Writing Patterns

When I look back on my writing career, I noticed a pattern.  I don't know if this pattern is true with others, but it made me smile how my writing follows my life.

Before I had children, I wrote mainly nonfiction for newspapers and magazines.  I enjoyed interviewing people and doing research.  I had a Canon camera and turned my nose up at automatic settings.  Even though I was also working full-time as a technical editor for Boeing, I still found time to write.

Then I tried my hand at romance when my children were very young.  Perhaps I wanted more romance in my life because I was a stay-at-home mom with two toddlers.  It seemed to me that there was an awful lot of messes to clean up...from poop to vomit, from blood to shampoo poured out onto the carpet, from spilled milk to toys everywhere.  My husband and I were worn out from hard work and little sleep.  Romance?  Ha!  I tried writing, but I have to admit that it was very frustrating.  I'd been used to having lots of time to write, but now I wrote as soon as my two boys fell asleep for their naps.  I'd have about an hour or two at my typewriter.  I'd given up on trying to write nonfiction, because I didn't have a way to go out and interview people or spend much time at the library.  Remember, now, this was in the early 80s and before computers and internet.

As my boys got a little older, I started really looking at the books I was reading to them.  Picture books?  Yeah, those seemed pretty easy to write.  So I tried my hand at them.  By this time (late 80s), I had a computer and more time.  The internet was just starting and I joined some writing groups online.  I wrote a lot of "picture books" that didn't sell.  Then I got a wild idea and submitted some of my "picture books" to kids magazines.  And, wow!  They sold!  It turned out that my picture books were really short stories.  I sold so many that I got a nickname:  the magazine queen.

Then an editor told me that I had a good middle-grade voice and I should try writing a novel.  So I did.  My boys were in upper elementary and middle-school when I wrote my first one...which didn't sell.  Change that.  It hasn't sold yet.  So I wrote short stories and nonficiton articles for kids magazines during most of the 90s.  I sold my first middle-grade novel when my boys were in high school.  I've sold 40 children's books since then, some fiction, some nonfiction, some picture books, some middle-grade novels, and one nonficiton YA biography.

My boys grew up, went to college, and got married.  I continued writing kids stories, but a couple of years ago, I decided to try my hand at writing for adults again.  I wrote a devotion for Gary Chapman's Love is a Verb collection and a true story for James Stewart Bell's collection.  After 30 years of marriage, I'm now divorced and maybe looking for romance again, because that's what I'm reading again, and I'm trying my hand at writing it.  My queries have led to editors asking for proposals. Oh happy day!

My boys have given me grandchildren:  3 girls.  One is 3 1/2, one is almost 6 months, and one will be born in February.  I'm reading picture books again.  I've got ideas for stories.

Hmmm.  Anyone else see a pattern here?

Where to Find Research Material for Your Manuscript

Your article or book should contain information that a child or adult cannot find for himself by casually consulting an encyclopedia or surfing the net or going to the library.

1)      Encyclopedia, almanac, or dictionary – Use as a starting point in your research of a topic.

2)      Internet – Be careful of your sources here.  Incorrect information is often repeated word-for-word on many websites.  Generally speaking, the information found on a college/university website (.edu) or those sponsored by a museum or historical/professional society (.org) or the government (.gov) are usually reliable.

3)      Children’s books – Use these first to better understand your subject; however, don’t use these exclusively.  Children’s books give clear, concise information about a subject, but you will need to know more detailed, complex information before you can write your article or book.

4)      Newspapers and magazines – These may give you more up-to-date information on your subject that hasn’t been published in books yet.  They will also show you different slants and approaches to your subject that you might not have thought of before.

5)      Government documents, public records, reports from organizations or companies – These may have statistics you can use.  They may also help you spot trends or attitudes of the public and private sectors.

6)      Classical books – These are books that have been used as references because of their accuracy and/or subject matter.

7)      Current books on the topic – Use the most up-to-date adult books you can find on your subject.

8)      Your local librarian – He or she can be a wealth of information.

9)      Interviews – Talk to people who work in the field of your topic.  Be sure to use interesting quotes and anecdotes from them.  These people have an in-depth knowledge about your subject.

10)  Expert reviews – The expert may be one of the people you’ve already interviewed, or else it’s someone from a college or university, from a museum, or perhaps from a professional or historical organization.  Ask this person to read your article for accuracy.  You can also ask this person for quotes and/or anecdotes to include in your article.  (Try www.profnet.com for experts who don’t charge.)

