What makes a turns a good book into a Newbery-level one?
http://www.hbook.com/2011/07/choosing-books/horn-book-magazine/what-makes-a-good-newbery-novel/#_
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Blog: Kelly Hashway's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Blog: A Year of Reading (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Making Nonfiction From Scratch
by Ralph Fletcher
Stenhouse, available late November 2015
When I got the Stenhouse Publishers Newslink email last week (sign up now if you don't get them -- they always contain juicy tidbits) and saw that Ralph Fletcher has a new book coming out soon...AND Stenhouse is offering a free online preview of the entire text...AND we are just starting our unit of study on nonfiction writing...well, it felt like the universe was aligning.
There's so much to love about this new book. Of particular note:
Chapter One -- fun parable, then check out those headings -- minilessons, here we come!If you preorder this book by Wednesday of this week with the code NLDH, you'll get $10 off. What are you waiting for? I know you'll want your own copy to mark up and flag with stickies!
Chapter Three -- interview with Louise Borden
Chapter Six -- NF read aloud
Chapter Eleven, page 94 -- what a final draft could look like
In honor of this book and our unit of study on nonfiction writing, tomorrow and Wednesday I'll have two more nonfiction posts.
Blog: Notes from the Slushpile (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: getting started, mind mapping, Teri Terry, Making Things Up, Writing, ideas, free writing, Add a tag
By Teri Terry
Part 2 in Making Things Up: a blog series about the creative process.
So...you like writing. You think you’ve got a knack for it, and you have some things to say. Or maybe you’ve written loads already, and the time has come to write something new, but you’re stuck. How do you get started?
How do you begin putting words on paper? Blank paper. Accusing paper. Gorgeous, pristine paper that doesn’t want to be sullied by anything less than brilliant.
A Blank Page...EEEEEEEK!! |
One of the questions most asked of authors is this one:
Where do you get your ideas?The assumption behind the question seems to be that before any words can appear on that blank page, there must be an original, awesome, inspiring, exciting idea! Just a little pressure, then.
Not necessarily. Sometimes the heart of the story is only found by writing it. But how do you start if you only have an inkling or a vague idea what to write about, or even aren’t sure at all where to begin?
First up: Choose your weapon!
It shouldn’t matter so much, but it does to me. I do most of my writing directly on my laptop, but I always start with a notebook – one chosen specifically for a new story – and I’m simply incapable of writing anything worthwhile on paper that isn’t at least A4 in size. And ideally hard backed, coil bound, white paper, lines - ones that aren’t too thick or in a weird colour - spaced just so, maybe with an interesting picture on the front...so I’m not fussy at all, am I? And whenever I’m planning or get stuck, I go back to the notebook. Many stretched handbags and sore shoulders later I’ve tried to break this habit, but I just can’t.
Here we have working notebooks! From left: Slated; Book of Lies; and the current one, book one of my new trilogy, Dark Matter |
Interestingly, I was recently rereading one of my favourite writing books, Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg, and came across this in the opening chapter (p. 6-7):
The size of your notebook matters, too. A small notebook can be kept in your pocket, but then you have small thoughts... It is true that the inside world creates the outside world, but the outside world and our tools also affect the way we form our thoughts.
This made me wonder: does the size of notebook relate to the kind of stuff I like to write? If I wrote, say, quirky literary fiction that focused in on the minutae of one life, would a smaller notebook be just right? It’d be worth trying it to save my handbags and shoulders.
Just a few of my notebooks in waiting... |
Second: Write, write, write...but what?
Here are a few approaches that may help:
1. What do you enjoy reading?
What are the essential elements of the type of story you love to read? Identify them and put them together in your own way, and you will have the start of a story.
For example, if you love a good murder mystery, you need somebody to die. You need someone to find the body; someone, who may or may not be the same person, to solve the mystery and find the killer. If you start with someone dying in an interesting way or place, and develop characters for your victim, murderer, and sleuth, a story will appear.
Of perhaps you love a good romance. This
True love! In one of its many guises |
If plotting a whole book is too daunting, you don’t necessarily have to know everything about your characters and what will happen to them when you start. You can take an interesting character, introduce them to another in an interesting way or place, and see what develops.
I don’t mean to get into plotting here today, and everyone has a different approach as to how much plotting and planning they like to do before they write. But at a basic level, when you’re working out what to write, starting with the elements of the type of story you love is a good place to begin if you’re stuck what to write about.
