1. So, I may have mentioned that I'm speaking/teaching at a writer's conference in AF a couple times. But what I may not have told you is that although I am excited, I am also really nervous. So if any of you are going to it, first of all, pretend like I look really small and petite, instead of large with child and extremely uncomfortable. And secondly, if I totally screw up, let's just pretend like I didn't, okay? Okay.
2. I know this is revealing my inner nerdness, but I am SO excited for HP7 pt. 2. We usually go to the midnight show (my friend does a big party beforehand), but this year I won't get to because I'll have a newborn. I just hope I can see it as close to the release date as possible.
3. On a serious note, my heart goes out to all those affected by the tornadoes in the south. I used to want to be a "tornado chaser" when I was in elementary school (and even beyond that), because I've always been fascinated by them. But to see this kind of destruction and death is so horrible. I just hope the storms will stop. It makes me feel guilty for complaining about the never ending snowstorms here.
4. On a less serious note, I've heard rumors about some sort of big wedding that's going on? That's taking up more news coverage than the tornadoes? Yeah, I'm excited about it, but not THAT much. I used to have a semi-crush on Prince Wills. Probably because of the first part of that name: "Prince." Who didn't dream of becoming a princess at some point? And he wasn't too bad on the eyes. I remember when he and Kate broke up (gasp! shock!), but now here they are. Getting married. *brushes a tear from my eye* *not really* But yay for them. :) *edit: I write my posts the night before, so I hadn't seen Kate yet when I wrote this. I must now admit to being totally sucked into to the fairytale. She looked absolutely stunning. A true Princess. Wow.
5. Did I mention that I'm nervous for tomorrow?
So what's on your mind today? Hope you all have a great weekend!
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
What makes you love YA?
The way the YA genre has exploded in recent years has been quite the phenomenon. Luckily for me, it's what I've always written (before I knew what "YA" even was). Well, other than that one unfortunate attempt at writing an adult fiction novel. With the knowledge I have now, I know I could go back and make it a much better book. Maybe someday. But my passion is YA, and for now, I'm sticking with it.
In any genre, there will be books that don't live up to your hopes, and others that far exceed them. In my opinion, the best books are the ones that you are dying to finish so you can find out what happens, and yet simultaneously wish could go on forever because you love it so much. One of the most interesting (and sometimes frustrating) aspects of the publishing industry is that different people can and do have completely different reactions to the same book.
What I'm interested in hearing today is why YOU love YA? (Assuming that you do...) What makes YA something you want to write or read? What sets YA apart from other genres in your opinion?
In any genre, there will be books that don't live up to your hopes, and others that far exceed them. In my opinion, the best books are the ones that you are dying to finish so you can find out what happens, and yet simultaneously wish could go on forever because you love it so much. One of the most interesting (and sometimes frustrating) aspects of the publishing industry is that different people can and do have completely different reactions to the same book.
What I'm interested in hearing today is why YOU love YA? (Assuming that you do...) What makes YA something you want to write or read? What sets YA apart from other genres in your opinion?
Monday, April 25, 2011
Quote for the Week
"In the hopes of reaching the moon men fail to see the flowers that blossom at their feet."
- Albert Schweitzer
So true, don't you think? What flowers are you missing out on noticing in your pursuit of the moon?
I know I have days where I go to bed wishing I'd spent my day differently--that I had tried to enjoy the moment I'm in more, rather than dreaming/wishing/longing for future hopes and events.
But I also have days where I know I lived it to the fullest, where I took the time to cherish my boys' smiles, their kisses, the things they say and do. When I paused to watch the sun rise or set. When I took pride in my writing, whether I was able to write 5,000 words, or only 500. When I've kissed my husband like I meant it, and basked in the fact that he loves me for me. When I gave thanks that he understands and supports and encourages me. That I expressed my deep gratitude for friends who shock me with their generosity and kindness, for family who are everything, and other blessings in my life.
Are there dreams I long for that haven't come true yet? Yes. Have there been really hard disappointments and hurdles I've had to overcome (and continue to try to overcome), both personally and in my pursuit of publication? Absolutely. But there are also flowers all around. Have you noticed them recently?
- Albert Schweitzer
So true, don't you think? What flowers are you missing out on noticing in your pursuit of the moon?
I know I have days where I go to bed wishing I'd spent my day differently--that I had tried to enjoy the moment I'm in more, rather than dreaming/wishing/longing for future hopes and events.