Interview with Edie Melson, speaker at AnAuthor World's Writing Conference

Edie Melson will be a speaker at AnAuthor World's 3rd annual writing conference, The Story Continues. She's a freelance writer and editor with over 16 years experience in the publishing industry. Edie’s a prolific writer, publishing over 700 articles in 2010. She also has a popular writing blog (www.thewriteconversation.blogspot.com) and is a frequent contributor to many others. In keeping up with the leading edge of all things digital Edie has become known as one of the go-to experts on Twitter, Facebook, and social media for writers wanting to learn how to plug in. Her bestselling eBook on this subject, Social Media Marketing for Writers, is available on Kindle and Nook.

AnAuthor World: Why did you decide to be a writer?

Edie: I’ve always told stories and I actually wrote my first book—long-hand—in 8th grade. It’s funny, I was looking back through some of my old year books and several kids commented about me becoming a bestselling writer.

AAW: How did you learn to write?

Edie: I’ve learned through taking classes, reading books and ACTUALLY WRITING. So many wanna-be writers avoid the last one. Also, I’m still learning, I always have at least one book on writing that I’m studying and I try to read at least one blog post about writing every day.

AAW: How did you first get published?

Edie: I guess officially my first published writing was with my technical writing. But my first freelance article was one I sold through a contact at a writers conference. I sold a short article to Focus on the Family at the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference (www.my-cwc.com)

AAW: How many published books do you have?

Edie: I have one bestselling eBook, Social Media Marketing for Writers and another book due out by the end of the year, Fighting Fear, Winning the War at Home when Your Soldier Leaves for War. (www.christiandevotionsbooks.com)

AAW: What else have you written?

Edie: In 2010 I published over 700 articles. In truth, if it’s not illegal or immoral, I’ll write about it. I have a life-long love affair with words.

AAW: What are you working on now?

Edie: I manage and/or write for over 27 blogs and websites. I’m also working on a Science Fiction Novel.

AAW: Do you teach writing? If so, where do you teach and what subjects?

Edie: I do teach writing. I teach freelancing, blogging, writing for the Internet, and writing devotions. I’m a frequent teacher with AnAuthor World and I teach at writing conferences around the country. I’m also the Co-Director of the Blue Ridge Mountains Christian Writers Conference (www.my-cwc.com) and Southwest Christian Writers Studio (www.my-cwc.com).

AAW: Have you been rejected? If so, how do you handle rejections?

Edie: Absolutely I’ve been rejected! But I learned getting published on a regular basis is a numbers game. Starting out, the ratio tends to be about 10 queries to every 2 acceptances. The numbers do improve with experience. I actually set a goal of how many rejections I want to get within a month. That insures I’ll get the acceptances as well and makes the rejections a little less painful. But trust me, they always hurt.

AAW: Who are your favorite authors?

Edie: I have so many. Alton Gansky, Ted Dekker, Susan May Warren, Lynette Eason, Pam Zollman, Carolyn G. Hart, Anne McCaffrey, Jody Lynn Nye . . . I could go on and on and on!

AAW: What advice do you have for new writers?

Edie: Write every day. Concentrate on learning your craft and publication will come.

The Story Continues Writing Conference

Date: October 15, 2011

Place: Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Hwy, Greenville, SC

Time: 8:00-8:30 a.m. -- Walk-in Registration; pick up folders

8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. -- Conference

4:30-5:30 p.m. -- Autographing

Price: $100 general; $90 AAW Community Members; $65 students

Early Bird Special (until August 15): $85 general; $75 AAWC members; $50 students

Manuscript critiques available: deadline for manuscripts is September 1, 2011

Speakers: Ann Ross, Lynette Eason, Ellis Vidler, Patricia Thomas, Edie Melson, Pam Zollman, two editors from Peachtree Books

Teen Track: Carol Baldwin, instructor

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Teachers: You will receive in-service hours for attending.

Register on-line at www.anauthorworld.com and click on the "Events" button.

The Story Continues -- AnAuthor World's 3rd Annual Writing Conference

MARK YOUR CALENDARS! AnAuthor World’s third annual writing conference will be Saturday, October 15, 2011, at Furman University.

