Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Good luck Ivy!
Ivy and Shamrock are competing in the 4-H state horse show championships this week. Go Ivy, go Shamrock! We leave for Raleigh Wednesday morning at 5:00AM. I'll let you know how many ribbons they bring home. ;)
Contest over at Karen's place
Click over to Write Now and check out Karen's lovely interview with Sarah Sundin and have a chance to win a copy of her super book, A Distant Melody. Here's your ticket over there: http://karenelange.blogspot.com/2010/07/interview-with-sarah-sundin.html#comments
Monday, July 5, 2010
Will you writeoncon?
Do you writeoncon? I'm talking to all writers. Not just kidlit. There promises to be something for everyone. Now this FREE online conference is awesomely cool, ultra exceptional, uniquely extraordinary, and is calling you to head on over and register. Uh, did you hear me? Dude! It's Free!
Thank you to Jamie Harrington, Elana Johnson (dude, you're so cool) Casey McCormick, Shannon Messenger, Lisa and Laura Roecker, and Jennifer Stayrook thank ya, thank ya, thank ya for giving back.
You want to go in your jammies? Can do! It's online. You want to attend while eating chocolate chip cookie crisp? Can do! It's online.
When: Tuesday – Thursday, August 10 – 12, 2010
Here's the line-up of agents and editors:
Michelle Andelman
Regina Brooks
Catherine Drayton
Daniel Ehrenhaft
Mandy Hubbard
Mary Kole
Jennifer Laughran
Steven Malk
Mark McVeigh
Martha Mihalick
Molly O’Neill
Kathleen Ortiz
Anica Rissi
Holly Root
Elana Roth
Joanna Stampfel-Volpe
Suzie Townsend
Now! Go! Register! You know you wanna. Here's the link: http://writeoncon.com/
Thank you to Jamie Harrington, Elana Johnson (dude, you're so cool) Casey McCormick, Shannon Messenger, Lisa and Laura Roecker, and Jennifer Stayrook thank ya, thank ya, thank ya for giving back.
You want to go in your jammies? Can do! It's online. You want to attend while eating chocolate chip cookie crisp? Can do! It's online.
When: Tuesday – Thursday, August 10 – 12, 2010
Here's the line-up of agents and editors:
Michelle Andelman
Regina Brooks
Catherine Drayton
Daniel Ehrenhaft
Mandy Hubbard
Mary Kole
Jennifer Laughran
Steven Malk
Mark McVeigh
Martha Mihalick
Molly O’Neill
Kathleen Ortiz
Anica Rissi
Holly Root
Elana Roth
Joanna Stampfel-Volpe
Suzie Townsend
Now! Go! Register! You know you wanna. Here's the link: http://writeoncon.com/
Friday, July 2, 2010
Point of View
Don't forget to enter the title contest to win a Barnes & Noble gift card + a goodies basket from my local coffee shop, Village Coffee. http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/2010/06/questions-or-comments-about-title-post.html#comments Come on folks. Let's get lots of entries here.
Working with point of view has been the most challenging thing for me to learn (besides the DREADED punctuation) as a writer. I slip out easy. Though now, I can immediately see it and most times I never leave the POV in my story anymore. Now I don't profess to understand it completely, so if you see something here that I missed, feel free to shout it out.
In a lot of manuscripts, First Person or Third Person Limited are the most useful because the reader can identify with one main character. The reader knows who the story is about, and who he/she will be following through the book. Then, you need to settle on how much info the readers need as they read your fabulous book.;)
With first person we really know the protag deeply, because we can experience what he/she is going through personally. The author is the character. You can add personality, because you are that person. It only gives the perspective of one character's world view. Limited viewpoint.
But don't you agree that YA books dealing with emotional topics are far more strong in first person, because the readers see what the narrator is going through and can identify with that? A lot of writers love using this. And it is super effective.
Second person is the hardest to write. I don't even read many books that use this style. Winnie the Pooh the exception. The author talks directly to the readers.
Third person writes about the character using names and he/she. Isn't this the most common style? It is very familiar. Easier to write. But harder to express emotion.
So which one do you like to use? And we didn't even get into discussing past, present or future tense. Yikes! A lot to learn. Aren't we lucky? To have the chance to write and make money too?
Anything to add? Happy Fourth of July to all my American friends. Eat lots. I know Scott M. will. He's going to grill, I bet. ;)
Working with point of view has been the most challenging thing for me to learn (besides the DREADED punctuation) as a writer. I slip out easy. Though now, I can immediately see it and most times I never leave the POV in my story anymore. Now I don't profess to understand it completely, so if you see something here that I missed, feel free to shout it out.
In a lot of manuscripts, First Person or Third Person Limited are the most useful because the reader can identify with one main character. The reader knows who the story is about, and who he/she will be following through the book. Then, you need to settle on how much info the readers need as they read your fabulous book.;)
With first person we really know the protag deeply, because we can experience what he/she is going through personally. The author is the character. You can add personality, because you are that person. It only gives the perspective of one character's world view. Limited viewpoint.
