Write, Write, Write

        I can't believe I haven't written a post in so long! No, that's not true, I CAN believe it! 


First I was in Boston for two weeks. Four days after I returned, I went to a SCBWI conference for my region in Birmingham, AL and had to prepare a manuscript to take along for the all day picture book intensive. 

Photo from SCBWI-LA, 2010

Lisa Yee

        Went to some amazing classes and heard some fabulous authors: Lin Oliver (co-founder of SCBWI and co-author of the Hank Zipzer series with Henry Winkler), Lisa Yee (author of Millicent Min, Girl Genius and her latest, Warp Speed), Lola Schaefer (author of Just One Bite and a bazillion more picture books. She spoke about writing narrative nonfiction picture books  and she taught the all day PB intensive).   

                                                                                                             
       Of course, returning from the conference, I was filled with writing ideas and have been working on those. And suddenly, It's the end of October!

                                                                                                   
    Many writers like to participate in the November NaNoWriMo (National November Writing Month) where you try to write at least 1,000 words per day so you have a first draft of a novel by the end of the month. That's a b-i-i-i-i-g challenge. A big challenge I'm not ready to take yet! However, there's a smaller challenge I'm willing to try for November. 

      Author/writer/blogger  Tara Lazar heads up the PiBoIdMo (Picture Book Idea Month) in which writers create at least one idea  for a picture book story every day in November. No one says they have to be good ideas, just brainstorm away! When you're done, there's hopefully a few potential manuscripts waiting to be written. I joined this a few years ago but quite frankly, I was only half-heartedly trying. This year, I'm all in.
Like all interesting competitions (hey, we're competing against ourselves betting we can -or maybe cannot- do it), there are PRIZES!!! Autographed picture books, original art work, free manuscript critiques, just to mention a few.

    So who's with me on this? What have we got to lose, a few minutes each day? Shoot, I waste more time staring at the computer or TV. We do have a lot to gain, though. And you never know...this might be the idea that gets published. Go to Tara's web site by November 3rd to register. 

On your mark, get set, go  write!                                                 

Write From the Soul

      Life has been hectic. Last Thursday I left with a carload of women writers to drive to Birmingham, AL for the regional SCBWI Fall conference. The other 3 women were all signed up for a day long writers' Intensive on Friday by the keynote speaker, Darcy Pattison. I didn't sign up for the workshop but since I'm no longer a driver, I take rides where I can find them. I was sharing a room with one of my other delightful writer friends, Doraine Bennett- who was also going to the writers' Intensive. So what, pray tell, did I do on that free Friday?


I sat out on the deck of the hotel and wrote. 

Then, I went to the movies. I rarely buy food at the movies but the smell of the popcorn grabbed me and wouldn't let go, so I caved and bought some. And of course, you can't eat popcorn without something to drink. Ten dollars later (yikes!) I was ready for the movie.


BUT........ I needed to carry popcorn and a drink with only one hand. Why you ask? Because the other hand was sweeping in front of me with the white cane I now use. A dilemma, indeed.


I went over to one of the theater staff (they all look like they're about 15 years old, don't they?) and asked for some help. A very nice young man graciously offered to carry both drink and corn for me. Walking down the hall, I commented on how dark the hallways were for people with vision issues. He said he'd tell the manager. At the theater door, he asked where I wanted to sit. When I explained I needed to sit in the very back, in order to see the entire screen, he suggested we take the elevator to the top floor and not walk up all the stadium seating rows. I hope he said that because of the vision, not because he thought I was too old to walk the steps!



Did you know there were elevators in movie theaters???? I didn't. 

Once in the theater, it was very dark so he helped me find the row and seat. I thanked him and he left. As I removed my sweater and visor, I made a discovery. I was still wearing my clip-on sunglasses!!!! No wonder the hallways and theater seemed so dark. (Geez, feel much like a dummy, Gail?) But what a polite young man not to mention the sunglasses to me :-)


Saturday was the conference day - one keynote speech, 4 break-out sessions previously chosen when we registered, lunch, panel Q & A on publishing, writing, querying, and autographing books purchased there by the conference speakers. We fit all that in between 8AM and 4 PM. Oh, and I had a professional critique on my MG book. This was all followed by a 3 hour ride back to Atlanta with a different driver and friend, Cathy Hall. 

