I belong to a writers' listserv that recently exchanged information about their "writing space"--where they like to do most their writing. While my desktop computer sits on a rolltop desk in a bedroom converted to an office in a quiet cul-de-sac with deer grazing in the garden, this is actually my second choice of a place to write. First is Panera Bread located in Parker, Colorado. I love the atmosphere, a mixture of friends gathering to discuss whatever over a danish or egg souffle and a cup of coffee (morning is my favorite writing time), and other patrons turning on their laptops and digging into their own writing or business world. Friends ask me if I get distracted trying to create in such an environment. The answer is no. I can lose myself in my story while feeling comforted by the surroundings. It's like working out at a gym with others working up a sweat along with you. Although my husband works and we have no kids at home, that's where I get distracted. I could do laundry...or read something written by someone else...I should answer the phone...So I leave, and go to my favorite place to write.


At this particular moment, though, I am sitting at my desktop. Outside my window, snow is blanketing the trees and bushes, and swirling past my window in the wind. Oh, wait, maybe this is a good place to create. It's that inbetween time of year, the holidays, when there's much to do and buy, and summer when the beautiful weather is bekoning you away from your computer. In Colorado, March weather can change from sunny to blustery in minutes. Sunny is good for shopping, but I love blustery because it's the perfect excuse to put off shopping, and write--guilt free. Which reminds me, I have some revisions to make.



My current project is a few minor revisions to my YA novel, AWAKENING AT SPIRIT LAKE. This contemporary, paranormal romance is about a twelve-year-old girl who dislikes the Native American side of her half-breed heritage. When her family decides to spend the summer in the Rocky Mountain town of Grand Lake, Colorado, she prepares herself for a summer of boredom. Instead, she encounters strange and frightening events around the lake when she meets and falls for a boy descended from a rival tribe, a tribe blamed for the untimely death of April's great-great-great-great grandmother. My husband and I own a small cabin in Grand Lake and I wrote much of the novel there. The manuscript was awarded first place in the Pikes Peak Writers Paul Gillette Contest and was a finalist in the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold Contest. Unfortunately, now that I'm ready to start sending it out, I'm worried that almost anything from unproven authors will be denied in this terrible economic time. I'm struggling with whether to hold the manuscript until the economy looks brighter, or take my chances and send it out, knowing I could be burning some bridges if my fears are valid.

To write what you know...or not?

Wow -- I can't believe it's already fall. I recently read a blurb emailed to me by one of my critique group members. It's on "writing demotivators" in the form of word definitions for writers. The one that applies most to me right now is the definition of Writing: the recording of life as it passes you by. (For more demotivators, check out http://101reasonstostopwriting.com/demotivators/ ) But instead of recording, I was immersed in revisions of two middle grade novels. Still, I couldn't help but lift my eyes from my manuscripts long enough to observe the world around me. This summer, life was filled with story ideas--happy, interesting and tragic--the breathtaking summer olympics, two horrific hurricanes, a mindboggling presidential (and vice presidential) campaign, and a heart-stopping economic crisis. If you're having trouble coming up with story ideas, stop and smell the roses, or manure, depending on the story you want to write.

The whole topic of finding story ideas is fascinating. The exotic topics I mentioned above are enticing, but are they really accessible to writers still trying to get their feet wet? I've found that the old adage "write what you know" is still a good idea for beginner writers. Once you have the craft down, then it might be fun to venture into unknown waters. I don't mean limit yourself to telling your own story in your own town and in your own neighborhood. There's a ton of information on other environments in travel books and on the internet. And creative minds can build incredible universes for fantasy novels. But when it comes to describing emotions, reactions and even the five senses, I've found that it's easier to do if you can draw upon your own experiences.

In my most recent middle grade novel, DON'T LOOK BACK, my setting is a fictional town in western Kansas (I've been through Kansas, but never lived there. I relied a lot on articles and travel guides.) The protagonist is a twelve year old girl on probation for stealing. I spent fifteen years as a researcher in youth corrections and I know a lot about the system. I've also visited numerous juvenile detention centers and talked with the kids. Another main character is an elderly man with failing eyesight. My father had macular degeneration and before he died (which prompted another emotion I'm painfully familiar with) we discussed it--what he can and can't see, what's hard, what he can't do anymore, etc. I incorporated real experiences and emotions in writing the book. Sometimes they made we laugh, other times they made me cry, because they were real. Reliving them through writing can be difficult, but if you're putting your characters in difficult situations, they need to have real reactions to them. What better resource than your own experiences?

