DONALD MAASS: THE MANUSCRIPT WHISPERER by Charlie Barshaw

It wasn’t an SCBWI-sponsored event. So why were twenty-some members at Michigan State University in mid-January?

We came for Donald Maass, the author of six books on the writing craft. The conference organized by Capital City Writers Association gave us almost seven hours of The Donald and his philosophy of “breakout” fiction.

                  

Maass, a commanding figure in the agenting world (his agency sells over 150 titles a year) is actually a trim, compact man in person. He is soft-spoken and unassuming (one reviewer even called him “elven").

But that appearance is a ruse. Because he is, in truth, a pain-inflicting torturer-demon of the novel and its writer.

"Elvenlord" by Carmen Haberichter, http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Elvenlord.jpg#mediaviewer/File:Elvenlord.jpg

Maass started his keynote by decrying the state of book industry today. “Publishing is a mess,” he said. He went on for cruel minutes, telling the stunned audience of writers all the disastrous things we knew in our hearts to be true: declining sales, declining readership, publishers culled to a trembling few. Pause, sigh.

“Or maybe,” he said, a malicious grin, “I’m an unreliable narrator.” Ouch.

In the first session, he urged the audience to “write down the thing you are afraid to say,” and then have our MC say it.

Then he asked us to take a “blah scene,” necessary but unexciting. What is the protagonist’s main emotion? What’s the next level of feeling? The one after that? Write the scene from that unexpected and fresh emotional viewpoint.

In Hour Two, Donald asked us to take another transitional scene and describe the setting and its effect on our protagonist, until the character (and reader) is not describing but experiencing it.

He asked us to take a dramatic scene and break it down. Was there a way we could repeat the arc in smaller but impactful ways throughout the manuscript? Do it!

By lunchtime, I was nervously massaging my palpitating manuscript. Sure, Maass wanted me to alter my baby, but these were mostly cosmetic.

After an afternoon of fine but unremarkable presentations (believe me, you do not want to follow Donald Maass), it was 5 pm and time for any normal conference to end.

But no, a good majority of us had signed up for the four-hour extra workshop. The audience was at its most vulnerable: frazzled, dehydrated, over-caffeinated.

That’s when the real Donald Maass appeared. He might have worn a black hood, clad in leather and brandishing a whip, had he not an aversion to clichés. And the things he made me do to my protagonist, my plot, to what I thought to be the end of my novel. I shudder to recall the humiliation, the failure he had me inflict on my hero. He did this with innocent-sounding questions that probed more invasively with each “What if?”

I pinned my writhing manuscript to the table, ripped out its beating heart and stomped it into a greasy spot on the floor. When I looked up, Donald saw the stricken horror on my face and smirked, “It’s not real.”

So, I sit with 191 pages of middle grade manuscript, 130 of them with scrawled notes on the back. The ending I thought a doozy is now just a diving board into fouler, more troubled water for my unlucky protagonist. And, unfortunate writer, I must find a way to drag my hero through disgrace and failure to ultimate triumph. Somehow.

Donald Maass is like a literary personal trainer from Hell. No wait, what’s even worse than Hell?  Can you imagine something more depraved than whatever is two levels worse than Hell? That’s him.

If you ever get a chance to see Donald Maass in person, leap. But beware: your story is not safe.

And that’s great.

Charlie Barshaw is currently stitching together the tattered remains of his middle grade story about a squirrel invasion while fiendishly contemplating major surgery on a YA WIP. He’s also packing for the Big Apple, and co-planning a spring conference with his wife, author/illustrator Ruth McNally Barshaw.















Editor's note: Donald Maass shares his expertise at the Writer Unboxed blog. Read his posts here.

