her video about storyboarding and came away with some new ways of looking at the writing process.
I liked the way she described the purpose of the three-act structure as a way to give your book a shape that other people can understand.
And I also like her suggestion about brain-storming before beginning a new writing project. I usually start with a character or a problem that catches my interest and then I start sticking stuff to it and asking "what if" questions to expand on it.
But I'm intrigued by the idea of taking a bunch of elements that I'd love to see in a novel (or that I'd love to write about so I can learn more about them) and then trying to develop a structure around them. I might try this sometime as an experiment. I'm also going to look for the book A Writer's Time by Kenneth Atchity, which she mentioned in her video.
Have you ever sat down and thought about the specific things you'd like to put into your book before you begin? Or do elements of the novel appear as you're writing?
Wednesday, July 25, 2012
YA Read: Pregnant Pause
One of the best things about summer is taking time to just read and enjoy a good book. Today I read the YA novel, Pregnant Pause by Han Nolan. This one is definitely not for a MG audience.
I read it practically all the way through, because I liked this original take on what could have been just another teen pregnancy story. Han Nolan doesn't sugar coat the issues and the characters talk and think about them in a realistic way. I loved how the main character learned about herself through her different relationships with her boyfriend, family, friends and enemies.
I read it practically all the way through, because I liked this original take on what could have been just another teen pregnancy story. Han Nolan doesn't sugar coat the issues and the characters talk and think about them in a realistic way. I loved how the main character learned about herself through her different relationships with her boyfriend, family, friends and enemies.
Monday, July 23, 2012
Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Wonder
Today’s pick: Wonder by R.J. Palacio
Random House, 2012
Publisher’s
Description:
August (Auggie) Pullman was born with a facial deformity
that prevented him from going to a mainstream school—until now. He's about to
start 5th grade at Beecher Prep, and if you've ever been the new kid then you
know how hard that can be. The thing is Auggie's just an ordinary kid, with an
extraordinary face. But can he convince his new classmates that he's just like
them, despite appearances?
My take:
I heard so many good things about this book I was excited to
finally borrow a copy from my local library. But it’s so amazing that I’m putting it on
my list of books to buy!
Auggie’s facial anomaly is a reality that can’t be ignored, but at the same time he’s just an ordinary boy—with a
sister, an aging dog, friend problems and a StarWars obsession. This novel is
full of funny moments, as well as touching and heart-breaking ones. I was so
wrapped up in Auggie’s story that I was surprised when the author started to
tell the story from the point of view of his sister…and then some of the other
kids. But it was a really cool way to tell the story and show different sides
of Auggie’s character.
As a writer, I am so impressed by the way the author got
inside the mind of a 10-year-old boy and showed the world from his perspective.
I’d read this again to study how she used dialogue and details to create an
authentic view of the grade 5 experience. I also liked the chapter headings and
I noticed their significance more after I’d read the entire novel.
Favourite quote:
“If every single person in this room made it a rule that
wherever you are, whenever you can, you will try to act a little kinder than is
necessary—the world really would be a better place.”
Other info:
R.J. Palacio lives in New York and worked as an art director
and book designer for many years.
This is R.J. Palacio’s first novel.
It’s worth visiting the Annotations page on the author’s blog
to read about why she included the specific quotes and songs, and tidbits about
creating the characters.
On her website, the author says “It's never the perfect time
to start writing a book. So I decided to just go for it.”
Friday, July 20, 2012
The Importance of Story Context
Earlier this week, author P.C. Wrede posted on the real difference between "showing" and "telling" and what it means for a story in her post Show vs. Tell.
She has nicely put into words what I've always thought about the whole issue of "showing" (or dramatizing events) vs. "telling" or (stating something without actions or thoughts to back it up).
Making it a never-to-be-broken rule to show instead of tell isn't always what's best for the story. Like anything else, these are different techniques available in your writing toolbox and both can work, depending on what is needed. The key is to think about the context of each line in the story (and that's why revisions seem to take forever).
She has nicely put into words what I've always thought about the whole issue of "showing" (or dramatizing events) vs. "telling" or (stating something without actions or thoughts to back it up).
Making it a never-to-be-broken rule to show instead of tell isn't always what's best for the story. Like anything else, these are different techniques available in your writing toolbox and both can work, depending on what is needed. The key is to think about the context of each line in the story (and that's why revisions seem to take forever).
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