Caz Williams - Writer's Bloggage

Counting down to SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2011!

2011-07-05T04:14:00.000-07:00

Wow - soon I will land on US shores and attend the 2011 SCBWI Summer Conference in LA! It's great to think that I'll no longer be a first-timer with all the associated jitters. I'll even know a few people this time around. I'm looking forward to the keynotes, the workshops, the chatting, the elevators, the coffee, the Saturday night gala (I even found nursery rhyme pyjamas)... but what about the Monday? Intensives!? Round-table critiques!? What's it all about? What should I know? Can I handle it???

Does anyone have any tips or similar questions? With exactly ONE month left, it's time to get serious!!

Caz

Perth's northern suburbs suffer disastrous book drought

2011-05-21T20:53:00.000-07:00

I am very frustrated at the moment. Things have gone from bad to worse in this neck of the woods. I live just a little south of Geraldton (okay, I'm exaggerating - it's a little south of Yanchep). We are a new growth area on the northern fringe of Perth. Many, many new families live out this way.

The Ocean Keys shopping complex came to our neighbourhood several years ago. Suddenly we had several retailers including a bookshop. It wasn't fancy, but still ... it did sell books. Now it has closed (another one bites the dust!)

So, we must make-do with such exquisite book retailers as 'Coles', 'Woolworths' and 'The Salvation Army'.

UH-OH.

So, in a flash of panic I contacted a children's book retailer recommended to me by some very knowledgable children's book enthusiasts. I will be taking approximately 100 QUALITY children's books (including many by local authors and illustrators) to the six playgroup sessions at my local community centre in a couple of weeks.

THERE.

That's all I can do for now, but I figure it's worth something. I'm not profiting from it, but the playgroup will, because the very kind retailer offers 10% of the sales towards new books for the organisation. This wonderful retailer does not have a website that I can link to, but I do think you should call Child Education Services on 9225 6516 if you feel the urge to do something similar. What a great fundraiser for your school, playgroup or other organisation.

Cheers,
Caz

NaPiBoWriWee - day 7 (in the northern hemisphere)

2011-05-07T23:02:00.000-07:00

I am certainly not making excuses, but yesterday there were TWO parties to attend. So because Paula Yoo is running this challenge from California, where the time is 10.51pm on the 7th May - I can claim to have finished NaPiBoWriWee 2011 on time! Yes, it's true - we're well into the afternoon now on the 8th May in Western Australia, but please, let's not squabble over minor details. It's still a great achievement to write 7 picture book drafts in 7 (and-a-half) days!!

Thanks again to Paula for putting in such a great effort. Thanks also to everyone in twitterland and blogland for your support. It's been another great kick in the pants for my writing career. I look forward to getting these drafts polished and perhaps taking one or two with me to the SCBWI LA summer conference in August! See you there, Paula (and anyone else who's going along)!

Congrats to everyone who took part. Until next time...

NaPiBoWriWee 2011 - day 6: It's okay. Really...it's okay.

2011-05-06T06:36:00.000-07:00

Do you BELIEVE me? Do you really think that things are fine and DANDY over here on day 6 of NaPiBoWriWee? Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha! Ha ha ha ha haaaaaaa! Aaaaaaaargh!!!

No, no. Really - things are okay. But it is very HARD to commit an already small number of 'free' minutes to making up stories. Someone tell ME the stories, please!! Boo hoo :P

Alas, tomorrow is the last day of Paula Yoo's annual challenge. She has done it again - updating her blog THREE times daily for her NaPiBoWriWee writers. I don't know HOW she does it when she has 149 cats to hand-feed and run errands for every day!? Oh, and she is also a writer for a show called Eureka on SyFy. PLUS she writes books. So how and why does she do this? I don't know! But I'm glad!

As for me: I have two children, a husband, one dog and one bottle of wine (minus one glass) in the pantry (*note - ONLY the bottle of wine is in the pantry - not the family and pet!!). I also have six rough picture book drafts to work on in the year ahead thanks to NaPiBoWriWee. Woo hoo!

So on that note, I am going to watch TV and deplete my bottle of red by one more glass. I hope everyone's on a roll and ready for a BIG finish on day 7! GOOD LUCK!

Caz

NaPiBoWriWee 2011 - day 5: Barely Alive

2011-05-05T07:13:00.000-07:00

Even as I type this post, I am not thinking about NaPiBoWriWee. I am thinking about bed. I am so insanely tired. Didn't get the little man to sleep until very late. Fortunately I scribbled something about food in the scrapbook just before lunch today, so I've used that in a pretty silly story (if you can even call it that).

That's...okay...I'll live to tell...another...
story...
....
.........tomorrow......

*thud*
(head on keyboard)

NaPiBoWriWee 2011 - day 4: RECORD SMASHED!

2011-05-04T06:35:00.000-07:00

This is so funny. Twenty-five minutes ago I was grizzling because it was 9pm and I hadn't done my story. Now I've produced a story draft ... and I don't even hate it! I might even have time to go and watch something mindless on TV. WOW :)

I must admit - my inspiration came earlier today when I was fooling around with a Sharpie, sticky notes and a new scrap book (we went on a stationery spree yesterday!) This was a new thing for me ... I am in the habit of buying nice stationery once in a blue moon, only to lock it away in a drawer because the nice paper is TOO PRECIOUS. Ha ha :) I think because it was a $1 scrapbook I allowed myself to go for it.

Looks like we're over the half-way mark! This is great news. Are you still plugging away at NaPiBoWriWee 2011? Aren't you so glad you started?

NaPiBoWriWee 2011 - day 3

2011-05-03T07:00:00.000-07:00

I am learning to love this challenge more every day, and appreciate it for what it is. Those daily deadlines we impose on ourselves give us a 7 day holiday from procrastination and give our sub-conscious a chance to be heard. After all, I find there ain't much calculation going on between the hours of 8pm and 10pm at night (when I have a chance to write).

Story drafts 2 and 3 have pretty much been spur-of-the-moment surprises. They are by no means perfect (if they were that would just be FREAKY!) Rather than chastising myself for producing mediocre work, I am congratulating myself for putting 7 story ideas in the NaPiBoWriWee 2011 folder by Saturday 7th May.

So, I am happy to say that day 3 has been a success because another story has been born. After this challenge I can put it through it's paces - maybe get it to shed 10 kilos and give it a facelift (oh, my poor baby).

Has anyone out there in PiBo land written a perfect picture book this time (or come close)? Come on, be honest! Maybe there's someone out there? You can blow your own trumpet - I won't mind :)

See you over at Paula Yoo's place.

NaPiBoWriWee 2011 - day 2

2011-05-02T05:54:00.000-07:00

How's everyone going? Now, Sunday may have been a walk in the park ... but MONDAY... well, it was another walk in the park! :D Yippee! Even with the 12-hour mummy shift thrown in! I am feeling very lucky.

I must admit that last night (Sunday night) I started writing what I thought was story number two. It wasn't going well. So I figured that tonight (Monday night) I'd be tearing my hair out.

Lucky for me, I remembered that NaPiBoWriWee is meant to be a FUN event! I imagined Paula Yoo frowning and waving her pointer finger at me for being a PiBo party pooper. This was enough for me to lighten up! Whaddya know... a brand new story was on a roll by 8pm, and was all wrapped up and tucked in by 8.40pm. Now it's 8.46pm and I'm writing the blog post. YAY!!

Did you have a Monday a success story, too?

NaPiBoWriWee 2011 - Story draft #1 is done!

2011-04-30T23:19:00.000-07:00

Holy cow! I can't believe it's only 2pm on Sunday and I have written my first story of NaPiBoWriWee 2011. One (1) picture book draft is complete. If I do say so myself, this is a story with potential :) The bar is set high for stories 2-7. By Saturday, I'm sure the quality of stories will have deteriorated :P This is going to get tough. But with Paula Yoo cheering me on from the sidelines, I will do it!

After all, 12 months ago I wrote five stories while at a sleep clinic with my six month old bubba! Now that he's toddling around and sleeping easily, things are getting easier.

I am astounded that last weekend I spent almost five days getting one story up to standard, and today I wrote a pretty sound one in a couple of hours. I guess that's the way it goes!

How was your story today? Was it fairly cooperative, or was it a kicker and screamer? If you're yet to start, best of luck! Just type, type, type - you can do it!

Caz

NaPiBoWriWee 2011

2011-04-28T07:23:00.000-07:00

It's here! Paula Yoo's annual challenge to write seven picture books in seven days - National Picture Book Writing Week, 2011 or NaPiBoWriWee. It seems like a ridiculous goal, but it CAN be done. Draft a story a day for seven days *emphasis on DRAFT* between May 1st and May 7th. Go to Paula's website for full details.

Last year I completed six first drafts in the seven days and was really spurred on by Paula's tips and advice. Those drafts were my very first attempts at writing picture books for children. I even MET Paula herself at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference last year and gave her a big thankyou hug! She works very hard for PiBos :)

It is hair-raising and motivating. Give it a whirl - you never know what magic you'll produce with those deadlines looming daily! I look forward to seeing what sorts of ideas spill out spontaneously - I haven't planned ahead like I did last year. It will be interesting...

If you're taking part, let me know.

Caz

XMediaLab Perth and more...

2011-04-19T07:13:00.000-07:00

Gosh, it was a heck of a conference this 'ex-media-lab' (shock, horror I was calling it the wrong name in my head - thank goodness I heard someone say 'cross-media-lab' before I made a fool of myself!) The theme of the conference was 'Storytelling in a Digital Age'. The State Theatre of WA is a great venue, and it was a really well catered event. Quite the 'day off' - I really felt like a grown-up! Check out the XML website here.

Photo courtesy of XMediaLab

I was all ablaze with new ideas after listening to some really interesting speakers and some creative conference-goers. Loved hearing about what is possible with today's technology. I was particularly inspired by the raw media being produced by 'average' people and, in particular, marginalised groups. Apparently you don't need a lot of money or resources to share a message with the world these days. It was so refreshing to hear people talk about projects for the 'greater good' and I met quite a few community-focused people with interesting projects to talk about.

There are some crazy youtube videos I need to check out - I was really blown away by what was presented. I had not considered that creativity could be expressed in so many ways. I feel kind of overwhelmed! Now it seems there's no end to the possibilities. It's really great.