Here are our confirmed speakers:

• Ann B. Ross, author of the popular Miss Julia series, will be our keynote speaker http://www.missjulia.com/
• Lynette Eason, author of 14 books; her most recent book is A Killer Among Us (Book 3 of her Women of Justice series) http://www.lynetteeason.com/
• Ellis Vidler, author of Haunting Refrain and co-author of The Peeper with Jim Christopher http://www.ellisvidler.com/
• Edie Melson, author of ebook Social Media Marketing for Writers; has a devotional book, Fighting Fear, Winning the War at Home, due out this fall http://thewriteconversation.blogspot.com/p/about-me.html
• Patricia Thomas, author of picture book, “Stand Back,” Said the Elephant, I’m Going to Sneeze” (an Amazon Best-Seller and has been in print since 1990); recent pictures are Red Sled, Nature’s Paintbox, and Firefly Mountain http://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Thomas/e/B001IGHP4O/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1310542550&sr=8-1
• Carol Baldwin, author of Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8; she will teach a Teen Writing Track http://carolbaldwinblog.blogspot.com/
• Pam Zollman, author of 40 children’s books, former Highlights Magazine editor, writing instructor, founder of AnAuthor World http://www.pamzollman.com/ and http://www.anauthorworld.com/
• Katya Jenson, Editorial and Sub-rights Coordinator, Peachtree Books
• Jessica Alexander, Peachtree Books Editor, Peachtree Books

The Story Continues, AnAuthor World’s third writing conference
Date: Saturday, October 15, 2011
Place: Furman University, 3300 Poinsett Highway, Greenville, SC 29613
Time: 8:00 (registration); 8:30-4:30 (conference); 4:30-5:30 (autographing)
Cost: $90 AAWC members; $100 non-members; $65 students

EARLY BIRD SPECIAL (until August 15, 2011): $75 AAWC members; $85 general; $50 students

Register on-line at www.anauthorworld.com.

Teachers will get in-service credits.

Manuscript Critiques:
• $40 for the first 10 pages
• 15 minute one-on-one critique with author, editor or agent during the conference
• Please include your name and contact information
• Please state what genre your manuscript is (examples: picture book, short story, memoir, article, romantic suspense novel, YA, nonfiction book, etc.)
• Mail check and manuscript to: Pam Zollman, 406 Plano Drive, Greenville, SC 29617
• Deadline: September 1, 2011

BUNNIES!

What are bunnies famous for doing?

Nope, not eating carrots.

Nope, not being cute and furry.

Yep...for being good at math. Multiplying, specifically.

So, how do you make multiplying bunnies work for you? What if those multiplying bunnies were books instead of rabbits?

1) Writing lots of books.

You've got more than one book in you. In fact, you're probably brimming with ideas for stories. There's a trick to writing lots of books...and that is that you have to actually write them. You can't just talk about them. You can't just jot down notes, although this is an important part of it. You have to sit down at your computer and write.

2) Writing sequels.

When you write your books, don't aim first for writing series. Most editors don't want series from first-time authors. You'll have to prove yourself with your first book. But make sure that your main character, your bunny, is developed enough to produce another book or two or three. That way, when your readers -- and editor -- start asking for more books, you'll have a character waiting for another problem to solve in a sequel. Your first book, though, has to stand on its own merits. If it doesn't attract enough readership, then a sequel won't either.

3) Writing series.

Readers adore series! They invest time and energy in your book and come to love your main character. And they want to spend more time with him or her in more books. However, your main character will have to be developed enough to sustain long series. In stand-alone books, the character grows a lot from the beginning to the end. But in a series, your main character grows slowly...but he does grow and change, just at a different pace.

4) Writing every day.

In order to get lots of books written, whether stand-alones or sequels or series, you'll have to plan time every day to write. If you don't plan to write, then there will always be something that claims to be more important that will take that spot of time from you. Make your writing time important. Remember, you have future readers waiting for your book.

Okay, go write and make those bunnies multiply.

Five Things to Look For In a Critique Group

I think critique groups are great! But I think they are also like a pair of jeans. You have to try a few on before you find the right fit. And maybe after a few years, you might have to find a new pair because you've outgrown the ones you own. So how do you find the right fit? What do you look for in a critique group?

1) People who are actually writing.

If no one (or only one or two) is turning in pages to critique, then it becomes a social group. You may talk about writing, but that doesn't make you a writer. Actual writing makes you a writer. Your group members don't have to be published, just writing. I guarantee that if you and your critique group keep writing consistently, you all will be published. How do I know this? I've seen it happen too many times over my forty years of writing.