But I also have days where I know I lived it to the fullest, where I took the time to cherish my boys' smiles, their kisses, the things they say and do. When I paused to watch the sun rise or set. When I took pride in my writing, whether I was able to write 5,000 words, or only 500. When I've kissed my husband like I meant it, and basked in the fact that he loves me for me. When I gave thanks that he understands and supports and encourages me. That I expressed my deep gratitude for friends who shock me with their generosity and kindness, for family who are everything, and other blessings in my life.
Are there dreams I long for that haven't come true yet? Yes. Have there been really hard disappointments and hurdles I've had to overcome (and continue to try to overcome), both personally and in my pursuit of publication? Absolutely. But there are also flowers all around. Have you noticed them recently?
Friday, April 22, 2011
Friday Five
I knew you guys were smart! All the advice you've shared this week has been absolutely perfect. There's a lot of wisdom in what you all wrote. So, once more, thank you very much!
Here's what's on my mind today:
1. This week SonA has had school off for spring break. I had so many fun activities planned. And then the forecast changed from mid-sixties and sunny back to our norm for the year. Freezing cold snowing/raining/doom. We've managed to still find some fun stuff to do, but overall, this has not been a week of spring break win, that's for sure.
2. Last night we celebrated SHH's birthday a few days early (since his birthday is actually on Easter Sunday this year, which has never happened before since I've known him). I surprised him with a couple's massage and then we used his free birthday meal at Benihana for dinner. Ahhh, what an awesome night. We both could have slept until noon today after the relaxation and delicious food overload. Instead, that cute alarm clock (otherwise known as SonB) was up at 7 am on the dot like usual, telling us all to wake up and get him out of bed. Oh well. ;)
3. I'm having a minor complication with my pregnancy (nothing that will cause the baby any harm, just discomfort and pain for me), that requires me to lay down on my side with my legs as elevated as I can get them multiple times a day. Or that's what I'm supposed to do anyway. Usually I find the time to do that about twice a day if I'm lucky. I thought it would be a great chance to catch up on my TBR list, but instead it turns out whenever I finally do lay down is exactly when my kids suddenly need me. Hmmm, interesting how that works.
4. Isn't it intriguing how some days when you're writing the words just seem to flow, and other days.... not so much. Yeah, I'm glad I'm not alone. Right?
5. Dessert is yummy. With this pregnancy I can't seem to feel full until I've had some sugary goodness. Usually I'm good about resisting sweet libations, but it's been a bit harder this time. Okay, a LOT harder. This girl must have a serious sweet tooth.
So, what's on yor mind this Friday? Any fun plans for the holiday weekend?
Here's what's on my mind today:
1. This week SonA has had school off for spring break. I had so many fun activities planned. And then the forecast changed from mid-sixties and sunny back to our norm for the year. Freezing cold snowing/raining/doom. We've managed to still find some fun stuff to do, but overall, this has not been a week of spring break win, that's for sure.
2. Last night we celebrated SHH's birthday a few days early (since his birthday is actually on Easter Sunday this year, which has never happened before since I've known him). I surprised him with a couple's massage and then we used his free birthday meal at Benihana for dinner. Ahhh, what an awesome night. We both could have slept until noon today after the relaxation and delicious food overload. Instead, that cute alarm clock (otherwise known as SonB) was up at 7 am on the dot like usual, telling us all to wake up and get him out of bed. Oh well. ;)
3. I'm having a minor complication with my pregnancy (nothing that will cause the baby any harm, just discomfort and pain for me), that requires me to lay down on my side with my legs as elevated as I can get them multiple times a day. Or that's what I'm supposed to do anyway. Usually I find the time to do that about twice a day if I'm lucky. I thought it would be a great chance to catch up on my TBR list, but instead it turns out whenever I finally do lay down is exactly when my kids suddenly need me. Hmmm, interesting how that works.
4. Isn't it intriguing how some days when you're writing the words just seem to flow, and other days.... not so much. Yeah, I'm glad I'm not alone. Right?
5. Dessert is yummy. With this pregnancy I can't seem to feel full until I've had some sugary goodness. Usually I'm good about resisting sweet libations, but it's been a bit harder this time. Okay, a LOT harder. This girl must have a serious sweet tooth.
So, what's on yor mind this Friday? Any fun plans for the holiday weekend?
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Taking Feedback
Wow, I knew you guys were good! Thanks for all the advice you shared on Monday. Seriously, you all rock.
So here's the question for today:
What's one thing to remember or do when taking feedback?
