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Editing is a tedious process for me. I complain about it more than I should, I’m sure. I apologize if I sound like a whiner. But there is one editing tool that I couldn’t live without.

Reading aloud. When I feel my story is fit for human consumption, I read it out loud to my children. I watch for reactions; laughs, furrowing brows, wandering ( Read more... )

They all were (well the ones I participated in) and seriously, if I had the tenacity, I could write a post about each one I lurked over. I learned so very, very much about the idiosyncrasies of the business that I either never knew before or had simply forgotten. Oh my gosh, and the funny! Barbara Poelle and Holly Root somehow managed to have ( Read more... )

I’m entrenched in writing a middle grade novel steeped in love, friendship, jealousy, bravery, cowardice, insecurities and loss.  If I try to read, instead my mind is doing character development. When I try to write a letter, my characters sit on the paper like a cat does on your keyboard.

I do my best thinking in the shower and I needed one, so I ( Read more... )

I attended my first local writer’s guild meeting this week. Yes, I’m a bit slow to only now be joining a writers' group, but that would be another post entirely.

The speaker discussed persuasive writing. Being a bit thick in the head, I sat and wondered, “How does this apply to a writer of children’s fiction?” Well, I’ve figured it out. Behold my ( Read more... )

I have a lot of goals as a writer.  Some of them are simple; like word count or face time with child readers. Some of them are lofty; like selling one manuscript per year or hosting SNL w/Josh Groban as the musical talent. (I had a dream once that was, frankly, awesome!)

But there is one goal that I’d love, love, love to achieve.  Writerly ( Read more... )

Interpretation

-noun

1. the act of interpreting; elucidation; explication: This writer's work demands interpretation.
2. the rendering of a dramatic part, music, etc., so as to bring out the meaning, or to indicate one's particular conception of it.
3. oral translation.

Like so many other English words, this word has many varied definitions. What I like about ( Read more... )

I was enjoying a jazz-fusion concert the other night.  A group of about 16 young adults were singing some jazzy arrangements of pop songs.  There was a section in one of the songs where the high soprano hung out there on her own. I thought I sensed a (very) slight hesitation in her approach and I thought to myself, “I wonder if she feels exposed.”

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In the multiple years that I’ve been writing, I’ve belonged to a few good critique groups that have helped me grow and improve my writing. I’ve also participated in individual critique exchanges that have always given valuable input and challenged the story in ways that have allowed it to grow.

But there is always one factor of feedback that stumps ( Read more... )

I just finished reading a beautiful tribute to Eva Ibbotson by Laura Amy Schlitz. Stunning and emotional. Raw loss wrapped with eloquent words.

Now I’m watching Portia de Rossi stutter and stumble over the topic of her anorexia. Portia and Ellen and half the studio are in tears.

Emotion is much harder to share through the written word than it is ( Read more... )