Unearthing Your Funny Bone: Getting Serious about Humor Writing by Anita Pazner

Hiring local comedian, Mike Geeter, to perform at the SCBWI-MI Humor Conference may have seemed a bit unorthodox, but it was a comical ending to an information-packed day. In fact, one of my greatest takeaways came from him. When asked how he handles bombing on stage he responded with a confused look.   

            “I never bomb,” he said. “I view every performance a success if I learned something from the experience.”

            That’s not to say that Mike doesn’t have jokes that don’t connect with the audience, or have performances that don’t quite hit their mark.

            He does.

            But he refuses to see those experiences as failures, only as opportunities to improve his stand-up routine.

            As a conference coordinator, I’ve been involved with many conferences. Some great. Some not-so-great.

            But Mike was right.

            I learned from each experience. Even the one where a prominent New York agent told me I wasn’t funny. That was one of my darkest events.

            In fact, many things went awry at that other Detroit Spring Conference, so long ago. But I learned and I kept going. Kept coordinating with a wonderful group of volunteers, striving to get just the right location, the funniest, most informative speakers and every detail hammered out in advance. 

At this year’s event, titled Unearthing Your Funny Bone: Getting Serious about Writing Humor, editor Mary Kate Gaudet and publishing pro Heather Alexander (she recently joined Audible) gave us a glimpse of what they found funny. And one of my personal favorite kid-lit writer’s in the world, Tim Wynne-Jones (He’s Canadian) provided so much masters-level craft information I think attendees may have left with carpal-tunnel syndrome trying to transcribe all his words of wisdom.

            But the best part of the conference was once again getting to collaborate with Charlie Barshaw, Carrie Pearson and Leslie Helakoski. They weren’t the only ones working behind the scenes, though. The attendees were greeted bright and early at the registration table by Ashley and Nick Adkins, and Andy Donahoe. And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout out to our chauffeurs - David Stricklen and Jay Whistler. And Nina Goebel for her brilliant logo design. 

           

Now, on to the most important part of the conference: me.

            Just kidding. Well, sort of.

            My proudest moment at the event was easy to pinpoint.

            It was the opportunity to present my first-ever SCBWI lecture on the very thing the NYC agent told me I wasn’t capable of writing.

            Humor.

            I did the research, formulated the tools and never once doubted I had what it took to be funny.

            Standing up there in front of so many SCBWI friends and smiling faces was like a holiday trip home. Not a scary one where your great grandmother loses her dentures and they mysteriously end up in the Jell-O mold, or one where your alcoholic uncle screams obscenities at your children. But the good, nurturing kind, where everyone wants to see you succeed.

            Still, I couldn’t help but wonder if I had bombed.

            That inner editor, the mean one that sounds a lot like the NYC agent, cast his doubtful rhetoric and cynicism my way and I foolishly let it shake my confidence.

            Had I bombed?

            Then Mike Geeter’s words over-powered that inner editor and I jumped up and screamed, “No, of course not.”

            But I sure as heck may have learned a thing or two for next time.

Anita Pazner, an SCBWI member and Advisory Committee veteran, has worked on numerous conferences. She recently completed her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. Her current work includes a humorous science-based middle-grade novel as well as a serious, YA historical-fiction story. She also has a stable of unpublished picture books waiting to find homes. Her first career was in journalism where she worked as a legal writer, wrote a gardening column and published her own magazine called Michigan Wine Country.

Born in Germany, her first language wasn’t English. It was sarcasm - which made her a perfect fit for a conference on humor.

Conference attendees enjoyed catching up with colleagues, making new friends, and exploring downtown Detroit. Thanks for sharing your photos, David Stricklen, Betsy McKee, and Deb Pilutti.

Illustrators: Ruth McNally-Barshaw, Kara Marsee, Heidi Sheffield, Nina Goebel, Cody Wiley

Coming up on the Mitten Blog: more humor writing tips, experience the Bologna Book Fair, Frida Pennabook answers your writing questions, how to know if your art is ready, and another Writer Spotlight - it could be you!

Are you ready? The submission window opens on June 4th for the second SCBWI-MI Novel Mentorship Competition with mentor Kelly Barson. Read our interview with Kelly here.

The Resonant Roar of Quiet Books by Emma Dryden

Emma D. Dryden recently celebrated the 8 year anniversary of the founding of drydenbks LLC, her children's editorial and publishing consultancy firm. Congrats, Emma! If you're not already following her on social media, make sure you click the links in her bio at the end of this post - you've been missing out on great advice! A couple months ago, she shared this video on her Facebook page and wrote, "I often talk with authors about the resonant roar a "quiet" story can make. Somehow this performance of human strength and beauty with Disturbed's Sound of Silence exemplifies exactly what I'm talking about."

