By: Mo Willems,
on 5/21/2013
Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.Gerald and Piggie are best friends.In A Big Guy Took My Ball! Piggie is devastated when a big guy takes her ball! Gerald is big, too...but is he big enough to help his best friend? Available your favorite local book store or library today! I hope you enjoy the BIG surprise!
By: Jerry Beck,
on 5/21/2013
Continuing our week of looking at artists who worked on Epic, we focus on Sang Jun Lee.
Sang Jun has designed characters and concepts for many blockbuster movie franchises including Star Wars, Pirates of the Caribbean and Men In Black. After a stretch of working in California on these live-action films, he moved to New York to work on Blue Sky features such as Horton Hears a Who, Rio, and most recently, Epic.
Sang Jun’s website has a generous amount of drawings and digital paintings to explore. He also keeps a blog here.
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By: Cait,
on 5/21/2013
Running is a crazy, paradoxical, numerical-obsessedo, backwards world.
Just when you don’t think you can run another step, you push through five more minutes, then instantly you feel like your legs have transformed into two totally different running entities. You go on for miles.
The first interval for a runner can sometimes feel like the worst. That’s where the nerves are, getting started.
Races are even crazier, poised at the line, in the seconds before the gun is about to CRACK you feel certain if they take any longer to fire it you’ll explode. Then, CRACK, and the whole world slips away.
“Back to those intervals…ya, suckers say the hardest is the first one…plowing through miler number three of five HAS to be more painful,” you think.
You then say, “Legs, don’t worry, this is the last interval we have to so…promise.” You say that after every one. Until you finish. Scr##w honesty.
Funny how a running partner that you train with feels like a war partner. You come to know them so well, read their breathing and stride as well as your own. You become intrinsically linked in the shared quest for your best.
Easy days can feel like the epitome of hypocrisy sometimes.
Out of nowhere getting blessed with one of THOSE days is a special kind of euphoria a runner never forgets.
The good days, the slog runs, the meh ones, the mentally tough workouts you’re proud of, the long runs that you wish never end…all of it. It’s crazy stuff. But it’s runner crazy and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
1) Just before you start a race, what makes you feel confident on the line?
2) Best lie you’ve told yourself/legs to get through a workout?
3) One of THOSE days, how many do you think a runner gets?
By: Ingrid Sundberg,
on 5/21/2013
Awhile ago I did an 8-part series on Plot to help me understand the differences between the terms: plot, story, and structure. (I’ve since revised some of my thoughts from that series when I did my grad lecture on story structure. More on that coming soon). But what I seem to find interesting is that no one seems to be able to agree on what plot is.
Sure, everyone sort of knows what plot is on a gut level, (and there’s plenty of overlap when writers discuss it), but there isn’t a concrete single definition. I think this is fascinating (and confusing), and oddly empowering. It means each of us gets to create our own personal definition of plot. We get to pick a definition that works for us!
I’ve begun to collect definitions of plot and I’ve shared my list below. Take a look through them and see if any resonate with you. Or maybe you’ll find you disagree with some (I sure do!). Perhaps some will confuse you, while others might help you consider plot in a whole new way! I’d love to know what you think.
As writers, we create our own philosophies about how we each define good writing and how the craft should be approached. Coming up with our own personal definition of plot is an interesting part of that journey. I’ve never found two writers who articulate it exactly the same way.
