Howdy, folks! SCBWI Brazos Valley has some events coming. First, on July 27 at the College Station Barnes and Noble at 10:00 a.m., author Sherry Garland will offer tricks of writing winning query and cover letters.
Don't forget the upcoming mini-retreat! SCBWI Saturday: A Mini-Retreat to Inspire Your Writing Voice on Aug. 27, 2011, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Arts Council of the Brazos Valley (2275 Dartmouth St., College Station, TX).Cost: Free. Offered by Brazos Valley Children’s Literature Book Club co-coordinators, Jacqueline Gramann and Alicia Clay O’Neill. More info is on the website.
Mark your calendars! Our annual conference registration -- Connections and Craft 2011: Writing for hildren and Adults -- is about to open. The conference will be held at A&M United Methodist Church on November 12, 2011 Keep checking the website for more information.
Perfect Pitch
Wonder how to avoid "I'm out of town" syndrome. Check out this article and learn the worst time to pitch a book.
The 2011 Backspace Agent-Author Seminar is November 3 and 4, 2011. This conference offers an interesting take on how to break into the business.
Want to pitch your book and don't know whether it is high concept or not? Author Lori Wilde offers some thoughts about that.
Rejection Dictionary
Ever wonder how to decode a rejection? Here ia a post over at ADVENTURES IN CHILDREN'S PUBLISHING and The Writer's Rejection Dictionary.
Dog days of summer. More scratch next week.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Friday, July 8, 2011
Weekly Scratch: YA Opportunity, Revolution, Good Letters, Tweets, Book Club, Craft
Howdy, folks. I hope y'all are not too hot. Keep working on your projects. Make space for the art and craft of children's books. I hope are writing heats up just like the weather. Check out the SCBWI Brazos Valley website for upcoming events: schmoozes, a retreat, a conference. Lots of cool stuff ahead.
YA Opportunity
Here is a new magazine for emerging YA authors. It's called Sucker Literary Magazine. It's featured in PW. It's a place for short fiction. You may wish to check it out.
Revolution
Yes, HarperCollins "I Can Read Books" are now digital. More migration from print. Read about in PW.
The number of print books sold has fallen by 10% in the past 6 months. The biggest chunk is out of adult fiction -- also reported in PW.
SCBWI Austin has a conference on October 8, 2011 at Saint Edwards University: Storytelling in the Digital Age: Embrace the Change. Folks in the neighborhood sort through the revolution to help you understand what is going on out there.
Good Letters
I love Letters of Note. They put some outstanding correspondence over there. Here is one to warm the heart of anyone who has been rejected by an editor. Enjoy.
Tweets
Here is a round up of tweets from agents from late June. You might find something interesting here.
Book Club
Don't want to get out in the heat but you do want to hang with readers of good books. Check out this how to Host A Virtual Book Club article.
Craft
Underneath every story is something hovering. What are you not saying when you are writing? Why is that important. Read this article on subtext if you feel the need to dive into the deep end of the craft pool. :)
Write more this week. I'll see you next week with more of the weekly scratch.
YA Opportunity
Here is a new magazine for emerging YA authors. It's called Sucker Literary Magazine. It's featured in PW. It's a place for short fiction. You may wish to check it out.
Revolution
Yes, HarperCollins "I Can Read Books" are now digital. More migration from print. Read about in PW.
The number of print books sold has fallen by 10% in the past 6 months. The biggest chunk is out of adult fiction -- also reported in PW.
SCBWI Austin has a conference on October 8, 2011 at Saint Edwards University: Storytelling in the Digital Age: Embrace the Change. Folks in the neighborhood sort through the revolution to help you understand what is going on out there.
Good Letters
I love Letters of Note. They put some outstanding correspondence over there. Here is one to warm the heart of anyone who has been rejected by an editor. Enjoy.
Tweets
Here is a round up of tweets from agents from late June. You might find something interesting here.
Book Club
Don't want to get out in the heat but you do want to hang with readers of good books. Check out this how to Host A Virtual Book Club article.
Craft
Underneath every story is something hovering. What are you not saying when you are writing? Why is that important. Read this article on subtext if you feel the need to dive into the deep end of the craft pool. :)
Write more this week. I'll see you next week with more of the weekly scratch.
Friday, July 1, 2011
Weekly Scratch: Mom Power, The Darkness, Life VS Writing, Rule breakers, Query!
Howdy, Folks. I hope your work is heating up like our summer, because if it is, you are on fire. In the news is former SCBWI Brazos Valley member Donna Cooner . Read about her six-figure debut deal here. Shout out to her on Facebook! Kathi Appelt is a contributing writer to Writing Young Adult Fiction for Children. So yay! I hope you all enjoy the Fourth!
Mom Power
I like this article about the power of moms to influence book sales and think it is cool.
The Darkness
Lots of folks are arguing about this article about in the Wall Street Journal about the darkness in YA books. Believe me this has incited dramatic feelings and many are going on and on about this article. Be sure to check out the comments too.
Life vs. Writing
Some advice to keep you writing even if life is throwing you tons of curve balls. This is all about Plan B.
Rule breaker.
Do you see rules as merely the guidelines. Apparently George Orwell wrote the rules. Follow this link to learn them. You can decide whether to break them or not. Here's a list of 5 rules you are encouraged to break. Give it a look.
Query!
Here is some encouragement to get you querying and moving away from your perfection. :)
Have a fun weekend!
Mom Power
I like this article about the power of moms to influence book sales and think it is cool.
The Darkness
Lots of folks are arguing about this article about in the Wall Street Journal about the darkness in YA books. Believe me this has incited dramatic feelings and many are going on and on about this article. Be sure to check out the comments too.
Life vs. Writing
Some advice to keep you writing even if life is throwing you tons of curve balls. This is all about Plan B.
Rule breaker.
Do you see rules as merely the guidelines. Apparently George Orwell wrote the rules. Follow this link to learn them. You can decide whether to break them or not. Here's a list of 5 rules you are encouraged to break. Give it a look.
Query!
Here is some encouragement to get you querying and moving away from your perfection. :)
Have a fun weekend!
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