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Monday, February 1, 2010

Conference Notes


You thought I WROTE notes? Okay.. I did.
But they weren't that interesting. The sketch above was at the beginning of the Friday writer's intensive. We were seated at tables of about eight other writers and an agent or editor. The idea was for each writer to read 500 words of their work and then get feedback from the professional at their table and the other writers. In the afternoon we switched writers and pros. At the morning session I had Michael Bourret who is a very nice, funny, and no airs guy. He gave great advice to all of us. The other writers at the table were quite insightful and accomplished in their own right (Hi Jeff! Hi Kipp!). Same goes for the afternoon. I was very pleased with the advice I received. It drove me to really assess the way I began my WIP and took me even deeper to adjust a few key plot points.

The second sketch is super agent, Rosemary Stimola. Not sure I captured her likeness very well except for her outstanding hairdo! She is one cool lady and I wished she talked longer. Sadly I cannot post the sketch of the gentleman who preceded her on the grounds it might incriminate me. I plead the fifth. Anyone who was there will know exactly what I mean.

It was a very useful weekend. Allyn Johnston, whose breakout session was on picture books, should get a prize for "most prepared". This woman put together about 250 hand-stapled dummy books so we could "turn the page" with her. Her joy and love for what she does was evident in every word.

Oh ..and how can I forget! I MET LIBBA BRAY!!! Okay. For two seconds; but I love that woman! She is very down to earth and lots of fun. And an awesome writer as some of you may already know. She is a rock star.

So all that aside, the high point for me was when me and my other two critmates (aka Team Munchkin Cudas) found a cozy corner in the Hyatt and tore the throats out of our WIPs and stitched them back together in the space of two hours. Cath and Dhonielle—you guys are AWESOME!

For my new followers, Cudas is one of my online crit groups. Kate Milford and Lindsay Eland are Cudas. Then there's my other crit group The Wordslingers, of which Heidi Ayarbe and Christine Johnson, (whose books I will be featuring in the upcoming months) are members.

Okay. That's all. Would love to hear from others who were there, too.

29 comments:

  1. Sounds like you had a fantastic weekend! Too cool. I'd be grateful for more tidbits.

    btw, you are a great artist!

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  2. You must have had a wonderful time. And I'm sure you meant you were to read 500 WORDs, not 500 pages (LOL) or you'd still be there!

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  3. GREAT notes. I think that's pretty intimidating reading aloud, at a table, with an agent and other writers. YOU'RE BRAVE!! I'm impressed.

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  4. Those are the best conference notes ever. I love your sketches. I think I'd like to take notes that way, too, but I haven't your expertise. The messages stand out so well, though, I'm going to try.
    Sounds like a great idea to be able to work with your crit mates between sessions. I'll keep that idea in mind, too.
    Thanks for sharing.

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  5. Libba Bray? I'm insanely jealous!

    Thanks for sharing your experience.

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  6. Excellent sketches, Lisa! I can't wait for the day you and I go to that conference together!!

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  7. Sharp Deb! I keep doing that...must be my deepest wish. I'm going to fix that!

    Thanks, Bish.

    Heidi—you know I have no trouble whatsoever running my mouth off! Ha!!! But yeah, I guess knowing it was Michael Bourret sitting there did freak me out a teensy bit. But he's so nice, I felt really comfortable.

    Thanks Trish, Tere.

    OMG Elana..do you think the conference could take that? I think you and the Cudas would all love each other. I've never met you in person, but I'm just not seeing *shy and retiring*. Not sure why. ;)

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  8. The conference sounds great and you are very talented at sketching. I'm lucky if I can draw a straight line with a ruler. :D

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  9. Your sketches made me smile, especially the one of Rosemary (and the description of the panel). ;) I agree, it would have been lovely to hear more Rosemary.

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  10. Hey, Lisa! Thanks for stopping by Cuppa. Here's the Official Conference Blog link:

    http://scbwiconference.blogspot.com/

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  11. You are most welcome, Jolie. Going to visit now.

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  12. It was a great and exhausting weekend. I'm looking forward to the next brainstorming session. Did you forget to mention a couple of Cudas?

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  13. Always pickin' on me, Snappy Cuda, aren't you? :)

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  14. Hey Lisa!
    It was great to meet you at Michael Bourett's table. We had an excellant group. Your drawings are hilarious! I love them! I hope you can find a place for me in one of your crit groups, I want to see where your WIP goes...
    Jeff Faville

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  15. Hey Jeff! You know I loved your writing, of course. I only told you ten times and anyone else who would listen. I have a huge amount of reconstructive surgery to do on my WIP. So I'm probably going to want to meet up in March. Let's go find our other member.

    Any other YA/mg writer in the NY metro area that wants to meet up with us? We have no idea where we'll meet but probably somewhere in Westchester County.

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  16. Hi Lisa, Sounds like you had a fantastic time at this conference. Wish I coulda joined ya. Ah well... I enjoyed it vicariously thru your fun notes and cool sketches! I agree w/ you about Allyn--she puts on some very informative sessions (saw her talk at the '09 LA Conference) Mucho thanks for sharing :-)!!

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  17. You're an excellent artist!! You can do my book cover!!

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  18. Why, thank you Cynthia, though rumor has it I wouldn't even be allowed to do my own, should the need arise.

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  19. Sounds like the conference money might have been better spent on a Cuda retreat. Think what you might have accomplished with 2 days with the whole School instead of 2 hours with the Guppies.

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  20. In person the Guppies have teeth. Actually, a Cuda retreat is certainly in order, and since I have health insurance, blood transfusions would be covered, at least.

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  21. OMW, give me gummy bears for now. They don't draw blood.
    I am up to a Cuda retreat where Cudas are present and willing to hold my hand and rub my back as I nurse any pyschosomatic psychosis that may develop. Bring it on!

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  22. Ok, your conference note-taking is so much cooler than my conference note-taking. Witness my envy. Thanks for sharing, and for following the First Novels Club!

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  23. I couldn't make it this year, unfortunately. Loved your sketches, however. Thanks.

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  24. I was at the conference too. It was really fun, and interesting. I write picture books and enjoyed Allyn Johnston's presentation very much.
    I loved the speakers on Saturday and went out and bought "Show Way."

    I was at the writers intensive as well. Two people at my table had book published, one was self-published--but really nice. I read both to
    our early childhood classes at school. (I'm the librarian).

    Lisa, I love your sketches. You are multi-talented.

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