Monday, April 12, 2010

Shiny New Tools

The SCBWI-WWA team always hosts a great conference. I didn't realize that the Chinook Update was being updated live ... so go here for juicy tidbits and shiny new tools.

I love catching up with the larger writing community in the Pacific NW. I always come away inspired with new tools in my writer's toolbox. This time I have some concrete methods to try for pacing my novel, thanks to the excellent advice of Laini Taylor, Jay Asher and Edward Necarsulmer IV.

I enjoyed the Blueboard+ dinner Saturday night. What a crowd! I almost didn't go because of a severe headache, but luckily I had some medicine with me. So if anybody thought I had a pained expression on my face, please don't think you were the cause of it. Thanks to Janeen Adil and Loralee Leavitt for taking care of me.

And now it's time to catch up on my teaching and get back to my novel -- I have shiny new tools to play with.
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14 comments:

Bish Denham said...

You are so lucky and blessed to have such an active SCBWI team. Glad you had fun, despite the headache.

Rachel Hamby said...

So happy to hear you had a good time, and I hope your headache didn't last too long!

Angela Ackerman said...

Oh I would love to have gone! Thanks for the link!

Tahereh said...

aww that's awesome!!

best of luck with everything!!

Mary Witzl said...

Conferences are a great way to learn things that seem obvious, but really aren't. I need help with pacing, so when I have the time, I will visit those sites!

Don't headaches have a way of coming on just when you don't need them?

Vijaya said...

Thanks ladies. It's funny how some of the talks were geared to exactly the kinds of things I'm struggling with right now.

I'll post more once I've processed.

Marcia said...

Sounds like it was great. Sorry about the headache, but at least it didn't stop you. Enjoy those new tools!

Write2ignite said...

THe conference sounds like a blast...as does the Blueboard dinner! I think it is fabulous that you got to hang out in person with so many of the folks we talk to over on Verla's. What a blessing!

I hope your novel is coming along beautifully, my friend. I can't wait to hear all about it!

Suma Subramaniam said...

Hi Vijaya,

Hope your novel is coming along well. The conference did generate some very interesting lines of thought.

Best,
Suma

Vijaya said...

Ladies, Suma was one of about 10 people whose manuscript was deemed outstanding! Congratutaions, Suma.

It is always fun to meet people with whom we already have an online relationship with.

I'm hoping some day all our paths will cross in the real world.

Hema Penmetsa said...

Vijaya, I heard (read, rather) about the same conference at a friend's blog, too, and she had a lot of interesting and good things to say about it. Sounds like it was a lot of fun!

I'm looking forward to an agent/editor day sponsored by my local SCBWI chapter next weekend, myself!

Vijaya said...

Hema, thank you for stopping by and have a wonderful time at your local conference. Is it a pitch session?

Hema Penmetsa said...

Vijaya, the agent and editor have talks scheduled and then follows a critique session - I have sent in 10 pages of my manuscript (as have others). We get either the agent or editor or a local author to critique them for us. I'm not sure how detailed a critique they'll provide, but I'm excited nevertheless!

Vijaya said...

That's great, Hema. I think a critique by a professional can be very useful. I think the depth of the critique depends on the person critiquing. I've only had a few like this and they've varied from a general critique, talking about the overall quality to a detailed critique including line editing. Best of luck.