2. Free writing
A less structured approach is to write something every day – often it helps if it is at a set time of day, for a set length of time – without any thought to where it is going or why. Begin with an object, a character, or a setting, and put pen to paper, and just go. Don’t let yourself think, just write whatever pops into your head. Once your set time for free writing is over, stop and read what you’ve written. Think about it, and ask yourself questions about the elements on the page, and see where it takes you. It won’t always work, but sometimes you can find interesting ideas or starting points from your unconscious mind have leaked into what you’ve written.
I also often use free writing from the point of view of different characters to help get to know them, but that is a whole other topic.
3. Mind mapping
Say you have an interesting scene or character but you don’t know what to do with them.
I find it really helpful to do a mind map. So, as an example I've got below - Phoebe, a character I'd introduced in Slated. Originally she was a walk on/walk off part, who trips Kyla up on a bus, and that was it. But she was somehow interesting, so I wanted to work out ways to increase her role in the story, and on this page I was coming up with options - some of which made it in to Slated, many of which didn't.
This also works well for me if I’m further into a story, and I’m not sure how to make something happen. Eg. I know my hero has to escape from the evil clutches of my villain, but how? If I write arrows of every possible option, no matter how daft they may seem, and the consequences that will flow from each one, the answer usually becomes obvious.
I said I wasn’t going to talk about plotting, but it’s kind of like I can’t help myself...
4. Serendipity strikes: kaboom!
OK, this does happen sometimes, and I live for these moments. It might seem a bit like luck or chance, but the more of the above kind of writing and exploring that is being done, the more these kinds of things seem to happen.
With Slated, it started with a dream that I had, of a girl, running, terrified, on a beach. I wrote that down as soon as I woke up and, presto! it became a trilogy (well, there was a bit more involved than that, but that is how it started).
Mind Games started very differently. I happened to read an article about rationality and intelligence, and then wondered what would happen if rationality were prized over intelligence in a future world: who decides who is rational, and how? What are the consequences of being considered irrational and intelligent?
Finally:
Once you have a story in mind - if writing the first line, paragraph, page or chapter is too daunting, just write. Ramble. Play with words. Get going, and later on when you know your story and characters better, what should be those important first words should come to you.
Writing – especially the coming up with ideas part at the beginning – should be fun*, not torture. Enjoy it!*apart from the occasional influence of deadlines, but that is a whole other
About the Author
Teri Terry is the author of the award winning, internationally best selling Slated trilogy - Slated, Fractured and Shattered. Mind Games, out in March, was recently nominated for the Carnegie. Dangerous Games will be in December, and Book of Lies in March 2016. After that is the Dark Matter trilogy, which she should be writing right now instead of blogging...but that is a whole other blog post.
Blog: Kelly Hashway's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: editing, writing, promotion, revising, Leap Books, Monday Mishmash, Add a tag
- Happy Halloween! I hope everyone has a safe and happy Halloween this Saturday. My daughter is being a Monster High character for the third year in a row (different character every year). She loves dressing up as them.
- Editing Last week I finished one client edit. This week I have another to finish, one to start, and a Leap Books Seek edit to get to.
- Revising I'm hoping to get some revision time for one of my own books by the end of the week.
- Lightning Quick Reads Feature Tomorrow (Tuesday, 10/27), I'll have a story up on Lightning Quick Reads. It's a spooky YA story that will hopefully get you in the mood for Halloween.
- Christmas Shopping I've done about 80% of my Christmas shopping already, and it feels good to have such a big jump on the holiday. Still waiting on a few things in hopes they will go down in price once the real sales begin.
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Blog: Kidlit Contest (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I received a question the other day (thanks, Kate!) about author notes in picture book manuscripts. Great stuff. Let me give you some information on the topic so that you can move more confidently forward with your picture book submissions.
First of all, you see author notes more frequently in non-fiction work. After the topic is covered in the manuscript, it’s widely accepted to hear from the author (limited to about a page, with text that’s not too dense). The purpose is to add a few interesting tidbits that maybe didn’t fit into the actual narrative (maybe you’re covering a certain period in history with the text, and want to add some “footnotes” of what we’ve learned about that period since), or to personalize the subject. Authors will often speak to why they gravitated to a particular subject or why they find it particularly fascinating. You shouldn’t style it as a diary entry, but as long as you can keep up the same tone and level of interesting content, you can take a more personal approach. The tone is friendly and engaging.