I was really pleased to meet Perth illustrator, Chris Nixon after the event. I recognised him after seeing him at The Children's Book Council of Australia WA Branch's A Night With Our Stars last month. He illustrates the 'Jake' series by Ken Spillman and has a real knack with a pencil and paper (okay I don't know if that's his preferred medium, but that's as far as my art training goes!) Check out his website here.

In super-exciting news, I am booked for the 40th SCBWI LA Summer Conference. Hooray! I am very much looking forward to being there again. It is such a brilliant event. I have a round-table critique booked as well as a picture book intensive. After hearing about some very technological ways of interacting with others, I feel comforted in the knowledge that I am simply a writer of picture books! Just dealing with pieces of paper bound together that you can read and enjoy - even when the power is out or the Internet is down :)

Oh, and did I mention that I'm also visiting Rottnest Island in June for the annual SCBWI WA writing retreat? I'm booked for a critique and cannot wait for some Rocky Horror Picture Show and karaoke action. Yes, life is like that when you're a 'pre-published' author.

Caz

Pleased to meet you...I'm your maker!

2011-04-02T23:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit excited because I met my character this week. I must admit that I've felt like a bit of a writer-fraud lately. I've been so bogged down with day-to-day life and exploring so much great information on the web (tweet, tweet!) that I've neglected the act of writing creatively. Oh dear.

Anyway, after a few disheartening blinking cursor / blank screen moments, I discovered that pen and paper are where it's at. I'm talking about BIG paper - lots of it! Here's the product of a huge mind-purge that took place yesterday.

I did not know there was so much inside my brain! Wow, it felt good to get that out!

When I started scribbling I didn't know what I was trying to achieve, but I kept an open mind. I even asked my four-year-old to throw some scenarios at me - this was actually a lot of fun for us both! One thing led to another and I ended up meeting a character who I'd like to find out more about.

My next step will be to fill in a 'form to form a character' courtesy of Rachel Vail who I met at the SCBWI conference in LA last year. Characters complete statements such as 'I wish I weren't so...' and 'The worst thing that could happen to me right now is...' It hadn't occurred to me that this was an important step before putting a character in a story. It feels a bit foolish to admit that, now! Oh well, I have learned at least one thing about writing in the last twelve months :)

Do you have a similar way of meeting the stars of your stories? How do you know where to start?

Loving my local library

2011-03-25T23:35:00.000-07:00

I sometimes feel a bit sad that we live in the outskirts of Perth when there seems to be so much going on closer to the city. It's true that there are advantages to living outside the hustle and bustle, but you know how that grass can look look when it's way over yonder.

With that said, we were lucky enough to have a couple of author talks recently at our local library in Clarkson. In late January children's book author Ken Spillman spoke about his 'Jake' series of books. My very-nearly-four-year-old got a kick out of his signed copy of Jake's Gigantic List, the story of Jake's quest for the perfect birthday present.

I was multi-tasking as always, listening for writing tips, birthday gift hints and corralling the littlest mister. Afterwards whilst getting our books signed I learned that the proceeds of 'Jake's Gigantic List' go to the Children's Book Council of Australia. What a great show of support for a very hard-working organisation.

Then a couple of weeks ago I was pleasantly surprised to stumble upon a flyer advertising a talk by local author Sara Foster. Her latest book 'Beneath the Shadows' was released last month.

So off I went again, this time without children, to attend a very civilised event which even included refreshments! Of course, the crowd were all there to listen. Many had questions - including myself, but I was not quick enough to get them in! Anyway, Sara was very easy to talk to afterwards during the book signing. As fate would have it I bumped into her at the local market the following night. So who knows, maybe next time she'll be ahead of me in the grocery queue and I can ask her how the heck you're supposed to write novels with young children in the house!? As for the book itself, I'm very much engrossed and cannot wait to stop writing this so I can get back to it.

So, I'm very much looking forward to finding out what talent will be heading our way next. We really do appreciate them thinking of us out here in 'upper-whoop-whoop' :)

More ANWOS - plus giveaway news!

2011-03-12T05:53:00.000-08:00

See! I told you I was rubbing shoulders with superstar authors at 'A Night With Our Stars' :)

Cristy Burne, Lara Morgan, Shirley Marr, Caz Williams

(photo courtesy of Shirley Marr)

Take in Shirley Marr's writeup of the night here. Then check out The Tales Compendium for their spin on ANWOS, and to win signed copies of 'Fury' by Shirley Marr, '90 Packets of Instant Noodles' by Deb Fitzpatrick and 'Wave Length' by AJ Betts! Who wouldn't want to be in on that?

A Night With Our Stars - A West Australian Author and Illustrator showcase

2011-03-10T20:16:00.000-08:00

What a great time I had at Westbooks last night! I was there in my role as volunteer and committee member with the Children's Book Council of Australia (WA branch).

I always feel so honoured to chat with 'real' authors and illustrators. Are we lucky here in the west, or what?! Not only are these people talented and inspiring, but they are also approachable, friendly and happy to chat. I love being a 'pre-published' (love that one) protégé. I learn so much from these knowledgable neighbours of mine :) Sadly I don't have any photos to share right now, but I'll share them as they come to hand. I know there's one on Shirley Marr's camera of herself, Cristy Burne, Lara Morgan and myself. See? I was in esteemed company!

Don't forget to visit the CBCA WA blog for the latest about WA authors and illustrators, as well as some posts I've been doing about early literacy.

Cheers,
Caz

Blogging again

2011-01-30T00:13:00.000-08:00

I am back in the world of blog! I am excited to announce that I have become an official blogger at the Children's Book Council of Australia's WA branch blog. I have so many ideas for blog posts racing through my mind. I would love to write blog posts that other parents and caregivers of emergent readers and writers find useful. I am on the lookout for experts who also write in this field. I came across The Book Chook today and it looks well-worth some exploration. Can you suggest any others?

In particular, I would love to focus on everyday teachable moments that we surreptitiously weave into our interactions with children. I like to think of myself as an 'Undercover Educator' - I love that my children don't even realise they're being taught (insert menacing laughter here!) I love my job :)

All-You-Can-Read Smörgåsbord of SCBWI LA 2010 Summer Conference Notes

2010-08-20T18:06:00.000-07:00

I have so many fond memories of my first SCBWI International Conference. I would like to thank everyone who said hello, took an elevator with me, sat beside me at workshops, ate lunch with me, exchanged cards, held my youngest babe and danced with me at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference in 2010.

With fellow West Australian SCBWI pal, illustrator - Samantha Hughes

Meeting the inspirational Jon Scieszka

Most of all, thanks to Lin Oliver and Stephen Mooser for starting the whole darn thing so many years ago. So many people have benefited because of your initiative. I am so very appreciative of your efforts and feel very honoured to be part of this organisation.

I hope the moons align and I find myself at the conference again next year. If not, I will hold back my tears and connect with the amazing Team Blog. You guys rock!

Below you will find links to all of my (kinda rough but factual) notes from the conference. I have transcribed these whilst holidaying in north America with my family. I'll be back on Australian shores in mid-September.

Enjoy! Please feel free to comment and share your thoughts.

All the best,

Caz

Friday July 30^th, 2010

Jon Scieszka: Tales of a Picture Book Writer: Do's, Don'ts, Maybes

M.T. Anderson - The End of all our Exploring: The Journey of Narrative

From Your House to My House: What Makes Me Choose Your Book? [Editor Panel]

Mac Barnett & Steven Malk - 5 Lessons from Classic Picture Books that Can Help You Launch Your Career

Loren Long - The Picture Book: My Two Cents Worth

Saturday July 31^st, 2010

Gordon Korman - Writing for Kids: A Three-Quarter Life's Work

Literary Agents View the Marketplace

Jon Scieszka & Mac Barnett - What is Going on with Boys and Reading?

Rachel Vail - Hearing your Characters: Creating Distinctive/Contrasting Voices for Each of Your Characters

Gail Carson Levine - Sweat and Magic

Sunday August 1^st, 2010

Why Narrative Nonfiction is Hotter Than Ever

Marion Dane Bauer - Basics of Writing a Picture Book

M.T. Anderson - Literary Experiment in Books for Children

Gennifer Choldenko - Kill the Bunnies: Writing Novels for Today's Kids

Monday August 2^nd, 2010

Rachel Vail - School, Drool and Other Daily Disasters: Finding the Humour and Heart in Middle Grade Novels

Paul Fleischman - Surviving the Novel

A View From the Top: Four Publishers Discuss our Industry

Gennifer Choldenko - Rewrytz: How to be Your Own Best Editor

Jill Alexander & Michael Bourret - Your Manuscript is Ready, But Are You?

2010-08-20T17:20:00.000-07:00

Jill S. Alexander
Michael Bourret Literary Agent: Dystel & Goderich Literary Management

These are my notes from Jill S. Alexander & Michael Bourret's workshop at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010.

In 2008 at the NY SCBWI Conference, Jill was reading her work during a group critique session. Agent Michael Bourret was sitting in on the group. He laughed out aloud at Jill's story. Aaron Hartzler predicted he would want to represent her. They did in fact exchange contact details there. Although it didn't happen on-the-spot, this is where the relationship began.

There are things you can do to ready yourself for the time when an editor or agent contacts you. The transition from writer to author happens quickly. Agents often forget that writers don't know the steps.

Develop a web presence in some way. Facebook/web/blog. When people type your name into Google they find your hub. Update at least twice a week. People need a reason to come back. People want to find out news about you. Librarians need to contact you. Web presence not only about marketing – also a way to contact you.

www.jillsalexander.com

Jill: I can't imagine doing this without an agent.

Your office hours. How many hours will you dedicated to facebook etc. Be prepared with a routine. Set up a calendar for school visits etc. Think of writing as a business.

The real work happens after the manuscript is sold. Think about your answers to some questions people might ask you about your story. Learn a lot about your book and yourself.

Bigger things
Overarching letter – 'big picture' letter from the editor of the changes suggested
Sentence / paragraph level – notes written on manuscript

Smaller things
Copy edits - review the copy edit symbols; there are many.

You will read your manuscript another 8-12 times. Distance yourself from it. You must be able to leave things behind.

Consider making a list of alternative titles for your book.

ARC – stands for Advanced Reading Copy. These are bound books that go to librarians, reviewers. First signing opportunity.
ARCs are expensive to produce. Talk with your editor about who they will go to. Supplies are limited. They are precious.

