writing life update

Oh my! Can I just say I am now a huge believer in writing retreats? I wasn't sure if it would make that big of a difference in my writing life. I have a solid writing habit, and I feel productive as a writer. I wasn't sure if it was worth juggling schedules, hiring babysitters, and packing a suitcase.

I couldn't have been more wrong.

My list was ambitious. Although I didn't complete it all, there were many unexpected ways my writing life was nourished. So a little recap. (Well, it was going to include pictures, but due to slow tech stuff, words will have to suffice.)

On a swing overlooking big tall trees is where I worked on my annotated list of 50 article ideas. I only made it to 47 by the end of the writing retreat; but I gave others ideas, so I netted over 50. That counts, right? My list became a bit of a joke with the other writers, which makes me love it even more.

I also wrote an article on that swing. It's one that's been spinning in my mind, and I'm happy the words came out of my fingers so smoothly. I wanted to write two articles, but only completed one. The second is now close to finished.

Inside the cabin in an overstuffed rocking chair, surrounded by windows looking out at the big tall trees is where I almost finished Celebrating Writers. I revised the opening chapter, writing a new lead and reorganzing the parts. I also made a list of figures, images, citations, and appendix pieces I need to gather. Once these bits are collected, and I write the acknowledgments and closing thoughts, it will be sent to my editor. This will happen before I return to school or you have permission to send gremlins my way.

There were all kinds of nooks perfect for writing. I had several conferences and lots of time to sit and think. I made myself slow down. Made myself. I can't believe what a fast pace I move. It's good to slow down. Plus I came home with a new stack of books about writing. I find myself paging through all of them because I just can't choose one to read. 

I received some insightful feedback on my lead and query letter for my YA novel and spent some time thinking deeply about the characters in the opening scene, as well as how to use some foreshadowing to hook the reader's interest. I'm itching to write and spent several hours working on opening scene today.

I came home with a refreshed writing soul. I didn't even realize it was in need of nourishment. I think I'll be sustained for awhile, but now I know the importance of spoiling your writer self. I think you should go do some spoiling for yourself right now.

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ahhh...(soLs)

Ahh...internet service! Ours was zapped by lightening last Friday and won't be fixed until later this week.

Ahh....
I just drove five hours to arrive at a secluded little place in the middle of big trees. It's a Choice Literacy Writing Retreat. "What exactly are you doing, Mom?" Hannah asked before I left.

"Writing Camp," I responded.
"Lucky," she said.

Lucky, indeed. I think it only fitting to begin the retreat with a blog post. In the next three days I'll have lots of time and space to write. What are my plans? The list is long.

• The odds and ends that need compiled to finish Celebrating Writers.
• An annotated list of 50 articles to write for Choice Literacy.
• Two articles written.
• Blog posts for the first couple of weeks in August for Two Writing Teachers.
• My query letter plus first 10 pages ready-to-go (again).
• A handful of notebook entries.
• Some sitting + thinking. + imagining.

I'm looking forward to seeing what emerges. I'm looking forward to minilessons and response groups and writing the day away. 

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at Two Writing Teachers.

guess what i just bought

Click on the image to find out more.

Tickets.
On a Thursday night.
Nearly 5 hours away.
Andy agreed to miss work, too, in order to go with me.
I just had to figure out who would get the kids from school, help them with homework, feed them dinner, put them to bed, wake them up, and get them to school the next day. Thanks, Mom.

All so I can hear Maggie Stiefvater talk about her work as a young adult author with book blogger Lynn Rutan.

I.
Am.
So.
Excited.

Jealous, anyone? Click on the image if you are near Traverse City, MI (or even if you're not, but are willing to drive) to get tickets and be as excited as I am. :)

Okay, off to do more happy dancing.

four days and four hours and thirty-four minutes (soLs)

Anyone who knows me knows I don't count days. As I go about my routine time gets lost. Right now, in fact, I'm not sure if today is the 12th or the 17th or maybe the 20th. It is worse during the summer, but even during the school year, I find myself estimating the date on notebook entries. I look at the highlighted square on my calendar, check for the day's events and completely miss noticing the date. I'm not sure how many years I've been blogging. I don't know the exact day my grandfather died. Birthdays escape me.

But I know this: Karianne left four days and four hours and thirty-four minutes ago.

There's empty spaces in the house where she belongs. The space at the end of the couch where her laptop sat. The corner in the entryway where her flip flops were always kicked off. The empty window sill above the kitchen sink where her bracelets waited while she washed dishes. 