For non-fiction/fiction hybrid and straight-up fiction manuscripts, where there’s a non-fiction subject but it’s fictionalized or the project deals with a non-fiction principle applied to a more artistic main text, the author note switches function. If your project, is, for example, a fictionalized account of a historical figure or a purely fiction story whose plot has a lot to do with the life-cycle of Monarch butterflies, for example, you want to use the author note as a teaching tool, to provide concrete information. The text is all about Bonnie observing the Monarch life-cycle, but the author note sums it up with additional facts that would’ve weighed down the text itself. The tone is more academic.
So what kind of author note do you have on your hands? Are you “softening” a non-fiction text or are you adding factual scaffolding to a fiction or fictionalized text? For the former, you’ll want to keep your author note brief. If your text is 2,000 words, 250 additional words wouldn’t be uncalled for, or an eighth of your manuscript length. (Do note that non-fiction picture book texts tend to run longer than fiction, because it’s understood that there’s more information to communicate and the audience is on the older end of the spectrum.) If you are working with the former “scaffolding” style of note, 500 additional words, or a quarter of your main text, would be your upper limit.
These are not hard-and-fast guidelines, but more of an exploration of the issue. Use the author note to say enough, but don’t write a second manuscript. If you find there’s a whole lot you want to add in your postscript, maybe there’s a way to revise the main text? Remember, the note shouldn’t do the heavy lifting. The main text has to be the star.
As for mentioning the author note in your submission, that’s easy-peasy lemon-squeezy: “The main text of TITLE is X,000 words, with an author note of X words at the end.” Ta-da!
I’ve discussed picture books primarily in this post, but MG and YA novels also have tons of room for an author note. If, say, your YA is largely inspired by the historical character of Lizzie Borden, feel free to spend even 2,000 words or so on some of the bloody facts of the case, and why your twisted little mind ( ) decided to use it as inspiration. Word count limits apply less to novel author notes, though you still want to keep them engaging and quick.
I’ve interrupted my own programming, so look for the follow up to my “Product and the Pitch” series next week!
Add a CommentBlog: Seize the Day (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: courage, writing, dyslexia, Add a tag
I'm continuing my Chicken by Chicken series. I am writing about my real challenges in hopes that my story will help you find your way.
This week I will chat about a glitch in the software of my brain. Along with the whole blind-in-one-eye thing, the anxiety thing, the depression thing, daily, I face dyslexia.
What is that like?
I have a hard time distinguishing left from right. I leave articles out of sentences. I repeat letters in words. I leave letters out of words. I skip words. I don't put words in the right order. I flip bs, ds, ps, and qs. I love lists, but I really hate numbered lists. I thank God that we don't have to look up stuff in dictionaries manually any more! Also, I'm am freaking brilliant with math as long as calculation is not necessary.
I think you get it--glitch in that brain. .
I have hundreds of "work arounds" for this problem. I read my writing backwards. (Ah, yes, reading backwards or forward, right side up or upside down makes little difference to me.) I change fonts. I change the size of fonts. I change the color of fonts. I only copy edit 5 or 6 words at a time. For math, I'm horrible at calculation but amazing at estimation. I solve every problem until I get the same answer three times.
ADVICE: If you are older, be sure to find some expert on dyslexia to offer you new ideas to deal with your glitches.
Dyslexia makes some easy things very difficult to me. I have found it is useful to work with the problem and not against it. I am full of stories. Here are some facts. My stories have to be stronger than the average story because I have to get readers to look past the fact this writing needs "more editing than most." So be it. I'd pit my imagination against, the best grammar any day. I also am one tenacious soul.
In the end, dylexia has brought me some wonderful gifts. The best one is empathy. I love chatting to kids with reading and writing problems. Reading is not about the AR points you can rack up. Writing isn't about the grammar. Reading is about finding a secret door into new worlds. And writing is about expressing ideas that only you can express. I can seriously say, "Don't let a string of teachers slapping Fs on your papers stop you from opening secret doors or sharing your ideas."
A deep truth--we are all hopelessly flawed. Everyone has glitches in their software. We are having to deal with "work arounds." If you are full of stories, do your best work and know that is enough regardless of the challenges you face.
For fun check out my Chickens video. If you would like the book, CHICKENS DO NOT TAKE OVER HALLOWEEN, check it out here.
