When we last left off I was tired. Really, really tired because I’m a blabber mouth and can’t stop talking to my writer peeps. *sigh* So after a really yummy breakfast (BTW I really enjoy this whole “people cooking all my meals for me thing) and a little dash big dollop of regular coffee in my decaf, I was ready to kick off a full day of conference done Poconos style!
Have you met Donna Gephart? If you haven’t then you need to. She’s amazing! Her talk was called Six Reasons to Quit Writing (and One Important Reason Not to).
I think you’re probably familiar with these…
1. It takes to long to be successful. 2. I’m not good enough. 3. There’s not enough time to write. 4. You’re afraid that you’ll fail. 5. Rejections are too painful. 6. Someone tells you you shouldn’t write.
Yup, that’s a BIG, FAT YES to all six. We’ve hung out together before.
But why do I love Donna Gephart so much? She made me cry. Her journey touched me and her honesty moved me even more. I won’t give away her secrets, but here’s what she would want you to know…
*Like the characters we create, writers struggle with internal and external obstacles. Just know that no one can stop you if you want it bad enough.
So proud to be a part of her tribe. *heart squish*
#2-The Solid Structure and #3-The Considered Details. I especially enjoy any activity where I get to play with colored markers AND learn how to revise better!!!!
After lunch I had workshop #4- The Publisher’s Process: From Submission to Finished Book with Robert Agis (Associate Editor at Sterling Children’s Books). Once again I was having too much fun to take a picture. Really I mean it–this is one funny editor, but don’t let his humor fool you. He’s very knowledgable in his field and kind enough to share that information in a way that everyone can benefit.
At this point in the day (3:10-5:30) I was usually on line, heart pounding in chest, waiting to sit down for my paid critique. Since I didn’t have one this year and the weather was beautiful–I went for a run. *grin* Kind of a neat way to process everything in my head. Squeezed in 5.5 miles and still had time to hang out on the porch and wash the stink off of me in time for dinner.
After dinner, the Silent Auction/Raffle kicked butt and raised over $3,000.00 with half going to the SCBWI Japan Chapter. The money that is raised for PA goes to providing scholarships to next year’s conference. The auction ladies rock and I’m not just saying that because they had a basket of Charm’s Blow Pops for the folks who donated–although it did increase the odds that I would give them a shout out. *grin*
So, you’d figure after a late night on Friday, I’d be curled up in a corner, snoring to beat the band. We’ll I might have been if I hadn’t been hanging out with this fantastic group of people…
Shhhh Don’t tell anyone I did Bunny Ears. Anyway, this fabulous group of friends threw a little party to celebrate Jodi Moore’s debut picture book WHEN A DRAGON MOVES IN and the sale of my first YA novel TOUCHING THE SURFACE. They baked yummy things, had little inspirational presents and made us feel loved, special and proud to be a part of something so wonderful–a tribe.
You might imagine that I finally went to bed, sleepy and content–and I did–just hours later. It was my last night to curl up in a stack of pillows and whisper and laugh with my roommate Jodi, but that’s what happens when a Dragon moves into your heart.
I’m back from a FANTASTIC time at the Eastern PA SCBWI Pocono Mountain Retreat. The first speaker of the evening was Donna Jo Napoli.
Donna Jo started off by letting us know she had 14 years of rejection under her belt. In addition to reminding us to hang in there and keep writing, she had other sage bits of advice…
* When at a conference-grow big ears and listen to what agents, editors and authors have to say. They are sharing what has taken them years to learn.
*Writing fiction is like walking into a room naked while everyone else is dressed-you have to start exposing yourself. (figuratively of course)
*The reader may be off base about what you’ve written, but they are never wrong. Listen to what they have to say.
*Write for yourself and be sure to enjoy every step of the journey.
*If you don’t care about it, don’t write it.
