Winner of Seize the Story… and Summer Reads

Last week, I posted an opportunity to join a conversation about the art of writing dialog. The luck y winner of Seize the Story (drawn from those who commented on the post) is…

Nancy Barth!

Congratulations Nancy and thanks for reading Carpe Keyboard! Please email me at karisscott@hotmail.com with your mailing address and I’ll send the book to you asap!

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So – what are you reading this summer? Anything great?

Right now, my shelf has a bunch of library books piled up and I’m plowing my way through with the summer sunshine and some cold (cold!) iced tea to help me along. Here’s what I have lined up this month:

A Million Suns by Beth Revis

City of Lost Souls by Cassandra Clare

    Fear by Michael Grant

Geography Club by Brent Hartinger

Turns out – all of them are parts of different series, which is coincidental (I didn’t specifically go looking for series books to read) but not surprising in today’s YA market.

Have you read any of the above? What did you think?

I’m a fast reader, so will have these finished in a flash. Any suggestions on other YA or middle grade novels I should look for?

Being Grateful for Writers and Community...and a Free Book

Thanksgiving weekend. Here I sit, eating left over apple pie (my kids ate all of the pumpkin!) and waiting for my cup of tea to cool. I’m thinking about this writing journey of the last few years.

(Now is a good time for the flashback-I’m-reflecting-on-pleasant-memories music. Bee dee boo, be dee boo… And maybe some fuzzy picture of me looking thoughtful that fades into a montage of scenes where I’m typing diligently away… Sorry. I really was a film student at one point in time.)

Anyway…. I’ve been thinking about how amazing the children’s writing community really is. Most of the people I’ve encountered since I’ve started really focusing on writing have been considerate, kind, helpful, and encouraging – and that goes a long way when you are just starting off in any endeavor, let alone something as difficult and – let’s face it – personal as writing.

My thankful thoughts today are going out to the folks who have been there, been available, listened and encouraged and generally nudged me along on this adventure.

Like other local authors I know, especially Linda and Lisa. They have been a source of great information and encouragement…and growing friendship along the way. The simple fact that they and others I’ve met through SCBWI here in Ohio are so willing to share their experiences (and an occasional falafel) is pretty darned amazing.

Speaking of authors – I’ve also had pretty fantastic experiences with other authors since starting this blog. I’ve gotten very brave about writing to writers (no matter who they are or how famous) to tell them how much I admire their work. And I often add a quick request for an interview. So far, I’ve found that most writers I’ve contacted are very willing to participate, which means spending some of their valuable writing time writing to me instead of writing books! Pretty cool, right?

Not to mention writers who took time to offer advice on the hunt for agents. I had some of those e-mail “conversations”, too. The simple fact that a couple of best-selling authors would be positive and encouraging to a perfect stranger (me!) about the craft and the biz…just something to recognize and be thankful for, I think.

And even agents and editors who have turned my project down. Yep…you read that right. I’m even grateful for their input, comments, and yes…encouragement.

This community of children’s writers and children’s book professionals is one of a kind. And I’m glad to be a fledgling member.

So…in the spirit of offering encouragement and sharing what I know with others, I’d like to offer another book drawing! I’m giving away a copy of SEIZE THE STORY by Victoria Hanley – a book about writing craft and storytelling. It is marketed as a resource for teen writers, but I found the information on plot, character, dialog, etc. all helpful and useful to a number of my own projects.

If you’d like to enter the drawing for this great writing craft book – just type a comment below. It would be great if you’d tell me something you are grateful for this Thanksgiving holiday, too. And if you link to Carpe Keyboard from your Facebook or other social network, leave me a comment about that, too. I’ll put your name in the drawing twice!

I’ll draw for the winner on Saturday, December 4. Good luck! And be thankful!

Writer, Know Thy Audience.

I attended a short conference sponsored by a local chapter of a writing organization yesterday. A friend spoke about crafting scenes and an agent from New York spoke, telling us details about the state of the children’s publishing industry today. Both of these speakers were prepared, knew their audience, and spoke with confidence, providing details the group attending could use. Listening to them was a pleasure. I even took notes.

However…I have to say, the third speaker was not so prepared. She was a writer of “high sensuality” fiction (translate: R- to X-rated stories).

So, let me back up. The conference was sponsored by a childrens writers’ organization. We write for children. You know…picture books, middle grade stories. Our heroes are Beverly Cleary, Jacqueline Woodson, and John Green. We love Eric Carle and dream of having something as successful as the Grouchy Ladybug in our collective futures. Most of us would readily admit to being a bit swoony if we ever got the chance to meet Michael Grant or listen to Margaret Peterson Haddix talk about how her book was chosen for Oprah’s kids’ book club.

I sat there – probably looking more than a little perturbed – as this speaker talked about the importance of pen names to protect your privacy. (This is not something those of us who write for the 8 to 12 year old set usually worry about, but she told us writers need them so the prisoners don’t try to find you. Ahem.) Other attendees at my table squirmed uncomfortably as she used the term “bitch-slap” followed by a few “it sucks” and strangely inappropriate comments about sexual research for her work. Not that childrens writers are easily offended or shocked. But c'mon... Seriously? Protection from the prisoners?!?

I looked at my watch. I sipped cold coffee, fiddled with my pen, then looked at my watch again. I started to feel a little embarrassed for the speaker when her continued attempt at jokes continued to fall on the floor like a cherry red tube of lipstick at a Baptist tent revival.

