Here’s my recap of the New England SCBWI Conference for the second time. I got this half done for Friday when my oldest son’s school transportation had the drivers go on strike and then my other two kids came down with strep. I decided to postpone the post and finish it over the weekend.  I saved it and and then the gremlins that live in my computer erased only the part I’d finished. *head thunk*

I arrived at the conference at around noon on Friday and did all of the standard checking-in and hugging friends things. Then it was off to the first sessions.

Friday 5/3/13

A Intensive–KEYWORD BY WORD: CREATE A PLAND TO BRAND. SELL, AND PROMOTE YOUR NOVEL with AC Gaughen and Hilary Weisman Graham

I love attending events by my Apocalypsies and Class of 2k12 siblings. So much fun!

Favorite take-aways…

*Everyone IS buying bookmarks and everyone WANTS bookmarks for swag, whether you like it or not LOL!

*Twitter is the most popular place (debut author questionnaire) to focus your social media push, but tumblr is where the teens are.

*  *  *

Workshop B–MANAGING YOUR WRITING; MANAGING YOUR LIFE WITH PEGGY DEITZ SHEA AND JANET DOUCETTE

This session started off with some relaxation and focusing techniques. I became so relaxed I forgot to take a picture and may have almost fallen asleep at one point LOL!

Favorite take-aways…

*Are you here?

*Women are great multi-tasks but being a multi-tasker is not in your best interest. You can get stuck on the bridge between the right brain and the left brain.

*Requests (received or given) should always include the right to decline and a clear expectation of fulfillment.

Keynote–PANEL DISCUSSION: AN UNCENSORED DISCUSSION ON EDGY YA

Favorite take-aways…

*Be true to the work.

*Should the parent be the gate-keeper or do children effectively police their own reading material?

Saturday 5/4/13

Keynote–THE WORDS WE CHOOSE TO SAY by Sharon Creech

A HUGE fan-girl moment for me!!!! Yes, she really glows in real life. <3

Favorite take-aways…

*Find your own voice, your own rhythms–it makes you a better writer.

*Use it all (great ideas) when you’re writing. New stuff will grow. Words generate words.

*Don’t be in such a hurry to publish your story. Time may allow you to deepen it. There could be something profound under there.

C Intensive–REAL REVISION: BIG PICTURE AND LINE BY LINE with Kate Messner

I LOVE Kate! That’s all.

Best take-aways…

*Revision is finding and strengthening the heart of your story.

*You can’t revise, to bring about the heart of your story if you don’t know what the heart is.

*Writing off-draft can help you understand things.

*Trying something you’re not great at can free you up.

*Use a mentor text to guide your way.

*Make what you need to explore and fix your book. (Charts, maps, timelines and outlines)

If you want to learn more about Kate’s amazing revision tips–check out her book REAL REVISION.

 

Time for lunch and another amazing Keynote with author/illustrator Grace Lin

Stephanie, Megan and Kendra

Annie, Me, Jodi and Eileen

Best take-away from Grace Lin’s keynote (sorry I don’t have a picture)…

You’ll be your best self when you are yourself in you writing and art. <3

Workshop G–THE ART OF THE OUTLINE with Elisabeth Papdemetriou

Best take-aways…

*Don’t confuse learning the skill (of outlining) with the act of outlining.

*Plot and character are inseparable.

*Outlines should include every single scene in your book.

*Have your closing scene echo your opening scene.

 And I FINALLY got to meet Jo Knowles. I’ve participated in JoNoWriMo for years and Jo was one of those warm and giving authors who mentors those around her–plus I love the books she writes. Check out her latest, PEARL which won the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award!

 

Workshop H–THE POWER OF POINT OF VIEW with Linda Urban

She is hilarious by the way.

Best take-aways…

*I believe we are living in an increasingly 1st person world. 1st person is only going to grow. Writing in 3rd person may allow you to stand out.

Saturday’s Autograph Party!!!!!

Katie chatting up the awesome Nova Ren Suma.

Sharon Creech signing for my friend’s daughter who is her BIGGEST FAN!!!!!

Of course I’m I HUGE fan too!!!!!

Jodi chatting with Jodi.

Kate Messner signing a book for the Fishkill Frogs!

Lynda Mullaly Hunt, author of the MG novel ONE FOR THE MURPHYS, signing and making friends.

Greg Fishbone (Class of 2k7) and AC GaugheBrendan (Class of 2k12) hanging out

REVISING A CAREER: TIMING, TRUST & TEAMWORK with Brenda Reeves Sturgis, Emma Dryden and Karen Grenick

Favorite take-aways…

*Don’t quit–ever. <3

Some down time in the Sheraton while waiting for the Ballroom to open up.

The Books for Boston collection bin.

Check out some of the inspirational messages written in the books going to Boston.

Sunday 5/5/13

Panel Discusion–SCULPTING STORIES FROM FACT: FOUR WRITERS OF HISTORICAL FICTION SHARE STRATEGIES

Sarah Lamstein, Jeannine Atkins, Padma Venkatraman and Pat Lowery Collins (Boo my picture didn’t come out!)

Favorite take-aways…

*I tried to pack Padma in my suitcase. All four authors were great, but she stole the show. LOVE her!

*When story and history collide–story always wins. (PV)

*The attitudes of the times plays a role in the story/plot. (SL)

*The reasons writers aren’t diagnosed as schizophrenic is that we listen to the voices in our head instead of conversing with them. (PV)

*Create a LOVELY FILE to put all the darlings you cut–then you will always have them. (PV)

I Intensive–ADVANCED PLOTTING with Chris Eboch

I was very busy in this small, pro-track class and you guessed it–I forgot to take a picture. *smacks own hand*

Favorite take-aways…

*If your main problem can’t be introduced early, find a way in, something that gives a hint.

