tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64986089704385449642024-03-05T13:32:59.709-08:00Melanie SkeltonWriting for middle grade.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.comBlogger18125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-52335920734048096192014-01-28T11:46:00.001-08:002014-01-28T11:50:32.535-08:00Perspective on Gratitude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZUO1JEwOWFhJIy8-XNkwqt5To1WGCiHFWsk4yIgjADl6pP3VIeJNPP_u2vwfqagsjWORd_z0lMLAKk-AMzCMQAFtOA4F4YDwS9_o72o6UD9VF7ouR5ZAx0gJEG9XNXlR9IhIx_aZpIhi/s1600/car.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivZUO1JEwOWFhJIy8-XNkwqt5To1WGCiHFWsk4yIgjADl6pP3VIeJNPP_u2vwfqagsjWORd_z0lMLAKk-AMzCMQAFtOA4F4YDwS9_o72o6UD9VF7ouR5ZAx0gJEG9XNXlR9IhIx_aZpIhi/s1600/car.jpg" height="165" width="320" /></a></div>
A few months ago I was the passenger in a terrible accident. I've thought about telling about my journey here, but have struggled with the thought. Finally today I realized that the lessons I'm learning are ones I should be sharing. This was our car after the accident. Every time I look at this picture I realize what could have happened. I am so grateful to be here with my family. They are my joy. I'm grateful for so many things.<br />
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Sometimes bad things happen in life. At those times it is so important to recognize the blessings surrounding those incidents. I know I was protected by my Heavenly Father that day. I was unconscious for a half hour while they cut me out of the car and woke up in time to be life flighted, but one by one they ruled out internal bleeding, broken bones and other things. Don't get me wrong. I've had challenges. My legs are still healing from the deep bruising where they were effected by the impact. I hope someday the shard of glass will no longer be there to annoy me every time I brush my forearm against something. Soon enough the fractured teeth they removed will be replaced by implants. My shoulder and neck are better than they were, and although some things will be permanent, most of the pain will go away. Lots of it has already.<br />
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How can I not be grateful. I'm grateful for quick responding paramedics, helicopters, doctors and therapist who have taken time to explain injuries and healing processes, nurses who cared for me when I couldn't, my recliner where I slept for the month after coming home from the hospital, insurance and billing people who have helped me understand that process, the other driver who swerved (not knowing that would save my life), my family and friends who have done so much, and a loving God who knew I needed to still be here.<br />
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It doesn't take a perspective altering experience to find much to to be grateful for. I'm grateful for a place to call home, the novel I just finished and submitted to an agent, my legs, seasons so I can look forward to spring and rest a little in the winter. And so much more.<br />
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What are you grateful for?</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-61762755978115828872013-11-01T12:23:00.001-07:002013-11-01T12:23:21.485-07:00All I Want For NaNo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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My friend, Jennie and four other writers are celebrating NaNo and the release of their new book with a blog hop. The Spirit of Christmas is now available for purchase. Make sure you get your copy <a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GC5CF7S">here</a>! It's only $2.99 and it's for a great cause. The proceeds go to NaNoWriMo.<br />
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Authors of The Spirit of Christmas are <a href="http://www.ja-bennett.com/" target="_blank">J.A. Bennett</a>, <a href="http://jessicasalyer.blogspot.com/">Jessica Salyer</a>, <a href="http://www.davidpowersking.com/">David Powers King</a>, <a href="http://getbetweenthebookends.blogspot.com/">Kelley Lynn</a>, and <a href="http://readingwritingandlovinit.blogspot.com/">Cassie Mae</a>.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtdmB4GwjI_URISuD1HMWn4ZGxKxwMLZckxpAm5qV5W_hNWO1po_nBguAYPI2qJVtcmALiy_CUsplmSlXBF6i4kouYZkK1ej56RjVsVeO6SOsn9VdjcLIv7mSjnrTAmMxtfw2j_eUZsEB/s1600/nanobloghop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihtdmB4GwjI_URISuD1HMWn4ZGxKxwMLZckxpAm5qV5W_hNWO1po_nBguAYPI2qJVtcmALiy_CUsplmSlXBF6i4kouYZkK1ej56RjVsVeO6SOsn9VdjcLIv7mSjnrTAmMxtfw2j_eUZsEB/s1600/nanobloghop.jpg" /></a></div>
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What do I want for NaNo?<br />
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To finally succeed at writing 50k words in a month without getting sidetracked. The problem is that I have two books to work one, a novel and a non-fiction how-to herb book that is under contract. So I will be tracking my 50k myself and splitting the work between the two projects. Got to be flexible sometimes.<br />
Check out the blog hop.<br />
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<script src="http://www.simply-linked.com/listwidget.aspx?l=6a0a61b2-8e5b-4acc-bb60-db0e8f46255f" type="text/javascript"></script> </div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-66255100806282921752013-03-05T14:21:00.001-08:002013-03-05T14:24:03.140-08:00Author Interviews: J. Scott Savage, A.E. Cannon and Carol Lynch Williams<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The blog for Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers has posted interviews with <a href="http://www.wifyr.com/blog/2013/02/26/interview-j-scott-savage/" target="_blank">J. Scott Savage</a>, <a href="http://www.wifyr.com/blog/2013/02/19/interview-a-e-cannon/" target="_blank">A.E. Cannon</a> and <a href="http://www.wifyr.com/blog/2013/03/05/interview-carol-lynch-williams/" target="_blank">Carol Lynch Williams</a>. Next Tuesday's interview will be Ammi-Joan Paquette.<br />
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I love reading through these interviews and learning little tidbit like the fact that Ann started writing as a child because she got sick and Scott started writing because he couldn't sleep. <br />
