Lost Art? Really?
August 19th, 2009 by SaraOk… a friend of mine posted this article, The Lost Art of Reading, on my Facebook page yesterday. You can pretty much guess what it’s about. The author proposes that, in this culture of constant buzzing, finding the quiet mental space to commune with a book is becoming increasingly rare.
My question then is, Why are teenagers, the ones who are most inundated with this scattered stimulation, reading more than ever?
I should admit a bias right here. Despite my love of the sinisiter ‘what -ifing’ of science-fiction, I have little tolerance for people who say, “X is ruining the world.” In my lifetime already, Sesame Street, video games, and, most dangerously, ‘certain’ books have all been accused of bringing civilization to an end as we know it.
But I will concede a point to the author. It is, of course, important to find time and space in your life for reading. And his end conclusion is undeniable, this can be difficult. I’m just not sure that equals technology ruining books.
I’ve been encountering this feeling a lot recently. Another article I read recently bemoaned lost childhood. Children, it says, aren’t given the freedom and space to imagine, be alone, have adventures. I agree that this is often true, but only with a for certain section of the population. In my neighborhood, kids are still tearing around on bikes, playing clapping rhythm games (really), and buying ice cream from the guy with the cart. And this is not main street, small town USA. This is a street of old (and I don’t mean antique or classic) apartments in LA directly behind a strip mall. A place where we have the unique combination of flashing police lights and yard sales.
Am I still on point? I think I am. Every generation is different and every other generation foretells the fall of civilization based on these differences. Has Facebook and blogging and texting changed our world? I answer with an emphatic YES. But has this led to reading become a lost art? I don’t think so.
I will offer another illustration of this attitude. At the risk of offending a great author and those who are fans of his, I will mention a speech I recently heard by Richard Peck. Now Richard Peck is a incredible writer and speaker. I remember in junior high reading Are You In The House Alone while I was babysitting. Big mistake. I was scared out of my mind and yet I couldn’t put the book down.
And Richard Peck’s talk held the same riveting quality. During his stunning speech at the SCBWI Summer Conference, I both laughed and cried and I’m not exaggerating. More than that, I took away a meaningful understanding of why we write for children that I will keep with me for a very long time.
But I was also unnerved. In his charismatic speaking style he railed against the vacuum of MySpace (a paraphrase) and a world in which teenagers text at the dinner table. It wasn’t Richard Peck saying this that made me uneasy, it was the audience’s reaction. I watched a room full of people who are speaking to, and often for, the younger generation get caught up in this panning of technology. I find it dangerous that the very people who profess to give voice to the pain and experiences of childhood were also deriding the very tools that generation holds dear.
Are there crappy, stupid things about MySpace or blogging or Twitter? Yes. But there is also a chance for teenagers and kids to reach out and connect in a way they never could before. A way for someone who doesn’t fit into their small town to know that there is a larger world out there. People like them. There is a way for high schoolers to feel empowered, speaking in voices that the Gatekeepers can’t silence.
The opportunities for this technology are exciting and endless, and yes, scary. But they are worth exploring, understanding, and giving credence. These are the tools of our readers and it is making them active participants in this world in a whole new way. And this will be good and bad and most of all, it will be fascinating.
Posted in Authors, Books, Conference, SCBWI
August 19th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Hi Sara! Caught this from a link through Facebook. Great post! I like the point that these technological advances are giving teens an opportunity to connect, whether that’s with their favorite authors or with other teens sharing their experiences across the world.
Technology is just necessary now, and I find it funny that some adults bemoan such sites. In some ways, it’s a delightful twist: teens telling the adults to “eat their broccoli” when it comes to these changes.
A place where we have the unique combination of flashing police lights and yard sales. Ahhh, I *heart* L.A. for this very reason. In what other city is the “ghetto bird” (helicopter) hovering day and night? Only in L.A. :D
August 19th, 2009 at 1:50 pm
Nice irony:) “Eat your broccoli.” I like that. I did end up wondering while I was writing this post if the ‘buzzing’ of technology is heard much louder by older generations. Perhaps it is more distracting to them because they aren’t used to it and haven’t found creative uses for it.
