vacation

I’m off tomorrow for a vacation and should be back on November 12. I’m taking way too much to read and write. But I’ll lay it aside at the drop of a hat and enjoy this time off.
So, check back on the 12th, or subscribe to my feed and I’ll show up automatically [...]

Shrunken Manuscript v. Spreadsheet Plotting

There are two good ways to look at the overall shape of a manuscript: the shrunken manuscript and spreadsheet plotting. Also see More Shrunken Manuscripts. When do you use which?
Both are ways of compressing information into a manageable format. The main difference is that the shrunken manuscript is more visual, [...]

Spreadsheet plotting

Note: This technique was recommended by several readers and after I’ve tried it, I’m a convert! Thanks for the suggestions!
Some writers like to keep a running inventory of their story by doing Spreadsheet Plotting. Choose your favorite spreadsheet program and open it. I totally ignore the line numbers at the left. Choose [...]

Originality

How can you be original in your work?
It’s a question I’ve been exploring all year as I worked on picture book ideas especially. Last year, many of my pb rejections said, “This is well written, but it just doesn’t stand out in a crowded market.”
Of course, that made me mad! And when I [...]

Voice: Staying consistent

I’m working on a revision right now and after several false starts, I created a voice that I really like. It’s heavily dependent on a narrator and is pretty informal. It’s worked well for most of Act I.
But as I enter Act II, I’m finding it hard to judge whether I strayed from [...]

Prophetic Openings

“They murdered him.”
Opening line from The Chocolate Wars by Robert Cormier.
I remember reading The Chocolate Wars for the first time. I was fascinated by the rivalries set up and by the ultimate price paid by the main character. Then, Robert Cormier came to Little Rock to speak and I went back and took [...]

Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award 2007

I got back from Seattle at midnight Sunday, and got up the next morning early to attend the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award banquet, where I was the recipient of the Individual Artist award for my work in children’s literature. Previous recipients are sculptors, painters and architects (E. Fay Jones), so it was amazing that [...]

Seattle 2007 retreat

Wow! What a trip to Seattle!
I got to meet Mitsy, the Dragon who guards the entrance to the Mirrorstone Books office. And of course, I also met with Nina Hess, the Senior Editor Extraordinaire.
Then, I almost got swept off my feet with the windstorm that hit the city, sending fall leaves blowing. [...]

Flap copy

Someone recently asked, “What is flap copy?”
Flap copy is the blurb that appears on the flap of the dust jacket for a book. It’s written like a “hook,” trying to persuade the reader that they will enjoy reading this book, so go buy it! Sometimes, it’s referred to as jacket copy.
It is the second [...]

Fall schedule

Fall Schedule

October 19-21 Novel Revision Retreat, Washington SCBWI, outside Seattle, WA at a retreat center.
October 22 Arkansas Governor’s Arts Awards Luncheon. Rogers, AR. I will be the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for my work in children’s literature.
November 2-3 Self-Editing Workshop, Hawaii SCBWI, Honolulu, [...]