I have often heard from editors that my stories are "too quiet," and Emma's observation intrigued me. I was mesmerized watching this performance of artistry, beauty, and strength. I found myself holding my breath, smiling, even tearing up a bit. I felt the emotion deep in my chest. And when it was over, I wanted to watch it again and share it with someone else. I felt like I had a general understanding of what Emma meant by "resonant roar," but I wasn't sure how to apply it to my stories in practical terms. I asked Emma if she could expand a bit more on her idea. This is another wonderful thing about Emma - she's very approachable!

Here's Emma discussing the resonant roar of quiet books:

The song, “The Sound of Silence” has always resonated with me, and it makes me wonder about what the sound of silence really is. What sound does silence make? And what sound does quiet make? Quiet can be unremarkable, unnoticeable, unmemorable—or quiet can be deafening.

When I think about “quiet” manuscripts, I wonder what that really means. Authors often hear from agents or editors that while their manuscript is well written or nicely characterized, it is not right for the market or for their list because it’s “too quiet.” This phrase—“too quiet”—can be translated in different ways: “not commercial enough” or “lacking a strong enough hook” or “not quickly and easily marketable” or “unremarkable, unmemorable.” But sometimes—often, in fact—it is the “quiet” story that can, if crafted well, be loud as thunder to a reader and have a lasting impact, wholly remarkable and memorable.

Within your question to me you’ve tapped into exactly what I mean when I say that a quiet manuscript can have a resonant roar: As you watched this video you felt the emotion deep in your chest. Yes! This is it! When a quiet story—what I will call a deceptively quiet story—manages to make readers experience emotions deeply, that to my mind is a story that has the opportunity to roar, to thunder, to resonate so very loudly with readers. A story that taps emotion, triggers emotion, and forces readers to stay with their emotion—that to me is the remarkable story that has a resonant roar.

At the same time, that story that taps emotion, triggers emotion, and forces readers to stay with their emotions is often, at first glance, perceived to be a quiet story—it may be the story about a relationship between a child and a pet; about a child who has lost something or someone; about a character who is lost, unable to find their way home. In these stories there are generally no obvious battles for good and evil; no horrific antagonist; no heroic quest; no dragon to slay. Not on the surface anyway.

If crafted well and true, a quiet story that explores love or loss or home can have all of these elements—but not in an obvious way. These elements—the quest, heroism, vanquishing the foe—are subtle and these elements are emotional. Loss itself is a challenge requiring heroism; grief itself is a foe to be vanquished; safety itself is the good that battles the evil of abuse or abandonment; home itself is a quest as well as a journey. These themes are simple and they are perennial and they are human—often perceived as “quiet,” these themes can be the most remarkable and most memorable but only if the author has done the deepest possible dive into human emotion to express and explore those themes through their characters.

When a manuscript’s rejected for being too quiet, it’s often because a story hasn’t explored these themes at all or has only touched on these themes too quietly, too cursorily. By this I mean the author has presented love, loss, longing, hope, or the need for safety in their story in ways that aren’t deep enough to force readers to experience the story on the deepest possible emotional level. The deeper and more resonant the emotions of a story, there’s less room for unremarkable, unmemorable quiet and the deeper and more resonant a manuscript will be to readers.

Emma D. Dryden is the owner of drydenbks, a premier children’s editorial and publishing consultancy firm she founded after twenty-five years as a highly regarded editor and publisher. She consults with authors, illustrators, agents, editors, publishers, start-ups, and app developers. Emma has edited over 1,000 books for children and young readers, many of which hit national and international bestseller lists and received numerous awards and medals, including the Newbery Medal, Newbery Honor, and Caldecott Honor. Emma is the co-author of the award-winning picture book WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR? (Little Pickle Press/Sourcebooks) and is on the Advisory Board of SCBWI. She is a sought-after speaker on craft, the art and business of children’s books, and reinvention. Her blog Our Stories, Ourselves explores the intertwined themes of life and writing. She can be followed online at Twitter @drydenbks, Facebook, and Pinterest. 



Coming up on the Mitten blog: a recap of our spring conference and another Writer Spotlight. Who will it be? Learn more about upcoming events and initiatives at our SCBWI-MI chapter website.

Pitching Podcasts for Interviews by Maria Dismondy

Podcasts! They’re all the rage and for good reason.

If you haven’t started listening to podcasts for your own entertainment or professional development, it’s time to get started.

Podcasts really took off in 2015 and are now noted as a high converting marketing channel. They get messages out into the world and then some.

When you hear a person tell their story, rather than read about it, it takes the personal connection to a whole new level. Being interviewed on several podcasts also expands your network by connecting you to the host who is interviewing other experts weekly. It’s a form of online networking achieved with just one interview!

