WIFYR Day 2. Crucibles and Take-Aways

WIFYR led me through another amazing day in this writing journey.

Through a series of critiques and discussion in my morning workshop being led by the amazing Kathryn Purdie, I had 3 major take-aways. (Actually, there were lots more, but on account of the late hour, and another writing deadline due before tomorrow, I'm abiding by the Rule of 3.)

Take-Away 1. How can writing from a 13-year-old point of view help you tell your story (for any memory, which can then be translated into your story's scene). I'm writing an upper middle-grade, so I chose a young age. Authors of YA, would choose memories from an older age.

Take-Away 2. The details, and particularly the "telling details," trigger memories of moments for use in a story. The emotions associated with those memories naturally flow as you write them.

Take-Away 3. Crucibles can be emotional or physical. They can be used in a single scene or extended over an entire book. Actually, you should have at least one crucible extended over the entire book. What is a crucible? A crucible is an emotional or physical "vessel" where characters are stuck together. An emotional crucible could be relationship, as in mother/daughter. A physical crucible could be a room, a house, an island, a train. If you want to know more abut what a crucible is as a writing device in a novel, you have your first assignment. Look into it!

Lastly, during the WIFYR writing prompt today, I decided to write a short snippet of scene that will be added to the climax in my current WIP. And yes, this scene hinges on one of the novel's main crucibles.

The realization that the car sitting in the driveway doesn't belong washes over me as soon as Mother pushes her way through the screen door. Head down, feet racing over each step, she closes the distance, anchors her hands like bookends on each of my shoulders. Her touch seems foreign, as my mind lifts away.  I see him standing in the window. Even before he turns in my direction, I know who it is. Why he's come.

I'm not sure I'm ready. I'm not sure I remember how to breathe.

Conference Notes and Nudges. 10 Tips for Children's Authors

I'm horrible at keeping my social media updated with where I'm going and what I'm doing in regards to my writing pursuits, particularly in regards to conferences. Over the past year and a half or so, I've enjoyed quite a few, from the big SCBWI conference in LA to smaller ones, like the writing retreat with author Carol Lynch Williams, to online gatherings like Picture Book Summit in 2019 and 2018.  For me, attending these conferences provides fuel for kindling new ideas and sprucing up old ones.  They keep me moving forward on this writing journey, connect me with friends, and build bridges for making new opportunities.  For any writer, conferences can be invaluable.

Today I'm sharing some of the things I've learned.

1. Make connections and build relationships, particularly on social media. For a while, it seemed that "social media" was a four-letter word. It was deemed to be a drain for creatives, whose time would be better spent writing or illustrating. And for a while, I bought into this mindset, and stayed away from it for a handful of years. But while writing is one of those endeavors that requires separation from the rest of the world if any meaningful storytelling is going to be put on paper, I've learned that social media helps keep me connected to a wider world and allows me to share in the ups and downs of this publishing business that so many of us are trying to break into.

Some of my favorite social media gathering spots are on Twitter and Facebook.  Twitter has a whole network of picture book writers and editors that connect through hashtag conversations, such as #PBChat which was started by @JustinRColon earlier this year, as well as #PBCritiqueFest as started by @BrianGehrlein and #kidlit. On Facebook I'm a member of a handful of groups such as Julie Hedlund's 12x12 PB challenge and NF for Children's Writers. 

2. Write what you know.  This bit of advice has changed over the years.  Lately, I've heard: write what you interests you--even if you don't know it! Go out and learn about it. Personally, I follow the idea of: write what you love. Fall in love with your characters, your idea, your piece of nonfiction, and bring it to the best life it can live through the words that you feed it.

3. Ask questions. What does your character want? What is your emotional connection to this book? What are things you've fought for? What are things your character is fighting for? Do you have a sense of place on every page?

4. Keep writing through the submission process. Don't get hung up on one idea.

5. Comparative titles and Mentor titles are not the same thing. Comp titles are a sales tool to use in a pitch. They are a previous published book that you refer to that helps explain the nature of your manuscript to an agent or editor. Examples of how comp titles can be used are: I) My ms could be described as X meets Y; II) X but with the addition of Y; III) Readers of X will like Y.

6. Surprise them. Editors and agents like to be surprised in what they are reading. Share something with them that they didn't know about. Write something that only you know how to write. If you are moved by your own writing, it's likely that other readers will be moved as well. Write in a compelling, entertaining way about something that matters.... These sentiments were common themes that I heard from agents and editors at SCBWI-LA in August.

7. Advice from MT Anderson that I loved: Take the familiar and make it unfamiliar.  Take something unfamiliar and make something surprisingly familiar about it. Show us the invisible that lies all around us, but only you can see.

8. Advice from Tiffany Liao: If I can change the age of your MC and it doesn't affect what's presented, then the story is too watered down. Character drives everything.

9. Advice from Mem Fox: When writing, think about the child you're writing for, and nothing else.  And:  "I don't want children to understand everything I write. I teach them how to love reading with the right number of syllables and beats in the right place."

10. Advice from Brandy Colbert and Elana Arnold: Add a ticking clock. Give your MC a limited amount of time to achieve their goal or else face consequences.

Spring into Writing

It's here.

Don't let the snow fool you. This is springtime in the mountains.
#SnowShoeing Last weekend

After what has been a long winter with days made gray by skies capped with heavy clouds, SPRING is standing on my doorstep -- threading its yellow light across my lawn, nudging the crocus flowers from the flowerbeds, and urging the tulip flowers that are still sleeping in bulbs beneath them to take notice.