People may then ask you “What's next?”, referring to 'career-long', not just 'next book'. Consider this.

It's important to share what you are doing with your editor/agent. Timing is important (eg. Interviews etc). Agents are paid for you to bother them – don't be shy.

Have school presentation things in mind. SCBWI shout outs important.

Don't give away your three free copies.

You don't need to feel obliged to visit for free (schools etc). However, if you want to say “I am willing to waive the fee”, this is your prerogative. Your time is valuable.

Protect your creative think time. This is different to your writing time. It could be during your driving time. Set some office hours.

Publication date – this may be a major date to you, but emotionally be preprared that others will not care. Beware of the disappointment after the date has come and gone. Like boxing day – it's all over quickly.

Balance your family and writing commitments.

Secure a domain name. Your blog can showcase some of your writing.

If the teachers don't support you at your school talk (leave you to 'look after the class' etc.) let your agent and publisher know right away.

Some people have something else ready straight away, some people find it harder.

How do you know you will get along with your agent? Find somebody who represents the kinds of books you love. Someone who loves your voice. They light up when you talk about your book.

There are no good and bad agents, just good and bad matches.

Find an AGENT before you sign things over to editors.

If you have interest from an editor, it may make the agent move faster.

It takes more than 500 words for an agent to offer representation.

If someone doesn't seem enthusiastic about your work, they won't be enthusiastic when trying to sell it.

Gennifer Choldenko - Rewrytz: How to be Your Own Best Editor

2010-08-20T08:12:00.000-07:00

Gennifer Choldenko

These are some very brief notes from Gennifer Choldenko's workshop at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010.

Author of “Al Capone Does My Shirts”

- After first draft, keep it and do a new one.

- Believe in the process of improving the manuscript.

- You don't run into the fridge fast to move it. You do it slowly and gently. If you get like that about your manuscript, slow down.

- If you find yourself not wanting to work on a chapter, it's a big clue that it's not working.

Go where the heat is!

- If the heat's there for you, it's there for the reader.

- Resist doing chapter one over 400 times.

- Don't 'baby' your characters, because life doesn't.

Put a character up a tree and throw rocks at them? This doesn't work for GC. She needs domino effect stuff that makes other stuff occur. The tension builds.

Eg.

- She once went to a scummy bar with a friend. (This was the inciting event)

- Her friend went home with some guy.

- The friend dropped out of school and got married to the guy from the bar. (Sub-plots included sitting her friend down to talk about it and having a huge falling-out).

A View From the Top: Four Publishers Discuss our Industry

2010-08-20T08:07:00.000-07:00

These are my rough notes from the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010. Apologies - a bit sketchy and at times I lost track of who said what here...

Justin Chanda: Simon & Schuster

Jennifer Hunt: Little Brown Books

Stephanie Owens Lurie: Disney-Hyperion

Francesco Sedita: Penguin Young Readers

Francesco: Young readers want something they feel they can read, but isn't so light-weight that they feel incompetent. Must be readable for reluctant readers. Illustrated.

Stephanie: 80% of titles are commercial. 20% are literary, award winning books.

Justin: The commercial v. literary divide is false.

The state of the US market today:

Francesco: The rules may be wiggling. We need content first and foremost. Want the newest, most exciting, out-of-the-box stories.

Justin: If your face is melting because you love it so much, we will acquire it.

Stephanie: Twilight, Diary of a Wimpy Kid are selling in huge numbers – never seen before. The “No Child Left Behind” initiative damaged trade picture books. Teachers had no time to use trade books because they were all spending time teaching to the test.

Embracing technology trend – interaction with picture books.

Where there are no shelf space issues, the ratio is 50/50 picture books/novels.

“If you're not making mistakes, you're not taking risks.”

No kids' magazines anymore, so it's hard to market books to kids.

Ebooks – Justin thinks they're great. Every hardback goes to eBook at Simon & Schuster.

“Loser Queen” - you can co-author a story online by voting.

39 Clues

Proposal for digital would be considered. Learn together. Pay attention. Give your opinion/suggestions.

“Enhanced book” includes an app., interviews, photos, games etc.

Kids in Walt Disney World after dark - “Kingdom Keepers” series. Cult book – trans-media game. Had to read book to play the game. Gave you keys. 3^rd book sold 70% higher than 1^st two.

Paul Fleischman - Surviving the Novel

2010-08-20T07:59:00.000-07:00

Paul Fleischman

PF uses DEVONthink software – helps to organise disparate pieces of information, separate chapters etc. Software that helps you make lists, make decisions, problem solve, brain storm, find solutions, think about your cast and scenes etc. Store details of research, unused lines (save them, move them somewhere else), back matter (lists of names, possible scenes, characters/their appearance, acknowledgements, possible titles).

You can mentally walk through the whole book. Which route will it take? Paul's father was an improviser – it came from his acting background. It has a level of excitement, like riding a wave. However, having a surfboard under you is handy.

Organising:

- Bookmarks are handy. You can save versions of the document in Microsoft. Email documents to yourself. Keep a list for continuity, like in movies. Keep your facts straight. Write down descriptive words used so as not to repeat yourself. They can become like a 'tic'. The use of a colon was like a tic for Paul at one point.

- Have a running list of research questions (eg. I must find out more about...)

- When you revise, make notes on what you did in that edit.

- You always need to research for novels – even when set in the present day.

- Highlight things

Research:

-Study your settings, characters etc. Use Google street view to describe the look of the environment, streets etc. PF gave the example of perusing a monthly newsletter for a retirement home as research about what elderly people may do.

- Podcasts.

Need at least a half-day at your disposal when writing a novel. It will feel easier than writing smaller chunks here and there.

Every word should be there for a reason. Weigh each word.

Scenes are not just there because you like them – they are not just to show off your research.

Read straight through – highlight but don't fix so that you read quickly through and get a sense of what you've done.

Be prepared to do major rewriting. There's no way around, but through.

“Every book teaches me to write it, but not the next book.”

The years pile up … writing is not for the impatient.

“The Novelist and the Nunn” - a book about writer's block.

“Lying Awake” by Mark Saltzman

Laughter gives you a sense of control. Optimism and view of life.

Rachel Vail - School, Drool and Other Daily Disasters: Finding the Humour and Heart in Middle Grade Novels

2010-08-20T07:51:00.000-07:00

Rachel Vail

Be inspired by books that really move you.

Middle grade – you emerge into the world, away from your family. It hits you. Is your family weird? Books can be company for you. You feel that others out there are like you. You also discover 'there are other ways than my way.'

Common humanities. We are the same, but different. Are we more or less daring? Shy? Do we live in different places?

How do we move past our own lives? How do we become someone else? Start with what you know. Eg. Metaphorically, do you feel that you were 'kept under the stairs'? How would you act/react as a person in this situation?

Life or death moments are a dime a dozen in middle grade. You just want to die. You can also feel utter joy. Suddenly shame, lust and ambition emerge. You have never felt these feelings before. RV describes feeling 'soul-melting jealousy' when she discovered that a boy in her class could already read at 6 years old.

Young adolescents can feel that they are changing in front of everybody – in full view. There is no cocoon to hide in. You are learning to laugh. They feel soul-burning humiliation as if they are naked in front of the world. The need the loyalty of a friend.

Ask yourself: who did I not want to sit next to and why? How did I feel when I stood at the top of the ski hill when I actually didn't know how to ski yet? Speed write for 10 minutes about these thoughts and see where it goes.

Little children harbour worries that parents may not be aware of. They often think: what if?

Many stories of middle grade have a one act play structure. RV wrote Justin Case as such. Then she threw it out and started again. It takes practise to get the voice right.

Rachel told us about her discovery of the water cycle when she was in school. To her it was a big revelation and she felt excited about telling everyone in her family about it. Everyone responded with 'Yes, I know', except her uncle. He played along and acted very interested and intrigued. He took her seriously. It made her feel important and special. Can you be a person who listens to a child?

The first draft: Michaelangelo said that the sculpture was hidden in the stone. As the stone, start chiseling away and find your story.

Gennifer Choldenko - Kill the Bunnies: Writing Novels for Today's Kids

2010-08-18T20:17:00.000-07:00

Gennifer Choldenko

These are my notes from Gennifer Choldnenko's keynote speech at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010.

Do kids “grow up faster” today? Why the trend for longer books if attention spans are shorter now? Graphic novels – Diary of a Wimpy Kid – started as a blog. Trend of gaming and storytelling collaboration.

- E.B. White killed off Charlotte. Wasn't afraid to make it real.

- If you had a happy childhood, you should consider writing for adults.

- What the writer experiences, the reader experiences.

- Each character in your book should have as much personality as the kids had in your 3^rd grade class.

- Jot down notes on how people walk, dress, move, talk, look. Eaves drop.

- Every detail must fit the world you've created. Style your own book. Clothing, environment, language etc.

- If you don't care about what you're writing, stop. Go back. Must be gratifying in itself, not just a set up for something later.

- Once you write your first draft, go back and discover what you are avoiding saying.

- “Between” state is most creative (between sleep and wakefulness). Most likely to get an idea after intense brain storming, after the pressure is off.

- Only those who risk going too far find out how far they can go.

- Take care of your 'writer' self. What does it need? Write almost every day so your muse knows when/where to find you. Suit up and show up. Butt In Chair method. Don't be concerned with quantity (number of words) too much – it's about quality. You could also try going for quantity and see if it works for you.

- Feel your way, don't think your way through a story.

- Push your protagonist. The reader wants to see them doing something that they themselves would never do – only think about.

- Skills increase with practise.

- Kids deserve the very best books we can write. A child out there needs your book. Write for that child.

M.T. Anderson - Literary Experiment in Books for Children

2010-08-18T19:55:00.000-07:00

M.T. Anderson

These are my notes from M.T. Anderson's workshop at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010.

Experimental fiction is not experimental

Picture books take up these elements naturally. In adult fiction they would be noticed.

Experimental pieces teach us how to read them.

? (oops...missed this one...)

5. Introduce terminology. Words to describe what you're doing.

Kurt Schwitters – contributed to surrealists. “Poem 25” - a series of numbers that teaches us how to read it - this is similar to children learning how to read. The poem is form without content. Structures don't relate to anything but themselves. Consecutive lines confirm patterns. There are surprises and disruptions. There are sequences. Uses one sequence to introduce a new sequence. Insight into the way that words turn into meaning. Structure for meaning. Group words.