And now a doodle:
Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. Helen Keller
Blog: An Englishman in New Jersey (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last weekabout writing from the last week:
Copying Others and Failing vs. Forging Your Own Path (Dan Blank)
www.writerunboxed.com/2015/10/23/copying-others-and-failing-vs-forging-your-own-path/
5 Reasons You’re Experiencing Writer’s Block (Susan Reynolds)
https://janefriedman.com/reasons-for-writers-block/
Arcs and the Synopsis (Mary Keeley)
www.booksandsuch.com/blog/arcs-and-the-synopsis/
How Libraries Acquire Books (Rob Hart)
https://litreactor.com/columns/how-libraries-acquire-books-because-most-people-including-digital-piracy-advocates-dont-seem
Nobody Writes a Great First Draft (Rachelle Gardner)
www.booksandsuch.com/blog/great-first-draft/
Get Smart (David King)
www.writerunboxed.com/2015/10/20/get-smart/
4 Ways to Avoid Floating Head Syndrome! (Bryn Donovan)
http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/10/writing-dialogue-4-ways-to-avoid.html
When the Publishing Business Just Isn't Into You (Kim English)
http://querytracker.blogspot.com/2015/10/when-publishing-business-just-isnt-into.html
The Product or the Pitch, Part One (Mary Kole)
www.kidlit.com/2015/10/19/the-product-or-the-pitch-part-1/
The Power of Voice (James Scott Bell)
https://killzoneblog.com/2015/10/the-secret-power-of-voice.html
The Dumbest Mistakes New Authors Make (Bill Ferris)
www.writerunboxed.com/2015/10/17/the-dumbest-mistakes-new-authors-make/
If you found these useful, you may also like my personal selection of the most interesting blog posts from 2014, and last week’s list.
If you have a particular favorite among these, please let the author know (and me too, if you have time). Also, if you've a link to a great post that isn't here, feel free to share. Add a Comment
Blog: squeetus blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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When writing any book, I always cut more than I keep. I just have to go through a lot of sentences, try out a lot of ideas, before discovering what works just right. Sometimes what I cut I really like but doesn't work for the best of the story. In this case, Dean and I adored the Epilogue to The Princess in Black and the Perfect Princess Party. It made us laugh. But we cut it for two reasons.
1. Originally we didn't have a chapter about Frimplepants in book 2, but we decided to add one in order to introduce him again. New readers might not yet be familiar with him. And besides, I just never tire of saying the name Frimplepants. Adding the new chapter 2 also added several pages. We want to be mindful of page count. The more pages, the longer the book for young readers and their parents, the more illustrations LeUyen must complete, and the more expensive for the publisher to print it. This book was already longer than the first, so we had to watch that page count!
2. It was nice to end the story in the celebratory moment with Princess Magnolia and all the princesses enjoying the party. Cutting away to Monster Land after that was funny but also anti-climactic.
But at the least, I'll post it here. It might be fun to read it with a young PIB reader and help them understand a little bit about the process of writing and editing a book. This epilogue would also be a good one to discuss in terms of reading comprehension and inference.
EPILOGUE
The pink monster could not get out of that goat pasture fast enough. It was good to be back in Monster Land. No shiny sunlight. No unpleasantly fresh air. No yelling princesses.
The pink monster put its clawed hands in its pockets. It went for a stroll.
A slimy monster was heading toward the hole. It had its nose in the air. It was taking in the smell of goats.
The pink monster put out a clawed hand to stop it.
“ROOAARR!” it said.
That meant, “No goat hunting today, my slimy friend. Things are awkward up there. It’s the Princess in Black’s birthday, you see. I wouldn’t dare go up without a gift.”
The slimy monster said, “ROOAAARRR.”
That meant, “Thank you for the warning. You have been most helpful.”
The slimy monster turned away from the hole. It went home.
It wrapped a gift.
Hopefully the Princess in Black liked toenail clippings.
Add a CommentBlog: Kelly Hashway's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Blog: PW -The Beat (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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The great exclusive wars of the Aughts were ferocious and ultimately, flawed. So it’s relatively rare these days to see a new exclusive. In this case it’s not new, but rather Jason Aaron resigning with Marvel for at least two years — although not mentioned in the release, one can assume this is really an […]
Blog: Kidlit Contest (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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I get a lot of emails describing various manuscripts and submission scenarios. This is also something I’ve noticed a lot when I used to speak at conferences. Writers have this brand of magical thinking where they imagine that there’s an easy fix for their particular issue. (This is not an insult specifically about writers, I’ve noticed this is a quirk of human nature. Everyone’s looking for the kinder, softer answer, and understandably so!)
“Did I say too much at the Agents Breakfast?” they wonder. “Did I say enough? Was I wearing the wrong thing? Is it my title? Ugh, it’s definitely my title, isn’t it. What is wrong? Why am I not getting published?”
The answer is simple, but it’s one nobody wants to hear: It’s either the product or the pitch.
