By Amanda Smith

Last Saturday five fabulous speakers and almost eighty eager writers gathered at Mount Wachusett Community College. Every year NESCBWI offers a one-day mini conference in the fall where the cream of the crop from the Spring conference present their workshops. This year, for the first time, NESCBWI offered two Encore events, to make these valuable workshops available to more writers.

Even though all the speakers’ presentations were excellent and full of practical and eye opening advice, often the most honest, most useful tidbits are shared once the presenters go off script. These bite size bits of revelation are what I would like to share with you.

Anna Staniszsewski (Power Down, Little Robot, Once Upon a Cruise) spoke about finding the emotional heart of your picture book. She urged us to ask the hard questions before we start drafting. Knowing the heart of your story will keep you on track as you write. She also reminded us not to teach a moral. “Your point will get across if you tell a good story.”

Kristine Carlson Asselin (Any Way You Slice It) gave an excellent presentation on query letters. My biggest take away from her talk is that there are rules, and ways to break them, but above all, your query letter should be professional and appropriate. Her workshop connected well with Anna’s in that as writers we have to know the heart of our story in order to pitch our work project convincingly and effectively. She summed it up with this quote by Albert Einstein, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

With humor, music, and some boss handouts, Annie (AC) Gaughen (The Scarlet Trilogy) lead us to discover our antagonist’s story. It was a fascinating exercise to dig into my antagonist’s background, character traits and motivations. Through Annie’s guidance, I discovered that what the protagonist views as his strengths, are often his greatest weaknesses in the eyes of the antagonist. That contradiction lies at the heart of your story and exploring it builds strong conflict.

Erin Dionne (Ollie & the Science of Treasure Hunting, Moxie and the Art of Rule Breaking) helped us become better critique givers and receivers. Sticking to the unwritten theme of the day, she challenged us to identify the core of our story. “What is the thing, that if you take it away, makes your story collapse?” she asked. One of her most helpful off script tips was to keep a different note book for every book you are working on. Why didn’t I think of this before? No more flipping through three different notebooks containing conference notes, and free writing, and research on multiple projects to find a hurried note scribbled down in the middle of the night. No more filling through folders with slips of paper flying everywhere. Thank you, Erin! You have changed my life!

To end our full day, Trisha Leaver(The Secrets We Keep) challenged us to bleed onto the pages, to dig deep and discover the emotion behind each action. She encouraged us to explore senses  and perceptions, and how they are colored by emotion.

Even though I have a notebook filled with advice from Encore II, my biggest take away is this: Do not underestimate the power of the writing community. I walked into that room on Saturday feeling overwhelmed by synopsis writing and the querying process, doubting the worth of my work. By listening to these presenters, and discussing ideas with my peers, and being in a room filled with creative energy, I was pulled out of my funk. Some workshops confirmed what I was doing right, others gave me the tools to go fix what I was not yet doing right, but most of all I am refocused.

I would like to urge you to get with your writing community. Find a workshop in your area, check out SCBWI’s website for regional meet-ups, have coffee with your writing group, join an online group. It will do your heart good! We cannot be lone rangers in this endeavor.

by Francine Puckly

My fellow 24 Carrot Writing bloggers and I just returned from the SCBWI New England spring conference. Having seen each other all weekend, we were tempted to postpone our monthly goal-setting meeting scheduled for the next morning. But knowing re-entry to regular schedules can be tricky after a jam-packed weekend, we kept our monthly appointment. We convened over a cuppa, and Kelly had the brilliant idea to list our top three takeaways from the conference.
 
If you recently attended this conference, a long workshop, or a webinar geared toward your writing and illustrating life, this exercise is invaluable. It might take weeks—and possible months—to employ all the new tricks and tips discovered at the conference and even longer to practice and hone all the new skills learned. But what are three new goals you can enact today to get an immediate bounce from the conference? Kelly calls these your do-it-today takeaways!

• Are you feeling the need to read more in your genre? Start a reading journal (paper or electronic).
• Do you want to feel more “socially” connected? Keep those face-to-face conversations going through social media or commit to following ten new agents and editors on Twitter.  
• Are you missing time at your local indie bookstore? Block off an afternoon to browse the store or mark your calendar to attend book events by fellow SCBWI members.

• Did you have a critique of a manuscript or query letter? Sit down and mine the written feedback and notes for revision ideas.  
• Were you impressed by a pitch contest? Start your own pitch ring (see Kelly’s how-to blog)
• Have you put off joining a critique group? Contact Stacy Mozer at SCBWI New England ([email protected]) to make it happen.
• Were you inspired by an open mic reading? Mark your to-do list for next year to prepare your own selection to read aloud.

