Debbie Ridpath Ohi's Blog, page 8
September 24, 2019
September 16, 2019
Advice For Young Writers, Green-Eyed Monsters and Celebrating The Moment: Bev Katz Rosenbaum Answers Three Questions
Photo of Bev Rosenbaum: Helen Tansey.
Bev Katz Rosenbaum is the author of several works of fiction for young people, her most recent being Who is Tanksy?, published by Orca Books. Bev has worked in-house as an editor for book publishers and magazines and has taught writing at the college level. Currently she juggles writing children's books with freelance editing. Bev lives in Toronto. When she isn't writing, she's catching up on all her friends' books, guzzling coffee, dancing, and hiking ("Not the extreme kind. The mildly challenging and occasionally inspiration kind.") You can find Bev and her work at BevKatzRosenbaum.com as well as on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at @bevrosenbaum.
I interviewed Bev for a Toronto blog called blogTO years before we actually met in person and became friends. She is so positive and encouraging, and I'm delighted to have her visit my Inkygirl blog.
Synopsis:
In Who is Tanksy?, a topical but fun Orca 'Currents' novel, a middle school's anonymous, protest graffiti artist ignites a revolution against the backdrop of a divisive election campaign for School President.
Q. Could you please take a photo of something in your office and tell us the story behind it?
I photographed what I call my brag bookcase. I mostly work on my dining room table, but my official 'office' is a portion of my bedroom and features a desk, file cabinet, and this bookcase. I wouldn't feel comfortable displaying this stuff in a more public space in my home--would feel immodest--but I have to admit I do look at it often to remind myself, when I'm feeling unaccomplished, that I've actually managed to do/produce some pretty cool stuff.
Taking pride of place on the top of the bookcase is what I actually consider to be my greatest accomplishment (aside from my kids), and that is a high school fiction and poetry anthology called Modern Morsels that I edited for McGraw-Hill Ryerson. Acquiring for this antho was such a huge responsibility and honour--and fun! I got to buy and shape original fiction from some of my favourite established and emerging authors. I tried to ensure that the book represented Canada in all its diversity.
On that shelf are also a couple of nice cards, one from Sandra McTavish, former McGraw-Hill Ryerson Literacy Division Publisher, and another from the renowned YA author (and huge literary influence) Meg Cabot. I'd sent her a thank-you card for featuring I Was a Teenage Popsicle on her blog, and then she sent me a card saying I was the only person who'd ever thanked her for mentioning them, which I found astounding! My mother drilled that thank-you card thing into me, LOL! Send thank-you cards, people!
Also on the top shelf is the mask I carried at last year's inaugural Canadian Kid Lit Gala, which had a masquerade theme. On the top shelf are my books: Who is Tanksy?, I Was a Teenage Popsicle, Beyond Cool, and the German (Sauerlander) edition of If Wishes Were Kisses, a young adult novel that actually never sold anywhere but Germany! (My son called me David Hasselhoff for a while and constantly told people, 'She's very big in Germany'.)
There are also copies of my two Harlequin romance novels, What Friends Are For and Wanted: An Interesting Life, and copies of a few pop culture essay anthologies I have pieces in: Filled With Glee (about the TV show Glee), A Taste of True Blood (about the TV show True Blood), and Perfectly Plum (about Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum books).
On the middle shelf are books that are dedicated to me or in which I'm mentioned in the acknowledgments. (Being completely immodest now, I'll mention I have loads more in ebooks that don't have print versions.) On this shelf we also have the script and DVD of the a loving homage to Point Break).
Finishing off this shelf are some press clippings from my romance writing years. The bottom shelf has a pile of nice emails from editing clients, another pile of letters from book fans, and a pile of Slush issues. Slush was a fun literary zine I published twenty years ago together with renowned children's author and illustrator Patricia Storms.
Q. What advice do you have for young writers?
Join a writing association immediately. SCBWI or CANSCAIP or both, if you're a children's writer. Associations like these help you find your community as well as resources for improving your craft.
