MiG Writers

Revising for Consistency

2012-01-27T05:24:00.000-08:00

I’m one of those writers who has to get back into the story by revisiting parts of the book I’ve already written. When I do that, of course I make changes. So I’ve been through the First Half many more times than the Second Half. Somewhere in the middle of my novel there’s a fuzzy, transition zone and then suddenly I’m in the Second Half of the book, which in places seems to bear only a passing resemblance to the First Half. So now my challenge is to strengthen Second Half so that I end up with a seamless novel. At the moment, I'm tackling two different areas:

Story world. In First Half, where I’m still working on setting up the story world, I'm extra careful to include the right details. By the time I get to Second Half, suddenly my main character who's been raised in the wilderness since infancy knows how to read a clock. I don’t think so. To help with keeping the world consistent, I'm drawing sketches of buildings and maps, making lists of technology, foods, power sources, etc.

Voice. In First Half, I've worked hard to eliminate words like "but", "walked" and "looked" and to write from my character's perspective, making those interesting internal observations that she'd make. A Wordle on First Half shows me I’ve used the word “was” 18 times. In Second Half, I’ve used “was” 284 times!

Um...I think a little more work is needed.

-- Andrea

On being brave

2012-01-26T11:19:00.000-08:00

I have a confession. Many year ago, I read Jane Yolen’s blog as she dealt with her husband’s illness and death. These days I faithfully follow a blog written by a stroke victim who is now confined to a wheelchair as well as the blog of a sixteen-year old girl in England who created a Bucket List when she realized cancer was going to win.

I’m not especially morbid. I think what I love and admire about these blogs is that they are written by people unafraid to tell the truth. Isn’t that what writers are supposed to do? Be real even when it’s ugly or we’re embarrassed, fumbling or scared out of our minds.

I’m a pretty open person. Ask anyone who’s met me - I’m free with the details of my life. But there are times when I hold back, when I am terrified to really put myself out there. Some things just hurt too much, you know?

But we all hurt. And I think that if we, as artists, can take pain and build a place for it with our words (or watercolors or musical notes or dance shoes) then we can help ourselves as well as others. Journeys are easier with a lighter load.

So here’s me, trying to be brave.

Crocus

I missed your birthday

my little one.

I turned the corner of the week

and found myself down a different

footpath.

It took my breath away

because

I was the one who was supposed

to hold

to know

to remember.

I’m the only one left who

carries you,

the only one who ever carried you.

It was my job

and I forgot.

I missed your birthday

the other day,

my little one.

And I have to wonder,

does the crocus still bloom

even if no one

looks for it?

Signing my First Contract

2012-01-20T11:37:00.000-08:00

My birthday was on Tuesday, and I received a special and unusual present in the mail: a contract from Highlights Magazine to purchase one of my short stories.

I have to say, I thought that when my first contract showed up for my fiction work--and from competitive Highlights, no less--I'd feel this tremendous validation. And hey, when I opened the letter, I definitely fist pumped the air. Yes!

I'm ashamed to admit how soon it took me to go from elation to "I can't believe I haven't finished the next scene in my novel, I have so much revision work to do, I wish I was a better, faster writer!!"

So here is a message to my internal editor: Look, you stupid internal editor, Highlights wants my fiction story. Say "congratulations," internal editor. I know it's killing you, but say it anyway.

I think many of us feel this way. If I get an agent, if I get a contract, I'll be a "real writer." Then the goal we work so hard to achieve happens, and we're like, huh, I have a lot work to do. In a way, it's a good thing that the work itself is our true validation. If we waited for encouragement from the publishing world to keep us going, we'd never get books written. The thing is, the story was just as good before I received the contract. I was simply fortunate that an editor liked it.

Thank you very much, Highlights, for liking my story. And thank you for teaching me a small lesson about motivation.

-- Kate

Comic: Disappointment For Billy

2012-01-19T09:33:00.000-08:00

While going through my comic archives to tag and catalog in prep for my Inkygirl/Will Write For Chocolate comic compilation, I came across this very old comic. I still feel sorry for Billy...

The Roller Coaster

2012-01-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

The click, click, click of the wheels cutting across the tracks.

Higher and higher until hanging at the crest of the peak.

To fall.

Flying, stomach dropping, lungs screaming.

And then-

Back into dark tunnels, sharp corners, unexpected turns.

Until the end is reached. The ride has finished. Leaving me breathless and wanting more.

I don't know about you, but this has been my journey as a writer. Sometimes the tunnels feel too dark and I don't know if I can keep writing. But that's why I have my writing friends. To encourage me and keep me from giving up.

Then there are other times I'm standing on the peak and I don't want that feeling to ever end. But it's during those times that my writing partners are there for me, cheering me on.

How about you? Have you ridden any roller coasters lately?

~Christina

"Trust your hopes, not your fears."

2012-01-14T13:33:00.001-08:00

Something interesting happened to me this week. I was telling my seventeen-year-old about my latest book and right in the middle of a sentence, I realized something very important. And scary as hell.

I’ve been writing the wrong book.

I’ve spent the last six months focusing on this project. I’ve obsessed about the opening sentence and first chapter. (In fact, I’ve written about four different versions of that first chapter.) But I’ve finally found some good, solid ground and spent weeks on a detailed outline and character analysis. I’ve got some clever stuff and forward momentum. And a decent amount of pages. But the fact remains, it’s the wrong book.

So. I’m trusting my hopes (and taking a break from my fears) and scrapping the last six months of work. I’m keeping the heart of my book but going a new direction. I'm a little disappointed I've been going in circles and I don't feel particularly brave. I know starting over won’t be easy but it needs to be done. And (*looks around*) I'm the only one here.

It’s kind of funny. The question my main character must answer is this: Would you stand up for what you thought was right - even if you knew it could go all wrong?

She does.

And so I am.

Wish us luck.

Comic: Apostrophe Abuse

2012-01-12T05:40:00.000-08:00

Time Is Worth Gold

2012-01-10T03:43:00.000-08:00

I don't know about you, but my writing time is like GOLD. Between a full time job, kids and keeping my house somewhat clean, the hours can slip away if I let them. But at the same time, I'm lucky because I'm a teacher. That means Christmas and summers off. Still, this seems to be the biggest issue for me for my writing.

How do I find the time?

1. Determine set times in the day to write and stick to those. So for me it's an hour and half in the mornings before I have to get ready for work (unfortunately that means 5-6:30 am) and then again at nights, usually from 8 until I can't see straight.

2. Trade kid time with my supportive hubby. We do special kid times on the weekends. So I take the boys for a few hours so my hubby gets his stuff done, and then I'm in charge of the kids for a few hours. I try to make those moments with my kids special so that when I hand them over to my husband, I can get back to my writing guilt free.

3. Babysitter- I haven't used this yet, but it's definitely in my arsenal!

4. Always on the brain!- this means that I'm planning what to write while I drive to school that morning or when I take a shower or cook dinner. Because when it's time to sit down and write, I don't have the time to mess around.

5. For us MiGs we did check ups and on each other during the month of NaNo to motivate each other to keep writing. We'd email each other our word counts for the day and that helped me keep accountable to staying focused.

I can't tell you how much I would love to have the luxury of writing full time, but that's not an option right now so instead of complaining about it, I'm trying to stay positive and remember that I'm doing what I love more than anything else.

Any ideas that you'd like to share?

~Christina

MiG Goals, or How to Make 2012 an Incredible Year

2012-01-09T11:14:00.000-08:00

We've come a long way this year at MigWriters. Car and Christy have agents now, Debbie's I'M BORED picture book will be releasing soon, and the rest of us have had our shoulders to the grindstone, too. The odds are strongly in favor of us having a great 2012. I hope you'll follow us at our new Facebook site, http://www.facebook.com/migwriters, and let's keep our conversations on writing going both ways.

Setting goals is a writing philosophy. Some writers are die-hard goal setters who draw up action items and timelines. Other writers think yearly goals change too fast and think in terms of months instead. But what is your real big ticket, huge priority for the year?

Here's where we MiGs are putting our energies in 2012:

Kate: I have many goals this year, including a goal to keep setting goals all year round. My main focus is to be POSITIVE--positive thoughts and positive actions. I want to focus on novel writing and not get distracted by short stories and contests. There's not enough time in the day to do it all, and being a novelist is what matters most to me. I have three novels I want to work on this year: one
revision, one rewrite, and one deep outline of something new.

Andrea: My goals this year haven't changed much from last year: finish a revision (Novel #4), finish a rewrite (Novel #3) and start a brand new project (Novel #5). I don't let myself work on something new until the revisions are done and in a resting or submission phase, so I want to push myself to get to that new project, even if it's just a detailed outline. I've also posted about my goals on my blog, since I find that helps me stay accountable
(http://andrea-mack.blogspot.com/2012/01/goals-and-wishes-for-2012.html.)

Car: My writer's goals for the year are very simple: Finish a draft of the book I'm working on and start revisions. OR - if the MG that's about to go out to editors is immediately snatched up and they want to offer me a two-book deal (hey, a girl can dream big, cant' she?!) - write that story's companion book. :-)
I also plan to read a book a month.

Christy: This year I've decided to focus my goal around a single word. My word for the year is *STRENGTHEN*. Ways I intend to make this happen:
1. *Read*- focusing on diversifying my reading choices and going beyond my standby favorites
2. *Attend conferences*- to build my craft and network
3. *Finish revising my current WIP* and transforming it into a book that's even better than anything I've ever written yet.
4. *Write another book* (grin)- but for this one I'd like to try a genre that I haven't written in yet. I'm excited about this one too!
I did a blog post over at my blog as well:
http://www.christinafarley.blogspot.com/2011/12/word-of-year.html

Debbie:
1. Minimize my online time during the mornings so I can get more creative work accomplished first thing in the day. I posted about this on my own blog ( http://inkygirl.com/inkygirl-main/2012/1/2/virtual-housekeeping-and-r... ).
2. Finish and send out more book projects, including my YA novel, an illustrated chapter book and two picture books.
3. Read more! Sounds weird, but I realize I need to actually schedule in reading time, else it takes a back burner to other stuff.
4. Find fun & interesting ways to promote I'M BORED<https://www.facebook.com/boredbook> and
TOMO <http://tomoanthology.blogspot.com/>, both of which come out this year.
5. Post more regularly in the MiG Writers blog! :-)

What's your focus this year? Let us know in the comments what your priorities are so we can cheer each other on.

-- Kate

Comic: New Year's Resolutions

2012-01-05T06:20:00.000-08:00

From my Will Write For Chocolate archives.

A half-million words (sort of) and counting

2012-01-03T11:28:00.000-08:00

I bet you’ve heard the saying that goes something like: you must write a million words before you can consider yourself a writer. I’ve also heard it as “You must write a million words of crap before can write something publishable" and a few other variations. The author of this wisdom depends on which source you check. But the sentiment is the same - a writer must write. A lot.

Just for fun - and not because I’m procrastinating again or anything - I decided to guesstimate how many words I’ve written. You know, not including grocery lists, high school essays, love poems, and the like.

Let’s see…. I have:

1 parenting guide 50,000 words

4 activities books (x 30,000) 120,000

3 activities (younger readers) (x25,000) 75,000

2 teacher resources (x25,000) 50,000

1 MG novel (unpublished but done!) 40,000

1 YA novel (unpublished but done!) 45,000

At least 40 articles/essays (x750) 30,000

That’s come up to (hmmm...stupid math...carry the one, add to the next column…)

410,000 words!

*fist pump* Cool! I’m (sort of) almost half way there!

How many words have you committed to paper since you’ve decided to get serious about writing? I think it’s always valuable, especially when we’re struggling to get where we’re going, to go back and see just how far we’ve come. Seems like a new year is the perfect time to do this.

News and Signs

2011-12-13T11:04:00.000-08:00

Wow. It’s been a while since any of us have posted. Sorry about that. All of us have been busy writing and revising and, in one case, illustrating. (Don’t look at me; my mom may be an artist but I can’t even draw a stick figure.) Lots of great news is just around the corner!

Here’s some more news I’m happy to share: I have an agent! I’m thrilled to announce that I’m now represented by Marie Lamba at the Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency. Marie is an experienced writer who’s just made the move into agenting. I am her first client and I’m very honored and humbled she chose me. It’s a unique situation but one that makes me very happy. I feel like we are both starting on this journey together; she’s putting her faith in me and I’m putting my faith in her.

I know some people like to hear stories about THE CALL. So I thought I’d share mine.

First some background. About a week or so ago, I was approached by an editor I’ve worked with before about doing a non-fiction book. I wasn’t sure I wanted to do it. I’m in the middle of a new project (a YA) but everyone I approached for advice, told me to take it, do it. It’s writing. It’s money. It’s a BOOK.

I enjoy doing non-fiction (and would like to do some more eventually) and it made no sense for me not to take the project. But my gut kept telling me “No.” I didn’t understand it and I didn’t know what to do. I felt like I was at a crossroad: go back to doing non-fiction or stay on this new path I’ve chosen. Which, frankly, was beginning to feel like a dead end. Three years. Two novels. Numerous “close calls” but no agent or book contract. It all takes a huge, mental and emotional toll. Especially since I'd left paying gigs to do it.

So, last Thursday, I woke up and asked the Universe for a sign. I do that a lot. I’m sure the Universe answers but I don’t always see them clearly so I got greedy and also asked for a “big” sign. Preferably something written in neon.

While procrastinating (yes, I procrastinate, shocking, I know) I visited a favorite blog, YA Highway. This post was up. It’s about protecting your writing sanity. Scroll down to the bottom. See that note that says “Don’t Do Things You Don’t Want to Do” ? I read that and went, Hmmm. Maybe that’s my sign!

Just to try a decision on, I started to compose a note to the editor. You know, to test out how it felt to turn down the project. I opened a file, got, oh about three sentences into it, when the phone rang.

Yep. It was Marie! (But you could see that coming, right? LOL )

I spoke with her for about an hour, hoping that I sounded half-way coherent and intelligent and trying to remember all the things you’re supposed to ask an agent about. By the time, we said goodbye, I felt really confident she was a good match.

There were still two other agents who had my full. I contacted both. One got back to me right away, wishing me luck. But I hadn’t heard from the other one. Then, the next day, as I was driving my daughter home from school, I caught myself hoping that second agent would hurry up and turn me down too so I could make things official. I realized that if that’s what I was thinking, then I’d already made a decision. I called Marie as soon as I got home and accepted her offer.

So... I’m sticking on this new path I’ve chosen. I may go back to non-fiction someday but, for now, this is where I want to be. And now I have a traveling companion to help share the load. Or - more accurately - another traveling companion because I wouldn’t be where I am today without my amazing, kind, talented, funny, wicked smart critique group! Thank you, Debbie, Andrea, Christy, Kate and Susan. I mean that from the bottom of my heart.

Let’s hear it for neon signs! :-)

Celebrating success

2011-11-15T05:09:00.000-08:00

More often than not, I lean toward stubborn. So when my taekwondo instructor recently stopped a particularly tough class and told us we could get a drink, I hung back. “I don’t need a drink. I’m good. I’m tough.”

But as I watched everyone step up to the fountain, I noticed something that should have been obvious. People were walking away refreshed and smiling. My stoicism waning, I got in line too. And enjoyed a nice, long cool drink.

Here’s what I learned - you should always take a drink when one is offered!

And I think that goes with writing too. Writing is such a hard, lonely vocation. We need to stop and take those drinks of encouragement whenever they’re offered. We need to CELEBRATE every small bit of success. These are the things that will refresh us, nourish us and keep us going during a particularly tough patch.

I’ve definitely been struggling lately, wrestling with confidence and patience issues. But there’s been a few sips of water, too:

The online plot class I’m taking is giving me some really useful tools.

I have three terrific I’d-love-to-work-with-any-of-them agents reading the full of my manuscript.