2) People who have goals.

If your group's goal is NOT publishing, first and foremost, then you're in the wrong group. I would also question a group who is only interested in self-publishing. Too many things that are poorly written and poorly edited have been self-published. Sometimes there's a need for self-publishing, but that shouldn't be the group's goal. You can have the goal of turning in a certain number of pages for each meeting. Your goal could be to finish your manuscript by a certain date and your critique group should help motivate you to meet that self-imposed deadline. Your goal could be to write a certain number of short stories or articles or books. Your goal could be to win writing awards. Whatever your goal is, it should be shared by your critique group.

3) People who will motivate you to write, sympathize you when you fail, and celebrate when you succeed.

If your critique group does not do these things, then it's not right for you. These people will be with you throughout the whole writing process. They should be cheering you on. They should not be envious of any successes you have, nor should they be smug when you get rejected.

4) People who will be honest with you about your work, without being harsh.

Sometimes you'll find that a critique group loves everything you write. While that feels wonderful, you'll also wonder why your work isn't selling. You need people in your group who will tell you when your manuscript stinks like a wet dog, but then also offer suggestions on how to fix that odor problem. You also need people telling you the truth when your work sparkles like polished silver and that it's time to submit it. If a critique group is too harsh on a regular basis, run away! They will not help you grow as a writer any more than the group who loves everything you do.

5) People who want to work hard at writing and who want to learn and grow as writers.

If your critique group isn't taking steps to grow as writers, then you need to rethink this group. If they do things because it's the way it's always been done, they may not be best for you. The world of publishing is changing and you have to be willing to change with it.

Advice from the Past

I found a notebook from my college days at the University of Houston. It's from a creative writing class I took in the fall of 1971 from Dr. Karchmer, my favorite professor. The notebook is filled with lots of basic -- but still good -- advice, as well as short story ideas and first drafts.

Here are some of my notes from my first class 40 years ago:

• Learn to PROOFREAD! Make it neat -- 1" margins; make it look professional.
• Write as many short stories as you can. Read as many short stories as you can. Develop your own insights. Read for your own pleasure.
• Cultivate regular writing habits. Set aside 1-2 hours every day for writing, a time when you are relatively composed. (I laughed at this one -- composed? A play on words?)
• Write whether you are inspired or not. You must force yourself to write; must discipline yourself. Work every day.
• Get the first draft down before starting over. Believe in what you're writing. Don't let the critical part of your mind over-rule the creative part.
• "Emotion remembered in tranquility"
• Keep a notebook and work in it every day. Keep a journal of your observations and impressions. Character analysis, feelings, emotions, ideas for stories. Can pour out feelings of hostility, bitterness, love, happiness, etc. in journal to clear your system. Vast depository of your thoughts. A storehouse of knowledge for future use. (I had put a big star by this one in my notebook...and this notebook proves that I took his advice. I've been doing this for the past 40 years.)
• Write letters. Use lots of description in them. (Obviously, this was before email and text messages, but I still love to write letters and send cards.)
• "Memory is the one paradise from which the writer cannot be driven."
• "Time destroys; memory preserves." (I'm not sure if what I have in quotation marks are quotes from Dr. Karchmer or from someone else.)

I'll share some more of my notes later. Right now I have to go write.

Happy Easter!

There will be no hurting of bunnies today.

Unless they happen to be chocolate.

And then, there may be some nibbling of the ears.

There is nothing that I can do about that.

Chocolate...yum!

When to Hurt Your Bunnies

See that cute bunny dancing with a giant carrot? You know you have to hurt him, because otherwise there'd be no story. You also have some ideas on how to do it. But when should you do it?

Often! Whenever you can!

Poor bunny. Happy reader!

Every scene has three parts: goal, conflict, disaster. You can hurt your bunny during the conflict part; that's obvious. he has to fight a bully, scale a mountain, or survive a hurricane. You can also hurt your bunny during the disaster. That, too, is obvious. A bomb goes off, the boogie man jumps out of the closet, he gets a huge pimple on his nose just before his big date with the head cheerleader. Youch!

Every sequel has three parts: reaction, dilemma, decision. You can also hurt your bunny during the dilemma, as he tries to decide what to do. That, again, is obvious. You can make him agonize over what to do. Does he pull the plug on his brain-dead son? Does he confront the bully? Does he run into the burning building to save the child?

