Caroline Bock's Blog: Caroline Anna Bock Writes, page 15

Practical and Personal Writing Tips from the Author of LIE

RECOMMENDED WRITING RESOURCES: This is by no means a comprehensive list, but represents groups that I have participated in or taken classes with over the years— from Caroline Bock, author of LIE. More writing insights at: www.carolinebock.com


For adults:

Long Island Children’s Writers and Illustrators (LICWI) - a very inclusive Long Island group meets once a month at St. Joseph’s College in Patchogue, and features group critiques of children –young adult work. Editor visits. Very reasonable annual membership. www.licwi.org

Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators – (SBCWI) National organization for children’s writers, I’m a member of the NYC chapter with monthly seminars, annual winter meeting in January in NYC offers critiques, workshops and panels. www.scbwi.org

SheWrites (for women writers only). Terrific site -- no fee to join. As their website notes, they are the “premier destination for women writers, providing services and support for women at every stage of their writing lives.” Lots of free information and sharing here. Also writing classes for a fee offered on line. www.shewrites.com

MediaBistro (on-line and in NYC, www.mediabistro.com): daily free email on the media business, plus some excellent short-term writing classes on line and in person for fee. Class with D.B. Gilles on screenwriting is very worthwhile - I’ve take it! He has a new book: The ScreenWriter Within – I highly recommend it.

Publisher’s Lunch – daily free email on the publishing business. Key info for serious aspiring writer about what books have been sold by what agents to what publishers, what books optioned by film or television, and the scope of the deals. A subscription component of the site gives more details on deals. www.publishersmarketplace.com

AgentQuery – www.agentyquery.com
– “the largest and most searchable database of literary agents on the web.” Also the “how to write a query” section is very helpful (a “query” is a sale pitch letter about your project to a literary agent).

More for teens:
Hofstra Continuing Education (high school and adult education writing classes year round and a well-run Summer Writers Institute on Long Island). If you are an aspiring children’s writer, try a class with Brian Heinz, very worthwhile. www.hofstra.edu/ucce/summerwriting.edu


Figment: Write yourself in. A community to share writing – no fee to join. Teen orientated. Educator section too. Lots of resources for teen writers here – and for adult writers interested in young adult fiction, Find an interview with me on this site!! www.figment.com


Stone Soup: It's a magazine written entirely by children. Ask your librarian whether she has some copies you could read first. Check out their website at www.stonesoup.com.
If you wish to submit, send to:
Stone Soup Submissions Dept.
P.O. Box 83
Santa Cruz, CA 95063.
Include name, age, home address, phone number, and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Top Writing Competition for High School students: The Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for grades 7-12. These are the top writing awards for high school students in the United States. Dramatic scripts, Flash Fiction (1,300 words), Personal Essay, Poetry, Science Fiction, Short Story are among the categories. DEADLINE for Northeast regional: is in early 2013. Regional and national winners. Scholarships for winners. More at
www.artandwriting.org


Short list of books about writing on my bookshelf for adults or teens:

1) On the art of writing: Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott about the creative process; On Writing by Stephen King and The Art of the Novelist by John Gardner.
2) On practical advice: Immediate Fiction by Jerry Cleaver, a complete writing course in one book; The Practical Writer from Inspiration to Publication edited by Therese Eiben and Mary Gannon on the staff of Poets & Writers Magazine and The Forest for the Trees: an Editor’s Advice to Writers by Betsy Lerner. Also, Poets&Writers Magazine and its website www.pw.org are essential resources.

If your school has a literary magazine, get involved. I truly began to think of myself as a writer when I joined Opus, my New Rochelle High School literary magazine.

And if you're on goodreads you know, this: read, read, read -- because writer's read.

Truly,
author of LIE
must read young adult novel
about race and prejudice in
21st century America
more at www.carolinebock.com

What Happens When You Go to Tasteful Nudes...

