SCBWI Chapel Hill Writing Retreat
Editors and agents stress the importance of "voice" in a manuscript. Writers strive to find their "voice" and yet there are no easy definitions for this monster they call VOICE. I love listening to different professionals in the industry share their thoughts on what "Voice" is. After years of listening and digesting this info, I think I'm finally starting to catch on. No. I don't have a clear and easy definition. However, I will share the basic 10 points that Ms. Rees mentioned as being the elements that influence your voice.
1) Character
2) Manner of Expression
3) Narrator
4) Dialogue
5) Setting
6) Perspective
7) Tone
8) Genre
9) You
10) Story
In attempt to digest the things Ms. Rees said about each of the 10 elements, I came home and tried to find a small section of a book that I thought embodied all 10 elements. It's not that easy to do. There are some books that are easy to hear voice. Books like Savvy and Dovey Coe. I wanted to find a section that wasn't quite as colloquial. One where the voice doesn't come from accent or regional flare. Finally, I settled on The Hunger Games. I thought it fitting since Ms. Rees was the editor for this book. Here's a short scene that I love and see as including all of the above influences.
This is a scene from Chapter 5 when Katnis first meets with her prep team for her makeover.
Venia and Octavia, a plump woman whose entire body has been dyed a pale shade of pea green, rub me down with a lotion that stings but then soothes my raw skin. Then they pull me from the table, removing the thin robe I've been allowed to wear off and on. I stand there, completely naked, as the three circle me, wielding tweezers to remove any last bits of hair. I know I should be embarrassed, but they're so unlike people that I'm no more self-conscious than if a trio of oddly colored birds were pecking around my feet. The three step back and admire their work. "Excellent! You almost look like a human being now!" SaysFlavius and they all laugh. I force my lips up into a smile to show how grateful I am. "Thank you," I say sweetly. "We don't have much cause to look nice in District Twelve."This wins them over completely. "Of course, you don't you poor darling!" Says Octavia clasping her hands together in distress for me."But don't worry," says Venia. "By the time Cinna is through with you, you're going to be absolutely gorgeous!" "We promise! You know, now that we've gotten ride of all the hair and filthy, you're not horrible at all!" Says Flavius encouragingly. "Let's call Cinna!"They dart out of the room. It's hard to hate my prep team. They're such total idiots, Ad yet, in an odd way I know that they're sincerely trying to help me.So, How does this one section envelope all 10 elements?
First I see how the Characters, their perspectives of each other, the manner in which they speak, their actions, the setting the tone they use w/ one another . . . it all blends together making this scene vivid in my minds eye. The tension. The co
Remember the pitch contest from Donna's blog?
I won! *\o/* yea!
A big thanks to Donna for hosting this contest and to authors Stephanie Reed and Susan Marlow for judging. I really needed to work on my pitch and this contest helped me get my butt in gear.
I never put much effort into a pitch. Quite honestly, it didn't appeal to me. I'm writing a novel for crying out loud! I like words. Lots and lots of words! To think of taking a story that is 50,000 + words and condensing it down to 25 words or less didn't just sound impossible; the thought horrified me!
Then, I went to the writers retreat in Chapel Hill, NC this past April. For those who read my blog on a regular basis, there's no doubt, you're getting sick of hearing about this retreat. I can't help but write about it. I learned so much and feel that I grew leaps and bounds as a writer in just one weekend.
Sarah Shumway from Dutton/Penguin spoke about pitches. Her lecture opened my eyes to the necessity of a good pitch. Bottom line: it's crucial. Here's a link to some of my notes from her session.
We had a stimulating discussion on our SCBWI Carolina's list serve about pitches and I have a great critique buddy (you know who you are) who helped me work on the pitch. It's great to have insight from those who are honest and constructive.
You need to go over and read all the pitches. There are so many great plots and story lines!!!! When all these works in progress are published, I'm going to have a lot of reading to do!
oh, and here's my pitch for my YA fantasy novel: (cue fast music with a heavy drum beat)
"A runaway slave girl encounters forbidden love and a stealthy enemy while searching for three mystical charms missing from a family heirloom."