But by the time I got to the end of that thought, it just felt like making excuses. And just adding to the already broad generalities being made by these articles.
And I love LA for the same reasons. The contradictions and the bizarreness of the place makes it heaven for a writer.
August 19th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
This is such an important issue you’ve eloquently addressed – how access to technology and social networking empowers children – and makes them more informed as well. Kids used to spend hours on the phone – now they text at the dinner table. Whether it’s TV, video games, or the Internet competing for attention – there’s still time for reading.
August 19th, 2009 at 4:47 pm
i think it’s funny how adults are always so concerned about kids doing ‘the right things’ like making sure that they have time for reading, not texting at the table, and the like. how often do you see adults that talk on their cellphones in the restaurant while their dinner date sits there looking bored? or businessmen and women who miss important events because of work? who never stop and enjoy a sunny day, much less read a book, because they’re too disctracted by meetings, phone calls, and their blackberries?
it seems to be a lot of “do what i say, don’t do what i do” going on, and i think that adults don’t give kids enough credit. if anything, kids are more likely than their grownup counterparts to make an escape from the daily routine and distractions of technology to find some peace and quiet when they realize that they need it.
i’m sure adults recognize what they’re doing and they want to keep their kids from adopting the same habits of not knowing when to make time for themselves, but they shouldn’t pull out the straw man of technology to try and make their case. technology is a tool, not a harbinger of the end of civilization.
besides, i’m sure that parents of the past hated it when their children were always getting telegrams instead of taking time to write a simple letter. and don’t get me started! it’s as if they never learned the english language!
AM COMING TO BOSTON STOP CARRIAGE ARRIVES TOMRW 9AM STOP TELL S I MISS HER STOP LOVE B FULL STOP
August 19th, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Great post, Sara. Poo-pooing social networking sites is just silly. Someday somebody is going to create a rich and engaging narrative experience using the very same technology. And then people will wonder how we ever got along without it.
August 19th, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Damon fwd’ed me that same article a couple days ago. Ironically, I couldn’t bring myself to read it.
This post is awesome.
I just went and read the article, btw (to see what I had missed). It seems to me the author is complaining about something he just happened to connect to technology and tweeting, etc. (and that he noticed while in the act of reading) but that in fact we all suffer from. It’s called Growing Older. I was complaining about lack of focus years ago (before twitter or even texting existed) and Irvin’s advice to me was to read (and specifically to read something difficult–-not children’s books which I was devouring every day. For this I chose Ursula LeGuin’s The Dispossessed). I wasn’t looking for blame in lifestyle/environmental/technological/cultural shifts. The mind has to stay in shape.
Also, props to Tony for the telegram analogy. I love that.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:35 pm
I do love the telegram analogy too:)
And you’re right, it’s not just the ‘kids these days’ thing. It’s more that it irks me that technology is often the reflex scapegoat. Video games=violence. Technology=ruining books. I’m not saying that there is an absolute yes or no to these ‘correlations,’ just that there are much deeper issues in our society that lead to our behaviors. It’s always easier to blame video games than it is to tackle gun rights or poverty or kids who feel abandoned by society.
SCBWI Conference ‘09
August 13th, 2009 by Sara
Another SCBWI Summer Conference come and gone! This year, I won’t bother to summarize what happened, since that’s already done so beautifully by the SCBWI ‘Team Blog.’ 
Thanks you guys!
Instead, I’ll give an illustrated version of a few moments that really struck me. I’ve stolen most of the beautiful pictures and illustrations from other talented people, Debbie Ridpath Ohi, Karyn Raz, Edith Cohn, Marie Miranda Cruz, Lee Wind, and the SCBWI Live Blog, so click on the pictures to check out their own versions of the events!
Holly Black: I pretty much wanted to copy down everything that came out of her mouth. For example, “All writing is in conversation with what has come before it.” She gave a talk about plot, citing her own struggles with it. Evidently when she started writing she didn’t know how to move the plot forward, so she had “lots of scenes with elves sitting around drinking coffee, experiencing ennui.”
