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By: Michelina Ouellette,
on 3/1/2014
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Last fall I took a class with Virtual Animators (http://www.virtualanimators.com/) taught by James Lopez. I’ve had quite a few questions from the internets about what I thought, so I thought I’d write a note about my experience.
About the class: Character Design with Disney Artist & Animator James Lopez is a 12 week course taught online. See his IMDB here or amazing work here. The class is viewed through Adobe connect once per week for 12 (12!) weeks. You log in and the VA team, James and your classmates are online. You can ask questions via a chat box, and the VA team does a great job keeping track of the chat and bringing questions to James. The class is not structured, giving James the freedom to teach the class to the group’s skill level. You are also invited to send it work weekly to have it reviewed by James online.
What I thought:
1. The cost: usually where I’d start when considering a class. I didn’t have to consider the class cost here, since I won this class in a contest, but even if I hadn’t it would be a great deal. (As a note: this is not an endorsed post, haha). All of these courses are so affordable- This one was $250, which is really a couple of trips to the grocery store. For 12 weeks, that breaks down to $20/ class- for an experienced teacher at James, who teaches at Cal Arts… it’s beyond a bargain.
2. The class size: SMALL. There were under ten people in our class, which allows for everyone to ask questions and see James visually explain the answer. You can send emails with questions and receive individual attention.
3. The talent & experience of the instructors: I’ve only taken one class with VA (I am planning on another class this spring/ summer) and the instructors are so experienced and knowledgeable it’s unreal to have this sort of individualized attention. James is a friendly and giving individual who really cares about paying it forward and working with artists of all skill levels. He’s got so much knowledge and information it’s a thrill to see him visually work out problems and review your work.
4. The Virtual Animators team: Usually I wouldn’t touch on the “customer service” aspect in this sort of thing, but it was so amazing it needs to be mentioned. The small group who runs this online class system are probably the most genuine and friendly team ever. They’re focused around making a good experience for everyone involved, and keep up with their students. If I had a question or concern I would have an email back super quick. Also, as I mentioned above, they are in the classes with you running the sessions and keep on top of questions for the instructor.
5. Work Review: You send in your work, it gets a review online that week or the next. James was thorough and incredibly professional when reviewing work- it sort of felt like I was working with him at a studio! I learned a lot in such a small amount of time.
6. Recorded Classes: Classes are recored and posted on vimeo so you can watch later, or if you miss a class you can catch up. This was really helpful to me, watching in the midwest where the class time was late. Also, if you miss something, you can re-watch the class too!
7. A Personal Connection to the industry: As I mentioned above, I’m located in the midwest. It’s sort of like being on my own island, far away from the sunshine and talent network of California. Being involved in this class allowed me to connect at CTNX to the VA team, including founder Bill Recinos (who has an impressive IMDB himself), meet James Lopez and be involved in the community.
Ok, so, that’s a lot of writing. I guess you can see that I really loved the class. Negatives include the regular things of online classes- difficult to connect to classmates, really late live class times because of the time difference- but the benefits far outweigh these small points. I’m going to be completely honest, if you’ve ever thought of taking an online class, don’t think twice about this one, or any with these guys. This class is definitely the best online class I’ve taken based on the personal attention, small class size and the amount of information I learned in a short period of time.
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By: MP,
on 9/11/2013
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Focus is at the heart of success. Unfortunately, we do not live in a world that nurtures concentration and single-minded devotion to one’s art. So, how can you minimize those pesky interruptions that keep you from writing?
Digital DistractionsLet’s start with all things online – they are just beckoning for your time and attention. Luckily, there are some tricks to reduce your susceptibility to those online Sirens.
- Only check email, social networking and news sites once or twice a day. If absolutely necessary, check every hour but only for five minutes
- Turn off email and smart phone notifications of any sort while you are writing
- Close your Internet Browser while you’re working – do your research beforehand
- If feasible have a dedicated computer or lap top that is strictly for writing – nothing else, not even checking the weather
Activity DistractionsOf course, not all activity distractions are digital. You may be pulled in by your favorite TV show or sidetracked by the need to clean the house from top to bottom. It’s also not unusual that cravings for ice cream or potato chips supersede the writing process (I’m in the potato chips category). Here are some tips to minimize the temptation to self-interrupt:
- Create a very calm and nurturing writing environment
- Remove TVs from your writing area
- If at all, only keep very small amounts of snack food in your writing area
- Leave all reading material that is not immediately related to your novel outside your writing space – read for fun in other areas of the house that you can’t see from your desk
People DistractionsWhile you have quite a bit of control regarding the Internet and activities that pull you away from your novel, people distractions are a little bit more complex. Setting boundaries can be challenging.
First of all, decide on the people who are allowed unlimited access to you – such as small children. Then list the people who are very dear to you but would be fine with you being unavailable at times. In these cases, telling people in advance when you are busy is most helpful – especially when you live in the same house.
People on your periphery are much easier to deal with. A simple, “Sorry but I am really busy right now. Can we do this later?” usually does the trick. In addition,
- Turn off your cell phone while you are working – or at least your message notifications
- Assign a gate keeper if you are living with somebody - that person can screen phone calls and visitors for you
- Protect your writing time with velvet fists
- Practice saying no to anything you don’t really want to do
No more distractions – let the words take over!
***
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Renate Reimann, PhD (bottom photo) is a co-instructor in the upcoming class, WRITING YOUR NOVEL FROM THE GROUND UP: How to Build Your Story While Building Yourself as a Writer for Long-Term Success–In Two Parts. Part I starts on Tuesday, September 17, 2013. For more information, visit our classroom page.
