Writing Hard...Or Hardly Writing?

Ack! Thursday already and I've a handful of pieces left to quilt together before I can sub to critique group members for next week's meeting.

I have little to say in my defense, except that my behindness is not for lack of trying.

Last week I succeeded in digging through my office for the multiple files I've made while visioning and re-visioning KM. And I spent considerable time organizing said notes by character, chapter, motivation, etc., distilling them down for use during this current (and what I hope to be) final re-vision.

All very useful tasks and long overdue. Unfortunately, in the middle of this process, life conspired in unpredictable ways. An uncle died this week, one whose death came so rapidly that we're all a little breathless. Then there was the fact that E and I spent most of the day at Children's Memorial Hospital Monday for tests, tests, and more tests. All "routine" prior to a doctor's visit in April.

Losing a day of writing--no problem. I'd worked it into my schedule. But then the proverbial shit hit the fan.

E's sick again. Earlier in the week, we blamed the change in the weather for her increased coughing. After last night, P and I are convinced it's definitely more than that. We're heading to the doctor shortly.

I'd rather be writing. I'd rather be accompanying one of my main characters on his quest to the save the maiden whom he'll soon discover can take care of herself thank you very much. Instead, I've a feeling I'll spend much of the next few days holding barf buckets, doing breathing treatments, and making apologies for missing deadlines.

Of all the things that'll slide to a stop while I'm wearing my mom-of-a-special-needs-child hat, the one that hurts the most: the high probability of having to miss Pam Munoz Ryan's school visit in Carpentersville tomorrow.

I wasn't going to be the only SCBWI Illinois chapter member in attendance, but I still feel horrible about missing this one. Why? Because when I agree to do something, I want people to know they can depend on me to follow through on that commitment. The fact that I'll likely have to bail is--well--I don't even want to go there. E's had such a good year, I thought we were past the need to apologize for things missed or forgetten in the face of her illnesses.

Ooops, need to go. Wish us luck at the doctor.

Current read: Cynthia Leitich Smith's new book Tantalize. Yummy. The best dark fantasy I've read in a long time.

Writerly Experiment--Part II

First earth tones, and now--with a quick flick of the publish button--variations on a flowering meadow look.

I launched my blog with this template way back when, and since I continue to be drawn to its fresh, organic look, I'm trying it out once more.

Writerly Experiment...It Must be Spring

Bear with me as I experiment with a new look for my blog. My only excuse for this inanity: it must be spring..and it feels like it's time for a change. It's an odd notion deciding to switch looks because it feels right. And yet, of all the lessons I've internalized about the creative process since graduating Vermont College, trusting my gut is one of them. So far I'm leaning toward this template. However, to paraphrase Yogi Berra, "It ain't over till it's over." Fair warning: I may try on a number of different "outfits" before I decide which one suits me best.

Tantalizing Offer: Free Books

Who can resist free books? I can't. That's why I was thrilled to learn YA Books Central is offering free copies of Cynthia Leitich Smith's new book Tantalize (which is already in its third printing since being released February 13th, according to Spookcyn), and Lauren Myracle's new book Twelve. For details on the giveaways, surf on over to YA Books Central. Enter to win now through the end of the month. Good luck.

Crit groups, Scrotums, and Other Writerly Topics

E's finally on the mend which means I'm slowly digging myself out from under my to-dos. So far this week I've finalized:

1. Crits for critique group. This included reviewing and making comments on J's and A's submissions prior to today's meeting. I've heard some people refer to crit groups as time sinks. This might be true in some groups. Thankfully, this isn't the case in ours.

The way I see it, reading J's and A's work is both a privilege and a blessing. Doing so allows me to think about craft in concrete ways so that I can articulate what's working and what raises questions in everything I read and write, even my own work. For example, critiquing has trained me to identify the elements that help make a scene sing.

Questions I might ask as I study a piece: What techniques is the author using to bring this scene to life? Poetic language? Sentence structure? Dialogue? Details? Pacing? All of the above? How? Ideally, identifying and articulating the specifics an author uses to accomplish one thing or another will assist her the next time she returns to her story, and, suprisingly enough, the next time I return to mine.

The same thinking applies to areas that raise questions. If I can't picture what's happening on the stage of a story, I look for reasons why this might be the case. If an scene isn't working, dialogue sounds stilted, or a character falls flat, I look for areas that might be tweaked or reworked to achieve greater power or clarity.

Our group meets biweekly. Each time we meet, I come away having learned something...a technique to use in the next scene or snippet of dialogue in my current work-in-progress, another way to establish setting, a fresh way to describe something or someone, solid tried and true ways to inform and improve my own writing.

For me, participating in a crit group--the right crit group--isn't a time sink. It's an investment.

2. Edge of the Forest interviews. One--A Day in the Life with author extraordinaire Laura Ruby--is in my editor's inbox (unless cyber gremlins have intercepted it.) The other---
What's in Their Backpack with author/independent bookseller Elizabeth Bluemle--is nearly finished.

3. My sub for crit group. Okay, so technically, I didn't sub in time for crit group. But I'm listing it as done anyway because I made good headway on the next J chapter despite illness and life in general (more than I would have done had crit group deadline not been staring me in the face.)

On tap for the rest of the week: KM and nothing but KM

Current read: The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby.

On deck: The Higher Power of Lucky by Susan Patron. (Especially curious to read the scrotum reference in context so I can decide for myself if the hullabaloo about the word so many believe Should Not Be Said in the middle grade classroom is worthy of so much drama.

(ETA variety of comments 3/8/07.)

On Deadline Days and Herding Cats

On deadline today for:

1. Two articles for the upcoming issue of Edge of the Forest Children's Literature Magazine. By the way, did you know you can subscribe to the Forest for free? Don't miss the next issue. Surf on over and sign up today.

2. Revisions and another new chapter of KM for critique group. Subs are due at least a couple days ahead of time. We meet next Wednesday. So far so good on making this deadline. (As long as E continues her recovery, and my characters continue to grace me with their company. ) Knocking on wood. Crossing fingers and toes.

Edited to add: Did I mention S and E are home today because of a teacher's institute day at school? Marking off a to-do list on days like today reminds me of the feeling one experiences when herding cats.

Current read: The Wall and the Wing by Laura Ruby.

Coaxing the Muse

E's fever broke late yesterday afternoon. She's wilty now after four days on Motrin and Tylenol at 103. But we're seeing signs of recovery--less coughing and a tad more energy. And her appetite's returning (which is good given the fact that at her extremely small size she has so few reserves to begin with.)

Thank you, God. This news is good. No, not good. Excellent.

*Hovers over her computer, glances longingly at her idea spiral.* With the right amount of coaxing I might just convince my characters to come out of hiding long enough to write something today.

*Gestures wildly to win the attention of her retreating muse.* Wait. Listen. The words don't need to be great. They don't even need to be meaningful. All I'm asking is two pages.

Just give me two pages inside KM, and I'll go to bed content.