Writer’s Intensive-Friday January 29,2010 Getting to the NY SCBWI Writer’s Conference always entails an early morning train ride. In fact I usually take my husband’s train, the 5:32 into the city, making me appreciate the fact that I’m not a commuter. But for one day, its not so bad, especially since I could spend that time on the train reading a fabulous book by Elizabeth Scott called LOVE YOU, HATE YOU, MISS YOU.
I arrived with plenty of time to spare and met up with some of my favorite writers in the world…Eileen Feldscott, Justin Brancato, Jeff Faville, Amy Nichols, Amy Sundberg and Allan. All of us were attending the Writer’s
Intensives.
The morning started off with a panel discussion called LISTENING TO FEEDBACK WITH AN OPEN MIND. 
Moderator: Aaron Hartler 
CB-Courtney Bongiolatti, Simon and Schuster
NC-Nancy Conescu, Little Brown
MN-Michelle Nagler, Bloomsbury
Aaron started us off by reminding us that he was the Oprah of SCBWI and he got a two thumbs up from me! We then jumped into the advice right away. How should we approach the day?
CB-Remember you are getting feedback from EVERYONE at your table. -Listen to the advice of the professionals.
NC-Is looking for writing that captivates everyone at the table.
-Value everyones opinion, its part of your research because your audience is equally diverse.
-Give others helpful feedback.
-After you read your piece…JUST LISTEN.
MN-Write it down so later you can understand the information you might have missed.
-The moderator at your table is professional and objective.
AH-The professionals at the table are expert readers, trust their input.
NC-Be open to changing genres. A PB might actually be a chapter book.
CB-If we suggest a genre change it means we see something that works in your writing.
-“Every draft you send to an editor is a first draft.”
-Every editor/agent is different. They can point out the problems, its your job to find the solution.
NC-We look to see how someone takes and receives feedback.
MN-The Writer’s Intensive is nice because the editor gets a chance to interact directly with the writer.
AH-Told a Jennifer Hunt story, saying “You have a beautiful smile, but you have spinach in your teeth.” No matter how great your book is, all anyone will notice is the spinach and that editors would be remiss in not pointing it out if they see it.
NC-Children’s writers are particularly collaborative because they focus on helping you make your writing better.
CB-Our job is to see the good writing within the problems.
-Its to your advantage to have your critique time spent focused on the problems, not the good stuff.
MN-Sometimes we are the hardest on the writing that has the most potential, although we will be kind.
NC-Our job is to make people fall in love with your writing starting as early as the acquisitions process.
MN-Revelations can come when you are listening to other people’s pieces. Its easier to hear feedback when it is directed at someone else.
NC-If your first 500 words sounds familiar, confused etc…then you need to figure out what is going to make the reader understand from the beginning.
CB-If you are hearing the same thing over and over again, you need to change it and move on.
-You can love your stuff, but “reader love” trumps your love because they are the ones who are going to buy your book.
NC-Try Changes and suggestions before you decided the advice doesn’t work for you.
MN-Welcome to the BIG LEAGUES, a lot of what you write is not going to be in your stories.
NC-Even I hold editorial letters and read them later to make sure my writing makes sense and I’m saying what I want to say.
After all that great advice it was time to break into our first groups. Jeff Faville is getting ready for his first critique session of the day.
The first session runs from 10:15 to 12:15 but it flies by like its a half hour. Each writer has 12 minutes to read 500 words of their choice and receive feedback from the table moderator and other writers. I had a wonderful first table with Eddie Gamarra, Literary Manager/Producer, The Gotham Group. I read the first 500 words from my first novel TOUCHING THE SURFACE and got great suggestions and wonderful feedback from everyone at the table.