I'm also teaching a class on taking feedback. I'm excited for this one, because I've had to learn a lot over the years about this very subject. Feedback can be a tricky thing. You have to remember that someone took the time to read and critique your book for you. They cared enough to spend hours if not days working on helping you--whether you think every edit they gave is golden, or whether you completely disagreed with all of it, or fell somewhere in the middle.
It's easy to get offended when someone tries to tell you about something that didn't work in your book. But to be successful as a writer, you have to not only get past the urge to get offended, you have to be able and willing to listen, to contemplate it, and to make appropriate changes based on the feedback you get. It's a process that doesn't end with CPs. Your agent, and your editor will both do the same thing. It's also important as a CP to understand how the author you're working with assimilates the feedback. Everyone has a different way of understanding and absorbing edits, and you can't get offended by how someone takes the critiques you offered.
So tell me, what are your tricks and tips for taking feedback? I'm excited to share some of mine at this conference, but I know you probably have some great ones I haven't thought of. Thanks again for sharing!
Happy Wednesday!
So here's the question for today:
What's one thing to remember or do when taking feedback?
I'm also teaching a class on taking feedback. I'm excited for this one, because I've had to learn a lot over the years about this very subject. Feedback can be a tricky thing. You have to remember that someone took the time to read and critique your book for you. They cared enough to spend hours if not days working on helping you--whether you think every edit they gave is golden, or whether you completely disagreed with all of it, or fell somewhere in the middle.
It's easy to get offended when someone tries to tell you about something that didn't work in your book. But to be successful as a writer, you have to not only get past the urge to get offended, you have to be able and willing to listen, to contemplate it, and to make appropriate changes based on the feedback you get. It's a process that doesn't end with CPs. Your agent, and your editor will both do the same thing. It's also important as a CP to understand how the author you're working with assimilates the feedback. Everyone has a different way of understanding and absorbing edits, and you can't get offended by how someone takes the critiques you offered.
So tell me, what are your tricks and tips for taking feedback? I'm excited to share some of mine at this conference, but I know you probably have some great ones I haven't thought of. Thanks again for sharing!
Happy Wednesday!
Monday, April 18, 2011
Help please!
Happy Monday everyone!
As some of you may be aware, I am speaking and teaching at a local writer's conference in a couple of weeks. I'm excited but nervous about this opportunity. Mostly because I want to do a really good job. I want to be interesting, and funny, and entertaining, but also informative and helpful and yeah, the list goes on. That's not too much to expect from myself, right? Heh, heh. Um...
This is where you come in. I have quite a range of topics to teach during the day, and I already have a good idea of how I'm going to approach them. However, I think it would be interesting and informative to hear what some of your thoughts are. I'm going to be asking for your help or feedback on a few things to help me put together the absolute best presentations possible. My hope is that by taking what I've already thought up, and adding to it with your insights, I will be able to accomplish my previously mentioned goals. Cause let's face it, chances are ya'll are way smarter than me anyway. ;)
So first up: blogging. I am supposed to teach two different classes on blogging, one on how to gain more followers and one on making your blog a success. There are many of you who have waaaay more followers than me, and are definitely much more successful bloggers than I am, so for today here are my questions: (you can pick one of the three, or answer all three if you want)
What is the #1 best piece of advice you could give someone on how to make their blog a success/or to gain more followers?
What is something about my blog that you think makes it "successful" or made you want to become a follower?
What is something a blogger SHOULDN'T do if they want to accomplish either goal?
Thank you for your help! Hopefully I can do a good job on the 30th. *bites nails* *except not really, because I'm not actually a nail biter, but you know, figuratively speaking*
The funny thing about being asked to teach this class is that I don't think of my blog as a "success." Not in the way that I'd imagine a class would expect their teacher's blog to be. I don't have 1,000+ followers, or 50 comments on each post. But then I thought about it, and I realized that for me it is a success. When I get comments telling me how much a certain post meant to someone, or I meet a new friend through my blog, or someone tells me they are going to bookmark my post because it was so helpful to them... that is a great success in my book. And a year ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of having 300 hundred people following my blog, let alone 1,000. So, no. I don't have as "big" of a blog as quite a few, but I guess for me, it IS a little bit of a success after all. :)
As some of you may be aware, I am speaking and teaching at a local writer's conference in a couple of weeks. I'm excited but nervous about this opportunity. Mostly because I want to do a really good job. I want to be interesting, and funny, and entertaining, but also informative and helpful and yeah, the list goes on. That's not too much to expect from myself, right? Heh, heh. Um...