Cool Kids Books in Kalamazoo by Ann Finkelstein

In November, I braved the snow to attend the Kalamazoo Public Library’s Annual Youth Literature Seminar. This year’s conference started with Ed Spicer, first grade teacher and book reviewer extraordinaire. Ed discussed many of his favorite picture books and explained how to use them to enhance first grade subjects. I particularly liked Ed’s suggestion for using The Numberlys (by William Joyce, illustrated by William Joyce and Christina Ellis) and Triangles (by David Adler, illustrated by Edward Miller) to enhance math education. Similarly, social studies must be a kick when Grandfather Gandhi (by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus, illustrated by Evan Turk), Big Red Lollipop (by Rukhsana Khan, illustrated by Sophie Blackall) and Deep in the Sahara (by Kelly Cunnane, illustrated by Hoda Hadadi) are used to show students non-American cultures. Many of us left Ed’s talk wishing he could have been our children’s first grade teacher.

Author-illustrator Todd Parr gave two inspirational talks in which he discussed his professional journey and his books. Todd writes positive, feel-good books that are funny and accessible to children. He encourages kids to be different and strong. Every book has a straightforward message summarized in his ending letter to his readers. For example, in his book It’s Okay to Make Mistakes, Todd writes, “It’s okay to make mistakes sometimes. Everyone does, even grownups! That’s how we learn. The end, Love, Todd” Todd’s illustrations are simple and appealing, and he is proud that young children can imitate his drawings.

Educator Mary Bigler, Ph.D. spoke on raising readers. She reminded us that the most important thing parents and teachers can do to encourage literacy is read to children. She advocates starting at infancy and continuing “until they leave us.” For reluctant readers, Mary suggests joke and riddle books because laughter makes the reading experience non-threatening. She is a master at tongue-twisters and advocates this form of word play for children who are not fond of reading. Mary encouraged us to listen to the rhythm of the writing and to sing the words, if possible. As she says, “If we’re not passionate, the children won’t be.”

Mary also suggested starting a family diary. Each family member is responsible for writing one sentence each day, every day of the year. For very young children, parents can take dictation. She said this shows children that writing is permanent, and in time the family will create an invaluable heirloom.

Mary’s closing comments summarized the meeting. She reminded us children need to see love, kindness and family in the books they read. 

Ann Finkelstein writes, reads and fools around with her camera in Haslett, Michigan. You can find out more about her at www.annfinkelstein.com. Please stop by her blog, Words and Pixels.

Knitting the Perfect Mitten! (Blog post that is…) By Patti Richards

You break out in a sweat each time you see it on the listserv: the call for (cue scary music)…a BLOG POST! You read the post, look away, wring your hands, shake your head and hit the delete button. “Not you,” your naughty muse laughs! “You’re not a blogger! Why won’t Kristin, Patti and Nina just leave you alone?!” Well like Uncle Sam, I’m here to say, “WE WANT YOU!”

Why Blog?

Writing blog posts offers valuable writer experience. Not only does it provide you with credits for your resume, seeing your name in print boosts your fragile writer ego and gives you the courage to keep going. It’s also a great exercise in working with an editor and under a deadline. Deadlines help move you forward knowing that others are depending on your content to keep the Mitten fresh, new and out on time. Working with an editor (because we will read and ask for revisions when necessary), helps you increase your flexibility and let go of the notion that every word you write is important to the piece. Trust me, it’s not. Blogging also helps you understand the value of writing to a set of guidelines. Just like all picture books are 32 pages, blog posts have word counts designed to keep the reader engaged and on the page.

Blogging Basics

Now that you understand the power of the blog, we really hope you'll give it a try. Here are a few tips to get you started:

• Use bullet points. (See what I did there?) Bullet points direct the reader’s eyes to important take-aways in your piece. Bullet points get to the meat of the story and entice the reader to come back and digest the entire article later.
• Use section headings. White space is important in picture books, novels and BLOGS! Section headings help create white space and let the reader know what’s coming. And a blog post with section headings is simply easier to read than a blob of copy with no breaks.
• Stick to the word count. We like our posts that are 400 to 600 words. Any more than that and you risk losing your reader’s attention.
• Use hyperlinks. Hyperlinks take the reader to resources you’ve used and websites you recommend. They boost your credibility and the online presence of other writers.
• Include a bio and picture. A sentence or two about who you are, where you’re from and a bit about your writing history is fine. Here’s an example from a recent article I wrote about getting engaged at Christmas:

"Patti Richards is a full-time freelance writer, children’s book author and blogger. Patti has a recently-engaged son who proposed to his wonderful fiancé at—you guessed it—Christmas! When not writing, she is activity engaged in planning a rehearsal dinner and trying to decide what mothers of the groom wear to weddings. Learn more about her at Sensibility and Sense, A Perfect Blog for Imperfect Writers (pattigail1.com)."  