You can hurt your bunny as soon as he's made a decision about what to do. How? Make that decision a poor one. Perhaps he's made the choice to have it out, once and for all, with the fellow employee who is always stabbing him in the back. But, perhaps, that choice is the wrong one because he doesn't know yet that he doesn't have all the correct information, and it's the wrong fellow employee being accused. Perhaps the information he's using is out of date, so the choice to not vaccinate his child is based on incorrect data. Perhaps he assumes the head cheerleader won't mind the huge pimple and will like him for who he is inside.

What about hurting your bunny during the goal? Perhaps your bunny in the previous sequel has made a decision about what to do next. His goal now for the next scene is to implement that decision. So how do you hurt him? By allowing him to have the wrong goal. What follows will hurt him. He's decided to confront the bully, which is a good decision, but his goal to do it during lunchtime when the bully's friends are there to help him, is a bad idea.

You get the idea. Hurt your bunny often. Chase him up a tree and throw rocks at him. Remember, though, that your bunny must grow stronger during each time of "hurt." You're hitting him with his weaknesses, his flaws, his fears. As he works out how to survive each onslaught, he gets a little stronger. So, by the end of the book, your bunny has grown as a person, has grown into a stronger, wiser rabbit. What didn't kill him will make him stronger. And at the end he can dance with the giant carrot. Or maybe eat it

How to Hurt Your Bunny

Now that you've decided that it's in the best interest of your story to hurt your bunny, your main character, how do you do it?

1) Physically

This is the most obvious way. You can make your character sick with the flu or pneumonia. You can break his leg or sprain his ankle. You can give him a rash, a bee sting, or allergies.

2) Psychologically

This one can be divided into two closely related illnesses: mental and emotional. I'm not a psychologist, but I've watched one on TV. So, you'll probably have to do some research on these to be sure you're calling the illness the correct name.

a) Mentally

Your bunny could have a mental illness, such as multiple personalities (and since bunnies multiply rapidly, your bunny might have a dozen or so before your story is over) or an eating disorder (too many carrots). Perhaps it's depression or OCD or post traumatic stress disorder.

b) Emotionally

You might have your bunny suffer from a bully who steals his lunch money or has low self-esteem. Perhaps your bunny can't tell the truth and just has to exaggerate everything he says. Your bunny might be a hypochondriac. Maybe he fears small spaces or is afraid of tornadoes.

3) Spiritually

That's right; you can even hurt your bunny spiritually. Things can get so bad for him that he may doubt God...or the conflicts might turn him toward God or toward something else.

Now, when you hurt your bunny, don't do it randomly. Plan on ways to hurt your bunny that will also advance your plot. Before you write, it's a good idea to do a character sketch of your main bunny. Figure out what your bunny's strengths and weaknesses are, what his dreams and fears are. Now you hit him where it hurts: confront him with his weaknesses and his fears, make his dreams appear to evaporate, turn his strengths against him.

Your reader will love you for it!

Why Hurt the Bunnies?

Look at that sweet bunny. Could you really hurt it?

I coined the phrase "hurt the bunnies" after reading so many stories where there was no problem to be solved, no conflict -- nothing happened. It started when I judged a contest and every single entry was a picture book/short story about bunnies...except one that was about groundhogs (and this one actually had a problem to solve). The bunnies basically hopped around all day holding hands, picking flowers, and remarking on what a wonderful world they lived in. I have to admit that after reading dozens of stories like that, I really did have an urge to hurt those bunnies.

But the phrase "hurt the bunnies" actually is for the writers, to remind them that stories aren't interesting unless we can in some way identify with the main character -- or main bunny -- and feel sympathy for him. We have to care what happens to him. If nothing happens, then we feel as if we've wasted the time we invested in that character/bunny. So the writer needs to "hurt" that character/bunny in some way. The "hurt" doesn't have to be physical. It can be a need, a desire, a wish, a goal...but it can also be a physical or emotional "hurt." A "bunny" without a problem is a boring bunny, and no one wants to read about boring bunnies.

So the answer to the questions that introduced this blog post is: Yes! I can hurt that bunny!

Write Every Day

Do you realize that if you wrote only one page every day for a year, you'd have 365 pages. That equals one adult novel, or one and a half YAs, or two middle-grades, or five chapter books, and a crazy number of picture books and short stories!