She also did a break-out session about career, talking about practical and terrifying things such as when to quit your job (the ’safe’ answer is once you can live off your royalties), taxes (about 33%), and choosing which author’s career you’d like to have (she wanted Neil Gaiman’s, which I think is a fantastic choice). It was an incredibly concrete talk that made me really ponder career goals and attitudes. And here’s the best line from it.
Audience Member (speaking about benefits): “It’s in our publisher’s best interest for us to be alive.”
Holly Black: “Actually that’s not true.”
So now we know why it’s so hard for writers to get health care!
Karen Cushman advised us all that when it comes to our inner voices, it’s important to “separate the writer from the editor, the editor from the critic, and dump the critic.”
David Wiesner showed us how the shape of UFO’s and the movie The Shining, both inspired the picture book Tuesday. He also literally illustrated how ideas can try for years and years to express themselves through different projects, before they finally manifest.
Sherman Alexie inspired us all with his charismatic speech and eloquently reminded us about the nature of writing as well as its purpose. “You’re alone. You are doing this alone. But remember someone else is out there alone.”
And then, after so many insightful and inspiring words, we got to what the conference is all about. Boooogying at the Blue Moon Ball!
Posted in Authors, Conference, Illustration, Nifty happenings, SCBWI
August 13th, 2009 at 8:58 pm
I’m also a little miffed that my ‘pseudonym jokes’ didn’t win the joke contest. Here’s a few examples of my brilliance, just so I don’t have to suffer alone.
Charlotte’s Web by Hammon Rye
Mary Poppins by Wendy Day
Little Women by Minnie Skirts
I know, right?
August 13th, 2009 at 9:05 pm
i know, we worked so hard on those titles!
*The House on Pooh Corner,
by Porto Poddie
*Harold and the Purple Crayon,
by Violet Walls
and much, much more! thanks folks, we’ll be here all week. try the veal!
August 13th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Yeah, “Violet Walls” is an awesome one! It’s so fun to see what the conference highlights were for different people -especially my friends! So much good stuff packed into those 4 days! Thanks for sharing all this, Namaste and a Hug,
Lee
August 14th, 2009 at 11:04 am
This is a wonderful wrap-up–you picked great moments, some of my favorites, as well.
Laurie
Collect Them All!
August 5th, 2009 by SaraSo… as I may have casually mentioned… THE SCBWI SUMMER CONFERENCE IS COMING! For me, this means checking out great stacks of books from the library, doing my homework on editors, and hitting the thrift store for clothes that say, ‘I’m professional, yet artsy, and you should give me a heap of money.’ I’ve never found quite the right outfit, but you should see the ‘publish me’ boots I got for this year.
I also made new business cards. And by ‘made,’ I mean my brilliant artist of a husband designed them but I’m gonna take all the credit. 
They’re inspired by my book, The Harbinger, and the classic Rider-Waite Tarot card art. Warning: Colors may not be as bright as in real life.
For a week, I stalked our mail carrier, hoping they’d arrive. When they finally did, I was blown away. I’m can’t wait to swap them around this weekend. Hey kids, collect them all!
Posted in Authors, Books, Conference, Nifty happenings, SCBWI
August 6th, 2009 at 11:14 am
So. Jaw-droppingly. Awesome.
Can’t wait to get a “mint” first edition!!!
Hugs,
Lee
August 6th, 2009 at 12:04 pm
I’m totally still working on that “artsy yet professional, so hand over the cash” vibe…and still cramming in some conference reading! look forward to seeing the cards and their maker in person.
-Karyn
August 6th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
Oh my gosh, these are gorgeous and I want one. Bring an extra to the conference for me!
August 6th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
I will bring many, many cards and pour them amongst the attendees like champagne from the bottle. Um… papery champagne?
August 7th, 2009 at 9:33 am
wow…. just gorgeous :) Wish I was closer so I could snag one! have an amazingly good time at the conference… and bag you a dragon!
August 7th, 2009 at 11:08 am
Wow. These are INCREDIBLE. I know you know this… but your husband is amazing. I’m super jealous that you get to go this year. I’ll be thinking of you and it this whole weekend.