Late 19^th Century children's books – syntax of narrative picked up implicitly. Children accept strange elements because they haven't yet assimilated the models that restrict us as adults.

Oppositions. Difference. Differentiation.

eg. Red, Blue, Old, New, Sad, Glad

Units of sound – feel a particular way.

It seems like the works of Suess began as doodlings and noodlings and they were 'banged into shape' later.

Defamiliarisation. Russian formalists. The writer puts road blocks in our way. 'Nobody thinks about air until someone poisons it.'

The Arrival – Shaun Tan. New element introduced at the end of the page. Drawn all together and contextualised. The book teaches us how to read it.

Metafiction: any element of fiction that's about the story being a story. Eg. The Monster At The End of This Book. Grover trying to impede the progress of the book being read is in itself the forward motion of the narrative. He knows that he's part of the narrative structure. We fear the 'monster', but desire it. Like in every book. In some sense, each monster is ourselves, after all.

'Go, Go, Go, Grabote!' Character crawls out of the artist's eye and paints it's own jungle and goes into it. This is metafiction.

Typographical play and intrusion: experimental literature reminds and draws attention to the fact that you're reading – rather than aiming to disguise it. Techniques go almost unnoticed in children's literature such as playing with typography – eg. Lauren Childs (Charlie and Lola).

Words as sounds instead of meaning: old dataist technique.

Nonsense or whimsy: teaches us to read in a very different way. YA novel entitled 'YA Novel'. It has no moral: it's a datastory.

Hypertext: does not demand that you read in any particular order. Provides links or avenues for you to read in an alternate order.

Self-contradiction: “I am the Cheese” Has two plot lines running parallel. Characters cross over from one to another. They can't coexist. The one you least want to exist turns out to be the real one.

No plot structure – eg: Red Fish, Blue Fish

Experimental fiction: we see the world as sparkling with possibilities as a child does.

See some things that break boundaries. No rules. Octavian Nothing: all documents. Some are real, some fabricated.

Experimental can be tiring – it may be too tiring to use in a novel, but charming in a picture book.

You are storytelling. Imagine children sitting around your knees and listening. You interact with them. You are drawing the reader closer.

Marion Dane Bauer - Basics of Writing a Picture Book

2010-08-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

Marion Dane Bauer

These are my notes from Marion Dane Bauer's workshop at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010.

Started writing picture books. Got bored. Wrote MG/YA novels. Every now and then got the urge to do a picture book. Authors had only one publisher at that time. Her editor said “You're not a picture book writer. This is not a picture book.” She has since written 19 easy readers and 27 picture books.

Picture books are short. Most are less than 400 words. Picture storybooks are longer. They are harder to sell. Editors tend not to want these.

Everything has to make opportunity for changing, active pictures. If it doesn't, you're writing a story. You're doing the pictures for people's minds. Writers have to let go of the visual aspect of the story.

Reads Jane Yolen “How Do Dinosaurs Say Goodnight?” The story gives opportunities for the artist. Action. Things the characters do – movement. The rhythm keeps it palatable for adult re-reading. Reads aloud well.

'Chicka Chicka, Boom Boom' has a rhythm. There is not only one kind of rhythm. It can vary. It can slide and change. Rhyme can come and go. This gives the satisfaction of rhyme without the inevitability. Subtle repetition.

Pay attention to 13/14 page spreads – 28/29 pages. You can leave it to the editor or art director, but then you might end up with a big block of text that serves only one illustration.

Type up the text of a loved picture book to see how it is laid out.

You need a fresh idea. This is often the hardest thing. After all, children's experiences are relatively limited. However, their feelings are as deep or deeper than ours. Retreading old territory is unavoidable. “If You Were Born a Kitten” (MDB) was unique because it dealt with birth.

“Bark, George” was an old concept whereby an animal makes the wrong sound, but it was make original and funny because of it's storyline.

“The Hello, Goodbye Window”

“Harold and the Purple Crayon” - the child takes a crayon and creates his world.

Don't write for a young child, write through the child you once were. Find that heart place that makes it your story.

There needs to be a pay-off for the child. Eg: In “Bark, George”, George is in charge of his own world. Makes the child want to re-read. Deep satisfaction. Resonance.

Something for the adult, too. They are the gatekeepers. Eg – the book teaches or promotes something. However, don't wink to the adult above the child's head. Go through the child.

Quality is very important.

Never forget it's the child you're writing for.

The best stories are subversive. For example; 'Where the Wild Things Are'. It was controversial because it was scary. 'If You Give a Mouse a Cookie' provides great pleasure for the child.

Q&A: Don't focus on word count. Focus on compression. Approximately 400 words.

If it needs to grow (into a story), let it grow. If not surviving in that format, edit it down.

Why Narrative Nonfiction is Hotter Than Ever

2010-08-18T19:35:00.000-07:00

Ken Wright (moderator) – Writer's House NY

Tanya Lee Stone

Deborah Heiligman

Susan Campbell Bartoletti

Elizabeth Partridge

Susan: Extreme athletic research. Research to the edges of the subject. Contradict stereotypes that live in the middle. Libraries – uses division one university libraries . Has 6 library cards. Secrete database access – alum. Has friends with passwords. Reads bibliographies of books and papers for resources.

Visit the places you write about. It feeds the senses and emotions. Once the facts repeat themselves there is nothing new to learn – it's time to write.

Deborah: was terrified to write about Charles Darwin: “Who was I to write about him?” One fact was very interesting to her – that Darwin's wife Emma was terrified that Charles would go to hell and they would be separated. It became a focal point for her research.

JUST go to primary sources. Deborah read Darwin's autobiography. She also read letters (volumes) from Emma's family, beginning with Emma's birth. Got passionately attached to Charles and Emma.

Writing about living people: don't discount information because it doesn't fit your angle. Not a linear process. Listen, ask for different people's perspectives on an event.

Checking that the stories you get from people are true is very important. Take a journalistic approach.

Editor will want a cover letter, one chapter and an outline. They need to love it.

Your book will be different by the time you write it.

A primary interview with a live person is very valuable. One author looked up and called many people with the surname to get an interview. When you interview people, get them to sign a release. Record audio as you state the date, person's name and read them the release on tape. A signed copy is given to author, interviewee and publisher. Sometimes the interviewee needs to be reassured that the story will still be theirs after they share it. They are not 'giving it away'.

Don't let form dictate content: let content dictate form. Leave yourself open, trust. You never know what you'll find. Often it will end up a very different story than you were signed up to write. Susan signed up to write a book on WWII. Went back to researching WWI / Germany / kids in Germany. Deadline loomed, the book was meant to be about American history but this did not eventuate. Asked to change her contract.

Ask yourself: what is important about this story that I need to tell? Always stick to 'what do I need to tell?'

Have multiple layers in a nonfiction book.

Don't do a 3 paragraph data dump. Have emotion in as many paragraphs as you can. Resonance. What emotion drives the scene?

Q: What's hard about writing about famous dead people?

A: They still have family. If you portray the person in a negative light you may offend. Must be respectful, but keep to your truth about it.

Susan talked to and argued with the person she was researching whilst washing dishes. Spent a weekend with the KKK. It breathed the story to life.

Elizabeth: Photographs of celebrities are much more expensive. Make sure in your contract you have a photo budget. It's 'easier with dead people'.

When you have a strong point of view about a subject, how do you find a balance?

Nonfiction novels are using a lot of techniques from fiction. Can't invent dialogue... although this has been done. Don't go there.

Source notes – keep track of where you get everything.

There's no such thing as a perfect book. Small details may be missing, but they don't alter the state of the book.

Hit the deadline. Be reliable.

Gail Carson Levine - Sweat and Magic

2010-08-18T19:13:00.000-07:00

Gail Carson Levine

These are my notes from Gail Carson Levine's keynote speech at SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010.

Plot and suspense. Not all stories need a crisis, but every story needs a shape. Need growth of experience. Reader is satisfied.

Joan Abelove “Go and Come Back”. Not a great deal of tension. You can make it work. So much is possible. GCL's books are plot driven. When she thinks “This is boring” she writes lists of possibilities in her notes. No idea is stupid.

Turning a pumpkin into a cart won't work, but don't give up. Have courage. Plot usually arises out of a situation. Eg: The Little Engine That Could – what if the engine was pissed off or depressed? Where would the plot go?

Concentration camp - GCL relates the story of a man killed by a Nazi guard because he was argumentative and resented authority.

One character could ask another character 'What are you thinking?', which might start major warfare.

Time - make time pressure loom. Dialogue, worried thoughts can convey this. If the character worries, the reader worries.

Distance – Travel toward a destination (looming). Chapter headings (eg. 4 stops to go).

Thoughts

Action

Separation (from the problem)

Main character flaw (eg. Marty in Back to the Future can't tolerate being called a coward)

Secondary character flaw (eg. Boyfriend of main character)

Isolation (wanders away alone from others – gets into some danger)

Expectation – (Eg. mum expects son to be a brilliant student – creates tension. High expectations of self. Also a character flaw.)

A test

A disaster

Something is lost (and it's necessary – or main character thinks it is).

Prompt: think of something very tense that could happen as you go through your day.

Predictability. Is it really bad? You can walk a fine line. Adrian Monk episodes – you know who the baddie is but you're not sure how it will pan out.

How to surprise?

Confound expectation

Ask your characters

Avoid easy morals

Surprise yourself

Make a list

Review

Workshop it

Choose wisely where you will introduce 'out there' ideas like dragons landing on earth. It works at the beginning because the reader is ready for anything. It may not work so well to introduce this half way through the book.

Set yourself a goal: eg. I will write 12 ideas. Don't fall short.

Don't stress about getting a moral across. You can't control what the reader will get out of the story anyway.

Prompt: Have one character ask another about his or her thoughts. Does it lead to disaster?

Gail Carson Levine starts with plot, not character. Characters don't come fully formed. We have to be with them for a while.

Character development: (*apologies - somewhat incomplete notes here...*)

Role

Grow in the writing

Questionnaire

Thoughts and feelings

Speech – Reminds the reader about the character's personality. Eg: “Look at me!” or “Get out of my face!”

