I'm tired. And happy.

I know I've been absent for the past couple of weeks. I've been working on the last round of edits with my editor and it knocked the wind out of me, I tell you! I was not expecting that to be so intense. Our first round of edits were (I thought) a good amount of work, mostly big picture things that required me to revise several chapters, clarify character motivations, cut here and there, cut down on the excessive potty humor... (Is there such a thing as excessive potty-humor? Apparently not in my house, or my brain.)

Anyway, this last round was a little more than I expected. My editor explained that she was going to "line-edit" and basically look at each page under a microscope. My thought was, okay that shouldn't be too big of a deal. I'll just go through, look at her suggestions and say yeah or nay and make whatever little changes necessary. We'll be done in a week!

Ha. Ha.

It was more like scrubbing an endless tile floor with a toothbrush. Oh, and some of the tiles were cracked and needed to be replaced, or that tile would look better over there so dig it out and cement it in over there. And then I needed to decide if I really agreed with that assessment, and if I disagree is it because I'm being lazy and I don't want to deal with that kind of upheaval or do I really just disagree? Also there is gum in your hair. 

Well I'm finished now, two weeks later. I turned in the revisions yesterday morning, and I feel euphoric. And exhausted. It was challenging for sure, but I feel confident that I dug in with both hands and did my best to make my book really shine. I did not shy away from the nitty-gritty, dirty work. Children deserve the very best books, and I'm determined to give them the very best book I can offer.

RUMP will go to copy-edits soon and at the same time a couple of authors have agreed to read and possibly blurb. I won't name names, because that would be embarrassing if they hated it and decided not to blurb! (Embarrassing for me, not them.) I'm hoping to see cover sketches any day (Oh my gosh I almost died when they showed me the artists' portfolio! Brilliant!) Everything seems to be coming together and the reality of my book sitting on a shelf (or preferably in a child's hands) gets a little brighter every day.

I can't wait to share it with all of you.  

What's on the 2012 shelf!

So many books, only so many hours to read! But I went ahead and made a list of the books I would really like to read this year, a lot of children's, some new, some a little older, and a few nonfiction.  Right now I'm in the midst of one of my non-fiction picks In Defense of Food by Michael Pollan, which is fascinating. Seriously changing the way I think about food and eating and I think it should be required reading in all high school health classes. But I digress. Here's a lists of what I'm looking forward to reading in 2012. Tell me what's on your reading list!

 

 

2012 Releases
May B. Caroline Starr Rose (Released just yesterday!)
Pandemonium Lauren Oliver
Bitterblue Kristin Cashore
Crossed #3 Allie Condie
Small Medium at Large Joanne Leavy
Scarlet A.C. Gaughen
The Mapmaker and The Ghost Sarvenaz Tash
Insurgent by Veronica Roth 

Released in the last year or two or three: 
A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness

      Shatter Me by Tahera Mafi

Liesl and Po by Lauren Oliver (I already love this author, but I just love her all the more because she used my name and spelled it right!)

Inheritance by Christopher Paolini

Inside Out and Back Again Thanhha Lai

The Scorpio Races Maggie Stiefvater

The Friendship Doll Kirby Larson

Eve Anna Carey

If I Stay Gayle Forman

Breadcrumbs Anne Ursu

A Tale Dark and Grimm Adam Gidwitz

Anna and the French Kiss Stephanie Perkins

Lola and the boy next door Stephanie Perkins

The Unbecoming of Mara Dyer Michelle Hodkin

The Near Witch Victoria Schwab

How to Save A Life Sara Zarr

Legend Marie Lue

Chime Nancy Billingsly

Icefall Mathew Kirby Library
White Cat Holly Black
Moonglass  Jessi Kirby
Mermaid Carolyn Turgeon

A little further back: 
Spindle’s End Robin McKinley

The Road Cormac McCarthy

Oliver Twist Charles Dickens

Nonfiction

Overtreated: Why too much medicine is making us sicker and poorer Shannon Brownlee

In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto Michael Pollan

The Feminine Mystique Betty Friedan

Nurture Shock: New Thinking About Children Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman

Successful Resolutions

First, the winner of the book giveaway is Elise! Congratulation! Elise, I will email you and ask you which book you would prefer and get it to you asap!