Good luck with everything!!
August 8th, 2009 at 6:27 pm
Forsooth the husband is an awesome and talented artist! But my daughter-in-law is so thusly gifted that he cannot help but be Inspired!
August 8th, 2009 at 6:35 pm
(also): Dad and I are anxiously awaiting our business cards. (how many can we have?) I have some educator-friends who will be interested, and several will be needed for family. We know you have been greatly busy. There is an Etienne reunion on September 13th, and it would be oh-so-fun to have a few to hand out. Love,
Mom
August 12th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Sara your cards are gorgeous! Your husband IS a genius. Well done both of you! Love A.
August 13th, 2009 at 2:30 pm
Your business cards are the best ever! Such a talented duo, you two!
Summer (conference) Reading
July 22nd, 2009 by Sara
When I was a kid, my library, like many others, had a summer reading program. Every book I read racked up points towards stickers or McDonalds french fries or, my most coveted prize of all, the knotted pencil. How did they even do that??
It was the highlight of my summer and I always read a ton of Newberys cause they were worth more points. It’s also how I discovered one of my favorite all-time books, Journey Outside by Mary Q. Steele, which, tragically, pretty much no one else has ever heard of. Luckily, I read it enough times for all of you.
Sigh. Those were the days.
Well, there’s no prizes for this list, but if you’re going to the SCBWI Summer Conference or you just want a good summer read, these books might come in handy. 
These are some of my favorite books written by authors coming to this year’s conference. It’s YA biased and I’m only including books I’ve read, so some great ones are probably left out. I apologize in advance!
Skin Hunger by Kathleen Duey -Awesomely dark fantasy, compellingly told in both first and third person.
King Dork by Frank Portman -Best made-up band names in the history of the world.
Catherine Called Birdy by Karen Cushman -Cause medieval humor is the wackiest!
Tithe by Holly Black- Creepy fairies and teen angst…what better combination is there?
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie – You will literally laugh and cry at the same time.
A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park -Exquisitely written, need I say more?
Millicent Min, Girl Genius by Lisa Yee – It’s funny cause it’s true. Millicent’s humor is totally authentic.
And lets not forget picture books! A couple of my favorite illustrator/authors are going to be speaking at the conference this year.
Every Friday by Dan Yaccarino – I can’t say enough good things about this simple, perfect father/son story.
Tuesday by David Wiesner – Flying frogs. Let me just be clear about this. Flying. Frogs.
Whether you’re a writer or a reader, summer is a time for sitting on the porch, munching on an Otter Pop, and falling into a book. And each one of these is a perfect place to spend your summer vacation.
Posted in Authors, Books, Conference, I heart this book, Illustration, Nifty happenings, Picture books, SCBWI
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:34 pm
Woo hoo! I’ve read all these awesome books, too! These are (some of) my favorites, too!!
To this I would add that the chapter book/young middle grade According to Humphrey series is outstanding.
But what’s this about a Newbery no one’s heard of?? Now I’ve got to track that down!
July 22nd, 2009 at 1:46 pm
Thanks for the recommendation! Anyone else have books we should add to the list?
And I totally have a copy of Journey Outside that you can borrow and the story really holds up over time.
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:55 pm
Excellent suggestions. I’ve been meaning to get to King Dork for a while, and now I have to look into Journey Outside.
July 23rd, 2009 at 10:44 am
Totally into Skin Hunger now. Stopped for five seconds to check my email, but I am glued!! Thanks for lending. U the best friend eva!!
July 23rd, 2009 at 11:06 pm
I’m so glad! I just saw Holly Black speak today and she was really great. I can’t wait to hear her whole talk at the conference.
Kite Tales RULZ!
April 1st, 2009 by SaraWelcome Kite Tales readers and other nefarious individuals!
If you haven’t read the Spring 2009 issue of Kite Tales… hop to it. Especially page 24 (and 23). All the cool kids are reading it. You wanna be a cool, don’t you?
Posted in Conference, Nifty happenings, SCBWI, Writing
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:33 am
i found an error in your 25 random list. you state that you have not posted a blog entry since october- correction, make that march. you’re not as bad as i can be :)
nice show with your two articles. indeed u rock the party!