Here’s what some of my craft books, friends, and teachers have to say about plot:
“Plot is how the events in a story directly impact the main character.” - Martha Alderson
Story is: “The king died and then the queen died.” Plot is: “The king died and then the queen died of grief.” - E.M. Forster
“Story is what happens; plot is the structure of what happens.” - Cheryl Klein
“Plot is merely the mechanism by which your character is forced up against her deepest fears and desires.” - Margaret Bechard
“Plot is nothing more than the way you organize your story.” - Nancy Lamb
Plot is “merely one way of telling a story, by connecting the happenings tightly, usually through causal chains.” - Ursula Le Guin
“Story [is] what your novel is about. Plot [is] what happens within your story … Structure [is] how it’s organized.” - Sheryl Scarborough
“Plot is the arrangement of events that make up a story… Plot is the sequence of unfolding action. In examining plot we are concerned with causality, with how one action leads into or ties in with another.” – Chea Stephenson
“Plot is a system of actions.” – Susan Fletcher
Plot is “the under-the-surface weaving of various lines of action or sets of events so that the story builds steadily … It is a combination of what happens and how those events are revealed to the audience.” - John Truby
“Plot is not just what happens in a story. Rather, plot is a pattern of cause and effect or conflicts upsetting the equilibrium of a situation.” - Ron Layne and Rick Lewis
“Plots engage our capacity to understand motives and thus the logic of action.” - Roger Seamon
How do you define plot? I’d love to hear your personal definitions, thoughts, and ideas!
The above quotes come from the following sources: Alderson, Martha. The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2011. Print. Bechard, Margaret. Small Workshop Plot Handout. Vermont College of Fine Arts. 2012. Chea, Stephenson. “What’s the Difference Between Plot and Structure.” Associated Content. 16 Feb. 2010. Web. 7 May 2010. Forster, E.M. Aspects of the Novel. 1927. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985. Print. Klein, Cheryl. “The Essentials of Plot.” CherylKlein.com. Web. Nov. 2012. Fletcher, Susan. Structure as Genesis. Faculty Lecture. Vermont College of Fine Arts. 2012. Lamb, Nancy. The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children. Cincinnati, OH: Writer’s Digest Books, 2001. Print. Layne, Ron and Rick Lewis. “Plot, Theme, the Narrative Arc, and Narrative Patterns.” English and Humanities Department. Sandhill Community College. 11 Sept, 2009. Web. 7 May 2010. Le Guin, Ursula K. Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew. Portland, OR: Eighth Mountain Press, 1998. Print. Scarborough, Sheryl. “Re: Laura’s (Way Late) Lecture Thread.” MFA Student Forum. Vermont College of Fine Arts. Web. Nov. 2012. Seamon, Roger. “The Price of Plot in Aristotle’s Poetics.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 64:2, Spring 2006. Ebsco Host. Web. 10 May 2011. Truby, John. The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller. 2007. New York: Faber and Faber, 2008. Print.
By: jordi jvs,
on 5/21/2013
By: Jerry Beck,
on 5/21/2013
Cartoon Network has released a seven-and-a-half-minute preview episode of theibr upcoming series Steven Universe. The show was created by Adventure Time artist (and Singles director) Rebecca Sugar. Notably, she is Cartoon Network’s first-ever solo woman series creator.
By: Jerry Beck,
on 5/20/2013
This week we’re taking a look at some of the artists who contributed their artistry to the production of Blue Sky’s Epic, which opens in the United States on May 24th.
First up is Stephen P. Neary, a story artist at Blue Sky who has worked on two Ice Ages and Rio, in addition to Epic. He also creates his own short films such as Dr. Breakfast (embedded below) and Let’s Make Out, which you can find on his YouTube channel.
Stephen’s train commute provides daily sketchbook time and he shares a lot of drawings on his blog and Tumblr. Also being a pie enthusiast, Stephen naturally has a pie blog.
By: Gabriel Granados,
on 5/22/2013
By: Mai Kemble,
on 5/20/2013
Lots of news and more art! Josh and I found out that we are having a baby boy just last week, I started a new book project with a new company (that for the time being is still top secret- although I was given the ok to post an occasional work-in-progress image so long as I blur any text and don't give too much away), and I still have final images to create for Fadenrot!
Phew!
I wish so much that I could post the entire PDF of my storyboards for this story as it is very funny... and I'm pretty happy with the images. I tried to be a lot more loose and a little more "cartoony" with the figures... I think it just fit the story more. So far, this has been a fun project!