 
So instead of stuffing your notes into a drawer, comb through them! Glean nuggets of advice that will help you strengthen your writing. Capitalize on the energy and optimism you bring back from meeting with colleagues and peers. It’s easy to slip back into former routines if we wait too long to take stock. So don’t wait! Capture those do-it-today ideas now!
 
- Francine

by Annie Cronin Romano

​Bring business cards to share.

This is one of many pieces of advice I read prior to attending my first SCBWI Winter Conference five years ago. It was one of the few I didn’t heed. Why would I bring business cards? I thought. I had no publishing credits. I didn’t have a website. I’m not an illustrator with a portfolio. I figured that advice must only apply to those who were already published, or at the very least had an agent. So I didn’t bring any cards. I saved my money. I was prudent.

Big regret.

I met so many fascinating writers at my first conference. And in most instances, when I asked, “What do you write?” the response would be “Oh, I write ‘X’” quickly followed by, “Here! [pulls out business card] Let’s swap cards.” I hung my head in disgrace, icy waves of mortification crashing upon my unprepared, unprofessional self.  “I don’t have a card.” 

Okay, perhaps it wasn’t quite that theatrical, but you get the valuable nugget I’m hurling in your general direction. Bring business cards.

What to include on aforementioned card? Well, your name (says Captain Obvious) and the genre(s) you write (Pocahontas Smith, YA historical fiction). Include your email and/or phone number, if you choose, and any social media info you have, such as your Twitter handle, website, or Facebook page. You can elaborate on what you write (I specialize in children’s nonfiction picture books about zero gravity hula hooping and underwater blindfolded archery) or you can keep it general (Joe Schmo, PB & MG).  

You don’t have to spend big bucks on your cards. No need for glossy, hologrammed, and lemon-scented (actually, scratch and sniff would be kinda cool…). There are many online printing sites that are reasonably priced. Or you can print them yourself. Got a time crunch? Buy the pre-cut perforated sheets (Avery is one brand), download a free template, and print them at home. 

Now…lean in close. Can you hear me? Good, ‘cause this is the most important part: HAND THEM OUT! Those lovely little business cards will do you no good whatsoever tucked away in your Vera Bradley laptop bag. Share them with those at your critique roundtable. Offer them to the agent who expressed an interest in your work during a critique. Pass one to the writer sitting next to you in a workshop. Heck, throw one into the Win a Free Dinner fishbowl at your local restaurant (Okay, that's not networking, but you might recoup your business card money in the form of complementary sushi!) With your cards, you can make connections with future critique partners or gain a valued peer with whom to share your writing trials and joys. So build those bridges. By sharing business cards, you'll walk away from your writing conference with more that just useful information from keynotes and workshops. You'll leave the conference connected with a network of writers who are journeying with you. 

~Annie

Side note: I keep all the cards I’ve received at conferences. I follow them on Twitter or like their Facebook page. No, I’m not a stalker. I’m a supporter! And when their books get published (and they do!) it’s thrilling to have witnessed the progress and successes of those I’ve have the pleasure of meeting. 

by Kelly Carey

Are you ready for the question? You will be asked it by fellow writers at workshops, at conferences, by agents, even by the local librarian. You need to be ready with your answer. You will be asked, “What are you working on?” or “What do you write?” This should be a simple question to answer. But when put on the spot, you will get tongue tied, suffer a burst of bashfulness, and probably freeze up with mini stage fright. The result will be a mumbled and botched response. Worse, it will be a missed opportunity to market your manuscript and explain your writing prowess.

Don’t fret. I have the solution.

You need a Pitch Ring.

Do you remember the flashcards you used in elementary school? The ones you might be using today with your own kids for sight words and math facts? It’s time to employ that method for your manuscripts and create a Pitch Ring.

You will need:

• a loose leaf ring
• index cards
• one sentence pitch and one paragraph synopsis for your current manuscripts
• glue stix or tape
  
• a hole puncher
  

On each index card write the title of your manuscript and then paste or tape your one sentence pitch followed by your one paragraph synopsis to the index card.  For help creating your one sentence pitch, check out this great post by author Nathan Bransford.

The longer synopsis paragraph can be grabbed right from your query letters.