While progress is slow, I’m very pleased with the work I’ve done on my new story.

I’ve recently discovered an amazing online program that helps me focus.

What “cool drinks” have you allowed yourself to enjoy lately?

Making (More) Time for Writing

2011-11-09T06:13:00.000-08:00

Do you struggle with finding time to write? Here's how some of the MiG Writers make time for writing:

Christina Farley: Time is worth more than gold for me so I squeeze the juice out of every moment. Lately I've been doing 1K hours. This is where I write for one hour as fast as I can, pushing myself not to get distracted by grammar or the internet! My goal is to write a thousand words in one hour. This month I wake up and write a thousand words before I head off for school and then another thousand words at night. I'm loving the results I'm seeing, not only in my word count but also in how much stronger my story is.

Kate Fall: How do I make time for writing? Wait, do I? :) It's never enough. Lately, I set an appointment with myself, like tonight at 8 pm. As my freelancing schedule gets busier, it's very hard to push aside things I'm getting paid to do for fiction writing. I use it as a reward. "If I finish XYZ for this customer, I get to work on my own writing."

Andrea Mack: If I allow myself to check e-mail or look at blogs, then I get very little accomplished. I have to start with the attitude that the time I've set aside is only for my writing project (brainstorming, writing notes on my book and making revisions based on critiques count too). Of course, it helps that I do my writing when the kids aren't home or are asleep.

Fixing things early

2011-11-04T06:34:00.000-07:00

Being a black belt means you’ve gotten down the basics. Sometimes, though, it just means you are aware when you’re doing a technique incorrectly and (hopefully!) can figure out how to fix it.

Let me explain. I’m training for my next belt and having a hard time mastering my new board break technique, a spinning roundhouse. It requires some fancy footwork. (Um. Not my forte.) The other day, I was practicing and discovered I was pivoting on my heel and not the ball of my foot like I was supposed to. It was throwing my balance all off and causing me to lose power. I know I have the same bad habit of spinning on my heel with other kicks. But knowing what I’m doing wrong isn’t going to make it any easier to fix it.

Which brings me to my WIP. This morning, I woke up and suddenly realized with crystal clarity that what I was doing isn’t working. Or, more accurately, it isn’t going to work for much longer. If I want to tell the story I set out to write (with power and balance), I need to go back to fix the foundation, master the basics first. In other words, I gotta stop spinning on my literary heel - it’s not as stable as it feels.

Of course, just knowing that something is off is only the first step. Now comes the hard part. Rewriting. Relearning. Rewiring. But, hey, at least I realized the problem at chapter 4 and not chapter 40.

Has this ever happened to you?

~Carmella

Comic: When The Inspiration Strikes...

2011-11-03T08:57:00.001-07:00

Breaking A Writing Block

2011-10-25T05:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you're stuck and have no idea what to write next. Or maybe you feel like writing, but your brain isn't cooperating. Whether you call it writer's block or just a bad day at the keyboard, it's hard to be creative when the words won't flow. Here are a few ways that some of the MiG Writers cope:

Kate Fall: Sometimes writing longhand with pen and a notebook gets me out of
writer's block. Sometimes I get writer's block because I'm not sure about the plot, so I try to identify exactly what's bothering me and if I need to do some research. Talking things out with my writer friends can help too.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi: I find deadlines really help. If I don't have a formal deadline (like a book contract), then I set regular deadlines with myself or with an accountability partner. I find that setting deadlines with myself doesn't always work because it's too easy to change them. At least if you set them with someone else, there's a pride factor involved.

Carmella Van Vleet: When I'm stuck, often times I take a break and head to taekwondo class. When I'm there, my mind has to be fully focused. (It's why I loved doing yoga a few years back, too.) When my brain is forced to be elsewhere for an hour or two, I find that I'm oddly ready to go back to work and full of ideas. Another trick that I heard about recently and have had success with is simply saying "Hmmmm" out loud. I know it sounds corny but it helps!

Andrea Mack: What usually helps me is to think more deeply about where I’m trying to go with my story. I’ll revisit my story plan and maybe even do some editing on an earlier part of the story. If that doesn’t get me back into the story world and writing again, then I brainstorm. I ask myself, “What could happen next?” and write down all the possibilities. That usually sparks something that gets me going.

What's your secret for getting past a writing block?

P.S. We're still waiting for Wysefyre to e-mail us to claim the prize, Pie by Sarah Weeks, from our "Growth Spurt" contest. Wysefyre, if you're out there, you have until Friday Oct. 28th to claim your prize. Otherwise, we'll draw another winner.

Why Do You Write YA or MG?

2011-10-11T18:56:00.000-07:00

Writing MG or YA is the reason we got together. But what drew us to write for kids in these age levels?

Carmella Van Vleet: I write in these genres because these are the kind of books I love to read. I don't frequently connect with books written for adults. I fell in love with reading with YA and MG books and so it's easy for me to channel my younger self.

It helps that I have teenagers and a front row seat to how today's kids talk and think and what they're going through. But I think I'd write YA and MG anyway. There's just something universal and cool about our formative years. Besides, kids are the toughest and smartest audience around and I like that challenge.

Debbie Ridpath Ohi: I write MG and YA because, as Carmella says, these are kinds of books that I enjoy reading the most. When I buy these books at bookstores or borrow a pile of these at the library, sometimes I'll get comments from people assuming the books are for my kids, or for market research.

I write MG and YA because I remember how much some of these books affected me as a young person, in so many different and positive ways. I do read "grown-up" books as well nowadays, but I always end up being drawn back to MG/YA because for me, the latter tend to have stronger stories, more likeable characters and more hope.

Andrea Mack: I started writing for my own children and my nieces when they were toddlers. Beginning with picture books was challenging, to say the least. As my girls got older (and after many rejections for picture book manuscripts), I decided to try writing a MG novel. Since then, I’ve written four of them.

Even though my girls are now moving on to reading YA, I think I’ll stick with MG. I like the chance to think like a kid. Plus, I haven’t grown tired of learning about how to write MG, even though my rejection responses are starting to pile up. I just wish I could learn and write faster!

Christina Farley: I write MG and YA because those are my favorite genres to read. I love how these books strip away all the fat and get right into the story. These books seek adventure, romance, and mystery while at the same time explore life and deal with difficult issues.

What age level do you write for? What draws you to it?

And now for the winners...

2011-10-08T06:31:00.001-07:00

Thank you so much for the great response to our Growth Spurt campaign!!

I was so excited to see 29 comments and that my post educated or moved people to follow up with their children’s pediatricians about concerns. Many people - unless they know someone with a growth disorder - aren’t aware that being on the small side can be a warning sign. We tend to think, “Well, I’m short” or “I was a late bloomer.” But it’s worth checking out. If I hadn’t listened to my instincts (and had an on-the-ball pediatrician) I might have missed the opportunity to help my daughter reach her full height and best health.

I’ll give “one to grow on” (get it?! :-) ) so my total donation will be $30 to MAGIC for all our your comments. This amount will help cover a year membership to the organization for some family in need. So look what you did by just taking a moment to respond!

And now for the prizes. I asked my son to call out six random numbers to determine the winners of the books. Here they are:

Anne M. Leone - The Literary Ladies by Nava Atlas

Ani Louise - Today I Will by Eileen and Jerry Spinelli

Viox - Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Wysefyre - Pie by Sarah Weeks

Rose Green - Writing and Selling the YA Novel by K.L. Going

Susanna Leonard Hill - Nothing But the Truth and a Few White Lies by Justina Chen Headley

If you are a winner, we will be contacting you soon. If you don’t hear from us, please feel free to follow up at migwriters(AT)gmail(DOT)com.

[Edited to add: I was able to send emails to everyone except Rose and Wysefyre. Please contact us so we can get your addresses. Thanks.]

The Literary Ladies' Guide to the Writing Life - by Nava Atlas

2011-10-06T15:37:00.001-07:00

The Literary Ladies' Guide to the Writing Life

Author: Nava Atlas

Hardcover, 192 pages

Published April 12th 2011 by Sellers Publishing Inc

I recently finished reading (& thoroughly enjoying) The Literary Ladies' Guide to the Writing Life by Nava Atlas. Beautifully designed, with glossy pages are packed with illustrations, vintage photos, quotes, insights and advice from twelve celebrated women writers like Jane Austen, Charlotte Bronte, Madeleine L'Engle, Anais Nin, George Sand, Edith Wharton, and Virginia Woolf.

It's not a book you need to read from cover to cover. It's the type of book you can dip into anywhere and read a few pages at a time.

This would a fantastic gift for a writer friend.

I'm donating my review copy (which I kept in pristine condition!) to Carmella's book prize draw. To enter, just post a comment at the end of Carmella's "Growth Spurt" post. Not only will you be entered in the draw, but Carmella will donate $1 to the MAGIC Foundation. But hurry! This offer & draw ends tomorrow (Oct 7th).

-- Debbie

Growth Spurt

2011-09-30T05:24:00.000-07:00

My daughter was always on the small side, staying right around the 25% in both height and weight. But around age ten, she began slipping on the growth charts. We were concerned and her pediatrician ordered a bone age test. This quick, painless test (an x-ray of your hand) revealed that my daughter’s bones were about two years behind her chronological age. That was good news - it meant she had plenty of time to catch up and was possibly just a “late bloomer.” We decided to keep on eye on things.

By age twelve, it was clear my daughter had stopped growing. Whereas normal rate of growth is 2 inches a year, my daughter had grown barely half an inch. She completely fell off the growth charts. She was almost a teenager but often mistaken for someone much younger. While her peers were going through major growth spurts, my daughter barely wore a girl’s size 8 and wasn’t developing.

Our pediatrician felt it was time to consult a specialist and run further tests. We were lucky in that a highly respected endocrinologist practiced fifteen minutes from our house. (Many families must travel hours or out of state.) Turns out, my daughter has Growth Hormone Deficiency, also called Pituitary Dwarfism. She began hormone treatment (daily injections) and in the last year-and-a-half she has grown 5.5 inches and put on 35 pounds. She is now back to the 25 % in height and, if she stays on her current rate of growth, she’ll likely end up a bit taller than me! She’s thrilled that she looks like the high school freshman she is and loves shopping in the juniors department and buying shoes (something she hadn’t had to do in two years).

Many people believe that HGH (human growth hormone) treatment is for cosmetic purposes only. Nothing could be further than the truth. Short stature can cause some frustrations and self-esteem issues, but growth hormone affects all kinds of internal things, such as bone development, muscle tone, fertility and heart and lung function. It has real and serious medical repercussions. I didn’t care if my daughter was short, I only wanted her healthy. Because of treatment, my daughter can now keep up in dance and taekwondo classes without getting tired or having her heart pounding out of control. She’s eating and sleeping better and getting stronger.

Why am I sharing this all today? Because today is the unofficial “Growth Disorder Awareness” Day as declared by the MAGIC Foundation. MAGIC stands for Major Aspects of Growth in Children and is a non-profit organization who helps families like mine who have children with rare conditions and diseases that affect growth. It is a fabulous group that provides a wealth of resources and who helped connect me to other moms and dads who know what it’s like to deal with shots, specialists, insurance companies, misinformed family and friends and the stress of having a child with a chronic condition.

To celebrate the day, my fellow MiGs and I are happy to announce a special giveaway and fundraising event. Here’s the deal: for every new poster who comments on this post until Oct. 7, I will donate a $1 - up to $60 in honor of the fact my daughter is now 60 inches! (You can comment more than once, of course, but we’re counting individual posters.) AND, to sweeten the deal, each poster will be entered to win a random drawing for one of the books listed below! Be sure to leave your email so we can contact you. Be sure to also let us know what your top two picks are. We’ll do our best to match desired prize to winners.

Prizes (some are new, others are gently loved):

The Literary Ladies: Guide to the Writing Life and Advice From Celebrated Woman Authors Who Paved the Way by Nava Atlas

Writing and Selling the YA Novel by K.L. Going

Today I Will: A Year of Quotes, Notes, and Promises to Myself by Eileen and Jerry Spinelli

Out of My Mind by Sharon M. Draper

Pie by Sarah Weeks

Nothing But the Truth and a Few White Lies by Justina Chen Headley

So to recap: comment on this post and you'll be entered to win a book and donate $1 to a worthy charity (without opening your own wallet!) How easy and cool is that?

And one more thing, if you are at all concerned about your child’s rate of growth, PLEASE check with your pediatrician and the resources at MAGIC at www.magicfoundation.org. There’s just a short window of opportunity to act. Once a child’s growth plates close, there’s little that can be done.

Thank you!

~Carmella

Where Are All The Good Story Ideas?

2011-09-27T02:41:00.000-07:00

What do you do when your mental idea factory comes to a grinding halt? Sometimes it’s not enough to sit staring at a blank screen. In fact, you might not want to be sitting at your computer at all. Check out where these MiG writers get their best ideas:

Debbie Ridpath Ohi: My best ideas come when I'm out for a walk. I used to always listen to music or audiobooks when I was out walking but now I tend not to listen to anything except my own thoughts. Inevitably, without really trying, I'll come up with a solution to a plot problem that's bugging me, or a new story idea.

Andrea Mack: I usually get my best ideas at the most inconvenient times. I often get them in the shower. There’s something about that running water and not having a pen and pencil that seems to inspire me. Do they make waterproof notebooks? I also get ideas in the middle of the night, when I’m supposed to be sleeping.

Christina Farley: My best ideas come when I run. I think part of it is that I'm away from everything that can distract me. Maybe there is something about endorphins pumping through my body that kicks in that creative adrenaline too!

Carmella Van Vleet: I find that I'm most creative, oddly enough, in the shower or bath. I guess there's something about the soothing and warm environment that loosens the cobwebs in my brain. (Maybe I was a mermaid in a former life.) In fact, when I'm stuck I'll often grab my journal and a pen and climb into a hot bath for inspiration. Sometimes I take notes but most of the time I just close my eyes, let my mind drift and play "What If". Maybe it works because my bathroom is the only quiet room in the house!

Kate Fall: My best ideas show up when I'm driving, especially when I'm on the same old commute and don't have to pay attention to my route. I cue up a playlist on my iPod that suits my story or shut off the radio altogether. I keep index cards in my purse and have been spotted in parking lots jotting down notes. I also get great ideas while I'm researching and reading non-fiction. And every time I go on vacation, I come up with a story based on the new place I'm visiting.

Where do you get your best ideas?

Comic: Personal Muse

2011-09-22T09:29:00.001-07:00

From the Inkygirl archives.

As I posted this comic, I realized that this actually ties in with Andrea's post last Friday. I know some people will disagree, but I think that everything we read influences us as writers. Maybe not directly (e.g. reading a Stephen King novel isn't necessarily going to make me write like Stephen King), but it does go into the melting pot that is my creative muse.

I read a wide range of books, from popcorn-type beach reads to nonfiction and literary, but I tend to mostly read books written for young people. Not just because that's what I write but (as Andrea says) because I enjoy them. When I'm writing a novel, though, I try not to read too many books by the same author in a row because I'm worried that that author's style will influence my own a little too much.

"I just need a little time."

2011-09-21T13:30:00.000-07:00

The other day my awesome fellow MiG Kate wrote a really interesting POST about emotional distance. (You should read it for no other reason than it includes a zombie Thomas Jefferson. I kid you not.) And it got me thinking about how and why we make the choices that we do with our stories.

I started a new book recently and I found myself wanting to write in first person present tense. I love writing in present tense. It feels very intimate and immediate to me. Everything the MC is going through, the reader can experience first hand in real time.

But after I finished my chapter and reread it, I realized that something was missing.

Suspense.

Nothing big and flashy happened in the opening. So how could I hint to the reader that something (really interesting, I swear!) is about to happen and they should stick around?

If my MC was living in “real time” then she couldn’t tell the reader. But...if she was telling the story of something she’d already experienced, she could provide those hints I needed to build suspense.