Now I fancy myself a very goal oriented person and I usually reach the goals I set. Yes, I'm tooting my own horn, but I'm a good goal-maker and reacher, so you want to listen to me.

1. Less is more. The biggest mistake I see most people making when setting resolutions is making a mile long list of all the things they want to change and do better, thus setting themselves up for failure right from the get-go. Slow down. Pick between 1 and 4 (seriously no more than four) things depending on the focus and time each goal will take. If one of your goals will take daily focus and strain, maybe add one or two that are less time-consuming or stressful. Or one goal is just fine too. 

2. Write them down. Can you even remember the goals you made last year? We humans are forgetful creatures, easily distracted. Oh my, is that chocolate sitting on my desk? Even when we feel passionate about something, it's amazing how quickly it can slip our mind. Write down your goals in

GIANT 

 text and stick it on your fridge or mirror or some place where you will see it on a regular basis. 

3. Set goals within your sphere of influence. "I will get a publishing contract this year" is not a great goal, because there are so many factors outside your control (unless you decide to self-publish.) Instead, set a goal to submit to 10 agents or publishers, or to attend a writers conference and get some feedback on your current WIP. 

4. Set action goals instead of end results. You will likely be far more productive if you set goals that break things down into smaller, more regular steps, rather than a huge goal that's likely to overwhelm you. For instance, setting a goal like "I will write and revise an entire novel this year," isn't an unrealistic or unachievable goal, but all you're looking at from day to day is that overall daunting task. Instead, do something like "I will spend at least five hours a week on my writing," or whatever number is realistic and you'll probably be more productive with that goal rather than the Goliath goal. If you're like me and you spend every available moment you have on your writing, sometimes having specific focuses on improvement can be helpful, like setting a goal to study and improve dialogue or world building, or pacing, etc. 

5. Be fierce and unrelenting! You may be trying to achieve things that are hard, uncomfortable, painful, frustrating, not enjoyable at the present moment...suck it up! No pain, no gain my friends. It takes time to work things into your flow of life and consciousness. And if you falter on a goal one day or week or month, don't give up! Pick yourself back up and start again. You can always modify the goal if you suddenly realize that you maybe bit off more than you can chew. There's no shame in that. 

Slow and steady wins the race.

I hope you reach all your goals in 2012! May all your dreams come true!

The Top SEVEN of 2011! And win a book!

It's that time of year again, when I share my favorite number of favorite books! I read somewhere around 40 or 50 novels this year and, unlike some years, it was very difficult to narrow the list to seven. My picks range from picture book to literary classic, so there's something for everyone. All the books are linked so you can read more about them if you like.

And HAPPY NEW YEAR! Enter to win a copy of any of the following books! Just leave a comment and please leave me your email address if you'd like to enter as sometimes I have a hard time getting a hold of winners. Also bonus entries if you tweet or FB or otherwise announce this giveaway. 

7. THE EMERALD ATLAS by John Stephens

Orphans Kate, Michael and Emma are sucked through a book to another world full of magic, old prophecies, and danger, and perhaps the secret to their parents' disappearance. 

6. FLIPPED by Wendelin Van Draanen

Julie flipped when she first saw Bryce. Bryce ran away when he first met Julie. Then things started to flip. An adorable and hilarious he-said/she-said tale that everyone can enjoy. 

5. ALICE IN WONDERLAND by Lewis Carroll

I can't believe I haven't read this before. I'm kind of on an Alice in Wonderland kick right now. Lewis Carroll is a bizarre genius. 

4. STUCK by Oliver Jeffers

Floyd got his kite stuck in a tree...plus a whole lot more. Endearingly quirky and surprising. My boys and I laughed out loud. 

3. THE NIGHT CIRCUS by Erin Morgenstern 

A dreamlike circus designed around two rival magicians. Fascinating scenery and a gorgeous love story.  

2. THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak

A hauntingly beautiful story, narrated by Death, through the eyes of a young girl in Nazi Germany. 

1. EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck 

Steinbeck's masterpiece story of the Trask and Hamilton families. A brilliant portrait of the human soul; it rattled mine. 

 


Happy New Year!

I will leave the giveaway open until January 1 and will announce a winner on January 2.

Revision: The real work of writing

"I don’t fart glitter and unicorns."
-Maggie Steifvater from her blog.


