What I learned at the Write Now writing conference
Aug 20th, 2011 – Scottsdale, AZ
Patricia L. Brooks patricia@plbrooks.com
PICK UP THE PACE
Sophie Littlefield and Juliet Blackwell, authors, speakers
Motivating you to finish your work
These women are delightful. They are determined to inspire everyone in the audience to feel as passionately as they do about writing and publishing. Thank you Sophie and Juliet for a tremendous effort shown to us; we appreciate it. The following questions were posed to us for reflection.
What are my True Writing Goals?
-
- To tighten the structure of my current manuscript
- To define my query letter and prepare for submission
- To not give up no matter how many rejections I receive
How important are these Goals?
- Top priority – will not be put aside for
even one day - They will be a part of my morning schedule along with my exercise and daily
meditations - They will be connected to everything I do as I live the writers life
What am I willing to Give Up?
- Social activities that I deem unnecessary to my goals listed above
- TV time and Internet usage to have more writing time
- Certain reading material that does not further my goals
How will I Get in the Chair?
- Maintain my home-office for writing and make it very workable for that purpose
- Write and think and breathe this work each day while moving the project forward
- Appreciate the time I have to write and take advantage of this writing opportunity
How Will I Stop Sabotaging Myself?
- By not allowing myself off the hook with my commitment to write each day for a minimum of two hours
- By telling myself I can do this again in a bigger and better way
- By not allowing my perfectionism to get in the way of my desire to finish this
work
Now more honest with myself about my writing, I take these goals and commitments seriously. I know my strengths and will capitalize on them and make them work for me such as being early and working alone.
These authors advise staying ENGAGED and working on something all of the time. I will remember that being able to write full-time is a privilege and I should not take it lightly.
These women also preach “anything you write is practice, so keep writing” and never give up. Keep writing and learn your voice is their mantra!
My stories are valid. I respect my fellow writers and their work too. I seek their encouragement and support as part of my plan to write daily and I pledge to continue to give it in return.
Thank you Sophie www.sophielittlefield.com and Juliet www.julietblackwell.net for a wonderful session at the conference
FIVE TECHNIQUES FOR SHAPING YOUR SUBMISSIONS
Carol Test, writer and editor
Thank you Carol for the valuable feedback you gave me on the work I submitted at the conference. Here is what you prompted us with followed by
my takeaways from your wonderful talk.
my takeaways from your wonderful talk.
1)
Write Fast First Drafts (and skinny seconds)
Write Fast First Drafts (and skinny seconds)
Almost overwrite and imbue later
- Don’t edit as you go along
- Write calorie and go “all-in”
- Cut back with the second draft
- My takeaway is to write with fierce abandon
2)
Beg the Question (in the intro)
Beg the Question (in the intro)
Ask a rhetorical question – no need to answer
- Leave this for the reader to define and answer
- Hook us in with the story’s question
- Start action with the hook
- My takeaway is do it now
3)
Shape your Scenes (timing them)
Scene moves you forward in the story
Shape your Scenes (timing them)
Scene moves you forward in the story
- Clock is critical – how long does it take?
- Progression is paramount to the story
- Take us back to the opening at the end
- My takeaway is the form and flow are crucial
4)
Answer the Post-it Question
Answer the Post-it Question
Theme ( use rhetorical question instead of a statement)
- Define theme on a post-a-note
- Be succinct and clear
- Stir interest
- My takeaway is less is more
5)
Know the Elements of Craft – do double duty
Know the Elements of Craft – do double duty
Narrative – shape – movement – through character in to action
- Mirror characters to make point
- Concrete detail
- Sculpt in to a work of art
- My takeaway is paint beautiful pictures with my story
The use of structure to organize your work is one important thing I needed to hear. Don’t tie it up too nicely is another. Let the reader do some of the work, but shape it and make it attractive to the reader still another. Let the reader answer the questions you set forth. The best advice yet – thank you
Carol.
Carol.