Sydney Salter's Blog, page 3
April 5, 2015
Mmm… Bunnies!
Aaah! The day that makes me an insatiable chocolate monster--one who has (more than once) taken a sharp knife and carefully shaved hunks off her daughters' chocolate bunnies during the school day.
(Please tell me I'm not the only one who has done this!)
(Please tell me I'm not the only one who has done this!)
March 27, 2015
Challenge Your Reading!
A few weeks ago I saw this posted: 40 Tiny Tasks For A Richer Reading Life. Knowing that I won't be able to pry my husband away from the NCAA basketball tournament this weekend, I plan to hang out with him and do a lot of reading.
I love many of the suggestions on this list, like #5, asking others for recommendations. Once while traveling, I went into a tiny indie bookstore and asked the clerk to recommend three books she'd recently enjoyed. That helped me discover new authors! I miss reading aloud to my kids (#11). I can't interrupt my husband's basketball, and I fear reading to my cat would make me more eccentric than I'd like to be--at this point in my life, anyway.
I always enjoy reading novels about places where I'm planning to travel, so I like the suggestion of reading a book about a place I've never considered going (#23). Pretty sure I'll end up wanting to go there, too!
The book abuse doesn't appeal to me. Dog ear a page? (#15) No way! Crack a spine? (#35) Ouch!
I'm also notorious for reading a book because the movie is coming out soon, and loving the book so much that I no longer want to see the movie. The trailer for The Lady In Gold made me grab my copy off the shelf and read it right away. Wow, I loved the book--an intricate, spanning decades of time, well-researched nonfiction story. The movie can never delve into it all… But maybe I'll take on task #37 and see the movie without wanting it to be exactly like the book.
How are you going to challenge your reading?
I love many of the suggestions on this list, like #5, asking others for recommendations. Once while traveling, I went into a tiny indie bookstore and asked the clerk to recommend three books she'd recently enjoyed. That helped me discover new authors! I miss reading aloud to my kids (#11). I can't interrupt my husband's basketball, and I fear reading to my cat would make me more eccentric than I'd like to be--at this point in my life, anyway.
I always enjoy reading novels about places where I'm planning to travel, so I like the suggestion of reading a book about a place I've never considered going (#23). Pretty sure I'll end up wanting to go there, too!
The book abuse doesn't appeal to me. Dog ear a page? (#15) No way! Crack a spine? (#35) Ouch!
I'm also notorious for reading a book because the movie is coming out soon, and loving the book so much that I no longer want to see the movie. The trailer for The Lady In Gold made me grab my copy off the shelf and read it right away. Wow, I loved the book--an intricate, spanning decades of time, well-researched nonfiction story. The movie can never delve into it all… But maybe I'll take on task #37 and see the movie without wanting it to be exactly like the book.How are you going to challenge your reading?
March 20, 2015
Advice and Giveaway with Deborah Lytton
I loved losing myself in Deborah Lytton's new YA novel, SILENCE. Readers of all ages will love this sweet, tender romance! Here's my interview with Deborah. Leave a comment to win a copy of the book! What's your best advice for fellow writers?
My best advice to fellow writers is to share the best advice I ever received: Write. We spend so much time at the computer being distracted by other things, it’s important to free our imaginations from the clutter and just create. So even if you only have time for a few sentences, make sure you write every day. I am a single mother of a 10 and 13 year old, and I work part-time as a lawyer as well, so there are some days I don’t make it to the computer. That’s when a pad of paper and a pen are my best friends. Sometimes I even write in the car while I am picking up one of my girls from school or a music class. The key is to write.
What popular writing advice do you never follow?
Outlining. For me, outlining is confining. I prefer to let the story take its own course and lose myself in the process rather than work from a specific layout. This method takes longer than writing a story with an organized outline, but it helps me create without limitations. That’s not to say that I don’t have the beginning, middle and end plotted out. I do have an idea of where the story is going, I just don’t like to map out the journey.
Where do you do most of your writing?