I've recently finished a draft of my next book. Yay! (The title and subject shall remain secret for now. Ooh, aren't you curious?) It's a wonderful feeling to write the words "The End" after so many hours of struggling to find the threads of your story, the right words, the right beginnings and endings, and the right characters needed to tell the story. It's a rush and I love it. But anyone who has every written a book, or at least attempted to, understand that first drafts almost always suck. Even if the individual sentences are brilliant, there is such broad scope in a novel; themes and character arcs we have to develop, plot threads that need more weaving, pacing and dialogue and structure that needs finessing. It's a lot more work than just writing the words.

That work is called revision.

For me, revision is the real work of writing, but it is also the real joy of writing. It's a mercy really, that the first thing I write doesn't have to remain, that I don't have to share it with the world until I (and many others) feel it's ready. Because really, settling on a first draft would be like going on American Idol when you're half-way dressed and you sing out of tune, and honestly who does that? Wait a second...

I don't have a huge elaborate revision process I always stick to. I like to leave room for different things depending on what's needed, but here are a few things that I usually always do:

Let it rest. One of the best things you can do for your writing is to get away from it. We need distance for good perspective. When you are writing you have your nose to your book, so to speak, and only taking time away from it can you step back and get any sense for the big picture. I almost always try to stay away from my manuscript for a good month, more if I can help it. I catch up on reading and all the chores I've been ignoring in the name of "work." [Evil grin.]

Print and pen. I always print out a copy of my manuscript and revise with a pen, scratching notes in the margins, crossing out huge chunks or deciding that chapter 8 should really be chapter 2. I know it's not environmentally friendly, but it seriously helps and I recycle, okay? 

Beta-readers. This is probably the most painful, yet most valuable part of my revision process. It's hard to hand off a piece of writing that I know is still very rough, choppy, maybe even incoherent. Imagine inviting friends over for dinner and, despite the magnificent feast you took great pains to create, dinner is undercooked and bland. Sending a manuscript to readers feels like that. But there comes a time when you will need to let other people into your process. Even with the distance you gain by letting your work rest, you are still too close to your own writing to see all the problems and holes. What is very apparent in your imagination is not always what comes out on the page. Timing of letting people read your work is also very important. Get beta readers too early or too late and it can do more harm than good. I usually seek beta-readers after one revision of the rough draft. It's somewhat painful to get that initial feedback, but probably the most helpful in terms of moving forward and really improving my book.

Gather questions, seek answers. While you can get great ideas and helpful hints from your readers, the greatest value they can give you is to ask questions and share their reactions at any given point in your story. I love to hear when they were excited or intrigued, because that makes me feel I'm on the right track, but it's also painful helpful when they point out where they were confused or bored or disappointed. Right now I'm in the stage of gathering feedback from readers and making a list of questions. Sometimes I get great suggestions of how I should answer those questions or problems, but more often than not, I have to search and brainstorm for my own answers. It's usually best if it comes from you anyway.

Triage. In the medical world, triage is used to sort victims and decide which injuries and problems need attention first, and which can wait. I use a similar concept in revision, though it's not always easy for me to see which element needs attention first and which can wait. (So many things feel equally important to me.) I usually focus on the larger plot elements first, making sure the story itself makes sense, and then I zero in on things like characterization and setting and dialogue and transitions, giving each separate focus. I line edit throughout my entire process. I can't help it.

Patience. Again, nothing will be great the first round, and maybe not even the second or third, but have patience. Allow things to simmer and develop and you'll be amazed at the wonders of good revision. That's when the glitter comes.

Is it obvious what's on my mind right now? I just got feedback from my husband on my latest manuscript and I'm trying to process. Also I'm still trying to ignore household chores in the name of "work." [Really evil grin.]

Things I would have in a world of my own

If I were to have a world of my own we would build our houses with Necco-tile roofs, and Nerd snow would be a viable form of weather. For now I just put them in my gingerbread house. Also, the idea of those Cadbury chocolate Christmas balls as walkway stones is really appealing to me, though we would probably have to replace them often.

Do you need an MFA in Creative Writing?

