The Writing Spark

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Do you ever lose the spark for writing? There are days and there are days for me. Sometimes I’m really enthused about whatever it is I’m writing about. Other days, it just isn’t happening. Nathan Bransford, has interesting comments on his blog forum about what happens when you lose that spark in writing and how some writers cope with it.

Which brings me to a couple of days ago when I was feeling guilty for not wanting to write but instead wanting to visit one of our local museums or missions. A waste of time away from writing, I thought. But then I read YA author Veronica Roth’s blog and changed my mind. As soon as I can, I am taking a special day off and will browse those historical places in town that I love. I believe it will make me a better writer.

Roth’s blog sort of connects with the same topic of losing that spark. That’s why I listed it here. She writes, “I am learning that you cannot write well if you are not engaged with the world. The writing mind is like an ice cream maker. It will always produce ice cream, but unless you intervene, that ice cream will always be vanilla. You have to acquire new ingredients if you want to make the ice cream taste like something else, or have an interesting texture.”


Have a great Thanksgiving!

“Nothing one ever experiences or feels is wasted.” — Lynne Reid Banks

Opportunity for Writing

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Remember that blog a few days ago when I mentioned being distracted from my writing by a squirrel on my neighbor’s roof right outside my window? I had to laugh when I read the following article, “Squirrels in the Attic,” by Ruth Schiffman from the Institute of Children’s Literature online newsletter. In it, she mentions squirrels in her attic and how she turned this into an opportunity for writing. Read it and I’m sure you’ll think it’s funny too.
I kind of did the same thing one day when a woodpecker made holes in my neighbor’s wooden chimney and then came over and pecked, pecked, pecked on the side of my house. It was irritating. This went on for days.The woodpecker (I named him Oscar) would visit early in the morning, waking me up with all the noise. I ended up writing a short children’s story about Oscar making him the main character. The reason I did that is because Oscar had an “attitude.” One day I went outside and actually took his picture while he pecked on the wood. It didn’t faze him. He looked at me and went back to his pecking. I filed the story in my “someday go back and revise” folder. Come to think of it, I might just take it out right now and have a look. Ms. Schiffman has motivated me to do just that. Yea!



River Walk
“I dive into a story the way I dive into the sea, prepared to splash about and make merry.” – E.B. White

Critiques

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I was talking to a lady last week who told me she’s always wanted to write but is afraid of critiques. Why? I asked. “Because I can’t take it,” was her reply. “I can’t stand being told it’s not good or something.” Which brings me to an article I just read in the September 2010 issue of Writer’s Digest, “Develop a Thick Skin,” by Steve Almond and Sheila Bender. Part of the article reads, “You have to recognize criticism and rejection as a necessary step in the process . . . you have an obligation to recognize in these disappointments the seeds of your own improvement. Because if you can’t accept your failures at the keyboard … you simply won’t get any better.”
If the dynamics of a critique group are right, I think being in one is of immense value. I found a good blog, Right-Writing, that offers tips on how to find and join a critique group. Written by editor/writer, Terry Whalin, he offers advice on how to organize a critique meeting, how to critique one another’s work, whether fiction or nonfiction, and what are the advantages of joining such a group. I highly recommend being in a critique group. It will enhance your writing skills and make you lasting friendships.
“I always yield to the inevitability of events in my novels even when it causes me to shift course, toss away pages and notes and make sudden revisions.” — Robert Cormier

A Novel

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A Novel

I found literary agent for Curtis Brown Nathan Bransford’s blog on “How to Write a Novel,” super helpful. If you’re planning to write a novel or if you are in the middle of one, this is a good link. He addresses Main Plot Arc and how to start and end it. He writes about the protagonist, about setting “… it’s more than just where your novel takes place …. ” and addresses Style and Voice, “ … your own personal style is nothing like anyone else’s …” He then closes with the Climax and, of course, Revision.

Another blog that I enjoyed was the Looking Glass Review. It’s loaded with information on book reviews, author profiles, numerous authors’ websites, award-winning books, and so on. Take a peek and you’ll agree.

