HOOKED

"A story is movement from stability to instability to new stability." 
Les Edgerton, HOOKED.


 Did I mention "More to Come" from our fabulous Miami SCBWI event?

(While you're thinking about SCBWI, check out Fred Koehler's ILLUSTRATED wrap-up, HERE.)


One of my favorite, helpful, fabulous moments was the workshop with Sara Pennypacker. On her website, she lists her favorite writing books:



I happen to own one of the three she shared with us last Sunday in Miami: Scene & Structure, a Writer's Digest Book by Jack M. Bickham.

And my friend Teddie was willing to lend me another:  
HOOKED by Les Edgerton.

So guess what I did yesterday? 
Borrowed and reread that one.
 




A bit from an earlier post on that book:

1. An overview about opening scenes and what's important included this reminder-
"Take time to craft not only the first sentence, but the rest of the opening...For gosh sakes, don't pair adjectives in an attempt to make the description more powerful. The rule of thumb with adjectives is that with each additional one, the power is halved, not doubled..."

2.The chapter on characters suggests "beginning with an out-of-the-ordinary character... can instantly pique the reader's interest."
(My question- is this a good plan for kids' novels? Or should we soundly establish the point-of-view character first?)

3. "A great first line buys you a lot of points" with editors and agents.
But we all know that, don't we...

Enough reading about writing. Now, let's get to it!

What a weekend! Quote of the Day

There are so many things swirling around in my head this morning. 

For now, here's the George Eliot stickie note (Thanks, Sandra Markle!), mentioned while standing next to my great editor, Andrea Pinkney. 

More to come on a great Miami SCBWI conference weekend.
I hope everybody is as inspired as I am- Now let's get to work!

Emotional Intensity

In writing, that is.

It's hard not to constantly have your characters' hearts pounding, their breath catching.Even in middle-grade fiction.

But since sitting in on Becca Puglisi's workshop at our Florida SCBWI Miami conference in January, I've tried harder. I have her Crutch Words right over my computer. Those overused words we should try to replace.

A few of mine?

Breathe. 
Smile. 
Step. 
Gaze.

Oh, and the was +ing verb thing-
(Sorry, Becca. That's the way Southerners talk! I tried to rid myself of a few "I was eating" and "He was hoping" beats. Not easy.)

Check out Becca's most helpful BLOG, HERE.  
And this link to her book: EMOTION THESAURUS
 

One thing I loved most about this year's Miami Conference? Seeing friends I made last year and meeting writers for the first time, like Becca Puglisi and Donna Gephart.

(One of my favorite middle-grade novels, with the absolute most kid-appeal, is Donna's
OLIVIA BEAN TRIVIA QUEEN. )


Florida's a hotbed of kids' writers.  
Maybe it's because of Joyce Sweeney, Mentor Extraordinaire? 

(PS She's now teaching online workshops. Check them out HERE.)

Miami SCBWI

A quick visual recap of another fun learning weekend.

Although it was grey and cloudy one day, by the next it was beautifully sunny.
One of the many reasons writers, editors and agents love to come to Miami for our January Florida SCBWI event.

 The almost sunset view from my room (through not-so-bright window).

The fabulous bookstore,  BOOKS & BOOKS from Coral Gables, brings a roomful of fellow Florida authors' and presenters' books for signing and perusing.

Here's the Book Room at the Miami Sheraton and the Books&Books folks consulting with two authors.
(Hi, Aimee! See you next year when your own fabulous picture book will be prominently displayed!)

(Hey, Becky and Aaron! Thank you so much. )

 I got to meet, in real time and real life, some of my Facebook friends.
Here I am with Donna Gephart at the very end of the weekend (do we look it?).

I love her book OLIVIA BEAN, TRIVIA QUEEN.  
Then again, I also love Scrabble...

Oh, and Donna has a fantastic blog. WILD ABOUT WORDS.

 That's about all my over-stimulated brain can share this morning.

But I'm especially looking forward to reading more and writing more about my favorite workshop, perhaps my favorite hour of the weekend, featuring Beca Publisi, author of THE EMOTIONAL THESAURUS, 
Do you know this book? This website? So much info, stay tuned for more on that.

Click on those links, if you're so inclined, and now let's get writing everybody!