If you look into my writing background it's fairly easy to discover that I do not have any kind of degree in literature, writing, or English, let alone an MFA. Given that fact, one might think I don't have room to speak on such a topic, however I will say that at one point I seriously considered getting an MFA and have done a fair amount of research. Regardless of anything I might say in this post, I don't think MFA’s are pointless degrees, not at all. Some of my favorite writers have come out of MFA programs; Shannon Hale and Kristin Cashore are just two off the top of my head. And some of my favorite writers have no formal education in writing or literature.They just do it.

A few years back I attended a workshop of an MFA program. It was well presented. The teachers were professional and intelligent and obviously knew a thing or two about teaching the craft of writing. From what I could tell, this MFA program was professional, well-structured, and staffed by some very talented writers and teachers. (Whether it was worth the tuition, I'm not entirely certain.) At some point they all came to each table and spoke to us and allowed us to ask questions. This was my questions: 

What can I get from your program that I can't get in any other way? 

The professor stumbled over her answer and said something like, "It really jump starts you...There are so many things you can learn much quicker that might take you years of making mistakes."

Not a wrong answer, but a weak one in my opinion. At this point I had been writing for at least five years and had been published in reputable magazines. I had taken a 2-year long writing course and had attended a few writing conferences and worshops. I was well into writing my first novel. I certainly wasn’t going to pay 30k to learn how to avoid pitfalls. I could get that for free any day, and I already had. 

At the beginning of my writing journey, I didn't feel comfortable investing so much money into my writing until I was absolutely certain I wanted to be married to books and writing for the rest of my life. (Can you imagine? 30 grand later and then suddenly "Oh never mind. I really don't like writing. I'd rather be a tax accountant.") By the time the assurance had rested upon me, I believe I had already made a great many mistakes, learned from them, and am a better writer for that trial-and-error phase. Even if I could go back, I wouldn't change that time for a "jump start." There's something to be said for slow and steady learning, allowing it all to marinate and sink in.  

So what is the value of an MFA? In short, I think there are three things:

1.     Time for your writing. Many writers, especially those starting out, simply need a structured environment, something to force them to get their butt in the chair and actually write. An MFA program will give you assignment and deadlines, something to motivate you. It seems more necessary to write when you’re going into debt for it and a grade is hanging over your head. You’ll also get plenty of feedback from your instructors as well as other students. You're constantly work-shopping, which is so valuable to your progress. 

2.     Networking. Many MFA programs offer real time with real editors and agents. You are also making connections with other writers, many of whom will be future authors and possibly very successful. Just like any other business, sometimes it’s helpful to have a few connections to get your foot in the door. And when you do get published, you will want other people to champion your book. 

3.     A terminal degree. If you want to teach writing, it’s often necessary to have a degree. An MFA is as high as it gets in the creative writing field.

As far as I can tell, #3 is the only thing you can’t get on your own. 1 and 2 are things you can do for free or for a lot less, especially #2. There are many, many wonderful conferences and workshops where you can workshop your writing and meet editors and agents and other writers. I’ve met some of my best writing pals at conferences.

In defense of the MFA, I am positive that people come out of them better writers, and I have no doubt I would benefit as well, no matter where I am in my writing journey. There has to be great value in being made to produce a certain amount of writing every week and then have that writing held under a microscope and analyzed and torn apart by other professional writers. Maybe some MFA writers hone their craft and gain insights in ways that wouldn’t have been possible under any other circumstances. And I’m certain an MFA will fill you with all kinds of tricks and skills, not only in writing craft, but also the in the general publishing industry, which can be a dizzying maze to navigate, to say the least.

So in the end, and MFA is a very individual matter. You need to ask yourself where you are in your writing journey and where you hope to end up. How might an MFA help you achieve that goal, and what other methods are available to you? Is it worth the cost and time? There's no one path for every writer, so whether you choose the MFA or the Lonely Road, the important thing is that you love writing and that you do it. Everything else is confetti.

A few valuable resources, courses, and conferences:

A List of the Top 50 MFA programs in the country for 2011

http://www.institutechildrenslit.com/  I am a graduate of ICL's course on writing for children and teens and feel it can "jump start" you very well for a fraction of the cost of an MFA. They also have courses for writing for adults.

The Creative Writing MFA Blog 

Gotham Writer's Workshop: Writing courses, workshops and various resources in New York and online

WriteOnCon- A FREE annual online writer's conference with some pretty amazing editors, agents, authors and illustrators.