Devices

Movement (character touches someone's shoulder – why? Caring? Dominant? Character looks at shoes – tells us something about him/her).

A nickname can tell you a lot.

What's in his pockets?

What's in his bag?

How does he relate to his friends? Does he set things up? Follower? A hanger-on?

Fears?

Loves to...

The character shouldn't always be saintly. The reader does a great deal of interpreting the person because you can't describe all the layers of a person.

Characters may interrupt – but for different reasons. Reveal the reasons.

A character may use certain expressions often.

Speech mannerisms. Eg: “You know what...” for one character is likely to be followed by “This sux!” or “You're an idiot!”

Three characters get ready for school. How does each one prepare? Reveal their thoughts...

People do things differently (eg. Pack a suitcase) – can reveal something about them.

Prompt: Re-read your story/stories and consider what meaning they may have for you. What are you telling yourself? Do you have themes that you often go back to? Are your characters very obedient / cowardly / worry a lot?

Much of this information is on GCL's blog. Comment and join in.

Rachel Vail - Hearing your Characters: Creating Distinctive/Contrasting Voices for Each of Your Characters

2010-08-18T15:31:00.000-07:00

Rachel Vail

These are my notes from Rachel Vail's workshop at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010.

How to hear your characters? Listen. Try spying. On train, wear headphones with no music playing and eavesdrop. You must like stories. You must like sentences!

Take a note book with you everywhere you go. You never know what gems you'll hear. 'Bump of bread' (her son talking about a roll). 'Sucked his cubes' (a waitress who cleared the drinks from the table of a famous actor!) 'Christopher only likes red. All day long.' (A little girl RV once met).

You know the character by their voice. Figure out who they are to learn their voice.

- What they notice

- What they talk about

- What they don't talk about

Notice how people sit, talk, walk etc.

Use of opposites

Explosive character and an implosive character. Volatile and steady.

How we express our ideas and what we notice differs according to personality. Eg: Dancers use movement, musicians use music, artists notice light and shade, psychologists notice relational information. Some people notice absurdities.

Perspective

2^nd book harder to write because of 1^st protagonist in your head. “The Friendship Ring” - you see the same situation through someone else's eyes in different books in the series.

Characterisation

Walt Whitman – I contradict myself. I contain multitudes.

Start with yourself. Sense memory. Imagine you are in your father's car (as a child). Write down what you smell, see, hear, feel, think etc.

Think about your mum and a disaster at the supermarket. Most of us know our mum's voice. What would be a disaster to her? Write as if you were her in that situation.

“Sometimes I'm trying so hard to be nice that I forget to think.” RV spent 6 hours trying to write this line one day. Delete, delete, delete...

“I don't know what I want” - if this comes up in your dialogue, you have a problem. The character is speaking to you, telling you that they need a motivation.

If you can't get a character's voice out of your head, what do you do? Sometimes you can't, so it becomes your next book.

Play with dialogue in order to meet your characters.

Rachel read us some dialogue between her characters Justin Case and Elizabeth the Excellent. Elizabeth is spelling her name – it's wrong, but to her it's just right. She believes that the spelling of her name can change. Justin is a perfectionist and is getting very annoyed and frustrated with her because it just isn't correct. Elizabeth stands her ground and just believes that she is right. A lot is revealed about the characters from this exchange.

Tips:

Have a notebook and pen at all times. People say things that can be like gold. Eg. 'A runaway freckle', 'A bump of bread.'

Notice how things smell. It's a primal, ancient sense.

If you get stuck, make tea. Force yourself to remember.

Use forces of opposition. If they usually act one way, make them respond in the opposite way.

Screenwriter once said: 'Take a character's statement out and you should be able to guess who said it.' It should be unmistakeable. Often takes 60 drafts for Rachel to get a 'first draft' that she sends to her editor.

Ask your character:

What do I want?

Why can't I get it?

Who is stopping me from getting it?

Why?

Why do I want it?

What do I REALLY want? (Sometimes it's the opposite of what you think you want – eg. You might want to get away from your mother, but at the root of it you want to be closer to her).

What will happen if I don't get it?

What is a risk?

Rachel described writing a book with her friend Avi (Edward). The story was called 'Never Mind!'

It started as a joke – Rachel wrote a chapter (left the end hanging) and emailed it to her friend Avi. It was from one character's point of view. He edited her chapter and wrote chapter two from another character's point of view. They went back and forth until they had a whole book.

Note: a particular voice may not be to the editor's taste.

Rachel uses her 'Form to Form a Character' list of prompts. Some of these are listed below.

My name is

How I look (from outside)

How I look (from character's point of view)

I can't stand...

I love my mum, but...

My friends...

I wish...

If I could change one thing...

My favourite food is...

I love to wear...

When I grow up...

The worst thing I ever did...

The best part about school is...

I wish I were more...

The thing nobody knows about me is...

My dad always...

I am afraid...

When I get mad...

I don't care about...

I used to like...

My life would be better if...

My family is...

A great day for me...

I don't think I'll ever...

Jon Scieszka & Mac Barnett - What is Going on with Boys and Reading?

2010-08-18T15:11:00.000-07:00

Jon Scieszka – number 2 of 5 brothers. Taught for 10 years in New York. Former Ambassador for Young People's Literature. Masters in Fiction. Vice President of Guys Read. www.guysread.com. He has two children – a son who is very much into hockey, and a daughter who he says is a typical high-achiever.

Mac Barnett Mac has had three picture books published in the last year, with five more to be released over the next few years.

Jon and Mac write out of their own experience. They have a natural connection with what boys like. It is not all about underwear and fart jokes.

Teaching is very much feminised today – the vast majority of teachers are female. This leads to boys feeling that they are in a 'girl world' at school. Sometimes this is the case at home, too.

Schools tend not to be boy-friendly. Reading is attached to sitting down and being quiet – not innately boy-oriented activities.

Magazines, comics, and wrestling websites are all valid forms of 'reading'. Supply guys with stuff they want to read. Expand your definition of reading to include audio books, magazines, newspapers, comics, cartoons etc.

826LA – centres where boys can be supported in writing after school. “826 National” is a not-for-profit organisation. Jon S is on the board for the Brooklyn store.

Academically, boys are achieving at lower rates than girls. This is a sociological and a biological issue.

On www.guysread.com, book titles are sorted into topic categories to make book selection easier for reluctant readers.

Provide a balance of books, TV, games etc. rather than banning any one medium in favour of books. One form is not inherently better than another.

Boys tend to fall-off around 4^th grade. This is the time when they are often emotionally rejecting their mother. Their teacher is often also female, and can be seen as another 'mother figure' to reject. Boys need more male role models - especially role models who are seen to enjoy reading.

Write for the biggest range of children that you can. Don't set out to write for boys, write from your experiences. About 80% of guy authors write for guys. Kate DiCamillo – a female author who writes well for boys. There is a stigma about women writing for guys. However, JR Tolkien and HI Larry are successful. The cover tends to be more important than the name of the author with regards to children picking up the book.

“Reading Don't Fix No Chevys” by Mike W. Smith - a book analysing boys' reading habits. Showed that boys often use books for information. They often prefer nonfiction and humour.

During 2^nd - 5^th grade, series are popular. Children feel a sense of accomplishment, having read the whole set. They are comforted in knowing there's another book at exactly the same level.

“Guys Write for Guys Read” - Volume 1 is all about humour.

Use swear words. Need to make sure that literature is reflecting what goes on emotionally for boys. In the book “My Parents Gave My Bedroom to a Biker” by Paul Feig - the term 'skid marks' (ie – in the toilet) was censored out. Sad, because it was humorous. Publishers out of touch. Books may not accurately reflect what's going on.

Definitely depict boys pursuing girls / vice versa. Relationships are dealt with in 'The Brixton Boys' by Mac Barnett.

More artwork is being included in middle grades novels. Sometimes there is a push from parents to get their kids reading 'proper novels' without illustrations – something to brag about. This is a shame because illustrations can make stories easier to digest.

Don't demonise video games. There are certain things that are fascinating to boys (eg. exploding heads in video games). Yes, they may need to see this, but it's not the only thing they need to see.

Literary Agents View the Marketplace

2010-08-18T14:53:00.000-07:00

These are my notes from the keynote /agent panel at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010.

Josh Adams – Adam's Literary

Ginger Clark – Curtis Brown

Lisa Grubka – Foundry

Ken Wright – Writer's house

Middle grade series are coming back. 8-12 y.o. have been neglected for a while. Market growing.

Ginger: Angels – editors bidding for these stories. Lots of angel submissions at the moment. Mermaid or Siren books desired. Dystopias, post apocalyptic stories wanted. Email query preferred. Aims for a paperless office.

Ken: Very young fiction wanted – a little older than first readers. Picture books 'tough' at the moment.

Josh: Picture books through to YA. Market strong. “Timeless” books wanted. High quality, worthy of markets abroad. www.adamsliterary.com for submissions. Receives approximately 8,000 per year.

Lisa: YA fiction / MG and books with an international focus. Expose kids to different world views. Likes storeis that are reality grounded / stories that relate to her own childhood. MG fiction: voice driven, strong characters, humour. Submissions – emails faster, but more focused attention when looking at hard copy.

Josh: Priority given to SCBWI members who have attended conferences where they've spoken, so put in subject line. Make sure your agent knows that translation is important. Has 19 co-agencies that represent their authors overseas. Bologna and Frankfurt. Auctions worldwide. Publishing series preferred for international market. Stand-alone books not so attractive to market overseas.

Tell your agent if you speak another language / lived in another country.

Multimedia rights – enhanced e-book rights. Want to animate picture books. Movie subsidiary rights - movie makers want multimedia rights or want to freeze them.

Mid-list authors are hard.

Agents are always excited to break out a new author.

Looking for a great new voice.

JA: Not an editor. Will help polish for submission, but that's all!

Gordon Korman - Writing for Kids: A Three-Quarter Life's Work

2010-08-18T14:36:00.000-07:00

These are my notes from Gordon Korman's keynote speech at the SCBWI LA Summer Conference, 2010. Apologies for their brevity - I think I was too busy laughing!

Gordon Korman

Canadian author. Has 70 titles. '39 Clues' is a collaboration between 7 authors. GK is the author of books 2 and 8. Started writing at age 12. Was mentored by Paula Danziger.