Physical reminders that twist the sting of missing just a little deeper into our hearts. 

It's proof that we did it right, Andy says. If it didn't hurt it means we could have loved more. So this sting, that keeps stinging even after four days and four hours and thirty-four minutes is a good thing. It means we loved deeply and lived fully. It means our hearts have expanded, and we glimpse a little bit more of the definition of family. It means we have more insight into lives outside of ours.

I guess all of that makes up for the sting.

Click on the image to join us at Two
Writing Teachers for Slice of Life.

the book stack

No surprises here...

{Linger and Forever by Maggie Stiefvater (Scholastic)}

I did read Forever in less than 24 hours. I'm intrigued by Maggie Stiefvater's craft. I'm not much of a paranormal reader, and yet she hooked me and kept me reading because of her craft. I feel like I'm a better writer because I've read her books.

I've had a little hankering for mystery. So I just started this middle grade novel...

{The Shadow Collector's Apprentice by Amy Gordon (Holiday House, 2012)}

So far the characters are pulling me into the story.

And this creepy little book from Candlewick...

{The Scary Places Map Book: Seven Terrifying Tours by B.G. Hennessey and Erwin Madrid (Candlewick, 2012)}

There are maps and directions, leading the reader on seven terrifying tours. It is interactive and the voice is bold. I'm still dreaming up ways to use this treasure in writing workshop. I'm looking forward to posting some teaching points I could associate with this book...but I have to do some more thinking first. The bottom line is it is a cool twist on creepy books.

A little professional reading is sneaking in. It's a sign of acceptance + excitement of the new school year...

{Side by Side: Short Takes on Best Practice for Teachers and Literacy Leaders by Heather Radar (Choice Literacy, 2012)}

Oh boy...this may be a new favorite professional book. The writing is honest and genuine and speaks to the heart of literacy leaders. I've just read a few essays and can't wait to read more. It is just what I need to fuel me for another school year. 

How about you? What's in your book stack?

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laura resau interview (part 3 of 3): plot threads

One of the things I've been struggling to get a handle on as a writer is weaving a number of plot threads together in an interesting and clear way for the reader, while at the same time remembering and balancing them as a writer. Laura Resau's The Jade Notebook is an exceptional example of the weaving many plot threads together into a beautiful story. In this final part of the interview with Laura Resau, she shares some insights into plot.

I love the way you wove many different story threads to create a rich story with lots of depth in The Jade Notebook. What is your process like in order to tie so many threads together? How do you  balance planning specific scenes, while at the same time giving the story space to unfold as you draft?



Thank you! You know, I was on a tight deadline with the Notebooks series, which spanned from the time we adopted our baby (nine months old) to this year, when he was four. I was also writing and revising other books during that time, so I was really struggling to find time for everything. After I finished the second book in the series (The Ruby Notebook), my mom, who is my most trusted and competent critiquer (right up there with my editor), advised me to make the third and final book (The Jade Notebook) relatively short and simple, to make life easier for myself. I tried, but I just couldn't do it! I think it has to do with the fact that my characters come alive for me, even the minor ones. I feel compelled to tell their stories as well, and find a way to let their subplots connect with the main character’s one.

Early on in the manuscript, my process involves going back and forth between first-drafting (which is mostly free-writing for me) and outlining (my outlines are always changing to accommodate the discoveries I make as I free-write more of the story.) At some point, I end up with a rough first draft that is full of holes in places and bogged down with unnecessary scenes and words in other places.

My mom then comes in to save the day! She’s the kind of person who loves untangling necklaces and hair. Apparently, it’s meditative for her. Lucky for me, she has an uncanny ability to analytically untangle my subplots and figure out how they need to be woven together. She can masterfully detect missing scenes and tell me what scenes I need to add and where. So, my advice is: if you’re not analytically-minded about plot, then find someone to help you—preferably someone who loves you unconditionally like a mom, someone who will drop everything she’s doing to read your messy draft and somehow get back to you with advice the next day.

If you need to bumble through it alone, here’s my two cents: I think that integrating subplots involves an analytical part of your brain that’s different from the creative-free-writing part. I think you need to periodically step back from your organic free-writing to make lists, charts, outlines, graphs—whatever helps you tap into that analytical part of your brain. You could go through and highlight different sub-plots in different colors, or even cut and paste together pieces of each strand of sub-plot (kind of “unbraiding” them in a separate document) to get a sense of the sub-plot continuity or lack thereof. (Does that make sense?) Some authors I know fill out note cards with scenes from their story, sometimes color-coding each of the subplots, and then physically rearrange them on a bulletin board (or the floor or a big table) to figure out how the strands and layers fit together. It can be headache-inducing work… good luck!