This is what happens when you go to a June literary reading entitled
“Tasteful Nudes“ at Housing Works in Soho with your New York City girlfriend. You
don’t really expect to anyone to be nude, but then you don’t expect to be so
entertained by Dave Hill, Michael Kupperman and Rebecca (aka Debbie Downer from
Saturday Night Live) Dratch and readings from their new books—  You walk out in a great mood and see graffiti art on the
construction in the front of the turn-of-the-century (19 to 20th,
having now to be precise about what century) building. You cross the
cobblestone street – and you see -- 
That flames are spitting out of the graffiti man’s mouth— 
You take a picture thinking it’s cool downtown art— 
You don’t think: 
FLAMES ARE SWIRLING OUT OF ITS MOUTH until two people stumble out of the
building choking on the smoke. They call the super and someone pours a cup of
water into his mouth as if he’s giving him a drink—  You and your friend quickly decide it’s time to go to dinner.
You pick a not too expensive place nearby and order a white wine and a nicoise salad
and watch fire trucks race by— 
After dinner, you go back to that turn-of-the-century
building because you parked your Honda CRV with the Junie B. Jones books piled
in the backseat right in front (street parking available after 6 p.m.). This is
what you find— 
You and your friend agree: this was a night neither of you
will ever forget. You get in your car and drive back to Long Island in awe.  
Truly, 
Author of LIE A summer of 2012 must read.

What Makes A Children's Book Great? Notes from a conference at Scholastic headquarters

What Makes A Children's Book Great? was the theme of the May 31st conference on children's publishing I attended at Scholastic headquarters (in downtown Manhattan -557 Broadway. Note: the open-to-the-public bookstore is on the ground floor worth a visit for anyone with children in their lives!).

Did the four-hour conference answer the question? Not exactly. Perhaps there is no answer is the answer. Lots of thought-provoking things were said, and the energy in the packed auditorium with its bright Clifford-red seats was high, full of hope that someone will write another break-out, surprise us all, someday classic. Random quotes include:

"Young adult books are popular with adults because they hooks readers in quick. They tend to be more plot driven.... I'm still getting used to saying 'the last century'..." Pamela Paul, Children's Book Editor, New York Times Book Review

"It's still about authors writing stories they're passionate about..." David Levithan, Scholastic editor and young adult author

"The line is blurring between literature and entertainment...[in the digital age] writers are impatient..." Rosemary Stimola, literary agent, most notably of Suzanne Collins, author of the Hunger Games

"What makes a book great...the evidence not just of a brilliant mind but a glittering heart..." Beth Kephart, young adult author.Small Damages, Kephart's seventh young adult novel, will be released this summer. (I plan to read it: review copies were given out at conference!)

"If it lingers in my imagination, it's great..." Peter Brown, children's book author and illustrator.

What do you think makes a children's book great?

Truly, author of LIE
a critically acclaimed young adult novel -a must-read for your summer's list. more at www.carolinebock.com

Caroline Bock

The truth from author of LIE at the Elmont Library Event - June 5th at 6 pm-Free

All invited to the fabulous Elmont Public Library reading and talk -- especially would-be writers, their parents, guardians.

Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, June 5th 6-8 pm at the Elmont Library (700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY)


Hope to see you there!

Truly, author of LIE

Caroline Bock

The truth from author of LIE at the Elmont Library Event - June 5th at 6 pm-Free

All invited to the fabulous Elmont Public Library reading and talk -- especially would-be writers, their parents, guardians.

Free and open to the public.

Tuesday, June 5th 6-8 pm at the Elmont Library (700 Hempstead Turnpike, Elmont, NY)


Hope to see you there!

Truly, author of LIE

Caroline Bock

More poetry. Truly, from the author of LIE, the novel about the murder of an innocent young man of color. Inspired by true events.