Now, that said, I'm dying to delve into an exotic topic, like swimming for nine gold medals in the next Olympics, but that's a topic for another blog.

The short synopses

The last few weeks have been a whirlwind with trips to Arizona and Cancun, and a weekend in Colorado Springs to attend the 2008 Pikes Peak Writers Conference. The trips away were both fun and restful, and I think these breaks from writing help stir the creative juices when you return. The PPW conference was fabulous, as always, with a good mix of speakers and hands-on writing exercises. Carol Berg, Vicki Lewis Thompson and David Liss all gave wonderful keynote presentations. I love the mix with agents and editors during meals. Few conferences that I've attended give you the opportunity for these social encounters. I pitched to Cecile Goyette and was fortunate to sit next to her at dinner Saturday night. She's direct and helpful during the pitch, and delightful and fun socially. She said I could send her a few chapters of my manuscript as well as a one page synopsis, leaving me with two strong suggestions: 1) make sure the first 3 pages of the manuscript are tight and make we want to keep reading, and 2) don't leave me hanging in the synopsis. I want to know how it ends.

I think the vast majority of agents and editors would agree with Cecile. The one-page synopsis is tricky to write. I believe the key is to think general, the way you have to do when you write your log line. In fact, to me it's almost an extension of the log line, leaving out many secondary characters, subplots and situations you'd love to include because they involve your favorite scene or scenes. It's tempting for beginning writers to leave out the ending, hoping it will make the reader want to read the whole manuscript, but as Cecile indicated, it doesn't work that way in synopses. Don't leave them hanging!

Big Sur Children's Writers Workshop

I just returned from a Children's Writing Workshop in Big Sur sponsored by the Henry Miller Memorial Library. The conference director was Andrea Brown and many of her staff attended the workshop. It was excellent, with a mixture of presentations, critique groups, one-on-ones, and free time to write and revise. The ratio of staff to participant was incredible, approximately 80 participants to 20 staff. There were four critique groups over the weekend, five or six people per group, each group led by an editor, agent or author. The same people were in the first and last critique group which allowed us to present some work, use the comments to make changes, and bring it back to the group. I found that to be extremely helpful, and returned home tired but with focus and direction toward revising my manuscript. I had the good fortune of being in a group led by Caryn Wiseman, an agent with the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. She's bright, fun and so on target with each of our manuscripts. I also had a one-on-one with author Elizabeth Spurr who suggested I rewrite my manuscript (an adventure/thriller) in present tense to make it more immediate. I used the "free writing time" to try and incorporate the suggestions from my critique group and from Elizabeth, and felt my manuscript come alive. I highly recommend this workshop for anyone trying to bring a finished or nearly finished manuscript to the next level. The workshop was held at the Big Sur Lodge which is nestled in the woods just blocks from the ocean. The scenery is breathtaking and inspiring. I can see why there were many participants returning from prior years. I'd have no reservations about going again!

Voice and Character Development

I recently read a blog by Colin Murcray on that elusive thing called "voice" which every writer tackles to make his or her story a page turner. You can have a dynamite plot, but if your character's (and secondary characters) voice(s) don't ring true, your reader won't make it past the first chapter, or page. As Colin said, it's much easier to write a story in which the character is someone you know, or is like someone you know. When you have to create a character from scratch, it takes numerous hours and exercises to bring them into focus. Currently, I'm reworking (following several other reworkings) a young adult novel in which the main character is part British and part Native American. This novel, AWAKENING AT SPIRIT LAKE, has won three awards, best YA at the 2003 DreamMaker Workshop in Elizabeth, Colorado, first place in the 2005 Pikes Peak Writer Paul Gillette contest (YA Category), and a finalist award in the 2007 Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold contest (General Fiction Category), yet I know I still need to strengthen a couple of the characters. I'm currently reading a wonderful book called SEARCHING FOR CHIPETA about Ute Chief Ouray's second wife, written by Vickie Krudwig. It's a beautifully written account of the Utes' struggle in the nineteenth century as the white men moved westward and the government forced many Ute bands off of Colorado lands and onto reservations. I find it helpful to learn about their lives, struggles and traditions, and Vickie has done a wonderful job of getting inside Chipeta's head to tell the story. I also plan to visit the Ute Indian Museum in Montrose, Colorado soon. Although it's extremely hard to get inside the head of someone so unlike yourself, I believe it can be done. Afterall, a man got inside the head of a Geisha woman and wrote an incredible book. But it takes longer, more research, and persistence. In the end, I believe it makes writers more open to other cultures and beliefs, perhaps more tolerant. I believe I'm getting closer to the hearts of my characters, and plan to pursue this story, hoping the journey will result in a published book, but certain it will result in a wiser writer.