I write in notebooks at the beginning, using pen and paper. I try to choose ones that are not too fancy because I have found that if they are really nice, I don’t want to scribble in them. But I always go with covers that inspire me with color or design. I try to carry the current WIP notebook with me at all times. Then I move to my laptop. My favorite spot is at a writing desk that belonged to my grandmother. It has a lot of special memories attached to it, and I always feel like my grandparents are encouraging me when I sit there to write. I also have a constant writing companion—my dog, Faith. She sits right next to my chair while I work. I think she likes to listen to me type.What's the best book you've read on the craft of writing?
There is one book I keep next to my desk, The Writer’s Journey, Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler. It’s based on the work of Joseph Campbell, and it has always inspired me. Another book that I keep nearby is Natalie Goldberg’s Writing Down the Bones. It’s a gem.
What are you reading for fun these days?
I am in the midst of finishing a new manuscript, so I haven’t been reading much myself. But I am reading books with my daughters. My 10 year old is reading Rules by Cynthia Lord. So she reads chapters aloud to me. The book is really touching and so well written. My 13 year old and I are reading Princess of the Silver Woods by Jessica Day George. We read chapters together and then hand the book back and forth so we are always at the same place at the same time. The book is really engaging with an inspiring, brave heroine which I love.
I wanted to thank you, Sydney, for hosting me on your blog today. This has been so much fun!
About SILENCE
One accident. Two lost souls. And a promise. 17 days.17 days together. To hear without hearing. And speak without speaking. 17 days to fall in love.In silence.
Told in alternating points of view from both Stella and Hayden’s voices, Silence is a lyrical story of self-discovery, romance, and resiliency, of two souls finding their voices and breaking through the silence.
Deborah Lytton is a writer and actress who began her career in front of the camera at the age of six. She graduated from UCLA and Pepperdine University with a degree in law. Deborah lives in California with her two daughters. She is active in the writing and blogging community and is a member of SCBWI. www.deborahlytton.comLeave a comment to win a copy of SILENCE. Open to anyone worldwide!
March 13, 2015
If You Want To Be Creative...
If you want to be creative… be a 5th grader!
Tuesday night I conducted short writing workshops at Davis Reads Family Literacy Night. More students than ever attended the event (super exciting to get stuck in traffic for a literary event)!
I handed out paper and pens as the students entered the room, and we got to work quick. Fifteen minutes is a short time to talk about developing characters while doing a bit of writing and sharing. I presented different scenarios based on the age of the majority of my students. Elementary students got a bring your pet to school day mishap, while the teens worked with a public shaming situation. We hit on three main points: description (the easiest part), motivation (what the character wants), enemies (who or what is stopping the character from getting what he/she/it wants?)
Many students shared interesting ideas, characteristics, and unique responses to the situations, but the true out-of-the-box thinking came from 5th graders. Ten and eleven-year-olds possess solid skills, but they haven't reached that point of self-consciousness that hits with puberty. That gives them such creative freedom! And, oh, they love to share and share and share.
The craziest idea of the night involved a hippo! The story worked!
Older teens don't share much. The ones who show up for family literacy nights really, really want to write. They listen attentively, write furiously, but they don't dare allow anyone to judge their work publicly, especially a room full of strangers. Teens stay after to privately ask important and deep questions.
I've noticed that the teens who do share in public often stick close to the established YA cannon when creating their work. A sameness often seeps into the work of students once they hit the age of twelve.
Many years ago I judged the PTA Reflections contest at a neighborhood elementary school. Wow! The fifth graders wrote amazing stories and poems--clever, personal, fresh. The 6th graders, on the other hand, wrote almost as one mind. Safe subjects, safe interpretations. I've observed this same split while teaching in the classroom. I have to push 6th graders to dare to be different, not to worry about what others will think.
That brings me to my own creative life. How many times do I secretly fret about what others will think about my writing? Do I dare write about ? What will people say? Will my neighbors stop talking to me if it gets published? What will people say to my husband at work? What if people think that I'm like my characters?
I, too, could use a good dose of my inner 5th grader!
Tuesday night I conducted short writing workshops at Davis Reads Family Literacy Night. More students than ever attended the event (super exciting to get stuck in traffic for a literary event)!
I handed out paper and pens as the students entered the room, and we got to work quick. Fifteen minutes is a short time to talk about developing characters while doing a bit of writing and sharing. I presented different scenarios based on the age of the majority of my students. Elementary students got a bring your pet to school day mishap, while the teens worked with a public shaming situation. We hit on three main points: description (the easiest part), motivation (what the character wants), enemies (who or what is stopping the character from getting what he/she/it wants?)
