If you haven't noticed, there is much talk these days about the state of the publishing industry. Some people say traditional publishing is going down the drain. Others say things are definitely changing, but there's still a future for the big guys. Amazon is taking over everything. Self-publishing is taking over everything. Cheap and FREE! are taking over everything. Publishing is going to hell!
I can't say all the talk hasn't caused me to worry a little, or at least wonder what my future is as an author. But at the end of the day, it's really isn't my concern. First of all, no one can really predict how things will be in ten or twenty years. Opinions are so wide and varied as to be totally meaningless. Second of all, I think it's all beside the point. My job has never been to worry about the state of the publishing industry. I'll leave that to other people. My goal has always been and always will be to write great stories that children will love. I don't believe that need will ever go away. However the market shifts, there will always be a need for great stories and there will always be a way to share them. And people, especially kids, need our very best literature to spark their minds and give them hope for a future that may often feel confusing, bleak, or hopeless.
So let's put our time and energy where it's really useful—in our work. Because what's the point of having the opportunity to share something if it isn't worthwhile in the first place?
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Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
When Your Brain is Fried
Sometimes while drafting or revising the brain become fried, deep fried. Not only does it become extremely difficult to continue working, but it might actually be hazzardous to yourself and your work, not to mention people around you.
Here are a few things I do when my brain is fried:
1. De-clutter and Organize. Not your writing. Something else. Declutter and organize your desk or your pantry or your underwear drawer. You've likely been staring at a lot of chaos in your manuscript. A whole lot of random. Your brain is saying, Show me something that makes sense! Simple tasks that create order and simplicity will restore some of the organization to your brain.
2. Rearrange stuff. Not the chapters in your manuscript. Rearrange your living room furniture, or your bookshelf. Sometimes giving yourself a fresh environment will stimulate your brain to think in new ways, or "outside the box" you've been writing in. I did this today. It totally moved all my living room furniture around* and honestly had one of the best writing sessions I've had in weeks.
3. Exercise. Not writing exercises. Physical exercise. There are some powerful studies on how exercise affects the brain. I'm a firm believer that 30 minutes of good exercise will make you a better writer and you'll likely get some great ideas while you're in motion. Then you'll have the dilemma of taking notes while exercising. :) I get some of my best ideas while running, especially when I run on the lakefront. (Spring please come quickly!)
4. Go to sleep. Your brain is shredded. It needs to heal.
What do you do when your brain is fried?
*I moved it all back. It may have jugged my brain, but the new furniture arrangements were far from aesthetically pleasing.
Here are a few things I do when my brain is fried:
1. De-clutter and Organize. Not your writing. Something else. Declutter and organize your desk or your pantry or your underwear drawer. You've likely been staring at a lot of chaos in your manuscript. A whole lot of random. Your brain is saying, Show me something that makes sense! Simple tasks that create order and simplicity will restore some of the organization to your brain.
2. Rearrange stuff. Not the chapters in your manuscript. Rearrange your living room furniture, or your bookshelf. Sometimes giving yourself a fresh environment will stimulate your brain to think in new ways, or "outside the box" you've been writing in. I did this today. It totally moved all my living room furniture around* and honestly had one of the best writing sessions I've had in weeks.
3. Exercise. Not writing exercises. Physical exercise. There are some powerful studies on how exercise affects the brain. I'm a firm believer that 30 minutes of good exercise will make you a better writer and you'll likely get some great ideas while you're in motion. Then you'll have the dilemma of taking notes while exercising. :) I get some of my best ideas while running, especially when I run on the lakefront. (Spring please come quickly!)
4. Go to sleep. Your brain is shredded. It needs to heal.
What do you do when your brain is fried?
*I moved it all back. It may have jugged my brain, but the new furniture arrangements were far from aesthetically pleasing.
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
It's Harder than it Looks
“You have to write whichever book it is that wants to
be written. And then, if it’s going to be too difficult for grownups,
you write it for children.”