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It's encouraging to know that even these amazing authors, whose books I love, get stuck. It sounds like Carol keeps working through it when she gets stuck and kind of works the pieces out. Scott makes a note that something cool happens in that spot and he keeps going.<br />
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I guess learning our own style is the key, but it is helpful to know how others work through the hard spots or how they get their inspiration.<br />
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View these interviews and more from upcoming authors, including Martine Leavitt, Sharlee Glenn and illustrator Steve Bjorkman. <a href="http://www.wifyr.com/blog/">http://www.wifyr.com/blog/</a><br />
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-72719266056783035752013-02-19T13:45:00.000-08:002013-02-19T13:52:53.689-08:00Family Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Family life is important. It can be a
challenge to keep your family strong, write a book and keep all the other balls
in the air that add to the juggling act. I’ve heard many successful writers say
that their greatest accomplishment is their family.</div>
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How does a writer keep it all in
perspective and prioritize effectively? It can be stressful to spend time with
a child struggling with homework, when you have a writing deadline. But
remember, you can never get that moment back. You may never have another
opportunity to teach that child what can be taught only in that moment.</div>
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Scheduling your time helps a lot.
But as the mother of six children I've found a few other tricks that can help too.</div>
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Writing in timed segments can be
effective, especially if you have small children. Be sure children have
something to do, then set a timer for a chunk of time and let children (large
or small) know that you are writing. Explain that when the timer dings, you
will be able to listen again, but you need this focused time to write. Even
small children can learn to understand this at an early age (if the writing
segments are short).</div>
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Sometimes small segments of time
don’t do it though, and you need some focused writing time. That’s when it’s
time to escape. Leave somebody else in charge and find a quiet library or motel
room. I’ve even take my laptop and parked in a less-than-easy-to-find parking
lot where nobody would find me. Accomplish what you can in that focused time
and then enjoy your family when you return home.</div>
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That delicate balance between
family life and writing and the rest of life can be found. </div>
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-90733593365689885362013-01-22T09:36:00.001-08:002013-01-22T09:36:23.327-08:00Original Ideas<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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There are no original ideas.</div>
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Or are there? </div>
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<br /></div>
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If there are no new ideas then why are we all still trying
to write something original? And why do people keep reading?</div>
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<br /></div>
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I have been excited about the novel I’m starting. The idea
seems new and fresh enough that I have thought a lot about how to make it work.
I couldn’t think of any other book that had been written from this angle. Then
I picked up Far World by J. Scott Savage, and there it was. A character who was
born on earth, but we are meeting her in another world as the story begins. She
doesn’t even know earth exists. My idea. It’s already been done. Of course.</div>
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<br /></div>
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What’s fascinating is to see what Scott Savage has done with
this idea. It’s very different than what I’m writing. Even though it’s the same
idea, it’s a different angle. A different character. A different world. </div>
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<br /></div>
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If you stare at life from a different angle you may see a new
facet to an old idea. A writer asks new questions that haven’t been asked quite
like that before. We turn life inside out and find the extraordinary. We
examine it and look for a new facet to that old way of looking at a situation.</div>
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<br /></div>
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We write something original.</div>
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Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-87077329796732408022012-10-16T21:49:00.001-07:002012-10-16T21:49:18.462-07:00Avoided Moments<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Years ago I heard Richard Peck say, “You learn the most from
the experience you would have avoided if you could.” In the same keynote
address I also heard him say, “You are only as good as your opening line”. Although
the second quote is one of my favorite, that will have to be a discussion for
another post. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Think about the experience you would have avoided if you
could. We all have things in our lives that fit this description. What emotion
is connected to that experience? What would you have done to avoid it if we had
known it was coming? Who would you be now, if that experience had not existed
in your life?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Your character needs an experience like that. They need to
be faced with something so terrible or terrifying that they would have avoided
it at all cost. Maybe they are trying to avoid it. Perhaps they know, and
understand what is at stake.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">How do we help our character find that experience? Is it
something we have experienced in our own lives and know about? Not always.
