About Fiction Notes
You know how to write a first draft.
But do you know how to revise your way to a contract?
Why Revise?
- Before revision: Nice story
- After revision: Richer, deeper–the story of your dreams
Fiction Notes is an ongoing, innovative, in-depth guide to revision.
But that’s not enough.
Revision is hard, discouraging. We recognize that you need encouragement, you need someone who reminds you: Believe in Your Story. You can revise, you can sell, your dream can come true.
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| 2k11 and 2k12 DEBUT NOVELISTS Talk about Revising Their Manuascripts |
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Darcy Pattison’s shrunken manuscript technique for analyzing the overall flow and pacing of my novel was the single most helpful tip I have ever picked up at a workshop. Highly recommended! –Carole Estby Dagg
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My initial reaction after finishing a first draft is to ask myself “Now What?” That question is answered and then some in Darcy’s novel revision retreats (I’ve done two so far). The large group sessions where Darcy discusses things like character, plot, setting and word choice help you wrap your brain around where your novel needs work. The break-out sessions with your critique group help you apply Darcy’s revision principles to your specific story. In the end, you walk away with a clear picture of how to take your novel apart and put it back together in a way that will make it a much stronger story. Hanging out with Darcy and other writers who are in your shoes is a big bonus too! –Christina Mandelski
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Darcy gets you to see through your own words to find the heart and bones of – Sue Cowing
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I revised a manuscript for an editor at Scholastic before it was accepted. His offer letter said, “The ability to have such insight about one’s own work is as rare as the talent to generate a fun and meaningful story.” Darcy Pattison taught me how to look at my own work with a powerful set of tools for considering voice, structure, action, sensory detail, and more. It always feels magical to make a story better, but it’s not magic. It’s a matter of understanding and using the tools we writers have. Darcy built the toolbox for us with her blog, her workshops, and her book, Novel Metamorphosis. We still have to do the heavy lifting, but we’re not doing it alone. — Martha Brockenbrough Martha Brockenbrough http://marthabrockenbrough.com |
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Darcy Pattison’s shrunken manuscript technique pushed me to see my book in its entirety — what was working and what needed to change. On the micro level, I appreciated Darcy’s emphasis on imagery and the senses — particularly taste, touch, and smell — which bring to a story texture and depth.
COMING IN 2012: MAY B. (Schwartz and Wade/Random House Children’s Books) |
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A Peek at a Retreat |
The Year We Were Famous
THE SWEETEST THING, Egmont USA, May 2011
YOU WILL CALL ME DROG, Carolrhoda, September 2011.
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Writing Teacher and Author, Darcy Pattison
Writer and Writing Teacher, Darcy Pattison
Darcy Pattison is an Arkansas children’s book author and writing teacher. In 1999, she created the Novel Revision Retreat, which she now teaches across the nation. Translated into eight languages, her picture books and middle grade novel (listed below), have been recognized for excellence by starred reviews, Book of the Year awards, state award lists and more. She is the 2007 recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Arts Award for Individual Artist for her work in children’s literature.
Publicity Photos
Fiction
- The Scary Slopes (My First Graphic Novel series, Stone Arch Books, 2011). Snowboarding fun in a simple graphic novel format.
- 19 Girls and Me (Philomel, 2006), a picture book, illustrated by Steven Salerno, about friendship in a kindergarten class with nineteen girls and one lone boy. Translated into Chinese (Commonwealth Magazine Co./Taiwan), Arabic (Dar El Shorouk/Egypt) and German. Reviewed in Kirkus, PW, SLJ. Children’s Book of the Month Club selection.
- Searching for Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt, 2005), a picture book illustrated by Joe Cepeda. When Oliver is missing for sixty days, his friends send Imogene Poplar, P.I.–a wooden woman–to find him. Reviewed in Kirkus, PW, BCCB, SLJ, Booklist. 2007-8 Arkansas Diamond Award Reading list.
- The Journey of Oliver K. Woodman (Harcourt Inc., 2003), a picture book illustrated by Joe Cepeda . A wooden man travels across the United States to connect a family. Reviewed in PW, SLJ, Booklist, and Horn Book. *Starred reviews in Kirkus and BCCB. Autumn 2003 Children’s Booksense 76. Child magazine Best Books of the Year 2003. Nick Jr. Family Magazine Best Books of the Year 2003. CCBC Choices 2004 list. Irma S. and James H. Black Picture Book Award Honor Book. Nutmeg Media Children’s Picture Books on Video, June 2005; 2006 ALA Notable Video.
- The Wayfinder (Greenwillow Books, 2000; paperback, Mims House, 2011), a middle-grade fantasy novel. Winchal Eldras goes on a quest for healing both for himself and for his land. It has been reviewed in SLJ, Booklist, BCCB, Horn Book, VOYA and Locus Magazine. Translated into Spanish, El buscador de camino, (Groupo Editorial Norma, www.norma.com)
- The River Dragon (Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1991), a picture book illustrated by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng. Translated into Swedish, Danish and Norwegian.
Forthcoming Fiction
- Prairie Storms (Sylvan Dell Publishers, 2011). A year of storms for the prairie animals.
- Desert Baths (Sylvan Dell Publishers, 2012). A day full of desert baths.
How-to-Write books
- Paper Lightning: Sparking Student Brainstorming for Effective Pre-writing (Cottonwood Press, 2008).A teacher-resource book about brainstorming and pre-writing.
- Novel Metamorphosis: Uncommon Ways to Revise (Mims House, 2008). This is the workbook to the popular Darcy Pattison Novel Revision Retreat.
Professional Activities
Darcy has written non-fiction for children for Highlights Magazine, Kids Wall Street News and fiction for Clubhouse Magazine. She written about writing for Writer’s Digest, SCBWI Bulletin, Children’s Writers & Illustrators Market 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003, Children’s Writer, and Children’s Book Insider. Darcy served as Arkansas Regional Advisor for the Society of Children’s Bookwriters and Illustrators (SCBWI) from 1991-96. From 1991-2004, she served as Director of the AR – SCBWI “Writing & Illustrating for Children Conference.” For six years, she was the Children’s Book Reviewer for the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. In 1999, Darcy created the Novel Revision Retreat, which she teaches nationwide. She taught writing at the University of Central Arkansas for six years. She is a member of the Author’s Guild. In 2007, Darcy was named the recipient of the Arkansas Governor’s Art Award for Individual Artist.