I'm also well into the second trimester of the pregnancy and the morning sickness is truly behind me. That was SO hard. Four months of being sick as a dog, and sometimes for the entire day (!!), and just in a total haze... I missed feeling normal... but as I said, I am back, and working hard! :) This has been already pretty crazy but at the same time, I'm sure things have yet to change... hee hee... lucky for me I have plenty of girl friends who have just gone through or are going through this at the same time. I'm sure having a little guy to draw will be very fun, too, and hopefully, we can draw together in the future, my little bean and I... ;)
Fadenrot is always going to be my favorite client... I describe the way we work together to other artists and it is always the "ideal" situation/relationship... I get a theme (and these themes are always wonderfully inspiring and something I would LOVE to draw) and then I sketch like crazy these things that come to mind and my client picks and chooses what she likes... I do some revising, some fine-tuning, and then there it is!! A new image for her to print and show the world! It's the best... especially because sketching always inspires some really great ideas for me... :) It's also just kind of cool to see your art on clothing! :)
I'm just feeling very grateful, I suppose, and had to share... :)
So here are images to reflect what I am writing here...
First, our Benjamin Lee Yoshimitsu at 5 months:
By: Gabriel Granados,
on 5/22/2013
By: Kathy Temean,
on 5/20/2013
An annual prize for Young Adult and Children’s Literature. A chance for your YA and Children’s Lit to be read by Hunger Mountain editors and guest judges!
One overall first place winner receives $1,000 and publication! Three category winners receive $100 each and publication. The categories are
Anyone! Everyone!
Is there a fee to enter?Yes, the fee is $20.
Yes, it is 10,000 words. Your entry may be a short story or a novel excerpt, but if it’s a novel excerpt it should really stand alone.
The 2013 judge is Rebecca Stead, author of Liar and Spy and When You Reach Me, which won the Newbery Medal in 2010.
The postmark deadline is June 30th
The 2012 first place winner, “Crabcake Charlie,” a Middle Grade story by Sally Derby was published in Hunger Mountain 17: Labyrinths. (Order a copy here).
Other winners:
Yes! Please enter your original, unpublished piece under 10,000 words. Your entry may be a short story or a novel excerpt, but if it’s a novel excerpt it should really stand alone. Feel free to include a brief synopsis if your entry is a novel excerpt. Your name and address should not appear on the story; we read contest entries blind. Click the link below to access our online submission system. Once in the submission manager, you’ll need to choose “Katherine Paterson Prize” (scroll all the way to the bottom to find it!) Pay the $20.00 entry fee and upload your entry. Please include a cover letter in the comments section, letting us know what age group your piece is intended for: Enter the Katherine Paterson Prize
Yes! Please send one original, unpublished piece under 10,000 words. Your entry may be a short story or a novel excerpt, but if it’s a novel excerpt it should stand on its own. Feel free to include a brief synopsis along with your novel excerpt. Include a $20 entry fee. Make checks payable to “Vermont College of Fine Arts.” Entries should be postmarked by June 30th. Your name or address should not appear anywhere on the story itself (we read entries blind.) Instead, enclose an index card with story title, intended age group (YA? MG?), your name, address, phone number, and email address. You may also enclose an SASE (self addressed stamped envelope) for notification of winners. Entries should be typed, and on one side of the paper only. No staples please! Send entries to:
KPP Hunger Mountain Vermont College of Fine Arts 36 College Street Montpelier, VT 05602
Yes. This year for the first time, we’re allowing illustrations along with picture book manuscripts. These should be copies/pdfs only. PLEASE DO NOT SEND ORIGINAL ART! We’ll consider illustrated and unillustrated text for picture book entries.
If you submit by mail, send copies of art only. If you submit through Submittable, your entry should be a pdf.
Yes, it will. Several stories we publish have come from the Katherine Paterson Prize entries.
Yes. Enter as many as you like! But each entry needs its own entry fee.
Yes, but please let us know right away if your work is accepted elsewhere. And unfortunately we can’t refund entry fees if the work is accepted somewhere else.
You may. But your work will be evaluated alongside adult work. If you’re a serious writer, it’s okay with us if you enter the prize, just know this prize isn’t intended for teenagers or for children.