Don't Forget to Celebrate

With the numerous rejections most writers face as they strive to get that first book published, I think it's important to celebrate! Celebrate what? Every little achievement -- completing the first draft, giving it to your critique group, tackling tough revisions, submitting it to a contest, receiving an award, pitching to an agent or editor, submitting to an agent or editor, signing a contract. All of these are milestones to be celebrated amid the dozens of rejection letters that come our way. I recently submitted a YA manuscript to the Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers Colorado Gold contest. I'd been struggling with one of the storylines and batting my head against the wall trying to decide whether to pursue this story or shelve it for awhile. I decided to submit it to the contest and request a critique. I felt good when I left it at the post office, so I celebrated. The manuscript had been through my critique group a few times, I'd made many revisions, and even won first place in the 2005 Paul Gillette contest with it. Still, I knew there was a problem with one of the secondary characters. I believed the story was solid and unique, but I couldn't work through the character to make her come to life on the page. I thought perhaps one more outside critique could help me decide on a course of action. I was stunned when I received a phone call notifying me that I was a finalist in the 2007 RMFW contest in the General Fiction category. Another reason to celebrate! And the critique I received back was very helpful, shedding some light on the exact issue I'd been struggling with. I don't know whether this book will find it's way to a publisher, but I'm excited about it again and reworking the tough parts -- and planning to submit a revised draft to my critique group soon to start the celebration cycle all over again.

2007 SCBWI Conference

Wow! I just returned from the 2007 SCBWI Conference in L.A., and my mind is still reeling. Four Golden Kite awards were awarded this year, to Tony Abbott, Larry Day, Russell Freedman and Walter Dean Myers. It was great to hear each of them speak about their own writing journeys and to honor their work. As always, Lin Oliver and Stephen Mooser did an incredible job with the conference. It was both informative and fun, and run so smoothly you'd think these huge things did themselves. As a mere retreat coordinator for our local SCBWI, I know that's not even close to true. It was a special treat for me to have a chance to talk to Newberry Award winner Susan Patron. She's such a gracious and talented writer, and it was great to find out that, like me, she doesn't outline her novels. Rather, she delves into it and lets the story unfold -- not without a general sense of where it's going to end up, of course. Currently, she's working on the sequel to The Higher Power of Lucky. John Green, Looking for Alaska, received four ovations after his dynamic keynote talk entitled "All Writing is Rewriting." There were wonderful sessions by author/illustrators (Peter Brown's keynote was humorous and interesting as he retraced the steps in his career, as was a keynote by editor Allyn Jonston and author/illustrator Maria Frazee on how they work together). Agents Kate Schafer and Tracey Adams did a great job of comparing two very different literary agencies, one large and one small. I also attended Kate Schafer's breakout session in which she provided indepth information and advice on an agent's role and how they can help writers. The line of people waiting to talk to her at the end of her session suggested it could have gone considerably longer. There were so many excellent speakers and sessions, it would be impossible to review them all here. One of the best perks of these conferences are the writers you meet, like two special ladies from Oklahoma, Sara McAlister and Susan Meyers (Callie and the Stepmother, a delightful chapter book) whom I hope to stay in touch with. It is SO worth attending these national conferences whenever possible. All in all, the conference was motivating, educating and uplifting, and I found myself ready to hit the keyboard again when I returned home.