Best of luck on that novel that you’re writing right now and the one you’re planning to start. The beautiful tiled mural below is in the Sunset Valley library where I did a school visit two weeks ago.



Mural – Sunset Valley Elementary
“Be bold! Be aware and appreciative of differences for it is said: ‘He who thinks all fruit ripens at the same time as the fig has never tasted grapes.’” – Mildred Pitts Walter

A Writing Day

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I am sitting at my PC, writing and revising several chapters in the middle-grade historical fiction that I’ve been working on for a while. I get distracted now and then. For instance, through the window in my office, I just saw a squirrel scampering across my neighbor’s rooftop next door. Hope it doesn’t get into their attic. They had quite a problem a while back with squirrels who became squatters. No respect, I tell you. Then there was the woodpecker who poked holes in my other neighbor’s wooden chimney. And the raccoon who chewed up my chimney. I kid you not. Left a big hole. Don’t get me started…
Back to writing. I’m trying to allow my imagination to soar with my characters. Talk to me, I keep repeating. What would you do in this case? How would you react? A scene is like a mini-story, I remind myself. Beginning, middle, end. Those three words just triggered my memory. I have a book by that title.
I’m hoping my words will flow and I will have an “aha” moment. Sometimes it happens; sometimes not. Regardless, I will stay glued to my chair. Self-discipline. Perseverance. Writers learn that quickly. Inspiration doesn’t come just because you’re sitting in front of your PC. You have to work at it. And I am trying. Now if that squirrel would only go away … so easy to get distracted.
But just in case, I am going to refresh my memory a bit by referring to one of my books on writing, the one I mentioned above, Beginnings, Middles & Ends by Nancy Kress. I recommend this book highly. I’ve highlighted some excellent writing tips and will go over them to get unstuck and continue with my novel. Keeping a small library of these types of books comes in handy.

“The feeling for words, the driving need to tell a story, the love of characters who constantly inhabit your mind waiting to be born, these are the inherent things that make us writers.” — Eve Bunting

Unexpected surprise!

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I was taking a picture of the Texas Capitol building while at the Texas Book Festival last Saturday when something caught my eye. It was right on the bench behind me. I went over and took a look. No one else was around. Where was its owner? Should I take it? What if someone saw me? Was this like candid camera or something? Maybe it was a joke. I started to walk away.


Texas Capitol Building

 But I couldn’t leave it there. What if it rained later and it got all wet? What if someone threw it away? I would never forgive myself. I turned right around. I sat next to it. Slowly and with a little hesitation, I reached over and touched it. Then I picked it up. I opened it! I laughed out loud and shook my head in amazement. A “traveling book.” At first, I had no idea what a traveling book was until I read what was written on the label inside the cover:

“I’m a very special book. You see, I’m traveling around the world making new friends. I hope I’ve made another one in you. If so, please go to www.bookcrossing.com, where you can make a brief journey entry with my BCID number (below). You will see where I’ve been, and my old friends will be happy to know I’m safe here in your hands. Then help keep my dream alive – READ & RELEASE me!”

I’m convinced the “traveling book” found me. You see, being the book lover that I am, it knew it would be safe in my hands. The title of the book? Middlesex written by Jeffrey Eugenides. It won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction and the Ambassador Book Award. It has been featured in Oprah’s Book Club.
That was my unexpected surprise! How often do you find a book right out in the open? I am anxious to find out the journey of this book. According to the label, it was last picked up in Colorado. I will soon release it and send it on its way placing it somewhere where hopefully another book lover will find it as well. What a novel idea!