Email us at hungermtn@vcfa.edu
Maybe this is the year your manuscript will be ready to enter. If so, Good Luck!
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
By: Paul Schmid,
on 5/21/2013
By: Jerry Beck,
on 5/21/2013
Last week, I flew out from Los Angeles to New York to attend the annual Dusty animation screening at the School of Visual Arts. I watched forty thesis films from this year’s graduating class—a very solid year, I might add—and witnessed many of the students experience pre-show jitters and post-show relief. It was a fun night getting to see a lot of my old classmates, friends and teachers again, but most importantly it made me reflect on my own experiences since my own thesis screening two years ago.
While graduation was a big deal, the thesis screening was really the big night for us. The films we put a year’s worth of blood, sweat and tears into were going to be shown in front of an audience on the big screen, and for most of us, that was a completely new experience. Some of us felt that our thesis films were like big flashy business cards or “HIRE ME” signs, so if there were any industry people in the audience that night, it just might be the ticket to having a job lined up after graduation.
A few days later at the Dusty Awards ceremony, my film ended up winning the Outstanding Traditional Animation award (tied with my friend Zach Bellissimo’s Blenderstein, which was featured here on Cartoon Brew), so in a way I felt validated that I was a decent enough animator to go out and make a living after I left school.
But after college, the excitement of working as a professional animator gradually began to fade. I went through many ups and downs (mostly downs). I had long periods of busy work, and even longer periods of unemployment. And some of the jobs I had, while keeping me busy, barely supported me. There were times that I felt my future was uncertain, and that having a career in this field might not work out for me. I became disenchanted with the medium, felt emasculated by my peers and started falling into a depression. And seeing a lot of my friends and classmates in equally dire straights filled me with even more trepidation about my career path.
After dealing with this for over a year, I finally made a very big decision to pull up stakes, leave New York and move to LA. It was risky because I didn’t have a job lined up for me when I came out here. Luckily I had friends who found a place for me to live and I got a job in the industry almost immediately upon arrival. Even though I’ve been in LA for only three months, I consider it the best decision I’ve ever made. I feel like I’m in an environment where creativity and appreciation for the craft is never-ending, and I’m the happiest I’ve been since I graduated two years ago.
And being back at the SVA Theatre watching these incredibly talented young animators go through the same reactions and emotions filled me with both excitement and concern. These students, as well as the hundreds upon hundreds of other graduates coming out of animation schools all over the country, will be put through the same paces as myself. After graduation, that safety net of college life is gone, and despite what your professors or friends tell you, nothing can really prepare you for what happens after you graduate. But the important thing that I want to express to these soon-to-be professional animators is to be hopeful, hone your craft, push yourself out there, and eventually you will find your place.
Don’t let ANYONE or ANYTHING disenchant you. Everybody goes through these motions at one time or another after leaving school. Some of you might have jobs lined up right after school, and some of you might have to wait a little longer. It’s a very scary thing to go through, but it’s all part of the experience. You appreciate things more when you experience the bad alongside the good. It’s something you learn from, and carry with you for the rest of your life. Never wait for opportunities to come along, but instead seek them out. It’s different for everyone. I had to move from one coast to the other to find what I wanted, and I’m glad I did. Keep doing personal work, develop your skills up and surround yourself with people who love and support you and what you do. If you do that, everything will be okay.
With that, I want to congratulate and wish the best of luck to all the recent and soon-to-be graduating animation students. Don’t let employment statistics fool you. The world is chock full of opportunities waiting for you to snatch up. So go out there and keep this industry alive and thriving!
By: Jennifer E. Morris,
on 5/21/2013
By: Vincenzo,
on 5/20/2013
Hey SFGer's...it's been awhile but I just wanted to announce I've published a book on Blurb and would appreciate any support you can provide...I know it's tough out there for most of us and just trying to keep the proverbial "Wolves at Bay". Even sharing the link would be greatly appreciated...many, many thanks!
By: Jerry Beck,
on 5/22/2013
Continuing our week of looking at some of the artists behind Blue Skey’s Epic, we focus on storyboard artist Tom LaBaff.
