new posts in all blogs
Viewing: Blog Posts Tagged with: characters!, Most Recent at Top [Help]
Results 26 - 47 of 47
How to use this Page
You are viewing the most recent posts tagged with the words: characters! in the JacketFlap blog reader. What is a tag? Think of a tag as a keyword or category label. Tags can both help you find posts on JacketFlap.com as well as provide an easy way for you to "remember" and classify posts for later recall. Try adding a tag yourself by clicking "Add a tag" below a post's header. Scroll down through the list of Recent Posts in the left column and click on a post title that sounds interesting. You can view all posts from a specific blog by clicking the Blog name in the right column, or you can click a 'More Posts from this Blog' link in any individual post.
Hello, all!
First things first: If you haven't yet entered to win in our 4 x 4 Blogiversary Celebration, go! Do! Who wouldn't love selecting a few FREE books from one of our favorite indies?
Secondly, wasn't
yesterday's Progressive Poem a blast? Thanks, April! A tough act to follow, for sure, but it's Wednesday, and that means it's time for a workout.
This week I've tapped one of my favorite teaching authors, novelist Sharelle (pronounced like Cheryl) Byars Moranville. Sharelle holds a Ph.D. in English and has taught as an adjunct professor at various colleges and universities. She's also a regular workshop leader at the University of Iowa Summer Writing Workshop. Here she is, prepared for warmer temperatures:
Sharelle's beautifully-crafted novels include the award-winning Over the River, The Purple Ribbon, A Higher Geometry, The Snows, and her latest, The Hop (Kirkus: "an enchanting adventure.") I'm a great admirer of Sharelle's writing, which is filled with powerful sensory details and layers of emotion that go straight to a reader's heart.
Here's a backstory exercise Sharelle uses with her writing students – and for her own stories, as well.
- Diagram the important places in the story. For example, the main character's house. Show the layout, the directional orientation (for the cast of light, breeze through the house, etc.) Think about the view from each window.
- Furnish the house. Think about the furnishings and what those reveal about backstory, character, and conflict.
- Pick a particular item in the house – a keychain, a coffee mug, a knick-knack, a lamp, a toothbrush – and use it as a prompt for exploring backstory, character, and conflict. Use it to create a scene between two characters.
- Pick an item in the house that will become a motif in the story – i.e., invested with an emotional content, like the backpack in Susan Patron's The Higher Power of Lucky or the pearls in Kimberly Willis Holt's When Zachary Beaver Came to Town.
Happy writing!
Jill Esbaum
If, like me, you occasionally feel the need to spend a little time with the endearing, funny, innocent characters forever residing on Klickitat Street, please join me in a shout out:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BEVERLY CLEARY!!!
You can read about this iconic American author here, on a HarperCollins site devoted to her and her books,
here, in an interview with Highlights for Children,
here, in an article by Jim Trelease,
and here, in The New York Times:
What an inspiration!
Not only is today Ms. Cleary's birthday, it is national Drop Everything And Read day. After Ms. Cleary mentioned D.E.A.R. in Ramona Quimby Age 8 in 1981, the practice spun out across the country faster than the wheels of Ralph Mouse's motorcycle. I first heard of D.E.A.R. when it was a daily event at my kids' elementary school. Oh, how they loved when their teachers stopped in the middle of another subject to shout, "Drop everything and read!" Oh, how I loved seeing every kid in school carrying a library book.
According to HarperCollins' website, D.E.A.R. is "a national month-long celebration of reading designed to remind folks of all ages to make reading a priority activity in their lives. Because, what's more fun(damental) than reading, really?"
Educators and parents, you'll want to visit the D.E.A.R. site, where you'll find "reading lists, activity ideas, digital assets, and other resources to get you started and keep you busy."
Also, be sure to check out the Ramona Journal, released just a few weeks ago. I would have LOVED this book when I was a kid. Okay, I'd love it now. I'll have to buy one for my great niece in order to get an in-depth look.
I'm off today to attend the SCBWI-Iowa spring conference to spend the weekend talking books. What could be better?
Jill Esbaum
Anybody who has been in one of my workshops knows what a fanatic I am for the one-sentence synopsis. If you don't know what I'm talking about, take a look at the title page of (almost) any book for kids. See the sentence that sums up the entire story? Not much to it, is there? Should be easy to write one, then, right? Um...
Sometimes called an elevator pitch – because if you find yourself in an elevator with an editor and s/he asks what you're working on, you don't want to ramble on like a doofus (she said from experience) – the one-sentence synopsis is also an excellent tool for keeping your story on track during the writing process.
Oh, how many times my stories – especially my rhyming stories – go off in a direction I hadn't intended. When a story veers out of control, I know it's time to back up the truck and ask myself one simple question:
What is this story really about?
Crafting a one-sentence synopsis has saved my bacon time and again. It cuts to the heart of the story, clarifies your main character's motivation, and illuminates the path from a story's beginning to its end.
So give it a try. Write a one-sentence synopsis for your work in progress.
Include:
1. Your main character's name.
2. What it is s/he is struggling with.
3. What's at stake for your MC (if not readily apparent).
4. What s/he does to reach her goal or overcome the problem (if needed).
Here's an example from one of my 2014 books,
I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo! (Dial):
Nadine, a braggy cow, gets into hilarious trouble when, to save face, she's forced to lead her friends on a nighttime hike through the spooky woods.
