fannywrites

I have a new hobby, arranging flowers from my small but diverse garden. I arrange flowers in an informal, simple manner. The result must please the eye. It’s similar to writing. Use simple language that pleases the ear.

Now that I’m writing MG novels, I’ve been reading as many as I can. I watched the Movie Indian in the Cupboard, directed by Frank Oz, several years ago with my grandchildren then 6 or 7. We loved the movie. I read the book recently and found that the locale had been changed from England to Manhattan in the movie.  It doesn’t change the story at all. In the book, Omri’s friend is white, in the movie, he is East Indian. What surprised me is that the editor didn’t catch one error of the illustrator. The drawing of the house Little Bear builds is not a longhouse,  but a colonial looking house with a peaked roof.

This book is the kind of fantasy that I wish I can write. No aliens, or wizards or zombies for me. Children and adults enjoy  the book and the movie. I would love to write a book adults and children enjoy and that it can become a classic.

Maybe it’s because this was my third conference,  I found it less exciting and inspiring than the first two. Not that I didn’t get anything out of it. It’s just that I’ve heard what had been said in the previous two. The most important take away was the editor of the workshop I picked, would take submissions of historical fiction and I have just finished one. It was most encouraging to hear that I’ve done what she listed as essentials in writing historical fiction. Another workshop was given by an agent and I will followup with a query to him.

There was a panel discussion on the revolution of the publishing industry. Retail shelf space for books has diminished from 60 to 70% in the last 10 years, particularly in the picture books category. Authors are encouraged to get their books into libraries and schools.  Independent bookstores are doing well and growing–a surprise! e books hasn’t eroded the children’s market.

Another panel discussed censorship.  Censorship is alive and all all around the country. YA is the most targeted. It’s alarming that in high schools’ honor and advanced classes that books such as “The Color Purple”, “The Invisible Man” and “Beloved” are censored.  The author Ellen Hopkins said that she was the most banned author in 2012. She writes realistic YA novels that deal with teen pregnancy, drug addiction etc.  She has heard from young readers who found solace or guidance from her novels.  She said,”You can censor what your child reads, but not other’s children’s reading material.”  She was a credible spokesman. Her daughter was addicted to drugs as a teenager. She has custody of three grandchildren while her daughter is in jail. For me, that was the most powerful moment in the whole conference.

As always, I enjoyed the panel of illustrators. “Write visually,” advised on illustrator.”Even though you may never meet the artist”

Tomie  de  Paola is a beloved figure at the conference. He’s a judge(only judge) of a contest for illustrators . I love his comments on the work of the honorees and the winner.  Feb. 23rd( first day of the conference) was his birthday. I forgot the exact age, he’s in his eighties.

There were over 9  800 women and 180 men attendees, from 20 countries, the US except the two Dakotas and Hawaii. Who wants to come from Hawaii to NYC in Febraru?!!!

What an attendee feels after another conference is hope and inspiration.  “Talent, moxie and luck”, that’s what an author needs.

It was my first ever writing workshop and I’m afraid that now I’m spoilt. Not only was the environment bucolic, we had lunch and dinner prepared in a professional kitchen with fresh local produce. There was even a cocktail half hour before dinner when the chef comes out to tell what will be served. My cabin(one of over 20) was fully equipped with a refrigerator, coffee maker and more towels that I could use in three days.

There were only 11 attendees, including a lone male. There were three leaders, two published children’s book writers, Robert Burleigh and Candace Fleming and Carolyn Yoder, a long time editor at the Highlights Company.

There were three talks by the three of them and two one -to one critique sessions with one of them. On the second evening, we read our ms and whoever wanted to comment did. There were three published or to be published authors among us, but most of us were unpublished.  I came away impressed with the quality of writing of the attendees and encouraged in my own writing. To be told that my biography of a retired ballet dancer is a powerful story means a lot to me.

The contact I made with the authors and the editor was priceless. I also learned that I have to find the cost of required images  for reproduction and permission when I query publishers. I didn’t know that before. I thought that I could just tell them where the images could be purchased.

The second important point about research is that, if possible, don’t just look at the document online. Candace looked an original document and found writing at the back that was no digitalized. From that writing, she had more material for her book.

I was told by my driver from the sidewalk bus stop that attendees are picked up at Scranton, La Guardia, JFK and Newark. My experience ended perfectly, I was driven to my door in Queens, after Robert Burleigh was dropped off at La Guardia. We had wonderful conversation during the ride. Our driver(not the one who picked me up) was a weaver who worked part time for Highlights.

I’ve finished another revision after I came home.  To my surprise, Robert Burleigh told me to email him the revision. I thought my workshop ended in Pa. It was very generous of him to give me more of his time.