So instead of emotional distance, I gave my character some time distance. (I don’t know if this is a real term but I I like it.)

For example - here’s a section of my original draft:

My mom is a super organizer. She’s been PTO president for three years and can run a fundraiser better than Oprah.

Here’s the revised version with some time distance:

Mom is the Queen of Organization. Before everything spun out of control, she was the PTO president for three years. She could raise more money than Oprah. Unfortunately, Mom was one of my casualties. The book of Exodus tells us God is slow to anger. But the people at school and in the community sure weren’t.

See the difference?

Just something to think about next time you’re trying to figure out which tense to use!

What Do You Read?

2011-09-16T05:48:00.000-07:00

For my writing, I consider it essential to read the kinds of books I write. So, my bedside table is stacked with MG and YA novels (I don't write YA yet, but I like reading them). I tend to read these for enjoyment first, and then afterward, I occasionally think about elements that are related to the craft, like the voice, the language, the dialogue, or the way the story is constructed. I estimate that about 40% to 50% of what I've read over the past couple of years has been books for children.

I wonder what the librarians at my local branch library think of me, getting all these kids books on hold? Maybe they think I have 5 kids at home who read all the time!

My goal has been to immerse myself in the style, the voice, and the structure of the kinds of books I want to write. It has definitely paid off. I know my writing has become much stronger since I've started doing this. (And it's fun!)

In case you were wondering, outside of kidlit, I read "how-to" writing books (this is beginning to sound like an obsession), blog posts (about writing, of course), books for my teaching job, cookbooks, a quick scan of the daily newspaper, and some adult mysteries and chicklit because I do sometimes want to read about adults. I'm guessing this other reading has less impact on my writing, except for the writing-related nonfiction.

What do you read? How much impact do you think it has on your writing?

A quick tip

2011-09-14T08:50:00.000-07:00

My 14-year-old has this new thing where she combines the word procrastinate and whatever action she’s doing. For example.

Me: Are you doing your homework?

Her: No. I’m procrasti-painting.

Me: What about now?

Her: No. Now, I’m procrasti-watching tv.

You get the idea.

Well, this morning I wasn’t feeling my next chapter so I was “procrastidesigning.” Now, I’m a huge believer in visualization. Always have been. I decided what my muse needed was a little visual aid, so I spent some time designing a book cover for my WIP.

It was easy. I just went to istockphoto.com and searched for a key element in my story. I found something that worked great and I played around with fonts and size until I was happy.

Here’s the result.

You might notice that I didn’t include my name on the cover. That’s because I haven’t decided yet if I’ll use a pen name on this story or not. It’s a bit controversial. (Which is, ahem, more than a little ironic since my story is about standing up even when it may not be popular. Feel free to mock me openly if the story ever gets published.)

Here’s another little visual aid. This dude is important to my story, too. Since I couldn’t find exactly what I wanted, I drew on the LOVE myself. It’s not pretty, but it’ll work.

So, hey, next time you need a little inspiration (or want to procrastinate), why not give this idea a shot?

Quote of the Week

2011-09-08T08:58:00.000-07:00

As many of you know, I am a second degree black belt in taekwondo. Each week, my instructor puts up a Quote of the Week. This week’s quote is this Chinese proverb:

Do not be afraid of slow growth, be afraid of no growth.

If it wasn’t for the pain and, you know, all the social backlash, I think I’d have this tattooed on my head these days!

I don’t care what my fellow Mig Andrea says, I must be the slowest full-time writer in the world. (A writer who doesn’t actually write. Very sad, very sad.) I plod along while everyone around me manages to pump out pages and pages. It’s agonizing sometimes.

I’m the slowest in my taekwondo class too. You know the ol’ lady who’s two laps behind everyone else during warmups? That’s me. And I’m always the last one to finish any drill. It used to bug me like crazy but then I made some self-depreciating comment about being so slow. And guess what. My instructor praised me in the middle of the class for it! He said being last just meant I was taking my time to get it right. (Being slow doesn't help when I'm sparring but I took the compliment in the spirit it was given. Besides, I wasn't about to disagree with a 6th degree black belt. My mama didn't raise a stupid kid.)

For the next week, I’m going to try to take the lesson in the quote to heart. I may be slow and plodding along, but at least I’m out there, giving it my best shot. And that’s better than standing still.

Revision. You Know You Want To

2011-09-03T14:12:00.000-07:00

Okay, I just love this picture. I WANT this t-shirt.

Because in the last year I’ve learned a lot about writing, but the most important thing I think I learned was how to revise. I have my typical checklist of things to look for when I’m revising, but this past year I took my revisions to a whole new level. I needed to go even deeper and add another layer to my story.

In order to do this, I needed to bring in a number of elements.
They were:

1. Motivation- What are my secondary characters’ motivations? How can their motivations in turn affect my main character and the overall plot progression of the novel?

2. Setting- How can I use my setting to create a mood and atmosphere in my story? How can the setting add tension to the story?

3. Character’s perspective- Write about only the things that my main character would notice. Stay in POV! If my character wouldn’t notice the floor, then don’t mention it. And how can the props in the room further add to the story?

4. Purpose- Remind the reader of the main character’s purpose over and over again. Make that end goal almost unachievable.

5. Scene Arc- Every scene must have an arc and must serve a purpose to the overarching plot of the novel. If it doesn’t serve that purpose, axe it.

5. And even better yet, make each scene serve multiple purposes- advancing the inner conflict AND outer conflict.

6. Foreshadowing- Thread in those foreshadowings throughout the story. Start at chapter 1 and work my way through the whole story (often this can’t be done until I’ve written at least two revisions).

What about you? What are some elements in your revisions that you have recently been incorporating?

~ Christina

Expectations

2011-09-02T09:32:00.000-07:00

I ran out earlier to do a few errands. One of them was to stop by the high school and pick up tickets to the home opening football game where my 17-year-old son will be marching tonight. As I walked by the main office, I glanced up and saw my oldest son’s banner and it got me thinking about expectations.

You see, last year my oldest, Matt, graduated. He was valedictorian and he and another classmate were National Merit Scholarship Finalists. It was the first time in the school’s history that they had Finalists so it was a big deal. The two kids got these humungous banners with their pictures and names. And, like I said, the banners hang right by the front door.

I’ve often wondered what my middle child, Sam, thinks about having his brother’s banner up like that. He literally has to walk under it every day. (My youngest, a freshman this year, doesn't have to deal with this as much since she attends a different school.) While Sam is a very smart kid in his own right, he’s not the top of his class. Matt - and I say this with all the love in my heart - is a bit of a freak of nature. I’m guessing it must be rather hard for Sam to live in the shadow of so many expectations from teachers and classmates. (My husband and I have always expected our three kids do nothing but their best. We don’t compare them. Or at least try not to.) How challenging it must be sometimes for Sam to be his own person and shine in his own unique way.

I’ve been struggling with the same thing lately. Only, it’s not because of some banner. I’ve been doing it to myself!

I got it in my head that if this new project I’m working on - the one that’s barely three pages and a bunch of scribbled notes at the moment - doesn’t land me an agent or sell, I’m gonna pack it up and call it a day as a novelist. Now, how’s *that* for pressure?! No wonder I’ve been having a heck of a time finding my stride.

Why on Earth do we do this to ourselves? Our expectation when we begin any project should be to just to do our best. Publication, agents, high sales, book clubs, awards (banners with our pictures and names...) be damned.

Sure, I’ve already had a dozen or so non-fiction books published. Some of them have gotten recognition and sold well. But none of that - and I mean NONE of that - has any barring on my current project. I should have no expectations. Just the joy of letting the story grow and shine in its own, unique way.

I owe the story, and myself, nothing less.

~Carmella

I need a little Superman

2011-08-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

Before my mother retired, she worked as a graphic artist for Hallmark. I’d sometimes visit her at work at the corporate offices in Kansas City. One of the things I enjoyed most was seeing all the cool and interesting ways the artists decorated their work areas. My mother told me artists were encouraged to take creative ownership of their space. That the company believed a happy artist was a productive one.

While my mom didn’t have palm trees or funny dolls sitting her shelves or cartoons plastered everywhere in her cubicle, she did teach me the value of keeping your muse, well, amused. If she saw something - be it artwork or jewelry or some doodad - and it made her happy or inspired her in some way, she bought it. This is something I do, too.

My work space is covered in all kinds of things that delight me. And I don’t have a lot of trouble justifying the cost. In my defense, I usually go for inexpensive items. I think the most costly thing was my (fake) tiara. Yes, you read that right. A tiara. And yes, I occasionally wear it. Especially when I need to feel like Queen of the Page. Don’t judge me.

Lately, I’ve found myself in need of some serious inspiration. I recently finished a big project and I always experience a let down after completing a book. (It's like watching your characters go off of their own.) And I haven’t quite got my new project off the ground. I’m in the glorious/awful stage - when things are flowing in your head and you’re excited to get started but that blank first page is still winning the staring contest.

So in the last week, I treated myself to three, new “gifts to the writing gods.” Two were plaques. One says: I’m fairly certain that given a cape and a nice tiara, I could save the world. (Note to self - I just need a cape now.) and the other plaque says: I have flying monkeys and I’m not afraid to use them!

The third thing I bought was a Superman PEZ. He’s very cute, with the Christopher Reeve curl to boot. Given the fact my new project is gonna be extra tough (it tackles a controversial topic), I can definitely use a little Superman hanging around, waiting to swoop me up and fly when I fall.

Here’s my challenge to you: this week treat yourself to inspiration. Look around and find some little thing - it could be anything - that makes you happy or inspires you. And then put it in your work area. Remember, you deserve it. A happy artist is a productive one.

If you feel like it, please come back and tell me about it. I'd love to hear from you!

~Carmella

The College of Countless Hours and Hard Work

2011-08-13T11:03:00.000-07:00

When my son went to his college orientation, a professor stood in front of the small group of kids who who'd been admitted to the Fine Art college and told them they were special. When they questioned whether or not *every* professor told their orientation group the same thing, she reminded them that while all the other students (for the most part) had been admitted to their perspective colleges based on their high school records, kids in the fine arts had spent their whole lives preparing. They’d taken private music lessons since they'd been tiny, they'd pursued outside art and painting classes and spent years building a portfolio, they'd been in countless theater productions and took acting, dancing and voice lessons. In other words, even though they'd arrived in the same place as the other kids on campus, they'd put a lot more work into getting there and that made them special. I think writing is like that, too. We spend many, many years writing and sticking it out when it feels like we'll never end up where we want.

I'd bet none of those select few kids in that orientation room - many with scholarships - would say all their years of hard work were worthless. So why do we often feel as if we’ve failed when we spend a long time working on a book, story or article and it doesn’t sell or land us an agent?

Our work is never worthless. It’s only preparation for the places we’re heading.

Breaking up is hard to do

2011-08-05T07:14:00.000-07:00

After revising my latest novel, I promptly sent it out to an agent who had expressed interest in it. I’ve been interacting with this particular agent at conferences and via email for many years. I thought she might be “The One.” (If there is such a thing.) She’d had some concerns about the direction of my career which is why she’d passed on offering representation last round. But I let her know that I’d made some decisions and hoped she was interested in reading the revisions and discussing my thoughts about my future.

I got a “No and please stop contacting me” within 48 hours. (Okay. She didn’t actually say to stop contacting her - it just felt like that! *grin*)

It was a depressing, l-think-I’ll-go-eat-a-bowl-of-cookie-dough-now experience, sure. But it was also, in a real way, liberating. Kind of like dating someone for a long time, realizing you want more from the relationship but the other person doesn’t. I walked away thinking, “Alrighty then. Well, at least I can cross *that* person’s name off my list!”

But here’s the thing. Several days later, I had lunch with a friend who happens to be one of Agent’s clients. We were talking about the “break up” and she told me she knew the agent had another client who was trying to write both MG and YA and not having much success dividing her energies and nailing both voices. (This was the main reason Agent took a pass on me earlier. She really like the MG book I submitted but not the first 30 pages of my YA book.) So my friend told me she could see why Agent would be reluctant to take on another client that she felt was in the same position.

Who knows? Maybe Agent was right. Perhaps I haven’t quite pulled off the YA voice in my other project. But maybe she let her prejudice and experience with this other writer cloud her judgement when it came to my work.

Either way, it was a good reminder that - sometimes - it's THEM and not you.

Happy writing!

~Carmella

5 Tips for Revising a Novel

2011-07-08T04:32:00.000-07:00

Like a rollercoaster ride, the revision process is full of ups and downs. One moment, it feels like everything is going well. The changes you're making are definitely making the story stronger. Then a few minutes later, doubts creep in. Is what I want to do even working? Have I really addressed the doubts of my critique buddies? Is this new plot direction going to work? What if it ruins what I already have?

Some signs you might want to rethink your revisions:

1. It feels like your character is running on a hamster wheel, going around and around and not getting anywhere. Remember, the tension and conflict should be increasing.

2. The scene you just reworked bears a striking ressemblance to another scene earlier in your novel.

3. You fall asleep while you're writing. Maybe there's a little too much of that description or interior dialogue?

4. A never-before-seen character or object appears in your novel just before the climax to help get your protagonist out of a tricky situation. If your setting isn't Hogwarts, you might be in trouble.

5. After reading your latest chapter, the reader has a clear image of how your main character slurps up ice cream, eating out all the chocolate bits first and licking whipping cream off the spoon, but has no idea how your character got away from the evil monster and ended up in the ice cream shop. Oops! Go get a real sundae and then get back to the keyboard to show those key plot events!

Do you have any great revision tips to help get through the process?

Unreliable Narrators in MG

2011-07-02T08:55:00.000-07:00

We MiGWriters were discussing one of our works in progress, and Car brought up the subject of her main character being an unreliable narrator on one plot point. Would it play for middle grade?

I love unreliable narrators, and I can think of examples where it works in middle grade. Take Diary of a Wimpy Kid. We know Greg isn't a great friend to Rowley, even though Greg is convinced that he is. Middle grade readers see the difference between Greg's actions and his thoughts. For a classic example, in the Secret Garden, Mary's ornery personality is so clear that we know her surroundings aren't nearly as disagreeable as she says they are. The trick is to present both what is really going on and what the character is thinking, and to have some reason why the character sees the world as it isn't. I think if you can pull that off, you can have a successfully unreliable middle grade narrator.

There are two traps you don't want to fall into. If you only present what the character thinks and why they think it, but don't show what's really going on, you have a mystery on your hands, gang. My son has read a lot of the Boxcar Children books, and they all use that basic plot: kids meet mysterious character, have reason to think he's shady, and in the last chapter, all is revealed and they find out the mysterious character is really their long lost cousin.

The second trap is the idiot plot. You present what the character thinks and what is really going on, but you never show why the character has reason to think what he thinks. That leaves the reader scratching his head, wondering how your character can't see the truth. We need to know why Janet thinks Jack is making a pass at Chrissy when he never has before. Since we never find out, and Janet has no reason to think Jack's motives have changed, Three's Company descends to farce or idiot plot.

None of this might be helpful to Car, but I feel good having analyzed that into the ground. In summary, your unreliable narrator works in middle grade if you clearly show 1) what the viewpoint character thinks; 2) why the viewpoint character thinks it; and 3) what is actually happening instead.

I'd love to hear your counterarguments and/or other examples of unreliable narrators in middle grade.

-- Kate

Traditions

2011-06-15T06:15:00.000-07:00

My fellow MiG Andrea Mack is doing a fabulous series over on her blog, That’s Another Story, called the ABC’s of Writing Middle Grade Fiction. (I think she’s up to the letter W). I always come away with plenty to think about and if you haven’t checked it yet, well, what the heck are you waiting for?! (And she's got links, people! Lots of terrific links.)

With apologies to Andrea for borrowing her idea, I’d like to take on the letter T, for tradition.