“Print illustration is one of Tom’s passions,” according to the bio on his website. Tom creates editorial and book illustration work in addition to working on animated features.
Tom extends the energetic, rough line often used during the animation process to his illustration work. He works with ink and watercolor washes and sometimes with a digital/analog hybrid technique demonstrated in this time-lapse video:
Tom also has a blog here where you can see large versions of his illustrations.
By: Ingrid Sundberg,
on 5/21/2013
Awhile ago I did an 8-part series on Plot to help me understand the differences between the terms: plot, story, and structure. (I’ve since revised some of my thoughts from that series when I did my grad lecture on story structure. More on that coming soon). But what I seem to find interesting is that no one seems to be able to agree on what plot is.
Sure, everyone sort of knows what plot is on a gut level, (and there’s plenty of overlap when writers discuss it), but there isn’t a concrete single definition. I think this is fascinating (and confusing), and oddly empowering. It means each of us gets to create our own personal definition of plot. We get to pick a definition that works for us!
I’ve begun to collect definitions of plot and I’ve shared my list below. Take a look through them and see if any resonate with you. Or maybe you’ll find you disagree with some (I sure do!). Perhaps some will confuse you, while others might help you consider plot in a whole new way! I’d love to know what you think.
As writers, we create our own philosophies about how we each define good writing and how the craft should be approached. Coming up with our own personal definition of plot is an interesting part of that journey. I’ve never found two writers who articulate it exactly the same way.
Here’s what some of my craft books, friends, and teachers have to say about plot:
“Plot is how the events in a story directly impact the main character.” - Martha Alderson
Story is: “The king died and then the queen died.” Plot is: “The king died and then the queen died of grief.” - E.M. Forster
“Story is what happens; plot is the structure of what happens.” - Cheryl Klein
“Plot is merely the mechanism by which your character is forced up against her deepest fears and desires.” - Margaret Bechard
“Plot is nothing more than the way you organize your story.” - Nancy Lamb
Plot is “merely one way of telling a story, by connecting the happenings tightly, usually through causal chains.” - Ursula Le Guin
“Story [is] what your novel is about. Plot [is] what happens within your story … Structure [is] how it’s organized.” - Sheryl Scarborough
“Plot is the arrangement of events that make up a story… Plot is the sequence of unfolding action. In examining plot we are concerned with causality, with how one action leads into or ties in with another.” – Chea Stephenson
“Plot is a system of actions.” – Susan Fletcher
Plot is “the under-the-surface weaving of various lines of action or sets of events so that the story builds steadily … It is a combination of what happens and how those events are revealed to the audience.” - John Truby
“Plot is not just what happens in a story. Rather, plot is a pattern of cause and effect or conflicts upsetting the equilibrium of a situation.” - Ron Layne and Rick Lewis
“Plots engage our capacity to understand motives and thus the logic of action.” - Roger Seamon
How do you define plot? I’d love to hear your personal definitions, thoughts, and ideas!
The above quotes come from the following sources: Alderson, Martha. The Plot Whisperer: Secrets of Story Structure Any Writer Can Master. Avon, MA: Adams Media, 2011. Print. Bechard, Margaret. Small Workshop Plot Handout. Vermont College of Fine Arts. 2012. Chea, Stephenson. “What’s the Difference Between Plot and Structure.” Associated Content. 16 Feb. 2010. Web. 7 May 2010. Forster, E.M. Aspects of the Novel. 1927. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1985. Print. Klein, Cheryl. “The Essentials of Plot.” CherylKlein.com. Web. Nov. 2012. Fletcher, Susan. Structure as Genesis. Faculty Lecture. Vermont College of Fine Arts. 2012. Lamb, Nancy. The Writer’s Guide to Crafting Stories for Children. Cincinnati, OH: Writer’s Digest Books, 2001. Print. Layne, Ron and Rick Lewis. “Plot, Theme, the Narrative Arc, and Narrative Patterns.” English and Humanities Department. Sandhill Community College. 11 Sept, 2009. Web. 7 May 2010. Le Guin, Ursula K. Steering the Craft: Exercises and Discussions on Story Writing for the Lone Navigator or the Mutinous Crew. Portland, OR: Eighth Mountain Press, 1998. Print. Scarborough, Sheryl. “Re: Laura’s (Way Late) Lecture Thread.” MFA Student Forum. Vermont College of Fine Arts. Web. Nov. 2012. Seamon, Roger. “The Price of Plot in Aristotle’s Poetics.” The Journal of Aesthetics and Art Criticism, 64:2, Spring 2006. Ebsco Host. Web. 10 May 2011. Truby, John. The Anatomy of Story: 22 Steps to Becoming a Master Storyteller. 2007. New York: Faber and Faber, 2008. Print.
