Tag: kate

Handwriting Meme

The newly agented Kate (read her story here) tagged me in an awesome handwriting meme.

1. Name/Blog Name.
2. Right handed, left handed or both?

3. Favorite letters to write?
4. Least favorite letters to write?

5. Write: The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.
6. Write in caps: CRAB , HUMOR , KALEIDOSCOPE , PAJAMAS  + GAZILLION

7. Favorite song lyrics?

8. Tag 7 people

9. Any special note or drawing?

Attn Forgers: My signature looks like NONE of the above. *smirk*

SCBWI or Bust

We are on a countdown here, people. Seven days until SCBWI in LA. For the last year, I’ve made numerous friends in the online world through Twitter and the AW forums. Sometimes I feel like my entire life is happening online. I’ve had way too many awkward moments when I was telling a co-worker/sister/IRL friend “Well, Kate said this…” and then “Dawn said this…” after which my co-worker/sister/IRL friend says “Who are these people you’re talking about?” And then I hang my head in shame because I feel like I’m a ten-year-old who’s just admitted to having imaginary friends. Or being a closet World of Warcraft/Dungeons & Dragons player. Completely geektastic.

But all of that is changing. I’ve met Dawn in person, thank you. And we had drinks with Kirsten. And now, on Thursday, July 29, there are 20+ of us meeting at the SCBWI National Conference.

And I pray that the awkward greetings pass quickly. That the people I’ve had deep and meaningful conversations (frequently about RPatz’s sparkly manchest or my mad Photoshop skills), when confronted by my utter silliness and snarky idea of humor,  will like me just as much in person. Kate and I have joked about this a number of times, but I’m not sure if she knows I’m 89.9% serious. It’s so much easier to be myself online. In person, I can be kind of like a cat – quick to love you if we hit it off and standoffish if I think you might step on my tail. Which is an odd comparison because I think cats are evil and frequently share how they will eat you if you die alone. True story.

Proof cats are EVIL

Are any of you nervous about meeting in person?

Road Trip Wednesday: Best Blog Posts

Kate suggested I participate in this week’s Road Trip Wednesday. I suspect it is because I’m just getting back into blogging more frequently after an Internet Sabbatical. Being a fellow overachiever, she is giving me a needed kick in the pants. Only your best friends kick you. Thanks, Kate. So here goes…

This Week’s Topic: Give us a link to the best blog post you’ve ever written!

Do I have to pick only one? I have four that I’m particularly proud of.

1. How I Got My Agent – This is a story I will be telling a long time about how I found out I was getting an offer of representation via Twitter.
2. When Someone Reads You, I Mean, Your Novel – Allowing someone to read your work can feel like letting them take a peek inside you.
3. Tough Love for Writers – A tough lesson I learned about letting others have too much power over your work.
4. LOL, A Manifesto to Stop the Abuse – This post gets more random hits from people cruising Google. Please, please wake up people and stop abusing LOL.

Thanks to the YA Highway ladies for having me along on this trip!

Guest Post: Kate Hart on Querying and Applying to College

I begged invited Kate to guest post a gazillion years while ago. She is funny, talented, and an amazing friend. We are proof that a “virtual” friendship can work, and I have approximately 900 Twitter DMs to her in case you doubt me. Aside from my sister, she was the first person I told when I got an agent, and she jumped up and down with me. I can’t wait until it’s my turn to do the same with her, and I am biting my nails to the quick as she embarks on this terrifying illuminating journey.  Read on to see her thoughts on querying.