I love television. I worked in cable television for 20 years. However this is what my father called our T.V. -- "The Idiot Box."  Even so, I'm thinking that perhaps I should name this poem something else perhaps -- "Dirty Dishes" --see why toward the end. What do you think?   New section of this long, narrative poem highlighted in bold.
The Idiot Box
My father called itthe Idiot Boxlike it was a nickname, orterm of endearment. I was twelve. He called me Toots, a nickname, a term of endearment.Sometimes,   Ignoramus.  T.V. was always the Idiot Box.                        *The Idiot  Box: knobs, broken off,a pair of pliers plucked the channels.The Idiot Box:black and white,rabbit ears,sculpted wire coat hangerscaught the signals.The Idiot Box: a Buddha on a woman'slong dresser, my mother's dresser,along the wall in the living room,bowed to a pair of plaid easy chairs,and a burnt orange couch. In front of The Idiot Box:my mother peedthroughthe bottom of her wheelchair and was taken away,a bad puppy,out of sight.            *
5, 7, 9 and 11,the four channels of the Idiot Box.  Don't think we were far from the City.We were the 'Queen of the Sound,'45 minutes from Broadway, home of Tom Paine, author of "Common
Sense," a city founded by Huguenots, who fledFrance and religious persecution – New Rochelle;an intersection of past and future,a 
T.V. antennae perched precariously on our roof because who the hell needsmore than four channels of television,
anyway?We didn't.             *We could watch,  easy,four or five hours of T.V. every day."The Courtship of Eddie's Father." Families could be happy with only a father

if they had a butler;"The Brady Bunch."Fathers and mothers could remarryif they had even numbers of girls and
boys; Stop!  Stop!  And look
around:"The Partridge Family." Pile us on a bus and we could be famous, live happy,if we could only sing.  
                       *4:30 movie Godzilla destroyed Japan4:30 Godzilla destroyed JapanGodzilla destroyed JapanGodzilla destroyedGodzilla                       *Life was arbitrary.Somehow, we knew that already.                       *After school, we fretted,free, not free,until we'd turned off  the T.V.,and raced outside to greet him,swore our homework was done, that we had spent the afternoonplaying in the sun.I'd fix us supper.  He'd switch on the news. Soon enough, he'd grunt:What
the hell is up!I'd shut my ears.Serve up peas.Damn
Idiot Box.   Pass
the meatloaf!  Eat your peas!Children
are starving overseas! What channel are they on? We'd laugh,flee.            *Dirty dishes.Dirty dishes.My life is a pile ofdirty dishes.            *In our house, a war was always on, Vietnam, strewn over the evening news, ormy father's favorite:"World At War." On rainy Sunday afternoons,he'd pull a plaid chair smackin front of the Idiot Box. Only he could do that.My sister claimed his lap.My brothers dug at his feet. I'd climb up on the back, flung my legs over his shoulders –sure, we had other places to sit, the
other plaid chair,the orange couch, but nobody ventured
there. The Siege of Stalingrad,or the Battle of Britainunfolded on newsreel after newsreel, the Idiot Box, suddenly wise.  This
was worth seeing, he'd
instruct us,suddenly the all-knowing father. Pay
attention. Learn Something.  We had seen it before,  but maybe this time,  Russia or Britain,  or us, would stop fighting the Nazis,even though my father claimedthat we shall go on to the end….we shall never surrender.But what if they did? and what if we
did?  And what if the Nazis storm New Rochelle?And take us?Or our father,like our mother?We clung to one another.            *
Stay tuned!  More soon!  Truly, the author of LIE the critically-acclaimed young adult novel --aboutthe murder of an innocent young man of color-- 
-- from St. Martin's Press. 

Childhood, idyllic, and not... from the author of LIE

Ah, childhood, some days are idyllic, and other days are not.  Here is a poem about those other days. If you've been reading along these posts, the new section of my original, long narrative poem, "The Idiot Box,"  is highlighted in bold.  Truly, the author of LIE.  

