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."

Favorites from the Summer Conference

More from Rachel Vail:

"Astonish yourself. The thing you knew was coming was your first draft."

"Keep learning - not JUST craft, but about your character."

"Be ruthless. Fall in love with your story, not your words, metaphors or characters. Cut what doesn't work...then have chocolate."

And finally:

"Be kind. You're writing for kids. It must ring true, but there's humanity in all of us. We should have hope."

Favorites from the Summer Conference

Writer Rachel Vail, who comes from an acting background, reminded us to think like actors, to:

"Enter wanting and know where you were before. It's not going to come out in the first draft." She also said "Story begins when the main character's life becomes off balance. The character then tries to re-find balance."