I was watching my son read the other day. He was curled into the corner of our sofa, right next to the lamp, and he had a book that he'd read two times already this month open on the arm of the sofa. He often stays like that for hours, reading books back-to-back as if he's having his own private novel-reading marathon. It reminded me of my own childhood summers, spent stretched along the length of our mauve faux-velvet sofa, head propped against the arm, book resting on my stomach, eagerly diving into another world while my own melted away.
I found myself jealous of him, wanting to recapture that seemingly endless stretch of time that now belongs to him in his childhood. I want the time to re-read books three times in a month again. I used to love the NANCY DREW series, as well as NATE THE GREAT, ENCYCLOPEDIA BROWN, TALES OF A FOURTH GRADE NOTHING and SUPERFUDGE, ESP MCGHEE, the LITTLE HOUSE series, LITTLE WOMEN, THE WITCHES, GEORGE'S MARVELOUS MEDICINE, MATILDA, THE CAT ATE MY GYMSUIT... These were the books that I read over, and over, and over.
How about you? What are some of your favorite childhood reads?
Friday, August 27, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Wisdom on Wednesday
I'm jumping on the alliteration bandwagon here, but who cares? It's catchy, and I like it. And Wisdom on Wednesday is my newest regular feature, so be sure to stop by every Wednesday for my hottest writing (and sometimes acting and dancing, since I do those things too) tips.
My wisdom today for the freelance/not full-time writer is: make a schedule and stick to it.
I have to admit to something here: I am really, really bad at this. I am a clutter person, a have all my projects out at once person, and I totally suck at sticking to a schedule. I don't even remember to take my vitamins most days, guys. Me + schedule = hot mess.
BUT
When I do make a schedule, and I do stick to it, it works. I have time for my kids, and my daily workout, and my writing, and my housework. I even remember to take my vitamins. I KNOW!
So if you want to squeeze in writing around critique groups and kids and marriage and a job and life, you've got to do it. You've got to schedule it in. I wrote my daily routine out and stuck it to the bottom of the calendar, but you put yours wherever you will see it every day. And don't be afraid to be as detailed as you need to be. I have my day blocked out in half-hour increments that include things like folding laundry, vacuuming, cooking and eating (which sounds really dumb but the kids need to eat at about the same time every day anyway, so I may as well schedule it in - stop staring, I know I'm weird), playtime, etc. My "work" time, in the evening, is split into time to answer emails, critique, blog, and write.
Make a schedule. Stick to it.
It works.
My wisdom today for the freelance/not full-time writer is: make a schedule and stick to it.
I have to admit to something here: I am really, really bad at this. I am a clutter person, a have all my projects out at once person, and I totally suck at sticking to a schedule. I don't even remember to take my vitamins most days, guys. Me + schedule = hot mess.
BUT
When I do make a schedule, and I do stick to it, it works. I have time for my kids, and my daily workout, and my writing, and my housework. I even remember to take my vitamins. I KNOW!
So if you want to squeeze in writing around critique groups and kids and marriage and a job and life, you've got to do it. You've got to schedule it in. I wrote my daily routine out and stuck it to the bottom of the calendar, but you put yours wherever you will see it every day. And don't be afraid to be as detailed as you need to be. I have my day blocked out in half-hour increments that include things like folding laundry, vacuuming, cooking and eating (which sounds really dumb but the kids need to eat at about the same time every day anyway, so I may as well schedule it in - stop staring, I know I'm weird), playtime, etc. My "work" time, in the evening, is split into time to answer emails, critique, blog, and write.
Make a schedule. Stick to it.
It works.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Did You Skip Your Starbucks Today?
Because of writer and blogger C. J. Redwine's quest to adopt a baby girl from China, I did.
You should, too.
Do it for the contests. Do it because it's a good thing. It doesn't matter.
Just do it.
You should, too.
Do it for the contests. Do it because it's a good thing. It doesn't matter.