I can already hear the book trailer . . . . . (you have to think positive you know!) :0)
Happy writing everyone!
In addition to the great sessions on
Voice,
Point of View and the
Pitch and Purpose of our work, we also had time to lounge on the back porch, join small critique groups, or work on our own.
On our last night we had a chance to read for 5 minutes. This picture is of my
critique buddy,
Janelle, reading from her YA MS. I was brave and read from my current WIP also.
Alan Gratz was one of the attendees. Let me tell you, he's a super nice and talented guy! He was kind enough to answer our endless questions about his writing journey to publication. He's the author of
Samarai Shorstop and
Something Rotten, with three new titles coming out in the near future. I feel honored to say I was at the conference while he was working on his current WIP, which sounds absolutely fantastic and fresh! If you haven't read any of Alan's work, you need to get out to the library or book store and pick one up!
This is a picture of
Maggie Moe taking a picture of me taking her picture.
Some parting words of wisdom from our editors, Martha, Krista and Sarah:MS's that are easy for them to pass on: 1) Bad writing; clumsy or obvious 1st draft. 2) Not knowing the Genre. 3) an unauthentic voice
What makes them want to see more:
1) solid writing
2) Good concept of voice
Also:
1) When submitting, keep editorial assitents in mind. They are just starting to build up their career and are more likely to have time to read more and work with new talent.
Sunday afternoon. Time to leave with lots of things to think about, digest and apply. I've found that blogging has been a great way to help me internalize what I learned, and hopefully some readers have learned something along the way too.
If you've never been to a writing retreat, I think it was worth the time and $$$.
Happy Writing!
REVISE! REVISE! REVISE!
Nervous, I walked into the small room where Krista Marino sat on a pink, flowered reproduction of a victorian sofa.
What would she say? I wondered.
If honesty persist, I was expecting the worst. Only moments before I left my house the previous afternoon, I checked the mailbox where a familiar SASE manilla envelope waited for me . I need not open the envelope. My own handwritten address was the bearer of bad news. Another rejection letter.
Could this be ill omen or good? I wondered. Though I tried to remain positive, (after all, perhaps this could be the writers equivilent of an actors "Break a leg") I sat behind the wheel of my car and headed toward Chapel Hill in a somber mood. Anger soon joined the mix when I realized that Mapquest had given poor directions. I was lost and there was only 15 mintues left until registration ended.
I fought to push the constant stream of unsettling thoughts from my mind. Just keep your mouth closed and listen to what she has to say. I reminded myself as I sat in the chair across from Krista. Even if it's bad news, I can still work to get better.
I drew in a deep breath, smiled and leaned forward as if to signal my undivided attention. But inside I was trembling. At the pit of my very core I want to be a published author. Will I ever make it?
And then Krista began to speak . . .
Or . . . I could just say "On Saturday morning I had a one on one critique with Krista Marino, editor at Delacorte."
Which is more interesting?
OK. Now, I'll get right to the point. Krista gave me a very encouraging and insightful critique. Her advice was spot on and she said she liked what she read and saw a lot of potential in my story. ~squeal~ :0)
My biggest problem was that I did too much "telling" instead of "showing".
It's funny, but I know the "Show don't tell" rule very well. Or I thought I did. As a matter of fact, I thought I WAS showing and not telling. But Krista did a great job opening my eyes to a whole new level of "telling."
I equated "action" to be the "showing" instead of "telling." Not necessarily so. It's also sometimes difficult to pick out these area's once you've gone over the same story over and over again. That's one reason why critiques are so important, whether it come from an editor or a local critique group. The outside information can be priceless.
What's the fix?: Add emotion, surroundings and thoughts into the mix. Even action can come across as "telling" and can even seem canned or contrived. In other words, don't just say your character is opening the door. What is she thinking as she opens the door? What is going on around her? How does she feel?
Her critique only covered the first 10 pages of my MS, but I have easily been able to apply her advice through out the entire MS.
The critique was golden!
Krista, if you're out there and ever come across this post, Thanks for the great critique!"
Now. . . Back to work!
