Martha Alderson, a.k.a. the Plot Whisperer, sent out a newsletter with this useful list of important scenes:1) Set-up: The set-up you create in the Beginning makes the journey the protagonist undertakes in the Middle feel inevitable.2) Inciting Incident: A moment, conflict, dilemma, loss, fear, etc. that forces the protagonist to take immediate action.3) End of... Continue Reading →
Angels are the new vampires
Anne Rice talks to the Guardian U.K. about all the angels we're seeing in books these days. The most interesting bit, though, is her take on why Twilight is compelling:"I felt that it reflected the deep desire of young women to have the mystery and protection and wisdom of older men," said Rice, whose own... Continue Reading →
NaNoWriMo starts Sunday
Lois Brandt sends this reminder: NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) begins Sunday, Nov. 1!Hemingway chose 500 words a day, Ray Bradbury chose 1000 and Mark Twain chose 3000. Every author needs a word count goal. Why not write a novel in November at 1667 words a day? Sign up (it's free) at NaNoWriMo.org.For SCBWI'ers participating... Continue Reading →
Conference faculty update
Elizabeth Law from Egmont USA is now confirmed as a member of our spring conference faculty. For a good time, follow her on Twitter: http://twitter.com/egmontgalFor more about the annual conference, visit our website.
Nina Hess on Northwest Cable News
This just in from Nina Hess: "I’m going to be appearing on a short segment tomorrow morning on Northwest Cable News, promoting A Practical Guide to Vampires. I don’t know exactly what time it will be somewhere between 8:20 and 9 a.m."Very exciting! Tune in if you can!
SCBWI Winter Conference in New York
Registration is now open. I've never gone--how about you? I'd love it if people who've attended can weigh in on the pros and cons of attendance. Who is best served by this conference? Who should focus first on our local conference?Discuss!
Pixar’s secret to story
This is long, but completely worth reading. A couple of excerpts:The process of writing a story is messy. It's something you have to play with and explore. The first draft is a kickoff and, more often than not, always bad. You have to feel safe and be willing to make mistakes -- then take the... Continue Reading →
Quote of the day: Nathan Bransford
"The only way to stay sane in the business is to enjoy every step as you're actually experiencing it. Happiness is not around the bend. It's found in the present. Because writing is pretty great -- otherwise why are you doing it?" -- Nathan Bransford, author and literary agent
Do free sample chapters sell books?
The short answer? Yes.Some other interesting nuggets from the Frankfurt Book Fair:Women are spending nearly 70 percent more time browsing books online than men do. The most popular genre of books browsed online is romance novels, followed by books for tweens/teens and business books. The peak time for browsing romance titles is 11pm – 1am,... Continue Reading →
Lois Harris book signing
Lois V. Harris will be sign copies of her book, Mary Cassatt: Impressionist Painter, during the 25th Arts Alive Festival in La Conner, November 7, 2009, from 1 PM to 3 PM at Childhood Bliss, 521 Morris St. La Conner, WA