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| by Lululemon Athletica (Flickr.com) |
A new class I'm teaching next week, "Writing for Children," focuses on thinking of writing for children (in magazines or books) as a career. In this class, we do a lot of goal setting and "dreaming"--what do you want to accomplish in six months, what do you hope to complete in one year, and what do you see your writing life like in five years. Some writers don't like to think about this--they want to be inspired by the muse and hope that the Fates will allow them to be published if it's "in the cards." But as a children's writer, I think it is extremely important to think about these short and long term goals and to consider writing as a career--even if you are also a nurse, teacher, plumber, stay-at-home mom, store owner, chef, etc.
If you don't take yourself and your career seriously, then no one else will. You will find your time to write taken up by all the other things in your life that take up your time now,
and you will not be as productive as a writer.
When you use the word "career," you automatically start to take yourself more seriously. Consider the following two conversations.
Conversation A (between WOW! online student Gertrude and her husband, Mr. Understanding):Gertrude: My new online class for WOW! starts today. It's about writing for children. You know how I've always been dabbling around in this, sweetie, wanting to write down the grandkids' stories for them.
Mr. Understanding: Yes, it's a wonderful hobby for you now that you're retired. I'll love to read your stories, and maybe you can get one or two published in that one magazine at our dentist's office.
Gertrude: Oh, wouldn't that be exciting to have someone else read what I've written. I'll make that my one-year goal--to get a story down and send it off to that magazine.
Mr. Understanding: Yes, goals are so important--my goal is to get my workshop cleaned out this summer. Do you want to help me? It doesn't take that long to write a story for kids, does it?
Conversation B (between WOW! online student Marge and her husband, Mr. Sensitive):Marge: Honey, my new online class starts tomorrow, and I can't wait to take hold of my new career--writing for children.
Mr. Sensitive: Whoa, hold on here, Marge. What do you mean new career? Since when are you a professional writer?
Marge: Since I decided to be when I signed up for this class--our instructor is going to teach us to set goals and how to plan five years down the road to have the kind of career in writing we want. Plus she's going to help us send our stories to agents and editors.
Mr. Sensitive: You mean, you're going to be a writer--like when people ask you what you do, you are going to say, "I'm a writer." When are you going to help me paint my office?
Marge: (trying not to roll her eyes) Yes, exactly. I am a writer. This is my career, and I'm going for it. You'll have to ask your brother to help you paint.
Although these conversations are a little exaggerated, you get the point. You don't really have to take a class to get this attitude, but I think we all need to think like this. If you are working on a novel or a short story or an article--that you are planning to publish or show to anyone else--then you are a professional writer, and you have a career in writing. It's no different than a career in medicine or education or business. Your career should be important to you, you should have goals and aspirations, and you should be taken seriously.
So, come on, join the movement and start calling your writing your career today!
If you are interested in Margo's Writing For Children class, it starts online on March 4 (and it is CURRENTLY ON SALE!). For more details and to sign up, go to the WOW! Classroom. (http://www.wow-womenonwriting.com/WOWclasses.html ).
You can also e-mail Margo at margo (at) wow-womenonwriting.com with any questions. Margo's first children's novel was out in October 2012, and she has two picture books under contract also.
by Karen Cioffi What exactly is a landing page?
According to
Hubspot.com, “A landing page is a web page that allows you to capture a visitor's information through a lead form.”
Copyblogger.com says, “A landing page is any page on a website where traffic is sent specifically to prompt a certain action or result.”
So, landing pages are designed for specific purposes, such as a selling page for a product or service or for an email opt-in. But, no matter what the purpose is, it must be focused.
The page itself can be a separate website or a page on an existing website. But, since you want it completely focused, without distractions, a separate website usually works better.
It’s this landing page focus that allows for better conversion.
An effective landing page is designed and focused on a target market. This means if your site pertains to a specific cancer or illness, your content, opt-in, and any products you’re selling should focus on people dealing with this particular health issue. That’s your target market. And, your keywords should also reflect the page’s purpose.
If your site is about baseball, the same holds true. The landing page design, content, and any products or services being offered must pertain to baseball.
The landing page is kind of like a path on which there’s no way to stray off or be distracted. It’s intended for visitors to read exactly what you want them to, guiding them to say YES to your offer. There are no other pages for them to click on and hopefully no sidebar to be distracted by.
While inbound marketing strategies will get the visitor to your landing page, it’s the copy or content that will motivate him to follow the path and be responsive to saying YES.
Your content needs to be conversational, effective, and provide the WIIFM (what’s in it for me). People are overwhelmed with the amount of information being bombarded at them and with all the offers for books, ebook, and products. You need to write copy that (1) quickly lets the reader know what you’re offering, (2) lets the reader know exactly what the benefits are, and (3) lets the reader know what you want her to do.
Landing pages are no place for guessing games. They need to be fine-tuned, to the point, and simple. The more hectic you make the page, the more anxiety it will cause the reader. Anxiety isn’t good for conversion. Simple always works best.
You should also create separate landing pages for different offers or purposes. In other words, you don’t want to explain why a visitor should opt into your mailing list on your book selling landing page. And, you shouldn’t sell books on your subscriber opt-in page. Focus is a key element to motivating or leading a visitor to go through the necessary steps to saying YES to whatever it is you’re offering.
Bringing traffic to landing pages is done through inbound marketing strategies, such as email campaigns, special offers, guesting posting, and press releases. Other inbound marketing techniques include pay-per-click, ad banners, social networks, and affiliates.
----- Do you want to extend your marketing reach as an author? Sign up now for Karen Cioffi's class,
Creating and Building Your Author Online Presence: Website Creation to Beyond Book Sales, which starts
Monday, January 7, 2013.
by Lynne GarnerAs a writer, there are many ways you can tell your story. One method that is often used in traditional stories is known as "repetition." This is where actions and words are repeated to create your story. However, there is also a variation known as the "cumulative" story structure or a "chain story." It is where the character repeats the same actions and/or words but with each repeat a little extra information is added.