Traditions are very important to kids. I was reminded of this fact this past weekend when my husband and I took our three kids to Cedar Point amusement park in Sandusky, Ohio. Each year, we take three days to do this trip. And we always try to do it early in June, before the hot weather and heavy tourist crowds move in. My kids look forward to this annual trek and it’s practically the only time my (oh, let’s go with) money conscience husband lets the kids go a bit wild with spending. (“Funnel cake fries? Okay, here's $10. It's chilly. You guys want to buy sweatshirts?") Yes, the trip is expensive. Especially since we love to stay in the park resorts. But it’s worth it. My kids, now all teenagers, talk about the trip, plan for it and always bring back memories of being together. (And Heaven help me and my husband if we suggest we eat at another place for dinner inside the park. Lesson learned.) The trip is part of our family fabric.

Putting in family traditions in your YA or MG is an easy way to spice up a bland manuscript. Traditions can also be a great opportunity to give readers insight into a character or the family they come from. The traditions don’t have to be big. Maybe they’re small, like a family joke or saying.

Here are a few family traditions I came up with that might be good in a YA or MG:

Funny, family rules to traditional game (like getting $500 when you Pass Go or making 4's wild while playing Poker)

An annual trip to a beach or the ice cream shop down the street on the first day of summer

Opening a single gift on Christmas Eve

Adding a “Cha cha cha” verse to the Happy Birthday song or making the birthday boy or girl wear a silly hat all day

Having pizza on Thanksgiving because no one likes turkey

Saying “Applesauce!” after someone sneezes

Your aunt always writing you a check for your birthday for the same amount as your age

Watching a Christmas movie in the middle of July

Waking up at the crack of dawn to go on a donut run in your pjs

Can you think of any of great traditions to add to the list?

~Carmella

Winner of 7 Wonders Book!

2011-06-02T18:10:00.000-07:00

Today we are announcing the winner of the autographed copy of Carmella Van Vleet's latest book, Seven Wonders of the World: Discover Amazing Monuments to Civilization.

The winner is....

brookefav

You should be receiving an email from us soon. Please respond back with your mailing address so you can get your book.

Comic: "The Scream" for writers

2011-05-30T06:35:00.001-07:00

Editors Day in KY

2011-05-12T12:11:00.000-07:00

These days I'm swamped with revisions on my MG, end of the school year stuff (in the next few weeks my kids have three, major school trips) and trying to get my oldest graduated and registered for college. (Excuse me a moment but how is it possible I have a child going to college? I'm too young. I swear!) But I wanted to pass along this information. If anyone is near Kentucky, there's a great editors event coming up June 11th. Check it out

HERE

Happy writing!

~Carmella

Release of Carmella Van Vleet’s Latest Book!

2011-05-01T16:53:00.000-07:00

The MiGs have more great news! We are thrilled to announce that Carmella Van Vleet’s latest book, Seven Wonders of the World: Discover Amazing Monuments to Civilization has been released!

For more information on her amazing books, check out her website here: http://www.carmellavanvleet.com

We know you want to hear all the juicy details on how this book came into creation from Carmella herself. And she has offered to answer the MiGs’ questions as well as give away an autographed copy of her book!

Here’s the blurb:

Seven Wonders of the World: Discover Amazing Monuments to Civilization is an activities book devoted to the seven ancient—and modern—wonders of the world. (For Ages 9 & up)

Andrea: What did you like most about writing your book? And what was the most challenging part of the process?

Car: I love doing research. I would find one cool piece of information and it led me to something else. (I’m easily distracted!) It was the thrill of discovery.

The most challenging part of the process - besides the 2 year wait between submission and publication - was the seemingly endless job of checking facts. When you’re writing a kids’ book, you’ve got a responsibility to get it right.

Christy (eating peppermint patties): If you could visit only one of the monuments in your book, which one would it be?

Car: The Great Pyramid. It looks seriously impressive. In one of my earlier books on ancient Egypt, I included a scale model project of the Great Pyramid. I have my own wooden version that I take to classroom visits and kids are in awe when I tell them it would take one MILLION of my models just to fit on the *base* of the Great Pyramid.

Debbie: How did your Seven Wonders project get started?

Car: I had written numerous books for my publisher (Nomad Press) and they asked if I’d be interested in writing one on the Seven Wonders. I knew about a few of the wonders already because they were in my other books, so I thought the project would be a fun way to expand on that research.

What's next up on your writing plate?

Car: I am taking a break from non-fiction to concentrate on middle grade and young adult. I’ve written two books and just started a third. These days, I’m revising my MG for a couple of agents who are interested in it.

What was one of your favorite moments in researching/writing your Wonders book?

Car: Hmmm. How about I tell you one of my favorite things about the final project? (Besides the cover!) When I was writing this book, I had trouble pronouncing all the names and places. I decided that if I was having trouble then kids would struggle too, so I did something new for me and included pronunciations. I was delighted to see the publisher kept these in.

How did you prepare for writing your book? (e.g. note organization? outlining?)

Car: The very first thing I did was make an outline. It was quite basic: chapter title and craft idea. (The activities often changed, however.) Next, I created a timeline.

I spent about a week-and-a-half working on each chapter. The first part of the week was spent researching. The second part was spent writing. The following week I’d work the accompanying project and start researching for the next chapter and so on. Some chapters, of course, took longer to complete. But I tried hard to keep on schedule so I didn’t get overwhelmed.

Kate: What skill from writing non-fiction do you carry over most into your fiction writing?

Car: This is a really tough question. Writing fiction is a whole new ball game for me. The process is completely different. For instance, I need a lot more time to think through things before I commit words to paper. My timeline has gone out window!

However, I think my ability to remain calm has carried over from non-fiction to fiction. What I mean is this: when you’re starting a new project and you know you have to produce 30,000+ words, it’s very easy to freak out. You start asking yourself things like “Am I crazy?” and “How will I ever get this done?” I got around this before by concentrating on one chapter at a time. I do the same thing now - One. Scene. At. A. Time.

Fun Facts
Any favorite music when you're writing? I love to listen to Brother Iz (Israel Kamakawiwo’ole). He was this amazing Hawaiian singer whose beautiful voice makes me cry.

What kind of chocolate do you prefer: dark or milk? Dark if I’m eating it by itself. Semi-sweet if it’s going in cookies.

What's your typical writing outfit when you work? Since I typically sit cross-legged while at the computer, I usually wear sweats and slippers. I gotta be comfortable to think. (Yes, Mom. I know sitting cross-legged at my desk is not a healthy work position.)

What was the last thing you finished reading? Does the newspaper count? :-) I tend to read in spurts. That’s because when I’m working on my own project, I have trouble reading fiction. I either start borrowing the author’s voice or get swept up and don’t want to work. The last book I read, though, was “Before I Fall” by Lauren Oliver.

Thank you so much Carmella! To enter the contest to win an autographed copy of Seven Wonders of the World: Amazing Monuments to Civilizations, fill out the form below and answer the question in the box provided.

Revising the Ending

2011-04-29T07:14:00.000-07:00

I've been trying to revise the ending of my middle grade novel because I want it to be really amazing. What I had before was okay, but not memorable enough. I'm working on making it stronger and I thought I'd share a couple of the questions I've been asking myself.

What does the reader want to happen? How much of that do I want to show the reader?

I think that part of creating an emotionally satisfying ending is to give the reader a lot of what they want to happen. That doesn't mean I have to do it in a straightforward way. I can throw in some unexpected twists. Since I write MG, I think my readers do want a mostly happy ending. They want the heroine come out as a winner and the bad guys get punished. The main character should mostly get what she wants.

Thinking this way also shows me which scenes will be most important to the reader. Those are the scenes I don't want to sum up in a few lines or rush through. I can create suspense and stretch out those scenes to build up more of an emotional impact.

What is the simplest ending that will work for my story?

I want to wrap up most of the the loose ends so the reader can feel the problems are resolved. Even though I'm throwing in some unexpected twists, I think the book will be strongest if it ends without too much complexity.

After all, if the route to the final scene is too convoluted, the reader will get caught up in following the thought process instead of the emotional experience.

What questions do you ask yourself when you're revising the ending?

Revision

2011-04-27T19:13:00.000-07:00

I visited my daughter’s school this morning to do a workshop on revision. The kid were high schoolers and I think they liked me because I let them play with Play Dough the whole time. I was trying to show them revision is nothing more than playing with what you already have. (The dough was supposed to represent your draft.) If nothing else, maybe they thought I was cool because I wore a shirt that showed off my wrist tattoo. (Please tell me tattoos are still cool!)

Anyway, I brought a few examples of my own writing to share. During the part of the lesson where I talked about revising your “take away” value, I began to read an essay I wrote about Baylee Almon.

“I know Baylee,” I read, “in the way most people know Baylee - through a photo. Baylee Almon was the limp baby with tiny, white socks, who was carried by a firefighter away from the Alfred Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995. She was one year and one day old when she died.”

“Wait,” one of the kids interrupted, “Baylee was real?”

I looked at the teacher and he looked at me. Without any further communication than that, the teacher went to his computer and pulled up the photo along with a photo of the decimated building. The kids - who were all babies when the Oklahoma bombing happened - were shocked and angry and full of questions. So I dropped the lesson on revision and we spent a few mintues talking about the tragedy.

I wasn’t frustrated by the impromptu history lesson. As a former teacher and parent I know the best learning takes place when you least except it and don’t plan for it.

Besides, writing is like that, too. Sometimes you start off one path and wander onto another. And more often than not, that new path is the one you needed to take all along.

~Carmella

Writing- A Way of Life

2011-04-19T02:52:00.000-07:00

I started writing 5 years ago, but when I started, it was more of a hobby than anything serious. I had made a list of the top 100 things I wanted to do before I died (morbid, I know) and writing a novel was on that list. I started checking things off my list (like walking on the Wall of China!) but lurking in the back of my mind was #14- Write a novel.

Easy peasy right? Hardly. It wasn’t easy. And I had NO idea what I was doing. Even today I’ve got to say to anyone who has written a novel “Wow.” Because it is a wow. Just the mere fact of sitting your bottom into the chair and being disciplined enough to be able to write “The End” is huge. Never let someone tell you otherwise.

I go back and read some of the pages from that first book atrocity and cringe.

And smile.

Because that’s where it all started. In the awfulness of that first book it made me the writer I am today. It really is an encouragement to compare my writing then and now. So if you’re ever feeling down, go back and read some of your first pieces of writing. You’re going to feel a whole lot better.

Then there’s the fact that this is only the beginning. Think of how much better I’ll be in another five years. Because it’s a never ending process. Reading, writing, learning, listening.

Steven Malk gave me some fantastic advice at a writing conference. He reminded me to never rush my writing career. Take my time to write my very best because isn’t that what I want the world be to reading?

My very best.

~ Christina

A Story in Pictures

2011-04-15T10:51:00.000-07:00

What I Found on My Porch Today

Why I Came Home From Shopping and Ignored My Groceries

By Carmella

(Yep. That would be me and my new book, Seven Wonders of the World: Discover Amazing Monuments to Civilization (Nomad Press). Love the cover. Love the illustrations. Love days like this!)

Writing and Food

2011-04-12T02:54:00.000-07:00

Just the other day, us MiGs were chatting (via email), and we got talking about food and writing. Okay. I admit it. I eat a LOT when I write. The usual healthy stuff like Twizzlers, peppermint patties, dark chocolate.

And drinks. Coffee, Coke Zero, ice water.

The thing I found is that depending on what I eat, it sets me in a particular mood. Like if I want my characters to be annoying and obnoxious, I just don’t eat chocolate. Maybe nothing at all. Because obviously I’m happy when eating chocolate.

If I eat coffee, I tend to be more methodical.

Twizzlers? Light and carefree.

Peppermint patties? Overdramatic evidently. (That one is for you Andrea!)

Am I crazy? Probably. But what I’m dying to know is if you are as crazy as me and use food for inspiration too. What types of foods do you eat while you write and do they put you in a particular mood?

~Christina

Patience

2011-04-05T14:43:00.000-07:00

I’ve been thinking a lot about patience lately. It’s partly because we’ve been playing the run-to-the-mailbox game for the last few weeks, waiting for college acceptance letters for my oldest son. (Thankfully, all offers have been made and he’s made his decision. But that’s another post.) Another reason “patience” has been on my mind is because my thirteen year old will be taking the first part of her second degree junior black belt test this Saturday.

This test has been a real lesson in patience - for her and for me. She was prepared to test six months ago but then a broken toe and a sudden switch to a new school pushed testing aside. Abbey was very disappointed. Especially since I went ahead and tested for my second degree test without her. (I know. Bad Mom!) She announced that she was giving up taekwondo altogether, claiming she couldn’t wait any longer and that all her hard work was for nothing.

For months, I talked, threatened, bribed, argued and talked some more. But no matter what I said, I couldn’t convince her that waiting six months for the next testing time to come around again was not a big deal. I told her, “April will come no matter what you do. Which would you regret more: showing up for class and training or not testing?” **

Today, after another day of frustration at the keyboard, I realized I need to start taking my own advice.

Months ago, I started a new project. Though I’m very excited about it, writing has been agonizingly S L O W. Like “Yippee, I wrote a decent paragraph today” slow. I’ve found myself wondering if it’ll ever get it done. It’s tempting to just throw in the towel and decide I’m not waiting any longer for an agent to take me on or an editor to make an offer.

But next week, next month and even next year will come regardless if I’m writing or not. So I need to decide - how do I want to spend my time. I may be plodding (or should that be plotting, ha ha) along but progress is progress.

A journey of a thousand pages starts with a single word and - sometimes - moves one paragraph at a time. And that’s okay.

~Carmella

** I’m under no illusion that my advice changed my daughter’s mind about testing. She’s a teenager after all and therefor I know nothing. :-)

Looking Back for Inspiration

2011-04-01T04:15:00.000-07:00

Lately, I've been feeling like the revisions on my current novel are taking forever. Guess what? I checked my notes and discovered I started writing the first draft last March. So, I've actually only been working on this project for a year (plus probably a few months where the idea floated around in my head and on the pages of my notebook).

Wow! That's hardly any time compared to my first novel. It took five years before I reached the feeling that I'd completed it, or didn't know what else to do. I must be learning something.

Sometimes it can be encouraging to step back and look at the bigger picture. I often get caught up in the day-to-day details of writing, which have so many ups and downs. Sometimes a lot of downs. But a little over a year seems pretty reasonable for writing and revising a novel. Now I'm inspired to get my revisions finished!

Here are my goals for April:

1. Finish revisions on Novel #4.

2. Polish Novel #4. The feedback I'm getting from critique buddies suggests it might be ready to start subbing soon.

3. Write a query, pitch sentence and synopsis for Novel #4.

4. Oh yeah. And definitely decide on which title I'm going to use.

How is your writing project coming along? Have you ever found inspiration from looking back at what you've accomplished? What goals do you have for the coming month?

The Winners!

2011-03-28T18:15:00.000-07:00

It's now time to announce our winners of our "Congratulations Debbie Ohi Contest!"

The winner of CHICKEN, PIG, COW by Ruth Ohi is Tracy Mangold!

And the winner of THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS by Katherine Patterson is Bish!

We will be contacting you shortly for your shipping addresses.

Thanks to everyone who came and partied with us. We sure had fun.

Revision is All About Taking Risks

2011-03-25T06:32:00.000-07:00

I don't think of myself as a risk-taker. I don't like roller coasters, I get anxious driving in new situations, and my idea of fun is to curl up under a cozy blanket with a good book. But when I'm revising, taking risks is almost a requirement if I want to make my story stronger.

Here are some of the big risks I've been taking in the last couple of weeks:

Cutting out good writing. It's scary, but sometimes parts of my book where I really loved the writing have to go. It feels like I'm taking a huge chance, not knowing if whatever I replace it with will be better. I can only do it if I comfort myself with the thought that all that good writing is in another version of the file and I can get it back if I need it.