In my yard, salmon pinks will follow purple.

These small events... that make SPRINGTIME springy... make me happy.

They awaken the creative sparks, leading me in slightly new directions, allowing me to see manuscripts I've been working on in new ways, making the revision process more crisp and fresh.

With such feelings stirring, it seems near impossible to do anything but breathe more life into the characters that have been reaching out from the page.

Which means it's time for spring cleaning. Or rather, re-energizing.

For that, I'm springing into my writer's chair at my writing desk and tackling a new list, which really is nothing more than the same old list, but with more verve.

1. Write. Write new. Write fast. Write now by visiting the ideas for picture books I've jotted down in notebooks over the last few months at different conferences and in different settings. Choose 10 of the best ideas and crank out rough drafts for at least 5.

2. Write more. Write with focus. Write with intention. Start with the most promising draft from above and revise that into a 1st draft to work on. Repeat for the others.

3. Write through Resting. While those manuscripts simmer on the back burner through April, work on finishing the first draft of the middle grade I've got going.

A full sunbow (like a rainbow
 and a moon bow) encircled the sun during our trek

4. Revise and Restock. I write most of my drafts in notebooks, so I'll have to allow time for restocking ink. Jetstream pens are my favorite. And one of them ran out of ink today. (Which is good, because it means I've been writing). (But I'm okay for now because I've got pens in bundles. Well, 6 to be exact.)

5. Assess my spring and summer calendars. Set goals, plan ahead to make deadlines. Summer won't last forever and I want to make the most of it.

6. Continue sharing and learning what I can from my writing groups and critiques and conferences. Yes, Write.

7. Keep writing, and keep reading, and repeat.

Happy Springtime!

View from a snowshoe trek last weekend above Bear Lake, Utah, #AllSnowAndSunshine

Meet Author/Illustrator Ginny Tilby -> You Should! You Should!

Ginny Tilby is the author and illustrator of the children's book YOU SHOULD! YOU SHOULD! (Familius 2017) which is an adorable picture book about finding the courage to be true to yourself. Readers will love the fun, bright illustrations and cast of cute characters who each try to convince Hippo to do a variety of activities THEIR way, when all Hippo wants to do is take a swim. I fell in love with Hippo on the first two pages as his expression changed - a subtle detail that impressed me, along with the text, and showed me that this author/illustrator knows what she's doing. I am so excited to share YOU SHOULD! YOU SHOULD! and Ginny's advice and insights below. And you should definitely get a copy of this picture book for the children in your life (You should! You should!).

So sit back with your favorite coffee, tea, smoothie, or chocolate-fix and enjoy!

What is your favorite book as a child?

Yikes--hard question.  I was fairly obsessed with Clifford the big red dog, and the Berenstein Bears.  Maybe if I HAD to choose one: Dr. Seuss's To Think That I Saw it on Mulburry Street.  That kid's imagination tickled me happy.

Do you illustrate and write at the same time? Or wait until the text is done?

I like to write the text first.  I can usually see illustration possibilities in my mind enough to write without actually making art.  Making the art and developing characters takes time, and the minute I decide to change a character from a mouse to a crocodile, all the time spent on mouse-making-art was a waste.  Plus having well-flushed characters in writing helps me know what type of personalities and visual characteristics with which to design my characters.

That being said, I still keep the text very flexible once the art process does begin.  Sometimes once I see things on paper, I realize that a stork actually needed to be a flamingo!

How would you describe your artwork? What is your favorite medium to create with?

Bright, colorful, whimsical, fun, expressive. 

I would rather draw than paint any day.  Pencil/pen on paper is my favorite medium forever.  I'm growing accustomed to the Apple Pencil on iPad Pro; however, I don't think the real thing can ever be replaced.  

When I do paint, I always prefer digital over the real stuff.  I don't miss the color mixing or the mess, and I LOVE the "undo" command!

Do you have some favorite contemporary authors or illustrators or author/illustrators?

Will Terry, Scott Gustafson, Jean Baptise-Monge, Justin Gerard, Jon Klassen, David Litchfield, Pamela Zagarenski, and also Mo Willems is a genius.

Any advice for first-time or aspiring authors and illustrators?

YES.  The biggest tip I would offer is to please please please AVOID keeping your stories and your art to yourself before you send it to a publisher or before you self-publish.  Your closest friends and your mom do NOT count.  Let other professional artists and writers take a look and ask them for honest feedback.  Be open to suggestions.  Be as open as open as open can be.  If they aren't giving you real feedback, keep looking until you find someone who will.

Remember, children's books are meant to be read aloud - ask someone to read your story aloud to you.  Then ask someone else.  Tweak it when you find areas to fix (you will find them).  Then ask someone to read it again.  Then ask someone to read it to children in front of you.  Are they reacting the way you hope?  Is the reader tripping over words or sentences or do they flow easily and seem fun to say/hear?  Is the audience laughing appropriately?  Do they seem confused anywhere?  Remember, every word counts in children's books.

Do these things, and the only outcome possible is a wonderfully polished, primed and primped, perfect children's book.  You and your story deserve it. 

Last, use Julie Olson's blog for how-to's, tips, templates, and more on how to write a children's book: http://jujubeeillustrations.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html

What is it like to work with a publisher as an illustrator? Have you had to make revisions to your storyboard or illustrations based on their feedback or vision of the book?