This type of story not only uses repetition of words but is sometimes written using rhyme. To demonstrate this let's look at
The House That Jack Built. The rhyme starts with:
The is the house that Jack builtFollowed by:
This is the malt that lay in the house that Jack builtFollowed by:
This is the rat that ate the malt that lay in the house that Jack builtAs you can see more detail is added to the previous sentence, creating a story kids love.
Another equally famous cumulative story is
There Was an Old Woman. The story starts with the old woman swallowing a fly. She then swallows a spider to rid herself of the fly. She then swallows a bird to rid herself of the fly. As the story progresses the animals the old woman swallows get bigger. They include a cat, dog, goat, cow and finally a house. Which brings the story to an abrupt end because "she died of course!"
I'm hoping you can see the possibilities this type of story offers a picture book writer. If so and you'd like to give it a go then why not read a few books written using this structure for inspiration. The following link provides a great list of books you may wish to start with:
http://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/cumulative-tales.
***
Lynne Garner has been a freelance writer and author since 1998. Since that time she has written for a large number of magazines both in the UK and the US. She has 21 books published; this includes three picture books, with a fourth to follow shortly. Her first title ‘The Best Jumper’ was recorded for the CBeeBies children’s radio channel (part of the BBC) whilst ‘A Book For Bramble’ has been translated into five languages including Korean and Indonesian.
***
Join one of Lynne's latest WOW! Women on Writing classes:
or
Both start on Saturday, August 4th. Classes are limited to 15 students.
I recently signed up to take an 8-week online class with one of the magazine industry's top writers. Sure, I've been freelancing for 10 years, but lately, I haven't felt like I've made an effort to really get out there and write the stories I want to write. So I gave myself the proverbial kick in the pants and signed up.
It is the best money I've spent in quite awhile.
Why? I'm constantly reminded that journalism and even writing in general is a tough business. You have to be prepared. You have to research. You have to make connections with the right people. And even if the timing isn't right, you've hopefully made an impression on an editor so you nab an assignment later.
I have been taking a few of those lessons for granted.
I'm reminded that despite the hard work, writing is fun. Researching new topics, learning new ideas, and experimenting with words drew me to this profession in the first place. This class is challenging me to take those new ideas to the next level and take a look at my "dream" market.
I'm submitting my query this week.
I'm reminded that sometimes, even seasoned writers need to break out of their comfort zones and be open to different possibilities for publication. News stand magazines, online publications and websites, email newsletters - the publication possibilities are endless. I should never run out of possibilities for seeing my story in print.
I have a renewed mindset and I'm ready to conquer the world. Or at least Newsweek.
Have you taken an online writing class? How has it helped your career? Don't forget WOW! offers a plethora of classes.
by LuAnn Schindler
by Melanie FaithIt’s so easy to slap a subject down and jump ahead to the snazzier adjectives and dynamic verbs. Yet, point of view can make an enormous difference in a poem’s development and also impact the way readers approach your work. Let’s look at the three points of view—1st, 2nd, and 3rd—and how each pronoun choice molds your poem.
Of all the pronouns, I is most immediate. Since an author’s personal experiences often trigger the rush to the page, it is only natural that many poems have their genesis with an I speaker and continue in that vein. The Confessional School of poets in the 1950s and 1960s, a la Sylvia Plath and her one-time teacher, Robert Lowell, freed the way for ample use of I in lyric and narrative poetry. It is worth noting, however, that even poems with a first-person narrator may not 100% reflect the experiences of the writer, but may include as much fiction as a third-person point-of-view. An example of a first-person narrator removed from the poet’s experience would be a female poet crafting a poem from the perspective of a father. As a creative artist, it is within your skillset to assume a persona.
Advantages of Ist person: it is compelling and has the power of a strong personal or character voice.
Draw-backs: can sometimes become self-indulgent, and it is difficult to create enough distance from the material to pick which images, similes, or metaphors should or should not be included.
Second person, you, may be read several ways. A you subject may address the audience directly. Or it may be used like “one,” to note universal human experience. Also, the you might be an unnamed, absent character who receives the unstated questions and actions of the poem, such as when an employee addresses her boss, “you always made me work/ overtime,” or when a friend addresses another friend who has betrayed him.
Advantages of 2nd person: great for drawing readers into the poem’s action. A comfortable form for most writers, especially for comparing or contrasting two characters’ behaviors.
Draw-backs: with certain themes—political topics, religion—may alienate readers by having too accusatory a tone.
“The advantage of the third person is that it gives both the poet and the reader some personal space from the action of the poem....This can create breathing room to write things you might not otherwise feel comfortable expressing,” Sage Cohen notes in
Writing The Life Poetic. It is difficult, if not impossible, to write objectively about a painful or joyful personal experience. Third person narration encourages honesty as well as trimming unnecessary phrases and lines. The obvious
drawback, however, is that the third person may appear too dispassionate or dull. Try this exercise: swap one pronoun for another in a draft. How does that affect the poem’s tone or theme and your approach to it? Switching pronouns may inspire new ideas and make it easier to edit parts of the poem which are not as compelling.
***
Melanie Faith is a poet, essayist, and photographer who holds an MFA from Queens University of Charlotte, NC. Her writing most recently was published in
by Bonnie Hearn HillVampires? Zombies? Steampunk werewolves? Trying to dream up a fresh plot for a young adult novel can take you to some crazy places. Yet until you have a strong protagonist, you have only a daydream, not a story. This is as true in young adult fiction as every other genre. There are no shortcuts. Not even the most dazzling over-the-top plot can conceal an undeveloped protagonist.
Your protagonists race your plot forward, swerve around obstacles, and yes, sometimes barrel over the antagonists in their paths.
Sometimes the antagonists barrel over them.
Is your protagonist a sleek, nitrous-injected Corvette, or is he a Gremlin so meek and sickly, that even you, the author, feels the need to get out and push?
