Great short quote

I recently found this quote from casting director Matt Barry:

"If you quit, somebody else gets to live your dream."

Keep going!

Contest

Check out ny buddy Paula's fun post!

Paula Yoo Today's Writer Wednesday blog features a Q&A and signed book contest with debut YA author Sheela Chari ("Vanished" Hyperion 2011). Please comment on my blog or email me at paula at paulayoo dot com to be included in our signed book contest drawing. Winner announced 11/30/11. http://paulayoo.com/blog/?p=1086http://paulayoo.com/blog/?p=1086 paulayoo.com

From Edward Necarsulmer IV

Here's a good example of 'less is more' from McIntosh & Otis agent Edward Necarsulmer IV - something so simple that's easy to forget:

"Play to your strengths."

From Cecil Castellucci

Prolific writer Cecil Castellucci writes:

I think one of the most important things is to learn how to have your best ears on and learn to listen. It is essential that we not be precious about our work otherwise we do it a disservice. If something needs to go, we need to be able to let it go. Put it in another book if you are in love with it! But while readers and cirituqers and even editors are not always right, we must listen to the story and do what is right for it. So if every single person doesn't get something, then maybe it's time to add something in. Or if every single preson stumbles at the same place, it's time to look at that thing and maybe take it out, or smooth it over. You don't want your reader to have any emotional hangnails while they're reading, you know? You don't want to leave something in that is going to take them out of the story. And often times, we are so precious about our words that we forget to listen. So, to sum up, put your best ears on and listen.

Favorites from the Summer Conference

Tidbits from the Publisher/Editorial Director Panel:

Justin Chanda (S&S) told us what his boss says: "If you're not making mistakes, you're not taking risks."

Stephanie Owens Lurie (Hyperion) said: "The best authors for us are new authors with lots of ideas."

Favorites from the Summer Conference

From prolific author Paul Fleischman:

"Don't have scenes because you like them or to show off your research (which, like a slip, shouldn't show)."

Favorites from the Summer Conference

Gennifer Choldenko (Al Capone Does My Shirts) said:

"If you are stuck in the nostalgia of your childhood, dig deeper."

"What you experience when you write, we experience when we read."

"Harness the energy of your dreams and the "between" state. Don't get mad at yourself if you took a risk and it didn't work out. Risk again."