SCBWI Membership

I just got my package in the mail! Very exciting!

Observation #2: Follow the scent

This is Part 2 of the "Observation Deck" I am pulling from. Today's card was "Follow the scent" in which I am instructed to think about a time when I smelled something that brought back memories:

A couple weeks ago my sister and I went to eat at a Korean bbq restaurant.  As we entered the place she turned to me and said, "Oh my god, that smells so good." I replied, "Yeah, I know. I can't wait."  She didn't know this, but I lied.  I couldn't smell the delicious bbq meat conveniently cooking on everyone's tables.   I have a problem smelling scents right way.  I have no idea when this started.  As long as I can remember I've had sinus problems, ear aches, etc...  It hasn't bothered me as much as it has these past two years.  Two years ago, I was at work typing something on the computer when my co-workers came up to me and said the all to familiar "Oh, my, god, that smells so good!"  Most days, I just agree with people when they say that and just take their word for it.  This day, I became curious, What could smell that good at work?  They replied, "Can't you smell the Christmas tree they just put up in the front of the office?"  This saddened me.  I immediately thought to myself, This is sad, I can't smell Christmas.  

And, that's the thing about the power of Christmas, just the thought of it can make me miss a scent I haven't thought of in a while.  Even though Christmas is more than a month away, I miss being able to smell it.  I miss the smell of cinnamon that has no choice but to make it's way into our house during this time of year.  I miss the scent of hot chocolate and the smell of the air when it is cold or the smell of the masa when my family gets together to make tamales.  I miss that. 

Although I haven't completely lost the sense of smell, the fact that it is impaired has made me appreciate the few times I am able to smell something in the air.  It has made me notice the little things in life. And, hopefully this will help with whatever it is I begin to write about in the future.

Fully Disclosed.

Soon, Bloggers Must Give Full Disclosure
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/06/business/media/06adco.html

I just want to put this out there... All of the books I read were purchased by me. But, if any booksellers want to send some books on writing my way, I would gladly accept them.

Observation #1- Locate the Fear

As part of my quest to unlock the writer's block, I will start to complete the exercises listed in a tool kit I got called "The Observation Deck" by Naomi Epel.  It is a deck of cards with different techniques to help writers get through each step in the creative process.  Epel suggests that you can "work your way through the deck systematically or your can shuffle the cards to determine your next move".  I shuffled the deck because I'm crazy! (and also because I didn't read her suggestions until after I shuffled the deck).

The first card I pulled from "The Observation Deck" had one phrase "Locate the fear".  This is a formidable task because if I locate the fear then, I have to confront it.  I can't just pull the covers up over my head and wait for it to go away.  

There are a lot of people, places and/or things to be afraid of.  Let's start with "people" and then move on with the other types of nouns.

One person I am definitely scared of is: Peter Lorre. It's not just the bulging eyes and the creepy voice it's, it's...  OK, it is those two characteristics about him that scare me.  Mainly the creepy voice, but also the eyes.  Eyes are the windows to your soul.  And, man is his soul ugly.

Next, I am scared of clowns.  I know, I know, cliche.  Allow me to go further into my past.  Many years ago when I was a girl, my grandmother came to visit us.  She was used to walking long distances; I was not.  My grandmother made me walk from Los Angeles to Long Beach (there were probably bus rides in between) so that we could sit and watch the "Ringling Brothers".  Then we went home and my cousins made me watch "IT". S-C-A-R-Y.  Part of me can't really ever believe Tim Curry isn't really a clown terrorizing little kids.

"How could you ever be scared of a place?", if you find yourself asking me this question, then you have never read a book called "Ghosts of the Haunted Coast."  I don't know why but, a large part of my childhood was devoted to reading ghost stories and then being scared about them that night.  I am scared of the ocean.  There's more of it then us. Enough said.

This brings me to "things".  By definition a thing is usually "an inanimate object."  I'm scared of things that usually animate themselves or come to life.  For example, dummies on occasion come to life.  They can be summoned by reading poems left in old books or by warlocks.  It doesn't really matter how dummies come to life, the fact is they do.  And, what I'm scared of is that they will come to life when I am asleep and run their creepy knife-like fingers through my hair or swirl them around my ear (I hate that) and down my spine. (ugh.)  What's also freaky about dummies is that they scatter really fast.  If you are trying to fall asleep with the covers over your head, you can hear their little footsteps scatter around your room. I'm getting goosebumps just thinking about it.