Think about some of the traits of great protagonists. Are they intelligent? Warm? Giving? Clever? Brave? Those are perfectly good traits, but if they are all you have, you’re running the risk of a perfect character. Have you ever known a perfect person or someone who pretends to be? What happens when you encounter these people in real life? Do you like them? Can you relate to them? Can you stand to spend any time in their presence? Case closed.
If you want to touch hearts and sell books, your protagonist needs only two basic traits. Think for a moment. What two traits can allow you to trust your story with this character you’ve created? These two. Your protagonist must be proactive, and she must be sympathetic.
• Memorable protagonists are proactive.A strong protagonist
protags. That doesn’t mean that he rushes out the door like a modern day Don Quixote. Something happens—a change—that forces him to take action. Perhaps a loved one is in danger. Maybe he’s motivated by money, honor, even a threat. Regardless of how reluctant your protagonist, something compels him to move forward and refuse to give up, win or lose.
• Memorable protagonists are sympathetic.You want your reader to cheer for and relate to your protagonist. In order for that to happen, that character must be worthy of such attention. In short, your protagonist needs to be sympathetic or at least empathetic.
Sounds easy enough, right? It’s safe to say that an unfeeling tyrant who marches through the countryside searching for orphans to steal is not sympathetic. Yet, it’s rarely that simple. A protagonist who cares for nothing, who feels nothing, or who robotically floats through his life is just as unsympathetic.
Only by revealing the vulnerable parts of his character, the squishy underbelly that most people try to protect, can we allow the reader to feel for him. The protagonist must have a hole in his life, and you must reveal it.
Maybe Mary had to drop out of school to raise little sis. Unfulfilled dreams are an excellent hole. Or she could be in love with somebody who will never return her feelings, which might remind her of how her father always loved the other sister more. A hole in your life is some missing element that both drives and impedes you. You’d better believe that every person on earth has one.
What’s yours? Look around at your friends and family. What are the holes in their lives? What makes them vulnerable? Any person who claims to have it all together, to possess everything he ever wanted, is usually concealing the biggest gaping black hole that ever devoured a galaxy.
Remember, your goal is to reveal the deep emotions that we’re taught as children to hide. Shame. Longing. Envy. Guilt. Those feelings come without
By: MP,
on 12/7/2011
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The 5 Biggest Mistakes in Writing Scenesby Diane O’ConnellHave you ever seen pictures of a Hollywood back lot? The buildings look amazingly real, but they’re really just false fronts. There’s no “there” there. Likewise, a scene in a novel may have all the elements that make it appear “real,” but can be as flat as a Hollywood edifice. Events happen, characters say and do things, but the scene doesn’t come alive. So what’s wrong? Likely, the writer has made one or more of these mistakes:
1. Not having a clear point of view Some writers hop from one character’s thoughts to another—a habit I refer to as “brain billiards.” At the other extreme, some scenes don’t have any point of view whatsoever. Events happen in a vacuum, not through the lens of any one character’s viewpoint.
Remedy: Stick to one POV per scene. When choosing which character to use ask, “Who has the most to lose or gain?” Once you answer that, it should become obvious whose POV to choose.
2. Relying too much on dialogueWhen you have a scene that’s almost all dialogue, your readers can get lost and consequently feel disconnected to the scene. Dialogue should be used like spice: sprinkle in just enough to give the scene flavor.
Remedy: To keep readers anchored, break up your dialogue with action, description, internal thought.
3. Piling on the actionThis is a particular danger in thrillers. The writer drags the reader through every step, giving a “blow-by-blow” account of what’s happening. The result is all show and no tell. We see the punches being thrown, struggles, chases, knife fights, but we don’t get the impact of what’s happening.
Remedy: Step back, take a breath, get inside your character’s head, and find ways to combine lots of smaller pieces of action into a bigger picture.
4. Summarizing what happenedThis has the opposite effect of piling on the action. We’re told what happened instead of being thrust right in the middle of the action. Consequently, we don’t really feel involved.
Remedy: Allow the scene to unfold in real time rather than simply saying who did what to whom. Use enough details so that the reader can film a “movie in her mind.”
5. Not having a clear purposeIt’s not enough for a scene to be emotional or funny or colorful or scary. It must have a reason to be in your novel. In my work with first-time authors, too often I have read scenes that seemed more like window dressing than an integral part of the story. In these cases, the scene might be interesting in and of itself, but it leaves the reader scratching her head wondering why the author put it there.
Remedy: Before you write any scene, ask yourself how it serves your story. Each scene should either help a particular character move closer to his ultimate goal—or put up obstacles, creating a struggle.
Once you’ve become aware of these mistakes, and challenged yourself to correct them, you’ll find that your scenes are much richer, deeper, and livelier.
***
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Artfully Editing Your Personal Essaysby Melanie FaithAh, the spark of inspiration—the keys clacking, the ideas flowing, the wind at your back! Shortly, however, the initial draft is finished, and it’s time to begin the more arduous editing journey. Take heart…and these tips to sculpt your personal essay:
1. Division decision— A bit of creative structuring may take a piece to an exciting new level. In
Crafting The Personal Essay, Dinty W. Moore notes: “While most of my nonfiction writing follows a pretty traditional path, I have also composed essays that mimic the form of a coroner’s report, a made-for-television movie script, and a Zen koan. One of my favorite experiments, ‘Son of Mr. Green Jeans: An Essay of Fatherhood, Alphabetically Arranged’ borrows a form known as abecedarium from the world of poetry.” Consider unique subject headings or organizational methods. Poem titles, favorite thematic quotations, place names, even times of the day may all structure an essay into an intriguing mosaic.
2. Time, time, time— Although writing nonfiction, that doesn’t mean that a writer must adhere strictly to chronological order. Consider flashbacks and flash forwards, mixing chronological time with the more sophisticated timing of personal epiphanies and hard lessons well-learned.