It’s Your Turn!

Now that you know the basics, it’s time to knit together that perfect post for The Mitten. Write about your experiences, books on craft, conferences you’ve attended, speakers that inspire you, or anything else you think might be of interest to this group. Trust your instincts and send in your best work. I promise you’ll be glad you did.

Send your queries or submissions to:

kristinbartleylenz@gmail.com

It's Hugs and Hurrahs Friday here at the Mitten! Hugs and Hurrahs is the Mitten page that’s all about you! Now don’t be shy…you know how awesome you are, and we want to celebrate that awesomeness here four times each year. Today’s hot-of-the-presses edition features a 2014 wrap-up and a bit of New Year’s good news. Click here to learn more! 

Meet Our New Featured Illustrator!

Thank you Jeff Jantz for creating our new banner and answering the illustrator questionnaire! Please click here to learn more about Jeff and his fabulous art work.

Get Inked! By Kathy Higgs-Coulthard

Imagine a room full of writers—heads bowed, pens gliding across paper. These writers understand the importance of networking and learning from other writers. They have given up an entire Saturday to work on their craft. They are writing poetry, memoir, fiction. Some are beginning novels, others revising them. These writers are committed and skilled. These writers are teenagers.

In South Bend, Indiana (just a hop, skip, and a jump across the Stateline) teen writers assemble each November for the Get Inked! Teen Writing Conference at Saint Mary’s College. An all-day event, Get Inked! exposes young authors to the real work of writing. By attending craft lectures and workshops which are modeled after the high caliber writing conferences available to adult writers, area teens learn that writing is hard work but fun.

This year’s conference featured Michigan author Tracy Bilen. Tracy’s young adult novels mix romance and suspense, elements which appeal to teen audiences and make her an authentic role model. Tracy’s keynote address urged teens to have the courage to keep writing. Following the keynote, local writing teacher and National Writing Project site-coordinator Mary Nicolini issued a challenge that required just such courage: A writer’s marathon.

In a writer’s marathon, prompts are solicited from attendees and collected in a box. The prompts are then drawn at random and the writers free-write on each successive topic for increasingly longer periods of time. Between sprints volunteers share their creations.

The highpoint of the conference is always the breakout sessions, which allow attendees to work in small groups under the tutelage of the visiting author. Tracy’s sessions focused on bringing scenes to life. She guided the teens through this process with an activity on building characterization through the layering of description, dialogue, and action.

You would think that a group of kids would be exhausted after writing from 8 am to 4 pm. Yet, when the last session ended, no one wanted to leave. The teens stuck around to chat with Tracy informally in the lobby.

Tracy brought a lot to this year’s Get Inked! Teen Writing Conference-- signed copies of her book (Y/A thriller, What She Left Behind), autographed bookmarks, and handouts for her talk on bringing scenes to life. The teens appreciated Tracy’s wisdom regarding the publishing process and her helpful tips on establishing a writing routine.

Tracy came armed with everything she needed to make the day a success, but ultimately it was what she left behind that made the biggest impact on the writers who attended. Tracy treated these teens like peers. She saw them the same way they see themselves—as real writers working on real projects. Because Tracy took their work seriously, they know it matters. And hopefully in the not-so-distant future, you’ll find their books on the shelves alongside authors like Tracy.