And if you took off weekends and holidays, you'd still write over 200 pages.

It's so easy NOT to write, though. That toilet just has to be cleaned the minute I sit down to write. The phone rings and demands to be answered. I have to check Facebook and my email. There are blogs to read. And I almost forgot! I have a coupld of tweets to write -- will that count toward my writing time?

It's a lot easier to write if you have a time to write. During that time segment, sit down at your computer and write. DO NOT go on the internet at all. If you have to do any research that would involve going online or getting up from your chair, put xxx in the place in your manuscript where you need it and then keep writing. You can always go back and fill in what you need. Instead, focus on getting the words down. Get the story written.

It's also a lot easier to write if you have a special place. That doesn't mean you have to have a fancy desk. You don't even have to have only one place to write. I have a desk; it's not fancy, but it works. I also have a laptop that I can take with me. So I do! I've started taking it to work and writing on my break. That's what my son does, because he works full-time and wants to be able to play with his 19-month-old daughter when he gets home. I was impressed with how much he gets done on his netbook, so I decided to try it for myself.

You don't even have to sit in front of a computer/laptop/netbook/ipad to write. Carry a notebook or notepad with you and write. Sit in the park or in a coffeehouse and write. Write while you're waiting for the doctor or for an appointment. Write while you're in the car line at school, waiting to pick up your kids.

The point is that you should really try hard to write every day. I know there are days when you're sick or your kids are sick, or both. I know there are days when you are so crazy busy that you don't know which end is up. I know there are days when you'd rather prop up your feet on the coffee table and lose yourself in some mindless TV show or movie. Been there, done all of that. But here's the truth: You're a writer, right? Then you need to write. Every day, if at all possible.

More About My Underwear...Book

Well, I didn't get to do all that I wanted to do this week. I was critiquing manuscripts from classes and friends. But I did read over what I'd written eight long years ago. My goal was to read it over and make notes about anything I wanted to change or edit or add. It was hard to do! I'd had on my editor hat all week, and it was hard to take it off when I was reading my own work. My fingers were itching to do a complete rewrite, an overnhaul...but now is not the time. There's actually not many big changes that I'd make, but I still wanted to do it.

The reason I'm resisting doing edits is because now is not the time. I need to get the words down first...make some "word clay." After I've gotten the novel written, then I can go back and edit and revise. If I do it now, then all I'm doing is polishing the first six chapters, instead of finishing my book.

I resisted editing and made notes, so that when I'm ready, I can review my notes and add more. Now I'm ready to write another chapter. I'm going to try to do 1,000 words each day. That's about 4 pages. That feels slow to me, because I'm used to writing much faster. But, right now, I think I'll be doing good to get that much written each day.

Thanks for all the encouragement! I really appreciate it.

Apples and Oranges and Kiwis

Comparing ourselves, and especially our writing, to others is an exercise in futility. Why? Because it's like comparing apples and oranges and kiwis. Yes, we're all fruit...I mean writers...but that's where the comparison ends. I'm an apple, you're an orange, and you -- yes, you, over there -- you're a kiwi. Our life experiences may be similiar, but they're not identical, so we each bring something different to our writing. I can't write your story and you can't write mine.

Instead of comparing our writing to each other or trying to compete with each other, we should try to improve our own writing every day. We should compare our writing today to what we wrote last year and the year before that. Has it noticeably improved? If not, why not? We should only compete with ourselves, striving to write more than we did last year and the year before.

And since we're all fruit...I mean writers...that means we're all in this publishing world together. The normal world doesn't understand us writers, so we need to support each other, lift each other up, help each other.

One way to do this is to take part in Darcy Pattison's Random Acts of Publicity, a week (September 7-10) where we take the time to post reviews of our friends' books (actually they don't even have to be someone you know). You can join on Facebook -- Random Acts of Publicity or go to Darcy's blog (which is wonderful, by the way) at www.darcypattison.com.

Hi y'all!

I wanted to let you know that AnAuthor World's fall classes will be starting in September. You can go to http://www.anauthorworld.com/ to view them and to sign up. All classes will be held at AnAuthor World studio (475 Haywood Road, Suite 8, Greenville, SC 29607, inside Hargis Art Services, which is in the same shopping center as the Melting Pot Restaurant).

Send a Friend Discounts: If you have a friend sign up for one of our classes (doesn't have to be the same class you're taking), then you'll get 20% off of your class price. So that means that if you send 5 friends, you'd get the class for free! How cool is that?