3. Spotlight self—A writer may include many other “characters” within the piece—siblings, neighbors, exes and friends—but the central moments of change must occur for the speaker. Readers want to discover the aha! moment via the first-person narrator; she is the one readers root for and identify with most strongly. Edit or omit sections where discovery takes place through or for another person. An essay will be stronger for narrowing the focus.
4. “You don’t say!”— Dialogue can be a great tool for compression. Are there whole rambling sections describing setting, clothing, or personality that could be expressed more succinctly in a tart remark or an aside? In
Naked, Drunk, and Writing,
Adair Lara advises, “Dialogue is very readable, makes writing move fast, and is the fastest way to reveal character…Keep dialogue short and punchy. We’re not allowed to say much before we’re interrupted by others or something else is going on.” Characterizations are strengthened by lopping off background fluff. A short interchange between speaker and friend can easily demonstrate more complex conflict. Lara further advises, “Dialogue gets interesting when there’s subtext: what characters are saying between the lines.” Trust that your readers will intuit much from less.
5. Edit details that don’t showcase theme(s). While interesting, does this portion contribute to the whole piece? Ask yourself: would a reader who had not experienced this person/event find a meaningful connection with the rest of the essay?
6. Set it aside. Then trust your gut. When writing truth, a writer’s emotional connection to the material can cloud editorial judgment. Take breaks of days or even weeks to let the material cool. With the passage of time, an essayist often finds the courage and perspective to hit the backspace key.
***
Is Your Scriptwriting Guilty of TMI?by Christina Hamlett
How much do you really need to know about someone before you’re hooked into wanting to learn more? The process of setting up character introductions for your screenplay or theatrical script has a lot of similarities to the 1990’s matchmaking invention of speed-dating. Credited to an L.A. rabbi seeking to provide a social forum for Jewish singles, the concept of investing only a few minutes to scope out potential mates isn’t unlike using a few sentences to bait a reader’s curiosity about why your heroine collects ceramic owls, why your hero doesn’t own a car, or why the villagers never go to the lake after sundown.
Like many a bad first date, though, new screenwriters and playwrights have a tendency to not only spill too much too soon but expect every detail divulged to be permanently stored in the recipient’s memory. The result? Excessive backstory doesn’t just slog the pace of the plot; it makes it hard to distinguish what’s actually relevant and necessary in order to follow the action. In other words: too much information.
The use of backstory as a literary device traces its roots as far back as Greek mythology, was frequently employed in Shakespearean works to explain rivalries and revenge, and has long been a mainstay of soap operas to account for brooding obsessions and family secrets. Whether revealed partially, fully, chronologically or intermittently, backstory elements that are used wisely serve the purpose of lending depth and providing a context for understanding what has brought the characters to their present situations and mindsets.
In fiction – as in life – people aren’t born interesting; they become interesting as a product of shake-ups in the status quo that challenge and transform them. Because the majority of storytelling is linear, however, writer often embrace the notion that viewers of the film or play have to be brought up to full speed on everything that has happened in the past before they can possibly begin to grasp the meaning of the immediate problem. This approach either takes the form of copious scenes that recite highlights of the hero’s life, interactions and influences or an extended prologue that focuses on the era, environment and cultural framework in which subsequent events will transpire. Both of these strategies are guilty of violating the “show, don’t tell” rule and forestalling a plot’s official kick-off. They’re also typically comprised of specifics that never make a second appearance (i.e., Tim’s childhood turtle named Horton), much less have any connective value to the development or resolution of the core conflict.
Viewers today have shorter attention spans and more distractions competing for their leisure hours than prior generations. Accordingly, the first 10 minutes of a story for stage or screen creates an expectation of what will follow. That said, if your contemporary murder mystery set in Hawaii starts out with volcanic eruptions and screeching pterodactyls, it better be pithy and pertinent or you’re likely to lose your audience long before you get to your first dead body floating in the Halekulani swimming pool. By tightly focusing on your characters' relationships to the core conflict and to one another in the now, you're on your way to writing a leaner and more marketable script than one which takes too long meandering through life in the past lane.
By: MP,
on 6/18/2011
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by Nicky LaMarcoMany freelance writers lack organization and this can cause lost income, which no one wants. Learning how to manage your freelance writing projects is vital to your business since you are working on several different writing projects at a time.
Use a TemplateStart with inbound client paperwork. Keep it on your desk at all times. When a client calls or emails you with a new project you will be able to ask all of the right questions and get it all on paper. Templates save you time and energy. You can create them for invoices, project outlines, e-mails, interviews, articles, and just about anything. To get an idea of what freelancers use them for, check out these helpful
templates for research on WOW
! You can get some other helpful templates on Jennifer Mattern's blog,
All Freelance Writing.
Coordinate Calendars You should have a desk calendar, a home calendar, and a daily planner. Keep them updated on a daily basis. Write deadlines and appointments on your desk calendar. If you need to go to a business meeting write that on all of your calendars. Use your daily planner to write out the tasks you will need to complete every day in order to meet your deadlines and make the money you need to every day. Before the start of your work week pull all three calendars together to ensure you have everything written on each one. And if you don't want to lug around printed calendars, you can always create calendars online with
Google or get an app for your smartphone.
Use a Schedule Create your own schedule and stick to it. If you plan to work from 9am to 5pm Monday through Friday, then do it. Work when you are scheduled to work and do not work when you are not scheduled to. This will help you manage your freelance writing projects and avoid overworking.
Determine Your LimitHow much can you write every day? What is your limit? Knowing this will help you manage projects because you can immediately accept or decline new freelance writing projects. For example, if you mainly write articles and you can write 10 articles a day, but no more, you will know that you can accept more if you are currently writing 8 articles a day. Use a little math to determine how many you will need to write each day in order to meet the deadline. If you can write 2 articles a day to meet the deadline you can immediately accept the new project. If you can't you will need to have a later deadline or decline the project. Don't be afraid to say, "I am sorry but I am currently booked until March 1st," for example. Overworking yourself on too many freelance writing projects will cause burnout and may end up in broken contracts and projects that do not get finished. This results in lost money and a client that will probably never contact you again.