It's very helpful!  I SO appreciated the feedback I received from my publisher as I made the art.  I was working with professionals who have been in the field for years, who were able to tell me that my giraffe was too scary for kids, so I tamed her down to the perfect amount of intimidating and fun.  Little tweaks like that.  But the best part of working with my publisher (and maybe not all publishers are like this) was the emotional support when I went through times feeling very inadequate and unsure my work as any good.  They readily boosted my confidence, assured me that my story and art are not just good, but great, and encouraged me to keep working.

What types of foods or activities help keep your creative process going while you work on a book or manuscript?

I have no idea, haha!  If you find out, will you PLEASE tell me?  When I worked on You Should, You Should!, I worked alongside other artist friends in their home.  We kept each other motivated and accountable.  We chatted and made art, we ate and made art, we jammed to music and made art.  I even slept over a few times, going to bed painting and waking up to more painting.  Now I'm working alone and the Struggle. Is. REAL.

Do you have any upcoming releases?

Give me a year or two, and watch for a book about Jeeps, and another story about a Catastrophizing Coyote.  (Nothing is signed or contracted yet.)

You can learn more about Ginny at the links below. 

ginnytilby.com

ginnytilby.blogspot.com

Facebook

Instagram

Thank you so much, Ginny! I'm inspired! I am! I am!

The Proper Care and Feeding of Your Character

In mid-June I spent a week at the Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers conference (WIFYR) and was lucky to spend some time in Ken Baker's writing workshop. Ken is the author of several picture books for children such as Old MacDonald Had a Dragon, Brave Little Monster, and Cow Can't Sleep. His newest, How to Care for Your T-Rex will be released in April 2019.

In his workshop, Ken focused on how writers can create engaging characters. I am sure if you were to list some of your favorite characters, you would find that they harbor some common traits such as persistence, unique talents, compassion, wit, spontaneity, and unpredictability, along with some strong inner conflicts. In Writing the Break Out Novel, Donald Maass says that unforgettable characters whom readers end up talking about for years act in unusual and unexpected ways that are dramatic and irreversible. Characters like Charlie Bucket, Harry Potter and Katniss Everdeen come to mind, along with Olivia, SkippyJon Jones, and Mother Bruce.

But how exactly do writers begin to create those kinds of characters? Have you heard the phrase, "It builds character?" Hopefully, you have because I heard these words a lot growing up; and I hope it wasn't because I was a frequent complainer of long chore lists, or because I had the unlucky habit of getting into trouble. But like raising kids, creating characters doesn't happen overnight and it doesn't happen in a first draft. Interesting characters come with a lot of back-story or baggage--however you want to look at it, so figuring out exactly who your character is takes a bit of digging--before, during, and maybe even after you're done writing--and Ken's workshop helped me see how to do that with a variety of different exercises.

One writing exercise that I found especially powerful for creating picture books involved making and comparing lists. Ken had us brainstorm a list of things that our character wants. This list was followed with a list of things that children want.  Then we compared the two. It became immediately clear that when writing for children, our character wants/needs should probably mirror those of child. I suppose this exercise would hold true for whatever audience you write for. This exercise helped me sharpen a couple of my manuscripts with some subtle word changes. It also helped clarify the underlying themes my stories were based on.

A second writing exercise involved comparing two other lists we made. One of admirable or likable qualities of our character versus one of traits or obstacles that are in direct opposition to those qualities. The most surprising outcome of this exercise was that I saw I could actually write my manuscript-in-progress from two different perspectives -- that of the character I was focusing on, or that of the opposing set of characters he was up against. Either way, I saw that I had two equally interesting approaches to one problem, depending on which Point-of-View I wanted to take. And since I am in love with both characters in the story, I was intrigued by this idea.

I'd be interested to hear the results that other writers have with these exercises, as well as any tricks that you use to dig deeper in character development.

Ken has loads of writing resources and information on his  website, so be sure to check it out. You can also find him on twitter @KenBakerBooks and facebook https://www.facebook.com/kenbakerbooks/

Happy writing!

Children's Nonfiction Picture Books. Notes from the Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Conference with Author Sharlee Glann

I spent last week at the Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Conference (WIFYR 2018) where I participated in the picture book writing class taught by author Sharlee Glenn.

I met Sharlee many years ago when I was first starting out on this writing journey, and I was so excited for the chance to reconnect with her in a small, week-long class where I could benefit from and become inspired by her wisdom, insights and experiences. I was also able to attend other classes taught by other authors in the afternoons, and I will be sharing bits of what I learned from them in later posts. But today, I am going to focus on Sharlee.

Sharlee Glenn's books include Keeping Up With Roo, Just What Mama Needs, One in a Billion,  Library on Wheels, which is her latest, hot-off-the-press nonfiction picture book, and Beyond the Green, which is a middle-grade novel scheduled for publication this coming fall 2018.

I absolutely love Library on Wheels for several reasons. First, it is about the very first mobile library in America, which many readers would recognize as a bookmobile. Need I say more? How cool is that? Bookmobiles have been a huge part of little Cache Valley, Utah, where I've lived for more than 25 years.

Second, the first mobile library was developed by Mary Lemist Witcomb who hails from my home state, New Hampshire. I love New Hampshire, return to it every year for a visit, and loved seeing the historic photos of places I recognized.

Third, I love the story of Sharlee's personal connection to the mobile library. Having grown up in rural Utah, Sharlee says she would not be the writer she is today were it not for the books that the mobile library brought to her on a regular basis when she was a young girl. For me, the local library in our area also played a vital part of my childhood. We didn't use the bookmobile, but my mother would drive my brother and I to the Nashua library once a week and let us browse the books in the children's section. I remember that the books were kept in wood boxes that jigsawed around the room. I could reach down into the boxes and pull out books. It seems odd that a library would be set up this way, but that is what I remember.