Kathy Higgs-Coulthard is a writer, a faculty member in the Education Department at Saint Mary's College, and Director of the Michiana Writers' Center. The Teen Writing Conference allows her to combine her passion for teaching with her love of writing. Her work appears in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Reboot Your Life, Cleaver Magazine, and Jack and Jill Magazine. 

BONUS: Tracy Bilen is one of the participating authors in a huge holiday cheer giveaway through Spencer Hill Press. Find out more at her website.

A huge thanks to Kathy for contributing our final guest post in 2014! Enjoy the holidays, and we'll return in the new year. Nina Goebel is preparing to introduce our new Featured Illustrator, and Patti Richards is gathering good news to share in our New Year's edition of Hugs and Hurrahs.

Cheers!
Kristin Lenz

All about MRA: Michigan Reading Association

MRA isn’t just for Educators…

Have you heard of Great Lakes, Great Books? Kaleidoscope? MRJ? News & Views? Gwen Frostic Award? If these sound familiar, then you are probably a Michigan Reading Association Member.

Michigan Reading Association (MRA) is an affiliate of the International Literacy Association, and an organization whose mission is to promote literacy across Michigan. As an educator, I have been familiar with MRA’s publications and conferences for years. Michigan Reading Journal has been a staple in educational institutions since 1967 and News & Views on Reading has kept members current with trends in the field. I love reading the journal to keep informed of research, learn tips for improving my craft, and to read reviews on newly published books. There is a wide spectrum of topics and issues in reading, language arts, and literature, and preschool - adult levels included in publications. MRA also hosts the Kaleidoscope Writing Contest for K-12 students. Nominated students are honored at MRA’s State Conference with a celebration hosted by Michigan authors and illustrators.

But is wasn’t until I entered the world of children’s book writing myself, that I fully understood the benefit of an MRA membership. While I was conducting an author visit, a teacher asked if my publications were on MRA’s Great Lakes, Great Books list. Great Lakes, Great Books is an opportunity for kids in Michigan to vote on their favorite books and many SBCWI members have been nominated.

Later that same year, I was invited to speak at the MRA’s Summer Literature Conference as a guest author. Not only did my book get in the hands of more teachers, but I also met great authors like Ryan Hipp, who ironically talked me into an SCBWI membership.

Since that summer weekend, I have enjoyed memberships with two powerhouse reading organizations! I not only attend SCBWI conferences and webinars, but I now participate on the MRA Board. I have learned that being a part of both organizations has expanded my circle of book friends and has helped with my goal of supporting literacy in Michigan! 

Click here to see the poster and conference info.

Many other SCBWI members join me in this dual membership. Take Ruth McNally Barshaw and Matt Faulkner, for example, who were invited to create MRA’s 2015 Annual Conference poster. 

They did an incredible job and now their artwork is highlighted in nearly every school and library in our state! 

MRA is humbled by the work of Michigan authors and illustrators. Each year, MRA recognizes one special individual with the Gwen Frostic Award. This honor recognizes the literacy contributions of a Michigan author or illustrator. Past winners include:

 2009 – Shirley Nietzel - author

 2010 - Patricia Polacco – author/ illustrator

2011 - Margaret Willey - author, folklorist, and novelist

2012 - Ryan Hipp – author/illustrator 

2013 - Gary Schmidt - author

2014 - Kelly DiPucchio – author

2015- TBA – Could this be you?

There are countless reasons why I choose to be involved with both organizations. I love to communicate with those in the education field, as well as professional writers and illustrators! Many SCBWI-MI friends will be joining MRA as speakers and guests at future events and conferences. If you are interested in learning more about MRA, please feel free to visit michiganreading.org or contact me at iheartwritingbooks@yahoo.com.

As a Language Arts Consultant for Macomb Intermediate School District, Dr. Lisa Rivard is passionate about literacy in our state and enjoys reading children’s literature. She tries to carve out time for her own writing adventures but is also busy planning MRA’s 59^th Annual Conference in March, 2015 and will lead the MRA organization as President in 2016. She loves to spend spare time walking along the St Clair River where she resides and operates a Little Free Library in her front yard.