[When I read the improved version, I know those elegantly-worded sections won't ever be coming back. My story doesn't need them.]

Changing the beginning. Messing with the opening paragraph (actually, the whole first chapter) makes me nervous, especially when my crit partners didn't find much wrong with it. Since the first chapter sets the tone for the whole novel, these changes spill over into later chapters, gathering momentum, and I soon find that more and more changes are needed. Aack!

[When I come back and read it later, I realize the changes aren't as big and overwhelming as I thought. My words still capture what I originally envisioned. Sigh of relief.]

Taking out drama. I tend to throw a lot of obstacles at my protagonist, sometimes several in one chapter. I'm learning that too much drama doesn't give the reader a clear emotion to focus on. Cutting out action still worries me. Will the story be exciting enough? Will it hold my reader's attention? Should I risk it? I have to start small, reminding myself that it doesn't hurt to try. I can always put it back the way it was if it doesn't work out. What's few more hours of writing, anyway?

[My 11-year-old decided to re-read the early version of my story this week and commented that a lot of the story events happen "just in time" and it seemed unrealistic. Huh. Maybe there will be some benefit to losing some of the drama.]

It's hard work, but I'm learning to take more risks as a writer. One of the bonuses is that it stretches my mind in entirely new directions. I've stumbled onto a few great ideas which I know will improve the story.

What risks have you taken lately in your writing?

Congratulations Debbie Ohi!!!!

2011-03-11T15:19:00.000-08:00

It’s party time over here at the MiGs and we’re hoping you’ll join us.

The MiGs have some fantastic news!

Our very own Debbie Ridpath Ohi will be illustrating I’M BORED by Michael Ian Black from Simon & Schuster 2012!!!!!

This is a long time in coming for Debbie and well deserved. We know she’s talented and amazing. We’re just glad the rest of the world is finally figuring it out. Here's the full story.

To celebrate Debbie’s success, check out this video we made for her:

Here's Carmella's part that didn't come through on the previous one:

AND with every party, we’re giving away presents to all of Debbie’s fans. We asked Debbie what her favorite picture book was and she said CHICKEN, PIG, COW by Ruth Ohi (Annick Press).

Her favorite middle grade is: THE GREAT GILLY HOPKINS by Katherine Paterson

So that’s what we’re giving away.

(Pause for cheering)

All you have to do is fill in the form and leave a congratulation comment for Debbie by March 26th. If you’re a follower of our blog, you get an extra point!

Writers & Voice (Part 2): Stephen Pressfield & The Fabrication Of Voice

2011-03-10T12:11:00.001-08:00

Previous: Part 1

As I mentioned in my previous post, there often seems to be an aura of mystery around the whole concept of voice in writing. I've heard some say it can't really be defined, that a writer with a middle grade voice can't write YA (and vice versa). That having "a strong voice" is necessary for some genres but not others. That you can't change your voice so therefore it's important to find what your own writing voice IS so you can write the appropriate type of material.

I've been wrestling over how to approaching this series of posts and I've decided that I'm going to start out by looking at how different writers approach voice.

Stephen Pressfield is an American screenplay writer and author of historical fiction. His blog post, The Writer's Voice, was fascinating.

Stephen points out that the writer's voice is fabricated:

"The critical fact to remember is that the writer’s voice is artificial. It’s an act of artifice, crafted by the professional to achieve a specific effect in a work of the imagination. It’s not the “real” writer’s voice and if you try to find your own, you’ll drive yourself crazy. Because “you” don’t really exist. I don’t either, no matter how convincingly anybody tells us that we do or how much we choose to believe it. But that’s a subject for another chapter."

On the role of voice:

"The writer’s voice casts a spell. The right voice makes the work accessible; it gives us the tone and point of view that best illuminate the material and make it shine."

On finding the right voice for your story:

"To me the trick is getting your own ego out of the way. What voice does the material want? Find that. You the writer are not there to impose “your” voice on the material. Your job is to surrender to the material–and allow it to tell you what voice it wants in order to tell itself."

What I got out of this blog post:

According to Stephen Pressfield, a writer should theoretically be able to change his or her voice from one story to another. In fact, the voice SHOULD change and be created to best suit the material:

The writer’s voice (or director’s, choreographer’s, photographer’s, entrepreneur’s) arises from the material itself and acts in service to that material. It can, and often does, change from book to book, dance to dance, album to album, business venture to business venture.

This is encouraging news for someone like me. I've been told that my novels are written with a strong middle grade voice. While this is fine for my middle grade novels, what if I want to write YA? And what about specifics? What's the best way to change voice?

Finding your YA voice

2011-03-09T09:03:00.000-08:00

My senior photo

Along with Debbie, I’ve recently committed myself to learning more about the elusive thing known as “voice.” This began because, like my critique buddy, I’ve been repeatedly told I have a middle grade voice. I take that as a great compliment and embrace it. But (there’s always a “but” isn’t there?) I have an idea for a YA book and would really like to expand my skills and nail the YA voice.

Turns out I’m more in tune with my inner-twelve-year-old. But I’ve been working hard to get in touch and reconnect with my inner-sixteen-year-old. It may not be very scientific, but here are some ways I’ve been trying to do that lately:

Reminisce about my first, high school love. Fortunately, I married the guy so this has been easy for me! I’ve been asking myself: What made me fall in love with him? What kinds of things did we do (including those things we *don’t* tell our three kids about - ha ha)? What did we fight about? What dreams did we have as a couple?

Listen to the music I listened to in high school. It’s amazing how hearing Melloncamp’s “Jack and Diane” or Prince’s “DMSR” takes me right, smack back sixteen.

Watch shows that are popular with today’s teens like Glee, Skins and Teen Mom. These shows may or may not accurately reflect today’s teens true experience, but they’re still good when you’re trying to tap into dialog and possible story lines. (Sixteen and Pregnant and Teen Mom - guilty pleasures of mine since season one - especially remind me how girls that age think and how they tend to romanticize relationships.)

Pay closer attention to my older teenagers. Yes, they’re boys but they have girl friends and girlfriends. I eavesdrop when I can on their conversations and ask about who’s posting what on Facebook etc. And I’m trying to remember what it was like to learn to drive and decide on a college - things very much on their minds these days.

Keep in touch with high school friends. Awhile ago, a former classmate found me via Facebook. So now I can keep in touch with her as well as other classmates.

Going to my class reunion site. Though I didn’t attend the last class reunion, there are lots of pictures and seeing those familiar faces can help bring back memories. If I still had them, I’d also go through my old yearbooks, too. (Speaking of class reunions - there is no freaking way *I* should be having a 25 year reunion! I'm too young. Ack!)

Any other ideas for reconnecting with your inner teenager you’d like to share?

~Carmella

Writers and Voice: Part 1 in a Series

2011-02-24T08:27:00.001-08:00

I've been told that I have a "middle grade voice" in my novels and I used to be okay with that. Now, however, I want to find out more.

As I start to explore writing different types of books and pushing my personal creative envelope, I've become a lot more interested in the whole concept of voice. It's a common term in the publishing industry. Editors and agents are always looking for new voices, a strong voice, a unique voice. "WONDERFUL voice in her book!" a review will declare...but what do they actually mean?

I've come across many different definitions of voice. Some editors say it's hard to define a great voice, but they recognize one when they see it. Others say it includes word choice, sentence and story structure, and even the way you use punctuation.

Anyway, I'm going to be doing some in-depth research about voice as it applies to one's writing, and sharing what I learn. In this series of weekly blog posts, I'm going to be answering the following questions:

What IS voice, exactly?

How important is voice, compared to other factors in your writing?

How can you figure out what voice YOU have? How can you develop your voice?

Can a writer have more than one type of voice? Can a middle grade writer develop a YA voice and vice versa? How?

Stay tuned for more. Plus check out the comic I recently posted about voice on Writer Unboxed.

--- Debbie

INKYGIRL: An Illustrated Guide For Writers

What success looks like

2011-02-14T08:57:00.001-08:00

Last year, I wrote about how my oldest son went to a music event and played three performances - and how one of them didn’t go as expected. Matt played a bassoon solo, a piano solo and in a clarinet ensemble. The piano solo was what kids today would call a Fail. When it was all said and done, though, Matt brushed himself off and told me that he wanted to play a French horn solo the following year. (You can find the full article Here.)

And guess what Matt did this past weekend.

Yep. I’m proud to to say he went back to the event and played the French horn. Not only that, but he walked away with a “Superior” rating.

He received “Superior” ratings on his bassoon solo and for his clarinet ensemble, too. But I think the French horn rating was the one he felt most proud of. And why shouldn’t he? Until this year, he’d never even picked up a French horn. But he’d decided on a goal, made a plan and worked steadily toward his goal.

The kid has some amazing natural talent. (Trust me, he didn’t get it from me!) But he also worked very hard. First, he had to learn how to blow on a brass instrument so he played mellophone during marching season. Next, he had to borrow a French horn from school so he had one to practice at home. Finally, he had to *practice.* A LOT. In other words, his success wasn’t a crazy, random happenstance. And I think there’s a lot we can learn from him.

What does success look like?

Like this:

1. Decide what you want to accomplish. Make it concrete and something measurable.

(What writing goal do you want to meet? Finish a draft in six months? Find a critique group? Submit to at least six agents?)

2. Decide what steps you need to take to reach that goal.

(Give up an hour of sleep to have more writing time. Search online or ask at your local SCBWI meeting for critique group openings. Research agents who handle your genre.)

3. Show up and do the work.

(Read, attend conferences, check out writers’ sites and so forth and then - put your butt in the chair and write. There’s just no way around it.)

So. What do you want to accomplish next?

~Carmella

Investing in Your Writing

2011-02-11T06:32:00.000-08:00

I’ve been thinking lately about what I mean when I call myself a writer. It’s not just about writing stuff when I get a chance. It’s about making an investment in myself, knowing that I'll be improving my writing. What kind of investment do I mean?

1. Making the time. Can you truly call yourself a writer if you don’t spend much time writing? It’s hard, but setting aside that time is about you telling yourself your writing is important. Slug through the hard parts and finish your project. Set aside some time to actually write.

2. Learning about the craft. They say you can improve your writing just by doing it. (Isn’t that cool? But see point #1.) Even more improvement can come by reading the work of other writers to see how they do things. And by finding out your weak points and learning more about them (now you know why I’ve been visiting The Plot Whisperer).

3. Going to Conferences. Okay, they are expensive and not for everyone (I haven’t been to one yet). It’s hard to ignore the benefits though. So much happens there that can’t be captured in a buddy’s blog post... all the great, inspiring stuff. And I keep hearing about people that get great agent and editor contacts, too.

4. Sending out queries. I have to admit I haven’t been so great about doing this. I’ll send out a few, then get some rejections. So I assume something is wrong with my novel and set it aside (because by then I’m already working on another one). Those queries aren’t always just about trying to get published. They are about you saying you are taking steps to reach your goal. No one will ever see your book if you don’t let them know it exists, right?

Investing in your writing is a way to say you believe in yourself.

How do you invest in your writing?

Pay it Forward

2011-02-04T12:58:00.000-08:00

Blogger extraordinaire Shelli Johannes over at “Market My Words” is holding a great contest this week. It’s all about paying it forward and thanking those who have helped you along your way. Though I’m late to the game, I’d love to play along.

There are many, many writers who have helped me in my writing career. I can’t possibly name them all, but I’d like to publicly thank one today: children’s author Tracey E. Dils.

I met Tracey when her daughter was in my writing class at a community program. I was only beginning to *think* about possibly, maybe, kind of sort of dreaming of becoming a children’s author at the time. Tracey was the only “real life” author I’d met and, frankly, I was star struck.

Out of sheer ignorance about how things typically worked, I called Tracey up out of the blue one day (using the personal contact info I’d received for my students - ugh!) and asked her if I could pick her brain about the publishing industry. Tracey then spent an hour patiently answering all my dumb questions - questions that I could have found out myself if I’d bothered to do just a little bit of research. She was very encouraging and didn’t once give me the impression that I was bothering her.

Over the years as I’ve never forgotten Tracey’s grace and generosity. And I always try to remember the kind way she treated me when I was just a wannabe. Now, that I'm a "real life" writer myself, I try to pay Tracey’s kindness forward when someone asks me about how to break into publishing.

Tracey - if you ever read this - sorry this is so long overdue - THANKS!

~Carmella

PS. You can check out Tracey's great book. "You Can Write Children's Books," here.

Getting Out of the Zero-Word Zone

2011-01-21T17:12:00.000-08:00

January is often a month when you vow to change your life or reach toward a new goal. How’s that going for you? I’m finding it hard to buckle down and get writing. I’ve just finished revisions on one book, and, while I’m collecting critiques on that one, I’m toying with moving on to another. But I haven’t. I even have a good plan in mind. So what’s stopping me?

I’m getting pretty good at thinking up excuses. First it was the report cards I had to write for my day job. Then there was the new blog feature I started (ABC’s of Writing for Middle Graders over at That's Another Story). And a family weekend we took. Catching up after the family weekend. Critiques I owe. And then…well, you know how it is. Excuses are easy to dream up. What’s not easy, it seems is getting back to a regular writing routine.

What’s your best excuse for not writing? 'Cause I’m getting tapped out. I guess tomorrow I’ll actually have to do it. Just pick a place and start. Even a few words is better than zero.

-- Andrea

Check out this funny video

2011-01-09T14:08:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year!

All of us at MiG Writers have been very busy. We promise to get back to our regular blogging posts soon. In the mean time, check out this funny and very clever video children's author Dee Garretson made. Make sure you check out her awesome books too, Wildfire Run (available now) and Wolf Storm (due out this fall).

http://deegarretson.wordpress.com/a-writers-day-video/

~Carmella

Highlights Fiction Contest

2010-12-12T11:20:00.000-08:00

Attention middle grade writers: it's time for the annual Highlights Fiction Contest! This year's theme is fiction involving an embarrassing moment. The deadline to submit is January 31.

If you don't write a lot of short stories, such as those of us always mired in novels, this is a great chance to practice story lines and emotional arcs in 750 words or less. You will learn to get to the point and stick to that emotional arc. Plus short stories take so much less time to write than novels that it will hardly bother you at all when your critiquers tell you to rewrite it.

Every year around this time, I write and submit a story. I've never made a sale or won an honorable mention, but I do get something out of the contest: finished, polished stories!

Here's the link: http://www.highlights.com/highlights-fiction-contest

-- Kate

Promise

2010-12-08T10:13:00.001-08:00

I’ve always heard you’re supposed to tell everyone when you go on a diet because going public holds you more accountable.

Well, I’m not going on a diet but I am jumping into the deep end, and you’re the first to know.

After a couple of months struggling to find my footing with a middle grade project, I had a revelation: I didn’t like it. It wasn’t a book I’d pick up to read. The fact my wonderful critique group was also finding it hard to connect with the MC only validated my suspicions.

So what’s a writer to do when things aren’t working? Throw it out and do something else. And that’s what I’ve been doing. I even went out and bought a new journal even though I’d only used a dozen or so pages of my last one. This one is a wonderful, soft leather and sometimes I pick up and smell it and then hug it to my chest. My kids think I’ve lost my marbles. But really I’ve just found them.

This new project is a different genre (YA) and WAY too ambitious for someone who’s been writing fiction for a mere two years. But that’s what makes it exciting - there’s no way I can succeed so - on the flip side - there’s no way I can fail!

I’m having fun writing again. I wake up and go to sleep thinking about my book, which at least in my head, is fully formed and just waiting for me to commit it to page.

Promise.

Don’t you just love that feeling?