The Idiot Box
My father called itthe Idiot Boxlike it was a nickname, orterm of endearment. I was twelve. He called me Toots, a nickname, a term of endearment.Sometimes,   Ignoramus.  T.V. was always the Idiot Box.                        *The Idiot  Box: knobs, broken off,a pair of pliers plucked the channels.The Idiot Box:black and white,rabbit ears,sculpted wire coat hangerscaught the signals.The Idiot Box: a Buddha on a woman'slong dresser, my mother's dresser,along the wall in the living room,bowed to a pair of plaid easy chairs,and a burnt orange couch. In front of The Idiot Box:my mother peedthroughthe bottom of her wheelchair and was taken away,a bad puppy,out of sight.            *
5, 7, 9 and 11,the four channels of the Idiot Box.  Don't think we were far from the City.We were the 'Queen of the Sound,'45 minutes from Broadway, home of Tom Paine, author of "Common
Sense," a city founded by Huguenots, who fledFrance and religious persecution – New Rochelle;an intersection of past and future,a 
T.V. antennae perched precariously on our roof because who the hell needsmore than four channels of television,
anyway?We didn't.             *We could watch,  easy,four or five hours of T.V. every day."The Courtship of Eddie's Father." Families could be happy with only a father

if they had a butler;"The Brady Bunch."Fathers and mothers could remarryif they had even numbers of girls and
boys; Stop!  Stop!  And look
around:"The Partridge Family." Pile us on a bus and we could be famous, live happy,if we could only sing.  
                       *4:30 movie Godzilla destroyed Japan4:30 Godzilla destroyed JapanGodzilla destroyed JapanGodzilla destroyedGodzilla                       *Life was arbitrary.Somehow, we knew that already.                       *After school, we fretted,free, not free,until we'd turned off  the T.V.,and raced outside to greet him,swore our homework was done, that we had spent the afternoonplaying in the sun.I'd fix us supper.  He'd switch on the news. Soon enough, he'd grunt: What
the hell is up! I'd shut my ears.Serve up peas. Damn
Idiot Box.    Pass
the meatloaf!  Eat your peas! Children
are starving overseas! What channel are they on? We'd laugh,flee.
*
Stay tuned! More to come.  Truly the author of LIE. Consider LIE , the critically-acclaimed young adult novel,from St. Martin's Press, for your 2012 summer reading list!!

Godzilla... and more of original poetry

More poetry... Godzilla and the 4:30 movie (remember that?)  included in new section, which is highlighted in bold.  Truly author of LIE.

The Idiot Box
My father called itthe Idiot Boxlike it was a nickname, orterm of endearment. I was twelve. He called me Toots, a nickname, a term of endearment.Sometimes,   Ignoramus.  T.V. was always the Idiot Box.                        *The Idiot  Box: knobs, broken off,a pair of pliers plucked the channels.The Idiot Box:black and white,rabbit ears,sculpted wire coat hangerscaught the signals.The Idiot Box: a Buddha on a woman'slong dresser, my mother's dresser,along the wall in the living room,bowed to a pair of plaid easy chairs,and a burnt orange couch. In front of The Idiot Box:my mother peedthroughthe bottom of her wheelchair and was taken away,a bad puppy,out of sight.            *
5, 7, 9 and 11,the four channels of the Idiot Box.  Don't think we were far from the City.We were the 'Queen of the Sound,'45 minutes from Broadway, home of Tom Paine, author of "Common
Sense," a city founded by Huguenots, who fledFrance and religious persecution – New Rochelle;an intersection of past and future,a 
T.V. antennae perched precariously on our roof because who the hell needsmore than four channels of television,
anyway?We didn't.             *We could watch,  easy,four or five hours of T.V. every day."The Courtship of Eddie's Father." Families could be happy with only a father

if they had a butler;"The Brady Bunch."Fathers and mothers could remarryif they had even numbers of girls and
boys; Stop!  Stop!  And look
around:"The Partridge Family." Pile us on a bus and we could be famous, live happy,if we could only sing.  
                       *4:30 movie Godzilla destroyed Japan4:30 Godzilla destroyed JapanGodzilla destroyed JapanGodzilla destroyedGodzilla                       *Life was arbitrary.Somehow, we knew that already.                       *
Stay tuned... more to come of "The Idiot Box."
Truly, author LIE, the critically-acclaimed young adult novel from St. Martin's Press.

