(I loved it!)
Showing posts with label afterglow. Show all posts
Showing posts with label afterglow. Show all posts
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Monday, May 23, 2011
Mega Start of Summer Contest
It's the start of summer! Well, it doesn't feel like it where I am, but the calendar doesn't lie!Go over and follow AFTERGLOW BOOK REVIEWS -- there's a mega Start of Summer Giveaway starting on today!
Win great prizes donated by the contributors of the blog.
And then, if you're in New England, put June 21 on your calendar. We'll be reliving some of the fun times from the NESCBWI conference and celebrating the start of summer by having a children's writers/illustrators Meet Up in Burlington, Massachusetts. We haven't selected the location yet, so if you have any suggestions, let us know! And we look forward to seeing you there!Friday, May 20, 2011
Four on Friday--things I learned at NESCBWI
Remember to go over and follow AFTERGLOW BOOK REVIEWS -- there's a mega Start of Summer Giveaway starting on Monday.
***
I still can't believe the NESCBWI (New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) is over. My crit group had been looking forward to it for months--we don't get to see each other in person all that often. And now it's over. :( But I did take away a few things I wanted to share.
1. As I've mentioned before, be prepared to answer the question "What's your book about?" anytime, any where. Call it your pitch, call it your log line, but know it and be prepared to say it out loud, to friends, agents, and anyone else interested in hearing about your writing.
2. "Show don't Tell" has a fancy scientific name--"Elision." And Janet Fox can talk much more intelligently about it than I can. Just know that it's all about the space between the words, sentence structure, and leaving things out. Read her article to find out how to add to your manuscript during the revision process.
3. In order to be successful at this writing thing, you have to DO THE WORK. Lin Oliver, co-founder of SCBWI, shared success stories from the vaults. And they all had one thing in common--you have to DO THE WORK. Which basically means, Butt in Chair, Hands On Keyboard.
4. Publishing isn't really a solitary activity. Writing might be, but once you're on the path to publication, you're a part of a team. You've got to be a team player; Divas can be spotted a mile away and no one wants to be their friends. Be a team player.
There were tons of other things I learned, but these are the four that come to immediate mind--so I'm going with them. :)
I can't wait for next year.
***
I still can't believe the NESCBWI (New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) is over. My crit group had been looking forward to it for months--we don't get to see each other in person all that often. And now it's over. :( But I did take away a few things I wanted to share.
1. As I've mentioned before, be prepared to answer the question "What's your book about?" anytime, any where. Call it your pitch, call it your log line, but know it and be prepared to say it out loud, to friends, agents, and anyone else interested in hearing about your writing.
2. "Show don't Tell" has a fancy scientific name--"Elision." And Janet Fox can talk much more intelligently about it than I can. Just know that it's all about the space between the words, sentence structure, and leaving things out. Read her article to find out how to add to your manuscript during the revision process.
3. In order to be successful at this writing thing, you have to DO THE WORK. Lin Oliver, co-founder of SCBWI, shared success stories from the vaults. And they all had one thing in common--you have to DO THE WORK. Which basically means, Butt in Chair, Hands On Keyboard.
4. Publishing isn't really a solitary activity. Writing might be, but once you're on the path to publication, you're a part of a team. You've got to be a team player; Divas can be spotted a mile away and no one wants to be their friends. Be a team player.
There were tons of other things I learned, but these are the four that come to immediate mind--so I'm going with them. :)
I can't wait for next year.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
Writing (and Banding) Together
One of my favorite things about being a writer is the incredible community I have discovered. I never in a million years expected to find friends, colleagues, or writing partners when I started writing for children a few years ago.
Recently, I joined the Afterglow Book Review blog as a contributor. It's an incredible group of writers and bloggers who love books. We're hosting a big blowout Beginning of Summer Spectacular starting on Monday (5/23). Thanks to the energy of Jen Daiker, the crew is hosting a giant giveaway--check it out and enter to win some fabulous prizes.
There are lots of ways to band together with other writers.
1. Write with Tina Laurel Lee in the Practice Room.
2. Critique with friends at Critique Circle.
3. Form your own critique group (online or in person) (NESCBWI Critique Group Resources)
4. Go to a workshop or a conference--it's great to meet other writers!
Share your other methods of banding together!
Recently, I joined the Afterglow Book Review blog as a contributor. It's an incredible group of writers and bloggers who love books. We're hosting a big blowout Beginning of Summer Spectacular starting on Monday (5/23). Thanks to the energy of Jen Daiker, the crew is hosting a giant giveaway--check it out and enter to win some fabulous prizes.
There are lots of ways to band together with other writers.
1. Write with Tina Laurel Lee in the Practice Room.
2. Critique with friends at Critique Circle.
3. Form your own critique group (online or in person) (NESCBWI Critique Group Resources)
4. Go to a workshop or a conference--it's great to meet other writers!
Share your other methods of banding together!
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Afterglow
I'm very excited to announce that I'll be contributing to the group blog Afterglow Book Reviews. There are a great group of writers and readers who are part of this group--I love the concept:
Remember the feeling you got when you closed the back cover on a book that spoke to you? How you set it aside on your end table or night stand and lay back feeling amazed, traumatized, bewildered, and somehow changed?Check it out! I posted my first review today!
That's the afterglow.
Afterglow Book Reviews highlight only our very favorite books, and reviews are posted in the midst of the afterglow. This makes us more like book addict enablers than reviewers, but we're okay with that.
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