Managing your freelance writing projects will help you become more successful.
Image: digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net*****
By:
Darcy Pattison,
on 4/28/2011
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12 Updated Resources for 2011
- State of the industry. First, a basic question: Are picture books dead? Not according to Karen Springen and PW.
Don’t Write the Obit For Picture Books Yet, By Karen Springen, Dec 12, 2010
- Writing Encouragement. Natl Pic Book Writing Week May 1-7, 2011
National Picture Book Writing Week is a take off on the National Novel Writing Month and encourages writers to work on children’s picture book manuscripts.
Basic Resources for Writing Children’s Picture Books
-
30 Days to a Stronger Picture Book. Children’s picture book author, Darcy Pattison has 30 posts about how-to write a children’s picture book. Answers questions like, where do I find an illustrator? (You don’t! See why.)
This is also available as an ebook.
- Getting Started: The Basics of Children’s Writing and Illustrating, by Harold Underdown
Introductory information for people wanting to get published as a children’s book writer or illustrator in the United States, by former editor.
- Picture Book Editing Checklist
Authors on How-to Write a Children’s Picture Book
- So You Want to Write a Picture Book–advice from author Mem Fox.
- Nancy Antle on Writing Children’s Literature: Interview about Dos and Don’ts of Writing Picture Books.
Philip Bell: Capturing Childhood Magic With Picture Books
Updated Information on Self Publishing a Picture Book
- Why I’ve Switched to CreateSpace for Picture Books, by Aaron Shepard
Long-time self-publisher has insider knowledge about various POD options and explains why he’s switching to Amazon’s CreateSpace.
How to Write a Rhyming Picture Book
- How To Write a Rhyming Picture Book and Get it Published — Part 1: A Writer’s Perspective.
- How To Write a Rhyming Picture Book and Get it Published — Part 2: A Publisher’s Perspective.
- How To Write a Rhy
by Gila Green
All stories have a shape to them. Draw yours. I learned this in journalism school. At that time it was critical that we mastered the differences between writing for print, radio and television (there was no web writing then). We learned this through shapes. The identical story, say about a student demonstration against a tuition hike, had to be written in three different ways, depending upon which medium it was for. Each medium, we were taught, had its own shape and presumably still does.
I now use this method in my own fiction and in my fiction classes and I find it helps many writers improve their work and organize their thoughts.
Back to your story: Is it circular, a parallel line, or two parallel lines? Does the line peak anywhere? Map out your story visually with a plain pen and paper or rainbow colored markers on Bristol board; whatever inspires you the most. Why? You will see your story in an entirely new way. Using a different medium offers a lot of perspective, even on an old story.
Don’t restrict yourself to drawing; you can dance out your story if you are inclined (and I have two-stepped a story more than once in one of my creative writing workshops). The point of this exercise is to transfer your work into another art form. Paint a scene from your story. Put one whole chapter into a poem. Represent your story in another way and this could very well be the key to unlocking the secret of your work.
Now, let’s examine some possible results. If you have drawn a flat line, it’s very likely that your story reads like this: exposition, exposition, exposition. Another flat-line diagnosis: endless dialogue that tries to fit in three generations of family history in a going-nowhere back and forth between two moody characters.
Viola! You now know that you need to either cut exposition and put in dialogue or cut dialogue and throw in some exposition, atmosphere, action; something to break that long flat line!
If your writer’s block is so severe that you have not even begun your story, don’t despair. Draw a published story. But don’t just lean over and grab the closest book. Choose one that makes you see the world through different eyes; one you have read repeatedly and (best option) one that makes you burn with envy. Don’t just read it from the perspective of shape either, really draw it!
Is this story so successful because it opens on such a sharp peak? Is it the way two parallel lines—representing the heroine and her foil, perhaps—are chasing each other like Tom & Jerry that draws (pun intended) you in? Find a satisfying answer before you move back to your own tale.
Remember, art is interconnected. If the traditional “go for a walk to clear your head” advice isn’t working, stroll all the way to the art section for a pack of crayons or a paint brush.
***
By: Beth,
on 3/14/2011
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YALSA - Young Adult Library Services Association
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Over the past several weeks I’ve been teaching an online course for YALSA called Connect, Create, Collaborate. The focus of the course is on technology in teen services with a strong focus on how to integrate technology into traditional programs and services for teens – collection development, programming, outreach, readers’ advisory, and so on. Over the past five weeks students in the class have been creating lots of content in order to explore the possibilities.
Here’s a rundown on some of the topics covered in the course and what was discussed about and/or developed each week:
QR Codes
During the week that focused on how to create great teen services using tech, one of the topics discussed was QR codes. The QR code conversation brought out a lot of great ideas including ideas about adding codes to:
- a goldfish tank in the library that when scanned leads to web content about goldfish.
- posters in the teen area in order to find out more information about the person, event, etc. shown in the poster.
- plaques or art hanging in the library in order to connect teens and others to more information about the person or organization named in the plaque or who created the art.
- tshirts for the library staff, the shirts could have links to the library homepage, activities, a favorite book, a book trailer, etc. Teens could also make their own customized QR tshirts.
There was also the idea to have teens dress up as QR codes that will scan to characters in books. A “Who AM I?” program.
I think the QR code discussion took off in class because these codes are so easy to implement – free or low cost – and don’t take a lot of skill to create. If you are starting out with some new tech ideas for your library those two aspects of QR codes are probably important to keep in mind. I also think that QR codes took off in class because a multitude of library services can be integrated into use of the technology -readers’ advisory, collection development, outreach, programming, and so on. QR code initiatives can encompass many traditional areas of teen library service.
