Best thing I’ve read all day.
Yes, it is a little after 6 am, but I doubt anything will top this today.
Too bad the Yahoo! ‘reporter’ doesn’t write as well as the lady selling the camper.
Believe it or not, Ann Dee and I have a camper in our book.
Now all we need is the woman who put this on eBay!
Does this help you to be more creative?
Less?
Can you picture a mom in a mid grade who acts like this?
A kid?
A dad?
Oh, man, I can!
Filed under CLW
An Assortment of Topics
A writing challenge– There’s a Nudist Camp in CA that’s been accused of stealing water.
I don’t know about you, but I can see (no pun intended), all kinds of ways one could write a story with this idea in mind.
So why not?
Write a 500 word opening of a mid grade or YA novel. We’d love to see what you come up with.
Just finished Fiona Wood‘s YA called Six Impossible Things. LOVED it. I actually laughed out loud several times. That’s hard to do with me. What’s the best YA or MG you’ve read this summer–not including the one you’re working on? And that should becoming the best. FYI–I participated with Fiona and Marie Marquardt (Dream Things True–haven’t read it yet. Hope to soon.) yesterday on a panel for SLJ. We spoke about romance in YA. Those women are smart.
Ooops, be careful PW Daily. Can’t be good to spell Newbery wrong!
“Newberry Medalist Katherine Applegate’s new novel ‘Crenshaw’ features a fifth grader whose . . . .”
School starts soon. I’ve got till the 31 to do whatever I want (as long as I do it here at home). I’m going to organize and write and clean and hang out with my girls. What would you do? Really. I want some ideas.
Filed under Uncategorized
I love that book, Freaky Friday. I’ve loved it every time I’ve read it.
Anyway–Five Character Writing Exercises for next week. One for each work day.
1. I have some odd behaviors. If people knew them, they’d be like, “Why do you do that?” Truth is, I’m not sure. I think some of the things I do are carried over from my childhood as they happen as I get ready to go to sleep. What are three odd behaviors your character has? Ones they want to keep secret. In fact, what are three odd behaviors for ALL your characters? And it’s okay to not know why, but you’ll learn more about these people if you DO.
2. Interview several strangers. Have questions to ask them. Things like, “If you could change one thing about an event in your life, what would it be?” Not just, “What’s your favorite color?” Watch how they react as they talk. As you talk. What are their expressions? Nervous habits? Tics? What’s charming about them? Frightening?
3. If you’re not used to it, ride the bus for a few hours–preferably when you’re not alone. Write a quick 50 words (or less) description about each person who comes on the bus. Or sit in a restaurant, right in the middle, so you can see who’s there. Think outside the box for each person. No stereotypes. Find the odd and the pleasant about each individual.
4. Your character keeps two journals. One is for normal use. The one that can be found. Can be read by others. The other is secrets your character may be trying to even keep from herself. Write several entries for both. Think of everything when you do this–Like, does she use two different pens? Burn incense when she writes in one log and not the other? Does she go somewhere else to write? Where does she hide the books?
5. And now a Freaky Friday question–if your character did change lives with someone–who might they choose to change lives with? Why? What if YOU made them change lives with someone? Then who would it be? Why? Write out a couple of days in that new life.
PS–Oh! I just came up with an idea for a new book writing these suggestions. It’s scary. Cool!
Filed under Uncategorized
Throwing Up Words 