April 2nd, 2009 at 10:35 am
and did i mention how you’re a ‘volunteer in the spotlight’ babe?
you are!
April 2nd, 2009 at 12:30 pm
Dear Sweet Girl,
I am increasingly astounded at your whimsious words! The KiteTales list was so much fun!
Especially fun that you exceeded by one!
I am so proud of you!
Love,
Mom
April 8th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
AWESOME!!!
Sara, it’s fantastic – love the 25 (err… 26!) things about you, and also the winter conference re-cap! Such fun reading, and you totally made me do a spit-take on “Try the veal.”
Hurray!
Hugs,
Lee
April 9th, 2009 at 6:39 am
Wow! Love your recap, but your list really takes the cake. Great job!
Eating Paste
March 4th, 2009 by SaraOkay… maybe not eating it.
So I finished my revision… now what? As a way to deal with the dismal No Man’s Land that lurks between revisions and new projects, I’ve been getting crafty. This past September at the SCBWI Working Writers’ Retreat, the creative Julie Williams gave us some unusual ideas about how to build an authentic world for our stories. Found-book collages, paper dolls, and object-inspired writing exercises made me realize that there’s more to grounding yourself in a new world than outlines and brainstorms.
I’ve had some ‘in between’ time on my hands, so I pulled out my notes for my next book and got to work. Or play, rather. You can see I’ve made a mess. But that’s what it’s all about. Or is that the hokey-pokey?
As I construct this world in a literal, hands-on way, specific and rich details are floating into my brain like gifts from the ether. Scenes have begun playing themselves out in front of me and characters are finding forms.
It’s been a fantastic way to travel from the analytical territory of revisions to the open space of creation. And it’s reminded me that this whole venture is supposed to be fun. Here’s a peek at the world I’m just starting to imagine.
Posted in Characters, Conference, First draft, Revision, SCBWI, Writing
March 4th, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Sara,
that’s so cool!
Very “right brain” of you…
Can’t wait to hear more about this new world!
Namaste and a Hug,
Lee
March 4th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Whoa! Look at that! You broke out the crayons and the pencils! Or the chalk anyway. I think I see chalk.
March 5th, 2009 at 9:10 am
Yummy. Glue.
I love Julie’s exercises. Have you seen her blog? Cool new mixed media.
March 8th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
in the third picture, why do those blocks look like packs of C-4 explosives?
:)
No Jumping, No Wings. Ever.
September 10th, 2008 by SaraSo… it’s that time again. Time to debrief from the SCBWI Summer Conference.
What? What’s that you say?
I already wrote about the conference? Well, tonight I have to host a whole SCBWI Schmooze on the topic, so you’re gonna hear about it again, whether you like it or not! In hopes of inspiring people to send their writing out, I’m mostly going to stick with info about editors and agents that I heard speak. What they’re looking for and what they love.
But first, let’s start off with Bruce Coville’s 7 deadly sins for writers: Dullness, Repetition, Sloth, Inattention, Perfectionism, Clumsiness and Cliche. He had virtues too, but hey, sins are more fun!
Diane Muldrow, an editor with Golden Books talked about making good picture books that are accessible to every child. This is what she is looking for in a book: Perfect for reading aloud. Doesn’t have too much text. Lively stories that convey the wonder of everyday experiences that are new to a child. Has a ‘twist’ that makes it special (a riddle, a game, a little joke that the kid is in on.) A book that will backdate well and become a classic.
Michael Bourret, an agent at Dystel and Goderich, gave a great talk about queries. His general suggestions were to have a killer opening with a great hook ie., don’t start with dry details such as word count or genre. Let the query represent your writing. And have 3 clean versions of your query letters ready for you to choose from so you can better match the agent’s personality. He also mentioned that is is looking particularly at voice. And he suggested simultaneous queries when looking for agents.
I took a revision class with Julie Strauss-Gabel at Dutton’s Children’s Books, but I think I need a whole different post for that class. Simply put, for her it’s all about voice, voice, voice.