Just do it.
Life is Beautiful
Especially when it gives me ideas for my manuscripts.
I love it when I'm out for a walk, or watching something on TV, or even (like this morning) trying to sleep and somebody says something that just clicks in my mind, and I suddenly have half a picture book written in my head, or maybe I just think, "That would be an awesome thing for the MC in my novel to say." I love it when life just hands you a gift like that.
I get some of my best ideas from just living life, and letting myself listen and look and be aware of the world around me and be open to the possibilities that might arise from it.
These are the last days of summer; many of us are returning to work, or to the daily routine of early rising, packed lunches, and school runs. Lets rejoice in these opportunities to leave our laptops for a while, and be ready to receive the little gifts of inspiration that might come our way.
My kids are a great source of inspiration for me. How about you? Where do you get your ideas?
I love it when I'm out for a walk, or watching something on TV, or even (like this morning) trying to sleep and somebody says something that just clicks in my mind, and I suddenly have half a picture book written in my head, or maybe I just think, "That would be an awesome thing for the MC in my novel to say." I love it when life just hands you a gift like that.
I get some of my best ideas from just living life, and letting myself listen and look and be aware of the world around me and be open to the possibilities that might arise from it.
These are the last days of summer; many of us are returning to work, or to the daily routine of early rising, packed lunches, and school runs. Lets rejoice in these opportunities to leave our laptops for a while, and be ready to receive the little gifts of inspiration that might come our way.
My kids are a great source of inspiration for me. How about you? Where do you get your ideas?
Saturday, August 21, 2010
Contest!
My contest is over, but there's still time to join writer Shannon Whitney Messenger's mega-epic-contest-of-awesome, in which you can win one of five awesome ARCs. WOW! I'm excited about this one, guys. You have no idea how much I like getting to read a great book before everyone else. No. Idea.
So go over and enter! And remember to let her know in the entry form who sent you there.
So go over and enter! And remember to let her know in the entry form who sent you there.
The Winner of the Astonishingly Brilliant Query Critique Contest! And...Pictures!
Thank you to everyone who entered the Astonishingly Brilliant Query Critique Contest! I sincerely appreciate all your efforts to advertise my contest and send more people my way. And for those of you who didn't want to enter but just posted to say "hi" and tell me you think my blog and my contest are cool, thank you. All of you guys are pretty cool, too!
ANNNNNNNNND, after having my younger son choose one entry from the many that were thrown into the hat, I am pleased to announce that the winner of the contest is...
(drumroll)
Wendy! YAY! (applause, applause)
Congratulations, Wendy! I'll email you to discuss the how and when of your prize.
AND FINALLY, I have a face! I have to apologize to those of you who have been longtime followers, because I know I promised you a headshot, and that is obviously not a headshot. But the headshot is my reward to myself for selling a book, and seriously, do you know how long it can take to sell a book? If it takes 6-8 months for the publishers to even get back to you, then that's...hmm...longer than it would take Greenland to melt, maybe. Okay, not really that long. But it feels like it! And I did not want to remain faceless for that long of a time. So, that lady up there in the corner? That's me. Thanks to my wonderful husband, who took that photo, and to my wonderful children, who tried to stop him.
ANNNNNNNNND, after having my younger son choose one entry from the many that were thrown into the hat, I am pleased to announce that the winner of the contest is...
(drumroll)
Wendy! YAY! (applause, applause)
Congratulations, Wendy! I'll email you to discuss the how and when of your prize.
AND FINALLY, I have a face! I have to apologize to those of you who have been longtime followers, because I know I promised you a headshot, and that is obviously not a headshot. But the headshot is my reward to myself for selling a book, and seriously, do you know how long it can take to sell a book? If it takes 6-8 months for the publishers to even get back to you, then that's...hmm...longer than it would take Greenland to melt, maybe. Okay, not really that long. But it feels like it! And I did not want to remain faceless for that long of a time. So, that lady up there in the corner? That's me. Thanks to my wonderful husband, who took that photo, and to my wonderful children, who tried to stop him.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Friday Favorites
Welcome to the first installment of Friday Favorites, a new regular feature on the blog, in which we discuss all things favorite.