Shark Tank is one of my absolute favorite shows in the world. If you watch enough of it (and I do actually recommend this as homework, so it counts as writing and revision time!), you’ll start to notice some patterns. Who are the most successful entrepreneurs on the show? The ones who get the attention of the Sharks?
To hit it out of the park, they have the product and the pitch.
Let’s discuss the first part of the successful formula in this post, and save the pitch for later. So, the product. In your case, your product is a book. And yes, as much as we hate mixing art and commerce, your book is a product. That’s how a publisher sees it, at least. Sure, they hopefully also see it as something valuable to contribute to the literary landscape, but all that aside, they still want to sell copies. Contrary to popular belief, publishers don’t spend millions of dollars a year on fancy NYC headquarters, editors’ salaries, designers, photo shoots, marketing, and distribution just for the benevolent warm fuzzies of making your childhood dreams come true. Sure, that’s a side benefit for the authors who get to work with them. But publishers are in business, whether or not you think their business model makes any damn sense. And they want to make a profit. And for that, they need product: your book.
So, the toughest question to answer about what’s wrong with your submission is this: “Is the product any good?” Because when asked about their manuscripts, just like a mother asked about her kid, writers tend to think that it’s brilliant, the cutest, the most important, and anyone who doesn’t think so just doesn’t get it. But we are often terrible judges of anything we’re personally invested in.
The answer to this question often comes from feedback. And this isn’t a pitch for my freelance editorial services. I don’t care where you get your feedback, as long as it’s honest and the person knows (more or less) what they’re talking about. For many writers, this comes from a critique group. Or maybe a conference where they’ve purchased a critique.
The answer also comes with time. Your first few widgets as a widget designer aren’t going to be very good. That’s just a fact. Widgeting (and writing) takes practice. Many people have many dead manuscripts lining their desk drawers. Some let insecurity keep them in the drawer for too long, but I’ve found that they are in the minority. Most spread their “It’s time to submit!” wings quite early. Perhaps earlier than is prudent. But submitting early is another way to figure out if your product is any good, and so the slush is filled with product that’s not yet destined for its star turn.
There are a million resources on how to improve your product. Unfortunately, a novel isn’t a widget. It has 50,000-100,000 moving parts. Unlike a hard plastic widget, which is already cast, you can go in and screw around with a manuscript pretty much until your sanity gives out. This can get dangerous. One of the facets of learning to write is learning balance. Do you edit? Do you put it away for a while? Do you get feedback? How do you incorporate it? Do you set the whole damn thing on fire because ugh-ugh-ugh you can’t write your way out of a paper bag? …Are you, perhaps, a secret genius?
Watch some Shark Tank. What do the successful products have in common? How are they different from the duds? One of the biggest separators, for me, is that the winners are clear and have a reason. This is what it is, this is how you use it, this is why. Boom. Now, a novel is certainly more ephemeral than that. It’s not a toilet bowl brush, for Pete’s sake!
But when I’m reading a manuscript, a question that often comes up for me is, “Why?” As in, “Why is this story being told?” A lot of writers will joke that they pretty much had to exorcise some characters and adventures from their brains. That’s all fine and good, but we all had imaginary friends, and so I don’t necessarily need yours in my life. What about these characters-on-adventures can open my eyes. Tell me about life. Show me something larger about humanity. In other words, is the product just for you, or is it for all of us?
On Shark Tank, I once heard a pitch that sounded like an inside joke. The product was so specific, that it really seemed to exist to solve a very small problem that the inventor was having. And yet the inventor was convinced that it was a world-shattering idea that would find its way into every home and office.
As much as you’d like for everyone to need your characters-on-adventures, the big question is, will they? Is there enough of a theme? Is there a big picture? A sense of common humanity? Does your story look inward or outward? Why would I spend five hours of my time following it?
I’m thinking big these days, trying to dig into the bigger questions of what it all means and why we’re all so driven to write fiction for other people to read. I’m going to keep thinking about the product, and in the meantime, I’ll talk about the pitch.
Add a CommentBlog: Inkygirl: Daily Diversions For Writers (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Doodle Post, foundobjectart, writing, Inspiration, beginning, Add a tag
Be aware when research & prep becomes a crutch. At some point, you need to jump in & WRITE.
I love creating found object doodles and post them on Instagram, "Found Object Art" gallery on Flickr, Pinterest, Tumblr and in my Found Object Art portfolio.