Passion

2010-11-29T08:10:00.000-08:00

My oldest is a senior this year, which means we are knee-deep in (dum dum dum!) college application season. Because my son is applying to some programs that require essays above and beyond the basic Common App essay, I’ve been getting loads of critique practice. I’ve also been getting loads of eye rolls and looks that scream, “Mom doesn’t know what she’s talking about even though she’s been a professional writer for 12 years,” too. But I digress.

One essay in particular was a challenge for him. It was for a college that has a unique degree that combines my son’s two passions: science and music. He *really* wants to attend this college but his first draft was, frankly, dull. (And this is from his mother!) There was no sparkle, no life. No HIM.

So I handed it back to him and told him to start over.

I encouraged him to think about the moment when he really and truly realized he loved physics and wanted to spend his life learning about the universe and everything in it. And how he’d fallen in love with music the moment he laid his fingers on the keys of a piano and then later fell in love with the bassoon. I told him to write from the heart and not to put down what he thought the admission folks would want to hear.

The result was the terrific essay that really shines, full of terrific metaphors and lively descriptions and deep insight. And, more importantly, it carries my son’s passionate voice. There’s no way the admissions committee will turn him down - of course, I’m a wee bit prejudiced!

I think this is an important lesson for all of us. As writers, we sometimes write what we think publishers or readers want. That work may be okay but we’ll always fall flat if we don’t pour ourselves into our writing. Our work needs passion. Our passion. So we’d better pick ideas we genuinely love. If we don’t love what we’re writing, the reader will know.

And there’ll always be some editor or agent handing our work back and telling us, “Start over.”

Puzzle Pieces

2010-11-17T05:37:00.000-08:00

I tested for my 2nd degree black belt in taekwondo this past weekend. At the graduation, my instructor told the class that having a black belt was like having a 300 piece puzzle dumped out on a table. He said something like, “You have all these skills and now you have to figure out how they fit together.”

I’ve been feeling this way about my current novel. (If you can call it that; I’m only five, lousy pages into it. Sigh.) I have all these ideas and scenes and bits of research and thoughts scattered on the figurative table in front of me. And the challenge is putting them all together when I’m not even sure how the final picture should look.

I don’t know about you, but I’m terrible at jigsaw puzzles. I just don’t have the patience. But I guess I’ll just what I usually do - find those edge pieces first.

Any other tips for putting those novel pieces together?

~Carmella

How to Handle Rejection

2010-11-12T04:39:00.000-08:00

I try not to let it get me down, but sometimes it does. Even though I've been pretending ever since I sent out my query letters that it doesn't matter so much. I can always write another novel (yeah, in another four years). Here are some thoughts about how to ease the sting of a rejection:

1. Do something creative with the rejection letters, like give them to your new puppy and see what he thinks about it.

2. Read blogs about rejection written by other writers. It helps to know there are others out there feeling the same way.

3. Twizzlers. Chocolate. Whatever. Treat yourself to something delicious.

4. Send out more queries. One letter is just one person's opinion.

Actually, the thing that works best for me is to immerse myself in a new and even better writing project. I'll go back and fix up the rejected one someday, but the more writing I do, the more my writing will improve (especially with my awesome critique buddies to give me feedback). The next book I write could be The One.

What's your best tip for dealing with rejections?

-- Andrea

Creating Believable Motivation for Middle Grade Characters

2010-11-05T07:11:00.000-07:00

Motivation. If you don’t have it, you’re not getting anything done. And if your character doesn’t have it, your story isn’t going anywhere. One of the difficulties I have in writing middle grade fiction is in getting the right motivation for my characters.

A character’s motivation has to be believable. For middle grade, that means you need to know what 9- to 12-year-olds want or what’s important to them. There are lots of writing books that give you advice on how to do that. But I think you also need to know two more things:

1) what middle graders think they can do

2) what they are able to do

These often don’t match up, which is a good thing, because it can create conflict in your story. But if either of them is too unrealistic, you run the risk of setting up a situation that won’t be believable for your readers.

I’ve noticed that sometimes middle graders seem to have a kind of naïve confidence, where they are sure something will be a piece of cake and then find out it’s not. Like when they’ve seen an adult do something lots of times, then try it themselves, and realize it’s a lot harder than they thought. Do they give up? Or do they try harder? There’s some motivation and conflict.

On the other hand, sometimes adults or older siblings underestimate what kids can do. For example, my 11-year-old shows much more initiative and independence when her older sister isn’t around. To a point. There are things she wouldn’t be able to do and knows it. But there are other things she’ll try because she thinks she can. There’s a lot of “trying it out to see what happens” with middle graders.

As an adult writing for children, it’s hard to shut out the perspective of "knowing myself" that comes from having so many more life experiences. But I think it’s important to try. To get the motivation right, I’m going to delve into the minds of my characters and work on what they think they are able to do, then show whether they can as the story develops.

-- Andrea

Sitting in idle

2010-11-03T07:14:00.000-07:00

If you read this blog regularly you know that, last week, I was contemplating a puppy. Big surprise. My resolve to remain a one-pet household didn’t last long. (Yeah. Like two minutes after I posted my last blog entry!) The little guy’s name is Jack.

As you can see from the photo, my older dog hasn’t quite figured him out yet. Bodie wants to play and Jack is still too freaked out by Bodie’s size to join in. I thinking starting a new book is like that. We want to play - it looks like so much fun - but it also seems too huge to tackle.

I’m really struggling with this anxiety these days. I finished my second book over a month ago and though I’ve settled on my next book idea, I haven’t been able to get much actually written. I always seem to go through a “How do I do this again?” phrase when I start a big project. But for whatever reason, my writing mojo is still stalled. I need a jump start.

How do you handle it when you’re sitting in idle?

~Carmella

I Will Finish!

2010-11-02T03:22:00.001-07:00

We MiGs have been big on sharing our goals with each other over the years. Debbie keeps up a special page dedicated for our monthly goals and year goals. It's been a great way to keep ourselves accountable and cheer each other on.

There's something about putting your goals down, not only on paper, but out there on the web. Suddenly I feel as if I've got an even bigger group of people to keep me accountable than just myself.

And since this is NaNo Writing Month, it seems fitting to share my goals with you guys. I had grand plans to start writing my next book (so excited about it, too!), but I've decided to put that on hold until January.

This month, I'm doing another big revision of GILDED, my novel set in Korea. I'm cutting out characters, adding deeper levels to the existing ones and amping up the romance. It won't be a full rewrite like I at first thought I needed, but there will be many chapters that will have a whole new look and new twist.

It's a big job. And I'm going to finish it this month!

Will you keep me accountable? You better!

How about you? Are you doing NaNo? Any tough goals that you are hoping to finish?

~ Christina

Because Interesting People Are Interested

2010-10-29T21:36:00.000-07:00

Growing up, when I whined to my mother that I was bored, she used to tell me, "Boring people are bored and interesting people are interested." (And then she told me to go clean my room, of course.)

Actually, by the time I was 15, I understood this zen-like advice. I am cursed with a common writer's curse: I'm interested in everything. My mother, an artist, probably suffered the same way.

Being interested in everything causes me no end of problems. I should write about hawks! Aren't they fascinating? But first I should try glass blowing. I wish I knew more about electricity. I use it every day, and in 1787, Ben Franklin knew more about it than I do. We share a birthday. I should totally research him more. Oh, volunteer at my daughter's school for the Odyssey of the Mind project? Sign me up! It sounds so INTERESTING. Just like everything else.

So the crux of the problem of being interested in everything is to figure out how to stop myself from overcommitting to learning everything, volunteering for everything, and researching everything. It is finding the tipping point where a balanced life turns into a scattered life.

Does anyone have any tips on stopping themselves from exploring every interesting subject? I'd hate to cultivate boredom, but I'm running out of options and boredom is starting to sound heavenly.

-- Kate

Keeping readers' attention

2010-10-27T05:43:00.000-07:00

Unlike my husband, who reads every night, I tend to read in spurts. I’ll read like crazy and then go months without a book. (In my defense, I find it hard to read when I’m elbows deep in my own writing project.) I have a good-sized “To Read” pile. And last a couple of weeks ago, I picked up the next paperback in line.

I tried. Really, I did. But I’m about half way through and have decided to stop reading. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve given up on a book midway. I like to finish what I start but the older I get, the less patience I have for books that aren’t keeping my attention.

Here are some of the reasons I’ll stop reading a book:

Not relating to the MC (This was the reason this time around.)

Too challenging (I like to be challenged but I hate needing a dictionary to get through a book!)

I don’t really care about the MC’s problem (It seems lame or too far-fetched.)

Plot is plodding along (I find myself skimming to “get to the good parts.”)

The writing is showing - if I’m thinking “Man, that needed some more editing” then I’m not caught up in the actual story.

I think all of this is useful information as I settle down to write my own stories. I don’t always get it right, but if I’m writing to please the READER inside myself then I can’t go wrong.

What about you? What makes you give up on a book?

~Carmella

Puppies and MC's

2010-10-20T05:32:00.000-07:00

My husband and I are talking about getting another dog. We’ve always had two dogs but when we had to put down our beloved Daisy last March, we decided we’d be a one pet family for a few years. And - as the person who is home all day - I’ve enjoyed having less barking to deal with, less animal hair on the floor and less whining to go out. As a nice bonus, our current dog seems happier and calmer as a single.

We weren’t even *thinking* about another puppy. I’d been in plenty of pet stores, looked at all those cute, little creatures and walked right out without any regrets. But then a friend of a friend’s dog had a litter. There is one puppy left. He’s a black and white Border Collie and Lab mix. (We love Labs.) He’s free and ready to go and my friend has offered to bring him home when she travels in the next two weeks. It seems that, once again, a puppy “found us” instead of the other way around.

I haven’t even officially agreed to take him, but I’ve given him a name. Right now, I’m having mixed emotions. I’m excited by the idea but also wondering what the heck I’m thinking. Puppies are cute and all, but they also pee and poop everywhere and chew things and whine and need food, a crate, and lots and lots of attention. On the other hand, a puppy would be such a thrill for my daughter - a kid who has had to deal with a lot lately.

Change is challenging. Even when it’s good. I’m not really the adventurous type. I see change coming and dig my heels in. Maybe this is why the new book I’m working on has a main character reacting the same way to the changes going on in her life. I can relate!

I haven’t worked out my full outline yet but I know my MC will eventually learn change is inevitable. One of the themes is that life keeps marching on no matter how much you will it not to.

Hmmm.

Do you suppose this means I’m getting a puppy? :-)

~Carmella

Birthdays and Character Development

2010-10-15T03:50:00.000-07:00

Since it’s my birthday today, I’ve been thinking about the significance of birthdays in books and children's lives.

In my kindergarten classroom, birthdays are huge. They are a source of power, e.g. “I’m not going to invite you to my birthday”, and conflict, e.g. “I don’t want to come if there’s a clown.” The child who has a birthday loves to feel the attention that’s showered on them on their special day, not to mention the cake and presents.

As kids get older, they develop some birthday savvy. They might invite kids they barely play with to their parties to get more presents. Or they might bargain for not having a party if they can have a bigger gift. With teens, I’ve noticed that a birthday “party” could be as apparently ordinary as a shopping trip to the mall.

I’ve never thought much about my character’s birthdays, but given how important they are to kids, I should. In fact, the day a child is born turns out to be pretty important in my latest novel because that’s the day a decision is made about where a character is going to grow up.

Have you ever given your character a birthday party? How important are birthdays in your characters' lives?

-- Andrea

Antsy

2010-10-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

I can always tell when it’s time for me to get a haircut - I start wearing headbands. And I can always tell when it’s time to start my next project or start reading a new book because I feel antsy. The problem is, my brain spins like a roulette wheel and it never seems to land on any particular space.

I have a stack of To Read books and I chose each one because it appealed to me for a different reason. What am I in the mood for? I don’t know. Which book might help inspire me to write my next book? I don’t know.

I have several ideas and characters running around my brain. Which story do I know enough about to start writing? Which character is calling me the loudest? Which one is most marketable?

I don’t know.

All I know is that, most of the time, it’s not the book or idea that’s important. What’s important is that you only keep moving. Pick something - anything - and see how it goes. A step in any direction is still better than standing still.

So, today I will open my journal, write a title and see where it takes me. I just have to do one thing first - set up an appointment to get my hair cut!

~Carmella

Baby Steps

2010-10-04T18:01:00.000-07:00

I’m sitting down tonight plotting my next novel. There’s something exciting about starting a new project. Yet at the same time, writing a book seems like an overwhelming task at first, too! Not only do I know I have to write a compelling story, realistic characters, and something that hasn’t been done before, but I also have to convince an editor to buy it. And then once it’s bought, convince my readers to read it!

Okay, so thinking about all of that totally stresses me out. So for me I have to take baby steps.

Phase I- Plotting and Character Sketches

1. Brainstorm like crazy

2. Submit my ideas to my critique group and gain their input (I heart my critique buddies!)

3. Brainstorm again

4. Begin plotting and create character sketches

5. Share my plot with my critique buddies and adjust as needed

Phase II- Fast Draft

1. Plug in my iPod and fast draft- write as fast as I can so I can stay in the groove of my story

2. Stay within my weekly word count goal

3. Eat lots of dark chocolate and drink gallons of coffee

4. Write, write, WRITE!!!!!

5. CELEBRATE when I finish the first draft!

Phase III- Find the Problems

1. Work on plot holes

2. Analyze character motivations and inner conflicts

3. Slice and dice- cut anything not needed

Phrase IV- Share

1. Submit to my critique buddies

2. Make changes according to feedback (note: this phase is often the hardest)

Phase V- Make it Beautiful

1. Polishing- fix grammar, spelling and more surface issues

2. Formatting the manuscript

Phase VI- Out into the World

1. Write my query, cover letters, and the synopsis

2. Get more feedback from critique group

3. Create a list of potential agents or editors

4. Send out and eat more chocolate

Okay so now I’m stressed out again thinking of this HUGE process and I didn’t even go into all of the details. So I’ll just focus on Phase I right now and worry about Phase VI when I get there.

How about you? What keeps you from getting overwhelmed by the enormity of the work it takes to write a book?

~Christina

Hey, it's Time Management-A-Palooza!

2010-10-02T17:08:00.000-07:00

With their previous posts, Andrea and Debbie and their commenters have inspired me to think more about time management. I have a full time job, two kids, and a major home renovation in progress. My company asks me to work overtime almost every day. In addition to writing, I like to sew, read, and play computer games. Since I don't have publisher's deadlines (right now!), it's very easy to let other priorities come first.

Like Debbie, I don't watch much TV. Like Andrea, I bring a book everywhere. One thing I do that I find crucial is that I read out loud to my kids every night. One is 11 and the other is 7. My 11-year-old and I just finished reading Rules by Cynthia Lord. So inspiring! Often when I read to my kids, I think that I can't wait to write something myself. Also, I go to the library every other Monday evening and browse the new arrival shelves in all age groups to keep up with the industry.

I use downtime at work whenever possible. Mandatory meetings that I know don't really apply to me? Those are opportunities to sketch out a synopsis or hook. I take breaks from my office to walk around the block and think about writing. If I get a good idea at work, I write it down. I keep index cards in my purse in case an idea occurs during the commute. While I'm driving to and from work, I listen to music that I've selected that reminds me of my story worlds.

MigWriters is a huge inspiration to me. They really care if I make a breakthrough! In addition, they give me deadlines. When it's tempting to slack off, I can look at our critique schedule and realize that if I get back to writing, I can submit something on time.

But I also find it invaluable to meet with local writers. These meetups don't have to be businesslike, but it is nice to keep me focused. This is what I do. I take time out to meet with other writers because I am one of their tribe.

I have also learned to accept that I do so many things because I don't have the world's longest attention span. Some days, I open up a Word document, write for 15 minutes, get up and do laundry, write for ten minutes, get up and make pasta salad, etc. This actually works for me. I think I get my best "what happens next" ideas while folding laundry and washing dishes ... although I often have more choppiness to resolve on revision than I would like.