This week, I thought I'd share my favorite blogs for writers. All the blogs I'm going to mention are in my sidebar to the left, but I know how sometimes that stuff off to the side gets, well, shoved off to the side... So, um, I'm mentioning them here! Where they can get the attention they deserve.
The first blog I look at is Mary Kole's Kidlit Blog. Mary gives great, in-depth answers to questions from readers, and it's a super insight into the publishing industry, an agent's mind, and the craft of writing.
I always head over to Editorial Anonymous for an honest, no-holds-barred take on the publishing industry from the editor's side of the desk. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder that there are a lot of crazies out there who make my queries look REALLY good!
Sometime after lunch, I hop on over to Nathan Bransford's blog. He's an author and a literary agent with Curtis Brown, who sadly does not represent picture book authors. Boo! But what he DOES do is write and maintain the most informative, helpful, perfect blog by an agent for writers EVER. He offers a weekly contest to win a first-page critique (by him! I KNOW!), a Friday morning summary of the week's hot topics in publishing, and a bazillion posts on craft, querying etiquette and technique, pitches, etc., etc., ETC. AND, his posts make me snort juice out my nose at least once a week because he's so funny. 4,257 followers don't lie, guys. Go read his blog.
My last blog for today is by a writer. It's one I recently discovered, and I know a lot of you came to my blog from hers, but for those of you who have been with me for a while, have you seen Casey McCormick's blog??? OMG, guys! She has agent profiles there! And weekly tips! And pages and pages of info on writing craft and Beta readers and looking for an agent! Go check her out! We need to figure out how to tell the Writer's Digest blog award people about her, because her blog is the most informative blog by a writer for writers that I have ever, ever seen.
Obviously, I like a lot more blogs, but these are the ones I check every day. How about you guys? What are your favorites?
This week, I thought I'd share my favorite blogs for writers. All the blogs I'm going to mention are in my sidebar to the left, but I know how sometimes that stuff off to the side gets, well, shoved off to the side... So, um, I'm mentioning them here! Where they can get the attention they deserve.
The first blog I look at is Mary Kole's Kidlit Blog. Mary gives great, in-depth answers to questions from readers, and it's a super insight into the publishing industry, an agent's mind, and the craft of writing.
I always head over to Editorial Anonymous for an honest, no-holds-barred take on the publishing industry from the editor's side of the desk. If nothing else, it serves as a reminder that there are a lot of crazies out there who make my queries look REALLY good!
Sometime after lunch, I hop on over to Nathan Bransford's blog. He's an author and a literary agent with Curtis Brown, who sadly does not represent picture book authors. Boo! But what he DOES do is write and maintain the most informative, helpful, perfect blog by an agent for writers EVER. He offers a weekly contest to win a first-page critique (by him! I KNOW!), a Friday morning summary of the week's hot topics in publishing, and a bazillion posts on craft, querying etiquette and technique, pitches, etc., etc., ETC. AND, his posts make me snort juice out my nose at least once a week because he's so funny. 4,257 followers don't lie, guys. Go read his blog.
My last blog for today is by a writer. It's one I recently discovered, and I know a lot of you came to my blog from hers, but for those of you who have been with me for a while, have you seen Casey McCormick's blog??? OMG, guys! She has agent profiles there! And weekly tips! And pages and pages of info on writing craft and Beta readers and looking for an agent! Go check her out! We need to figure out how to tell the Writer's Digest blog award people about her, because her blog is the most informative blog by a writer for writers that I have ever, ever seen.
Obviously, I like a lot more blogs, but these are the ones I check every day. How about you guys? What are your favorites?
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