Blog: In Search of Giants (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: blog migration, writing, Clarity of Night, Add a tag
“I need boxers,” I say to my mother hopefully. Mostly Sean gets everything new, and I get passed-down jeans with ripped pockets and shirts with armpit stains. I draw the line at underwear.
“We’ll see if anything’s on sale after I look at ties.” She heads off.
That was easy. Mom must be in a sentimental mood. UNLV’s been courting Sean with a full basketball scholarship since he won the championship last year. There’s just the formality of the interview, which is why we’re at the mall after practice, buying suits we can’t afford.
On the thinly carpeted floors in the hallway of the men’s dressing room, I stretch out my legs, turn up the volume on the iPod I worked all summer to buy. Ten minutes later, I peer under the cheap particleboard partitions to see if Sean’s done. My brother’s sitting, still in his own clothes, staring at a piece of paper.
“Sean? What’s up?” He doesn’t stop me when I open the door, reach down to grab the note.
The words stay low, stuck in his throat. “I’m off the team. Coach said it’s lucky I’m not expelled.” I tower over him. I’d kept his secret, but now. He’s in deep.
“Tell Mom I’m going to look at boxers.” I drop the paper.
I trip out of the dressing room, walk down the hall, through the men’s department, onto the escalator, up, high, higher.
Blog: In Search of Giants (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Twenty-two hours from San Francisco to Kathmandu. Four hours until the layover in Hong Kong. Caelin will have finished grading papers by then. She arches her back, stretching, then wiggles her toes, and catches the eye of the flight attendant.
“More, please.” She indicates the travel-sized wineglass. The remaining ruby droplets glisten in the spotlight of her reading lamp. The attendant nods from the galley.
“You realize that’s basically grape juice?” Chloe peers around the headrest as her business class bed reverts to its upright position.
“It’s a second growth Bordeaux and you know it, O Queen Food Critic,” Caelin retorts. “How’d you sleep?”
“Not well. Looks like fourteen bottles of questionable Bordeaux didn’t help you sleep, either.”
“Excited?”
“And nervous. What if she hates us?”
“Sweetheart.” Caelin strokes her wife’s cheek as Chloe unfolds the passport she’s been clutching. A little girl with dark eyes and copper skin gazes at them, unsmiling and unafraid. “She liked us well enough before. Any kid will hate her parents at some point. Let’s just focus on getting her home.”
The flight attendant materializes with the bottle of Château Cos-d'Estournel 1989, which streams like scarlet silk into the stemware.
“Like the orphanage is going to let her come home when you show up drunk,” Chloe teases, leaning close. Caelin smiles into her spouse’s black curls. Points of light play on the surface of her wine, casting images against the back of the seat in a rosy haze.
Blog: An Englishman in New Jersey (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last weekabout writing from the last week:
Feeling Like an Old Geezer at the New Social Media Party (Jane Friedman)
https://janefriedman.com/feeling-like-an-old-geezer-at-the-new-social-media-party/
How to Use Periscope to Build Your Writing Brand (Williesha Morris)
www.thewritelife.com/how-to-use-periscope-to-build-your-writing-brand/
Five Things I Learned Writing Take On Me (Minerva Zimmerman)
www.terribleminds.com/ramble/2015/10/15/minerva-zimmerman-five-things-i-learned-writing-take-on-me/
Beware of Bloodsuckers (Amy K. Nichols)
http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/2015/10/beware-of-bloodsuckers-amy-k-nichols.html
Sometimes You Have to Stop and Smell the Research (Linda Castillo)
https://killzoneblog.com/2015/10/sometimes-you-have-to-stop-and-smell-the-research-guest-linda-castillo.html
Cultivating a Writer’s Eye (Michelle Ule)
www.booksandsuch.com/blog/cultivating-a-writers-eye/
How to Market Yourself as an Author Before You Have a Book to Sell (Chuck Sambuchino)
www.thewritelife.com/how-to-market-yourself-as-an-author-before-you-have-a-book-to-sell/
Oops! Your Exposition is Showing (Jessi Rita Hoffman)
www.storyfix.com/oops-your-exposition-is-showing
Magnanimous (Donald Maass) [Jon’s Pick of the Week]
www.writerunboxed.com/2015/10/14/magnanimous-2/
When Should You Stop Revising? (Janice Hardy)
http://blog.janicehardy.com/2013/01/when-should-you-stop-revising.html
Is Your Manuscript a Monster? (Elspeth Futcher)
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2015/10/is-your-manuscript-monster.html
Start Here: How to Get Your Book Published (Jane Friedman) [Jon’s other Pick of the Week]
https://janefriedman.com/start-here-how-to-get-your-book-published/
How to Create Unforgettable Characters (Jerry Jenkins)
www.jerryjenkins.com/how-to-create-unforgettable-characters/
3 Reasons to Write What Scares You (Shonell Bacon)
http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2015/10/3-reasons-to-write-what-scares-you.html
The Introvert’s Guide to Conferences (Rachelle Gardner)
www.rachellegardner.com/introverts-guide-conferences/
If you found these useful, you may also like my personal selection of the most interesting blog posts from 2014, and last week’s list.