That probably isn't what will be on the finished book's title page, but it's
my one-sentence synopsis of this story. It pretty much tells you everything you need to know in deciding whether to read it or replace it on the shelf.
If you care to, go ahead and put your synopsis into the comment section, I'd love to see what you're working on.
Good luck! And don't forget to enter our
giveaway for a chance to win Tamera Wissinger's Gone Fishin'. Hurry! Today's the last day.
Jill Esbaum
Back in October, I posted about the three elements – rhythm, rhyme, and story – that have to work together in character-driven rhyming picture books. In that post, I addressed getting a story's rhythm exactly right.
That leaves rhyme and story, so I thought I'd get back to those today. You all know how to rhyme, so I won't waste an entire post on the topic. Two things to keep in mind, though:
- Use proper syntax. If you have to twist a line for the sake of the end rhyme, find another way to get the thought across. Lines should read the way a person normally speaks.
- Talk "up" to your readers. Don't shy away from complicated words now and then if they fit the story, if kids will be able to glean meaning from context (and, most likely, an illustration), and especially if they're fun to say. In my Ste-e-e-e-eamboat A-Comin'!, which takes place in the 1800s, I rhymed songs and shouts with roustabouts; silk cravats with cowboy hats; and coffee, spoons with brass spittoons.
Rhyming stories have been my favorites since I was 5 or 6 years old (and was introduced to Horton).
Of the 16 books I've sold so far, 6 are rhyming picture books. So these days, I critique a lot of rhyming manuscripts – as a volunteer judge at
Rate Your Story, in private and conference crits, and in summer
workshops (note: my pb workshop is Aug. 2-4 this year). The number one problem with the stories I see is . . . well, the
stories. It's pefectly natural. We get so caught up in perfecting rhythm and rhyme that story takes a backseat. Because boy, once we get those rhyming lines working together, most of us would rather undergo a root canal than make changes.
But the same rules apply to a rhyming story to one written in prose. So, a checklist:
- Does my main character have a goal to reach or some kind of problem? Did I get to it right away? Does he solve it himself?
- Do things go WRONG?
- Did I include believable/necessary dialogue? (Yes, this is tougher to do in rhyming stories. You thought this would be easy?)
- Does every word of every line move the story forward and convey a precise meaning? This is a biggie. Go through your story line by line. Are any lines/stanzas merely restating in a different way information already given? Condense or cut.
- Have I used specific verbs, vivid language, fresh similes and metaphors, alliteration, onomatopoeia? (If you have fun, your reader will, too.)
- Is my word count as low as possible? (Little pitchers have big ears, yes, but they also have short attention spans.)
- Is my POV consistent? (Try to avoid 1st person in rhyming stories. It can be done, but it's extremely tough to do without sounding overly-contrived.)
- Has my MC shown growth or changed somehow by the end of the story? (And am I not hitting the reader over the head with it?)
When it comes to crafting rhyming stories, practice really does make perfect. Examine a variety of published rhyming picture books. To get a feel for meter, read them aloud. Type them out. Study their plot structure. Learn to recognize and correct problem areas in your own work.
One final tip that gets its own line and bold print:
- Embrace revision. (Because, truly, there's NEVER only one way to say something.)
And before you know it, you'll be on the track to publication. Note that I didn't call it a "fast track." This IS publishing.
Jill Esbaum
P.S. Remember to enter our
book giveaway for a chance to win Tamera Wissinger's delightful Gone Fishing!
Happy Friday! I don't know about you, but I've bookmarked Mary Ann's Wednesday Writing Workout. What a fun exercise! Now, back to the topic of favorite craft-oriented books. We all have our personal favorites, of course, and there are certainly enough out there to satisfy everybody's tastes. I hadn't even heard of Carmela's pick, Mary Oliver's A Poetry Handbook, but I'm going to have to try to find a copy. I'm more familiar with the terrific books on Mary Ann's list, although I've never had the pleasure of reading Marcia Colub's I'd Rather Be Writing. These two are going straight to my (ever growing!) "must read" list. For my own list, I'm going to stick to those books that deal with writing fiction.
When I feel the need for a writing boost, there are books I go back to again and again. But if I were going to be stranded on a desert isle with only three books about the writing craft to read while awaiting rescue (and praying for a cookbook to wash up: 500 Ways to Cook Coconuts), my picks would be:
Self-Editing for Fiction Writers, by Renni Browne & Dave King. This little gem was first published in 1993, but it's no less relevant now than 20 years ago. It's packed with information that vastly improved my writing. Vastly. And it's written in a friendly, chatting-over-the-back-fence style that appeals to me. So many illuminating examples are sprinkled throughout – good, bad, hilarious, and cringe-inducing – that there's no way you can read it and not come away a better writer. How many writing sins did Beginner Me commit? That's for another post.
Telling Lies for Fun by Profit, by Lawrence Block. Reading these essays is like picking the brain of a warm and witty, well-published favorite uncle who's willing to cut through the baloney and give it to you straight. He covers every topic I can imagine about writing and the writing life. From selecting a pen name (or not) to speeding up your writing to creating believable characters to "the perils of icebox thinking." I'm not kidding. It's ALL here. An often eye-opening read.
