Jennifer R. Hubbard's Blog, page 131
February 8, 2010
Announcing ...
Wrapping up some giveaways that I held earlier, here are the official announcements of the winners:
Of my launch party prize pack, the winner was Natalie! For the book she won in addition to The Secret Year, she chose The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet.
Of Becky Levine's The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide, the winner was Bright Soulfire!
Of The Secret Year library giveaway, I selected four libraries instead of the three I originally planned. The winning libraries were located ...
Of my launch party prize pack, the winner was Natalie! For the book she won in addition to The Secret Year, she chose The Total Tragedy of a Girl Named Hamlet.
Of Becky Levine's The Writing & Critique Group Survival Guide, the winner was Bright Soulfire!
Of The Secret Year library giveaway, I selected four libraries instead of the three I originally planned. The winning libraries were located ...
February 5, 2010
Giving critique
When I was blogging about critique groups and receiving critique, I got a request to say something about giving critique.
Like practically everything else in writing, this varies from person to person, but I'll share my own approach in case any of it's helpful.
1. Use the sandwich method. If you haven't heard of this, it's the practice of beginning and ending your critique with positive statements, pointing out what you liked about the piece. All the suggestions for improvements get sandwiche...
Like practically everything else in writing, this varies from person to person, but I'll share my own approach in case any of it's helpful.
1. Use the sandwich method. If you haven't heard of this, it's the practice of beginning and ending your critique with positive statements, pointing out what you liked about the piece. All the suggestions for improvements get sandwiche...
February 4, 2010
The right words
I've recommended her blog before, but if you're not reading it yet, I really urge you to visit Susan Taylor Brown's blog, aka
![[info:]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/hostedimages/1380438177i/889613.gif)
susanwrites
. She's doing another series on a poetry class for incarcerated teens. There's also the latest installment on what her dog has taught her about writing (seriously, you have to read it for yourself).
In my own writing studio, the Muse is lounging about, eyeing the chocolate.
Writer: Well, we had some rollicking good times with the thesaurus last night, didn'...
susanwrites
. She's doing another series on a poetry class for incarcerated teens. There's also the latest installment on what her dog has taught her about writing (seriously, you have to read it for yourself).In my own writing studio, the Muse is lounging about, eyeing the chocolate.
Writer: Well, we had some rollicking good times with the thesaurus last night, didn'...
February 2, 2010
Writing what we love
In my last post, I expressed my gratitude for the people who helped make my launch party special. I also want to send out wider thanks now, to the people who have bought, read, reviewed, tweeted about, recommended, ordered for their library, or in any other way supported my book. Thanks for posting blog interviews, hosting and entering giveaways, and emailing me that you liked the book. It's very much appreciated.
On to the writerly stuff! I've had some requests for more critique-related top...
On to the writerly stuff! I've had some requests for more critique-related top...
February 1, 2010
How I spent my weekend
This weekend, while some writers were Kindling Words at that famous retreat, and other writers were convening in New York for the SCBWI winter conference, and the titans of MacMillan and Amazon were clashing over e-book prices, I had me a little party. And even though snow was not supposed to fall and if it did fall it was not supposed to stick, it did fall and it did stick, and still we had a full house at my launch party at Children's Book World in Haverford, PA.
What I kept thinking throug...
What I kept thinking throug...
January 29, 2010
Receiving critique
If you're anywhere near Haverford, PA, this weekend, you're welcome to come to my launch party and signing at Children's Book World, Haverford, PA on Saturday, January 30, from 2-4 PM. There will be books. And chocolate.
Now that I've told the story of How I Met Your Mother My Critiquers, I thought I might say a few words about receiving critique. These are my personal rules for receiving feedback; they may or may not be helpful to you.
1. Always thank the critiquer. Whether the feedback ...
Now that I've told the story of How I Met Your Mother My Critiquers, I thought I might say a few words about receiving critique. These are my personal rules for receiving feedback; they may or may not be helpful to you.
1. Always thank the critiquer. Whether the feedback ...
January 27, 2010
How I found critiquers, Part 3
As we near the exciting conclusion of "How I found critiquers," you may remember that at the end of Part 2, I had two critique partners with whom I exchanged YA novels. But I was open to more feedback.
Around this time, I was contacted again by my local SCBWI chapter critique coordinator, who had a lead on a local group that was looking to expand. Ironically enough, the women of that group had met in Vivian Grey's children's-writing class (of which I spoke in Part 2), although they took it d...
Around this time, I was contacted again by my local SCBWI chapter critique coordinator, who had a lead on a local group that was looking to expand. Ironically enough, the women of that group had met in Vivian Grey's children's-writing class (of which I spoke in Part 2), although they took it d...
January 24, 2010
How I found critiquers, Part 2
When we last left our protagonist (in
How I Found Critiquers, Part 1
), she had just begun to work on YA novels, having focused previously on literary short fiction. She will now cease referring to herself in the third person, and will continue the story.
I had a bookcase full of YA novels that I read over and over, in between all the other things I read, and I finally decided I should try to write what I loved so well. I took a class on children's writing with Vivian Grey (author of Moe...
I had a bookcase full of YA novels that I read over and over, in between all the other things I read, and I finally decided I should try to write what I loved so well. I took a class on children's writing with Vivian Grey (author of Moe...
January 23, 2010
Help Haiti Heal
The 2009 Debs have banded together with The Leaky Cauldron Fansite to Help Haiti Heal. This weekend, donations will be taken for the cause, with prizes given away to random, lucky donors.
More information at the Leaky Cauldron's announcement page.
And the Helping Haiti Heal Website here.
If you're on Twitter, please mention the event and url:
"Help Haiti Heal - win fantastic prizes! Sat. from 2pm to 6pm EST! http://bit.ly/5603s6 #hhh"
(#hhh is going to be the TweetCode so that we stand a chance ...
January 22, 2010
How I found critiquers, Part 1
First order of business: TANYA, please email me at jennifer[at:]jenniferhubbard[dot:]com to claim your critique group guide!
We've been discussing critique groups this week, and a surprising (to me) number of people asked me to talk about my critiquers. I'll do that over the course of a few posts.
The last person who sees one of my manuscripts before it goes to an editor is my agent. (The Class of 2k10 interviewed him about why he offered representation on The Secret Year, if you're interested ...
We've been discussing critique groups this week, and a surprising (to me) number of people asked me to talk about my critiquers. I'll do that over the course of a few posts.
The last person who sees one of my manuscripts before it goes to an editor is my agent. (The Class of 2k10 interviewed him about why he offered representation on The Secret Year, if you're interested ...