One of the greatest benefits of being interviewed on a podcast is the fact that you don’t have to travel, get dressed up or invest any money in the interview.

This is what I call grassroots marketing – it is free or a low cost to the business.

Now the big question: How do you get on a podcast?

Here are three ways you can pitch to be interviewed on a podcast this year.

1.   Listen to podcasts regularly. In order to understand whether or not you are a good fit for a show, you need to listen to it! Listen on the go, in the car, on a walk, while cooking dinner or folding laundry. Wherever you have your phone, you have access to a free podcast episode.

•   Pro Tip: Look for new and noteworthy podcasts on iTunes. A new show will be looking for guests to interview. They are also putting a lot of time and energy into their own marketing efforts, considering they are just launching their program.

2.   Contact the host or take a look on the website for submission guidelines. When emailing your pitch, be sure to include:

a.  One to two sentences describing your background and qualifications. Tell them why you would be a great guest on their show.

b.  A few bullet points on topics you are comfortable speaking about. Do the work for the podcast host by giving them these talking points. What kind of value can YOU deliver to this podcast audience?

c.  Something personal about what you like about the show. Prove to the host or team that you have listened to an episode, showing an understanding of why you think you are a good fit. Spend time on these first few sentences so that the person you are pitching continues reading.

3.  Follow up in a few weeks. The follow up is so important! I’ve learned this first hand with pitching local news. The anchors and producers are always so busy, they may have either missed your email or just forgot to respond.

Podcasts are a good way to market your book and its message. The benefits are truly endless when you start listing them out.

The interviews will live on in digital world forever, which means they will also add to your SEO.

Start exploring a number of shows and consider which are a fit for you.

Then, start creating your pitch!

Good luck!

Award-winning author and founder of the publishing company, Cardinal Rule Press, Maria Dismondy inspires and educates others in the book industry. Her background in early education and research enables her to touch lives the world over while touring as a public speaker in schools, community forums, and at national conferences. When Maria isn’t working, she can be found embarking on adventures throughout southeast Michigan and beyond, where she lives with her husband and three book-loving children. Find out more about Maria’s coaching services: maria@mariadismondy.com









How do you find podcasts about children's writing and publishing? Start here:

1. The Children's Book Podcast

2. All The Wonders

3. Brain Burps About Books or Writing for Children by Katie Davis

4. The YARN by Colby Sharp and Travis Jonker

5.  From Brightly: Press Play: 8 of the Best Kids'Lit Podcasts (And a Few for Grown-Ups Too!) 

Plus, SCBWI has its own podcast, and there was a Kidlit Podcasts Roundup in the SCBWI Spring 2018 Bulletin.

SCBWI-MI member Jack Cheng created a podcast with 15 episodes detailing the publication process of his middle grade novel, SEE YOU IN THE COSMOS. Find it here.

Please share your favorite podcasts about children's writing, illustrating, and publishing in the comments below.

Coming up on the Mitten Blog: How to know if your art is ready, a recap of our SCBWI-MI spring conference, and another Writer Spotlight - it could be you!

Introducing Novel Mentor, Kelly Barson! An Interview by Ann Finkelstein

https://michigan.scbwi.org/2017/11/15/2018-2019-novel-mentorship-program/

SCBWI-MI’s second novel mentorship is coming up fast. This mentorship with Kelly Barson is for Associate and Full Members (non-Published And Listed, aka non-PAL).

The submission window for the non-PAL mentorship is June 4-25, 2018. (This is sooner than you think.) We require that all applicants have completed a draft of their novels, so get cracking, people. You won’t want to miss this opportunity.

Complete submission instructions can be found on the SCBWI-Michigan website.

For questions about eligibility or submissions please contact SCBWI-MI Mentorship Coordinator, Ann Finkelstein.

Kelly is the author of 45 POUNDS MORE OR LESS and CHARLOTTE CUTS IT OUT. Kelly’s books will make you laugh and cry. They’ll show you the truth. They may even give you a glimpse inside yourself. Kelly teaches classes on writing Middle Grade and Young Adult novels at UCLA Extension Writers’ Program.

What do you like best about writing novels?
The best part about writing novels is being surprised. I always start writing thinking that I know everything about the characters and their stories. But there’s a point in every novel where I’m surprised by something. Either a story twist or a theme I hadn’t intended or a character doing something within character but not from my imagining. It’s a reminder that the magical part of writing—the muse—is beyond me. That the art of story isn’t about the writer at all, but the story itself needing to come to life.


What do you like least?
Fear and self-doubt. What if I’m wasting my time? What if nobody likes this story? What happens next? How can I be a writer when I don’t know? What if I never figure it out? How long has this mustard stain been on my sleeve? When was the last time I ate mustard? Should I pre-soak it? And distraction. It’s too easy to get off track.