My mother also brought us to different art classes at the library.  My most memorable one involved making a paper kite with a wood frame. My kite ended up being almost as large as me. It was huge, and purple and green, and hung in my bedroom for several years above my bed.

Fourth, I think most writers can attribute their writing careers to the experiences they found within libraries as children, and I believe most readers continue to hold a fondness and appreciation for libraries for similar reasons. Libraries connect us to our local communities and to the world at large through their books, their programs, and the various opportunities that librarians provide for patrons. Thus, Library on Wheels holds appeal to a wide audience--both readers and writers, and its clear, simple, and interesting text make the history of the bookmobile accessible to young readers.

As for the children's picture book market today, Sharlee shared that if you are trying to break into publishing, the nonfiction market is growing and the best opportunities may be found there. The reason for the burgeoning market is the increasing focus on teaching a quality education to all students through a common core that has been adopted in each state. As a science teacher, I can attest to the need for engaging and relevant books for the classroom.

Thus, for new and established writers that are writing for the children's book market, it may be time to tap into your own interests and see if what you are writing or what you may want to write can be connected to the nonfiction market.

If you would like to learn more about Sharlee Glenn and her work, visit her website.

If you have additional information about trends in the nonfiction market, share them in a comment below.

Happy writing!

#NANOWRIMO - Consider your setting

By now, if you are a writer going through November, you are well into the midst of it -- writing that new novel, or rewriting that old one, or writing out gobs of nonsense in-between the bursts of word-smithing genius. It is, after all, National Novel Writing Month. NANOWRIMO

In order to get to this point that you are at, it's quite probable that you put a bit of time into getting your writing environment ready. Perhaps you cleared the clutter from your desk, sharpened the pencils, adjusted the lighting, or burned some incense.... All to prepare yourself for the process of sitting down to spend the next 30 days with a set of characters that will take life on the page. Characters with wants and needs. Characters with thoughts and challenges. Characters whose decisions help shape the plot driving through the heart of your novel.

However, there is one other character that may be standing on the sidelines, waving its figurative arms as you blaze through the literary forest, all the while slamming the text madly across the page. This is a character that can add depth and persona to the story you are wanting to tell. This is a character that can definitively engage your readers and lead them to turn the pages on a deeper, more intimate level. This character happens to be your setting. And as clearly as your main character asks for chai latte to go with that buttered ham-and-cheese croissant en route to meeting whatever imminent fate awaits around the next corner, your setting has a voice that ought to be heard. Perhaps not as equally as your main character who tosses that cardboard cup, still half-full, into the trash can on her way out the door, but definitely as noticeable as the damp chill that lashes at her face as she steps on to the sidewalk, causing her to pull her jacket more tightly closed before looking left, then right, then left again.

California coast

Masterful writers engage the setting as a powerful character, whose role in the novel can add substance through subtle warnings, hints, reprimands, or rewards.

In Kim Fay's novel, The Map of Lost Memories, the setting seems like a character of its own, both mingling with and driving the emotions of the main characters.

----The night seemed to shift, as if Shanghai were settling down into its foundation. A fitful cool struggled to press in from the distant East China Sea. Irene heard propellers thrashing against the black Whangpoo River. And she wondered what in hell had just happened, while below in the dark a melon had been split, its sweetness clinging to the humid air.

Matthew Kirby introduces the strong hold of the setting that the characters must deal with in the opening lines of Icefall.

---- The fjord is freezing over. I watch it from the edge of the cliff near our hall, and each day the ice claims more of the narrow winding ocean. It squeezes out the waves and the blue-black water, while it squeezes us in. Just as Father intended it to Winter is here to wall us up, to bury us in snow, and keep us safe.

And lastly, the characters in The Underneath by Kathi Appelt are deeply connected to and affected by their environment. This connection occurs, quite literally, from in the opening lines of the story.

--- There is nothing lonelier than a cat who has been loved, at least for a little while, and then abandoned on the side of the road. A small calico cat. Her family, the one she had lived with, has left her in this old and forgotten forest, this forest where the rain is soaking into her soft fur. 
--- How long has she been walking? Hours? Days? She wasn't even sure how she got here, so far from the town where she grew up. Something about a car, something about a long drive. And now here she is. Here in this old forest where the rain slipped between the branches and settled into her fur. 

It's effective, this use of setting by a writer. It helps the story make sense. It offers a sense of perspective. It also can help establish familiarity, even in places that are new to your reader. Thus, during the quieter moments of November, take the opportunity to consider your setting. How is it faring? Are you treating it with some attention? Does it need you to look toward it with patient eyes?  Perhaps doing so will help put your novel on course for a deeper dimension.

Signs of Spring

 

The gray hues of winter finally released their grip last week, and I found myself lured out into the yard to begin spring clean up.  Once again I was pleasantly rewarded to see bursts of color poking up from last year's dead growth, which I had left behind. Our new kitten named Sky chased after her first buzzing insect, and thankfully didn't do too much damage to the new flowers she was pouncing on in the process. Sandhill cranes also kept me company as they sang their calls far overhead. They had returned from their winter feeding grounds.

These signs of spring fueled my hope that my yard may also serve as an analogy to my writing projects.  When I return to the manuscripts I've been scribbling away at all winter and carefully hone them with an editorial eye, I might be able to bright out something bright and beautiful as well.