Humour doesn't get a lot of respect – ie awards, accolades. Korman asks: 'Why don't we teach humour in school? What skill do you use more – humour or recognising foreshadow?' :)

Luck can be important. In middle school Korman wrote “This Can't Be Happening at McDonald Hall.” It was 1976. The Track and Field teacher was standing in as his English teacher and allowed him to work on anything he wanted for four months. GK decided to send it to Scholastic, seeing as he was in charge of the book orders at school, and therefore practically an employee (!) It was published some months later.

Kids are not an exotic species. We were kids once. Have a sense of what's cool. What you think is cool is probably cool to kids. Knowing what they will think is cool is a good asset.

“Swindle” was created as a kids' version of Oceans 11. Cool. Stealing something back. The 'team' had their specialties eg. Climber, Dog Whisperer, Blowtorch specialist.

Sometimes you have a great idea but can't make it work - just have to let it go.

Once he was asked about a humorous book he wrote. The adult asked, perplexed: “What exactly is the message in your book?” He answered “Uh, I guess my message is … lighten up.” He believes it is possible to inject some humour into almost every situation.

Picture a bored, disaffected 11 year old. Picture him saying “Do I care about this?” This should tell you whether or not you're on the right track for your middle grade novel.

Have some stick-to-it-iveness!

Loren Long - The Picture Book: My Two Cents Worth

2010-08-17T17:42:00.000-07:00

Loren Long

This is my summary of Loren Long's keynote speech at the LA SCBWI Conference, 2010. Hmmm...the end of day one and my notes were a little on the brief side, I think!

Father of two boys, 12 & 14. Comes from Cincinnati. Otis is his most recent picture book – he wrote and illustrated it.

He asks himself: Why do I want to be published? What do I want to give this world?

In 2004 he knew nothing about children's publishing. It was a daunting task to illustrate his first story. He knew nothing about the author of the book. LL says that you have to take the text from the author and OWN it. He thought: “If they can do it, why can't I?” (illustrate children's books).

2003 - Long did one drawing. He had the mood of a book, right there. Uses acrylic paint. Spends 2-3 months on sketches. 4-6 months on final art. He does 2 books a year, but it takes him 1 ½ years :) First picture book illustrated in his late 30s. “I Dream Of Trains”.
Walt Whitman - 'When I Heard the Learn'd Astronomer' - sparse.

Illustrated 'The Little Engine That Could.'

Emotional Hit – which part of your book has it? Strive for it. Mood and emotion are key. High/low moments, happy/sad, vulnerable. LL likes to imagine the music that might play alongside a sketch.

Need emotion in your characters – heart and soul, essence.
Duck character illustration shown – LL sang 'All By Myself', the song that he imagines playing alongside it :)

Mac Barnett & Steven Malk - 5 Lessons from Classic Picture Books that Can Help You Launch Your Career

2010-08-17T17:18:00.000-07:00

This is a transcript of the notes I took at Steven and Mac's workshop at the LA SCBWI Conference, 2010.

Author Mac Barnett – (pictured left)

Agent Steven Malk – (pictured right) In 1998 opened Writer's House west office in San Diego. Clients include Mac Barnett, Lane Smith, Jon Sciezska.

Steven asks: what is your manuscript trying to reinvent?

Mac has had three picture books published in the last year, with five more to be released over the next few years. Works with 826 LA East, Echo Park (a shop front and a place for boys to write). He says that picture books have a strong tradition: be rooted in that tradition. Images and words are connected.

Steven: Recently there has been a lull in picture books. Value – how do you give people value? Goodnight Gorilla – 10 words. He appreciates the classics. Looks for people who can show professionalism and understanding of the form.

Lesson 1: Let the illustrations do their job.
Can't have one without the other.
Mac: Radical removal. Take out things that don't need to be there. Things that can be covered by the pictures should be covered by them. Eg: Goodnight Gorilla where the Gorilla steals the keys from the zoo keeper. As a reader we know something that the zoo keeper doesn't know. Exciting.
“The Stupids Step Out” - the family stands in front of a mirror and father says “Look at that stupid family.” Leaving out text makes it more fun.
“The Carrot Seed” - very minimal text. Rhythm. Perfect picture book. Approx. 120 words. Sparse. So impactful.

Lesson 2: Understand picture book conventions.
Page turns, pay offs, end papers, title page. Makes the difference between a good book and an amazing book. Moment of suspense with every page turn. Pay off/release with each turn of the page. Can use as a joke or surprise. (L-R page spread: Set up on right, punch line on next page – left).
“Henry's Awful Mistake” - R. Quackenbush. Like a silent movie. Vaudeville.
“The Monster at the End of This Book” - the reader is torturing Grover.

Examples of picture book layouts:
a) L: text R: illustrations (or vice versa)
b) Text below an illustration.
c) L and R: wordless two page spread
d) L and R: multiple illustrations with text below

The layout sets up a visual rhythm. (d) is an example of fast pace, (c) is an example of slow pace or a pause.

Madeline – we love her, then she is put into peril (unwell). Fast paced through use of multiple illustrations per page.

“Billy Twitters and his Blue Whale Problem” - Mac Barnett, Adam Rex, illustrator.
Double-page spread gives sense that time is elapsing. Timing.

Don't load with illustration notes – use sparingly (parentheses ok). Illustrator needs to see it fresh.

Lesson #3 – The Writing Must Serve the Book
Style – eg. Rhyme may be wrong – not the best way to go.
Tone – sharp? Edge? Rhyme? If so, really has to serve the book.
“Oh No” by Mac Barnett - Giant robot starts destroying the city.
“Bear Snores On” – B. Wilson
“Time for Bed” – Mem Fox. In sleepy time stories rhyme and rhythm can work well.
“Guess Again” by Mac Barnett – Sounds like a poem, but instead of last word rhyming non-rhyming, surprise word used instead - humorous effect.
Mac: Jon Scieszka is an inspiration. Mac also plays around with style of books of the 50s.

Lesson #4 – Understand (but don't underestimate) Your Audience
Balance known and unknown.
“Stinky Cheese Man” - metafiction. Teaches you as you read. Eg: 'I'm Jack, the narrator.' Child is learning what a narrator is.
Actual kid problems. Keep in touch with kids. “I'll Fix Anthony”.

Lesson #5 – Read as Many Books as You Can
Still be yourself. Don't lose your identity by trying to emulate someone else.
By all means, supply a full dummy if you are an illustrator. It's great.

Q to Steven – What would you love to see?
Something good. The next Madeline, Very Hungry Caterpillar, Olivia.
Steven is accepting unsolicited manuscripts.

From Your House to My House: What Makes Me Choose Your Book? [Editor Panel]

2010-08-17T16:48:00.000-07:00

Nick Eliopolis - Editor of Fiction and Multiplatform, Scholastic Press
Claudia Gabel – HarperCollins / Katherine Tegen books.
Brenda Murray – Reference and Nonfiction Editor, Scholastic Press
Jennifer Rees – Senior Editor, Scholastic Press.
Moderated by Krista Marino

This is my summary of the editor panel at the LA SCBWI Conference, 2010. I lost track of who said what a couple of times...apologies! Hopefully it still makes sense..

It's a lot about editors' mood, needs, connection, personal taste and vision.
Nick: Deals mostly with graphic novels, middle grade novels.
Jen: Needs to love book. Wendy Mass, Suzanne Collins, Sarah Littman.

Q: Which would they rather – voice or plot.
Jen: If voice is good, we can work on the plot together.
Nick: Both, preferably. He's a plot guy. Gets excited by a clear description. High concept plot. Easier to envision championing to others if it's a very cool plot.
Claudia – Character important.

Q: Books they wish they'd done.
In Me Own Words (Bigfoot biography)
Biography of Claudette Colvin
Photo by Brady: A Picture of The Civil War
The Hunger Games
What I Saw and How I Lied
A Great and Terrible Beauty - Libba Bray
Speak – Laurie Halse-Anderson
Little House on the Prairie books

They don't want to publish the same thing over and over. They want something different.

Q: Can inspiration come from other art forms?
Intellectual properties – can access movies, magazines to get ideas for series. Reluctant readers are consuming stories all the time – youtube, comics, cartoons, TV shows, movies, video games...
Search youtube to find out what they're watching – is it horror etc? Popular TV shows are often on top of trends, magazines, news articles. What are people talking about? An idea for a book once came from an NPR story.

Q: What are you looking for now?
Guy concept – original idea
NonFiction – show something new, teach something. One nugget of a brilliant idea. Something that's not well known.
Commercial potential – a wide audience. The Hunger Games – even adults are reading it.
General – beautiful prose, but also can write fast to keep up with trends. Tween and teen mysteries.

Q: What not to do when submitting a manuscript?
Unprofessional package (eg. poor synopsis). Prove that you can promote yourself in a professional way.
Not researched. No sense of what's already out there. Sell it yourself. How is yours different? Anything you can provide ie: marketing – will be to your benefit. Do you have special expertise? Does it tie in with something?
No personality in query letter. Want to gravitate towards the author - see who you are in that page. If can't sense who you are and what the book is like – will not request MS.
Relationship is a big part of the job.
If it looks like a blindly sent-out MS, (eg - editor has not worked on a PB for years) will ignore submission because passing onto a colleague is creating more work for them (not appreciated).

Facebook – tough to know where to draw the line. Nick responds to facebook, but says it's awkward.

Q: Do you read slush?
Scholastic – no slush accepted. Interns read it.
If states “I read an interview you did on a blog saying you're looking for …”, will read.
Krista will not read if addressed to the wrong name.

Q: Agents write query letters, so how do you know your agent will write a query that gives a sense of your voice and personality?
Keep in touch with your agent, make sure you know who is lined up, who they are sending to. If sounds interesting, editor may call the writer personally or ask more about them. Stay very involved and hands-on with your agent. Know what your agent is sending out about you.

M.T. Anderson - The End of all our Exploring: The Journey of Narrative

2010-08-17T07:16:00.000-07:00

M.T. Anderson

This is my summary of MT Anderson's keynote speech at the LA SCBWI Conference, 2010.

Anderson speaks of his love of adventure novels that provide a sense of vast, untamed landscapes. Through books, we can revisit a time when undiscovered land still existed. Romance of geography and a strong sense of mood appeal to him. For Anderson, it's not so much about each individual, exciting action.

