Don't Hold Back

Last week while pondering my current WIP I decided to gather up some of my old copies of the SCBWI bulletins. I revisited articles I have dog-eared throughout them hoping to find new inspiration. In the Jan/Feb 2012 an article caught my attention. In "Don't Hold Back" Joelle Anthony discusses her realization that her characters were holding back. They were thinking of doing something, but not doing anything for some reason or another.

I'm guilty of doing this as well. Too often I find myself rewriting scenes during the editing process to allow my characters to react realistically, and not as an adult would. Basically, I'm holding them back.
I'm glad I ran across this article again. I needed this reminder going into a major rewrite on my current WIP.

Anthony suggests allowing your characters to react the way they want to. Even if you open a new document to do so and never end up using it. You may learn something new from your characters or have a great new scene. She suggests going through your manuscripts looking for key phrases such as, "I wanted to, I tried, I wished, I lost my nerve, ..."

When I reread my manuscript this month I will be highlighting every instance where I use one of those phrases. Hopefully this will help me create a little new direction with my WIP and make it better.

After all, I was a very emotional teen. So why can't my teen characters be emotional as well? There really ins't a good reason not to let them let go now and then. Of course, they shouldn't let go all the time, but occasionally they should. Especially if it will help round out their character and further the story.

Are you holding back your characters?

What I learned at the NJSCBWI Annual Conference

This weekend the New Jersey chapter of the Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators had its annual conference. It was a three day affair filled with workshops, critiques, inspirational keynote speakers and book fairs that took me from high highs (Love your character! She is so well developed.) to low lows (You overwrite! What does your character really want?) and gave me the super power to say no (more) to coffee.  Along the way, I learned a few things…

Say hello. Conferences, especially, those as big as the NJSCBWI one, can be intimidating. Everyone seems to be chatting with everyone else and it’s easy to become a wallflower or a chair warmer. Make friends. Attendees at the conference are writers following their dreams. Just like you. Simply say hello and you may meet your next critique partner or beta reader.

Critiques are opinions. Take them with a grain of salt. I know you’ve heard this many times but it bears repeating. You need to pick and choose what you are going to change about your manuscript. The temptation to accept every suggestion that a senior editor recommends can be too much. An unusually tough critique can bring you down. In the end, it comes down to how well you are practicing your craft. Are you committed to becoming a better writer? Do you have faith in yourself and your story? Whatever I write in my feedback comments as a critique or whatever an agent writes can only be validated by you.

Your work is not perfect. That’s OK! Is your ‘conceit’ original? Does your story make sense? Are your characters well developed? Do you have a voice? If yes, then throw yourself into the process of pitching, submitting, and of course, revising.

Finally, don’t forget to submit your work! Polish up your query and those first fifteen pages that the editor discussed with you, paste them in the body of your email and hit the send button as soon as you can!

Good luck at your conferences!

THE VALUE OF CRITIQUE PARTNERS

I had the good fortune of having an honest person critique my very first book – my sister. Though family members tend to praise and fear hurting our feelings, she was brutally honest to the point of tearing the book to shreds. Why would I say, then, that I was fortunate to have her? The answer is simple: she taught me how to accept criticism and use it to my advantage.

No writer should be without a critique partner or two and a few good beta readers. They can be found all over the web. I found my critique group through the SCBWI website and my beta readers through the QueryTracker.net forums. Without the help of these wonderful men and women, I would be lost.

Each person brings a different perspective to your story and a different method of critiquing. Whether they go line by line suggesting changes or just comment on the things they see are not working, every piece of advice will bring your story one step closer to perfection. And isn’t that what we all strive to achieve?

Do yourself and your book a favor. If you don’t share your work with anyone for whatever reason, find the courage to get a trusted reader or two who will give you honest feedback. You won’t regret it. 

Kimmy :)

TRIANGLES, Kimberly Ann Miller, Spencer Hill Press, June 2013