Happy spring!

 

Kindle Highlights - a useful tool and much more

I'm a bit slow when it comes to technology. I've had my Kindle for nearly 2 years I believe, and only recently did I become aware of how to actually use the highlighting tool. Of course, it should come as no surprise that I DID KNOW this tool existed. And what's even more silly is how I first became aware of it. I'd come across a quote that readers had highlighted from The Ghost in Me, and it brought me pause because I didn't really remember writing those words. BUT obviously I had, because there they were, noted clear-as-day by other readers.

And here it is, as I saw it on Amazon.


Popular Highlights (What's this?)                
   

1. “We all have our beginnings, Myri. We are born with them, and we die with them, too. We carry them with us wherever we go. They keep our future open and unwritten… like blank pages waiting to be filled at the beginning of a journal, or those that lie waiting at the end of a book.”

   15 Highlighters    

After the initial confusion passed, the realization of my reality was followed by another equally silly idea, as I went on to think, Well that's pretty cool. I actually wrote that.

Uh, yeah.

As I said, I can be a bit slow, or daft, or absent-minded at times. But I'll also give myself some benefit of the doubt by saying that my life is full. I'm busy with my own kids--not to mention 180 other high school biology students, so it tends to be full of distractions. Plus, it seems perfectly reasonable that words I've strung together in the past have been shuffled to the side in order to make way for the new books that are working their way into the creative space occupying my mind.

But back to the point of this post: Kindle Highlighter as a Tool. For those that have to read and write analytical papers on novels, this is a handy way to keep track of text that moves you or relates to your paper topic. Other blog posts and web articles are available on how these highlighted texts can be downloaded by Kindle readers for use in such papers.

Kindle Highlighter also serves as another communication tool that readers can use, because readers can share text (just be kind and avoid sharing spoilers). For example, I was able to tweet a short passage that I liked recently as I was reading The Dress by Sophie Nicholls. Here is the tweet I sent, courtesy of Amazon as I was highlighting the prose on my kindle>

TWEET: Passages like these are just simply beautiful to read. And the author does this again and again:     

Ella watched her disappear then, watched her gaze travel far away, out into the air somewhere above her head, where she imagined that she could almost feel the shape of the past shimmering and pulsing for a moment. -- The Dress by Sophie Nicholls

I also noticed that my kindle offers subtle highlights on popular passages that have been selected by other readers. I can see these in the background of the prose as I'm reading. It was neat to pause and reflect on how this lovely novel was connecting with others, and if we were have similar or different experiences with the book.

All in all, if you are a student who has to write an analytical paper, or a reader who simply likes to share books you like, the Kindle Highlighter offers another interested way to connect with other readers.

I look forward to seeing how I use kindle highlighter in more of the ebooks I read, both as a reader and a highlighter.  

More on Classroom Visits

As a teacher, I have the benefit of being able to understand both sides of an author visit. In today's economic environment where schools have tighter budgets and fewer teaching days, providing an author visit that meets and exceeds expectations is more crucial than ever before. It's not enough to simply think that carrying the title of "I''m an author," and waving your books is all you'll need to bring your audience to their knees in rapt attention. And in today's multi-media, multi-tasking world, unless you are a professional storyteller, the reality is that being just yourself by yourself probably won't be enough. Plus, it may not be enough to entice an invitation in the first place.

So, how do garner those invitations? Here are a few ideas.

1) Identify your target audience. i.e., what grades would you like to visit? What age do you write for? What group size would you like to speak to? You'll want to specify this in your contact materials.

2) Identify the genre that your books fall into, and identify some of the other books/authors that will you be talking about in your presentation (aside from your own). Some schools are leary of bringing in authors that view school visits simply as a means to sell books. Your visit should go beyond this goal and include an obvious agenda of wanting to inspire young readers and writers as a whole, coupled with the realization that not every student will be a fan of your genre and writing style (and that's okay).

3) Identify the core curriculum that your presentation supports. Exploring your state's core curriculum can help you identify how your presentation will supplement educational requirements. For example, my book, Little Red Riding Hood, Into the Forest Again, which is a fractured fairy/folktale, fits in with the 3rd grade language arts program that strives to cover fables, folktales and story structure. Therefore, part of my presentation includes having the students identify the elements that make my book a fractured folktale. A google search of Core Curriculum for your state will bring you to web sites where this information is available. An example is shown here (Scroll down to page 11 in the pdf to see where the curriculum gets into specifics.)

4) Provide a suggested schedule that is streamlined, specific, and succinct. For example, if the heart of your presentation is 20 minutes, follow it with 10 minutes allotted for questions and/or a writing exercise.

5) Keep the duration of your program age-appropriate. For example, it's difficult for some kindergartners to keep their attention glued to the reading of even one story; so these types of visits will be shorter and more engaged. Actually, engagement for any age-group is a must, but for kindergartners, allow no more than 5 minutes to read your story, followed by 3 minutes for questions, and then 10 minutes, if class time allows for coloring a related picture or putting together a story puzzle. Judy Torres, author of Duck, Duck, Moose and other picture book titles, follows the reading of her story with a sing-a-long, where she teaches the students a simple repeating and rhyming song that centers on her book and its characters.

6) Incorporate multimedia. This could include an accompanying power point or book trailer, even if it's not your own, to highlight a discussion on plot elements or theme, for example. Again, use of everything, including multimedia, should be used as an educational tool, not simply a sales pitch.