New to the Poconos format, we had our first Workshop session on Friday and then headed off for a yummy Shawnee Inn dinner. But before I stuffed myself, I had a very special moment…
I was there when my amazing critique partner Jodi Moore, introduced her “baby” to her friends and fans…
Suzanne’s talk was–Caution: Write at Your Own Risk. She used her own personal journey about writing her YA novel Bull Rider to show us how writing comes from the inside out.
Then it was T-shirt night with Nachos and Networking!!!! I was having so much fun talking to everyone that I didn’t even take a picture. Opps!
I’d like to say that after a good night’s sleep I was well rested for a jam packed day, but the truth–I was up until the wee hours, hanging out with old friends and making new ones. Did I fall asleep in my cheese danish? You’re going to have to wait until my next post to find out if I was snoozing on Saturday.
If you’ve never been to a conference before, let me know if you have any questions.
I’m heading off in a few minutes to the Eastern PA SCBWI Pocono Mountain Retreat-one of my favorite conferences. A new friend of mine is also going and it’s his first conference and he’s a little nervous. I remember that very same feeling. We talked and I gave him lots of info to make him feel comfortable, but I got thinking and this is what came to mind…
You’re going to have a blast at any SCBWI Conference and like Bill said…Be careful, you just might learn something before it’s done!
If you haven’t been able to tell by my inability to get a blog post up by 7am…Last weekend was the hubby’s B-day and this week I’m juggling a bunch of stuff. I’ve got my 10 year old home on spring break for week #2. I’m preparing to go to the Eastern PA Poconos Mountain Retreat. Woo Hoo!!!! Lots of good stuff, so I’m listing, not complaining. In addition, I’m also doing my revisions on TOUCHING THE SURFACE and teaching dance.
*Deep breath* Now I’m complaining-because there’s also my typical never-ending mountain of laundry and an assortment of other unpleasant household, yard, child and school related mandatory tasks- BUTT…
Yes, you heard me right-I said BUTT. That wasn’t an accident. It’s that time of year when I’m aware that BIC (Butt in Chair) had turned into BBIC (BIG Butt in Chair!) So I’ve signed back up for Weight Watchers to better track what I’m shoving in my mouth. Of course, the more you workout, the more you can eat…so I’ve been very vested in running more often, continuing to dance and simply making sure that I’m moving more every day. And yeah-I’m enjoying it. And I’m thinking to myself-how did I let myself slide when I really like how I feel when I’m healthy? I sleep better at night. I write better because I plan and plot in my head, stretching my thinking muscles while I’m moving my real ones. I look better, which gets a thumbs up all the way around and I get more done when I’m energized. Yes, even laundry. *shudder*
So please forgive me as I get a new rhythm and figure out how to fit it all in. It’s important. So, if you’re even getting a whiff of spring fever, get up and join me. BUTT IN AIR before BUTT IN CHAIR!
What’s your exercise of choice and are you doing it???
I’m getting ready to dive back into my revisions, but I owe you a blog post. So that got me thinking…an unrevised manuscript is sort of like a mouth in need of dental work. It can be terrifying to think of what might have to be extracted.
But, I had a light bulb moment this morning when I woke up to this…
This little guy has a date with the tooth fairy tonight. He’s been wiggling that tooth for days and when he woke up this morning he was officially one of the big boys. He crossed some magical line in the sand and as you can see, he doesn’t look too traumatized. Which makes me think that revision can be an equally excited experience, if you’re in the right frame of mind.
Now don’t get me wrong-my oldest did have to have 7 teeth taken out. All at one time! I’m aware that some days, whether it’s teeth or manuscripts–things are going to get ugly. But they must get done and I also know that I’ve dreamed about this. I wanted to sell this book more than just about anything. When Simon Pulse said they wanted to buy TOUCHING THE SURFACE-I crossed my own magical line in the sand. So I can’t help but feel-that as I edit, change, add and even extract-the book fairy is just around the corner.
*Youngest son was the “project” of two older brothers and my friend’s two girls LOL!
And that is something to smile about. Can’t wait to see what show up under my pillow.
Two more amazing revision workshop sessions with Suzanne Morgan Williams.