—Madeleine L’Engle
I recently had a conversation with a new acquaintance and when he discovered that I had written a children's book he politely asked what it was about. When I told him the basic premise and that it was a novel his tone brightened a little and then he said "Some of the children's books I see....There's nothing to them. I could have written some of those books!"
I realize that he was probably talking about some of the board books that have nothing but a single word with a correlating picture, or something equally simple, (which really nobody actually "writes" those books so much as designs and produces them) but I always feel a little bit defensive when anyone speaks in a condescending manner about children's books and the supposed ease of their creation. For the record, I started off wanting to write picture books because I thought it would be easier. When that didn't work out, I went on to novels. I'm still trying to figure out the picture book thing.
Certainly, there are children's books seemingly so simple it's amazing to conceive that anyone actually gets paid to write them, and other children's books written so poorly it's nearly inconceivable that anyone would publish them. However, the seemingly most simple of books can actually be the most difficult to write. A SHORT BOOK DOES NOT MEAN IT WAS EASY TO WRITE. The fewer the words, the fewer places your sloppiness has to hide, and the more exacting you must be in so many ways. Every word must pack a lot of punch. And along those same lines, the younger the age, the more difficult to captivate. (My two and four-year-olds are the pickiest of readers. Not one it ten books captivates them.)
I recently read "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck, a masterpiece, brilliantly executed. It was my favorite read in 2011. Whenever I read a book so ingenious I always take my time, sometimes reading passages over and over again to decode the skill of the author. No doubt, Steinbeck is a master in many areas, but I noticed something in his writing that I can rarely employ in my own. Space for long descriptions. Indulgence in lengthy elaboration. Pages and pages devoted to drawing up setting and characters in such vivid detail that you feel you know them inside and out.
Unfortunately a children's writer rarely, if ever, has this luxury, due to the natural impatience of our audience. Whatever brilliance an adult author achieves in ten pages, a children's writer must achieve in ten words. Some mistakenly think that less words equals less work, when actually it is precisely the opposite. I spend a lot of time trying to concentrate a lot of ideas and information, not to mention style and tone, into very few words and at the same time make it clear. And a bonus if it sounds brilliant. I would venture to say that most writers would agree that poetry is by far the most difficult form to master, followed by the short story, and then the novel. And indeed, it takes a kind of poetry to write for children.
Unfortunately a children's writer rarely, if ever, has this luxury, due to the natural impatience of our audience. Whatever brilliance an adult author achieves in ten pages, a children's writer must achieve in ten words. Some mistakenly think that less words equals less work, when actually it is precisely the opposite. I spend a lot of time trying to concentrate a lot of ideas and information, not to mention style and tone, into very few words and at the same time make it clear. And a bonus if it sounds brilliant. I would venture to say that most writers would agree that poetry is by far the most difficult form to master, followed by the short story, and then the novel. And indeed, it takes a kind of poetry to write for children.
I'm not trying to convince anyone that writing for children is always more difficult than writing for adults. I'm simply trying to convey that it's harder than it looks. Every genre has its unique challenges, and one form or style or age group doesn't necessarily deserve more respect or criticism than the other. There are some brilliant children's writers out there who could write circles around a lot of successful adult authors, and vice versa.
No children's author decides to write children's books because they think it's easier, and if they do, they quickly learn how mistaken they were and either set to work or quit. We still have to hone our craft just like any other writer, and there are things adults authors can get away with that would never fly in children's books, content aside. I don't write for children because I think it's easier than writing for adults. I write for children because that's where I live, it's how I view the world, and quite frankly, I don't have much to say to grown-ups. You're not as magical as kids.
So next time you're tempted to scoff at a children's book, go ahead and try to write one and submit it to a publisher. You might find new respect for children's authors. OR you might write a really awesome book and get it published. If you do, I'll buy it!
No children's author decides to write children's books because they think it's easier, and if they do, they quickly learn how mistaken they were and either set to work or quit. We still have to hone our craft just like any other writer, and there are things adults authors can get away with that would never fly in children's books, content aside. I don't write for children because I think it's easier than writing for adults. I write for children because that's where I live, it's how I view the world, and quite frankly, I don't have much to say to grown-ups. You're not as magical as kids.