Google Maps
As a part of student investigations related to technology and collaboration, class members worked on a Google Map together. The map, shown below, visually highlights across North America what’s going on with teens and technology and libraries.
View Teens, Tech, & Libraries – Making the Connection in a larger map
During conversations about using Google Maps with teens, students came up with a host of good ideas including using maps in summer reading scavenger hunts, as a way for teens to map events in a favorite book, or to chart historic events of teen interest. We also covered some ideas related to how teens can collaborate on Google maps across the world – from library to library.
Xtranormal
During the week of class when the focus was on how technology supports text-based literacies, students explored the use of
Publicity is probably the sexiest, most intense and exciting element of the communications world! Like all the positions of the Kama Sutra, it spins, it bites, it scratches, it penetrates and it reaches amazing climaxes! If you think about it, nothing is shinier, more polished and meant to catch attention like a well planned publicity campaign.
Publicity can announce, entice, bolster and even repair the direction of a product's perception, and never doubt for one moment, you the author, may be selling yourself and your book...but at first all you are selling is the PERCEPTION of you and your book.
Like the positions of the Kama Sutra, you'll need to follow the steps for good publicity to accomplish this goal to your advantage. Trust me, if you don't, someone else will and it won't always be in your favor. For example...
Dateline, January 12, 2011. New York City: Today, first time novelist Mary Smith announced the launch of Calling on an Angel, a psychological thriller published by XYZ publishing. The book can be found on Amazon and in selected bookstores across the country. A launch event is scheduled for Friday evening at the CrossRoads Independent Book Store in New York City at seven PM.
-OR-
Dateline, January 12, 2011. New York City: Author and psychologist, Dr. Mary Smith, announces the release of her psychological thriller sure to take the bookshelves by storm. Calling on an Angel is a spectacular novel developed around the twisted dreams and actions of twin autistic youths who, while living in a parallel world all of their mutual making, save victims and become heroes. This emotionally charged tale explores the hope and possibilities surrounding the great strides being made to prevent and treat autism by a powerful internationally funded consortium. To attend the book launch event scheduled for Friday, January 16 from 7-9 PM at Manhattan's beautiful CrossRoads Independent Book Store on 54th St. please call for reservations (123) 456-7890.
Which one appealed to you? Publicity is all about the details, the flash, the sizzle. The first press release is as correct as the second. It covers the basics, the who, what, why, where and when of making an announcement but does it tickle your desire to learn more? Too-flowery publicity can be easily discounted as not believable, but bland publicity is more likely discounted as unimportant. Finding the balance is what the true sexy savvy of publicity is all about.
Join me for the Tantric Publicity for Authors workshop, 2/14 - 2/29/11.
Two bits of news today:
1) At ALA in Washington, DC, I'll have two signings at the Capstone booth. I write a ton of books for Capstone and Picture Window, and it'll be fun to connect with them there. My signings are for A Is for Arrr! A Pirate Alphabet, and Fuzzy-Fast Blur: Poems About Pets. I'll be signing at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 27, and 10 a.m. on Sunday, June 28. Hope to see some of you there! |  |
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2) I've turned my online course, Writing Children's Nonfiction Books for the Educational Market, into a self-guided course (though I might still offer the traditional version later in the year). This self-guided version features a spiral-bound 176-page comprehensive workbook plus optional online Q&A sessions and critiques. If you're interested in writing for the educational market, you can check out more information here.
Today's Nonfiction Monday Roundup is at Charlotte's Library! |  |
Summer is winding down (can you hear my screams of joy?) and fall is almost here. For me, fall is tied to back-to-school, not to the calendar. Well, my daughters head back to school August 8, and shortly after that, I'm back in the classroom. The online classroom, that is.
I'm going to be co-teaching a class in two parts (online, September-November) called Matchmaking Your Manuscript: Finding the Right Publisher for Your Children's Book Project.
I co-teach both parts of this class with Lisa Bullard, a Minneapolis writer and teacher who also has extensive experience in the publishing industry. Each part of the class lasts three weeks (you can take either or both). During these six weeks, we guide writers through the process of creating a submissions plan for their children's book manuscript. It's for writers who have written, revised, polished, and then thought..."Now what do I do with it? How do I know who to submit it to?"
These aren't writing courses. They're about pinpointing the most appropriate publishers for your particular project, and creating a cover letter, query letter, or proposal (depending on what your project is and who you're submitting it to) that will wow those publishers.
I'm very methodical about publisher research because I don't find it easy. I can't remember which editor is where and what her personal tastes are. Lisa has a marketing and publishing background and brings an amazing amount of insight into thinking like a marketer. We share our experiences and methods, and students get plenty of personal feedback from both Lisa and me. I think it's going to be another terrific session.
In this economy, it can be scary to dedicate hard-earned cash to classes. But I think the tight publishing market only makes it MORE necessary to do your research and get your manuscript into just the right hands. Lists are shrinking, staffs are shrinking, and editors are more overworked than ever. Children's writers have to be more knowledgeable about the marketplace and more savvy about their submissions. Studying markets and coming up with elevator pitches may not be what you envisioned when you dreamed of becoming a children's writer. But if you want to help that dream become reality, you need to study the marketplace carefully and craft an impressive submission packet. That's what this class can help with.
Here's a student comment from our first time offering this course, last year.
“I have been changed by this course. Before, I would work and work and my eyes would go buggy reading catalogues and books and Amazon listings and Googled pages, but I wouldn’t get any wiser! The articles and the homework were both helpful to me, and I got the feeling they were useful to a wide range of writers. The comments and critiques really put the finger on things. I thought they showed great specificity, clear perception, and the ability to start with the writer’s intention. And the interplay of comments, from you two and the class, showed how effective networking is! I have a lot more confidence and optimism and knowledge of how to use my efforts wisely. I would highly recommend this course to anybody ready to take on the challenge. This was a great experience, and I think a career-changing one. And I loved all the chat.” –Julie
If you have any questions about these classes and how they work, please feel free to ask! Thanks.
