Another Bookish Week
Warning: Writer stuff again!
I've been on the road again. Last Tuesday, I visited the Piedmont Writers Group in Martinsville. I'd visited before, so I knew I'd be among a good group of ladies. Some of them have books; others have books-in-progress. I spoke about my publishing experiences—self, vanity, and small press—and read a bit from Ferradiddledumday. Then I answered questions. Like my last trip, I had a good time.
Thursday, I traveled farther—to Newport News for the CNU Writers Conference. The conference actually started on Friday afternoon, but I didn't want to have to leave at the crack of dawn, so I drove down on Thursday afternoon. I've attended several CNU conferences, but was unable to attend last year's because of health problems. I always stay with my former roommate from college, but this time—because of water problems that prevented flushing and showering—I stayed with her daughter.
Brian Haig, the keynote speaker, provided an excellent "Strategy for Fiction" workshop Friday night. Another good workshop was Sean Heuvel's "Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs . . . For Writers." Basically, a writer needs all of these to help with book promotion. Even though I use all three, I still learned some new things.
Later Friday evening, I was one of the open mike readers. Naturally, I spent my five minutes reading from Ferradiddledumday. Friday night was also the "One Page Critique" session, in which an agent and an editorial assistant commented on the offerings. I'd submitted the opening from my YA work-in-progress. The critiquers didn't care for it—the main characters (jock and the cheerleader and nerdy girl) were clichés, 1972 isn't appropriate as a setting because YAs aren't interested in the 70s and want contemporary settings, etc. Since I'm only 10 chapters in, abandoning this book (or rewriting as mainstream fiction) is no big deal.
Meanwhile, on his Friday "Arts and Extras" blog, Roanoke Times arts writer Mike Allen wrote about Ferradiddledumday. His post is archived here.
On Saturday, I had a session with the editorial assistant for the first 10 pages of my MG novel. Since I'd workshopped chapter 1 two years ago with a New York editor who'd loved it and encouraged me to take it in certain directions, I hope the editorial assistant would like it, too. Nope—her comments were the exact opposite of what the editor had told me two years ago at CNU. Hmmm. Whom to believe?
I skipped the last session—and the awards ceremony—Saturday afternoon so I could make it home before dark. I have enough trouble seeing at night without the possibility of rain—and rain was predicted. When I told one of the organizers, I was leaving, she implored me to stay. I'd entered two stories in the writing contest—fiction and juvenile fiction—but I'd never won at CNU before so I couldn't see staying.
Fortunately, I made it within 40 miles of home before the hard rain hit, and I made it home before dark. Waiting for me was an e-mail from a friend who stayed through the ceremony. She congratulated me on taking first place in the fiction category. Now I can look forward to receiving a check in the mail.
Sunday afternoon, I journeyed to Roanoke for my SCBWI crit group. Our policy is to e-mail our pages to the others a few days before we meet, so we can have time to critique. (We don't waste time reading our work to the others, so our whole meeting time is used for in-depth discussion.) Only four of us were there, but we had a good meeting. I'm impressed at how well everyone's work is progressing.
Another writerly week down. In the coming week, I'll do a booksigning at Ferrum College's Women's Leadership Conference on Tuesday, pop into a Valley Writers meeting in Roanoke on Thursday, and hit the road for Charlottesville and Festival of the Book on Saturday to signing copies of Ferradiddledumday at the Cedar Creek Publishing table.
I've been on the road again. Last Tuesday, I visited the Piedmont Writers Group in Martinsville. I'd visited before, so I knew I'd be among a good group of ladies. Some of them have books; others have books-in-progress. I spoke about my publishing experiences—self, vanity, and small press—and read a bit from Ferradiddledumday. Then I answered questions. Like my last trip, I had a good time.
Thursday, I traveled farther—to Newport News for the CNU Writers Conference. The conference actually started on Friday afternoon, but I didn't want to have to leave at the crack of dawn, so I drove down on Thursday afternoon. I've attended several CNU conferences, but was unable to attend last year's because of health problems. I always stay with my former roommate from college, but this time—because of water problems that prevented flushing and showering—I stayed with her daughter.
Brian Haig, the keynote speaker, provided an excellent "Strategy for Fiction" workshop Friday night. Another good workshop was Sean Heuvel's "Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs . . . For Writers." Basically, a writer needs all of these to help with book promotion. Even though I use all three, I still learned some new things.
Later Friday evening, I was one of the open mike readers. Naturally, I spent my five minutes reading from Ferradiddledumday. Friday night was also the "One Page Critique" session, in which an agent and an editorial assistant commented on the offerings. I'd submitted the opening from my YA work-in-progress. The critiquers didn't care for it—the main characters (jock and the cheerleader and nerdy girl) were clichés, 1972 isn't appropriate as a setting because YAs aren't interested in the 70s and want contemporary settings, etc. Since I'm only 10 chapters in, abandoning this book (or rewriting as mainstream fiction) is no big deal.
Meanwhile, on his Friday "Arts and Extras" blog, Roanoke Times arts writer Mike Allen wrote about Ferradiddledumday. His post is archived here.
On Saturday, I had a session with the editorial assistant for the first 10 pages of my MG novel. Since I'd workshopped chapter 1 two years ago with a New York editor who'd loved it and encouraged me to take it in certain directions, I hope the editorial assistant would like it, too. Nope—her comments were the exact opposite of what the editor had told me two years ago at CNU. Hmmm. Whom to believe?
I skipped the last session—and the awards ceremony—Saturday afternoon so I could make it home before dark. I have enough trouble seeing at night without the possibility of rain—and rain was predicted. When I told one of the organizers, I was leaving, she implored me to stay. I'd entered two stories in the writing contest—fiction and juvenile fiction—but I'd never won at CNU before so I couldn't see staying.
Fortunately, I made it within 40 miles of home before the hard rain hit, and I made it home before dark. Waiting for me was an e-mail from a friend who stayed through the ceremony. She congratulated me on taking first place in the fiction category. Now I can look forward to receiving a check in the mail.
Sunday afternoon, I journeyed to Roanoke for my SCBWI crit group. Our policy is to e-mail our pages to the others a few days before we meet, so we can have time to critique. (We don't waste time reading our work to the others, so our whole meeting time is used for in-depth discussion.) Only four of us were there, but we had a good meeting. I'm impressed at how well everyone's work is progressing.
Another writerly week down. In the coming week, I'll do a booksigning at Ferrum College's Women's Leadership Conference on Tuesday, pop into a Valley Writers meeting in Roanoke on Thursday, and hit the road for Charlottesville and Festival of the Book on Saturday to signing copies of Ferradiddledumday at the Cedar Creek Publishing table.
~
posted by Becky Mushko | 9:29 PM
6 Comments:
Congrats on taking first place! I love reading writing success stories;)
yay! congratulations on first place!
goodness, you are a busy lady-it sounds like it was a fun week and the week ahead sounds wonderful and writerly also. i hope to see you at festival of the book. i think i will drive up saturday for some of the events. is the publishing table at the omni?
Yep—whole bunch of publishing stuff at the Omni on Saturday. Hope I see you there.
Congrats again on the win. Work it! You're doing great.
Congratulations on winning first place! Sounds like you had an interesting weekend and a busy week coming up.
Becky Mushko!!!! You left that important detail out of your email - Congratulations!!!! Looks like we're going to have to have a party next crit meeting.
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