Maybe you are experiencing this situation for the first time through your
character and are trying to understand the emotions connected to this
experience.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’ve been trying to create a character that is dominating
and has an entire community under his thumb. He would have to be so controlling
and scary that nobody dared cross him. The problem is, fortunately, I’ve never
experienced such dominion. However, as I’ve struggled with this character, I
realized that there are moments in my life when I was terrified of a situation
or person. Especially as a child. I’ve examined those experiences and the
emotions that go with them and tried to transfer them to this fictional
character that plays such a critical role in my novel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Transferring these emotions does not mean transferring the
exact experience. But the emotions can help you to create this character and
give him real traits. You will better know how the characters around him will
react as you pull from these emotions and then interview your characters. All
your characters. How are they feeling? What are they thinking? How will that
cause them to react to the particular rough spot where you have led them? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Also posted at:</span><br />
<a href="http://utahchildrenswriters.blogspot.com/">http://utahchildrenswriters.blogspot.com/</a></div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-33941262953787556292012-10-08T13:48:00.004-07:002012-10-08T13:48:55.072-07:00Getting Ready for NaNoWriMo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Lots of talk about NaNoWriMo going around. Are you planning to write a novel in November?<br />
<br />
What is the best way to prepare for that? Many suggest that you make sure the family is on board and you have all the big things in life taken care of when November arrives. Sounds good. Not a perfect plan with four busy kids, but I think they'll work with me to make it happen.<br />
<br />
What about the novel itself though? How do you plan to write 50,000 words in one month? <br />
<br />
Last year I found a book that helped me think through the process of writing a novel. <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582974861/ref=as_li_qf_sp_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1582974861&linkCode=as2&tag=mymuljunmelsk-20">Book in a Month</a> gives daily exercises that help with plotting and character development. I've wondered about doing some of the excercises now though so I'm even more ready to dig in and start writing on November 1. <br />
<br />
Book in a Month really encourages you to have some kind of an outline. Many writers say they don't write that way, but I'm realizing that having a basic direction works well for me. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KcmiqQ9NpPE" target="_blank">Dan Well's</a> offers suggestions for plotting out your basic ideas as well. His 7-point system leads you through hooks, resolutions, midpoint and pinches. With a basic idea on where your story is headed, you will be ready to jump in with both feet and write, write, write.<br />
<br />
I know there are some other great methods for plotting out a story. What method do you use to plot out a novel? What do you do to get ready for NaNo? <br />
</div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-62697846503111647812012-08-21T08:30:00.000-07:002012-08-21T08:30:02.585-07:00Picture the Details<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Details that bring a novel to life can be tricky to write when you aren’t sure of the setting. Sometimes we as writers may know the general setting, but are still fuzzy on the bits and pieces; the heavy oak door that takes a child’s two hands to push it open because it is so heavy or the slimy moss that gets stuck between the characters toes when they wade into the pond.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I recently read Matthew J. Kirby’s <em>Clockwork Three</em> and was impressed with what I could visualize in the pages of the story and feel of the character's plights. I wouldn’t have noticed the words themselves if I hadn’t been paying attention because they were crafted so well. But the details sucked me into that world and let me see it, as the action reeled me forward through the book.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">How do you create those kinds of details?<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">One scene in my novel involves two boys traveling down a cave-like tunnel. They climb over a boulder, wade through an underground river and make a story-changing discovery. It’s an exciting scene and the details were mostly formed from information researched about caves and underground rivers. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A couple weeks ago I walked through Timpanogos Cave for the first time in my life and realized how much I was missing in my scene with these two boys. Bending and twisting around cave formations to get to the next open area, I couldn’t help but picture these two boys on their own adventure. We heard stories and observed crevices and tunnels that had my mind reeling with ideas for how to make my character’s exploration even more exciting. </span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It doesn’t make research any less important. But finding a way to see a situation, or experience it, can open your mind to the possibilities. Re-writing my scene will bring details that will intensify the situation I was trying to create with these boys. They will be dodging more stalagmites and wondering about the small tunnel they can't quite fit into. Experiencing Timpanogos will make this scene stronger in the end. Maybe we as writers cannot experience everything our characters do, but it’s worth looking for the opportunity to experience what we can.</span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We may still have to make up the rest. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br /><span style="font-family: Calibri;">What tricks do you have for experiencing life as your character sees it</span></div>
Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-24747071540485755282012-06-19T19:59:00.001-07:002012-06-19T19:59:44.465-07:00Standing Out<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Ruth Katcher, Editor at Egmont USA, told one of the WIFYR classes today about recieving a live lobster with a submission. Can you imagine? She never really told us what she did with the lobster, but it must have been a shock when it arrived.<br />
<br />
What are editors and agents looking for? Not lobsters or any other exotic gift. Something much more subtle and obvious. A well-crafted submission. <br />
<br />
John Cusick, Agent at S©ott Treimel, NY added to this idea in a later session today, by saying, "You stand out by being good and by being yourself."<br />
<br />
But how do you polish a manuscript to that point of "being good by being yourself"? Listed below are some favorite answers to this question.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>Read, read and read some more</li>
<li>Write, write and ...you get the idea...write some more.</li>
<li>Finish the novel. I can't tell you how many times I've heard that in the past two days at WIFYR. sometimes we get stuck on the first few chapters and never finish. </li>
<li>Find a critique group. Critique groups give you the opportunity to improve your own work, as well as developing editorial skills in a friendly environment.</li>
<li>Put it aside and come back to it later. You'll see it more clearly.</li>
</ul>
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</span></span></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-62416973841052935682012-06-15T08:48:00.000-07:002012-06-15T08:56:01.334-07:00Lost Generation is Finished<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's finished.<br />
<br />
Like a wonderful puzzle that I've poured my soul into, the pieces have all fit together into a novel. <br />
<br />
Lost Generation is finished. <br />
<br />
I never anticipated what it would be like to say those words. <br />
<br />
Ann Dee Ellis compared writing a novel to running a marathon at WIFYR two years ago. I've never run a marathon, but it sounds like a good comparirison to me. I picture training, day in and day out for the big race and then it arrives. You run. You finish. Then what? <br />
<br />
You get ready for another race. <br />
<br />
I guess writing is like that, because the thing I want to do most is start a new novel.</div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-38627662611687695192012-04-23T08:47:00.001-07:002012-04-23T08:47:31.873-07:00Writer's Boot Camp<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Two years ago at the WIFYR conference I was lucky enough to have signed up for Ann Dee Ellis' morning workshop. I didn't realize what an intense, emotional, amazing week it would be. Ann Dee knows how to inspire you to do more. She was determined to get us through two rounds in of critiques that week. And we did. I didn't sleep much, but I critiqued and wrote more than I ever have in a week.<br />
<br />
The amazing thing about having an experience like that, is realizing you can do more than you knew. You learn that that it's alright to admit you are a writer and be okay with it. You learn that it's alright to embrace it. Because really it only requires deciding. As James Owen states "If you really want to do something, no one can stop you; but if you really don't want to do something, no one can help you." If you haven't read his book "Drawing out the Dragons" where he tells his inspiring story of struggle and success, you've missed out. <br />
<br />
When I realized Ann Dee is teaching the Boot Camp class at the WIFYR conference this year, it made sense. Even though our class wasn't labeled "Boot Camp" it was kind of like that. There is only one spot left though, so if you are interested in an experience like this you'll have to jump fast. It won't last long.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wifyr.com/">http://www.wifyr.com/</a></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-33759875304566173522012-02-23T11:58:00.003-08:002012-02-23T11:58:52.515-08:00WIFYR Registration Open<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<strong>Registration is open for Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers 2012. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>They have a great lineup of workshop faculty and other presenters this year. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Carol Lynch Williams is teaching one of the advanced classes this year. Carol is a great mentor and I've learned so much from her at conferences and such. Those who are lucky enough to be in that class will have a great experience. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>But they probably all will. Ann Dee Ellis is doing the Writer's Boot Camp and I know that will be amazing, having been in her workshop two years ago. </strong><br />
<br />