I'd also urge aspiring/emerging authors to try not to get too overwhelmed by all the writing systems and 'rules' floating around out there. When I'm wearing my freelance editor hat, I work with many authors who get so bogged down in all the 'rules' set out in the workshops they've taken or in books they've read, they lose their nice clear through lines. In a longer manuscript, I might mention something seems unnecessary and I'm told this fulfills so-and-so's twenty-first beat or something. Much of that kind of information is useful, but remember, these are just guidelines--as well as moneymaking endeavours for their creators. As far as I'm concerned, as long as your book has a theme around which your main plot and subplots revolve, a basic three-act structure, conflict, tension, drama, strong voice and three-dimensional characters, you should be fine. Of course, once you've banged out a draft, you'll need an experienced reader--a critique partner you trust or a professional freelance editor like me (hint, hint)--to give you the perspective you will sadly lack on your own book.
I'd also urge people to write about things they've personally experienced. These are the things you can best and most authentically write about and are likely more interested in working through. Your deep knowledge and passion will come through to agents and editors.
I think the most important advice, though, is to keep your eyes on your own page. It can be so hard, in this business, to keep that green-eyed monster in check--especially now that we're all on social media to promote ourselves and our work. We see everything everybody else is getting--multiple sales, award nominations, etc.--on a daily basis. We have to remember that rejection is part of the game. My author friends and I joke that we're only ever allowed to be happy for a minute in this business. Then something invariably crushes you. We have to celebrate what we can, even just getting a personal rejection letter as opposed to a form one. Also remember that if you've published something, you've changed someone's life. That's a fact. I Was a Teenage Popsicle got me a fan letter from a U.S. immigrant who told me the book was such a comfort to her, as it was about a girl who didn't fit in and she didn't fit in either. The book wasn't about immigration, so the letter came as a surprise to me, but the not-fitting-in theme is, of course, a central one in much of YA fiction. So, see? Even the award-free among us help so many people.
Q. What are you excited about right now?
I'm super excited about the book I'm writing now. I feel like I'll jinx it if I talk too much about it, LOL. It's a YA. I've been working on it, off and on, for almost two years now, but I'm determined to wait to shop it until it's perfect. Well, as perfect as I can get it, anyway. It's been so tough to write but also the most satisfying. I love that feeling when everything drops away and you're in that flow state and that's happened so much with this book. I hope that's a good sign. Cross your fingers for this one, everybody.
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For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators I've interviewed over the years.
Don't be afraid to ask questions. One question can make all the difference. - Nancy Tupper Ling
(Image above also posted on my Instagram feed. Also doing a giveaway of this art on Twitter today.)
Don't be afraid to ask questions. One question can make all the difference! - Nancy Tupper Ling. Read other great advice from Nancy as well as Andrea Offermann in their joint interview for Inkygirl.com.
I created this doodle this morning with a J. Herbin glass pen from Wonderpens.ca and Robert Oster Astorquiza Olive ink from Baeurinks.ca. I like this new Robert Oster ink because it's dark enough for line drawings but the color adds visual interest. Also, it has enough water resistance that I can add some shading via water (I used a #6 Winsor & Newton Cotman watercolor brush) without TOO much smearing. Paper: HP Everyday Papers HP Premium Choice Laser, 32-pound, which I find is an affordable choice for my many fountain pen doodles. :-)
September 11, 2019
Journey To Publication and Advice For Writers: Interview with Debut Picture Book Author, Teresa Robeson (QUEEN OF PHYSICS)
Teresa Robeson draws upon her Chinese heritage, Canadian-American sensibilities, as well as her background in science and love of nature when she writes. She has been published in children and adult magazines. Queen of Physics, a picture book biography written by Teresa and illustrated by Rebecca Huang, is her DEBUT PICTURE BOOK (!). Congrats to Teresa! You can find out more about Teresa at TeresaRobeson.com, Twitter at @TeresaRobeson, Instagram at @tmrobeson and on Facebook.
Queen of Physics: How Wu Chien Shiung Helped Unlock the Secrets of the Atom, written by Teresa Robeson and illustrated by Rebecca Huang, launching from Sterling Publishing Oct. 8, 2019. "Wu Chien Shiung’s story is remarkable—and so is the way this book does it justice." - Booklist.