The up and coming editor panel was great. My favorite part was the list of 3 books the editors wished they’d published. It gave an unique window into what they’re really looking for. Here’s the list, but I was writing fast, so I can’t promise they’re all right!
Gretchen Hirsch from HarperCollins: (looking for smart and sexy books, paranormal YA, soft spot for dogs) Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo WiIllems, Weetzie Bat by Francesca Lia Block, and The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks by E. Lockhart.
Amalia Ellison from Amulet Books: (looking for eclectic/commercial, paranormal YA) Twilight by Stephanie Meyer, Goose Girl by Shannon Hale, and Holes by Louis Sachar.
Nancy Conescu from Little Brown: (Self-declared “girly” person) Emily Gravett’s books, Clementine by Sara Pennypacker, and John Green’s books. In another talk at the conference, she said she’s looking for a different take on familiar subjects, like Vampirates. She divulged that she looks at Etsy.com and other artistic websites to find illustrators. She also mentioned edgier YA.
Namrata Tripathi from Hyperion Books: (Literary/Eclectic) The Patron Saint of Butterflies by Cecilia Galante, Wave by Suzy Lee, and Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott.
If you didn’t go to the summer conference or hear these specific people speak, hopefully this post has given you a little peek into what they are looking for. So, now I’ll leave you with these last thoughts to motivate you to get those manuscripts out!
Leonard Marcus shared this wonderful quote from the great editor Ursula Nordstrom, “Is there any prettier sight in the world than that of someone sticking out his neck?” (I hope I got the wording right!)
And since I started with Bruce Coville, I’ll end with him too. He shared this scary and invigorating thought about writing: When you get to the edge of a cliff, jump. If you don’t jump, you’ll never grow wings. Ever. He may have said this more artfully, but you get the point. Send that book out!
Posted in Conference, Nifty happenings, SCBWI
September 10th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Since I won’t be able to make tonight’s schmooze, I want to say thank you, thank you, thank you
so much for this post. So helpful. Now I’m going to that edge of the cliff… and… and what is it about writing that makes it so scary???
September 11th, 2008 at 6:54 pm
I think it might be that whole bearing-your-soul-to-the-world thing! Glad it was a help!
September 17th, 2008 at 6:24 pm
okay, that bruce is awesome – what a great line – if you don’t jump, you’ll never grow wings!
Thanks for this post!
Lee
Not, not, not a box!
August 26th, 2008 by Sara
*First off, apologies to Antoinette Portis and her modern classic picture book, Not a Box for leaning on her wonderful pictures and themes. Go buy Not a Box! *
A box is a cozy place to be. It’s dark and quiet, with plenty of corners to curl up in. You can touch the walls around you and make certain they are there. You can make up all kinds of stories in your box in complete safety.
The box can be very important for stories just starting out life. The kind that will be vaporized under the hot sun. But if you stay in the box, that’s all they’ll ever be. Never sizzling, incredible, best-selling novels. Just stories.
Right now, I’m working hard on revising my young adult novel. I’m digging deeper to find my character’s voice. I’m pushing harder to make the world a scarier and more rewarding place for my characters. And it’s working. But when I’m try to get those characters from Point A to Point B, I’m still relying on my box.
I just keep doing it over and over. Moving my pawns around efficiently, but without regards to what builds tension or plays better for the reader. I’m just making making my story happen and working around my obstacles the easiest way possible. And easy does not make a good read.
So, I’ve started to keep a few things in mind, hoping that these tricks will help me cut some holes in my box so I can see my way out of it. One of these tricks I learned in Julie Strauss-Gabel’s revision class at the SCBWI summer conference (Thanks Julie and the class for your excellent advice!) and it was a big Aha! moment for me. Obstacles can be solutions.
Often, when I come up against a plot point that doesn’t make sense, I’ll ignore it… hoping maybe the readers won’t notice. An example: My main character, Faye climbs up to a roof to escape. A security guard is standing nearby, so she has to be quiet. Later, a roof tile breaks free and smashes on the ground. Problem: Why doesn’t the security guard react?
