Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Blog, page 21

Happy New Year! And a doodle challenge for you all (even non-artists)

Happy New Year! Here's a fun doodle challenge for artists (and non-artists) of all ages: download and print my blank "2018" page and decorate however you'd like (art, inspiration quotes, random doodling) with what whatever media (crayons, pens, pencils, paints) you'd like. Maybe draw what you're hoping to see or do in 2018, or write some goals, draw characters from your most recent or upcoming book....or WHATEVER YOU'D LIKE.

If you choose to share in social media, feel free to post the link in the comments below or tag me on social media so I can see. If posting on social media, I encourage you to use the hashtag #2018doodle for others to see.

Also, don't despair if 2017 wasn't what you hoped for. Take a deep breath, focus ahead. 

2018 will be YOUR year.

And congrats to Anika Denise, whose RT was randomly picked (via Tweetdraw on the Competition Agency website) to win the hand-drawn doodle above!

Comic: New Year's Resolutions For Writers

Comic: That's Me

Comic: On Not Making New Year's Resolutions

I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm always torn between making and not making New Year's Resolutions because it's so easy to make them but then disappointing and demoralizing when you realize early in the year that there's no way you'll ever be able to make them happen.

Next year, though, I think I AM going to make some New Year's Resolutions. Will be posting about these and why I'm making them soon.

Comic: The Writer and Santa

 

"Read big and WRITE." Advice for young writers from Danielle Younge-Ullman (EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IS NOT RUINED)

 

I recently finished EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IS NOT RUINED by Danielle Younge-Ullman and adored it. I'm not surprised it's garnered so many rave reviews as well as being a finalist for the Governor General's Literary Award. I've always been a fan of survival-type stories, and Danielle's YA novel combines this with beautiful writing as well as a complex and entirely believable main character. I loved that Ingrid had a musical background, her complicated relationship with her mother, how her character gradually develops throughout the book. Highly recommended.

Danielle Younge-Ullman is the author of EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IS NOT RUINED, and LOLA CARLYLE'S 12 STEP ROMANCE, and of the adult novel, FALLING UNDER. Danielle studied English and Theatre at McGill, then worked as professional actor for ten years. She lives with her husband and two daughters in Toronto. You can find out more about Danielle at DanielleYoungeUllman.com as well as on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

Synopsis of EVERYTHING BEAUTIFUL IS NOT RUINED (Razorbill Canada / Penguin Random House):

Wild meets The Breakfast Club in this story of a girl who must survive an extreme wilderness experience to prove to her mother that she has the strength to pursue her dreams.

Thanks to Danielle for answering Three Questions for me today....

Q. Could you please take a photo of something in your office and tell us the story behind it?

This is a table that I’m using as a desk right now—it’s not in my office because I even though I have an office, I always gravitate towards the center of my house to work:

I am revising the very first draft of my new novel, and at this stage I need to look at structure. So, on this table are cue cards cut in half with scene and chapter names written on them.

The chapter names are mostly temporary, and I am moving things around, trying to figure out what order to tell this particular story in. Certain scenes have been jettisoned, and are in pile on the side, and I’m also making note of where new scenes need to be written to fill gaps that I’m only now able to see.

In addition there’s a notepad, and each time I rearrange the cue cards I write down the order, in case I want to go back to it. Once I’ve made the decision about which way it’s going to go, then I get on my computer and start messing around with the actual document.

Q. What advice do you have for young writers?

1) Read big.

Read like crazy, and read everything. You might have a favourite category or genre, but the more widely you read, and the more you challenge yourself by reading different kinds of books (and plays, and poetry, et cetera) the more you’ll have to bring to your own writing. I studied theatre, and I know that I pull from that, but I also read very broadly.

Everything you read influences the way you think about language, the way you look at people and the world, the vocabulary you have available to you when you sit down to write. All of this this happens without your having to consciously think about it when you’re reading, which is the closest thing to magic I’ve experienced. You can even learn a lot by reading a not-great book, or a book that’s not to your taste, because then you can put your critical thinking hat on and try to figure out why you don’t like it, or what the problems are, and then avoid those problems in your own writing.