<strong>It seems like they've done great job of covering alot ground. They have morning workshops for middle grade fiction, fantasy, paranormal, science fiction, picture books and more. As always, they have a morning workshop for illustrators.</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>If you have never attended these morning workshops, attending is one of the most amazing experiences you will ever have as a writer. It's a great way to "Lift Your Craft", the motto listed on the WIFYR website. You can learn more at their website. </strong><strong> </strong><a href="http://www.wifyr.com/" style="color: #336699; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: underline;">http://www.wifyr.com</a><strong> </strong><br />
<strong></strong></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-59094700570443795232012-02-17T08:25:00.000-08:002012-02-17T08:25:02.582-08:00Why I Love WIFYR<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Attending WIFYR (Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers) is an amazing experience. Every writer should have this opportunity at least once. The lineup this year is pretty exciting. But what does a writer get out of this conference? These are some reasons why I love it.<br />
<br />
<ul>
<li>In your morning workshop you meet a group of people that end up becoming a wonderful support network through that week, and sometimes beyond. You laugh and sometimes cry with them, sharing your work with them and opening yourself to growth. </li>
<li>Meeting and working with a published author in the morning workshops always opens new doors in my mind. You realize that they are real people. The feedback on your own work helps you to know what to work on and how to make your work marketable.</li>
<li>Morning worshops help stregnthen your skills as a writer. They help you realize your potential and find ways to further develop your skills. </li>
<li>We always hear from editors and agents. In the morning workshop they visit each group, giving you a chance to ask your really great questions.</li>
<li>This year there are two editors and two agents. Although if you count Kirk Shaw, who is teaching one of the morning workshops, there are really three editors.</li>
<li>Sometimes other agents show up, or you meet local editors in workshops and classes. </li>
<li>There is always more information presented than you can absorb. Choosing specific questions to get answered during the conference helps insure that you go home with what you need.</li>
<li>Going to WIFYR makes you want to work hard and achieve your writing dreams. </li>
</ul>
Do you have a favorite writing conference? What great things have you learned at conferences? How do they help you?<br />
</div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-33365005013625721442012-01-18T20:10:00.000-08:002012-01-18T20:13:06.015-08:00Developing Interesting Characters<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm trying to develop interesting characters. Is it happening in the story I'm working on? I hope so. Because I've been focused on this I checked an entire stack of books out of the library about bringing characters to life and so forth. There has to be something interesting in one of them. Right? <br />
<br />
Some of the books talk about dialogue and making it real which I guess helps bring them to life. I can see that. But sometimes I find myself in the middle of too much dialogue and not enough action. Something needs to happen and surely through their actions and reactions I can help them come to life. <br />
<br />
I realized something while walking one day.<br />
<br />
Years ago I read <em>The Color Code</em> by Hartman Taylor. I've used what I learned in this book for years now to understand my children and their different personalities. We have all the colors in our family. With six children we're bound to have variety. Right? We have quiet peacemakers, to flamboyant performers to children who can't stand it when they are not in control. <br />
<br />
I realized that my characters are like my children. They have personalities that fall somewhere into the color code. Once I decide where they fit I can better know how they react to a certain situation. Maybe I don't always need to stop as I'm writing and decide how a blue or a white or a red would react to this situation. But when I get stuck it has made it easier to remember that because my mc is very yellow, he's not going to think real hard about the situation before he jumps in. But his sister who is a combination of blue and white is going to hesitate while worrying about the safety of her brother and begging him not to do it.<br />
<br />
I've found other books that try to analyze personalities in great detail, but I like the simplicity of the Color Code. Probably because I already understand it.<br />
<br />
What tools or exercises do you use to bring your characters to life? How do you decide how they will react?<br />
<br />
<br /></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-2269000341721422772012-01-10T12:38:00.000-08:002012-01-10T12:41:16.620-08:00What I Learned from NaNoWriMo<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Let me say right up front that I didn't meet the goal of 50,000 words. But I wrote about 20,000 words more than I would have written otherwise. <br />
<br />
I learned to push myself to a new level. The greatest thing I discovered was the idea of doing 20 minutes sprints. I can focus really well for about that long. If I know I'm racing the timer I find that I do pretty well at keeping at it. When I got stuck and didn't know what to write, but was still racing the timer I created a box right in the middle of my manuscript and started interviewing one of the characters. I asked them every question I could think of about that particular situation. I eventually found something that triggered in my head and got me back to writing the real story again. I love the boxes, because I can go back to them now as I'm looking through it again and know right away that it is an interview that may help me finish developing that section.<br />