For my third choice, I’d have to go with Stephen King’s On Writing. Half memoir, half instruction manual, candid and, by turns, heartbreaking and funny, this book gives me hope that success can happen for any of us willing to work hard and BELIEVE. And who doesn’t need that?
Many, many other books on my bookshelves beckon, but these three remain my faves. Since I never studied writing formally, they pretty much provided my writing education, helped get me where I am today. How could I not love them?
Jill Esbaum
Today I'm supposed to write about how sticking to a writing routine can save the day. Or not. That ties in perfectly to my January 4th post, in which I vowed to set a writing schedule for myself in an effort to find my way back into a middle grade novel project. I'd like to shout, "Yes! A schedule was exactly what I needed! I'm well into Chapter 5! Hallelujah!" That would be inspirational, wouldn't it? It would also be untrue.
For the first time in my writing life (16 years), I entered a new year feeling overwhelmed by the number of projects awaiting my attention. Hmm. Could I work on the novel for two hours per day, fitting other writing in around it? No. Turns out that, like Mary Ann, scheduled writing time makes me itchy. Plus, I'm much happier and more productive when focusing on one project at a time.
For a few weeks there, I just avoided my office. That led to many late-night struggles with monkey mind - our pastor's apt description for when you can't sleep because your thoughts keep jumping from one problem to another. Especially worrisome were three picture book projects editors were waiting for (no rush, but still). Throw in the same real life chores/business/family stuff we all deal with and you have enough stress to set anybody's teeth to grinding.
What finally worked to get me back on track was my old friend, list making. Prioritizing. And, hold the phone...what was that hovering down there at #6? Yep, the novel. So I've put it aside and begun chipping away at those projects higher on the list. And I've seen actual results.
1) A nonfiction picture book proposal is almost ready to go out the door.
2) A fiction pb has been tweaked per an editor's suggestions.
3) My messy pile of writing-related receipts stuffed into a drawer and ignored through most of 2012, otherwise known as "important stuff my husband's going to ask for any minute while he gets tax info together," is now collated and duly recorded and in perfect order. (He may faint.)
And I'm feeling much, much better about the situation. As are my jaws.
Routine has saved the day, at least in part. I spend most mornings in my office, chipping away at that list. For me, though, balance is imperative. So I opened another creative outlet. Months ago, I picked out fabric* for a quilt I wanted to make. I finally sketched a design, calculated the pieces I'd need, and got to work. Piecing a quilt, unlike writing, lets me see results quickly. I think - no, I know - that those afternoons in my basement sewing studio have been therapeutic.
*the centers of the squares look black in this pic, but they are
actually a dark coffee brown.
And, #6? Don't worry, I see you down there. Hang tight. I'm on my way.
Jill Esbaum
First, a huge THANK YOU to those readers who linked back to our Two Weeks of Thanks-Giving posts and/or wrote thankus of their own:
Linda at
Teacherdance.
Betsy at
Teaching Young Writers.
Linda at
Write Time.
Ramona at
Pleasures from the Page.
Margaret at
Reflections of the Teche. And a
second post.
Leanne at
Leanne Pankuch - Children's Writer.
Stacey at
Two Writing Teachers.
And Jan, thanks for sharing your thanku in our comments section, too.
Woot! So fun and inspiring to read all of your lovely and touching thankus. We appreciate your participation.
Gosh, I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm having a hard time believing that tomorrow is December 1st. What happened to November?! Well, one good thing about flipping the calendar page is that tomorrow is "
Take your child to a bookstore day." So please visit a local bookstore, if possible, and spread the love.
This is my last post for awhile, so have a happy holiday season and a beautiful and blessed 2013.
Happy writing!
Jill Esbaum
Part of the back matter in Angry Birds Playground: Animals was to be a double-page spread filled with activities meant to assist parents in helping their children take learning beyond the pages of the book. I'd need 20 or so activities. I tried to think of this task as little as possible while I wrote the rest of the book's text. Eventually, though, the writing of those pages could no longer be ignored. But, hey. There were dozens of animals in the book. Surely I could think of 20 activities that kinda-sorta had something to do with featured animals, or find some on the internet I could adapt to my purposes.
The first one I thought up was for kids to balance a ball atop their feet, similar to the way penguin parents keep an egg up off the ice. Was that even physically possible for little kids? It's been awhile (a long while) since my own kids were in the target age group (4-6 year olds). I needed help. I needed beta testers.
I immediately though of Jacob and Joshua, sons of my Iowa author friend, Becky (I'd be happy to send you details about Becky's fabulous books if you want to e-mail me privately, but I'm not including her last name here in order to protect the boys' privacy on the sometimes creepy internet).
The boys were up for it, so I flooded Becky's e-mail inbox with activities as I wrote them. Jacob and Joshua gamely tried SO many. The ball balancing didn't make the cut, but here they are (along with their sister, Anna), testing the milk carton boats they made....
For months, their mom kept a secret. A couple of weekends ago, I saw the family at a book festival and was finally able to hand Jacob and Joshua copies of "our book" and watch their reactions when they saw their names on the dedication page. Jacob turned to hide a smile. Joshua clasped the book to his chest and jumped in stompy circles.
Could anything be better than that? Well, maybe. Toss in a little serendipity....
