We are all hoping this little girl who is bundled up for the snow, will be able to shed those heavy clothes in a few weeks. Well, spring really is just around the corner, said by someone who is waiting for the next snow storm that is about to bear down on New Jersey. Michelle Munger is the illustrator of this cute painting. She is a realistic painter and has been painting for the last ten years. She also dabbles in painting whimsical and fantasy as well as attempting to write that next big YA breakout novel. You can find her at: http://michellemunger.moonfruit.com and http://michellesportraits.com
When Leeza Hernandez took over for me as New Jersey’s SCBWI Regional Advisor, she started doing some smaller meetings and has resurrected an idea that David Caruba used to do in the summer at people’s homes over decade ago, but now the New Jersey Chapter has added SCBWI Socials in various locations around the state. Last Wednesday we had our first social in this area at Dubh Linn Square in Cherry Hill. I was asked to be host, which I gladly did. We had 12 members show up and had a great time. It was nice to socialize with members I knew and it was great to see and meet new members who recently have joined. I think we have developed as a chapter to the point where it is nice to just meet without having and editor or agent join us. It give us the freedom to focus on each other, talk, and answers questions that might not be asked with an industry professional present. If you get a chance to attend one, do so. Everyone left an hour after the scheduled end and we all said, “We have to do this again.”
I was the only one who took pictures and that’s because Mieke or Ann reminded me – easy to forget when you are busy talking and enjoying yourself. So I’m not in the pictures, but you can meet everyone else below.
Here’s the simple tip I shared with everyone: Lately I have seen a lot of manuscripts with this mistake: Text with double spaces at the end of each sentence. Do not leave two spaces at the end of your sentences. I used to do this, too, because I was taught to type this way. It looked better to me. If you read agents blogs or posts, you will see them mention that leaving two spaces at an end of a sentence is one of their pet peeves, so why not try to break the habit? It makes you look old and stuck in your ways if you don’t. When you kick the habit and stop double clicking at the end of a sentence, you will see how annoying it is to read a manuscript that way. It sticks out like a sore thumb for me now. Get with it and break the habit. Why take a chance of irritating someone who reads your work?
Left to Right: Colleen Kosinski, her husband, and Amy Hollinger.
Left to Right: Mieke Zamora-Mackay and Jody Staton
Left to Right: Mieke Zamora-Mackay, Jody Staton, Ferida Wolff, and Erika Wassall.
The Lovely Ann Magee who was sitting next to me and didn’t have enough room to take a good picture. She is even better looking when she isn’t blurred.
In foreground is Angela De Groot and behind her is Nikki Saltarelli.
Left: Erica Wassall and at end of table is Amy Hollinger.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
Filed under: Advice, authors and illustrators, Events, Tips Tagged: Colleen Kosinski, Ferida Wolff, Fun Time Talking about Writing and Illustrating, kathy temean, Michelle Munger, NJSCBWI Social
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Beautiful illustration, btw, Michelle
It looks like everyone had a wonderful time
How could they not?! lol
Looks like it was a super fun night! And I did not know about the 1 space rule. Can’t believe I’m considered old.
Robin, I remember reading about that many years ago (after I got a computer) in some article on submitting. And, yeah…we’re “old” in comparison to the generation who, when learning how to type, weren’t taught with the double-space
It took a while to break the habit over time, but in being made aware, I was always conscious of it after that. What’s nice is that it actually speeds up the whole typing process, and more importantly—the writing process! I never stopped to analyze its domino effect in that way, but having to consider a double space after every sentence is actually a hiccup-type distraction. Now that you’re awared, you’ll start changing the habit and the double space will eventually completely disappear as if you’d never learned that way
Thanks for the photos of the social, makes me feel like I was part of it!
Love Michelle’s illustration also, delightful expression, takes me right back to my childhood. Enchanting artwork!
I just learned about the single space at the end of each sentence last week. So between that and the “do not indent the first paragraph of a chapter” rule I guess we can cram more in on our first page! Or every page for that matter.
Looks like everyone had a great time. Hope to make the next one. Thanks for sharing.
Hope you’re right Donna! This is quite the revelation to me!
I’ve been trying to kick that habit for a year, and I still always find a few instances when I do a find ” ” at the end of edits. My thumb has a mind of its own!