There are many reasons to go to SCBWI conferences and retreats and classes. There is the sense of community you get from interacting with other writers. There is recognition–which is something you cannot work without. There is wine. And chocolate. And laughs. And there is inspiration. The conversation. More than anything else I do as…
Writing
Writing guarantee
Right???? Jump off that cliff today. Write the scene you aren’t quite ready for. Be willing to see your character as part of yourself. Give a little. You will get a lot.
Great hands on advice…on writing.
So about that magic ring….
A tough scene
Lately, I have been spending a lot of time on ONE scene. Adding to it. Playing with time. Using scene…and summary. Writing a lot of really great sentences, none of which were making the story more interesting. This weekend, I tried storyboarding the section of the book. And today…. I think I finally figured out…
Hard Rain
Yesterday, I wondered what a hard rain sounded like. This morning, I got my answer. It sounds like running water. And construction. It fogs up the window. The lightning (even when the storm feels right on top of us) does not shake the house, but it does rattle our sense of safety. (At 3…
Cover love
Is there anything more exciting than posting the cover of your next novel? No. There is not.
Scrivener and me, part three
Let me start by saying: I am not blaming Scrivener. Not too long ago, I uploaded my half written WIP into Scrivener. I divided it into chapters. I was immediately excited about my new toy. I now have an almost completed story board, and I’m very happy to report: I know where this book is…
Baby Steps: Scrivener and me
So far today, I have done two things for two WIP’s on Scrivener. For the WIP that I am drafting: After reading the chapters I have already written, I incorporated some new notes based on my critique. (YAY! Seeing the chapters as separate entities is sort of satisfying and easy to manage.) I also left…
Scrivener and me
Up until yesterday, I was determined to stick with my notecards. I had become Bartleby the Scrivener with regards to Scrivener. And I didn’t see what the big deal was Until this weekend. This weekend, at The Novel Writing Retreat at VCFA, nearly half the writers in the room raised their hands when Lauren Myracle…
The Novel Writing Retreat at VCFA is almost here!
I love organizing this retreat. Mostly, because I love going to it. Why? I always learn something about the craft. Everyone who speaks at this retreat adds something to my understanding. Being back at VCFA puts me in a magic place. I always leave with ideas. Some people don’t believe me when I tell them…