"Basics of Writing Fiction 1" -- Pam Zollman, instructor

4 weeks -- Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.September 3-24th

Cost: $95

This course will explore the basics of character development, setting, plot, and point of view to help beginning writers get their story on paper. Students will write a first draft of their story as homework. Pam will help you understand the critiquing process and introduce you to the world of publishing.

"Basics of Writing Fiction 2" -- Pam Zollman and Tim Davis, instructors
4 weeks -- Thursdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

October 1-22nd

Cost: $95

This course is designed for writers with a manuscript in first draft form, ready for revision. Pam will work thorugh the editorial process with chapter-book authors, while Tim will help picture-book authors work thorugh the dummying stage and discuss the relationship of illustration to the text. Specific strageies for submission will prepare students for publication.

"Principles of Illustration" -- Tim Davis, instructor

6 weeks -- Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

September 1-October 6th

Cost: $145

This course is for prospective illustrators. It will not teach students how to draw, but will rather guide talented artists to a better understanding of what makes good illustration. Tim will discuss a full range of topics, including composition, line, style, and color. He will assign correlating projects to be critiqued in class. Students should bring samles of their artwork and drawing materials to the first session.

"Overview of Creative Writing" -- Pam Zollman, instructor

3 weeks -- Mondays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

September 14-28th
Cost: $75

This course will give an overview of writing fiction, nonfiction, and poetry for beginning writers. In-class assignments will help students find their writing niche.

"Characterization, Plot, and Structure" -- Pam Zollman, instructor

8 weeks -- Mondays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

October 5-November 23rd

Cost: $195

This advanced course is designed for writers working thorugh the revision process for their manuscripts. Pam wil provide specific help for authors to help their writing reach its full potential.

"Digital Illustration" -- Tim Davis, instructor

4 weeks -- Tuesdays, 6:30-8:30 p.m.

January 5-February 2nd

Cost: $95

This coure is specifically designed to help students learn the basics of illustration using Adobe products, especially Illustrator and Photoshop. Tim will discuss practical strategies for the creation of digital illustrations and assign correlating projects to be critiqued in class. Students will need to have their own computers with Photoshop and/or Illustrator.

I hope that you can join one of our classes!

Don't forget the "Send a Friend Discount Program."

Check our website (http://www.anauthorworld.com/) for more information. Also check the website for upcoming events!

AnAuthor World's first conference

Well, I am exhausted, but inspired and excited, all at the same time!

Our "Write at the StART" conference was very successful -- only a few very minor glitches that no one noticed. We filled the Hargis Art Services gallery with writers and illustrators hungry for knowledge, and then we gave them what they wanted. Plus, we had fun and made new friends! What a great Saturday!

"Hurt the Bunnies" Workshop Session offered at AnAuthor World conference

I will be presenting a workshop on "Hurt the Bunnies: How Characterization and Plot Work Together" at the second break-out session during "Write at the StART" writing and illustrating conference hosted by AnAuthor World (http://www.anauthorworld.com/ ).

I coined the phrase "hurt the bunnies" after reading so many stories where there was no problem to be solved, no conflict -- nothing happened. It started when I judged a contest and every single entry was a picture book/short story about bunnies...except one that was about groundhogs (and this one actually had a problem to solve). The bunnies basically hopped around all day holding hands, picking flowers, and remarking on what a wonderful world they lived in. I have to admit that after reading dozens of stories like that, I really did have an urge to hurt those bunnies. But the phrase "hurt the bunnies" actually is for the writers, to remind them that stories aren't interesting unless we can in some way identify with the main character -- or main bunny -- and feel sympathy for him. We have to care what happens to him. If nothing happens, then we feel as if we've wasted the time we invested in that character/bunny. So the writer needs to "hurt" that character/bunny in some way. The "hurt" doesn't have to be physical. It can be a need, a desire, a wish, a goal...but it can also be a physical or emotional "hurt." A "bunny" without a problem is a boring bunny, and no one wants to read about boring bunnies.

Sign up for the conference (http://www.anauthorworld.com/ ) and for my workshop to learn ways to "hurt your bunnies."

"Write at the StART" Writing and Illustrating Conference

Tim Davis and I have created a studio where we want writing and illustrations to "happen." Not just ours, but yours as well! Our studio is called AnAuthor World and you can find us at 475 Haywood Road, Suite 8, Greenville, SC 29607 (we're inside Hargis Art Services: Studios and Galleries). You can also find us at http://www.anauthorworld.com/.