But then, being me, I found myself wondering if there was a hidden lesson in this – the most painful hour of my Saturday. And here is what I came up with: Know your audience. It has a corollary: Don’t take advantage of your audience. Both of which apply equally to speakers and writers.

We make a promise to our readers – especially as our careers progress and we establish what this speaker referred to as our “author brand.” The promise children’s book writers make involves telling the best story we can that will honor our audience’s expectations, love of story, level of reading skill and imagination.

How do you get to know your audience? In my case, I read to my kids often. I shop for books with them and take them to the library. We talk about the books we all choose – why we choose them, why we like them, and why we sometimes decide to stop reading them before we finish.

I try to pay attention to the kids’ conversations that go on in my house and yard. I talk to my kids’ friends about the stories they like. Recently, I joined a book club where I am definitely in the minority – there are about 6 kids and only 3 adults in the club. It is a great opportunity to listen to how kids dissect and digest stories, not to mention how they choose a book to read.

And here is a biggie: I read kids lit. A LOT. I pack in 2 or 3 middle grade or YA novels just about every week. I choose the books I hear about online or those that have long waiting lists at the library. I read books by authors I know are selling well in the bookstores. These are the people who get it. They have made a promise, and the audience is basking in it. And along with reading kids books, I keep tabs on a number of online communities of readers and writers of my genre.

So, I’m off to dive into another novel now, to try to firm up what I know about my audience. I sure don’t want my books to end up dropped on the floor like… well, like the Saturday afternoon speaker’s jokes.  

A Conversation with Lisa Klein, author of the upcoming Cate of the Lost Colony

By way of introduction, I'd like to tell you all that Lisa Klein is a fantastic writing teacher and I am lucky to have had the chance to learn about YA lit and writing with her. A former English Lit professor, Lisa is now writing full time and cranking out fantastic historical fiction. Here is an interview with her on the eve of the publication of her fourth novel, Cate of the Lost Colony. (Go pre-order a copy!)

Carpe Keyboard: We first met when I attended a class you were teaching about writing for young adults.  You asked us to read Uglies by Scott Westerfeld as one of the class texts, and I remember talking about how dialog gives life to the story setting. Your historical characters in Lady MacBeth’s Daughter and Ophelia sound just like they stepped out of their time period. How do you do that?

Lisa Klein: Thanks, I consider that a great compliment!  A testimony to my psychic channeling powers…Seriously, how I do that is by reading lots of Shakespeare.  He writes terrific dialog.  It’s ALL dialog, in fact!  From him I try to pick up the rhythms of speech and some particular idioms—though it’s important to choose the ones that still make sense today.  But you’ll notice I don’t use “thee” or “thou” or “asketh” etc.  Shakespeare himself was using very contemporary language, and I want to make his “old” language still sound contemporary, alive.

I’ve recently learned (the hard way!) that the editing process is where a huge part of the art of writing happens. I think some writers would argue the magic is in the act of writing the first draft. What do you think?

I agree with your distinction—there is more magic in the first draft, more of the inspiration that pours out uncontrolled.  So drafts are necessarily messy.  The art, the shaping of raw nature (to use a very Renaissance-y idea!) comes in the revision and editing.  To me, pruning that wild tree, giving it a shape, is very satisfying.   There’s very little magic in it, just hard work and the ability to detach yourself from all those wonderful pages you wrote, half of which should probably be deleted!

I happen to know you don’t like to read books about “how to write books,” yet you have a knack for choosing great examples of literature to teach your students about craft. I’ve written some posts on Carpe Keyboard discussing how I’ve learned about voice by reading John Green, for example, or learned about pacing from Cassandra Clare. Do you have any authors or books you’d recommend reading to learn about specific story elements or aspects of craft?

You know, now and then I do read those “how to write” books, if only to learn how to talk about writing or to help make me aware of the process and the choices I make often without realizing it.  But it is far more useful to me to learn by reading the fiction of others.  John Green is great for voice, so is Laurie Halse Anderson.  Robert Cormier’s “The Chocolate Wars” helped me learn 3^rd person narration.  Michael Grant (the “Gone” series) is great at juggling many characters and perspectives while keeping the plot rolling forward.   And don’t forget those authors who just do wonders with language, either as masters of tone (Edith Wharton, believe it or not)  or description, because  attention to language enriches any story, raises it to the next level.

When do you carpe your keyboard? What are your writing habits?

Whenever I’m not delightedly carpe-ing chocolate or a book, or more reluctantly carpe-ing a vacuum cleaner or steering wheel…I write during the day when the kids are in school, from about 9 to 3, and even then with frequent interruptions.  I’m a rather slow writer.  So much of the process occurs “offstage” so to speak.  I’m lucky, very lucky, to write 3 pages a day!

Your next book, Cate of the Lost Colony, is coming out soon, right? What’s the hook? And what’s your next project?

The hook, ah yes!  The agent/editor’s favorite question.  If you don’t have a hook, you don’t have a book.   Cate of the Lost Colony imagines an answer to that great question of history:  What really happened to the English colonists who landed on Roanoke Island in 1587, and were never seen again?  It’s an adventure, a romance, and not a tragedy after all.

What’s next is another Shakespeare-themed book, a comedy this time, though not based on a particular play.  That’s all I can really say about it, because this one I’m writing by the seat of my pants—after carefully planning out the other ones.  Let’s see how long this takes me!  And who knows where it will end up, because my Will Shakespeare character has a mind of his own already.

Good luck, Lisa, with Cate and the work you are doing on the new Shakespeare novel. Can't wait to read them both! Here's to big sales, inspired prose, and continuing with the writer's life.