Moving Day

I will have much news to report from WisCon, but first--moving day news.

I am moving to Live Journal. Please forgive the generic formating and uncustomizable design. You may now catch my blog (Green Apples and Gardenias) here: http://juliettecrane.livejournal.com/

Please update your bookmarks and see you there!

Longstanding

After a bit of a hiatus, I have much news to report. I spent a few days in Door County, WI, stayed at one of my favorite places, The Thorp House, and had a wonderful time hiking the trails of Penninsula State Park and meeting with some crazy locals at the Blue Horse coffehouse.

Of course, people always ask for your story. "So what do you do?" That's a question I sometimes hate answering for my answer right now is "writing a novel." And naturally, everyone thinks they can write a book too, and being the helpful kind of people that I meet, they always have the next great idea for me to write about.

So Door County was wonderful, but it was the first vacation I can ever remember being on when I couldn't wait to get home. Maybe it had something to do with my decision to attend the Odyssey workshop in New Hampshire this summer, of which I am so excited to have gotten in and have my manuscript critiqued by a fabulous group of people. The workshop can only be a good thing.

All About Children's Book Writing

I have debated joining the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for a while now. Author Kashmira Sheth was the first to mention it, telling me she got her agent through an SCBWI contact and that joining would be a great way to meet wonderful people in children's publishing. Still, I dragged my feet. Until finally last Saturday when I attended the SCBWI spring luncheon.

I sat at a table with fellow veggie lovers--authors Eileen Lucas, Anne Bingham, and Silvia Acevedo and illustrator Jeff Miracola. Oconomowoc Lake, one of my old stomping grounds in high school, made for a fabulous backdrop to our conversations. It was wonderful to meet many talented people and to talk specifically about writing and illustrating for children. Everyone was so willing to share their expertise.

The luncheon included a talk with Sarah Cloots, an editor from Greenwillow Books, who talked publishing and marketing. One phrase really hit home. When writers asked what books were selling, she stressed not to focus on what sells but to "write the story you have to tell." Find your own voice. In an industry where your heart can often be clouded by dollar signs, that was thrilling to hear.

As I am now an official SCBWI member, I look forward to meeting up with everyone again at future events.

A Moveable Feast

Just finished A Moveable Feast by Ernest Hemingway. When I started that book I figured it would help me with being away from writing while on vacation, figured getting inside Hemingway's head would help me to relate my feelings about writing to his experiences. I thought I'd be fascinated by his lifestyle and the people he met while in Paris. And I was. But mostly, I thrived hearing about his writing habits, both while writing and in daily living, and by the end of the book my thoughts on being a writer in general changed.

While Hemingway was great and very introspective, at least he seems to be in A Moveable Feast, I realized I admired his discipline as a writer, but I don't want to be like him. I love young adult fiction most. A few weeks ago when I had lunch with a friend she asked if I considered myself a YA writer and I had to think about it, not knowing if I liked and appreciated the label. Well, of course I don't want to be boxed in to any one category, but after several trips to the library and book stores where I stood in awe and marvel at the children's classics and new releases lined on the shelves, that is where I see myself. And this is what keeps me working.

At some point I wish to record all of the books I'm reading and have read into Goodreads. For now, a new book shall be added to my reading list.

No Test Today

I am so excited to see WISCON has extended their deadline for submissions to their writers' workshop. I now have two extra weeks to polish my first four chapters and am anxious to expand on characterization. I am also excited to see the workshop's list of "participating pros." Sarah Prineas (YA fantasy author of The Magic Thief, due to hit stores June 3, 2008) will be there and I really hope to work with her and get some advice from another new author. I might even contact her beforehand. After reading her bio, she sounds like such a great, imaginative person, plus her husband is a scientist and works with weird devices that look like aliens in his physic's lab.

Back to novel writing. It is a crazy thunderstorming day, quite perfect for buckling down and using an extra two weeks to write.

Snow, snow. Please go away and don't come back again

Yesterday I was out walking all afternoon in the warmth and sunshine because I had heard this would happen. Yet another blizzard. Yes, we are snowed in, and really it is the perfect way to write with snow slapping the windows. But the sunshine was oh so nice.

Here is a drawing I did to remind us the sun will come out again:

On Writing

I've been thinking a lot about the novel writing process and what changes from a first to second draft.

My initial skeleton (first draft) is so full of creative energy. Of course the plot lines don't all add up or even work and a million changes need to be made, but writing the second draft has become an analytical process and looking back and remembering that first draft helps me remember why I loved this story so much in the first place.

Looking back and using some of the ideas I initially had and the scenes I first wrote makes the second draft unflatten. I also find that since I have been reading so much, my new ideas are not as adventurous and risky. They are more plot driven and simplified so readers can understand them, which is great, but I really enjoy remembering where this story started and what I really wanted it to be about. Finding the balance between the drafts is what will make this novel really work.