By: Kathy Temean,
on 5/21/2013
I met Tori years ago at one of the first events I put on as Regional Advisor of the New Jersey Chapter of the SCBWI. I got to see the effort that Tori put into her books and making sure her work was seen by editors and agents. She is represented by the Liza Royce Agency and was one of their first clients.
Tori’s interest in children’s books began when her daughter was born. She fell in love with picture books after spending countless hours at the library reading to her daughter. By the time her sons were born, she was inspired to write her own stories and quickly became hooked on writing. She also studied picture book illustration at the School of Visual Arts. Tori joined New Jersey SCBWI and attended writing conferences where she learned the ins and outs of the publishing industry. Writing and illustrating children’s books became an unexpected, exciting second career for her. She has expanded her writing for children of all ages and is currently working on a historical fiction novel.
Her debut picture book, What Will It Be, Penelope? hits the book shelves on June 4th.
Wednesday, May 22nd – 6:00 p.m.
RSVP: (212) 831-3554 or cornerbook@aol.com
Here are a few questions I asked Tori that I thought you might be interested in reading:
Can you tell us about your journey with What Will It Be, Penelope?
Watching children try and decide what flavor ice cream they wanted is what inspired me to write the story. Sometimes my youngest son would hold up the line at the Mr. Softee ice cream truck! Of course there’s a bit of me in the story. I’ve been known to take forever to decide something silly like which soap to buy at Target! Penelope was the first picture book I wrote that wasn’t written in rhyme. I’m embarrassed to tell you how many versions there are!
How long ago did you write What’s Will It Be, Penelope?
It’s hard to say. I wrote the first version about seven years ago but I put it aside and didn’t look at it for years. It was way too long, around 850 words, which is a common mistake for picture book writers who are just learning their craft. It took me a while to figure out how to tell a story in only 500 to 600 words.
Did you do revisions?
Did I do revisions? All I did was revisions! And once I sold the manuscript, I still had to do more revisions!
What did it feel like to sign that first contract?
It was a really special day for me, especially since I’d been envisioning the moment for such a long time.
Can you tell us a little bit about Sky Pony Press?
Sky Pony is a wonderful publisher.(I’m not biased.) Launched in fall of 2011, it’s the children’s book imprint of Skyhorse Publishing. Their list includes picture books, middle grade, young adult, educational books and reissues of some well-loved classics. Since their first list in Fall 2011, Sky Pony now has over 100 books in print. I feel so blessed to have Penelope on that list. Next year, I’ll have another picture book called Dixie Wants an Allergy on the list too. What I love about Sky Pony is that they make decisions quickly and are capable of producing their books in record time. I signed my contract in Jan 2012 and I was holding a copy of my book in my hands in May 2013! Amazing.
Did you have any input into choosing the illustrator?
No I didn’t, but I’m glad that Sky Pony chose Danielle Ceccolini to do the illustrations for What Will It Be Penelope? In general, the publisher chooses the illustrator, not the author.
Do you ever think you will try your hand in illustrating one of your books?
Yes! I was an art major at SyracuseUniversity. I love to draw and paint! As a matter of fact, I illustrated the cover for my website. You can probably tell by looking at it that I was a textile designer because of the textures and the prints on my character’s clothing.