Most of all, I encourage you to find trusted readers—critique partners or group—who will really take the time to go through and get their hands messy and analyze what’s going on in your story, plot-wise. Happy writing, everyone!

Somehow, this was just what I needed to hear. I think it gave me resolve to keep going, knowing in the end there are going to be "holes in places and bogged down with unnecessary scenes and words in other places." These words from Laura, coupled with this #TeachersWrite post about outlining helped me start trusting myself and writing my story again. 


Thank you Laura for taking the time to give insightful and inspiring answers. Good luck as you continue to write. I'll be looking forward to reading your next books! Remember to continue getting more inspiration from Laura you can read her blog, check her website, or fan her Facebook page.

laura resau interview (part 2 of 3): writing space

I believe in the power of place and the importance of space. After I was in my new office for a couple of years I had to do something to make it mine. I worked at establishing a place that reflected who I am and was comfortable and inviting to work. (Here is a link to a blog post about organizing my office at school. The interesting thing is now, two years later, almost all of my files are electronic, and I no longer have a school computer because I work off my personal laptop.)

Having a space to write is important too. I often think about ways to make classrooms inviting to student writers. How can it become comfortable and inspiring? What are ways to organize the space for writers? How can space become another teacher for students in writing workshop?

If you hop over to Laura Resau's blog, you can't help but notice an invitation to tour her writing space -- a shiny silver trailer. On the right side bar there is a picture of the writing trailer and a link to go for a tour.

Naturally I was curious and wondered a little more about how this space influences Laura's writing life. So I asked: Your writing trailer seems to be an important part of your writing life. Will you talk about this space and how it impacts your work as a writer?


Check out the tour and then read Laura's response.


My writing trailer makes me so happy! I bought it on an impulse about five years ago, when we were waiting to finalize the adoption of our baby from Guatemala. My husband and I lived in a small house with two bedrooms, one of which was my writing room. When I the realization sunk in that I’d have to give up my writing space for the baby, I freaked out. I knew that somehow I’d need a room of my own. I went on Craig’s list and stumbled across a “sweet lil fifties rig” – a silver “canned ham” style trailer-- for an affordable price. It’s completely uncharacteristic of me to jump into big purchases, but I bought it on the spot… and it’s been one of the best decisions of my life (up there with adopting our beautiful son!).


My trailer was a life saver for me as a new, overwhelmed mom with book contracts and deadlines looming. For a few hours each day, I’d retreat into my special creative space (permanently located in our driveway) while a babysitter or my husband watched our son. Stepping into the space, I could leave behind all the mundane worries and hassles of life and motherhood, and immerse myself in my story-in progress. I took joy in filling my trailer with inspiring and meaningful things that connect me to my creative source. Some of these include tiny bells, a comfy futon with heaps of pillows, old pictures and favorite books, vintage goodies from second hand shops, finds from markets around the world, little treasures from friends, beeswax candles…


This past year, we decided to do an addition to our house (which became necessary once my husband started working from home, too). During the construction, we had to be in rental homes for nine months, and sadly, I had to put my beloved trailer in storage. It was heart-breaking for me—I missed my creative space like an old friend. When we recently completed our renovation and went to pick up the trailer, I nearly cried in relief. When I stepped inside after the long absence, and smelled its deliciously musty, magical smell, I felt a rush of love and gratitude. Although now, after the addition, I do have a writing studio in my house, I’ve found that my trailer is still the best place for me to leave distractions behind and delve into creative writing. The space feels sacred to me. Now I can do emailing, business-y internet stuff, and book promotion activities inside my house, but my sweet lil fifties rig remains the place where I feel most purely and powerfully tapped into my creative source.


If any of you are feeling like you need your own magical space to create, I highly encourage you to think outside the box to find a solution!

How about you? What kind of writing space do you have? What can you do to make it magical like Laura's? 

This is part two of a three part interview with Laura Resau.

Part 1: Writing Setting

Part 3: Plot Threads (Check back soon!)

Check out more about Laura Resau and her books here. 

laura resau interview (part 1 of 3): setting

I am so-very-excited to share these next few posts with you. A few months ago I read:

The writing and the story wrapped around my heart, and I found myself thinking about it long after I closed the cover. I wanted to know more about Laura Resau's craft and her process. So I checked out her website and blog and finally had enough courage to request an interview. Fortunately she graciously agreed.

