Hey all! I booked some workshops and events this week and would love to tell you about them.
The first is an exciting new opportunity from Writers Digest! On September 23rd (time TBA), I’ll be doing a live webinar program on Writing and Publishing Children’s Books. It will work much like this webinar (click here for a link to a sample workshop…but do not buy this workshop unless you want to take it…this is not my workshop, the listing for mine is not up yet…this is just an example), and will feature information from me, structured question and answer, and the opportunity to receive critiques on your writing and queries. We’re still working the details out, but this webinar will happen online on September 23rd. Anyone with an Internet connection, anywhere in the world, can participate!
Second, for all the writers in the New York/Manhattan area, I’m doing another course with the Learning Annex! The listing isn’t up on the website yet but it will be Thursday, September 30th, in the evening. I’ll post a link as soon as the information goes up on the website. Everyone who attends the class will receive a 5-page quick consultation for a MG or YA manuscript or a quick consultation of an entire picture book manuscript, depending on what they’re writing. I’ll let you know when signups are available for the class, but you can at least put it on your calendars now for September 30th.
These two things are still in progress and you can’t register yet, but do look forward to them. I’ll keep everyone posted. The webinar is a great opportunity for those people who have always wanted to hear me speak but who don’t live in a place that I’ll be visiting in the near future.
Speaking of visits in the near future, I’ve just added some conferences to my schedule! (My Events page will reflect these changes in a few days.)
In November, I will now be at the SCBWI South Dakota event, Friday the 5th through Sunday the 7th.
In December, I will be at the Big Sur Workshop held by the Andrea Brown Agency, from Friday the 3rd through Sunday the 5th.
In January, I will be at the Writers Digest Conference from Friday the 21st to Sunday the 23rd, and I’ll also be at the SCBWI New York National Conference from Friday the 28th to Sunday the 30th.
Whew! That’s quite an upcoming schedule, but I’m really excited!
If anyone has burning writing or publishing questions, this might also be a good time to ask, as I’m always looking to stock my “post ideas” box.
Hi Mary-
I had sent you an email with this question a few days ago and I’ll throw it in the ring again here. It was a question about chapters. I would love to hear your take on chapter breaks, long chapters, very short chapters, chapters that start seconds after the previous one ends, chapters that start months later, etc. In a related question, I would also love to have you weigh in on scenes, and how they differ from, but are related to, chapters.
I am struggling with this in my revisions – trying to decide when to start a new chapter versus what is a new scene but still part of the same chapter. Any thoughts you have about what raises a red flag for you as you’re reading (since I suspect the best chapter breaks are the ones you barely notice) would be great!
I can’t wait for the news!
In the meantime, I have a question for you. I’ve been thinking a lot about and practicing different YA voices. I know what my friends and I were like as teenagers (dry wit, sort of like Juno – “older than our years” due to divorce and other challenges) but I think the perception is that most teenage girls have a more young-sounding “voice”.
When writing YA, are there any rules regarding “voice”? I’m concerned about my characters being perceived as older than they actually are.
Thanks. 🙂
I’ll be back. Thank you.
Awesome! Hoping one will be the Big Sur Children’s Workshop. And (hint hint) San Diego is beautiful in the winter. Two conferences in January and February (Southern CA Writer’s Conference and the one at SDSU.)
Mary, I’d be curious how you would answer Heather. I also am struggling with the age-appropriate voice, but for middle grade. thanks, MaryZ
That webinar looks great – I’m marking it on my calendar right now. And I’m planning to be at the SCBWI Winter Conference in NY, so woo-hoo!
As for questions, I have been burning for some information for picture book writers on leaving room for the illustrator. It feels like the vast majority of the feedback I get, and the feedback I see others getting on crit boards, is related to whether certain things – for example, a descriptive passage like “there were cars and trucks all over the place: overflowing from the parking lot, driving on the sidewalks, even parked in the lobby!” – in manuscripts need to be said, or can be left out so the illustrator can develop that area independently of the text. The killer is that there never seems to be any consensus on which parts can be left out, and which parts should be kept. Since most of this advice is being given by unpublished authors, I’m left wondering what a professional in the field has to say on the subject.
Thanks, as always.
Can’t wait for the webinar!
I’d been hoping that your workshop was going be at the end of October – going to be in New York for the last two weeks, and again at Christmas. We’re moving there next year from Ireland – gulp! No matter, I’m sure I’ll get to attend your workshops next year.
I’ve heard Marry speak at one of the Big Sur Workshops. If you find her blog useful, you’ll get 10x more from her in person.
Don’t take my word for it, check out her speech from WriteOnCon (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vm6jRsMPqvg) and don’t miss her mad Rubik cube skills!
Hi Mary,
I was trying to register for your webinar on Sept. 23, and now I can’t find it! Has it been removed?
Thanks,
Jessica!