Category: Art & Craft (Page 17 of 17)

Los Angeles. Whew! Back Home and yet. Not. An exciting week ahead. I have planned workshops and am using the new Guidebook to keep track of all things 40th anniversary event. 1250 people will be in the conference. We’ll be sitting on top of each other for lunch, but that’s okay. because….

The energy is amazing. It is summer camp! We talk about writing. We write about writing. We worry about writing. We’ll hear about writing…well, and illustrating as well. But since I can’t draw a straight line crocked, then for me it’s about the writing.

so. I’m here. I up for this. And I’m looking forward to finding out great and wonderful things. more later.

I don’t know about you, but the ‘find fifteen minutes of writing time’  just doesn’t work for me. I need to sit, and get back to where I’ve been. And, I’ve been frustrated because that sucks up my writing time.

Lately tho, I’ve been thinking it is more. More than getting back. More me becoming. Me. This writer. Becoming him. I AM that character. And, yet, I worry about him when we’re not together. I feel  guilty when I leave him sitting beside a fence. Or, in the middle of a conversation with his brother. But I also know, when I leave him, it’s because I can’t figure out where we’re going next.

I know the common wisdom is to write a character sketch about each in your cast. I can do that for everyone but the MC. And I think I’ve realized why.

Did you ever hear of the ‘game’ BAFA BAFA? Continue reading

It’s a common saying…’in order to write, you need to read a thousand books’. Before you can write, you need to read. Everything. It all. Don’t stop. Keep going. Don’t think about it. Just READ!

I read my first thousand starting in the library at Villa Cabrini Academy. Just off the quad where we lined up and marched every morning. It was cool in the morning, typical of Southern California, long before smog and humidity and over-population. The quad would be in the shade, not yet heated by the daily sun. Sousa’s band music would blare from someplace unknown and we’d march in formation and then to our classrooms. Sounds militaristic now, right? All of us in baby blue uniforms, white collars and cuffs, Buster Brown oxford shoes, white socks. It got us ready to sit in desks and listen. It gave us shape as students.

The library was a room, not all that big, with all the walls lined with book shelves clear to the ceiling, Continue reading

because of a very generous Christmas gift from an amazing critique partner, I received a critique from Writer’s Ink’s Judy Enderle on my Middle Grade Adventure/SciFi STOLEN MIND.

It was an excellent reminder of what makes a good critique. Just the way I was taught, if that is the right word, by a fantastic children’s writer and former children’s lit professor at Framingham State.   The written critique began with what was good about the story so far. The opening hook was there. The main character was interesting and sympathetic. The fantasy elements were woven in. Most important to my story [because you know I like mysteries] there was an element of uncertainty as to who my main character could trust so it was Yipee! a page turner.

The other part I appreciated about Judy’s approach was that she questioned me as to what was going on in the story. She didn’t tell me what I needed to say but asked questions and made suggestions. Like: would Aaron be able to see the man at the front door? Or. Shorten the sentence structure for tense scenes.

She ended the critique noting that the pitch had a great hook. So. I’m pumped. In the actual manuscript, she marked where commas should be [a major failing on my part, I think, because I usually neglect breathing when talking in my head] and, gave suggestions for tightening up language.

Thank you, Debbie for your amazing gift. Thank you, Judy, for a sterling critique.