*Be careful not to open too fast. Give the reader a little time to get acclimated.

*Action without context is not a good thing.

*Likable character plus a bad situation makes the best story.

*Real life drama needs to be set up correctly to be believable to the reader.

You can find our more about Chris Eboch and advanced plotting HERE.

Workshop N–THE YIN AND YANG OF CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT with Kami Kinard

More Apocalypsie love!!!!! And yes, I was too busy meeting Kami in person for the first time that I…didn’t take a picture. Should have gotten one of us together. Drat!

Favorite take-aways…

*Add believable traits to your characters.

*Characters with both good and bad motives and traits naturally create much desired tension.

*Books are about physical, emotional and spiritual journeys.

Kami posted some stuff on humor from another of her sessions on her blog. You can catch it HERE!

 

And because I always have to buy one more book LOL! Hanging with the AWESOME Padma Venkatraman, author of CLIMBING THE STAIRS. <3

Me, Padma, Jodi and Megan

And then it was time to say goodbye and drive home. NESCBWI was an amazing conference and I’m so glad I got the chance to grow. It truly had the feel of an International SCBWI Event but with the intimacy of a smaller conference. Lots of fun and I hope to be able to attend again next year too! Have any of you been to NESCBWI before? Any new authors that you’ve now got to put into your TBR pile?

Tags: #NESCBWI13, AC Gaughen, Apocalypsies, Books for Boston, Brenda Reeves Sturgis, Chris Eboch, Climbing the Stairs, Greg Fishbone, Hilary Weisman Graham, Jo Knowles, JoNoWriMO, Kami Kinard, Kate Messner, Kim Sabatini, Kimberly Sabatini, Linda Urban, Lynda Mullaly Hunt, New England SCBWI, Nova Ren Suma, Padma Venkatraman, Pearl, Real Revision, Sharon Creech, The Class of 2k12

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Just a quick little post because I’m trying very hard to hit a daily word count…starting…yesterday!  I knew that the summer was going to a tough one for trying to juggle everything I needed to do.  I had three kids home and for the first time and an “official” job.  I say official because three boys are a job and a half any way you slice it.  But now, I have a writing career to nurture and an editor and an agent to hold me accountable for my actions or lack there of.

I’m not going to go so far as to say that a soggy, rain-filled August was a good thing.  The swarm of mosquitoes outside my house and the flooding from Irene will tell a different story, but it did allow me to ease my conscious a little when I said…”How about you guys pick out a movie this afternoon while mommy does her edits.”  Sunny days were harder.  I was also able to manage the unpredictable writing schedule because there was a light–a bright and shining light at the end of my summer tunnel.  All my kids are in school full-time for the first time in just over a DECADE!  I knew that I would be able to write soon.  So, I waited it out and here I am and I have more time to write than I ever have had in my life.  Of course, I’ll add the caveat that I have more to do besides “writing” than I could ever imagine either.  It’s astounding to realize how much more there is to the publication process than meets the eye.  This should in no way be taken as a complaint, rather a simple statement of busy-as-a-bee happiness.

Now I’m here, standing in the light and I realize something unpredictable has happened.  I’ve become afraid of my work in progress.  *gasp*  It has been marinating for a long time, I’d even gotten over four chapters written prior to this and they’re good chapters–cleaner, tighter, better by a mile than my last first draft because I have grown as a writer.  But here’s the thing–I know that TOUCHING THE SURFACE is “good.”  It has been critiqued by a lot of people, my agent loves it, and my editor bought it.  *squee*  Now, for the first time I am back to writing in the dark again.  I’m moving forward, following the sound of my own heart and soul and hoping that THE OPPOSITE OF GRAVITY will grow to be something I love and that others connect with.  The idea that I could fail is paralyzing.

But inertia will not write a book–a good book or a bad book.  Besides, I wouldn’t be writing it if I didn’t think it was the right book and if it’s the “wrong” book, it’s still something that I will learn from on the way to writing the “right” book.

I don’t know about you, but I find it’s often the very first step that hampers my progress and once I take it I look back and think…”Why am I such a dork?  I love this!” I’ve also learned that working with a support system and the threat of possible public humiliation does wonders for me.  Who knew? That made this a perfect time to once again join Jo Knowles and her JoNoWriMo.  Here is her description of the group…

“JoNoWriMo+1.5 is a COMMUNITY effort, and as such, being a member means checking in and providing helpful feedback and encouragement to others. You can do this buy posting something inspirational, commenting on other people’s posts, and showing up on check-in days to check in and cheer everyone on.  What is JoNoWriMo+1.5?  Inspired by NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), JoNoWriMo+1.5 is similar, but allows writers 2.5 months to complete a project(s) of their choice. On September 14, participants will state their goals, and then for the next 2.5 months we will work on those goals together. Our challenge ends on midnight, December 1.”

Exactly what I need.  In fact, yesterday was day one and I wrote 1,000 words.  Of course, I was so into it that I didn’t manage to write this blog post in a timely fashion, but I know you don’t mind.  I’d write more, but I’ve got writing to do.  If you need a little inspiration and the threat of public humiliation, come join us.

What gets you writing when your stuck?

Tags: First Draft, Jo Knowles, JoNoWriMO, Kimberly Sabatini, livejournal, WIP

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