Challenging yourself is one of the best ways to learn. Joining a challenge with other people can be a lot of fun. Like NaNoWriMo, for instance. But this challenge is pretty much the opposite of NaNoWriMo. If you couldn’t guess from the title, #50PreciousWords is a challenge to write an entire story, beginning, middle, and ending, in just 50 words. I took a shot.
A couple weeks ago, I got to attend WriteOnCon, an online conference specifically for writers of children’s books, middle grade, and young adult. Was it Amazing? Yes. Why? I’m glad you asked. Here is a Top 5 Countdown of my favorite takeaways from the event. I hope you’ll learn from my experience, and maybe even mark your calendar to join me next year.
Events for writers are a lot of fun. I’ve been to a few conferences, participate in NaNoWriMo with regularity, go hang out with a small group of writing friends once a month, stalk writerly accounts on social media, and live with a writer/author who lets me steal books from her organized-by-rainbow-order bookshelf whenever I want (yes, I consider this an event). But I’m probably the most excited about a new conference I’ll be attending this year called WriteOnCon. Why?
Have I convinced you? Well, you’re just in time! The conference runs from this Friday, February 9 through Sunday, February 11. There’s a fantastic article on the WriteOnCon website about how you can get the most out of this online conference (right here), and registration starts at just $5.
Busy that weekend? Extended admission is available if you need a little extra time to peruse, re-watch, read up, and soak in all that information.
Planning to go? Let me know! I’d love to meet fellow readers and writers of middle grade.
Procrastination is my middle name, figuratively speaking. So when I attended the San Diego Christian Writers Guild fall conference and heard Lynn Vincent speak, I felt as though she’d somehow been watching me.
According to Lynn, there are 3 P’s that writers need to banish:
During the San Diego Christian Writers Guild Fall Conference, I attended a workshop held by Susan Meissner called “Writing The Novel Readers Can’t Put Down.” And while all of the advice she shared was solid, I found her tips on creating layered and lovable characters was especially thought-provoking.
A relatable character is the first step to any great story. If we feel a connection to the protagonist, we’re far more likely to care what happens to them. You can have action, suspense, and drama, but if I don’t care about the protagonist, there’s no tension pulling me in and making me wonder what will happen next.
I’ve finally begun to unpack all of the swag I accumulated during our week in Nashville, TN for the ACFW Conference. I collected everything from quotes and business cards, to books and an accidentally stolen pen… sorry! My favorite takeaway? Perhaps it’s just because I’m a newbie, but the name badge with its colored ribbons and practical zipper pouch at the top made my day.
So, how about you? What were your favorite takeaways from the conference?
During the ACFW Conference this year, I attended a workshop taught by James L. Rubart on innovation. As a graphic designer, the most important thing about my career is innovation in a visual sense. But how can I bring that same innovation to my writing?
Innovation is defined as acting out or implementing an idea. Of course, there’s nothing like telling someone “just be creative” (writer’s block, anyone?). Thankfully, Mr. Rubart shared some ways to help us discover our unique creativity: Continue reading