I was struck by the way the setting felt so real. Sometimes I have to remind myself that I've never been to Mazunte, Mexico because after reading The Jade Notebook, I feel like I've lived there, right alongside the characters. This made me start thinking about the importance of setting and wondering how I can make it come alive like Laura does.

So I asked:

Will you talk a little about the influence of setting on your decisions as a writer? What kinds of notebook or early work do you do in order to gather the setting details for your books? Do you have a specific strategy or advice for teachers to help students develop rich settings?

Check out Laura's awesome response. Not only does she give us insight into her own process, but she also lays out a several minilesson ideas I can envision using with a variety of grade levels. Not only that, but Laura's advice has been tumbling around my mind, becoming part of my writing life. I find myself trying to write stronger setting in my notebook because of her response.



I love writing setting! It’s one of the first elements that comes to me when I get a story idea— the place, mood, ambience. Most of my books are set in other countries—Mexico, Guatemala, Ecuador, and France—all places where I’ve either lived or traveled. When I’m abroad, I carry spiral notebooks around with me and jot down notes about the people and places I encounter. I deliberately use all five senses in my notebook descriptions. Not only does this help ground me in the present moment, but it’s also good practice. When I’m actually writing stories, I’m already in the habit of incorporating all five senses. Vivid settings are particularly important when writing about cultures that are unfamiliar to most readers. Even for familiar settings, however, I’ve found that multi-sensory descriptions really make the story come alive for readers and pull them in.


As far as strategies for teachers, here are some things I do in my workshops with kids and teens:


First, we talk about how to write vivid settings. I usually give some examples from my own books, and the kids analyze what exactly I did in my writing to create the setting. With my guidance, the students come up with this advice:


1) Use all five senses. I tell the kids that during the revision stage, I go through and make sure I’ve used most of the five senses in every single scene.


2) Be specific. For example, instead of using a vague description like “dirty,” use specific details that show this— like a shirt covered with grease stains, or chocolate sauce, or mud.


3) Use interesting imagery. I encourage kids to explore metaphors and similes. Usually, the kids have  already read one of my books, and they’ve already picked out examples of figurative language with their teachers. My book What the Moon Saw (grades 5-8) is a favorite of teachers since it’s packed with metaphors, and tends to inspire kids to use figurative language in their own creative writing.


Here are some activities I do to let the students practice this advice. (Note that I always model the activity first, eliciting responses from the entire group to make sure they get it):


1) To practice using all five senses, I hand out magazine photos of settings (beach, jungle, city, etc) and ask the kids to imagine how the scene smells, tastes, looks, sounds, and feels. They jot down their notes, and then write a setting description using all five senses and giving specific, interesting details. (Often, the kids end up beginning a story that they’re eager to continue.)


2) To practice using metaphors and similes, I give the kids a series of six or seven prompts and give them two minutes to jot down responses to each prompt (I use a little hourglass for drama.) I also hand out magazine pictures of interesting-looking people or have the students imagine a character from a story they’re already working on. Some of my prompts: If this person were an animal, what would he be? If this person were a kind of weather, what would she be? What does this person smell like? How is this person different on the inside from how she appears on the outside? You could easily adapt this activity to setting: If the landscape were a kind of clothing, what would it be? If the weather were an emotion, what would it be? If the sunset were a kind of fruit, what would it be? If the town were a dessert food, what would it be? If the surroundings were a kind of animal, what would it be?


Aren't you just itching to write? Go ahead, crack open your notebook and give it a whirl. I'm willing to bet you'll find something useful. A new way of thinking about your place, an example to use with students, an image you're really proud of. Then check back soon, because upcoming inspiration from Laura includes insider-information about her writing space and the way she weaves several plot threads together to make the story come together with depth and beauty.

As always, feel free to leave a comment. My guess is Laura will be around to check out your thoughts.

neglected? (soLs)

I feel like this space has been neglected. However, in an effort to continue to focus on what I can do and not what I'm not doing, here's the run down of slices from the week...


We celebrated our anniversary with our favorite date night -- steaks and shrimp + steamed veges.

Our air conditioner broke during the triple-digit temperatures. The good news: it was an inexpensive fix. The bad news: it took 3.5 days to fix. Thankfully my parents let us stay with them. It was fun to have an unexpected "vacation" with my parents.

Between two kids, we had three ball games (in triple digit heat).

Karianne and her family arrived back at home (after traveling through Canada, Washington D.C., Gettysburg, Kentucky, and Southern Indiana).