I came up with all kinds of rationale for this in my mind. Was he rocking out to his favorite Britney Spears song? Were the clouds so interesting that he got distracted? Did a venomous scorpion sting him, plunging him into a coma? Come on, these are very realistic scenarios! But for some reason my readers weren’t buying it.
Solution: The scene actually works better with the security guard noticing. It gives Faye someone to interact with. It builds tension. And it grounds the scene in reality. And voila! The obstacle is the solution.
I guess in the same way, the box is the solution. If you get yourself out of it, flip it over, and stand on top, you can reach higher or use it to go farther than you have before. Then it’s not, not, not a box! Vroom! Vroom!
Posted in Authors, Books, Conference, Revision, SCBWI, Writing
August 26th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
I remember this picture book. Great entry! BTW, are you still on vacation? I miss you!
September 6th, 2008 at 9:51 am
Awesome epiphany, Sara!
I love that you’re making such progress, and you’re so good at sharing the clarity you’re achieving!
Hurray for obstacles that are their own solutions!
Hurray for Faye!
Hurray for Sara!
Lee
September 17th, 2008 at 4:25 pm
A fantastic look into one problem and solution. I will think hard on this, myself.
Thanks, Sara!! :D
Conference Karma
August 11th, 2008 by Sara
Recently I’ve been really feeling good about my writing. I’ve had quite a few “Aha!” moments and, slowly but surely, my story is transforming into a novel. By this, I don’t mean that I’ve been making it longer or writing the acknowledgements page (don’t worry, you’re totally mentioned).
No. What I mean is that before, my manuscript was the story of a character, Faye, that I loved and crafted and who was very much alive in my mind. Now, Faye and her world is strong enough to live in other people’s minds. To capture their interest and make them ask the most important question in the realm of books. “What happens next?”
I can’t express how grateful I was that my suspicion, that Faye was finally alive and kicking, was confirmed at this summer’s SCBWI conference. One editor assured me that my ‘voice’ was strong enough. Another editor expressed interest in looking at the whole book and asserted that she really thought there was something there. Topping it all off, on Sunday I found out that I was nominated for the Sue Alexander Award for most promising critiqued manuscript at the conference.
Well, aside from bragging and shouting from the rooftops, what I’m trying to say is… “She’s Alllllllllive! She’s Alllllllive!” Now, if she only would stop clomping around all night and eating brains!
Posted in Conference, Nifty happenings, Revision, SCBWI, Writing
August 11th, 2008 at 8:13 pm
Congratulations, Sara!!! Your hard work has paid off! I am so HAPPY for you!!!
August 12th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Wow Zombie Sara,
Super congrats on being amazing. I bow before your greatness… unless you take a swipe at my brains. I need those.
August 15th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Lovely!! I love this post!!!
I am thrilled for you, too. :D :D :D
100 days, 1000 books
September 23rd, 2007 by SaraLinda Sue Park recently said, at the SCBWI Summer Conference, that before you can write a good picture book, you had to read 1000 of them. There was a similar equation for novels, 500 novels (or, she amended, any type of book) before you could write one yourself. Well, I’m fairly certain I’ve accomplished the 500 novels part, but I’m sorely lacking on the picture book front. So here I go!
I’ve decided to read 1000 picture books in the next 100 days. Yes, folks! That’s 10 books a day! By January 1st! Can she do it? Who knows? But it’ll sure be fun trying!
Click here to see what I’ve read so far.
“And now,”cried Max, “let the wild rumpus start!”
Posted in Books, Conference, SCBWI, The Great Picture Book Read, Writing
September 24th, 2007 at 12:23 am
All the books you’ve read so far sound awesome, and I haven’t read any of those! Rats. I keep saying I can’t add any more books to my to-read list. Then you dangle these before my eyes . . .
:D
r
September 25th, 2007 at 2:13 pm
How cool, Sara!
I love the idea of diving in with such gusto – good for you! And I’m sure you’ll start to get some insights into patterns that work, and what doesn’t and holy guacamole, I have no idea what you’ll find out – 1000 picture books? And you’re going to list and rate each one? (I love that bit, too!)
Goooooo Girl!
Lee