Stop! Stop and Look Around...The Partridge Family and more...in poetry?

Today, Sunday, poetry continued...new section highlighted in bold at end. On a weekend when many families gather, this narrative poem looks at a family. Not a happy family. But do you agree (with Tolstoy) -- all unhappy families are unhappy in their own way? From the author of LIE, the must-read young adult novel about the aftermath of a hate crime -- from St. Martin's Press.
The Idiot Box
My father called itthe Idiot Boxlike it was a nickname, orterm of endearment. I was twelve. He called me Toots, a nickname, a term of endearment.Sometimes,   Ignoramus.  T.V. was always the Idiot Box.                        *The Idiot  Box: knobs, broken off,a pair of pliers plucked the channels.The Idiot Box:black and white,rabbit ears,sculpted wire coat hangerscaught the signals.The Idiot Box: a Buddha on a woman'slong dresser, my mother's dresser,along the wall in the living room,bowed to a pair of plaid easy chairs,and a burnt orange couch. In front of The Idiot Box:my mother peedthroughthe bottom of her wheelchair and was taken away,a bad puppy,out of sight.            *
5, 7, 9 and 11,the four channels of the Idiot Box.  Don't think we were far from the City.We were the 'Queen of the Sound,'45 minutes from Broadway, home of Tom Paine, author of "Common
Sense," a city founded by Huguenots, who fledFrance and religious persecution – New Rochelle;an intersection of past and future,a 
T.V. antennae perched precariously on our roof because who the hell needsmore than four channels of television,
anyway?We didn't.             *We could watch,  easy,four or five hours of T.V. every day."The Courtship of Eddie's Father." Families could be happy with only a father

if they had a butler;"The Brady Bunch."Fathers and mothers could remarryif they had even numbers of girls and
boys; Stop!  Stop!  And look
around:"The Partridge Family." Pile us on a bus and we could be famous, live happy,if we could only sing. 
Stay tuned.  More to come. Truly, author of LIE

Happy holiday weekend!! Truly, the author of LIE.

Truly, from the author of LIE -- a wish for a happy, healthy, joyful holiday weekend --
and more poetry! This long narrative poem is about a young girl, her childhood in the 1970s...and what defined her:  television, a single parent, (a father raising four kids), a mother who had a stroke, a sense of holding onto to what matters and letting go of what doesn't. I've added the next stanza, highlighted in bold. Stay tuned for more over the weekend.  And of course, if you are interested in more of my writing, read LIE .  
 
The Idiot Box
My father called itthe Idiot Boxlike it was a nickname, orterm of endearment. I was twelve. He called me Toots, a nickname, a term of endearment.Sometimes,   Ignoramus.  T.V. was always the Idiot Box.                        *The Idiot  Box: knobs, broken off,a pair of pliers plucked the channels.The Idiot Box:black and white,rabbit ears,sculpted wire coat hangerscaught the signals.The Idiot Box: a Buddha on a woman'slong dresser, my mother's dresser,along the wall in the living room,bowed to a pair of plaid easy chairs,and a burnt orange couch. In front of The Idiot Box:my mother peedthroughthe bottom of her wheelchair and was taken away,a bad puppy,out of sight.            *
5, 7, 9 and 11,the four channels of the Idiot Box.  Don't think we were far from the City.We were the 'Queen of the Sound,'45 minutes from Broadway, home of Tom Paine, author of "Common
Sense," a city founded by Huguenots, who fledFrance and religious persecution – New Rochelle;an intersection of past and future,a 
T.V. antennae perched precariously on our roof because who the hell needsmore than four channels of television,
anyway?We didn't.             * to be continued... by Caroline Bock