7) Above all, don't forget to find connections with the students you are visiting. Use student volunteers to help show specific concepts, such as demonstrating or acting out certain characteristics that the students would then need to put into words in an interesting way. Ask them what they like to read and write. Ask them who their favorite characters are and why. Plant the seeds for discussion and do a little digging, if you have to, with your own questions to get them thinking about writing style and the infinite varieties that are published.

Showing an interest in the students around you, rather than showcasing only your own work, is the greatest gift you can bring into a classroom setting. The best outcome will be that your inspiration will set the students moving forward with giant moon-steps as they pursue, develop, and share their own stories.

Where do I start? First Lines and Introductions

All social creatures, large and small have their own behavioral practices when it comes to meeting and greeting each other. The behaviors, of course, vary depending on whether the meet-and-greet is between strangers, acquaintances, or friends.

Lions who know one another rub foreheads.

Wolves of the same pack wave tails and lick faces, while outsiders are approached with a guarded stance.

Dolphins whistle, as if introducing themselves by name.

And humans? For many, a handshake is accompanied with a hello.

For obvious reasons, introductions between books and readers don't follow these rules. Nor could they afford to in today's hurried pace of life.

When readers browse book shelves, they already know what they like and what they don't. There's no time for the polite, age-old introductions of "Once upon a time," to precede any sit-down-and-cuddle-and-get-to-know-one-another-session.

Today, the cover of the book serves as an unspoken hello, an indication of what kind of story is held inside. With just one look, readers know if they'll want to extend a hand, pick it up, and start a conversation by turning to the first page.

And given what they are expecting based on their preconceived notions, that first line or two will tell the reader whether the rest of the story is worth the time for furthering the development of a relationship between reader and writer.

As Charles Lamb said, "What is reading but silent communication?"

Thus, since gaining an audience is the goal of any writer, that first line is critical. It's the Hello! Here I am! introductory statement for the book. So, where to begin?

Many writer guides suggest beginning in the middle of the scene. And while that is good advice, I suggest it is not enough. There needs to be something more.

In order to truly foster an immediate connection with the reader in such a way that they will want to keep reading, the first line of any book should be designed or layered to trigger an emotional response.

A few examples:

When I wake up, the other side of the bed is cold. ~ The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins.  Why does this work? One half of any couple can connect with the slight feeling of emptiness or longing that the touch of the cold side of a bed--where a partner normally sleeps--would elicit.

"Where's Papa going with that ax?" ~ Charlotte's Web by EB White. The term Papa triggers immediate nostalgia of a family bond, while the image of the ax heightens a sense of danger or alarm, especially combined with the fact that the child feels a need to ask, meaning, this isn't a regular trip outside to fetch wood.

When Giuseppe found the green violin, he did not think it would help him escape. ~ The Clockwork Three by Matthew Kirby. First of all, a green violin is unusual, and with the added tension of imminent danger... I'm hooked!

They had been happy people, thought Eleanor. ~ Strangers at the Feast by Jennifer Vanderbes. Triggers curiosity in wanting to know what went wrong, as well as fostering an emotional connection with any person's innate desire to be happy. It makes the reader wonder, Why aren't they happy? What happened?

I was supposed to play the piano. ~ A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban. Emotional response is a concern over why the main character is disappointed. If she's not playing the piano, then what is she playing now, if anything? And what brought about these state of events?

Perhaps when writing about characters, which by and large, should be emotional multi-layered beings full of dimension and substance, creating the first line of any story should be second-nature. After all, writers are, in and of themselves, emotional beings.

However, I can tell you it doesn't always go that way. (Check out the first sentence of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. Go on! You might be surprised.)

Nevertheless, there are as many beginnings as there are stories.

Which are your favorites? 

To put a FUSE to the Muse

You've heard this phrase before: "Feed the muse."

Writers, painters, actors, and creative peoples in general are always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to keep the creative juices flowing, myself included. Recently, I was asked what I did to inspire my creative soul. Did I take walks? Listen to soothing music? Study the stars?

Uh, no. I'm not so artsy-idylic as that. Instead, I keep it simple.

Basically, I drink Rockstar... stock Rockstar (yes, the drink)... think like a Rockstar... and play like a Rockstar. You see, the mind is a powerful thing, and I like to boost it up in as many fun and legal and legitimate ways I can think of (within reason). The adrenaline rush I get in return gives me the confidence, drive, and endurance I need in pursuing all my goals, including those related to writing.

How do I play like a Rockstar? Well,  I do things that normal, responsible persons normally wouldn't do like...

1. Defy gravity whenever possible. For example, in winter, I challenge myself on the ski slope by thinking I can tackle any steep mogul run that gets in my way by keeping  my skis actually pointed downhill, and then I make myself ski that way (downhill) (yes, tricky, I know), even though I may lack all forms of grace in the process.

2. Defy the limits of biochemistry. Specifically, MY biochemistry. This is particularly helpful when I feel like I'm spinning my wheels with a story. What do I do? I run myself into the ground (literally) by running to the gym. The kickback is a special bonus if I happen to accomplish this task in cold weather, when every muscle, including my all-powerful, yet not-so-indomitable-brain, would rather not cooperate. Then when I reach my destination, I let myself feel impressed with having done something that was in its own small way, (not so) amazing.

3. Defy boundaries. Normally I'm a shy person. Reaching out to connect with other people, whether it be simply making small talk in line at the supermarket or making a comment on a new blog I've visited, rejuvenates my spirit. In a way, it's reassuring to realize that we're all human, despite living among one or two awkward monkeys, or llamas, or turtles, or whathaveyou.