The pandas on the cover are adorable. But since there were no pandas inside (long story), I was feeling a little "meh" about it. Until Becky saw the book and instantly went melty over the cover. See, her entire family traveled to China in 2010 to adopt Joshua. In her own words: "Before we met Joshua, we were able to send him one package [orig e-mail included photos]. Do you see the stuffed panda? It was one of our first gifts to Joshua. He slept with it, and carried it all the way home to Iowa. His brother Jacob loved the panda so much, he picked one of his own to be his special souvenir. When our family first saw the two pandas on the cover of Angry Birds Playground, we all had the same thought. 'Look, it's Jacob and Joshua!' My mother even commented on the pandas when she first saw the book. Pandas remind us of Joshua's birth country, and both Jacob and Joshua love them."
Suddenly, two little pandas were exactly right.
Remember to enter our giveaway to win an autographed copy of
Angry Birds Playground: Animals. For contest details, see
Monday's post. The deadline is 11pm (CST) tomorrow (Thursday), and the winner will be announced Friday.
Jill Esbaum
A few years ago, I fell into one of those "right time, right place" opportunities – a picture book manuscript my agent submitted to National Geographic Kids miraculously brought an offer to author a series of softcover nonfiction books for 4-6 year olds. I had great fun writing five Picture the Seasons books before the series was discontinued.
Luckily, my editor thought of me again this past April, asking if I'd be interested in a project that required a steep learning curve and called for somebody who a) was comfortable writing both fiction and nonfiction, b) could devote a month or two to this project (during which there'd likely be no time for a personal life), and c) could write quickly.
I replied, "Sure, I can do that!"
(Note: "Sure, I can do that!" is my standard answer to most any editorial request. Whether or not I'm actually confident that I'm able to do what they're asking is irrelevant. A willing attitude and an internet connection make it possible to teach yourself just about anything, right?)
A week later I learned project details. The book would be a *takes a deep breath* 128-page hardcover fiction/nonfiction mashup featuring the Angry Birds on an around-the-world adventure, during which they'd meet and learn about dozens of real animals as they searched five distinct habitats for their eggs, which their pig enemies had stolen, with back matter the likes of which I'd never tackled before. I'd be choosing the habitat locations and about 40 animals, writing nonfiction info about each, funny dialogue for the Angry Birds - each with their own personalities, chapter intros, and the general storyline launching the birds on their adventure, recapping their trip at the end, then wrapping up their story.
I was in over my head, and I knew it. Sheesh, just reading the above paragraph again now makes my heart rate rise. This was a massive project, and I had no idea where on earth (literally) to begin.
But then I remembered the anecdote Anne Lamott tells of her childhood, the one in which her father gave writing advice to her brother, who was struggling to write a school report: "Bird by bird, buddy. Just take it bird by bird." Couldn't be much more appropriate in this case!
By one week into the six it took to research and write the book, I was having the time of my life. This book stretched me as a writer, taught me how much work (from so many people!) goes into a project like this, and pushed me into places I hadn't imagined I could go. And what writer wouldn't love knowing the project she's working on in May and June is scheduled for release six months later?! (I waited five years for my last picture book, Tom's Tweet. Totally worth it, but still.)
Which brings me to today. I'm happy to announce that my newest publication,
Angry Birds Playground: Animals (National Geographic) has hit bookstore shelves. I hope you'll take a look. It's targeted to kids 4-6 years old, but fun for older readers, too. The book follows the Angry Birds through the Amazon rainforest, the Mojave desert, across the Pacific Ocean, to the grasslands of Tasmania and Tanzania (thanks to a confused sea turtle, the Birds have to visit both), and both the Arctic and Antarctic (thanks to a confused Angry Bird, who is certain that penguins live in the Arctic). They meet caimans and sloths, lizards and bats, otters and whales, black swans and Tasmanian devils, lions and elephants, seals and penguins. Pandas? Um, no. I'll tell you about that Wednesday.
To win an autographed copy, all you have to do is enter our drawing.
Entry Rules
You may enter the contest one of two ways: 1) by posting a comment below OR 2) by sending an email to teachingauthors [at] gmail [dot] com with "Book Giveaway" in the subject line.
Whichever way you enter, you
MUST give us your first and last name AND tell us how you follow us. If you enter via a comment, you MUST include a valid email address (formatted this way: youremail [at] gmail [dot] com) in your comment.
Contest open only to residents of the United States. Incomplete entries will be discarded.
Entry deadline is 11 pm (CST) Thursday, November 15, 2012 (yes, this is a short one!). Winners will be announced Friday, November 16, 2012. Good luck!
Jill Esbaum
Writing is a solitary art.
Paul Hoecker, 1888
But if you're writing for submission, fresh eyes are invaluable. Critical readers who aren't as close to (or as invested in) a work often have an easier time spotting its weaknesses. This is a GOOD thing. But take care; nobody likes to have her work ripped apart. If you're new to critiquing, here are a few tips on giving feedback to other writers.
Let it simmer. Read a manuscript soon after receiving it. Make a few notes, then, if time allows, put it away for a few days. When you give it another look, you'll notice things you missed in the first go-round and have a better understanding of it as a whole.
Take note of: characterization, setting details, dialogue (realistic?) & dialogue beats, sensory images, consistent point of view, voice, showing vs. telling, overall story arc, openings & endings.
Give as good as you get. Spend the same time and energy on others' manuscripts as you expect them to give yours.