2) Write.

Writing is something you learn by doing. Keep journals, write short stories, plays, novels, whatever you can. I kept journals through many stages of my life, starting when I was a teenager, and I think that’s where I learned to really dig deep to explain how I was feeling about something, or to describe a person or a moment, and it was a place I could also be brutally honest, because it was private and no one was judging the writing, or me. These skills have served me well as a novelist.

Q. What are you excited about right now? 

I am really excited about my TBR list right now, and about the prospect of diving into it over the winter holiday. I’m reading all the time, but there are a couple of times a year that I plan some serious binge reading—August when we go to the cottage, and December/January. My kids and I are going to read as many of the Forest of Reading nominees as possible.

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For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive.

Free To Download & Print: "A Gift Of Time" To Read, Write or Draw Certificate

Do you know a good friend who could use more time to read, write or draw? Offer to babysit, run errands, do grocery shopping, shovel snow etc.

Everyone appreciates the gift of time.

Suggestions for presentation: Download and print this certificate, then roll it up and present it tied up in red ribbon,  in a mug filled with packaged hot chocolate or your friend's favorite tea, or combine it with a good book.

Advice For Young Writers, Doctor Who and STOLEN WORDS: Three Questions For Melanie Florence

Melanie Florence is a writer of Cree and Scottish heritage based in Toronto. She was close to her grandfather as a child, a relationship that sparked her interest in writing about Aboriginal themes and characters. She is the author of Missing Nimama, which won the 2016 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award, the 2017 Forest of Reading Golden Oak Award and was a finalist for the 2017 First Nation Communities READ award. Her other books include Righting Canada's Wrongs: Residential Schools and the teen novels He Who Dreams, The Missing, One Night, and Rez Runaway.

You can find out more about Melanie at MelanieFlorence.com and on Twitter at @mflowrites.

STOLEN WORDS was written by Melanie Florence, illustrated by Gabrielle Grimard and published by Second Story Press in Oct/2017. It was named by Kirkus one of the Best Picture Books Of 2017 To Give Readers Strength (see the starred Kirkus review here).

Synopsis of STOLEN WORDS:

A little girl helps her grandfather regain the language taken from him as a child. The story of the beautiful relationship between a little girl and her grandfather. When she asks her grandfather how to say something in his language – Cree – he admits that his language was stolen from him when he was a boy. The little girl then sets out to help her grandfather find his language again. This sensitive and warmly illustrated picture book explores the intergenerational impact of the residential school system that separated young Indigenous children from their families. The story recognizes the pain of those whose culture and language were taken from them, how that pain is passed down, and how healing can also be shared.

Q. Could you please take a photo of something in your office and tell us the story behind it?

This is actually TWO items that are hanging above my desk.

 I’m a bit of a nerd (ok, a huge nerd) and I love Doctor Who. I even have a closet in the studio that looks like the TARDIS!

I made the bottom shadow box to reflect “my doctor”, the tenth doctor, David Tennant. But my daughter likes the eleventh. So the top shadow box is for her. There are a bunch of Doctor Who items in my studio but these are my favourite.

Q. What advice do you have for young writers?

Oh man. That’s a tricky question because I never feel like a “real” writer. Even after ten books, I still feel like I have so much to learn. Actually, maybe that’s the advice. Keep learning. Write. Read. Take classes. Find a critique group. No matter how good of a writer you are, there will always be more to learn.

Q. What are you excited about right now?

Hmmm…I’m excited about seeing the new Doctor being introduced on Christmas Day! The first woman Doctor on Doctor Who. I’ll be watching with my daughter for sure. And I’m also excited to see the new Star Wars movie when it comes out. (I told you I was a nerd.)

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For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive.

Comic: Exclamation Point Abuse Support Center!!!

Comic: The Gift