All in all, keeping the little things in life sparkling with a daily dose of renewed energy helps keep the well brimming when it comes to tackling my daily writing goals, which in turn, extends into all other parts of my life.
Putting a fuse to the muse... I've found, can be a very fun thing.

On Setting, as it relates to: Living, Loving New Hampshire Again

My summer vacation with the kids was truly incredible. It was wonderful to connect with family and friends. The days were so full of sunshine, sailing, boating, fishing, and swimming, it was amazing to think I actually found time to sit back and relax in one place from time to time and simply enjoy the scenery.

Yet, even in those quiet moments, I was reminded of how when we settle down and be still, the world continues to move and breathe and fill in all the spaces around us with some form of energy, however subtle that may be.

The same can be said for writing, or more specifically, for writing about settings. (Yes, I always try to connect my posts to the subject). In a previous post, I said that a story is lost without a sense of setting. However, a setting is not simply colors and temperatures and textures and sounds. It's not enough to say, "The ridge was lined with green trees."

It's important that the setting be layered with a sense of movement, or energy.

Avi begins The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle with a setting that moves with the character:

Just before dusk in the late afternoon of June 16, 1832, I found myself walking along the crowded docks of Liverpool, England, following a man by the name of Grummage.


In Drowning Ruth, Christina Schwarz's setting seems nearly alive:

Lakes were scattered all over this part of the country, their outlines different, but their innards just the same. They were drops and drips and splashes on the land. They were holes and craters lined with skin too thin to hold back the springs that rushed to fill them, and most of them were dotted here and there with stubborn little islands, knobs of land that refused to dip their heads under water.


Good stories are written with settings that carry their own form of action, their own essense of life. In the real world, in nature, we become unsettled when something goes wrong, when the world becomes suddenly still--like the calm before the storm, causing us to stop, step back, and wonder what has happened.

Likewise, a reader can be thrown out of a story, or become disengaged, when the setting is too quiet, or too stark, or too absent (unless that in itself is part of the storyline). If too much is missing, if the reader doesn't become connected with a living world inside a book--one that moves and pulses with energy--then the reader isn't likely to stay too long. They'll wonder what is wrong, and perhaps, if they can't connect on a personal level with the character, they may walk away and connect with the energy of another.

I'm happy to say, my vacation, with all the combined energies of the quiet and action-packed moments, was far too hard to walk away from. But it's one that I can relive in the memories again and again.

Details Matter for Setting a Sense of Place

I started carrying my camera a while ago, not wanting another moment to go by where I'd find myself wishing I had it with me. Today, the tumultuous sky captured the attention of my daughter and I.

I believe that in the deepest sense of being alive, whether each of us realizes it or not, we are connected to the world around us--both biologically and spiritually. That is why we're drawn to the outdoors--to watch and to experience what nature has to offer. And that is why we are drawn to books and to stories--to connect with something outside ourselves and to deepen our understanding of what it means to exist.

Creating a setting is one of the most important aspects of creating a story. It gives a foundation that readers can connect to. It the is foothold that keeps both your plot moving along. Without it, your characters and your readers can be left adrift, lost, and without balance. And when key aspects are missing from your setting, their absence echoes.

This spring, with the unusual weather, the absence of one of nature's pivotal species--the director of new life--has been sharply brought to my attention.... Bumblees.

The bees are gone. They have been missing from my yard. Whether it be due to the long, rainy spring we've had or disease, I'm not sure; but their gentle flitting among flowers has been missed.

Thus, I've been reminded. Details matter. Even the faint buzzing of a bumblebee--or, lack thereof--doesn't go unnoticed, both in stories and in life.

So, in both places, take care to not overlook the small stuff.

Trolling Deeper Waters, Pelican-style

Pelicans "hunt" for fish in much the same way that sheepdogs herd sheep. They swim together, fanning out in a line, which spooks the fish into swimming ahead of them. The pelicans continue swimming forward, herding the fish into shallower waters where the pelicans can scoop them up into their expandable bills. I love pelicans! And I'm so happy we have a flock nesting in Cache Valley this year.

But of course, I'm not just a pelican lover, I'm a writer, and so now, I'll connect the dots between these two, because there's a lot to be learned from these magnificent birds.

Re-writing or editing a novel can be a lot like fishing, pelican-style. You swim over the surface of your story, checking plot, sharpening your characters, defining their motives, while herding the entire story into the shallows. Doing so allows you to focus in on what you've been mining for all along, the underlying message you really want your story to say, the emotional connection that feeds readers and keeps them connected.

Herding the "meat" of your story takes patience; it takes time; it might even take a little team work from your critique group; but it is entirely necessary for bringing up the treasures lying beneath the surface.

And if you do your job right, perhaps those treasures will even take flight.

Happy writing everyone!

Day 3 for Me. Picture Book Marathon

Another day near done. Here is part-word, part-photo essay of the day's and past week's events.

Started another pb, and will finish it tonight, then write the other that just popped into my head.

After the catastrophe of dropping my paper with my handwritten story in the puddle, I switched to creating little 32-page booklets, that I scribble my text out on. It's working great actually, because I can see the structure of the book in my hands as it unfolds with each page-turn, and it helps keep the word-count to a minimum, since my page space is only about 5x5inches.