I took picture book illustration classes at The School of visual Arts and began working on a book dummy for my picture book called Sometimes I Wake in the Middle of the Night. Hopefully I’ll finish illustrating it someday. And you never know, maybe I’ll write and illustrate a story about the mice on my website! www.toricorn.com
Do you have any other books on the horizon?
I’ve written eight picture books and I’m currently working on a historical fiction novel.
What types of things have you done to help get prepared for your book launch?
Well, for one thing, I had a website developed. I’ve also purchased some cute Penelope giveaways to give to kids after I’ve read my book during school visits. I’m hoping the children will go home and ask their parents to buy my book and these items will help them remember the name of my book!
Do you have any words of wisdom to share that would help unpublished writers?
The most important advice I can give writers is to be thoughtful when deciding who to send their manuscripts to. This cuts down on the amount of (and type of ) reject letters you get. For instance, I only sent my manuscripts to editors and agents that I met at SCBWI conferences and I didn’t send them to everyone, only those whom I felt were seriously interested in my stories. That way, I only received encouraging reject letters! Most of them had excellent editorial comments so instead of feeling bad, I actually felt inspired to work harder to improve my manuscript.
My second piece of advice is for writers to envision their books getting published. That’s really important. Someone once told me to “Stay on the road and keep looking forward” which is what I did. I think it’s also important to join a writing group so you can have your manuscripts critiqued often and learn what other authors are doing right and wrong. And remember, if a few people are saying the same thing, you should listen. That said, always stay true to yourself.
Thank you Tori for sharing your experience with us. Best of luck with the book. Stop by www.toricorn.com to see Tori’s new website.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
By: Stephanie Roth Sisson,
on 5/20/2013
Often when I'm working, I listen to This American Life. This week's show turned out to be a foreshadowing of today's huge tornado in Oklahoma. This is SO worth a listen, please listen.
By: Shawna JC Tenney,
on 5/22/2013
Here are some of my left over drawings from ILL 699 Character Design for Children's Book Class (and scary slasher one from Eli Harris' Clothed Figure Class). They are all about 10 minute poses.
I loved teaching the course, and can't wait till the next term. I'll post up some of the best work from the students on the AAU Children's Book blog soon.
By: Paul Schmid,
on 5/22/2013
By: Tara Chang,
on 5/20/2013
By: Brooke Boynton,
on 5/21/2013
A couple of weeks ago author/illustrator, Joyce Wan, tagged me to join in "The Next Big Thing", a blog tour about children's books that started in Australia and has spread around the world. (You can see Joyce's post here). Thanks, Joyce!!
I'll be answering questions about my two up-coming books. Here goes!!...
1. What is the working title of your next book?
Cupcakes Cousins by Kate Hannigan and Baby Love by Angela DiTerlizzi.
2. Where did the idea come from for the book?
The ideas came from Kate and Angela, authors extraordinaire!
3. What genre does your book fall under?
Cupcake Cousins is an illustrated middle grade book. Baby Love is a picture book.
4. What actors would you choose to play the part of your characters in a movie rendition?
The two main characters in Cupcake Cousins are Willow and Delia. For Willow I think I'd choose a 10 year old Megan Follows, from Anne of Green Gables fame. For Delia I think Amandla Stenberg, who played Rue in The Hunger Games, would be a good fit.
By: ian sands,
on 5/20/2013
Adorable illustrations on your site (that Kathy did!) and the book looks SO cute 
I hope you really enjoy your signing at the bookstore tonight. Congrats!
I’m trying to be all about these: “Plot is how the events in a story directly impact the main character.” – Martha Alderson
“Plot is merely the mechanism by which your character is forced up against her deepest fears and desires.” – Margaret Bechard
But I started off with this definition of plot: “Something extraordinary happens to A, which then sets off a chain of events leading to some kind of conclusion.” Yes, my definition was just that vague. And note the use of the letter A. When i first started writing, A was just a chess piece to move on the board. Plot was king. Now I want my main character, no longer a nameless chess piece, to drive the plot.
I lean toward the definitions that speak of plot as the underlying thread of what happens when and why.