Gail Carson Levine's Blog, page 30

Copy cat!

On May 8, 2013, Elisa wrote, I need help, I have a problem with my voice. My writing voice, that is. I'm a copy-cat. If I've recently read a book, say, by Shannon Hale, and then I go to write on my story, I find that my writing style is a lot like hers. If I haven't read anything recently and have started writing, my writing is really bland. I do actually have my own "voice," it's quick, sarcastic and quite funny. (Think Patrick McManus, only, slightly less hysterical.) My problem is, I write...

R trouble

When one of my books is published in another country, I’m sent a copy or two, and I always enjoy seeing how my story is represented on the cover. Last week the Turkish edition (translated into Turkish) of Ella Enchanted came in the mail, with a fetching cover, which I asked my husband to put on the website. You can see it and other foreign editions of Ella if you click on this link: http://www.gailcarsonlevine.com/ella_oth.html. They’re not for sale. I don’t know how you’d purchase them if yo...

On Picture Books

On March 21, 2013, thelightwells, or Charlotte, wrote, You mentioned that if you're writing poetry, you don't need an agent. What about picture books (just the text)? Also, I don't think you've done a post on picture books yet... any thoughts there?

First off, to Charlotte: If you can't post on the blog, you can always write to me on the guestbook on my website and I'll copy the comment over. This goes for anyone else, too.

Starting with the first question first, I think you need an agent for p...

Lip stuck in the details

On March 4, 2013 Jasmine Smith wrote, ...how detailed is TOO detailed? I mean, I know there are some events that are just not included in stories. Like getting your lip stuck in your braces. Would you tell about that happening to your character? Or does it just not matter?

Along the same lines in the latest post, Bug wrote, When I write, I try to write in as many details as I can. This produces one of three things: a) too much detail; b) not enough detail; c) just right, but this doesn't happe...

Revision methodology

On February 13, 2013, Requien wrote, I was wondering if you have any advice on self-editing. This past NaNoWriMo, I cheated a little and finished my previous manuscript. After deleting my midnight-German rants that ended up just being word count boosts, the novel is hovering around 92-94k words. There are several passages that need expansion, and some details must be added in. 

However, I'm not really sure where to start: do I add in the passages and lace it up, or edit the strange, awkwa...

When?

I’m announcing, proudly, that I’ve had a poem published in each of these two anthologies: On the Dark Path, An Anthology of Fairy Tale Poetry, and the cancer poetry project 2. The first is probably appropriate for high school and above. My poem, called “Becoming Cinderella,” presents an entirely different version of the story from Ella Enchanted. I love that the fairy tale can accommodate both interpretations. The cancer anthology is also for high school and above, but I think it will be most...

Pickles

If you’d like to see spring in all its glory at our house, just click on my husband’s website on the right. And scroll down to see the latest (two) photos of Reggie. The second one shows his maniacal glee in a play fight with his BFF Demi.

On to the post. On February 11, 2013, Kenzi Anne wrote, I have trouble finishing stories because I get my characters into pickles and I'll think "wow! this is great!...snap, now how do they get out of it?" In other words...I'm not clever enough to get my cha...

On Being a Writer

Thanks again to Jane Collen for her informative blog post on intellectual property!

Sarah wrote this on the website in January: I've loved writing stories for as long as I can remember. Even before I could write actual words, I'd draw pictures and make up stories to go along with them. I've always hoped that one day I might be able to be an author.

Now, I'm in high school, and I still love writing. I'm getting to a point where I need to begin thinking seriously about what I want to do. I'd stil...

Copyright, the Double-Edged Sword

Here is the promised guest post on copyright, very kindly contributed by Jane Collen, who asked me to add the website of her law firm, where you'll find more information: http://www.collenip.com/. I visited the site and found it most helpful to click on "News and Events" and then on "Podcasts and Blogs" and then on the blog on copyrights. It's wonderful for those of you who have a legal bent and like getting into the weeds. 
If you have questions about the post or about other aspects...

Robin’s Merry Band of Secondary Characters

I recently met an intellectual property attorney (patents and copyright) at a fund raiser for a book festival. We started talking - she’s writing for kids, too - and I told her about the blog and the questions that sometimes arise about copyright, and she offered to write a guest post, so that’s coming up in the next few weeks.

Now for today’s post. On January 26, 2013, Anna Marie wrote, I let a very close friend of mine read a story I wrote and she has recently gotten back to me. One of the t...