******

Cory is my first “writing friend,” and among the many things cementing the friendship is the fact that between the two of us, we have probably applied to school more times than half the eastern seaboard. I’ve tried and disliked three separate graduate programs (turns out I really want to write– who knew?); I’ll let Cory fill in her own educational history below.*

My fickle obsession with higher education has an upside, though. It was good preparation for querying. In many ways, the processes are the same:

• You must sum up your entire novel/being in a short letter/essay and submit to the judgment of strangers.
• An obscene amount of research will serve you well.
• Connections in the biz/on the board of directors can help you out– but aren’t necessary.
• That said, having an alum/a published writer for a parent doesn’t hurt.
• Your extra-curricular activities really can help– or hinder, depending on what you’ve been doing outside of school/saying online.
• There will be lots of hurdles to jump through. (Synopsis or no? Sample pages or no? Personal statement or no? Times or Courier?) These are designed to test your dedication. You have to prove you want it. And that you can follow directions.
• It will be tempting to apply/query the same places as your friends.
• You will spend a LOT of time checking your mail/inbox.
• You will probably panic. A lot.
• You’ll have to accept that the decision is out of your hands.
• Rejection will hurt. It will be disheartening, even embarrassing. It will not be the end of the world.
• You will be jealous when others succeed before you.
• You might have to choose between several good offers. You can only choose one.
• A good match is essential. If you choose wrong, you can probably change later, but it won’t be pleasant.
• Once you get in/get agented, you have a whole new challenge ahead of you.
• In grad school as well as writing, it’s publish or perish.

The good news is that unlike school applications, you don’t have to pay to query (and if you do, RUN THE OTHER WAY). You don’t have to take a standardized test… but you also don’t get the luxury of a safety school. Few people will question your decision to go to school; few people will believe you actually think you can get published.

You can query from anywhere and don’t have to worry about a campus visit, but there’s no promise of keg parties in the future to keep you motivated. There is, however, the dream of hitting it big and making a gazillion dollars. And if you’re really lucky, both in school and writing, you might make some new best friends– and you don’t have to share a small dorm room or eat cafeteria food in the meantime.

*Note from Cory: I’ve been to so many colleges, I frequently lose count. I think I’m at 11 now, and I’m working on my second Master’s. Even between degrees, I’ve taken classes for fun, like Poli Sci and French.  Admissions departments fear me and my boatload of transcripts.

Two for Tuesday

What is it? A game started by Kate.

The Rules? Post two of anything: book reviews, pictures, quotes, poems, songs, videos, rants, shout outs, whatever floats your boat. Just connect them somehow. That’s it.

One: Who doesn’t need a little magic in their day? Besides, you remind me of the babe…

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WEdcxiHRxM]

Which brings me to another 80s favorite that I watched repeatedly. And I mean repeatedly until my brother’s eyes bled…

Two: My name is Inigo Montoya.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6m7NR6iYjg]

Blog Award Extravaganza

I know, I know. I’m a total loser. I’ve received blog awards and not returned the favor. So – in answer to a challenge from Kate – here is a mega acknowledgment for the awards I’ve received from Kate and Kaitlin. I’m sorry if I missed acknowledging you!

Groovy Blog Award:

I received this one for “rocking the helpful posts.” I’m passing this one on to:

1. The ladies at YA Highway for their ever enlightening posts.
2. Kate for her Friday Twitter recaps of everything I missed during the week.
3. The gang over at OPWFT for their great book reviews and tips on the writing process.

Humane Blog Award:

A very cool award to receive! This one goes to:

1. The ladies at YA Highway for their support of the people affected by the earthquake in Haiti.
2. Kate for her Twilight bathroom graffiti which teaches us all some kind of lesson. Not sure what, but it must be important.

Awesomesauce Award:

The rules for re-awarding are as follows:

“Rules if You Get Sauced: Basically: define awesome, and then name 8 people you think fit that definition. You don’t have to pass the award on if you don’t want to. This is really just for my own amusement.

Awesomesauce: the quality of being awesome with ease, ie: just as spaghetti sauce flows easily from the jar, so does the awesome flow easily from them.

Awesome: Awesome, in this case, means one of two things (or both):
A. They make me choke on whatever I’m eating on a regular basis because they’re so freaking funny.
B. They generally exude an air of cleverness, wackiness, or badassry.”

And the recipients are the amazing writers participating in my blog series. Every week they’ve delivered thoughtful, awesome posts:

1. Kate
2. Laura
3. Sarah
4. Deb
5. Jennifer
6. Jamie
7. Leila

Honest Scrap Award:

The Rule:
Share seven honest things about yourself and pass this lovely gift on to seven other Honest, Upstanding and “Scraptastic” bloggers.