Describe a typical writing day.
Let the dogs out. Make coffee. Shower. Let the dogs in. Toast a bagel. Drink coffee and eat while talking to my mom on the phone about news, politics, and miscellany. Let the dogs out. Start a load of laundry. Let the dogs in. Head upstairs to my office with my water, my phone, and the dogs. Check email. Star something to get back to later. Open manuscript file. Ponder. Pet a dog. Ponder more. Write some words. Backspace. Swear. Write more words. Stare into space. Notice dry hands. Put lotion on. Check the news and/or social media. Get angry about something. Swear more. Go back to file. Write a few more words. Just when words start to flow, phone rings. Swear. Answer the phone. Forget what I was writing. Let the dogs out. Put clothes in the dryer. Let dogs back in. Make a sandwich. Go back to office. Check online banking. Swear more. Get back to file. Wonder what in the heck that sentence was supposed to be. Backspace. Ponder. Write another half sentence. Swear. Close laptop.

Which of your books was the most fun to write? Why?
Probably 45 POUNDS because it was my first. I was able to play and rewrite it several times, several ways, and I learned a lot in the process.

When you’re reading for pleasure, what features of a book typically impress you the most? 
If a book can make me laugh and cry, I’m a fan for life.

What brings you joy?
Mischievous children and animals. I don’t know why, but when a toddler throws every piece of clean laundry out of a basket with total abandon or my cat knocks the magnets off the fridge and walks away satisfied, I smile. Making mischief is a delightful art.

What inspires you?
Pain inspires me. I’m always amazed at the resiliency of the human spirit. So, I guess it’s not the pain itself. It’s more about how human beings overcome it, how they manage to remain upright in the face of insurmountable odds, how they heal “strong in the broken places.” (Hemingway)

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?
I would love to tour Europe. But whenever I’m able to get away, I find myself in Northern Michigan. My heart wanders there. As soon as I cross the 45th Parallel, I breathe deeper and relax.

If you could have dinner with any person throughout history who would it be? What would you discuss? 
Jesus Christ. Yes, I know, as a Christian, I can talk to Him through prayer. But that’s not what I’m talking about. When I read The Bronze Bow by Elizabeth George Speare, I was overtaken by emotion when the main character had an encounter with Jesus. I couldn’t imagine being one of the actual human beings who experienced hearing him, seeing him, talking with him in person. Maybe we’d talk about religion and politics and where and how things go awry. Maybe we’d talk about how English teachers sometimes attribute meaning to literature that the author didn’t intend, and how some Biblical scholars do the same thing. Maybe we’d talk about the secrets of the universe—like about the origin of Earth, eternity, and how many licks it takes to get to the center of a Tootsie Roll pop.

What kind of compliment means the most to you?
The genuine kind.

What aspects of being a novel mentor are you most looking forward to? 
Ooh! This is the best question!

At one of the first SCBWI conferences I attended, I paid for an editor critique. It was from Michael Stearns (back when he was an editor). Like many newbie critique seekers, I vacillated between knowing he was going to buy my novel on the spot and also knowing that he’d forbid me from ever writing again because I was a hack who should never put word to paper. Lucky for me, he did neither of those things.

Instead, I got an honest critique—what I’d actually paid for! He pointed out areas where I’d nailed voice and character and scene. “Gold,” he called it. Then, he said, “Now make all of it like this.” While that sounded easy—after all, I’d written nuggets of gold, right?—it was about as simple as adding an egg to a baked cake. I had no idea what was gold and what was garbage. How would I ever know? I was both encouraged and frustrated.

About fifteen years have passed since that critique. I now have a better sense of what works, what doesn’t, and why. I’ve read more. I’ve written more. I’ve published more. I want to help other writers recognize their gold nuggets. To mine them. To polish them. And to celebrate the superpowers that created them. I also want to help them spot the areas that need more work and give them the tools to do it. I want to inspire them to keep going when the work gets hard. Because it will get hard. But their stories are worth telling. And they are the only ones able to tell them.

Can you tell us about any upcoming projects?
I have a middle grade Christmas story out on submission right now. I’m nearly finished with an early chapter book about Mother Goose. And I’m planning out a couple more YA novels.

I’m also teaching classes at UCLA Extension Writers’ Program. Writing the Middle Grade Novel, Writing the YA Novel I, and Writing the YA Novel II, depending on the quarter.

Ann Finkelstein is a former scientist who discovered that writing novels is more fun than wrangling test tubes. She coordinates the SCBWI-MI mentorship program and helps Charlie Barshaw host Lansing Area Shop Talks.









Coming up on the Mitten Blog: how to know if your art is ready, pitching podcasts, and take-aways from our SCBWI-MI spring conference.

See you tomorrow in Detroit for the spring conference!