After a whirlwind morning and then a trip to the food court in Grand Central for lunch, we were ready to kick off the afternoon critique session which ran from 1:45 to 3:45. Once again I was given a fantastic moderator and learned so much from Jordan Brown, Editor, Walden Pond Press and another fantastic table of fellow writers. To change things up a little bit, I read the first 500 words of my current work in progress, THE OPPOSITE OF GRAVITY. Once again I left the table with lots to think about and a tremendous amount of support. The afternoon panel was titled THE NEXT STEP.
The Moderator for the panel discussion was the lovely
LO-Lin Oliver.
WL-Wendy Loggia, Random House
AL-Ari Lewin, Hyperion
AJ-Allyn Johnston, Beach Lane Books
AL-Thinks that there are lots of negotiations between an author and an editor. Not all suggestions have to be taken, but can you find a way to solve the problem in a different way?
AJ-Overall, in the PB’s she sees, the rhyme isn’t strong enough.
AL-Novels-lots of people started in the middle of a pivotal moment. They gave lots of exposition, but I would rather have it unfold in the scene.
WL-Saw a lot of front loading those first pages. You don’t need it. She wants to see voice and writing. -Think of the reader who is buying the book.
AJ-Do your market research and don’t do something that has already been done before. It puts you at an automatic disadvantage. -Check out Indiebound to see what kinds of book are getting the buzz.
-Having said that, remember you can spend so much time doing research that you don’t actually do the writing.
AL-DO NOT SEND A MANUSCRIPT WITH ART NOTES.
WL-She likes to get out and talk to booksellers as a consumer. Its good to get out in the field and hear what they have to say.
AJ-quoted Ellen Hopkins, “You guys need to buy book too!”
Lin Oliver asked about the best way to begin a story in this fast-paced technological world we currently live in…
WL-Every book is different. Its what feels right and organic to that book.
-Its tempting to start with a high octane moment, but in the end you need solid writing.
AJ-Lots of Picture Books aren’t actually PB’s, but the beginning of Chapter Books. -Wants a CLEAR beginning. Example-HATTIE AND THE FOX by Mem Fox
Lin Oliver also asked what are some “warning phrases” that might be a subtle way of saying it might be a good time to “step away” from this story and work on something new LOL!
AL-Who is the for?
-Why would someone care about this place or character?
WL-Who is this for? (Keep your reader in your head) -Is there anything else you are working on?
AJ-I ask about their writing career and continue to talk about it LOL!
Lin Oliver then reminded us that WE ARE WRITING FOR THE LONG HAUL, NOT JUST FOR ONE STORY. With one of her favorite quotes being…”In writing, nothing is wasted but the paper” by Sid Fleischman. She reminded us that we come here to develop our skills.
AJ-We wouldn’t do this if we weren’t looking for something.
Everyone then sent us off with some last words of wisdom…
AL-Wait a little while before you make any changes.
WL-Watch American Idol…talent rises to the top and everyone gets criticism. -Be yourself in your writing.
AJ-Don’ take yourself too seriously and get some exercise!
Good advice is one thing, but pondering it with friends and food is the icing on the cake.
Justin, Amy, Jeff, Allan and Kim
Of course no night is complete without Kidlit at the Wheel Tapper…
We had a blast and it was only the anticipation of Day 2 that got us up in the morning…oh, and the bagels and coffee. :o)
Stay tuned…more blogs coming as fast as I can write them. :o)
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Great post, Kim. You took great notes! Love the pic of us at dinner. 🙂
Thanks for the Intensive recap. I didn't do it this year. Sorry I missed you – I was even in a corner at the Wheeltapper!
Thanks! Wish we'd bumped into each other. Writers here, writers there…writers almost everywhere. LOL!
Kim, I hereby bestow upon you the respected and sought after moniker of "Blogmeister". You are the best. Do you ever sleep?
Also, you are so right about Jordan Brown. His comments left me with vision of my WIP that is still swimming in my head and tingling my spine! Now I see the shape my MC's voice will take as he tells the story of his eventful journey.
-Jeff
I'll take that title and wear it proudly! Loved Jordan-he was awesome! Get writing!