Wow, just reviewing these ideas makes me want to open up a Word document right now! I can write for ten minutes before I get distracted!

-- Kate

Making the Most What (Little) Time You've Got

2010-09-24T04:24:00.000-07:00

My mind is on time management today, thanks to Debbie’s awesome post about how she manages to juggle her many projects. I have lots to juggle too, but it’s mostly my busy life -- two kids and their many activities, a part-time job, a dog , a husband and cable T.V. Possibly that’s why my writing progress often seems so slow [see my blog post here].

For me, writing gets about two hours a day, between getting ready for work and driving my kids places. Sometimes I get some “bonus time” on weekends or when everyone is watching a show I don’t like (but by the evening, I’m pretty tired so slumping down in front of the T.V. often wins out). I feel lucky to have my two hours, because I know that if I worked full-time, that would disappear. Even so, two hours can speed by pretty fast. Here’s how I make the most of it:

1. I actually use the two hours for writing. I do blog and read writing-related blogs, but I do it at another time (usually in the morning before the kids are up – I’m up at 6 a.m.; 5 a.m. if my husband is rowing). Same with critiques. I try to fit them in at other times, or maybe once a week. I try not to answer the phone. Otherwise, my whole writing time would disappear.

2. I try to write every day. This helps me stay connected to my story. Otherwise, I’d spend most of my writing time getting back into it.

3. I work on only one of my own writing projects at a time. I’d love to be developing some of the great ideas I have for my next novel, but I find that I’m mentally spread too thin if I think about more than one project at a time. I’d never finish anything. I also do a few educational writing projects, and sometimes I have to put my own writing aside to work on them.

4. I write everything down. I use a notebook to record thoughts about my writing. If I didn’t, they’d disappear. I’m also a list maker. I keep a list of what I need to do for my job, a list of what I need to do at home, a list of ideas for blog posts….Can’t you just picture my desk?

5. I read in every spare moment. There aren’t many of those, but if I’m eating lunch at home by myself, I read. If I have to wait for the kids to finish an activity, I bring a book. Before I go to sleep, more reading.

-- Andrea

Time management, creative productivity and multitasking

2010-09-23T08:29:00.000-07:00

I've had a growing number of people ask me how I manage all the projects that I do. I don't really consider myself that much more productive than others out there, really, especially those of you with young children. I'm always in awe of how you parents manage to juggle both parenthood AND family life.

For the focus of this post, however, I'm going to talk about time management outside of any parenting and family issues. Right now, I have about six book projects on the go, in various stages. One has a contract, two are being looked at by publishers (I'm in discussions with one publisher), one is with my agent and about to be sent out to a publisher, one is a graphic novel collab with Beckett Gladney, and one is an illustrated middle grade novel that I'm working on now.

Plus I have various blog projects and social networking that I try to do on a daily basis. How do I find time for all this? I don't believe that my time management tips will help everyone since each person's situation is different, but here are some of the things I do and don't do:

- We don't have cable tv. As in ZERO channels available on our television set. When my husband and I want to watch something, we buy (on iTunes) or borrow. This helps avoid the "let's channel-surf to see if there's anything on" time vampire situation, or having the television be distracting audio background wallpaper. Yes, I know I end up missing some good tv but for me, the sacrifice is worth it.

- I get up at around 6:30 a.m. every morning. I've always been a morning person, and I very rarely set my alarm -- I just get up at 6:30 a.m. (often earlier) because that's my natural wake-up time. I'd love to say that I write all morning without checking my e-mail or browsing the Web, but I'd be lying. I did try that for a while, but fell off the wagon after only a few days. Part of this is because I write a daily publishing industry news column for Writersmarket.com, so like to browse publishing industry news sites first thing in the morning so I get the most relevant news before writing my column. I usually work until around 4 or 5 pm each day, with several breaks throughout the day.

- I go for a walk every day. I used to run, but knee problems forced me to go for brisk walks instead. Not only is this a way for me to get some exercise, but I find that getting outside is a great way to clear my head. Of course, my brain often isn't able to block out work-related stuff...but that's okay. I find that I come up with my best writing ideas while on these walks (I use the Voice Record on my iPhone). This is also the time when knotty writing problems work themselves out. I am positive that this daily walk saves me many hours of wasted time sitting in front of my computer, frustrated and being unproductive. Sometimes being -away- being computer can make you a better writer.

- Get an accountability partner. I met Rilla Jaggia at the SCBWI Summer Conference in 2009, while we were both waiting in line to get our books autographed by an author. I don't remember which author, but I DO remember that conversation. We talked about our projects and motivation, and agreed to check in with each other once a month by e-mail to share our goals for the upcoming month as well as an honest update about whether we met the previous month's goals.

- Find a support network of writers. It's important, I think, that this group be small enough that you're able to keep up-to-date with what the others are doing and feel like the others CARE about your progress. It's one thing to be part of a group but another to feel like an important member. I feel very lucky to be part of the MiG Writers: not only do the six of us critique each other's work, but we also encourage each other on a regular basis. I meet once a month in person with the Toronto Middle Grade and YA Author Group. And I've just recently become involved with the SCBWI Illustrator Mentees Group, where we share info about our illustration projects.

- Get inspired. I know this sounds all touchy-feely but I've found this is such an important factor in my productivity level. The more inspired I am about my work, the more productive I am. Deadlines are a source of inspiration, of course, but I'm talking about sources of inspiration for projects which don't yet have deadlines. Where I find inspiration, in addition to the sources mentioned above: reading books by authors I admire, writers' conferences like ones hosted by the SCBWI, reading inspirational posts about the craft of writing, reading about how hard other writers are working.

In the end, I believe that it's not so much about how much time you have, but how you use that time. I know some parents (my sister is one of them) who have become experts at taking a smaller amount of time than many full-time writers/illustrators and managing to squeeze SOOOOO much more out of that time. They don't have the luxury of being able to ease slowly into productive mode, or needing to have the ideal conditions or inspiration to work. In terms of time management tips, I consider myself an amateur in comparison to these super-productive creative parents who manage to be productive AND still make quality time with their spouses and children.

What about the rest of you? Any time management tips to share?

Getting schooled

2010-09-22T07:43:00.000-07:00

My daughter just started a new school. While she’s excited about the change, it’s been challenging. New building. New teachers. New classes. New kids. It’s mentally and emotionally draining for her. But all change - even the good stuff - can be stressful. I try to remember that myself these days.

For ten years, I wrote non-fiction. I loved doing it and enjoyed a fair amount of success. But two year ago, for a variety of reasons, I switched to fiction. Some days, it feels all new to me. New format. New audiences. New rules. New writing process. I have to constantly remind myself to cut myself some slack. There’s going to be learning curve and it’s just going to take time to find my confidence and develop my skill.

But stepping out of our comfort zone is always a good thing. It stretches us creatively. And as the saying goes, “You can’t cross the sea by merely staring at the water.”

What new things are you trying these days?

~Carmella

Book Bliss

2010-09-14T02:59:00.000-07:00

Last weekend I went to the beach with my family and of course I took a stack of books to read. One of the books was Mockingjay by Suzanne Collins. If you are a Hunger Game fan then you know instantly that I had a great beach read. Collins knows how to weave a story. I can close my eyes right now and remember lounging in my beach chair, listening to the waves, reading a fantastic story. Yes, that is what I call Book Bliss.

So this got me thinking. What pulled me so much into this book? What drew me to the pages and sucked me into Katniss’ world?

Well, you can’t deny Collins incredible world building. I had to know how this world ticked and what were the secrets of District 13 and the Capital. Then there’s the action, adventure, romance, intrigue. Yep, it’s all there.

But the biggest draw for me was the not knowing. The desire to find out if Katniss and her friends would survive.

So what characteristics in a book give you Book Bliss?

~ Christina

The Scrutiny of the Teenaged Critic

2010-09-10T07:23:00.000-07:00

My writing has grown up with my children. When they were little, they loved my picture books, which often featured them as main characters. It was fun to see them so excited about my writing. Then came the early readers, centred around their interests. They weren’t as concerned about being the stars of the stories, but they did begin to voice their opinions, telling me what they liked and didn’t like. Now that I’m writing middle grade novels, they’ve become teenagers, and my most valuable –and harshest—critics. They tell me:

- when they don’t connect with a character

- when the dialogue doesn’t work or isn’t what a kid would say

- when I need to fix a huge plot hole that’s implausible to them

- when they don’t understand the logic or what is happening in the story

These kinds of comments are all a great help. In fact, my latest manuscript is filled with pencilled in comments. Giant question marks. Underlining with notes that say “This sentence is awkward” or “This character’s a girl?” or “Not presented in the right POV.” They’ve become so picky, I’m beginning to think I liked it better when they were five and just said they liked it. Where did they learn all this stuff? Possibly I’ve raised two future editors. Of course, it’s not quite as helpful when they tell me:

- they don’t like a character’s name because it reminds them of someone they don’t like

- in a slightly sarcastic tone, “Since when?” or “I don’t think so.”

- "This whole story would never happen this way, you know" (trying to be kind)

- to hurry up and finish writing because they want to use the computer

As teenagers, they are begging me to write YA. I shudder to think what they’d say if I did. But I think I’ve found my niche. I am so over writing to please them, I’m sticking with middle grade. (Though I’m hoping that they will at least finish reading the book without throwing it down and saying “When are you going to write something normal?”)

-- Andrea

Birthdays and bike helmets

2010-09-08T08:50:00.000-07:00

Today is my son’s 16th birthday. The homemade chocolate cake he requested is baking in the oven at this moment. As his mom, I can’t help but think of the day Sam was born. How another boy was unexpected but also wonderful news. And how I stared at his perfect, little face and fell in love for the third time.

But Sam’s birthday also reminds me of something else. Seven years ago - and just a few days after Sam got a cool, full face bike helmet for his birthday - I rode down to the school to meet him. Ten minutes later, I hit the back of Sam’s bike and went over my handle bars.

It took me six months to fully recover from the head injury. I wrote the essay below near the end of my recovery. I thought I’d share it today because it has to do with writing. But I hope you think of me the next time you decide it’s no big deal to let your child - or yourself - ride without a helmet. Not wearing a helmet was a few second decision that cost me many months and traumatized my family, especially Sam. There are so many things that we can't control in life. But what we put on our heads when we put pedals under our feet is something we *can* control.

~Carmella

Keeping My Head Above Water

My head is bleeding and there’s a crowd. This much I know, though I don’t open my eyes. I also know my nine-year-old son is calmly telling someone my age. What I can’t figure out is why I’m lying, face down, in the street.

At the hospital, I hear the paramedics tell the trauma team, “Thirty-six years old, thrown off a bike, no helmet.” As a nurse cuts off my clothes, I think how funny it will be to write about being caught wearing underwear with candy canes printed on them in September. As I wait for x-rays, I even start the essay in my head: My mother always told me to wear a clean pair of underwear in case of emergency; she never said anything about making sure they were seasonal, too!

As it turns out, I don’t write about the underwear. In fact, I don’t write about much for quite some time. The concussion has some lingering affects. I struggle with fatigue, anxiety, a lack of concentration, and indecision. I spend most of my days feeling one step away from falling apart.

“Poor timing.” That’s what my doctor says when the negotiations are done it’s time to either sign the book contract I’ve been offered or walk away. I can’t pick out a lousy birthday card for my mother, let alone make such an important decision. I call those I trust to keep me safe and we talk. Everyone tells me my health is more important than finishing the parenting guide I agreed to do months before the accident. It’s due at the end of the year.

Walk away from the deal or push myself to complete the project - either decision will cost me dearly.

I decide to walk away. I spend a weekend writing the letter to the publishing company. The thing is, I can’t bring myself to send it on Monday morning. It’s as if I’m in the water and everyone I love is trying to pull me onto the lifeboat. Only I’m thinking maybe I can keep treading just a little longer.

In the end, it is my dad who articulates what I already know in my heart, if not in my fuzzy head. I will second guess whatever decision I make (it is my nature), but letting go when I’m so close and after I’ve worked so hard, would surely cause me to sink deeper. For me, regret weighs more than failure.

So I email the publishers, tell them to send the contract and then I sit down to finish the book. Working again is not easy, but I keep my head above water. Writing is my lifeline. The one I throw myself.

Fine Tuning Your One-Sentence Pitch

2010-09-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

Lately, I’ve noticed a lot of blog contests that involve crafting a one-sentence pitch for your novel. We even had one here! Writing one of these is a challenging process, and you can find lots of how-to’s in the online writing community. But until yesterday, I’d never entered one of these contests.

After the mad scramble to get my entry in, I read through the other pitches. What I noticed:

1. If a one-line summary is too general, it doesn’t capture my interest. It needs some specific details about the conflict or story characters. But too much detail makes it hard to read. I try to avoid long explanatory phrases or multi-hyphenated descriptions.

2. It gives you an idea of the kinds of stories other people are writing. If you were writing in a popular genre, e.g. a YA paranormal, your own summary would really have to sizzle. Some summaries stand out just because they reflect a different type of story.

3. My own one-sentence summary could use some fine tuning. In the company of others, it was easier to see where it didn’t read quite right, or where it needed a bit of clarification or a little spark. This is the hardest part – trying to give it a little bit of sparkle when it’s so short!

-- Andrea

Taking Writing Seriously

2010-09-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

After years of writing, studying the craft and talking to other writers, I've learned to quickly tell the difference between hobby writers and serious writers.

Hobby writers spend far more time talking about writing than they do actually WRITING. They love talking about their latest book idea to anyone who will listen. They never have enough time to write, but they always have time to watch the latest episode of American Idol or Glee.

If you're serious about writing then you'll make the time to write, even if it's only a few minutes here and there.

Speaking of which, I'd better get back to writing...

- Debbie

Mystery Agent contest

2010-09-01T06:38:00.000-07:00

We had so many great entries when we ran our one sentence pitch contest, I thought some of you would like to hear about another opportunity. The folks over at Operation Awesome (isn't that a fun name for a blog?) are holding this contest till the first 50 entries or till the end of Sept., whichever comes first.

Check it out and good luck!

http://operationawesome6.blogspot.com/

~Carmella

Very Large Reading: Is it for You?

2010-08-28T09:27:00.001-07:00

Before I had children, my husband used to tease me that I picked out books by the spine width. It's true, I used to love super long fantasy trilogies and densely accurate historical fiction. After the kids came along, I stopped reading those large tomes. Who has the time? Now a 250 page standalone book is more my style, and I admire how the authors get to the point.

But I'm writing a book set in the future, and I really wanted to re-read a book series set in the future that was very influential on me, Tad Williams' phenomenal Otherland series. Four books, about 500 pages each, and they have to be read in order.

Can I do it? I passed by Stephen King's Under the Dome the other day because it looked too long. Could I really re-read 2,000 pages, no matter how much I remembered loving them?

I'm happy to say I'm almost done with Book 2, and I love the series even more the second time. I fly through the pages in minutes, trying to make myself slow down and savor the prose.

So even with kids and a full-time job, if you love a book enough, the length doesn't matter. A long book can read short.

Have you ever decided not to read something because it was too long? What is the longest reading project you ever took on?

-- Kate

How not to write dialogue

2010-08-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

I was watching my favorite soap opera the other day. (Don’t judge me, people!) They were doing this recap show where the characters were sitting around talking about past events. You know like: “Remember when the son you had with the farm lady you married twenty years ago grew up and came to live with you and then accidently killed your unborn baby and tried to drive your current wife crazy?”

Man. I hate these kinds of recaps. They’re annoying. But they are a good example of what NOT to do when you’re writing.

It’s a challenge to give readers the information that they need, but resist the temptation to do it all while your characters are talking. Your characters already know each other (probably) and they already know certain things. Don’t put awkward words in their mouths.