Friday Evening with Martha MihalikWhat is Voice and Why do Editors Go Ga-Ga over it?
My notes and my take on Martha's session on VOICE.
From conferences to the very mouth of an editor, "VOICE" is the buzz word. In writing circles everywhere they talk about how important "VOICE" is. But I've never been clear entirely what it means, until Martha Mihalik's session on voice. Good voice is something you notice when you read it, but when you are the writer, how do you know that you have it?
Martha broke down "Voice" as having eight elements. Though each element is distinct, it's important that they all work together and consistently support one another.
The Short version: Voice is the "Story teller"
ELEMENTS OF VOICE:
1) Language = the vocabulary and dialect of your characters and narrator
2) Syntax and rhythm = how you put together sentences and paragraphs. How do you form them and how do they vary?
3) Tone = How do your characters sound? Are they cheerful, sarcastic, hopeful, dark. . . .
4) Imagery and symbolism
5) Theme = the emotional underlying emotional drive of the story.
6) World View = Where does the story take place? How would the characters think? what would they see? what is their culture? How does the world of the character effect his/her thinking and views.
7) Pacing = Leisurely or fast?
8) Structure = how it's put together, are the characters complex or simple?
So . . . why is voice so important? What's the big deal?
The answer is simple. There are only a handful of different plots that can be told. The "voice" is what makes the telling of the same ol' plots unique and interesting. It's what draws the reader in gives the story vitality and an air of authenticity.
Martha's Advice: Don't write to follow a trend. Write from your heart. If you force your story, the voice will come across as being "fake" or not authentic and will also seem as if the author doesn't have and opinion of the story.
A few of Martha's examples of books with good voice:
Stardust by Neil Gaiman
The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney by Suzanne Harper
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer
A few of my examples of books with good voice:
Crispin and the Cross of Lead; Midnight Magic by Avi
Dovey Coe, By Frances O'Roark Dowell
The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous, by Suzanne Crowley
Tomorrow I will focus on Krista Marino's topic of Point of View and how it can help or hurt your story.
On Friday Night we arrived at the Aquaduct Conference Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Eager to learn, share and network. I learned so much, in fact, that I can not post it all in one blog. it will take a series of blogs to share the highlights from my notes.
While we waited for everyone to arrive we gathered on the back porch to enjoy snacks, beverages, good company and a gorgeous view.
I must mention how impressed I am at how friendly and welcoming this group was. There didn't seem to be any cliques or pecking order. I had a good time meeting up with old friends as well as making new ones.
After dinner we met in a circle (as pictured) and shared our favorite read of 2007. If anyone is looking for an inspired reading list, here's what I jotted down, as well as notes from our e-mail list, from our circle time. I hope I didn't copy anything wrong.
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Title | Author | | Reading like a Writer | Katherine Prose | | Girl Genus | Millicent Min | | Charlie Bone & Children of the Red King | Jenny Nimno | | The Invention of Hugo Cabret | Brian Selznick | | Bad Kitty | Nick Bruel | | Marley & Me | John Grogan | | The Giver | Lois Lowery | | Skellig | David Almond | | Dovey Coe | Francis O'Roark Dowell | | The Interupption of Everything | Terry McMillian | | Doctor DeSoto | William Steig | | Wizard of Earthsea | ursula K. LeGuin | | Truth about Forever | Sarah Dessen | | The Book Thief | Markus Zusak | | Writing for the Soul | Jerry B. Jenkins | | Elsewhere | Gabrielle Zevin | | The Very Ordered Existence of Merilee Marvelous |
| Suzanne Crowley | | Twilight | Stephanie Meyers | | My Side of the Mountain | Jean Craighead George | | The Higher Power of Lucky | Susan Paton | | The Disreputable History of Frankie Landeau-Banks |
| E. Lockhart | | Star Girl | Jerry Spinelli | | A Thousand Splendid Suns | Khaled Hosseini | | Bartimus Trilogy | Jonathan Stroud | | Skin Deep | E.M. Crane | | Hell Week | Rosemary Clemet Moore | | The Penderwicks | Jeanne Birdsall | | Northlander | Meg Burden | | Beauty and the Beast | Robin McKinley |
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After our sharing time, Editor at Greenwillow, Martha Mihalik gave an insightful and informative session on "What is Voice and Why to Editors Go Ga-Ga Over it?" My notes on her insights will be shared in my next blog. Please excuse the super huge space between the list and this last paragraph. I've tried to go back and fix it, but it won't let me. !@#$#@!@#! urghh!