The Critique Sandwich. Always begin and end a critique on a positive note. It's awfully easy, after a period of time together, for group members to jump right to the "this isn't working" part of the process. That's a dangerous practice. Members feel ganged up on, resentments build, and your ship's sunk before anybody has even sighted the iceberg.
Avoid putting a writer on the defensive. Never begin a crit with anything like "You shouldn't have..." or "You didn't..." or "Why didn't you..." Not everybody's skin is rhino tough, and those phrases feel like personal attacks. Instead, talk about the piece itself, using non-threatening language like:
"I wondered why the main character chose to_______"
"I wasn't sure of__________"
"A reader might need a bit more___________"
When in doubt, channel Aretha: R-E-S-P-E-C-T.
May all of your critiques leave you feeling challenged and inspired, and have you dancing off to revisionland.
Antoine Pesne, 1745
Or at least put a little spring in your step.
Jill Esbaum
Remember to enter our
book giveaway to win a copy of the 2013 Children's Writers & Illustrator's Market (Writer's Digest)!
I'm all over the place when it comes to my writing. However, my first love is and always will be rhyming picture books. Four of mine have been published; more are in the pipeline. If you, too, have been bitten by the rhyming bug, this post is for you.
The trouble with rhyming picture book stories is that, when done well, they look easy – like anybody could dash one off in an afternoon. But when you actually try writing one ... whoa, baby. As much as I enjoy writing rhyming stories, once I finish one I am absolutely drained, creatively. I need a break, need to work on something completely different. Else a certain person's writing desk would be in splinters from all the head-banging.
In today's tough picture book climate, selling a rhyming picture book story is more challenging than ever before. What are editors looking for? Near perfection. Even then, there are no guarantees. So what makes a stellar rhymer?
The rhythm is perfect.
The story is original and appealing.
The rhyme is spot on – and doesn't get in the way of the story.
Since I don't have enough space to write about all of those things in one post, I'll tackle them individually. Up today? Well, you saw the title of this post. So, when it comes to the rhythm in your rhymer:
1. Keep the pattern (meter) consistent.
Establish a pattern, and then stick with it. When somebody begins reading your story, they'll quickly settle into whatever pattern you've provided. Here's the opening line of one of my rhyming stories, I Am Cow, Hear Me Moo!, due out from Dial in 2014:
Nadine was a truly remarkable cow.
There's really no wrong way to read that. I mean, English speakers would all pronounce those words in the same way. Read this line, and, even if you aren't aware of it, your mind is already anticipating the rhythm of the next. Here it is:
There was nothing she feared–
so she claimed, anyhow.
That said, I have to add that it's fine to use an alternating pattern if there is a reason for doing so – as a refrain, perhaps, or as a purposeful thud for comedic effect – and if it doesn't trip up the reader. It's also perfectly okay to use a more complicated rhyme scheme than the one above, of course. The goal? Any Joe Schmo off the street should be able to open your book and read it without stumbling.
2. Take advantage of a word's natural stresses.
Have you ever read a rhyming line which, in order for the rhythm to work with prior lines, required that you mispronounce a word, stress a syllable you ordinarily wouldn't? Ugh. Pay attention to each word's natural stresses, both light and heavy, so that doesn't happen in your story.
I've seen writers bent over manuscripts, doggedly counting syllables to be sure each line matched up. (Okay, I've been that writer.) If you do that, you'll see that my first line in the example above has 11 syllables and the second has 12. Horrors! But try not to think in terms of syllables. Instead, look at the stressed beats. Most of the population would read those lines above as:
NaDINE was a TRUly reMARKable COW.
There was NOTHing she FEARED–so she CLAIMED, anyHOW.
Yes, some of those stressed beats are subtle, but they're there. Four beats per line, so it works. Once you think your story's rhythm is perfect, have a friend read it aloud, cold. If she stumbles and has to back up and reread a line to make it work, you have revising to do.
3. Match the story's rhythm to its subject to help create a mood.
This one's fun. Let's say you're writing a bedtime story. In that case, you'd want a soft, sleepy, swaying rhythm, right? You wouldn't use the same exuberant, galloping meter you'd use for a story about a horse race. Unless, you know, your objective is to get kids revved up at bedtime. Go for it. Parents would love you. *cough, cough*
Work on these three steps to refine your rhythm, and you could be one step closer to doing the I-got-a-contract happy dance. I'll talk soon about story. In the meantime, happy rhyming!
Jill Esbaum
And remember to enter our Guest Teaching Author book giveaway to win an autographed copy of Forget Me Not by the lovely and talented Carolee Dean! [Note from Carmela: there was a typo in April's original giveaway post, so you have until NEXT Thursday, 10/11, to enter the drawing. Good luck!]
My Writing Life
This post is in response to reader Tara, who wanted to know more about the writing life.
Before I was a writer, here's how I pictured the job: A wild-haired writer sits at a desk, typing madly, interrupted every now and again with a call from her agent, who wants to know how her book is coming along or report sales figures or discuss her upcoming book tour. Sometimes she removes her glasses and taps them against her teeth while gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling. She stands to stretch and yawn, looks out the window, maybe goes for a fresh cup of coffee or a contemplative walk before settling in for another few hours.
Confession: I still think this is what life is like for blockbuster authors. Alas, I am not one of them (knock wood and never say never).