For example: let’s suppose two brothers are on the phone, discussing their father’s sudden illness.

Brother #1: Dad is in bad shape. I think we should catch a flight home.

Brother #2: That’s a good idea. It’ll take five hours to fly from Ohio to Kansas so we should call now and start making reservations.

Brother #1: I guess I’ll have to make arrangements with my ex-wife, Kate, for my kids Michael, Todd and Mary.

Brother #2: And I’ll have to take some time off from my job as a firefighter.

Brother#1: I’ve already called our younger brother, Jack, at Princeton. He’s on his way.

This is an exaggerated example, of course, but Gaaaaaaw! Stilted, soap opera-y dialog. Let’s count the things brothers would already know and therefore wouldn't need to share while having a conversation:

*where they live and how long it’ll take to fly "home"

*that Brother #1 was divorced (from a woman named Kate) and the names of his kids

*What Brother #2 does for a living

*Who Jack is and where he went to school

There are ways to sneak in bits of information using dialogue, though. Let's use revise the same example;

Brother #1: Dad is in bad shape. I think we should catch a flight home.

Brother #2: That’s a good idea. I think Southwest flies direct to KC. [We know where they're heading and that wherever they are, they must fly to get home quickly.]

Brother #1: I'll have to make arrangements with Kate. It's her weekend with the kids. [Suggests Kate and Brother are not together. Let's us know there are kids.]

Brother #2: And I’ll have to take some time off from the station. [Station could be police or fire or something else altogether. But that's okay. We can get more clues later on.]

Brother#1: I’ve called Jack. He’s on his way. [Jack must be important family member or friend.]

I know this example isn't really middle grade or young adult, but hopefully you get the idea. Just something to think about the next time you’re writing dialogue or you need to give readers information.

Sorry. Gotta run. It's time for my favorite soap op.... er, I mean my favorite research show to start.

~Carmella

Doing Revisions While On Vacation?

2010-08-20T04:26:00.000-07:00

Even though I told myself I was taking a break from writing, my latest story won't leave my head. It's demanding me to work on revisions. How can I do that while I'm sightseeing and still have fun? Some tips on how to balance writing and vacationing:

1. Keep a small notebook handy for jotting down ideas about the story.
2. Bring along a printed copy of the story to make changes on during downtime (e.g. on the way from one outlet mall to another; while the kids are swimming at the hotel pool).
3. Take advantage of early mornings when others are sleeping to get out the laptop.
4. Turn off words that won't stop by digging into a stack of good reads.
5. Always stop for ice cream.

Aack! Okay, now I'm blogging while on vacation. This has got to stop. But I do have to admit, working on my writing without all the pressures of work and the daily routine is a lot of fun.

-- Andrea

Writeoncon

2010-08-11T05:50:00.000-07:00

Here's a brilliant idea - a virtual conference! (I'm all for attending conferences in my pj's and bare feet.) I've been hanging out at this site, soaking up all the great information, for the last couple of days. Seriously, check it out and bring a notebook because you're gonna want to take notes.

http://writeoncon.com/

~Carmella

Ask me how to fix a running toilet

2010-08-09T07:14:00.000-07:00

The toilet in our master bathroom has been running on and off for months now. Last week, it began running all the time. It was driving me nuts and, more importantly, wasting a lot of water. Something had to be done. So I read up on the subject online and set to work.

Now, I’m not what you’d call a “handy” person. I don’t know the real names of tools. I like to call things doo-dads or thingyamajigs. But I managed to find the problem. Sadly, in the process, I broke the tall thing with the floating ball on the long arm. (See, you knew what I was talking about even though I didn’t use the proper name, right?) I went off to the store and got replacement parts. It turns out that would be just the first of several trips because as one thing got fixed, another broke.

In the end, I spent the better part of two days, tearing apart my toilet tank and learning how to put it back together. It was way more than I wanted to know, but I did it. And now the toilet doesn’t run. (It still leaks a little, but I’m working on that, too.)

As I was scrubbing the black gunk that used to be gaskets off my hands, I discovered that this whole experience was kind of like revising a novel.

Sometimes, you know something isn’t working. You can’t quite put your finger on it, but you set off to find the problem and then the solution. But things turn out to be more complicated than you anticipated and the only way to really fix things is to tear the whole, darn thing apart and put it back together.

It’s not pretty - or fun - but it’s the only way to get the job done right.

~Carmella

Congrats to Debbie!

2010-08-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

The MiGs would like to congratulate our very own, extremely talented Debbie Ridpath Ohi! What did she do, you ask? Why, she was brave enough to enter this year's SCBWI's Illustrator Showcase. And, oh we should also mention that she was one of two Runner Up / Honor Award winners!!! She also won the Mentorship Award Program. To win two awards like that, we hear, is quite unusual.

No one had to tell us how special and talented Debbie is (we already knew, duh!), but we're thrilled other people are paying attention. We just know big things are right around the corner for Debbie.

And we couldn't be more proud!

~Carmella, Christina, Kate, Susan and Andrea

Does Writing and Revision Get Easier?

2010-07-30T06:05:00.000-07:00

I always hope that the process of writing or revising a novel will be easier the next time I do it. Now that I've finished revising my 2nd MG novel (at least until an agent or editor requests more revisions), I've been thinking about what I've learned:

1. Starting out with a good plan or outline helps me stay focused. Even though I may revise the plan during my revision process, it helps to look back and see what I was thinking.

2. I don't fully know my characters or story until I finish the first draft. A lot of revision is about getting to know them better and adding more depth. [For more on this see my recent blog post here.]

3. When I'm writing, I can do a little bit every day to keep the momentum going. For revisions, it helps to have a large block of time when I can read and think about the whole story (like a few days).

4. Details are important, but only after the structure is in place. Looking at scenes with my main character's goal in mind helped me realize some of them were in the wrong place. I moved scenes, deleted some, and melded some together to strengthen the story.

5. There's always room for improvement, but at some point you need to move on. If my novel is in good shape, I can write a one-sentence pitch and summary paragraph that does a good job of capturing the story.

One of the things I enjoy about writing is there's always more to learn. I'd like to think that next time, I'll be more efficient and speed up the process.

-- Andrea

A Revision Tip

2010-07-26T06:38:00.000-07:00

I recently finished writing my second novel, a middle grade about a girl with ADHD who takes up taekwondo. (I have a slightly longer, more eloquent one sentence summary but that’s it in a nutshell!) One of my favorite parts about finishing any project is printing it out. Hitting “Print” is like giving myself a present and I get all giddy. The pages are unwrinkled, the text nice and crisp when it falls into the printer’s tray. Everything is so full of promise. Ahh….

Oops. Sorry. Got distracted just thinking about it.

Anyway, here’s one of my favorite revising tips: print your pages so they look like a real book by turning your page setup to landscape and putting your text, single-spaced, into two columns. It’s amazing how much having your text appear like book pages helps you to read, well, like a first time reader. Not only do grammar errors jump out at you, but holes and slow spots in the plot as well as over-used words are easier to see. (“Hi, my name is Carmella and I overuse the word ‘that.’”) Printing your pages this way can also show you were you have too much dialog - or not enough - and if your chapters are an uniformed or varied length.

Have fun printing!

-Carmella

Comic: Dread and Anticipation

2010-07-15T13:39:00.000-07:00

This comic was more appropriate when print submissions ruled. Nowadays, more editors are open to e-mail submissions. The advantage: easier to submit your writing. The disadvantage: rejections come back more quickly! Heh.

- Debbie

Finding a Rocking Premise

2010-07-13T05:33:00.000-07:00

One thing I found so interesting with our contest is reading through the entries and coming across some which made me say, “Hmm… that sounds like something I’d like to read” or “I’ve never read a book like that before” or “I wonder how the author wrote this story”.

The premise of a novel is what the story is about and it should peek a reader’s interest, lure them in to read the story. Sure, good writing and a strong voice are the anchor of the story, but it’s the premise that catches an agent’s or editor’s eye and ultimately is blurbed on the back of a cover to pull the reader to buy the book.

So the question I’ve been mulling over is: How does a writer find a great premise?

Here is a process that I’ve come up with:

1. Take time to daydream- This is such an important part of a book’s development! Have a notebook handy and jot down notes. Imagine your character’s world and how events could play out.

2. Brainstorm- Don’t limit yourself to one idea. Come up with as many ideas as you can. Write them all into paragraph summaries.

3. Research- Know your market! Check out your bookstore or your own bookshelf and list all the published titles that are out there that are comparable to your book. Is the market glutted with books similar to your ideas? (This is where blogging and reading can help you keep abreast in what’s being published and what isn’t. And why.)

4. Get help- This is where a great critique group or writing friend can be invaluable. Once you have your list of ideas, submit it to your close writing friends. Ask them what they think. What works and what doesn’t. Do they have any ideas that you hadn’t thought of? Don’t be afraid to collaborate.

5. Choose- You’ve got your feedback and you’ve done your research and hopefully you’ve come up with 1 amazing idea for a story.

Don’t forget though that even if you think your idea is amazing and brilliant, everyone has personal tastes. What one person loves may be something you hate and would never read. Make sure that your idea is something that you love and are passionate about. Because hopefully it will make it onto the bookshelves and be there for a very, very long time!

~Christina

Announcing our winner

2010-07-12T12:41:00.000-07:00

Holy Swiss cheese on rye, people! Did you ever come through or what?

My critique partners and I were blown away by the number and talent of those who entered our humble contest. Here are some cyber chocolate chip cookies for everyone. (Take a napkin. The cookies just came out of the oven and the chips are still gooey.) It takes courage to put your work out there.

We hope this contest was a great experience. It was a terrific learning experience for all of us as well. Reading through the entries was kind of like being an agent or editor or a judge on America’s Got Talent. We didn’t know exactly what we were looking for, but we knew it when we saw it. And it made us go back to our own one-sentence summaries and take a second look. (We may post these at later date.)

So, what *were* we looking for? As it turned out, the entries that got our attention had a few things in common:

* They were (for the most part) short and sweet. Hint: try reading your sentence out loud. It shouldn’t take more than one breath.

* They told us the important stuff about the main character (age, greatest strength / weakness etc) and about their obstacle or setting. There weren’t a lot of details about theme or what the character learned - just the bare facts. Hint: a good one-sentence summary can often tip a book’s theme without being obvious.

* They had a unique plot or a fresh twist on an old story.

To determine the winner, each of the MiGs compiled a Top Five list. Then we found any overlapping names and tallied the count.

The winner was clear. She was the only person who made everyone’s Top Five list. All the Honorable Mention winners received several votes as well.

So without further ado….

Honorable Mentions (in no particular order):

Kris

A jester’s daughter and a painfully introverted princess begin their friendship as the most underestimated young girls in the kingdom, but end up heroes when they uncover and prevent the overthrow of the monarchy.

rifferaff

A sixteen year old with a talent for shoplifting leaves her dying father to travel to her estranged mother’s underwater lair, where she makes a deal in exchange for lifesaving medicine that will have repercussions for the residents of this South Carolina tourist town, above and below the surface.

Sandy Shin

In a society where logic reigns and wishes are illegal, Lenore accidentally releases a defective genie.

Elliah A. Terry

A twelve-year-old girl struggles to forgive her father after he leaves her in the woods with nothing but a smoldering fire and her pest of a brother in this retelling of Hansel and Gretel.

S.L. Bynum

Five sixteen-year-old girls of various races develop a bonding friendship while dealing with the stress of being secret teenage superheroes.

And the WINNER:

Susan Bradley

A sixteen year old FBI profiler wanna-be conducts her own investigation when her older sister is murdered.

Congratulations, Susan!!!! (Clap, clap, clap - uh, watch out for the confetti cannon. It's been acting wonky.) Please contact us for critique details.

Thanks again to everyone who entered!

-Carmella

The Group Mind is in Session!

2010-07-11T10:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks so much for entering the contest, everyone! Reading your summaries has been fascinating. Now all six of us have to discuss our favorites and decide on one winner. Gulp!

This is going to be tough because we all love to read in many genres. But even in genres I don't normally pick up, a good hook is a good hook. I can't wait until we announce the winner!

-- Kate

Announcing our first ever “ONE to WIN” contest!!!

2010-07-05T07:23:00.000-07:00

We recently switched our blog to this great, new location. To celebrate our snazzy, revamped site, we are giving away a TEN page critique to one of our lucky and oh-so-talented readers. (Whooo-hoooo! Clap, clap, clap.)

For this contest, we are looking for your best one sentence summary of your book or WIP. We know, we know. How on Earth do you summarize pure genius? We could tell you, but why should we reinvent the wheel?

Here are a few links that do a much better job of explaining the how’s and why’s than we ever could. (This is especially true considering some of us are still groggy from staying up late watching 4th of July fireworks and eating barbeque and way too many s'mores.)

Nathan Branford’s awesome post on summarizing your work in one sentence or one or two paragraphs.

Rachelle Gardner’s amazing blog entry about the subject, complete with examples.

Casey McCormick offers some great examples. (If you have a moment, check out the rest of this terrific blog that focuses on finding an agent. A MiG favorite.)

Here are the CONTEST RULES:

Create a one sentence summary of your MIDDLE GRADE or YOUNG ADULT book. (We love you picture book writers, but we just aren’t comfortable critiquing this genre.)

Post your sentence under the comments of this entry ONLY. Any stray entries will be ignored. (We just can’t feed strays; they’ll never stop coming around. You know it's true.)

One entry per person please.

Contest deadline is Saturday, July 10th at 11:59 pm EST.

As a group, the MiGs will decide on ONE winner based on which book we’d most like to read. Rest assured: we are an eclectic group with a wide range of reading interest so no specific genre will have a better shot.

The winner will be announced on Monday, July 12th.

THE PRIZE:

A critique of the first TEN PAGES of your book!

(The fine print: The ten pages must be 12 point Times New Roman, double spaced. All members of the MiGs will read your ten pages and make comments. Because there are six of us with wildly different schedules we cannot promise a critique by a certain date; we will try our best to have it done by August 9th, though. And, oh, one more thing - you gotta promise not to cry or gnash your teeth or threaten to throw your computer in the nearest river. We are just six writers offering our opinions. We’ll be gentle but honest. If you haven’t developed an author’s thick skin, please reconsider entering.)

Using Details to the Max

2010-07-02T08:16:00.000-07:00

You know how you’re supposed to make every scene count? The same goes for details. As I work on my current novel, I’m learning more about how details fit together to strengthen a story.

1. Details help create mental representations. This has to be one of the most common ways to use details. Writers appeal to the senses to help to bring a scene, a character, or a setting alive for the reader. The musty smell of the dungeon, a jittery leg tapping against a desk, the scratchiness of long grass against skin. (Playing with these details to get them right is so much fun, isn’t it?)

2. Details help advance the plot. When I create characters I often give them a specific skill to make them interesting. It’s so much better when that interesting ability allows them to step up and take a stronger role later in the story. With one character, I had an “aha moment” when I realized his interesting hobby allowed him to solve a tricky problem. It wasn’t intentional on my part, but since I had included that detail I used it to shape a more exciting story.

3. Details create emotional connections. We all know how effective this is from dramatic shots in movies (or reality television). The single tear running down a cheek, a perfectly-timed punch, even just a quiet moment of staring into space. Sometimes a small detail is all you need to spark a reaction or make a connection with a reader.

Using details effectively doesn’t take brilliant planning. Sometimes all you need is to use what you’ve already got. How are you using details? Tell us about how one detail makes your latest piece of writing more effective.

-- Andrea

A great quote to start off July

2010-07-01T07:07:00.000-07:00

Creativity is a selfless act, demanding you give of yourself simply for the sheer love of giving. We cannot give our work to the world expecting anything in return at all. That this simple act requires courage is merely creativity's gift back to us. (Suzanne Falter-Barns)