This is where you come in. I have quite a range of topics to teach during the day, and I already have a good idea of how I'm going to approach them. However, I think it would be interesting and informative to hear what some of your thoughts are. I'm going to be asking for your help or feedback on a few things to help me put together the absolute best presentations possible. My hope is that by taking what I've already thought up, and adding to it with your insights, I will be able to accomplish my previously mentioned goals. Cause let's face it, chances are ya'll are way smarter than me anyway. ;)
So first up: blogging. I am supposed to teach two different classes on blogging, one on how to gain more followers and one on making your blog a success. There are many of you who have waaaay more followers than me, and are definitely much more successful bloggers than I am, so for today here are my questions: (you can pick one of the three, or answer all three if you want)
What is the #1 best piece of advice you could give someone on how to make their blog a success/or to gain more followers?
What is something about my blog that you think makes it "successful" or made you want to become a follower?
What is something a blogger SHOULDN'T do if they want to accomplish either goal?
Thank you for your help! Hopefully I can do a good job on the 30th. *bites nails* *except not really, because I'm not actually a nail biter, but you know, figuratively speaking*
The funny thing about being asked to teach this class is that I don't think of my blog as a "success." Not in the way that I'd imagine a class would expect their teacher's blog to be. I don't have 1,000+ followers, or 50 comments on each post. But then I thought about it, and I realized that for me it is a success. When I get comments telling me how much a certain post meant to someone, or I meet a new friend through my blog, or someone tells me they are going to bookmark my post because it was so helpful to them... that is a great success in my book. And a year ago, I wouldn't have dreamed of having 300 hundred people following my blog, let alone 1,000. So, no. I don't have as "big" of a blog as quite a few, but I guess for me, it IS a little bit of a success after all. :)
Friday, April 15, 2011
Friday Five
1. My kids have become better than an alarm clock. They both get up at 7 am every day. SonA helps SonB get out of his crib, and then they come in our room. It's a pretty cute wakeup call... but I do wish there was some way to get them to sleep in, at least on Saturday. Oh well!
2. There are certain books that maybe aren't the best to read when you're pregnant, emotional, and already having really weird dreams every night. Though it was really good, all the zombies and death and hopelessness and zombies was a little much for me right now. Lesson learned. Wait to read Carrie Ryan's books until I'm NOT pregnant. And when I'm not going to cry at the part where Catcher talks about the little boy he couldn't save...
3. Isn't it amazing how a book can completely change your mood? I knew I needed something to read that was a little bit... um, less horrorifying after the way The Dark and Hollow Places affected me. I picked up Hex Hall, and so far it was just what I needed. A snarky, fun protag and no zombies in sight. At least, not yet. My dreams were noticeably less filled with half-destroyed bodies of the dead coming after me and my children and my unborn baby.
4. Writing is like eating. You think you're full, and couldn't ever eat again after you stuff yourself (or do a writing marathon); but without fail, you always get hungry again. In the same way, I always want to write again, no matter how burned out I may feel one day. By the next, I am craving it again.
5. Is anyone else a little bit freaked out by how expensive gas is? And that they're predicting it's going to go even higher... and no one seems to be that bothered about it? Wasn't everyone freaking out about gas being this expensive a couple years ago? Why is it okay now? I'm nervous it's going to stay this price forever now. Ugh.
So those are my thoughts today. What's on your mind this Friday? Have a great weekend!
2. There are certain books that maybe aren't the best to read when you're pregnant, emotional, and already having really weird dreams every night. Though it was really good, all the zombies and death and hopelessness and zombies was a little much for me right now. Lesson learned. Wait to read Carrie Ryan's books until I'm NOT pregnant. And when I'm not going to cry at the part where Catcher talks about the little boy he couldn't save...
3. Isn't it amazing how a book can completely change your mood? I knew I needed something to read that was a little bit... um, less horrorifying after the way The Dark and Hollow Places affected me. I picked up Hex Hall, and so far it was just what I needed. A snarky, fun protag and no zombies in sight. At least, not yet. My dreams were noticeably less filled with half-destroyed bodies of the dead coming after me and my children and my unborn baby.
4. Writing is like eating. You think you're full, and couldn't ever eat again after you stuff yourself (or do a writing marathon); but without fail, you always get hungry again. In the same way, I always want to write again, no matter how burned out I may feel one day. By the next, I am craving it again.
5. Is anyone else a little bit freaked out by how expensive gas is? And that they're predicting it's going to go even higher... and no one seems to be that bothered about it? Wasn't everyone freaking out about gas being this expensive a couple years ago? Why is it okay now? I'm nervous it's going to stay this price forever now. Ugh.
So those are my thoughts today. What's on your mind this Friday? Have a great weekend!
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