Shot a video of Judy Torres reading her book, Duck, Duck, Moose, to some school kids today. It went great! The kids loved it. The teachers loved it. "Book Trailers R Us" is the next venture. ; )

A few days ago, I was lured to the side of the road--or rather, the side of a speedy highway--to capture this photo of some hopeful, patient ducks. At first, I thought they might be waiting for the ice to thaw, but perhaps they are waiting for the fish to bite?... Ice fishing, anyone?

The rest of my week and the days to come is recorded in a list a that is five pages long. Yes, that's my to-do list. I'm getting thru it, bit by bit, but I also have always been good at cramming, especially when it comes to crunch time.

For now, I'm just fueling the muse with chocolate, as shown by the wrappers piling up on my desk...

Happy writing everyone!

Bucket List

It's amazing how surprises and kindred connections can pop up in the most unlikely of places.

Last night I met with my writing group in Mantua, which happens to be one of my favorite spots in Utah. Not only is it beautiful--a small town sitting at water's edge--but a feeling of peace always seems to envelop me when I visit.

As a group, we always set goals for each other that need to be met during the two weeks that follow. While doing so, I mentioned one of my goals that I'd set for 2010, which was to learn the ins and outs of sailing. Turns out, going for a sail is on Claudia's bucket list for 2010, too. (She doesn't want to learn; she just wants to be a passenger enjoying the ride, which is all good.) And, to top that, Karen's neighbor has a boat and loves, loves, loves to take people out on it.

So, we came up with a 2010 bucket list for our writing group as a whole.

1. Go on writing retreat to Idaho cabin

2. Go sailing ... Mantua works! Time to look into boat rentals and such....Or, neighbors.

3. Go for a hot air balloon ride ... Park City, here we come!

4. Publish a book ... one for each of us!

It's a short list. Nothing too daunting, right? All we need is perseverance, and we'll get her done.

WIFYR Conference Update 2

What a week. I can't believe how fast it went, and am grateful for the new friendships made and the new things learned. This is one the best conferences I've attended and the most fun.

Alane Ferguson was definitely a daily highlight. She kept me laughing in her class, while showing how to critique manuscripts well. Learning from her was more like an osmotic-process than a bottling process, if that makes any sense. Here are a few Lanie-isms that I enjoyed walking away with:

"That is absolutely one of the unbreakable rules, except for the fact that it will be broken next week."

"My curtains are always closed, because I know there are people like me out there."

"Does he glitter? I get a lot of gratification when people glitter."

"I'm the rebel, but I'm also so compliant."

"That is brillance in action, people."

"I'm giving you the Lanie Guarentee. Editors will love this."

............ I can only hope!


I also attended break-out sessions. Here are a few words of wisdom.

"Sometimes what your characters don't say reveals more than what they do." -- Ann Dee Ellis (Everything is Fine)

Mette Harrison (The Princess and the Hound) wasn't there, but she was quoted. "Clarity first. Pretty words second."

"Does each scene move the plot forward? Does each scene deal with internal/external conflict?" -- Ann Cannon (The Loser's Guide to Life and Love)

I took a few notes during Krista Marino's address. Krista is an editor with Delacorte. She highlighted 4 books from her list and discussed why she had chosen them. They were:

The Witch's Alphabet by Caitlin Kitteridge (Feb 2010). A "steam-punk novel described by her as A Great and Terrible Beauty meets The Golden Compass, which was the original steam-punk novel.

The Owl Keeper by Christine Brodien Jones. Described as The Penderwicks, as perceived by Tim Burton.

The Maze Runner by James Dashner. Described as The Lord of the Flies meets The Hunger Games.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth, which is a love story with a zombie threat, described as 28 Days Later meets The Hand-Maids Tale.

The best part of the conference was the send-off extravaganza, in which Carol Lynch Williams and Cheri Pray Earl danced and sang and Will Terry showed the story of The Little Red Toyota. I have pictures, and as soon as I get them downloaded, I will add them here.

WFYR Conference Update

I'm down at the Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers conference this week at BYU. Well, actually I'm driving back and forth 2 hours each way every day (long story, equally long commute) except for today, because I'm getting kids off to their 4 day soccer tournament in Cedar City and meeting with tape-measure-and-hammer people about the house remodel that is about to whip up in a flurry around us.



I'll have to remember to take pictures tomorrow. A camera being toted around in purse does not take pictures by itself.



I'm in the morning workshops being led by Alane Ferguson, who is absolutely amazing. Her knack for editorial insight and guidance has blown me away. Here are a few nuggets.



Don't underestimate dialogue. Good dialogue will move a plot forward more than narrative.



In addition to having a good hook on page 1, tap into a Universal by page 2. A universal is that element that everyone on the planet can relate to: need to belong, fear of abandonment, fear of failure, a curiosity in wondering how a character will use his/her power to get what he/she wants, etc.



At the end of the story, the conflict must be resolved (of course), but there must always be a cost for the character in getting that resolution.



Be mindful of "burying the lead." This means, put the emotional hook, the conflict, the important stuff up front. Don't let it be muddled in an otherwise beautiful, well-written narrative, assuming the reader will "get it."


Claudia Mills was thoroughly entertaining. She suggested a few books for inspiration in the craft. Two of them are If You Want to Write by Brenda Velan and The Creative Habit by Twyla Thorpe.

Lael Littke, the bionic woman with titanium knees (my mouth literally dropped to the floor when she told us of her recent surgery!), also stressed the importance of adding that emotional conflict to the main conflict. This gets the reader connected to the character. And, of course, there has to be an event that forces the character to take a different direction.

Make it great day!