Synopsis:
"Wu Chien Shiung, a Chinese-American physicist, battled sexism and racism to become what Newsweek magazine called the “Queen of Physics” for her work on beta decay. Along the way, she achieved many milestones, e.g. the first woman instructor hired by Princeton University and the first woman elected President of the American Physical Society."
Q. What inspired you to write this book?
I have a love of science and a fascination with scientists and with my own culture and the plight of minorities in North America. When I read about Wu Chien Shiung (I forget where; maybe in Physics Today), I immediately knew I had to share her story with the world because it ticked all the boxes. Her life is so inspirational to me, I knew it would be to others, too.
Q. What was your journey to publication? How did you find your publisher?
The view from Teresa's standing desk.I started out writing for children’s magazines in the mid 1990s. I became a member of the Society of Children’s Book Writers And Illustrators the same time and attended the conferences in my local chapter, maybe about one per year as time and money allowed. I didn’t think I could write books until around 2010. When I decided that I was ready to try writing books, I took a number of classes to learn the craft, joined the 12x12 Picture Book Challenge where I found some of my wonderful critique partners, and started attending more SCBWI conferences both within and outside of my chapter, both as a way to learn more and also for the opportunities for submission that these events afforded.
It was through attending one of these conferences (NESCBWI, in fact) that I submitted to the editor who wanted my manuscript!
But let me back up just a bit here to mention another useful piece of advice which Kwame Alexander gave at the 2015 NYC SCBWI conference: always say YES to opportunities. With that in mind, I tried to apply for any and all free (and some paid) opportunities. This was how I came to enter the We Need Diverse Books Mentorship Program. And happiest news of happy news, Jane Yolen (!!!) ending up picking my manuscript to mentor! The version of the story I had after being guided by Jane and her infinite wisdom was the one that I submitted to editors post NESCBWI conference. Christina Pulles, who was then at Sterling, fell in love with it…and the rest is history, as they say.
Inspiring books and DVDs behind Teresa's desk
There is a lot of “right place, right time” kind of serendipity involved in the book business, but I believe that anyone could duplicate my path and find themselves published. This path being:
Study the craft (take classes, read books)
Join SCBWI
Build bylines and experience with magazine and smaller publications
Study the craft some more
Join a critique group (or three)
Attend conferences
Say yes to opportunities
Work hard; take criticism well
Give back to the community
And always be a nice person!
Q. What advice do you have for young writers?
29 years, two agents, and umpteenth rejections bridged the period I took my first kid lit writing class to the publication of my debut book. No time is a good time to give up. If you truly love to write, you should keep writing no matter what because you can never predict when you will be published.
Q. Anything else you'd like to mention?
My second picture book, BICYCLES IN BEIJING, is coming out from Albert Whitman Spring of 2020. It was inspired by a family trip to my ancestral homeland and is a fun little friendship adventure. I love the artwork by Junyi Wu which really matches the tone of the story!
I’m also working on a couple of middle grade stories that I’m excited about. One is an #ownvoices contemporary fiction and the other one is a biography of someone I greatly admire.
I will be appearing in a couple of venues for my debut book in September and October 2019 and, because I’m the new Illustrator Coordinator for Indiana-SCBWI, I plan to be at the L.A. conference again next year!
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For more interviews, see my Inkygirl Interview Archive. Also see Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators, a compilation of tips generously offered by children's book creators I've interviewed over the years.
September 10, 2019
Have a professional work ethic. It can make the difference between getting published and getting discouraged. - Pat Cummings
Advice for hopeful authors & illustrators: Do your research & have a professional work ethic. The professionalism you show can make the difference between getting published & getting discouraged. More great advice from author/illustrator Pat Cummings in her Inkygirl interview.
September 5, 2019
Writers: Be aware of when research and prep turns into procrastination
Writers: Be aware when research/prep turns into procrastination.
Ask yourself: "What are you afraid of?" JUST JUMP IN. You can revise later.
(And YES, I speak from experience....)