I recommend the various workshops at Highlights Foundation. In two years, if a topic that interests me come up, I shall go again, with or without a partial scholarship.  Hopefully, by then writing will not be a hobby and the expense can be deductible!

I had been receiving  invitations to the Highlights Foundations Workshop for at least two years. Maybe they have my address from my submissions( all rejected). This year I responded to the biography one because my biography of a retired renowned  dancer, had another chance at Charlesbridge Publising. The editor was willing to take a look at a  second revision.

The cost was high or three days of room and board.  I was told to apply for a scholarship. I had to send in my income tax return,  a writing sample and a brief biography of my writing career. The scholarship would be based on need, passion and  I suppose writing ability.  I received a partial scholarship which definitely helped.

At the workshop, one much younger attendee told me she had a full scholarship. I don’t know about anybody else’s scholarship status. Fellow writers, if you are interested, do apply for a scholarship.

I don’t drive long distances. I took the bus from Port Authority, NYC. There were only  5 people going to north Poconos, PA, after the full bus passengers got off at a discount shopping outlet. I was the only passenger for the last 10 miles in rural PA, It was a three  and a half hours bus ride. I was let off at my destination, Honesdale at the sidewalk. I asked, “Is this it?”  I was expecting a small bus station .

The bus driver said, ‘This is it. See the man sitting on the bench? He’s waiting for this bus fro the return trip.” Oh dear, I was supposed to be met by a driver to take me to Boyd Mills.  I was about to call the driver  when a lady came up to me. She said, pointing at different directions,

“Sometimes, the bus stops over there, sometimes over there.  I parked in the middle.”

I was in good hands. It took another 20 minutes to arrive at the site.

To be continued: the workshop exceeded my expectations.

I have had three unpaid pieces published by well regarded children’s magazine. These pieces had been rejected by paying magazines. Maybe I hit the right spot because my subjects, whether for an article or short stories, were multicultural, the focus of the magazine. I’m also thinking, is the standard of a non paying venue lower?  I do notice that some online non paying venues do no have as high a standard as a payng one. 

Dedication and focus of a writer

I am reading a how to book on writing a novel. The suggestion by the author that I should read 100 books of the genre I want to write in is a good idea. But I don’t think I’ll read that many before I start my novel. 20 is more doable for me.
I also like her suggestion about making notes on each book, how each chapter starts and ends, how the dialogue moves the story etc.
But I cannot agree with her about total focus, to the exclusion of many things. The writing comes first, she wrote. To go to a Zumba class, to meet a friend for lunch are distractions. “Hold yourself back, save part of yourself for the book.”

I consider myself a disciplined and motivated person. I have yet to write a novel. I do plan to write one for my next writing course. If my craft is good, my instructor helpful, I do believe I can write a novel without giving up my interactions with my grandchildren or my piano practice. These things give me sustenance and make me happy. I cannot hold myself back in my personal relationships.

What do you think? What’s your reponse ?
I am new to blogging. I have yet to create a website. I’m supposed to start a presence before the publication of my books. I have two writers who follow my blog? If you like mine, please spread it among your writer friends.
I have to understand Face Book and Twitter, especially Twitter. Why does one need it? I can just email my thoughts to friends. So you see, I have a lot to learn.

This is my second winter conference. They have good writer speakers, but I also enjoy the illustrators speakers.  The highlight on Sunday was the talk by Julie Andrews and her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton. Don’t call her a celebrity author, she detests that term because writing is hard, she said. Anyway, she is not a celebrity writer.  She wrote children’s books twenty years ago before co-writing with her daughter. Emma teaches writing L.I. and she lives on the west coast, so they write every word together by Skype. I have not read her books. Her most recent one is on the NYtimes best selling picture book list.  She freely admits that her name recognition sells books. We can be sure that her daughter, writing on her own, will not sell as many books.I have not read Madonna’s books or Fergie’s, but they surely are celebrity writers.

This year, I got more from  he breakout workshops than from the main speakers. It’s great to know that Charlesbridge accepts unsolicited submissions. It’s too bad my nonfiction book exceeds the 30 page maximum guidelines for nonfiction. But I can send in a picture book manuscript.  The Harper -Collins’ editor is interested in YA, so she’s not for me at this time.

I am not good at meeting people and talk shop at the social afterwards.  This time, I was rewarded with the assurance by one writer in the NYMetro area that it’s worth while to pay for an intensive on Friday. I will sign up for a session next year and do it early because it sells out fast.

The conference is expensive at $388.  I commute by subway, so without the cost of a hotel, it’s within my budget.