My writing life, by contrast, is very sporadic. I might write three to five hours one day, then not at all for two or three days. Or more. For years I felt guilty about that non-schedule. After all, a Real Writer would follow Steven King's advice (in his On Writing), which was basically: 1) have a writing space with a door you can close, 2) set daily writing goals, 3) don't come out until you've met them. I do have novelist friends who pretty much stick to this model.
But I've made peace with my own jackrabbit writing style because of two things:
1) I wholeheartedly believe that every bit of our lives away form writing – every book we read, every person we speak with, every place we visit, every hobby we enjoy – soaks into our beings and feeds our writing in ways big and small. Maybe some of us have wells that go dry faster than others? *shrug* So what might I be doing when I'm not writing? Lately, there's quilting, a hobby I'm just getting back into after years away. My latest project, a wall hanging:
I might be running errands. Seeing a relative. Dining out with friends. Reading. Traveling. Baking. Taking a class (right now: Basic Drawing - loving it!). Participating in a church function. Watching a video or catching up on Facebook. Writing for this blog. Enjoying a writing retreat. Sitting in a board meeting. Answering e-mail. Visiting a school. Teaching a workshop. Walking the dog.
2) I am primarily a picture book writer. Writing picture books is very much a process, and parts of that process work best if you take mental breaks. Every story needs a cooling off period, followed by a lot of revision. A lot. So the fact that I'm not in my office 24/7 doesn't mean my mind isn't still grappling with whatever story problem has me stumped. Some (most!) of my best ideas and aha moments come to me when I'm away from my computer.
All that said, I have had a totally different routine lately, thanks to a couple of short-deadlined projects. Here's the first, due out in mid-November from National Geographic:
I'm working on a companion book now, which means I'm researching or writing or exchanging e-mails with editors pretty much all day, every day. Truthfully I've felt more like a Real Writer, working on these books, than I have for a long time. I'm loving that.
Does that mean I'll be changing my usual writing style when I go back to working on my own projects? Um...probably not. At least not for picture book writing.
But I do have a novel in my head, so when I tackle that after the holidays, I'll be following Steven King's advice for as long as it takes to pound out that first draft:
1) Close the door.
2) Set a daily goal.
3) Write my brains out to meet it.
Look into my office. I'll be the one tapping my glasses against my teeth, gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling.
Jill Esbaum
Reminder: If you haven't yet entered to win a copy of Lisa Cron's Wired for Story, there's still time! Missed Esther's two-thumbs-up review? Just scroll down!
This post is in response to reader Tara, who wanted to know more about the writing life.
Before I was a writer, here's how I pictured the job: A wild-haired writer sits at a desk, typing madly, interrupted every now and again with a call from her agent, who wants to know how her book is coming along or report sales figures or discuss her upcoming book tour. Sometimes she removes her glasses and taps them against her teeth while gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling. She stands to stretch and yawn, looks out the window, maybe goes for a fresh cup of coffee or a contemplative walk before settling in for another few hours.
Confession: I still think this is what life is like for blockbuster authors. Alas, I am not one of them (knock wood and never say never).
My writing life, by contrast, is very sporadic. I might write three to five hours one day, then not at all for two or three days. Or more. For years I felt guilty about that non-schedule. After all, a Real Writer would follow Steven King's advice (in his On Writing), which was basically: 1) have a writing space with a door you can close, 2) set daily writing goals, 3) don't come out until you've met them. I do have novelist friends who pretty much stick to this model.
But I've made peace with my own jackrabbit writing style because of two things:
1) I wholeheartedly believe that every bit of our lives away form writing – every book we read, every person we speak with, every place we visit, every hobby we enjoy – soaks into our beings and feeds our writing in ways big and small. Maybe some of us have wells that go dry faster than others? *shrug* So what might I be doing when I'm not writing? Lately, there's quilting, a hobby I'm just getting back into after years away. My latest project, a wall hanging:
I might be running errands. Seeing a relative. Dining out with friends. Reading. Traveling. Baking. Taking a class (right now: Basic Drawing - loving it!). Participating in a church function. Watching a video or catching up on Facebook. Writing for this blog. Enjoying a writing retreat. Sitting in a board meeting. Answering e-mail. Visiting a school. Teaching a workshop. Walking the dog.
2) I am primarily a picture book writer. Writing picture books is very much a process, and parts of that process work best if you take mental breaks. Every story needs a cooling off period, followed by a lot of revision. A lot. So the fact that I'm not in my office 24/7 doesn't mean my mind isn't still grappling with whatever story problem has me stumped. Some (most!) of my best ideas and aha moments come to me when I'm away from my computer.
All that said, I have had a totally different routine lately, thanks to a couple of short-deadlined projects. Here's the first, due out in mid-November from National Geographic:
I'm working on a companion book now, which means I'm researching or writing or exchanging e-mails with editors pretty much all day, every day. Truthfully I've felt more like a Real Writer, working on these books, than I have for a long time. I'm loving that.
Does that mean I'll be changing my usual writing style when I go back to working on my own projects? Um...probably not. At least not for picture book writing.
But I do have a novel in my head, so when I tackle that after the holidays, I'll be following Steven King's advice for as long as it takes to pound out that first draft:
1) Close the door.
2) Set a daily goal.