If you have a particular favorite among these, please let the author know (and me too, if you have time). Also, if you've a link to a great post that isn't here, feel free to share. Add a Comment
Blog: Robin Brande (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writing Tips, Writing Advice, Writing Life, Writing, Inspiration, Writers, NaNoWriMo, Free Stuff, Writing Inspiration, How To, Writing Motivation, Free Writing Advice, Add a tag
November is novel writing month! I’ve decided to expand the secret gift I was going to send a writer friend of mine, and send out daily writing inspiration and tips to anyone else who would like them! Here are the details. Sign up and let’s write!
Blog: Adventures in YA Publishing (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: WOW Wednesday, Mary Elizabeth Summer, Writing, Add a tag
We're excited to welcome Mary Elizabeth Summer to the blog today. Mary's Trust Me, I'm Trouble released yesterday, and is the sequel to her 2014 debut Trust Me, I'm Lying. Today, she's giving a pep talk to publishing hopefuls.
How to Get Published by Mary Elizabeth Summer
Passing the Torch
So you want to be a published author. Well, I’m living proof that it is absolutely, positively, 100% possible. If I can get a book published, anyone can. In fact, one of the many things I’ve learned from this crazy publishing journey is that if you stick with it, stay hungry, keep striving, you will eventually get published. Guaranteed. Guaranteed. I’m not saying that as a platitude. I mean it literally. You are guaranteed to get a book published if you follow the advice in this post.Read more » Add a Comment
Blog: Kelly Hashway's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing, Writer Wednesday, Add a tag
Then she laughed and said, "But you guys are all crazy. You have to be with everything you go through to get a book published." I laughed too, because she's right. We are in a tough field. One that means constant rejection at every stage. In a way, we are crazy for putting ourselves through it.
I loved that this reader understood how tough it really is. She admitted that she's become friends with several authors so she hears about the process and knows the level of difficulty. I really wish more readers did.
So here's to us, the crazy writers who keep going despite all the rejection. And here's to the readers who truly get us.
*If you have a question you'd like me to answer from the other side of the editor's desk, feel free to leave it in the comments and I'll schedule it for a future post. Add a Comment
Blog: Brooklyn Arden (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: Writing, Diary, Classes, Add a tag
I'm delighted to announce that on Saturday, November 21, I'll be teaching two writing workshops as a fundraiser for Park Slope United Methodist Church. One will be in the morning (9 a.m.-12 p.m.) and one in the afternoon (2-5 p.m.) at the church in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Each one is $50, and all proceeds go to PSUMC. (This will be the first public debut of some material from my new book, The Magic Words, and I'm excited about that.)
"So You Want to Write a Book?" (9-12): In this workshop for beginning writers, or even people with just an idea for a book, "We’ll talk about practical techniques for starting and sustaining a novel-length narrative, including questions to ask, story dynamics to explore, and tips and tricks for getting the work done. A brief overview of revision and submission practices and publication options will be provided at the end."
To sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/so-you-want-to-write-a-book-tickets-18955014960
"A Master Class in Character" (2-5): "What makes a character come alive on the page? What details should you include, or not include? Do characters have to be likeable or relateable? If you want a character to be relateable, how do you make that happen? In this workshop for novelists, we’ll explore the many dimensions and mysteries of characterization, and discuss ways to create believable, compelling fictional people."
To sign up: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-master-class-in-character-tickets-18955102221
It would be great to see you there! If you have any questions, leave 'em in the comments. Thank you for your interest.
Blog: Kelly Hashway's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: reading, young adult, editing, writing, book signings, Monday Mishmash, Touch of Death, Stalked by Death, The Monster Within, The Darkness Within, Face of Death, YA Fest, Our Little Secret, Add a tag
- MG Alien Twitter Pitches Okay, MG authors, Leap Books Seek and I are looking for your Twitter pitch for middle grade alien books. Tweet me @kellyhashway with your MG alien pitch. If I'm interested, I'll reply with where to send sample pages. I'll be taking pitches today through Friday.