<br />
About halfway through the month one of the interviews led me to realize I had put a character in the wrong place from the beginning. Ouch! What a painful realization. But the cool thing is, once I accepted the facts, I just kept writing forward with that character trapped where she needed to be and didn't really have to start over at that moment. As I am rewriting from the beginning and editing all the chapters that changed because of this major factor, I'm pretty excited to see things happening that couldn't happen without this character in the right place. <br />
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What about next year? I'm doing it again. This time I'll be really prepared and I'll write all 50,000 words. I was just warming up this year.<br />
<br /></div>Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-91141185197188843192011-09-23T12:38:00.000-07:002011-09-23T13:38:23.636-07:00Writing to the MiddleI love it when I have an opportunity to teach writing at the school where my children attend. Last year I had the opportunity to work with the 6th graders and we did a project where they each brainstormed and wrote their own story. It was great to see how they each came up with unique ideas and developed them into stories.<br /><br />One of the the techniques I taught them was to write to the middle. I've come to believe that the more tools I have in my writer's bag to pull out when I need help writing a story, the better. So this has been fun to play with. Here's what you do.<br /><br />You are writing a story where you know kind of how it begins and ends but are struggling with those details in the middle. Write your beginning at the top (just an idea of how it is going to begin) and then the ending at the bottom.<br /><br />Look at the top again. What happens right after the thing you wrote down? Just jot an idea of what you think is going to happen.<br /><br />Now look at the bottom. What happens right before that very last thing that happens, the thing you wrote on the bottom of the page? Write it in the space before that last thing that happens.<br /><br />Now go back to the top. What happens after the second idea you wrote there? Write it.<br /><br />Back to the bottom. What happens right before the last idea you wrote there? Write it.<br /><br />Get the idea? Basically, it helps you work through all the possibilities and find the story hidden in all those ideas.<br /><br />I probably ought to go use this particular tool with my story again, I keep trying to figure out what Asher and Mya are up to in their adventures. I haven't tried it with a chapter yet, but that would probably work really well. I'm so excited to see it all come together. It's rewarding when the pieces fall into place and the story takes shape a bit at a time.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-58616565635248028112011-06-28T05:29:00.000-07:002011-06-28T05:30:56.863-07:00DreamsI'm a daydreamer.<br /><br />I was the child the teacher always told to stop daydreaming. At every parent-teacher conference.<br /><br />Daydreaming comes in handy as a writer.<br /><br />Here's what I love about writing and dreaming about sharing my work with others. It fits with the rest of my life. It meshes with the rest of my dreams. I can live an interesting life and enjoy every moment and then call it research. In fact it makes my writing more interesting.<br /><br />Last week it was a wedding cake. Three weeks ago it was getting the rest of my garden planted. Hopefully this week it will be more intensive writing to get this book done. But every moment of my life I find something to write about.<br /><br />I've been thinking about my characters and having conversations with them while I am building cakes or watering the garden. Anyone watching might think I'm crazy. But usually the only ones watching are my family and they know I'm just trying to write a book. They are excited about the book.<br /><br />A couple weeks ago at bedtime my youngest daughter asked if I wanted to know who her favorite author is.<br /><br />"Who?" I asked.<br /><br />"You," she said.<br /><br />I guess I'd better keep writing.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6498608970438544964.post-64405265727967212992011-06-20T19:34:00.000-07:002011-06-20T19:54:43.254-07:00My first post - WIFYRI've been thinking about doing this. I've listened to other writers talk about blogging, but it's taken a bit to decide I was ready to start my own. Having gone to WIFYR last week has me pretty motivated. It seemed like a good time to start. So here goes...<br /><br />The Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers Conference stretched my brain in many directions. I was fortunate enough to be in Kathleen Duey's class in the mornings. She really helped us all to understand what it takes to get inside a character's head and keep their viewpoint consistent.<br /><br />I've heard of interviewing the characters in your story, but have never been successful at this. I was trusting the generic list of questions you can find in many books and lists. But Kathleen encouraged us to interview our characters as if we were sitting on the bus getting to know them. This really clicked in my head and the questions I am asking are now specific to my characters and their situation. Questions about why they made a certain decision or felt a certain way about something that happened in the story. It's very exciting. My characters are beginning to show real emotion and personality that was lacking before.<br /><br />So excited to live out this dream and finish this novel.Melaniehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07173430045924898012noreply@blogger.com2