We celebrated Karianne's 18th birthday with her parents + brother, my parents, Andy's parents, and two of her friends.

Hannah said good bye to Karianne. It made my heart hurt.

We picked up two kids home from camp and dropped off one.

We hosted a slip-n-slide party for high school kids.

We shopped like crazy for fabric in Shipshewana.

We hosted a going away party for Karianne.

I finished Shiver and started Linger. I'm loving Maggie Stiefvater's craft.

I kept running...and wrote a guest post, "With a Happy Heart" for Reading Teachers Running. It's a great blog, if you haven't checked it out, you should.

And, oh yeah, we were out of internet for a couple of days.

Shew. (Yes, that was one week.)

One more thing...I interviewed Laura Resau, author of the Notebook series, including The Jade Notebook, which I loved. I've been inspired by her answers and have been applying them to my writing life. I'll be sharing her interview answers across three blog posts. Make sure to stop back for some good-for-the-writing-soul inspiration across the next few days.

ruth + andy = 13 years (soLs)

Today we have been married thirteen years. It's easy to think about everything that's changed, but I wanted to take a moment to remember the things that have stayed the same. It has been a challenge to generate a list of sameness. Life is so much different than it was 13 years ago. 

But there is this.

He has these eyes, smokey gray, but sometimes green, blue, hazel, light, or dark. Their color change is expected. It was the first thing I loved about him. Those chameleon eyes. 

It is their change that is steadfast. In their change, I am secure.It makes me wonder if maybe the same is true for our marriage. Change is constant and expected. Things won't be just as they are in another thirteen years. 

Except for this.

We're together. Forever and ever.

Read more slices at Two Writing Teachers.

Giveaway Results

Random Number Generator says...

THREE...

1. 
   MichelleJune 13, 2012 9:17 PM

   What fun! I know my girls would love to read this book with their daddy! And probably act it out too!

Congrats, Michelle. Email me with your address and I'll pass it along to Random House Kids. I can't wait to hear about your girls + their dad reading this book together. Enjoy!

the book stack

The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater.
Scholastic, 2012.

Wow.

Months ago Deb Day shared this book on her blog, Coffee with Chloe. (You do read, Coffee with Chloe, right?) Deb doesn't usually share books, but she said she couldn't not share this one.

The Scorpio Races was already in my book stack. I follow Maggie Stiefvater on Twitter. I admire Deb Day and wanted to trust her as a reader. Still, the book sat in my stack.

Until I picked it up and started reading a few days ago. It took me a little bit to get into the cadence of the language. It took me a little while to be absorbed by the story. I read until page 21 and then put the book down to go to sleep. The next evening, after the kids were in bed and Andy was gone, I picked it up. I became completely absorbed in the story. 


The plot was tight. 
The characters were real. 
I loved the craft. 


It is a plot-driven story, and yet, it felt character-driven. It has remarkable craft. I put it on my bookshelf of young adult mentor texts. There are only a handful of books on the shelf. I plan to read it again next week in order to study it and learn from Maggie Stiefvater about crafting an exquisite story.


Lucky for us, Maggie is online. Her website is a beautiful as her books. Follow her on Twitter (@mstiefvater) and via her blog. In fact, at the beginning of the year, she peeled back her revision process by sharing a deep inside look at chapter 15 of The Scorpio Races in a post "From Rough to Final: A Dissection of Revision."


As if that's not enough, last night I started:

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater.
Scholastic, 2009.

I think I may be Maggie Stiefvater's newest fan. I hope you'll join me...she is a master at crafting a story.


The stack is deep since it is summer, so I want to share one more. 

Good News Bad News by Jeff Mack.
Chronicle Books. Released August 2012

Good News Bad News by Jeff Mack is a children's book with simple text and clever illustrations. I'm drawn to it because of the two voices and the way the character's dispositions spring off the page. It makes me laugh, and it touches my heart. I imagine using this book with our youngest writers -- to help them learn about characterization, as well as to open the possibilities of telling a story from more than one voice. 


My current WIP is told from two voices. (Another reason The Scorpio Races is my newest mentor, as it is told from two voices too.) Studying the illustrations in Good News Bad News by Jeff Mack helps me consider ways to make different voices unique and filled with personality. I'm excited to add this book to my mentor texts for writing workshop next school year.


Hoping you'll join Jen and Kellee at Teach Mentor Texts for:

Click on the image to see what others are reading
and add your own books to the conversation.