Now that I have located and resurfaced all these fears, I get to go lay down and pretend to sleep while the clowns and the dummies plot my ultimate demise.

Outdating yourself

References in your Manuscript
Mary Kole answered my question!

Research

TODAY's TO DO LIST:

1. Find out how to write a book
2. Buy/Borrow literature on the subject of publishing your work
3. Become a member of a writer's association
4. Connect with other writers

"Don't listen to those who tell you that writing a children's book is easier than writing a book for adults." This is the advice most children's book writers will tell you and it is absolutely right.

A huge part of my project has to do with research. Most of the month of September was spent asking myself this question, "How do I start writing a children's book?"

1. Find out how to write a book
I started visiting the library more often. Then, when I started racking up late book fees, I switched to Barnes and Noble and Vroman's bookstores. The first book that caught my attention was "Book in a Month" by Victoria Lynn Schmidt. Bingo! "I will read this book, follow the directions, and be finished with my book in a month", I thought. I was wrong. Sometimes a little thing called "your life" steps in and makes you not want to write anything for, like, a week. Then, that "month" turns into "a month and a half". Though, Schmidt has some pretty great advice that I will go into some other time.
For now, I have split up the tasks of writing and researching. Half the time, I write and the other half, I research. Needless to say, today is a research kind of day.
Researching publishers, websites for writers, subscribing to different e-newsletters like Publisher's Weekly etc...

2. Buy/Borrow literature on the subject of publishing your work
Amazon.com says this about "Writer's Market 2010":

• It is the "most trusted guide to getting published"
• "Written by writers for writers and backed by 89 years of authority
• The #1 resource for helping writers sell their work.
• Used by both seasoned professionals and writers new to the publishing world
• Has helped countless writers transform their love of writing from a hobby into a career.
• Nowhere else but in the 2010 Writer’s Market will you find the most comprehensive and reliable information you need.

So, of course I bought it. And so far so good... It is my publishing bible. I read it every night before bed time. And, I do whatever it tells me...[oooh, scary]

3. Become a member of a writer's association

I joined the SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators). I read somewhere on VerlaKay.com (a website for writers) and Writer's Market 2010 (writer's bible) that some publishing companies will not accept work unless you have a literary agent or you are a member of the SCBWI. So, for $85/year you can belong to the SCBWI and network with other children's book writers and illustrators. They hold workshops and critiquing events different parts of the U.S.

4. Connect with other writers
http://www.kidlit.com/ is a "site for writers, readers and fans of children's literature written by Mary Kole associate agent at Andrea Brown Literary Agency!"

The other day, I wrote to Mary Kole and asked, "How do I make my characters meaningful to audiences today? Essentially, how can I prevent from sounding outdated?" Mary replied, "Jac, Thanks for asking. References are a tricky subject. Do you mind if I answer your question on the blog? I'll write a post about it this weekend." To which I replied, "I wouldn't mind it at all. Thanks."
I can't wait to read what she says!

NEXT BLOG: Observation #1-Locating the fear.

Attempt at mobile blogging

"oh yes, I love technology...but not as much as you, you see. But, I still love technology"-Kipp Dynamite

Day 1 of the blog

I've always loved writing: my thoughts, interesting words that POP into my head, random emails to my friends etc... Two years ago I made a decision, I am going to stop entertaining ideas that one day, I will be "discovered" and be made an instant movie star. Instead, I am going to be the next J.K. Rowling. I am going to write children's books. I am going to write the kind of books I would've liked to read as a child.

My problem is: I don't know anything about the actual business of writing children's books, I don't know where to begin to do this, and I didn't really like reading when I was a kid.

Therefore, I enrolled in grad school. Next year I will be getting a Master's General Education.

Among other very important things, I've learned about children's literacy and teaching phonics to children.

This semester, I've started my last class before my comp exam. Possibly the hardest class since high school Biology: an independent study class entitled "Children's Book Publishing".

Goals for this class include:

1) Research publishers and their submission requirements

2) Write a Children's book

3) Submit book to publishers

4) Get published

5) Obtain a major motion picture deal for the rights to my book

6) Get a part in the movie

7) Become rich and famous

8) Direct

That's All!!

This will be interesting....