We had lots to talk about while the beneficent Mr. Hall drove. (Hey, that's what Cathy likes to call him so who am I to argue!) You see, there's a writing contest prior to the fall and spring conferences. Winners are announced (surprise) at the conference itself. And...... Cathy won 1st place in MG and YA fiction! Woo Hoo! Very exciting. Not only did she win free tuition to the next conference and a free night at the hotel, she also was invited by the senior editor who read all the entries, to submit the complete manuscript for consideration. How awesome is that! You go Cathy!!


The rest of the hecticness- is that even a word?- finishes this weekend.


I'm off to Charleston for 4 days. I'm interviewing friends and family members of a wonderful, gentle-spirited man who was a blacksmith and artisan. I'm writing a picture book about him. Many of the wrought-iron gates, fences, railings, and grills made in Charleston were made by him. I plan to go around the town and photograph them.

Who says retirees are sedentary?

Write From the Soul

I can't tell if this is how I feel,

or if this is how I feel.

But whether it's boisterous or quiet, I am definitely thrilled to be going to my first SCBWI summer conference in Los Angeles!!!!       

I'm flying to  San Diego for three days to visit friends first- a longtime bud from college days and newer friend from an online critique group- then my college bud will drive me up to LA for the 4 day conference. I feel like a kid being dropped off at camp for a first-time experience!



I'm working on the packing now. I've got the clothes laid out and although I don't have a laptop to take notes in, I do have my notebooks and pens at the ready.

Here are my goals for the conference:

1) Have fun

2) Meet new writer friends, get blog addresses and emails

3) Be inspired

4) Have fun

5) Get a little sleep (of course I'm taking a red eye back to Atlanta so I the more tired I am, the better I'll sleep on the plane!

6) Take LOTS of notes in the workshops so I can clearly share the info with critique buddies back home.

7) Possibly make connections with a few agents and/or editors

8) Have fun (did I mention this already?!)

I'll be back, and human, after Aug. 3rd so no posting until then. If you're planning to be at SCBWI - LA, and we haven't touched base yet, please let me know through a comment or by email:
g underscore handle at bellsouth dot net

I would love to plan to meet up with you for: lunch, dinner, coffee, drinks, or just a chat.

California, here I come!                                 

Write From the Soul 18

Am I in Massachusetts or Georgia? Since the 9th of February, I've spent most of my time in Boston with Mom and her now healing kneecap. (By the way..... she will come back home tomorrow and will finish PT- pain and torture...er, I mean physical therapy- at home.)

Anyway, I took a break this past weekend, came back to GA and went to stay in a hotel where the SpringMingle  SCBWI writers' conference was being held. The conference was awesome and as inspiring as last year- my first conference- but what a difference a year makes!

Last year.....went alone, knew no one, found it kind of difficult to connect to people.
This year..... had an unknown  roommate who turned out to be fun and sweet and a talented writer, knew at least a dozen people (from blogs, events attended this year), and found it fairly easy to talk with others.

Last year's career progress....... slim and none, except for 50 business cards in hand.
This year's career progress....... web site, blog, NEW business cards, connection to core players in Southern Breeze because I offered to help and volunteered to assist at conference, as well as 4 stories written and beginnings of 2-3 more.

The speakers at SpringMingle are always motivating. I want to dive back into my writing and just write, write, write! Of course, it doesn't help to be flying between states so much. Of course, if I had a laptop, it would all go with me.

I'd love to buy a laptop. I want to buy a laptop. But I also want to go to the national SCBWI conference in Los Angeles at the end of July and that will cost at least $1,000- $1,500 between flights, hotel, and conference costs. Retiremnet on a teacher's pension means making some choices and I want to go to that conference more than I want the laptop. I guess the writing will have to be done in a notebook and transferred to the desktop for now. Not exactly 21st century technology but it will have to do.

Here's hoping tomorrow will bring scheduled flights that don't get cancelled so I can wing my way back to Massachusetts. I think I'm really in the state of Confusion!