Travel your mind
There are still a range of experiences to be had in your own home town. You may create a fanciful version of an actual place. Interpose scenes onto American landscape – a stream can be a river, a house can be a castle. We can once again have pioneers. We can have forests where an ogre may lurk. Seek dreams and unexplored territories. Stories take us away from home so we can see home. We can arrive where we started and know home for the first time. We can be changed.

Habitualisation
When we've encountered something repeatedly in the same way, it almost ceases to exist. It becomes familiar. One technique of art is to make familiar objects unfamiliar so that they steal our attention. In 'The Arrival' by Shaun Tan, the reader finds the place alien, and so is put in same position as the immigrant. We are deprived of language as the immigrant is. No words are used.

'You Killed Wesley Payne' by Sean Beaudoin offers new forms of language. We find overt play with words and overt repetition. We see things anew through new language. The image conjured demands our attention. The word 'vinegaroons' is used to refer to sailors. It is reminiscent of the words and language associated with sailors, but it is totally new. The familiar is defamiliarised – this is more powerful than creating a terms that are completely outlandish.

At the root of horror: familiar things gone strange. In 'Coraline' by Neil Gaiman, the most familiar and most domestic becomes so alien. There is a sense of the unknown – we are surprised by seeing things anew. Books can take us AWAY from what we expect.

Embrace your eccentricity
Reach those dull-town kids and show them to the door.
Anderson embraces his own eccentricity and performs the unofficial anthem of Delaware.

Jon Scieszka: Tales of a Picture Book Writer: Do's, Don'ts, Maybes

2010-08-17T06:56:00.000-07:00

Jon Scieszka

This is my summary of Jon Scieszka's keynote speech at the LA SCBWI Conference, 2010.

Guys Read http://www.guysread.com/
2008 Ambassador of Books for Children and Young People

Stuff he wished he'd known when he started out:
- Picture books are around 32 pages
- Submit to an appropriate publisher for your book
- Top 100 picture books list online.
- Worst 100 picture books list online.
- Read the best books and the worst books. Connect with what YOU like.

KidLit blogs JS likes:
- Betsey Bird http://blog.schoollibraryjournal.com/afuse8production
- SCBWI Team Blog http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/
Leave this behind once you are knowledgable and established.

Advice:
- Cut your picture book in half. Leave room for the pictures.
- No rhyme, no alphabet books, no underwear and fart books.

Be consoled:
JS got lots of rejections for his “Ugly Duckling” story.

JS mentions his love of “George and Martha” stories by James Marshall.
“George was fond of peeking in windows.
One day George peeked in on Martha.
He never did that again.” etc.
Very sparse text. Very effective.

Do:
- Congratulate yourself for attending the conference.
- Just start doing it. Rejections are part of the process.
- Read every PB/MG/YA novel you can.
- Be a storyteller.
- Write what thrills you.
- Put your butt in the chair.

Don't:
- Lose your vision.
- Chase the market.

SCBWI Summer Conference: Days 2 and 3 ... where did they go??

2010-08-01T19:50:00.000-07:00

Holy cow. There's one more day to go! The purpose of this blog post is simply to say 'I'll talk to you later!' I am in absolutely no shape to report on the happenings of the conference right now, but will endeavour to update you when this leg of the trip is over. In the meantime, you can go over to Christopher Cheng's blog for a couple of pics from last night's Heart and Soul gala.

Another great link is The Official SCBWI Conference Blog - lots of summaries of the keynotes and breakout sessions. Great resource.

Looking forward to another great day tomorrow. On Tuesday we will enjoy a day in Santa Monica before heading to Toronto. Talk to you after that!

Caz

Day One: SCBWI Summer Conference, LA

2010-07-30T21:48:00.000-07:00

This is basically a blog post to say - DANG! I am so tired and need to recharge. It was a full-on first day. We have been constantly entertained and educated by the speakers, faculty and members. I can't even begin to tell you what I've learned. I will try to do a more informative post tomorrow.
Nights,
Caz

Two more sleeps in Perth...

2010-07-22T05:23:00.000-07:00

Yep, it's really time to get serious about packing, tidying up loose ends and enjoying sleeping in our comfy, cosy beds ... we won't be back in them for a while.

It's only one week until the SCBWI Summer Conference 2010. Already I have two meets lined up! The first one is on Thursday with the Australian SCBWI crew, the second one is Saturday night with Paula Yoo and fellow NaPiBoWriWee participants. I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be meeting everyone next week! My head is going to be spinning.

I have printed out some copies of my works-in-progress. One of them is going to be critiqued by an industry representative at the conference - great opportunity. I hope to share the others with fellow conference-goers at the informal critiques.

In the meantime, I've started work on a new picture book inspired by the beautiful, untouched bushlands near my home. Unfortunately they won't be left untouched for too much longer. Now it's time to problem-solve this story. I really enjoy the challenge. So much to think about, so many possible approaches.

Which picture books have conservation as a central theme? The Waterhole by Graeme Base is a favourite. Have you read any that were well done?

Here's hoping I get a chance to blog a little while the conference is underway. Wish me luck! In the meantime, I wanted to post a link to this blog by a grumpy literary agent - it's crazy funny Slushpile Hell. Enjoy!

See you back soon.

Caz

Going cuckoo over Twitter

2010-07-18T05:51:00.000-07:00

The past few days have been MAD. Have I been preparing for my trip to the northern hemisphere? Ummm... I think so! Does it feel like it? Nuh-uh! The conference is really SOON and I have real things to do, but...

I have just joined the Twitter revolution (am I late?) I think I have a lot of catching up to do. What the...? So many #s and @s and RTs and #iamstumped. I have to admit that it's getting a little out of control. I am spending more time on TweetDeck than in my word processing software. Not good!

I suppose I need to spend some quality time with Twitter to begin with. We need to get to know each other. Twitter cares about me, doesn't it? Little birdy, let me hear those sweet tweets so I know there are other writers out there avoiding writing just like me!

I think I need a fail whale to save me from this new addiction.

Oh, if you are checking in with me for the first time - hello! It's really great to have you. Are you also addicted to social networking? Can I succeed as a writer with all of this social networking to do?

Caz

P.S. Wanna be my Twitter friend?

All That I Need

2010-07-11T00:12:00.000-07:00

I have all that I need. I am very healthy, happy and loved.

All children deserve health, happiness and love. When I wrote a little picture book called All That You Need, I was writing for all children. But in particular, I was writing for a little 5 month old baby boy who had been separated from his parents. I have a special wish for this story. Today I edited it and took the first step in trying to make this wish come true.

I feel so glad that this story has now taken it's first step into the big wide world. Whether or not fate brings this story to children out there, I feel great that now it has at least a small chance - a much bigger chance than if it were not written at all!

Caz

Nose Picking just got better

2010-07-09T22:37:00.000-07:00

It's been a little over two months since NaPiBoWriWee 2010 when I wrote my first batch of picture book drafts. I was fairly pleased with a couple of them, especially seeing as they were my first attempts. However, the thought of editing them was scaring me. Why? I believe there were several possible reasons for my dread and panic:

1. I feared I would break them
2. I feared that my writing ability had expired - ie: the stories were a fluke.
3. They might get better - which meant that they weren't perfect in the first place - tut, tut! Imperfection? Mois?

Well, I have my project manager(!), Glenn to thank for flagging my picture book edits as very important - even more important than washing socks! This afternoon I grabbed a quiet moment while Cy was asleep to look through others' critiques of "I Didn't Pick My Nose". First I made one small change, then another ... and another...and I felt very satisfied after each successful alteration. It wasn't at all scary. In fact, I felt very proud. I am still glad that I let it simmer for a couple of months, though. The weaker parts just got weaker with time, and the stronger parts stayed strong.

'Edit Number One', I like you. You are a good read. However, you wouldn't be what you are today if it weren't for the pioneer, the bold and inaugural 'First Draft' who went before you. Thank you, First Draft. You will not be forgotten.

Caz

A thorough day's work

2010-07-05T05:24:00.000-07:00

How can it be that a thorough day's work as a writer can look like so very little on the surface? I spent the day reading, clicking, reading, clicking, clicking, clicking, reading, tapping, tappity-tapping, deleting, adding, reading... but somehow I don't feel like I achieved very much!

The good news is that I completed assignment number two for my Professional Children's Writing Course. I hope I did what was expected - once again it wasn't too difficult. I guess it was because the idea was already firmly in my brain. It's sort of taking some time to get my head around the fact that I am totally enjoying what I am working on. I mean... is that allowed?? Do I deserve to be sitting here enjoying what I'm doing? I guess I am more accustomed to the idea of work being a bit of a drag - like a lot of other people, I'm sure.

I am really in awe of the people I've met through SCBWI, and others, who have followed their dreams and utilised their skills in the arts. They must have had some great support to get to where they are today (one would hope!) There are definitely some negative people out there who will try to stop creativity in its tracks. I guess they might be well-meaning, but they sure can confuse a person and throw them off-course.

Anyway, I am not dealing with people like that in my happy, little bubble. I hope you're not either.
:)
Caz

Getting set to go...

2010-07-04T04:47:00.000-07:00

It won't be long now until I'm sitting studiously at the SCBWI Summer Conference, pen and paper poised! I have been looking at the schedule, trying to figure out which talks I cannot miss. It is really difficult - especially as a beginner. There is so much to learn! It's especially hard because I don't know what kind of writer I am. I have drafted several picture books, but now a little idea for a chapter book is whispering in my ear! Pssst...

I submitted assignment number one of my writing course this evening. I do feel very clever. It has been more than three and a half years since I last did an assignment! It was a nice little introductory piece. I had to introduce myself, talk about my motivation for writing for children and set a few goals for the next year and beyond. I thought it was strangely simple, but I realised after a while that although I had set out to write in an informal tone ('...as if chatting to a friend,'), I had gotten all academic in the midst of it. So I went back and did a bit of editing and made it sound more like me. I am guessing that is a lesson in 'voice'? Anyway, it was quite therapeutic. It made me think about why I want to write, and I decided that I have some pretty good reasons.

Well, it's time to knock off! Another day of reading and writing to look forward to tomorrow...

Take care,
Caz

Full steam ahead!