We're hosting a mini-conference on August 15th at our studio. You can sign-up on our website. Here's the info:

Write at the Start: a kick-off conference for AnAuthor World

Come join us in AnAuthor World on Saturday, August 15, 2009.

We welcome anyone interested in writing and/or illustrating for a one-day conference featuring some great guest speakers and engaging demonstrations. The cost for attending is only $65, with lunch included. You can’t beat that! The event will be held at Hargis Art Services Studios and Gallery, 475 Haywood Road, Suite 8, Greenville, SC, beginning at 9:00 in the morning. Space is limited, so register early to hold a spot by registering through this site.

8:30 Registration opens

9:00 Introduction: Pam Zollman and Tim Davis, Instructors at AnAuthor World
Jo Hackl, Assistant Regional Advisor,SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book
Writers and Illustrators)

9:30 General session: Vonda Skelton: “The Writer’s Brain”

10:45 Breakout sessions:
Vonda Skelton: “Laughter is Serious Business”
Rebecca Davis: “Writing Biographical Narratives for Children”
Pam Zollman: “Writing and Submitting for Magazines”
Tim Davis: “Pictures Plus a Thousand Words”

11:45 Boxed lunch from Jason’s Deli served in the gallery

1:00 Breakout sessions:
Nancy Lohr: “Make or Break Qualities in Novels for Children”
Carol Baldwin: “Creative Writing in the Classroom: How to InspireYour Students”
Pam Zollman: “Hurt the Bunnies: How Characterization and PlotWork Together ”
Justin Gerard: “Illustration Techniques”

2:15 Panel Q and AAll speakers available to answer your questions

3:00 Book Signings, Informal Critique Groups, and Portfolio Reviews

Speakers:

Vonda Skelton is an author and inspirational speaker. She loves teaching adults and students how to pen words that touch lives. Vonda has had the privilege of teaching at writers’ conferences from Delaware to New Mexico and has taught her Writing is Fun! workshops to over 15,000 students in public and private schools.http://www.vondaskelton.com/

Carol Baldwin is a freelance writer in Charlotte, North Carolina. Her most recent book is Teaching the Story: Fiction Writing in Grades 4-8 (Maupin House, 2008). She is active in the SCBWI and enjoys working in her husband’s dental office, being a mother and grandmother, biking, and gardening. http://www.carolbaldwinblog.blogspot.com/

Justin Gerard, the Illustration and Story Director of Portland Studios of Greenville, has produced a ponderous amount of majestic artwork in his young career. He has been featured in Spectrum and Society of Illustrators, and recently obtained an IPPY award for his interpretation of the reknowned epic in Beowulf, Book One: Grendel the Ghastley. http://www.portlandstudios.com/

Rebecca Davis has been writing professionally in a variety of genres for almost thirty years, including four children’s books, one of which won the C.S. Lewis Gold Medal for outstanding Christian juvenile literature. She has also spoken before audiences of all ages, with presentations covering various aspects of writing, literature, the Christian life, home education, and her favorite, telling stories, especially from her own books.http://www.heresthejoy.com/

Nancy Lohr is the Acquisitions Editor for youth titles for JourneyForth Books, a division of BJU Press, and author of two historical fiction novels for children as well as articles on reading and writing that have been published in Teacher to Teacher and Home School Helper. Her background includes experience as a classroom teacher and a school librarian. www.bjupress.com/category/Books

Pam Zollman, the primary instructor at AnAuthor World, is a former editor for Highlights magazine, a speaker in national SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) conferences, a longtime continuing education instructor in Texas and Pennsylvania, and the award-winning author of over forty books for children. In every class she teaches, Pam shares her contagious enthusiasm for writing, which carries over into the relationships she develops with aspiring authors.http://www.pamzollman.com/

Tim Davis brings an artist’s perspective to AnAuthor World. He is the author-illustrator of seven children’s books published by JourneyForth, and has also worked for a number of other children’s publishers, including Highlights magazine, Scholastic, and Fisher-Price. Tim teaches continuing ed. courses at both Furman University and Greenville Technical College, and will offer classes for prospective illustrators at AnAuthor World.http://www.timdaviscreations.com/

I hope that you can come! If not, be sure to visit our website.