But don't you agree that YA books dealing with emotional topics are far more strong in first person, because the readers see what the narrator is going through and can identify with that? A lot of writers love using this. And it is super effective.
Second person is the hardest to write. I don't even read many books that use this style. Winnie the Pooh the exception. The author talks directly to the readers.
Third person writes about the character using names and he/she. Isn't this the most common style? It is very familiar. Easier to write. But harder to express emotion.
So which one do you like to use? And we didn't even get into discussing past, present or future tense. Yikes! A lot to learn. Aren't we lucky? To have the chance to write and make money too?
Anything to add? Happy Fourth of July to all my American friends. Eat lots. I know Scott M. will. He's going to grill, I bet. ;)
Friday, June 25, 2010
Don't forget to enter the title contest to win a Barnes & Noble gift card + a goodies basket from my local coffee shop, Village Coffee. http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/2010/06/questions-or-comments-about-title-post.html#comments
What do you think of your novel opening? That first sentence of your story. The one the agent will read and within 6 seconds she/he will make a decision based on those words. Those first very important words.
These beginnings have to make you remember. Make you imagine. Make you want to read more and more.
I have struggled over my beginning with SEVENTY TWO HOURS. That first sentence. UGH! So many rewritten first sentences, first paragraphs, and first pages.
I finally got mine. Or did I ? ^_^ See? That's my struggle. As soon as I would rework the sentences/paragraphs/pages, I would question what I wrote, send said junk to Beth, where she would tell me what the problem might be. Then, I would start anew.
Of course, you know my personal favorite:
"The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it." Oh man! That is sooooooooo good!
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
Or:
"Marley was dead: to begin with."
"I am Sam. Sam I am.
"TRUE! - nervous - very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?"
"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin."
"He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish."
Did I mention I finally got mine? Maybe... ^_^
What do you think of your novel opening? That first sentence of your story. The one the agent will read and within 6 seconds she/he will make a decision based on those words. Those first very important words.
These beginnings have to make you remember. Make you imagine. Make you want to read more and more.
I have struggled over my beginning with SEVENTY TWO HOURS. That first sentence. UGH! So many rewritten first sentences, first paragraphs, and first pages.
I finally got mine. Or did I ? ^_^ See? That's my struggle. As soon as I would rework the sentences/paragraphs/pages, I would question what I wrote, send said junk to Beth, where she would tell me what the problem might be. Then, I would start anew.
Of course, you know my personal favorite:
"The first place that I can well remember was a large pleasant meadow with a pond of clear water in it." Oh man! That is sooooooooo good!
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
Or:
"Marley was dead: to begin with."
"I am Sam. Sam I am.
"TRUE! - nervous - very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?"
"Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin."
"He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream and he had gone eighty-four days now without taking a fish."
Did I mention I finally got mine? Maybe... ^_^
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
First Draft-itis
Don't forget to enter the title contest to win a Barnes & Noble gift card + a goodie basket from my local coffee shop, Village Coffee. http://robyn-campbell.blogspot.com/2010/06/questions-or-comments-about-title-post.html#comments
First draft-itis. I have it. Can't shake it.
This is ONLY known to writers. It starts when you KNOW that you KNOW the next book you will be working on. In other words, you have your idea, you've mapped out the way you THINK the story should go, you may have done a character chart, (I didn't have to on this one) and you are ready to type those AWESOME first words, CHAPTER 1. Well, some writers don't put their book into actual chapters until it's finished, but you know what I mean. ^_^
This is MY moment! I get to have that time in my writing life when I try to ruin the lives of my main characters in every way possible, only to play hero to my wonderful characters at the RIGHT moment and pull them to safety. I am their hero, yanno. They end of lovin' me. Uhhuh.
So...as I type those awesome, tremendous first words, I leave you with this: GET MESSY WITH YOUR FIRST DRAFT! HAVE FUN! I know I will! =)
"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." Jack London
First draft-itis. I have it. Can't shake it.
This is ONLY known to writers. It starts when you KNOW that you KNOW the next book you will be working on. In other words, you have your idea, you've mapped out the way you THINK the story should go, you may have done a character chart, (I didn't have to on this one) and you are ready to type those AWESOME first words, CHAPTER 1. Well, some writers don't put their book into actual chapters until it's finished, but you know what I mean. ^_^
This is MY moment! I get to have that time in my writing life when I try to ruin the lives of my main characters in every way possible, only to play hero to my wonderful characters at the RIGHT moment and pull them to safety. I am their hero, yanno. They end of lovin' me. Uhhuh.
So...as I type those awesome, tremendous first words, I leave you with this: GET MESSY WITH YOUR FIRST DRAFT! HAVE FUN! I know I will! =)
"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." Jack London
Sunday, June 20, 2010
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