Last year when I read Susan Beth Pfeffer's drop dead amazing novel Life As We Knew It, the book had such a pull on the reader that often I'd find myself looking up from it in a kind of daze, convinced that I needed to find food, shelter, and extra clothing NOW! Those of you familiar with the book will recall that it's about a small family and how they deal with the horrendous natural consequences that come when a meteor hits the moon and brings it closer to earth.
For those of us living in New York City, there was little doubt in anyone's mind that if that whole Meteor/Moon theory plays out, we're going to be dead. So it was with great pleasure that I read in a SCI FI Wire article that not only is there a companion novel to Pfeffer's book in the works, it's set in NYC! Mind you, it's named The Dead and Gone, but we knew that already didn't we?
Thanks to Shaken and Stirred for the link.
Hey, Christy! Great blog, great topic!
I tend to think of voice as undefinable--something you can feel or recognize rather than truly explain. And I wanted to add another example that's really working for me.
I'm about 100 pages into a debut YA novel by Swati Avasthi called SPLIT. (To be clear, I don't know this author, and choose to read the book because of a review.) When I have to put this book down, some of the things I ponder are the risks this author takes in assuming we--the reader--is intelligent and can make leaps (and how well that works) and how her voice word and scene choices give this story life.
So, anyone interested in exploring those issues should pick up that book. (And I promise, no royalties will fall my way. LOL.)
Tina
Tina Ferraro
The ABC's of Kissing Boys
How to Hook a Hottie
Top Ten Uses for an Unworn Prom Dress
Thnx for coming by my blog, tina! :0) It's always great to see you here. Thnx for the book rec. I'll be sure to get that one!
Wow, great post Christy! You took some time and thought on this one. A while back I wrote this about voice:
Voice is how we choose to string words together.It is an invisible glue, it is the space between words, it is what is not there and yet permeates the page. Like gravity, it is the weakest force, yet it binds a story-universe together and keeps it from flying off into chaos.
Thnx Bish!
And very well put. I love it!
I'm a big fan of the HG books (can't wait for HG3) I agree that present tense adds tension!
GREAT post!!! Thanks sharing.
Hi Angela! Yep, I'm waiting for #3 also!
Thnx Beth! :0)
What a great post. I just love the Hunger Games series. Sigh.
It's interesting about the present tense because I noticed that right away and how strong it made the tension. But if you notice, there are long streams of flashbacks so the present tense doesn't wear on the reader. She's done a great job writing it!
I heard Jennifer Rees at the SCBWI NY conference last year, and she was awesome. Thanks for sharing her take on and your interpretation of Voice!
I have not yet read The Hunger Games, but you've made me want to! :)
Great post. Voice is def one of those things that can't be forced. If it is, the story is dead.
Wow, great post,
Kit Grady
I love Hunger Games too. The tension is flawless! I found it interesting about the tense as well. Glad I'm not the only one. :0)
Hi CL! thnx for stopping by. I hear that Jennifer will be at the LA conference this year too. She really is awesome!
Hi Donna! yes, you have to read the Hunger Games. It's brilliant. I gave it to my hubby to read and he loved it too. That's saying a lot because YA lit isn't his genre.
Thnx Kit! So glad you stopped by. We miss you at Critique group!
I have received several personal rejection letters saying that they loved the story, but didn't relate to the "voice." I even spoke with the head of the SCBWI here in AZ at a meeting and she made a face when I told her. I don't think anyone really knows what "voice" can mean...well until you shared it with us! Thanks!!!!
What a great analysis, Christy! I'm so glad you got so much out of it!
Wow ... what great information, Christy! And, agreed ... she is adorable ... before I even started reading, I'd noticed her clothing and those awesome boots! :-)