Punch a hole through your index cards, and clip them together on your loose leaf ring.  Now, every day, review your flashcards.  Practice your pitches until they become as automatic as flipping on a light switch when you enter a dark room.

As a bonus, create an introduction flashcard for yourself. This introduction card will help with the more generic “what do you write?” question and can include the information you put in the final bio paragraph in your query letters.

Now when asked the question, “What are you writing?” or “What is your story about?”, you will have a practiced and professional response that will have just the right ring to it – a perfect Pitch Ring!

~by Amanda Smith
Much have been said, written and tweeted about the spectacular line-up of speakers at this year’s NESCBWI conference that took place in Springfield, MA, April 24-26. Congratulations to the coordinators. It was a magical event. As exhilarating as it was to hear Dan Santat talk about The Adventures of Beekle; as breathtakingly amazing as it was to enjoy Kwane Alexander recite his poetry; as tear-jerkingly inspiring as it was to hear Jo Knowles share about the liberation of her voice; as laugh-out-loud uplifting as it was to hear Marvin Terban present about the place of humor in books; the take-home nuggets and practical advice also came out of an abundance of hands-on, practical workshops.

So here, as John Hockenberry would say, is my take away:

·         I learned I am not the only person to write a novel non-chronological and maddeningly non-linear. There were enough of us there to fill at least three workshops. Some of these non-linear thinkers even got published, as all three of these workshops were lead by accomplished authors who gave practical hands-on advice about how to structure a jumble of scenes until it is a well-constructed novel.

·         I was reminded that since I draft on my computer, I need to use creative, hands on (yes, I need art supplies) ways to order, outline, plot and map. I have done this for longer works, but this year I've made the connection that I really need to do this with Picture Books, too. 

·         Play!  I need to play more, and not get so stuck on finishing a project right away. I need to give myself time to look at the project and characters from all angles.

·         Note cards are essential to writing. Note cards can be used for revision and outlining. They help you see the big picture. Am I starting in the right place? Do I have duplicate scenes? How is my pacing? Note cards are also wonderful for keeping track of agents. Katey Howes explains more about it here.

·         Multi-colored sticky notes are also indispensable. They are helpful for outlining different characters, settings and conflict. 

·         Talking about characters – ask your characters questions. They have more to say than you might think.

·     Color-code your characters. This is helpful throughout each stage of your novel’s construction.

·         Color choices in your book can enhance mood and be used for character building. (A.C. Gaughen)

·         Every scene is a mini-story, with its own arc. (Katie L. Caroll) And as “everyting has a purpose” (Dan Santat), every scene should either move the plot forwards or show character development.

·            “Don’t let your process – or worry about your process – keep you from writing.” ( Lynda Mullaly Hunt) The pouring of the story onto the page is the most essential part. Always.

·         Don’t censor. Learn from other points of view. Don’t censor yourself because, “voice is you writing on a piece of paper uncensored.” (Dan Santat)

·         Yes’s and No’s. Kwame Alexander mentioned, almost as an aside, that we have to get the no’s out of the way, so the right yes can come. Jo Knowles encouraged me that, yes, I do have something to say. My voice counts. YOUR VOICE COUNTS. You can make a ripple or a wave and change a child’s life. Kwane said, “If I said yes and walk through the door, I will figure it out.” And Chris Cheng asked us what would happen if we said yes because “If I stay in the box, nothing happens.”

And so, I am saying yes. Yes to more submissions. Yes to different publishing opportunities. Yes to more behind-the-scenes-you-will-never-find-this-in-the-book work. Yes to art and office supplies. Yes to playing. Yes to getting out of my box. Yes. Yes. YES!

May you find the courage you need to say YES.

The registration for NESCBWI's Anual Spring Conference opens tomorrow, February 4 at noon. Do you plan to go? Why should you?

This is why we go:



​
Francine:
SCBWI has been a large part of my life since I joined my first critique group back in 2006. Registering and attending the annual spring conference is one of the main writing highlights of my year. It begins with the excitement of choosing my workshop selections from the smorgasbord of options offered each year (oh, the possibilities!), and it culminates on the conference weekend with three glorious days spent learning new aspects of the craft and engaging in heartfelt conversations over lunches, dinners and evening glasses of wine and tea. Yes, most years it requires an act of God to pry me away from my family demands for three days, but I've never regretted the time spent among my fellow writers and illustrators or the effort it took to get me there! The craft discussions and key note talks replenish my writing well, and the camaraderie amongst my colleagues sustains me through the deadlines and projects that lie ahead.  

