Back-to-Business: TSoLG Winners & Teaching About Writing

First...
Congratulations to the winners of THE SOUND OF LETTING GO cover reveal giveaway! All of the following winners were contacted via email yesterday.

The signed hardcover of AUDITION was won by Vivien

The signed arc of TSoLG was won by Kaitlin

The swag from Elana Johnson, Carrie Harris, Jessi Kirby & Gretchen McNeil was won by Mimi

And, since we had over 2,000 entries, I added 2 extra prize packs (hot-off-the-presses Sound of Letting Go swag ) which were won by Kristia & Debby

Second...
Over the weekend, I had the pleasure of teaching a workshop to some wonderfully talented teen and adult YA writers. The workshop was called NOVEL SUMMER and we discussed strategies for producing a first-draft manuscript by August 30. Here are some of the "rules" we came up with to avoid self-defeating thoughts and behaviors en route to the finish line!

1. Don't read yesterday's work.
2. If you get stuck, allow yourself to "switch brains" by doing research or something else manuscript-related for 10-15 minutes.
3. Don't fear making choices. If you are uncertain about a setting, a character name, or a plot twist, allow yourself to make a decision (choose a city in which to set the story, for example) and remind yourself you can always change these choices in your next draft.
4. Learn your writing idiosyncrasies. Do a ten-minute timed write. Note where you pause, put down your pencil. Is it at the six-minute mark? At the nine? Push yourself a couple minutes past the stall. Force yourself to write two more sentences. See if you can stretch that writing muscle. When you master ten, try twelve minutes. And so on.
5. Incentivize your writing. Look deep in your heart for a reward you can give yourself for a good day, a good week, or a good summer of writing. It doesn't have to be expensive or even tangible. Perhaps you will just allow yourself to have a messy house and not apologize for it. Perhaps you will reconnect with an old friend. If you can afford it, a massage or nice meal isn't bad either!
6. Don't wait for "inspiration to strike." Acknowledge that bad writing days are still better than non-writing days and just because you don't feel creative all the time doesn't mean you have no future as a writer.

Some thougts on Writing Workshops

I've recently had the pleasure of teaching writing workshops at libraries on both the east and west coast.  And I wanted to share a few things that, for me, make the writing workshops lively and satisfying.

• Set a goal for your writing workshop. I say something like, "Our goal for today will be to explore where our stories come from and how we give them depth and rich details."
• Make it clear that this is a safe space for sharing. Especially if this is the first time you've taught a given group, point out that today is about writing and sharing--it's not a critique group--and the feedback you offer will be about the things in the story that are working. STICK TO THE POSITIVE--don't shut down beginning writers!
• Always do the writing assignments with the group.  I think this shows respect for the folks who have come to learn from you and your own dedication to your craft.
• READ OUT LOUD. I think that teens are often asked to write about books but rarely shown how they can USE examples from novels to hone their own craft.  I use excerpts from THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak, REVOLUTION by Jennifer Donnelly, and THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE by Jandy Nelson, among other texts, to model how NAMES/WORD CHOICE, DESCRIPTION/SETTING, and LITERARY FORMS can be explored to enhance your story. (Plus, I love hearing good work read aloud and I think lots of other people do, too!)
• LISTEN.  Encourage writers to share and, when they do, stay focused, take a few notes, and give clear feedback on what is working. The MOST IMPORTANT goal for a writing instructor (I think) is to send students away wanting to write MORE.



We're all in a safe space here!



You're here writing--not home watching television.
Congratulations -- you're already a success tonight!



  

Ask folks to put down pencils when they're finished
so you know when the work is done.



Who says boys don't read--and write?!



If adults want to join the writing group,
I say YES - but they have to really JOIN
the improv and sharing time, too!



Leave time to chat, sign books, and generally hang out after the workshop.
And make sure to continue to encourage young writers
even though your "teacher hat" is off!

Back to Business: A VISIT TO MY LOCAL LIBRARY

I love my local library.  It's neither huge, nor fancy, but the librarians are delightful and the place is always humming with kids and adults.  There's this wonderful sculpture of a bronze frog sitting on a carved wooden book in the children's section.  By the teen shelves is a black-and-white egg chair (very Star Trek) in which my kids always want to sit.  I've brought toddlers to storytime there, culled the biography and science shelves for myriad school projects, and frequently visit the YA section to see what's new. A trip to this library always brightens my day. Like many writers, I guess the library is just a place that feels like home to me.

Last week, I made an appointment with the super-sweet Children & Teen's Librarian, Pam, to talk about offering a writing workshop for teens this summer.  We had a fantastic chat and I'm on the August calendar.  So exciting.