3) Write my brains out to meet it.
Look into my office. I'll be the one tapping my glasses against my teeth, gazing thoughtfully at the ceiling.
Jill Esbaum
Reminder: If you haven't yet entered to win a copy of Lisa Cron's
Wired for Story, there's still time! Missed Esther's two-thumbs-up review? Just scroll down of
follow this link to Esther's post.
This summer I wrote a research-heavy, fiction/nonfiction mashup of a book with a very short deadline. Its style and content required input from book teams at two companies on separate continents and lots of hurried revisions. During this time I also planned and planted extensive landscaping, revised a couple of picture books, led a writing workshop, tried to keep our newly-seeded lawn (and that landscaping!) alive during the drought, walked the dog every day, returned to a hobby (quilting and fabric arts) after too many years away, and–
I'll stop there, because it's simply LIFE. You know how it goes. But because this summer felt especially crazy for me, my well of creativity is currently running on empty. It happens to all of us at times, and I've enjoyed learning how my fellow TAs tackle the problem. Amazing how we all find different ways to refill.
What works best for me is reading.
Writing excellence inspires me, refilling my well like nothing else can. Mystery. Humor. Biography. Historical fiction. Books for kids. Books for adults. Doesn't matter, as long as it's great writing. Lucky for me, I recently stumbled across Alan Bradley's Flavia de Luce mysteries, which are tripping my creative trigger, big time. He's a fabulous writer overall, but one thing I've particularly appreciated is his mastery of the simile. Here are a few examples:
"The voice – a woman's – cut through the shop like a falling icicle."
"She was staring at me through her lenses like a birdwatcher who has unexpectedly come upon the rare spotted crake."
"I could almost follow her thoughts as the piano's notes went flying past my ears like birds from a forest fire."
Ideally, a simile provides insight into your character and/or makes a reader see something in a new, very specific, way. An effective simile should be distinct, delightful, unexpected. I don't know about you, but reading the ones above makes me want to write snappier similes myself. I also know that when I feel ready to begin the middle grade novel now lodged in my head, my writing is going to benefit enormously from having read Mr. Bradley's work.
Read on!
Jill Esbaum
Writing Workout
This one's easy and fun. Below are ten clichéd similes. Brainstorm fresh alternatives. If you can make them voice-specific to a character from your current work in progress, so much the better.
eat like a pig
fight like cats and dogs
sleep like a log
work like a dog
dry as a bone
black as night
hard as a rock
busy as a bee
cold as ice
quiet as a mouse
I still remember how something shifted inside of me, back in kindergarten, the moment I realized that the 26 letters on those dark green cards stapled in a row above the chalkboard were enough to create every word I’d ever heard. And, what?! Reading was simply a matter of knowing the sounds of those letters? Ding! I was hooked. Before long, some of my best friends lived in books. I loved writing stories, too – little dramas about lost bears, frightened owlets, marauding raccoons (camping weekends and Disney nature movies were big in my family, can you tell?) So writing stories was an early passion, but one that got lost along the way in the busyness of life.
It wasn’t until I started reading picture books to my own kids that I recalled those bone-deep storytelling roots and was bitten by the maybe-I-could-do-this bug. I took a short class at a local community college called The ABCs of Writing for Children, then proceeded to dive in – making a lot of mistakes. Oh, so many mistakes. (I once submitted an unfinished story hoping an editor would like it enough to help me come up with an ending.) I read dozens of writing instruction books, absorbed wisdom at writing conferences, and, every so often, received rejection letters that included pointers that simultaneously enlightened and mortified.
Fortunately forty-five of my poems, stories, and articles were published in children’s magazines over the next few years, but I was still struggling to write a picture book story that somebody besides my dog enjoyed. One writing friend dubbed me The Rejection Queen, not just because I got so many (which I did), but because I was so cool about them – those babies just bounced off my Teflon skin. After four and a half years of pouring heart and soul into the effort, I finally received The Call. When I heard that my Stink Soup was going to be published, I fell into chair, hyperventilating. The editor instructed me to find a paper bag to breathe into, then waited while I did so. Yep, one cool customer.
In the ten years since The Call, I’ve taught many workshops, including an ongoing one at the University of Iowa’s Summer Writing Festival, and spent five years as an instructor for the Institute of Children’s Literature. I co-host the Whispering Woods Picture Book Writing Workshop/Retreat each July and also do private critiques for aspiring picture book writers. Turns out, I love teaching as much as writing. And when a story I’ve critiqued earns another writer The Call? That’s almost as exciting as getting my own, way back when. Minus the hyperventilating.
My twelfth book will be published this
Please
join me in welcoming our newest TeachingAuthor, Jill Esbaum of Iowa City,
Iowa!
TeachingAuthor describes Jill
perfectly.
She
not only authors award-winning picture books, such as Ste-e-e-e-eamboat A-Comin’! (Farrar, Straus & Giroux) and To the Big Top (FSG),
as well as a National Geographic nonfiction series; she also teaches her
own Picture Book Workshops and in the University of Iowa’s Summer Writing
Festival. She’s served as an instructor
for the Institute of Children’s Literature too.
I’ve
been a True Fan of Jill, her writing and her teaching since SCBWI first connected
us oh, so long ago.
Click
on ABOUT US to learn about our newest TA.
Then
visit Jill’s website to learn even more.
