My youngest just finished preschool for the school year, so that means the end of blogging for me until the fall. My writing time is so limited in the summer that I have to hoard it for writing books only.
See you back here in the fall!
The Summer of the Graphic Novel
I really want to read more graphic novels this summer. I haven’t read that many, but the ones I’ve read are amazing. I think it’s such an interesting art form.
I’ve pinned what I’ve read so far on my graphic novel Pinterest boards for kids and teens/adult.
Have you or your kids read any graphic novels you’d recommend? Please share!
Nothing much happening around here.
I’ve read that it’s a big deal with blogs to think of good titles for your posts–good titles can attract new readers, help you show up in search engines, etc.
You can see I’ve taken that to heart. If “Nothing much happening around here.” isn’t a sure-fire hit, I don’t know what is. Har-har.
Anyway, I kind of forgot I had a blog, because I haven’t had much to blog about. I’m doing stuff, but there’s really not that much more to say other than that I have been working. I have revised some picture book texts. I finished a rough draft of another middle grade book, a mystery adventure set in the most exciting of all possible places…a middle class California suburb of course! I am revising my other middle grade book, my ocean one, and that is going well, except that I am kind of a wimp about revising. I’m still doing it though, so that’s what counts, right?
Other writing news: I’ve started reading writing how-to books. I’ve always shied away from them for fear that they would somehow corrupt my grand and glorious artistic vision…but with revision on my mind I’ve felt a real need for some practical advice. Have you read any writing books you could recommend? So far I’ve read The Writing Life by Annie Dillard, The War of Art by Stephen Pressfield, and On Writing by Stephen King, and I’ve found all three of them to be very helpful in completely different ways.
Caine’s Arcade: Best Thing Ever
One of the best things I have ever seen! Definitely the best part of my day today.
Revising Quotes
Revising is a new and interesting (and intimidating) task for me. Two quotes that are inspiring me:
“The feeling that the work is magnificent, and the feeling that it is abominable are both mosquitoes to be repelled, ignored, or killed, but not indulged.”
–from The Writing Life by Annie Dillard
“Don’t have the attitude that you’re hoping to change as little as possible when you revise, like it’s boring homework or something you’re trying to get away with. It’s not homework! It’s vital, beautiful work — but still in its early stages. The best is yet to come. I mean, what are the chances that you wrote the coolest, best, most awesome possible version of your book on the first try?”
–Laini Taylor (full post with lots of revising wisdom here)