- Drafting I'm attempting to draft a book between edits—well, I should say around edits because I'm still editing. Last Friday, I managed to get in 10,000 words and it felt amazing!
- Branding? You know that draft I just mentioned? Well, it's an adult thriller. Apparently, I'm refusing to let Kelly Hashway be branded as a YA paranormal author. I can't help but write the stories that come to me, no matter what they are.
- Reading I spend a lot of time reading. Between the books I edit for clients and the submissions for Seek, I read constantly. Of course that means I don't get to read a lot of new releases though. I'm going to attempt to change that. Wish me luck—and a few extra hours in my day.
- YA Fest I attended YA Fest on Saturday and got to spend some time with readers and fellow authors. I had a great time. Here are some pictures from the event.
My table. (I signed the Touch of Death trilogy, The Monster Within duology, and Our Little Secret.) Lisa Amowitz, Martina Boone, and me The very awesome Brooke Watts DelVecchio and me
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Blog: An Englishman in New Jersey (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing, useful links, wisdom on the web, Add a tag
Here’s my selection of interesting (and sometimes amusing) posts about writing from the last weekabout writing from the last week:
Why Book PR Needs Lead Time. Lots of it. (Sharon Bially)
www.writerunboxed.com/2015/10/09/why-book-pr-needs-lead-time-lots-of-it/
Four Tips on Adding a New Twist to an Old Plot (Janice Hardy)
http://blog.janicehardy.com/2012/04/you-look-familiar-four-tips-on-adding.html
Writing the Cozy Mystery–Common Pitfalls (Elizabeth Spann Craig)
www.elizabethspanncraig.com/3407/writing-the-cozy-mystery-common-pitfalls/
Polishing the All-Important First Fives (Riki Cleveland)
https://litreactor.com/columns/polishing-the-all-important-first-fives
The Unspoken Pinch Point: Your Climax (David Villalva)
www.storyfix.com/the-unspoken-pinch-point-your-climax
NaNoWriMo is Coming: 5 Tips for Preparing to Write Your Novel (Anita Evensen)
www.thewritelife.com/5-tips-for-preparing-to-write-your-novel/
Do It Right, Write Plotless Reviews (Peter Derk)
https://litreactor.com/columns/do-it-right-write-plotless-reviews
It’s All About People (Wendy Lawton)
www.booksandsuch.com/blog/its-all-about-people/
Why Skipping Writing Conventions Hurts Your Career (Nicole Dieker)
www.thewritelife.com/skipping-writing-conventions-hurts-your-career/
Pressure, Perception, and Probability: The Holy Trinity That Stymies the New Writer (Grace Wynter)
www.writerunboxed.com/2015/10/05/pressure-perception-and-probability-the-holy-trinity-that-stymies-the-new-writer/
If you found these useful, you may also like my personal selection of the most interesting blog posts from 2014, and last week’s list.
If you have a particular favorite among these, please let the author know (and me too, if you have time). Also, if you've a link to a great post that isn't here, feel free to share. Add a Comment
Blog: Kelly Hashway's Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing, Writer Wednesday, Add a tag
Blog: An Illustrator's Life For Me! (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: publisher, publishing, writing, planning, hot tips, Sketching People, Add a tag
Blog: Random Thoughts (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
JacketFlap tags: writing, Add a tag
Everyone knows in order to be a good writer you need to read. More importantly you should read the types of book you want to write. I ask you though. Is that really true? I have to be honest. I don't necessarily read the type of books I write. For me it wouldn't be as fun. I want to go to different worlds just as much as the next person.
I write young adult and new adult books. I have also dabbled in picture books. I'm getting off subject. My point is. I love to read. So much so I majored in English Literature.
I love the printed word. I love digging into a book and getting lost not only in the story, but in the world that is created for me to explore. One of my favorite books is Jane Eyre. I have lost the number of times I have read it. I've done reports on it in college, and you know what amazes me? Each and every time I have read it, I find new information about the characters I missed the time before.
This is what a book should be to me. When I can re-read a book and always find something I missed before. Another story which does that for me is "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. This work is incredible. I can only wish to write the way these two women write.
So yes, these are the books I read. At the moment though I am reading something a bit different. I'm actually reading "Blood Song" by Anthony Ryan. I love this book. It's the first in the series. So yes, my taste is diverse. Don't judge me on Jane Eyre.
What type of books do you read? Do you read to write? Or do you read to read? Personally, I read to read. If it helps with my writing, then that is an added bonus.
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Very happy for him!