1. I can’t eat meat on the bone. It makes me want to hurl. My sister and I refer to this as our “Meat Phobia.”
2. I am a sci fi/action movie geek. While I love a romantic comedy, I also love a good blow ‘em up or aliens taking over the world flick.
3. I hate airports and airplanes. I’m not afraid to fly, but I travel frequently for work. All the waiting makes my skin want to crawl. Luckily, I am a plane-narcoleptic. If flying alone, I’m out before the plane takes off.
4. I love romance novels. Sappy, angst-ridden ones. Especially ones with lots of fast-paced dialogue.
5. I have a Master’s in English, and I’ve never read Moby Dick. I swear I started, but it was so brutally painful that I couldn’t make myself read on. *hangs head in shame*
6. I’ve gone out with more than one guy named Corey. Cory and Corey. Can you taste the saccharine? I will always have a soft spot for one of those Coreys, though. J
7. My mom would never let me cut my waist length hair, so I cut ten inches off in my bathroom with a pair of scissors when I was seventeen. It was my one teenage rebellion. I like to hold it up as a banner to show that I rebelled at some point in my life in a truly fantastic way.

And the recipients are…

1. Stephanie
2. Rachel
3. Kaitlin
4. Amanda (Hannah)
5. Michelle
6. Kristen (Miller)
7. Kirsten

All of these ladies are big time AW supporters! I’ve eavesdropped on many a conversation to learn from them.

Happy 101 Award:

The Rule:
Share ten things that make you happy and pass on to other bloggers.

1. My family
2. My best friend, who is also my sister
3. Driving anywhere in my convertible with the top down
4. Writing
5. Good news, esp. good news about my writing
6. Reading
7. Cooking a great meal for a friend
8. My cute apartment in the city
9. Any day that is asthma free
10. Vacation days

And the recipients are…

1. Emilia
2. Amanda (Plavich)
3. Veronique

Each of these ladies has brought a smile to my face on more than one occasion.

Editing, Wordles, and the Color Gray

I am editing.

Pause.

I. AM. EDITING.

If you haven’t written a novel, you have no idea how tedious this process is. On the plus side, my agent’s changes have been minimal. On the also-plus side, I have taken this opportunity to hoover my manuscript. I am tightening up every line, removing unnecessary words and phrases. The times I was lazy and told the reader what my character felt instead of showing it – deleted. This terrible habit I have of overloading my descriptions with a train of adjectives – picked one and made it stick. That little sub-plot that didn’t move the story but amused me – had to go.

Here’s where I congratulate myself.

As my manuscript progressed, I noticed I had to kill less. My writing was cleaner, more concise as the story deepened.

Here’s where I berate myself.

I created a supernatural world with two sets of opposing beings, and I did not adhere to the rules I created. Oh, I built Microsoft Word tables to show how A interacts with B, which changes A to X and B to W. Believe me, I had tables that broke this down by chapter. BUT I didn’t stick to them. I let myself fall into gray areas because that’s where my story wanted to go. All I did, though, is create confusion and a headache for myself as I correct this laziness. My editing tip for the decade: Avoid gray areas – they make for bad plot continuity.

Here’s where I took a break from editing to make art out of my manuscript.

Kate introduced me to Wordle, and I decided to try it out to see which words I had abused. I LOVE my Wordle. At least 90% of the words on it should be on it. Character names – check. Relationship names – check. Verbs and nouns inherent in my MC’s world – check. This is a book of self-discovery and creating relationships and making connections. If I take out the innocuous verbs and prepositions (which I ruthlessly will do), I’m left with words that I would use to describe my novel’s theme. That’s a win-win to me.

My Quote for the Week:

The work was like peeling an onion. The outer skin came off with difficulty… but in no time you’d be down to its innards, tears streaming from your eyes as more and more beautiful reductions became possible.

By Edward Blishen