Amanda:
When I first got serious about writing, I had no idea where to start. I had a good, solid picture book manuscript, a beginning to a novel, and a bunch of cute ideas. A friend of a friend suggested I join SCBWI. After a  Google search, where I learned about the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, I became a member just in time to sign up for one day of the Spring conference. 
 Like a giant wave that is both majestic and terrifying, that day overwhelmed me. I walked away with a deep conviction of how little I knew. I walked away in awe of the process involved in making a book and with my head bursting with new information. I walked away with an insatiable hunger to learn more, grow more, WRITE MORE!
And so, I return every year to discover those things that I still do not know; to learn and be inspired by amazing authors; to rub shoulders with agents and editors and put faces with names; to volunteer and serve; to connect with like-minded people who share my passion for words and stories and books; and to fill  my writer's cup. So I can pour out stories onto pages for another year.
Oh, and that solid picture book manuscript that got this whole thing started. Not so solid. I learned that too.

Kelly:
    "Seems like a lot of mice scrambling for a small piece of cheese,” I commented to the stranger setting next to me at the SCBWI conference. I was overwhelmed looking at the crush of SCBWI conference goers heading to their next seminar.
    “It’s a big piece of cheese,” she replied.
    “Really?” I asked. “Say that again.”
    She did, and then she started our support group, is my partner in 24 Carrot Writing and without a doubt the most wonderful reason to go to the SCBWI conference.
    You will find inspiration from the wonderful speakers and enhance your craft at the informative workshops, but the best reason to attend an SCBWI conference is the opportunity to connect with a fellow writer.  Strike up a conversation with the writer who sits down next you – you may just find your Francine! 


  Annie feels so strongly about conferences as a way to connect with others in the writing community, she wrote a whole post about it here.


Hope to see you in Springfield,MA April 24-26! Go! Sign up! 

- by Amanda Smith

The 2014 theme at NE-SCBWI’s Spring Conference in Springfield, MA  was Create Bravely: Make Your Mark (http://newengland.scbwi.org/). I pondered the theme, even before the conference. The “create” and “brave” parts I got. In this business you have to be brave. I couldn't quite see how that connected to making "your Mark", though. And it left me wondering: What exactly is MY mark? Is MY mark any good? And, with so many prolific writers, is there room for MY mark in the industry?

Now, I am certain I am not the only writer experiencing these doubts. You see, a short month after the conference, our very own, very talented 24 Carrot Writers voiced exactly those questions. How can you read The Fault in Our Stars and not wonder just a little bit about your own abilities as a writer?

As I allowed our collective self-doubt to wash over me, little word-seeds, planted in my heart by Laurel Snyder, started to grow.

The lovely Laurel Snyder was one of the key note speakers at the spring conference. She said, “Only YOU can write the stories that are in YOU.”

Only John Green could have written The Fault in Our Stars. He had a precious personal experience with Esther Earl and her family. He responded to her situation in a certain way and out of that came this marvelously written story. It is authentic because it is true to his heart.  The cancer love story is as old as time. It has been done a gazillion times. But this one stood out because of what was in John Green.

This is also true about Jo Knowles and that bully scene on the bus in See You at Harry’s. I attended her seminar at a different conference where she read from Dear Bully her telling of the real-life event (“Kicking Stones at the Sun”). Her voice was filled with emotion, and her audience was sniveling. There is authenticity in her writing and characters because of what is in her heart.

The same can be said about Karen Day’s No Cream Puffs. Because it is based on her experience, her heart, the story has richness and depth. 

I can wish to write like John Green or Jo Knowles or Karen Day. I can even try to copy them. But I will lose my voice and the story will be fake, unauthentic. The real challenge, I think, is exploring my heart in the story. What is it that I really want to say? Why do I NEED to tell this story?

 Laurel talked about “your list.” Your deepest life-changing events. Your most vulnerable place. “Your bravest work comes from that list,” she said. She called it “your secret weapon.” Making your mark is brave business, because it requires digging into your heart. 

We all have low, self-doubting moments. I think we should write through them. Let's write this brave story that needs to come out. FOR US. If, some day, there is a market for it, that is the cherry on top.

Laurel shopped her one manuscript around. She received more than forty rejections. She put it in a drawer. Moved. Got married. Had a baby. Years after she first submitted, she pulled it out again. Soon she found an agent and sold the book. The market was finally ready for it.
 I LOVE this story. 
This story says WRITE YOUR HEART!

~Amanda