So next time you're tempted to scoff at a children's book, go ahead and try to write one and submit it to a publisher. You might find new respect for children's authors. OR you might write a really awesome book and get it published. If you do, I'll buy it!
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Teach your child to read: My top 5 teaching tools
Here is something not many would guess about me: I struggled to read as a child. Not only was I one of the youngest kids in my grade, but I attended four different schools between kindergarten and first grade. So I got off to a slow start in some areas, reading in particular.
Eventually I did get the hang of it and enjoyed many books throughout the rest of my childhood, but as a parent I've been somewhat obsessed with making sure my kids don't go through the same experience. I wanted them to not only learn to read, but to love it. So far we're doing great. My 8-year-old daughter is a voracious reader, sinking her teeth into Ramona Quimby and Harry Potter, and my five-year-old son is on his way. Here are a few books, websites, and apps that have been very helpful with teaching my kids to read.
I used this book pretty exclusively to teach my daughter to read and we loved it! So simple, gradual, logical, and fun, my daughter never got frustrated with the process. By the end of the book, your child will be on a second-grade reading level.
As much as I love the above book, I've had to come to terms with the fact that it might not be quite the right method for my son. We've been struggling through the lessons and inevitably one or both of us loses our patience at some point. But recently we came upon readingeggs.com and I have to say it is FANTASTIC! They use a very similar method as "Teach your child..." very logical and gradual, but the games make it so fun and interactive for kids so my son is actually begging me to spend time on this site. Their activities also do a lot of repetition so it really helps my son who struggles with retention. They also have a lot of reading and spelling games for older kids to increase their literacy skills, so my daughter is hopping on as well. They charge a monthly fee, but you can do a free 30 day trial to see if it's something that will benefit your child. I think it's totally worth it.
Eventually I did get the hang of it and enjoyed many books throughout the rest of my childhood, but as a parent I've been somewhat obsessed with making sure my kids don't go through the same experience. I wanted them to not only learn to read, but to love it. So far we're doing great. My 8-year-old daughter is a voracious reader, sinking her teeth into Ramona Quimby and Harry Potter, and my five-year-old son is on his way. Here are a few books, websites, and apps that have been very helpful with teaching my kids to read.
I used this book pretty exclusively to teach my daughter to read and we loved it! So simple, gradual, logical, and fun, my daughter never got frustrated with the process. By the end of the book, your child will be on a second-grade reading level.
As much as I love the above book, I've had to come to terms with the fact that it might not be quite the right method for my son. We've been struggling through the lessons and inevitably one or both of us loses our patience at some point. But recently we came upon readingeggs.com and I have to say it is FANTASTIC! They use a very similar method as "Teach your child..." very logical and gradual, but the games make it so fun and interactive for kids so my son is actually begging me to spend time on this site. Their activities also do a lot of repetition so it really helps my son who struggles with retention. They also have a lot of reading and spelling games for older kids to increase their literacy skills, so my daughter is hopping on as well. They charge a monthly fee, but you can do a free 30 day trial to see if it's something that will benefit your child. I think it's totally worth it.
PBSkids.org has been a great help in building basic literacy skills, increasing word recognition, and reinforcing lessons already learned. The Super Why games are my kids favorites.
Peapod Labs makes awesome education iPad apps that my kids love. Really helps with letter and sound recognition. They also several activities for basic math skills. Love it!
This is a handwriting game that helps kids form letters in a kind of connect-the-dots exercise and then also forms the letters into words, so they see and hear the connection between the sounds and the formation of a word. My little boys love this one!
All of these tools have been helpful in teaching my kids to read, but at the end of the day I believe the best thing I've can do for my kids in the literacy department (and also the love department) is simply to read to them. And don't stop when they become independent readers. Keep reading to them for as long as they will let you. You won't regret it!
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
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
A little further back:
Spindle’s End Robin McKinley
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
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
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
Monday, January 2, 2012
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
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.
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!
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