Notes from the Carolinas SCBWI Conference

Deana and her mentor Lisa Kline

Deana (my face-to-face critter) and me.
I brought a sales copy of Ten Easter Eggs
to show-n-tell at the book signing.

Me and Becky.
Next year we have to get
Butt and Underpants guy
to pose with Becky.




Emma Dryden and me
 

 I have no tidbits to share about what editors and agents want. Zero. That's because I parked my butt in Emma Dryden's class the entire time. If you ever have the chance to study with her, do it. She is a pro! Some of this you all know -- write hot, lusty first drafts. Anything goes. Revise with a cool head. Change it up. Try different viewpoints, voices, formats. I had minor heart-attack epiphanies while I did the writing exercises. I realized I should add a plot thread in the historical. Oh, good grief, do I really need to do this? Esp. after I cut out not one, but THREE plot threads already? You can see why this is both distressing and wonderful all at once. Instead of plodding on by myself, I have some insight into what will make my book better. Now if only the words would magically write themselves :) I think many of us had these moments in that classroom. I loved hearing excerpts of what others were working on and was impressed with the quality of writing during brainstorming.




My roomie Jacqueline and me

Keynotes were fabulous. Linda Ashman spoke about the lessons she's learned from twenty years of writing picture books. I'll share two: cultivate patience. Read and write poetry. I'm working on the first. It's my *word* for the year. Linda is incredibly gifted and of course, by the time I made it to the bookstore, all hers were sold out. I did get a look while sitting in the book signing line. And I just ordered Myra Cohn Livingston's Making Poems.

Carrie Ryan gave the closing keynote. Writers WRITE. Make time for it. Make it a priority. I cracked up over not wasting precious time telling someone on the internet that they are wrong! Ahem ...

I came home to this: key lime pie, some fresh veggies from the garden, and my sweet family. Now it's time to put all that I learned from Emma into practice. I might have a few less hair on my head, or maybe it will turn whiter .. but the writing calls to me. I'm sure some of Emma's wisdom will seep into my future posts, so stay tuned.