Time to announce my August online class, for those of you hoping to break into writing for the educational market!
I'm now taking registration for the next session of my online class: Writing Children's Nonfiction Books for the Educational Market. In this two-week online class, you will learn about the educational market and how it differs from the trade market. You will learn how to put together an introductory packet to send to publishers (and how to find publishers to submit to). You'll also learn how to deal with some of the practical issues of educational writers: research, dealing with editors, finding expert consultants, etc. Several former students from last year and this year have already finished their first book assignments for educational publishers or have works under contract with educational publishers right now. An optional critique component lets you choose to add on a cover letter critique and/or writing sample critique. You can take the two-week intensive and then take a little break, get your introductory packet together sometime before the end of the year, and then have me critique one or both of those components of your packet.
This online class will run from August 10-21. This will be an intense class with new content and homework every day, Monday-Friday. It's perfect if you have the summer off or if you can take the intensity of a job (or just a busy life!) plus an hour or more of reading/homework each day for those two weeks. You can read complete class info here (where you can read feedback from a few recent students on page 5), and you can read feedback from students in earlier sessions. You can also check out the books I've written for the educational market (more than 80 of them). Then, if you think this class is a good fit for you, you can register here.
Hope to work with some of you! If you have any questions, please let me know. Thanks!
The Nonfiction Monday wrap-up is at Scrub-a-Dub-Tub.
In July, I’ll open enrollment for an Online Picture Book course.
The online study class will include:
- 36 lessons
- Forum for questions and discussion
- One critique of a picture book manuscript AND a second critique of the revision of that same manuscript
- Self-paced
- 90-day access to Lessons and Forum
Picture Book Course Lessons
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Picture Book Basics - 8 lessons
This section covers the basics of picture books: number of pages, word count, audience, setting, characters, words, messages, morals, themes, voice and more.
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Picture Book Genres - 8 lessons
If you want to write a specific type of picture book, you’ll find tips here for rhyming text, poetry collections, picture book mystery, picture book biography, creative non-fiction picture book, and the ABC picture book.
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How to Write a Picture Book - 15 lessons
Once you understand the basic structure of a picture book, it’s time to choose a topic and write the first draft. Special techniques for editing a picture book manuscript are also covered.
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How to Submit a Picture Book - 5 lessons
Writing all done? Learn the biggest mistake people make when submitting to a publisher. How do you find the name of an editor? What about self-publishing?
Look for more information next week!
Post from: Revision Notes
Revise Your Novel!
Copyright 2009. Darcy Pattison. All Rights Reserved.
Related posts:
- 30 Days to a Stronger Picture Book
- How to Write a Poetry Collection Picture Book
- How to Write a Rhyming Picture Book
OK, over at Bubble Stampede, Fiona Bayrock and I talked about social networking and whether we should try it out. We have, and we're both happy Facebookers now. But half the writers I run into tell me, "I'm ON Facebook, but I don't really know what to do with it!" (I'm still figuring that out myself.)
From blogging to LinkedIning to Facebooking, I've always had questions. And Susan Taylor Brown (aka susanwrites) has had answers. She has responded to many of my, "Help? How do I ___________?" pleas.
And now she's offering a very cool online workshop in early May called Social Networking for the Busy Writer. It's a bargain price, and I know Susan will be sharing tons of useful info. Here's the short blurb, but click on the class link above for all the details:
"We'll cover an overview of many of the current online social media platforms such as Blogs, Facebook, Myspace, Twitter, Amazon Connect, JacketFlap, Linkedin (and more) and how authors are using them. You’ll learn why “friend” has become a verb, how to “tweet” for research experts, and what you can do about managing your time with all this new online activity. You will set up new social media platforms and learn how to enrich the ones you do have."
I think the really nifty thing is that Susan will be covering all these platforms from a writer's point of view. So she's not just explaining what they are, but she's helping you understand HOW you can use them for your writing career.
I know in the online classes I teach, the need for a writer to have an online presence always comes up, and with it come many questions I can't answer. But Susan can. So if this is an area of interest for you, I hope you'll check out her workshop.
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My Rhyme Time rhyming poetry workshop has some openings left. Click here for the registration page (which has a link to click on for complete info).
Distractions are going to be the death of my writing. The "platform building" aspect of writing: blogs, Facebook, Twitter, are important and deserve, as you mentioned, a selected time during the day for attention. But they can too easily start to be "productive procrastination" distractions as I numb out on the computer and avoid the creative work of writing. I. Must. Be. Better.
Computer and phone distractions are the worst. It does help to silence incoming e-mail, texts, etc., or even shut down everything except the Word doc you're writing. Easier said than done though!
I laughed at practice saying no. It does actually take practice--not so much the physical act of saying NO (although that may help) but the guilt/indecision--should I do this? after you say no. Believe me, I need to practice!
I needed this 'smack upside the head'. If my writing is going well, time just slips away and I lose track of everything else, to the point of letting the kettle boil dry. If I'm bogged down, everything else is appealing, from Facebook to running a load of laundry. MUST learn to focus and stick it out, no matter what. Thank you for the reminder and suggestions.
Julie, I see your point. Sometimes productive procrastination on tweets and Facebook posts can be a good thing. But the "numbing out" might be the moment to take a break. Then switch to your creative writing. Let me know if that works for you.
MP, sometimes it helps to set aside certain periods during the day when you are "off the grid." But let people around you know when that is so they won't get nervous about you not responding. No need to upset anybody.
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Lynn, sometimes it's a good thing to do something else like the laundry when you are stuck. Just instruct your subconscious mind to find a solution to whatever is in the way. Going for a walk or meeting a friend can also give you new insights that will bring you back to your creative writing.