“To this day, I don’t sit down and say, I’m writing a novel. That would terrify me! Novels are long and complicated and I don’t know how anyone ever writes one! No, I sit down and say I’m writing a story, and today I’m going to write either two pages, or one scene, whichever comes first!” — Linda Sue Park

A day at the Texas Book Festival

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What a day! The weather was perfect as hundreds of people milled around buying books, listening to authors’ readings, getting their books autographed, and just enjoying a day of books, books, books. I’m referring to this past weekend and the Texas Book Festival. The beautiful grounds surrounding the Capitol Building in Austin had children running up and down some of the hilly mounds, slurping snow cones, and coming in for storytime from some of the children’s book authors, including myself.
How awesome that as I was reading my latest book, The Battle of the Snow Cones, there was a snow cone stand right next to the tent. So appropriate. So who did I sit next to this time at the booksigning tent? I was sandwiched in between three-time Caldecott winner writer/illustrator David Wiesner and children’s book author Monica Brown. Mr. Wiesner was just leaving as I got there and Ms. Brown had just arrived as I was leaving. So I didn’t really get to meet with them although I did introduce myself to Ms. Brown who was most gracious. See what I mean when you get to do the Texas Book Festival? You meet all sorts of famous people. I did catch Wiesner’s book reading. Fantastic, of course.
For book lovers everywhere, this was an afternoon made just for them.  



Booksigning



Snow Cone Stand



Texas Book Festival

 “Surprise is what keeps readers turning the pages and writers filling them up.” — James Howe

Texas Book Festival

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I am excited and looking forward to participating at the Texas Book Festival in Austin this weekend. This will be my second time around. When my first book, Lupita’s Papalote, came out, I was invited to do a reading and signing. It was thrilling for me. After my reading, I was escorted to another tent for booksigning. Guess who I sat next to? None other than Louis Sachar of Holes, the book which won the 1999 Newbery Award and was later made into a movie. His line of admiring fans snaked around the block while mine was pitifully short. But I got beyond that and just enjoyed watching the hundreds of book lovers browsing and talking to famous writers. I too went around and bought books and got them autographed. I was in awe of the whole event. Going there for the second time is just as thrilling as the first. Hmm… I wonder who I’ll be sitting next to this time.
“If a writer isn’t a reader, he’s in the wrong profession.” — Marion Dane Bauer

Social media

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Nowadays almost everyone has a Website, a Blog, Twitter, Facebook, etc., account. According to what I heard at the SCBWI-LA conference last summer, editors, agents, and publishers google writers and illustrators to find out more about them. How savvy are you on this type of social media? I’m just starting to learn the ropes. For starters, start with a Website or a blog or both.
An interesting article, Got Fans?, by social media consultant and children’s book writer, Jenn Bailey of the Institute of Children’s Literature, mentions that “with social media people like to connect, communicate, and belong … Social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, are like a virtual front porch.” For an interesting read on this topic, click on her link above where she gives reasons for getting on the social media platform.

Aguas Frescas at El Mercado
“Take out another notebook, pick up another pen, and just write, just write, just write. In the middle of the world, make one positive step. In the centre of chaos, make one definitive act. Just write. Say yes, stay alive, be awake. Just write. Just write. Just write.”– Natalie Goldberg

Book review

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I got a really pleasant surprise today – a book review of my book, The Battle of the Snow Cones, by Latina Lista Book Reviews. This brings me to the topic of book reviews. I posted a blog on this subject a while back. Some of you probably already read it, but I am posting it again in case some of you have not. Book reviewing is another interesting, important part of the writing/publishing process.
When I worked as a staff writer for a local paper, I occasionally did book reviews. Although I think I did an honest evaluation of the books I read for review, I wish I had read this article in Book Reviews  back then. In reviewing a book, you’re being asked for your opinion and criticism. How do you do that? There’s critical thinking involved.
Book reviews: What is the premise of the book? Does the author deliver on that premise? What’s your analysis and take on the book? I’m not an expert on this subject, but I tried to be as thorough and honest as I could with the books I was given to review. I often thought about the authors of the books and how they reacted to the reviews.

“Try to present a balanced argument about the value of the book for its audience.” That is what the online article mentioned in Book Reviews states. If you’ve ever thought about doing book reviews, visit that site.



Pinatas on the roadside.

“A good picture book begins with delight, ends with wisdom, humor, warmth, or love, and means more than it says.” – Barbara Williams