2010-06-26T06:47:00.000-07:00

Full throttle! Top gear! Overdrive! Wooo hooo - here I go. It's my explosive start to writing for children. I am reading, studying, daydreaming, writing (well...just a little bit for now) and jumping feet-first into the world of children's literature. I had no idea it would be this thrilling! Oh, the possibilities. I am in a total head-spin thinking about it all.

I have a confession to make. I did not read fiction as a child. I remember my mandatory weekly visits to the school library. I used to look, bewildered, at a row of spines. What the heck was inside these books? I actually didn't really care. The fact was that these books were THICK, the words were SMALL and I could not possibly make any sense of them. I was not able to attend to the task of decoding all of these words while making meaning of the phrases, sentences and paragraphs. It was an absolute chore to me. I would pick one random book, stuff it inside my library bag and leave it there until the next visit.

I now realise what a shame this is. I never really overcame my fiction-reading deficiency. I can probably count on two hands (maybe even one hand) the number of adult fiction books I have read from start to finish.

Thanks to four years at university, my reading comprehension skills are much more advanced than they used to be. I love to read non-fiction articles about topics that interest me. However, I still have no idea about the kinds of fiction book I like to read. Well, apart from the fact that I actually did read Cloud Street by Tim Winton and absolutely loved it. I think I read another of his books but didn't finish it. That is typically me - not renowned for following through with a task! So why did I love Cloud Street so much? Which other books might I also love?

I am having a great time reading what is out there for kids at the moment. I am reliving my childhood, only this time I don't have the same obstacles in my path. I can READ fluently and I can skim a book to see whether I'll like it first. As a writer, it would be great to think that I could somehow reach some of those children who currently feel the same way I used to about books. I'd like to make stories that are highly accessible and relevant to children.

Until next time....
Caz :@)

Post PiBo

2010-05-11T05:59:00.000-07:00

Hello to anyone who happens to check in after the big event NaPiBoWriWee 2010 has ended! I hope you enjoyed the challenge and are still on cloud nine. Congratulations to the winners of Paula's random prize draw! No, I'm not bitter that I missed out. I'll just have to get my credit card out and buy my own NaPiBoWriWee 2010 memorabilia, right? :)

I was a wee bit disappointed that I had so much on my plate by day seven of the event that I couldn't quite reach my goal of seven stories in seven days. Instead, I achieved a formidable 5.5 stories. Not bad for a beginner! Also, I was quite surprised at the great amount of pride I felt about the work I had written. I have fond memories of the making of these stories and thank my friends and husband for reading my drafts and providing instant feedback as I wrote from my secret location!

I was also surprised to find a new story idea pop into my head as I closed the cupboard doors of the vanity this evening. It had been a stressful day and evening, with two kiddies all snotty and miserable and no husband around to lend a hand (he's still not back!) I had just finished brushing my teeth and declared to myself that I was in need of some 'me time'. Within seconds an idea for a picture book had unfolded in my mind. In under a minute I was searching for the laptop to get started on this new project. At this stage I am 80% finished the first draft. How good is that!? A nice little bonus at the end of a day that sucked everything out of me :)

I had almost forgotten that you can write anytime, anywhere. You don't have to be signed up to a challenge, it doesn't have to be read by anyone else and it doesn't even have to make sense. It has to be the best hobby ever, don't you think?

Off I go to sleeeep. Good lord, I need it.

Night, night!

NaPiBoWriWee Day 6!

2010-05-06T05:27:00.001-07:00

Ahhh, blissfulness. Sweetness. Love. This is story number six. Not thought, but felt. Very sentimental and meaningful. Perhaps not technically top-notch. But she is so lovely and that's all she needs to be for the moment.

Best of all, she simply exists.

I cringe as the door slams and a baby cries next door. Domestic trouble at the sleep clinic. An awful reality in comparison.

Sigh. Home tomorrow. Our little family at least has peace. I wish the same for next door. This is why number six exists.

Love to all PiBo's and your families.

Carolyn

NaPiBoWriWee Day 5!

2010-05-05T04:25:00.000-07:00

Ah, draft number 5. Barely alive. So very sketchy. So very weak. Barely recognisable as a story at all. Plot ... there is not. Rhyme ... not this time. Meaning ... I could care less.
Good night everyone. I hope to generate some more creativity while I sleep!
Best of luck to all of you.
Carolyn

NaPiBoWriWee Day 4!

2010-05-04T05:08:00.000-07:00

I am surprised and excited to announce the birth of NaPiBoWriWee story number four at 8.05pm this evening. I have named her "I Didn't Pick My Nose". I am a proud parent and she brings a big smile to my face. She was written over four separate writing breaks today. A very pleasant way to bring a story into the world, indeed.

Another gorgeous little thing is sleeping soundly in the adjacent room. He tossed and turned himself to sleep again tonight as I stood by, amazed :) I hope I have as much luck getting to sleep tonight as he's had! Last night was shocking for me, even though my little button-nosed boy slept almost right through the night. Hooray!

I can't believe I only have three more stories to write until I accomplish my goal! Wow, what will I do to celebrate?? Anyone got any ideas? I don't expect many NaPiBoWriWee'ers to be reading this because they are so BUSY right now ... but if there's anyone reading this - what will you do to commemorate the 7th story (or 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc... whatever you get up to!)?

I hope Paula Yoo rewards herself with a nice long massage or something equally relaxing. She's been so hard at work this past month mentoring we PiBo's! How do you do it, Paula? You are a legend!

Carolyn

NaPiBoWriWee Day 3!

2010-05-03T01:57:00.001-07:00

Well, voila! Another draft for a story is done! I am soooo pleased that I have kept up the pace so far. Actually, the truth is that I had quite a bit of free time today because my little one and I are staying for the week at a sleep clinic. We almost don't need to be here, but ... shhhh, don't tell, because my meals are made for me, I have no chores and am getting a break from toddler taming for a few days. Perfectly conducive to writing four more picture books! To top it all off, my beautiful baby happily tossed and turned himself to sleep as I stood by! Couldn't ask for more - no drama, no tears, just cuddles and sleep. Beautiful.

I knew I really shouldn't have done this ... but I tried rhyming *blush*. But I SWEAR I didn't inhale, ok!? :D No really, I figured 'why not? Let's see what all the fuss is about.' Now I've seen first hand that yes, the fuss is because it is rather difficult! Nevertheless, Mr and Mrs Birdie are now nestled snugly in their poetic little home in my NaPiBoWriWee folder.

Thanks to anyone who reads this blog. Mega-thanks to Paula Yoo for a super challenge!

Cheers,
Carolyn

NaPiBoWriWee Day 2!

2010-05-01T23:52:00.000-07:00

It's 3pm and we're on the way to my step-sister's wedding rehearsal. But that's ok, because filed away safely between the microchips of my laptop is my SECOND PICTURE BOOK!!! Hooray, hooray, HOORAY!

This one took about two hours to write, and was definitely trickier than yesterday's story. I just had to keep reminding myself - first draft, first draft! Plenty of time after May 7th to go back and edit.

The working title of this book is 'Mama's Squishy Belly'. I love it so far. As it turned out I broke my own rule - to orally tell my story and then transcribe it. Hey, I guess I'm just a rebel like that! I was less sure about the structure of this story, so I left it to my fingers to fix it up as I went along.

Well I'm getting car sick looking at this blog, so I better go revel in the excitement of having now written two children's picture books :)

Good luck, writers!

NaPiBoWriWee - Day 1!

2010-04-30T21:16:00.001-07:00

Success!!!!

Thanks to Paula Yoo's challenge NaPiBoWriWee 2010, I have just written my first children's picture book. What's more, I did it in 40 minutes! Is this a good sign or a bad sign?? I take it as a sign that someone was smiling down on me, because 40 minutes is about all I have to spare today. Trying to catch up on sleep, caring for kiddy winks, going to a birthday party and going out tonight - I was seriously worried that I would not meet my challenge on the first day. As it turns out, I have nailed it - before lunch time!! What a great feeling.

A couple of nights ago, I thought I would try my hand at oral story telling with my 3 year old son, Heath. I had never really done it before. I was surprised at how easily the first story unfolded, and he was enthralled. In fact, our fictional friend Fishy McGoo (hey, the name just sprang from my lips, ok?!) has been spoken about frequently ever since!

So after seeing how easily and how quickly a story can happen when you're put on the spot, I decided to use this strategy during NaPiBoWriWee! I'm going to craft all of my first drafts this way and then transcribe them. That's precisely what I just did for my first book, currently entitled "A Puppy That I Love".

The idea for this book came to me as I was drifting off to sleep the other night. As is the case with NaPiBoWriWee, the month of April is to be spent brain-storming, researching, outlining etc. I can tell you now, there was very little time to spare with a 7 month old who thinks sleep is for the weak and a 3 year old who feels exactly the same! Sigh...

Nevertheless, I have one success story! It went really well and I can't wait to write my next one tomorrow. I hope I'm lucky again.

* I just realized that my post says 30th April but honestly, I haven't cheated! It's after lunch time on the 1st May here in Perth, Australia!

A Twist in the Tale of My Life!

2010-04-08T06:04:00.000-07:00

I don't know exactly how to put this.

I want to be...

errr...

I'm going to be ...

ahem...

"I . AM . A . WRITER!"

Yuh-huh! That's what I am (among other things). I have always felt like one. But from now on I plan on acting like one - by writing!

Tonight I am a very tired writer, since I have been moonlighting as a mother :) Anyway I just wanted to quickly let you know that my creative kick start is to be found at Paula Yoo's website www.paulayoo.com. I will be participating in NaPiBoWriWee 2010, which is a challenge to write 7 picture books in 7 days (May 1-7). I am absolutely thrilled that I stumbled across Paula's website via the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators website www.scbwi.org. It's a great opportunity, perfect timing and a chance to put pen to paper in a serious way. With a bit of luck I'll be headed to the SCBWI conference in LA this July/August with 7 little drafts for picture books in my hand. How exciting!

For the past week I have been scribbling and scrawling a bunch of words that may or may not help me to write my first books. It feels like a big emptying of the mind. I have often thought about writing a children's book but never actually started one. I can tell you, I am quickly realising just how involved it is. I have NO IDEA how I'm supposed to write one per day in May, but I am busily brainstorming and will try my very best.

For now, I bid you goodnight. Time to empty the cache and reboot.