It's been awhile

It's been a long time since last I posted something. A lot has happened along my journey as a writer. I've read a lot. I've written a lot. I've been stuck a lot. Excited about a manuscript or an idea. Disappointed when I learn I've the only one who loves it. Reality check says, it's all part of the process. Figure out what's wrong and fix it.

I did NaNo last year and then again this year. However this year when I was discovering my main character and having conversations with her I suddenly realized it was a younger me. Not what I was planning. I was doing to find another character but decided I must need to write this. there must be junk inside that I need to explore and accept. So I began writing. I got 25,000 words by the end of the month. I'll keep writing because I think it needs to be written.

I also did PiBoId Mo and came up with 36 ideas. This is my third year so I have so many ideas I think I'll play a game of scramble with them to discover a new idea. A mix of good with semi-good should make one good.

My favorite story's story

I have a manuscript that I really like. It's called Mystery at the Museum of Storybook Artifacts. It's structured using the alphabet but it's not intended to teach it.  The curators of the museum have discovered Snow White's poison apple has been stolen. They search the museum visiting every letter and meeting storybook characters along the way. They bump into the Big Bad Wolf and an Evil Queen who they suspect but have no proof as to their involvement. In the end everyone lives happily ever after. Well almost everyone.

I have submitted it to 8 places/people. I have revised it many times. I have had it critiqued by my 2 different groups and a writing instructor

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I really like it but it hasn't found the one editor or agent who loves it.

I've been thinking. Most of the books are character driven. The market is wanting characters to fall in love with. This is a plot driven story. Maybe that is it's problem for the lack of interest. 

I've decided to set it aside for now. When I get it out again I have decided to make the curators more important, make them the center of the search rather than the apple. Then we'll see what I think of it.

Where's the beauty of language?

The trend in picture books is fewer and fewer word count. Each word becomes so important. Parents are wanting to read to their children in 15 minutes or less. A picture book is becoming illustration dependent. Unfortunately not every parent takes the time to discuss the illustrations. So then I wonder when do the children learn to love language. When do they hear the musical rhythms, the flow of the words, the beauty of language? If the books read to them are limited with words and the early reader books are controlled vocabulary when is the richness of language modeled to them? Will they ever fall in love with books?
I need to know I'm wrong. Someone tell me this is crazy thinking.

A SHOT IN THE BRAIN

I'm in a depressed rut, a valley of ugh, a leaky balloon. I haven't found someone who loves my stories as much as I do. The possibility feels unattainable. So I said,"Self, snap out of it. Pity party is over." And then I stumbled upon the Kidlit Summer School. Daily lessons from writers with the know how. Assignments to complete. Something new for me to work on. A new challenge. A new beginning. Thank you Kami and Sudipta.

I've already written this in my head

I have been writing on this blog each day. However it's all been in my head not on paper or screen.
A lot has happened since the last entry.  First I have quite a few drafts and half drafts on my hard drive. Second I am seeing stories everywhere. I am also wishing a piece of paper was handy not just a paper napkin. But the biggest thing has been the class I took in April which ended a month later in May. Renee LaTulippe's Lyrical Language Lab online class was writer's life changing. She stepped up through the different meters and rhymes. The assignments were critiqued with incredible helpful kindness. I hear her voice (even thought she's never actually talked to me) and her messages about what to watch out for, what to make sure I do, what not to do. I spent a lot of time writing poems and didn't write or revise any of my stories. I was so focused and determined to use what she was teaching. It's a course everyone would become a better writer because of Renee LaTulippe.

Learning from Critiquing

My world since June has been devoted to learning about the world of writing. I've read books and blogs. I've listened to other writers. I've joined writing challenges and submitted manuscripts. But I think joining critique groups have given me an insight into what makes some books travel past the slush pile.

I have read some really nice stories. These nice stories have no zip, no personality, no reason to keep reading. I totally understand why an editor only needs to read 100 words or less to decide if it is publisher worthy. There is little originality, but they are nice sweet stories and boring. 

I have reread some of my stories, they too are nice/sweet and yikes! boring. There's no zip, no reason to keep reading because the plot is soooo predictable.

Another lesson learned as I travel this path

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It needs a twist.

It needs a reason to keep reading.

It needs to be more than nice.

It needs to be unpredictable.

Isn't that just what I have been reading and hearing? Yes. I guess I needed to also see if for myself.

Learning about writing Part 1 of a zillion

I’ve been thinking about all I’ve learned so far. Maybe I should just list them-

The magic of 3. I knew that. I noticed that along time ago when reading to kids and using books to teach reading strategies.

Bad rhyme is like garlic breath, it really stinks. I knew that. I’d be reading a book and then stop, stutter, reread it again, stutter some more and try to change it. It never works and so I continue reading but not really enjoying the book because I’m waiting for the next stumble.

Critiques are valuable. I knew that. I’ve read enough blogs and hear enough writers give credit to their critique groups to know that critiques are part of the journey to finding a home for my stories. I also know that they make me step back and try to see the story through someone else’s eyes.  I’m good at that. I have a fair amount of empathy and interpersonal gifts to see another’s point of view.

There is more reading some days than writing.  I didn’t know that. I was not aware of how much time I could spend reading blogs, articles, books, reviews, interviews, submissions guidelines, others stories rather than write. I read somewhere that if you are reading that’s all part of writing. I guess I do think about writing and characters more now than before even when I wasn’t writing.

The slush pile is where my stories have ended up. I knew it would take time to get someone to notice one. Or I should say, to have a story written well enough to be worthy of publication.

Writing a draft can be quick and easy. I didn’t know that. I seem to write in my head the storyline before I put it on paper.

Writing revisions takes forever. I didn’t know that either. I did know that revision happens again and again, but I didn’t know it would happen again, and again, and again, and again, and again….  Someone wrote about how do you know when you’re done revising?  I saved it.  It’s good.  One thing I remember is, you know when you are debating with yourself if it should be ‘the’ or ‘a’.  I wonder if I’ll ever get there?

Writing takes patience.  I didn’t know that.  I thought I had learned about patience when planting a garden.  Planting a seed and waiting days for it to develop mature, ripen and fully produce a fruit. Then I thought I had learned all there was about patience when I made my first batch of wine.  Waiting, straining, waiting, testing…not days but months this time.  Gardening and wine making have taught me patience and yet in the end, the product is celebrated by consuming it.  Writing a book is another level of patience.  Beginning with the revisions, over and over. The query letters, rejection letters, the no letters. The acceptance of an editor or agent and then the wait for final acceptance followed by not months this time but most likely years until the final ‘fruit’ of all the labor is seen. This time, the celebration is with a consumer and book, the ‘fruit’ is around to be loved, touched, shared, hopefully cherished by kids through their lives.