And
be sure to read Jill’s first TeachingAuthors post this Friday.
My
fellow TA’s and I thank the Universe Jill stepped up to fill the shoes of JoAnnEarly Macken, a TeachingAuthor original and our first alum.
Lucky
us!
But
best of all, lucky you, our readers!
And
speaking of you, our lucky readers, time’s
running out for one among you to win a copy of Sylvia Vardell’s The Poetry Teacher’s Book of Lists in
our current Book Giveaway.
Now
that you’ve entered our Book Giveaway, join me as I vicariously attend the 41st SCBWI Conference, held this past weekend in LA.
photo source: jumping lab
Woo Hoo! It's time to jump for joy!
Arf arf arf! Woof Woof!
There's very good reason to rustle up all this canine commotion, because today, Jill Esbaum's fabulous new picture book about a truly endearing poetry writing dog, Stanza, is officially out!
STANZA by Jill Esbaum, pictures by Jack E. Davis,
(Harcourt, 2009), ages 4-8, 32 pp.
*Roll over* *Sit* *Stay*
Yes, I said poetry writing dog. What a great premise! Stanza's a city dog, who usually prowls the streets "annoying and chasing and bullying others" with his two bad brothers, Dirge and Fresco. People in the neighborhood are fond of calling him "Scoundrel," "Bonehead," or "Slobbery lug." But under his rough, tough exterior, lives a truly sensitive soul -- who waits until after his brothers are asleep every night to pen his poetry.
He wrote of first snowfalls,
a colorful bird,
the 7th Street hydrant,
a tune that he'd heard.
He wrote tender haiku of earth, sea, and sky,
and sonnets devoted to chicken pot pie.
Now, I'd love Stanza even if he didn't sonnetize chicken pot pie, for he loves writing poetry so much that he risks his brothers' torturous teasing by writing in secret. One day he learns about a poetry contest: just by writing the winning jingle for Snappers doggie treats, he could win some serious cash. He fantasizes about all the things he could do with his prize money. He wouldn't have to chase, steal, or scavenge on the streets anymore.
So -- he writes and writes and writes, and finally sends off his poem. Does he win? And what happens when his brothers find out about the contest? I won't spoil the ending for you, but let's just say, it's doggone delicious and totally satisfying, even though Dirge and Fresco get a hold of Stanza's poems and rip some of them up (shudder)!
Jill's rhyming verse is tippy top brilliant, making this a story that begs to be read aloud again and again. The characters spring to life in all their beady eyed glory thanks to Davis' frenetic ink, watercolor and acrylic cartoony illustrations. Stanza is a character who will steal your heart; you will inevitably find yourself rooting for him throughout, and maybe even craving chicken pot pie. And did I mention the font they used for this book is called, "Chicken Soup?"
It's a sign, I tell you, a sign -- that kids will eagerly lap up this story and be inspired to write some poetry of their own. Stanza is the perfect spokesperson for National Poetry Month. He represents all those closet poets who are afraid to strut their stuff for fear of being ostracized or ridiculed. A very refreshing take on the "be true to yourself" theme, this book will make poetry très cool with young readers, and show them that yes, it takes a great deal of courage to write and share what you've written, and oftentimes, the "rewards" we seek for doing so come in different guises.
Colette totally crushing on Stanza!
So, are you ready to howl your happy wishes for Jill? No need to sit up and beg. Just slurp directly from the doggie bowl today, and take as many biscuits as you like. Thanks for writing such a chewy, fun story, Jill, and Congratulations!!
Today's Special: Poetry Potage (guaranteed to make you wax poetic).
If you write a poem today, you also get some chicken pot pie:
photo source: foodistablog
Now hightail it over to your local indie and score your copy of Stanza. Be sure to lick the sales clerk to show your appreciation.
For more about Jill's books, visit her official website or Live Journal blog, Down a Dusty Road.
Wishin' you could have some of those cool "I Love Poetry" stickers that Stanza is wearing, too? Go to the HMH Poetry Kit page, and download to your heart's content. And while you're there, check out the Stanza activity page, with full instructions on how to write your own jingle!
alphabet soup residents will be wearing their stickers all month long!
Keep on chanting: We love Stanza! We love Stanza! We love Stanza!
See all the other Soup of the Day posts on this blog here.
*Interior spreads posted by permission, text copyright © 2009 Jill Esbaum, illustrations copyright © 2009 Jack E. Davis, published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Books. All rights reserved.
One chromosome too many.
Revisiting a moldy oldy character of mine from 8 years ago!
.jpg?picon=910)
Love that backstory exercise. I think I will try it with something I'm writing. I have the picture in my head, but not in the detail that I would have after this!
Great, Donna! I think it's a particularly valuable exercise. I'm doing it, too. :)
When I am writing I always have a picture in my head - I often lie on the floor gazing at the ceiling and imagining the view in each direction - it might be easier to see the details if I followed your advice. ;)
Ohh, I LOVE the idea of using an object from the house as a writing prompt. Great workout. Thanks for sharing it, Jill, and for introducing us to Sharelle.
Worth a try, Elaine. :)
Marti, I KNOW. I'd never tried this before, but what a terrific way to get a feel for a character's surroundings.
I'm stuck on a book I am writing and think this is just the right thing to get me started again. Thanks.
Great! Hope it works!