Many students shared interesting ideas, characteristics, and unique responses to the situations, but the true out-of-the-box thinking came from 5th graders. Ten and eleven-year-olds possess solid skills, but they haven't reached that point of self-consciousness that hits with puberty. That gives them such creative freedom! And, oh, they love to share and share and share.
The craziest idea of the night involved a hippo! The story worked! Older teens don't share much. The ones who show up for family literacy nights really, really want to write. They listen attentively, write furiously, but they don't dare allow anyone to judge their work publicly, especially a room full of strangers. Teens stay after to privately ask important and deep questions.
I've noticed that the teens who do share in public often stick close to the established YA cannon when creating their work. A sameness often seeps into the work of students once they hit the age of twelve.
Many years ago I judged the PTA Reflections contest at a neighborhood elementary school. Wow! The fifth graders wrote amazing stories and poems--clever, personal, fresh. The 6th graders, on the other hand, wrote almost as one mind. Safe subjects, safe interpretations. I've observed this same split while teaching in the classroom. I have to push 6th graders to dare to be different, not to worry about what others will think.
That brings me to my own creative life. How many times do I secretly fret about what others will think about my writing? Do I dare write about ? What will people say? Will my neighbors stop talking to me if it gets published? What will people say to my husband at work? What if people think that I'm like my characters?
I, too, could use a good dose of my inner 5th grader!
March 6, 2015
Teen Me & The Selfie
Teen Me would've loved social media--for stalking boys. I can only imagine the hours I would've wasted reading posts and profiles and texting my friends back and forth to decode various nuances.
But what would I have done about the obligatory selfies?
I spent all of high school feeling massively insecure about my appearance! Writing My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters, along with the hard-earned wisdom of growing up, have helped me recover from most of my "nose issues," yet my typical Snapchat still looks like this:
And my only Snapchat friends are my daughters.
My 9th grader spends a lot of time talking about the way girls alter their appearance online using various apps that brighten eyes, clean up complexions, shrink, enhance or blur facial features… Other girls simply hide all but their eyes. That would've been me!
In November a plethora of "leaf selfies" appeared on my daughter's Instagram account. During a hike, we took our own leaf selfie as a joke.
I admitted that Teen Me would've been all over the leaf selfie, and any other means to hide my nose.
A few weeks ago, my step-sister scanned and emailed a photo of fifteen-year-old me. Even coming of age pre-technology hasn't protected me from Throwback Thursdays!
My first thought: Aw! I like this photo. My next thought: Because you can't see your face! And the next thought: Really, Syd, you're still thinking like this? After all these years?
I've worked so hard--and continue to work as aging alters me yet again--to overcome my body image issues, and accept myself JUST AS I AM. But I'm no longer hoping to find a boyfriend, hoping to fit in at school, hoping to be somewhat popular, or at least not be stuck on The Outside, hoping that I'm okay--whatever that actually means, but it somehow has to do with beauty… right?!?
I have so much empathy for all those teens trying to create photos that make them feel like they fit within society's too-narrow standard of beauty. Almost everything else in life matters so much more, but how can you explain that to teens living their most insecure years in front of an ever-present camera?
Teen Me wouldn't have believed it, either.
But what would I have done about the obligatory selfies?
I spent all of high school feeling massively insecure about my appearance! Writing My Big Nose And Other Natural Disasters, along with the hard-earned wisdom of growing up, have helped me recover from most of my "nose issues," yet my typical Snapchat still looks like this:
And my only Snapchat friends are my daughters.
My 9th grader spends a lot of time talking about the way girls alter their appearance online using various apps that brighten eyes, clean up complexions, shrink, enhance or blur facial features… Other girls simply hide all but their eyes. That would've been me!
In November a plethora of "leaf selfies" appeared on my daughter's Instagram account. During a hike, we took our own leaf selfie as a joke.
I admitted that Teen Me would've been all over the leaf selfie, and any other means to hide my nose.
A few weeks ago, my step-sister scanned and emailed a photo of fifteen-year-old me. Even coming of age pre-technology hasn't protected me from Throwback Thursdays!
My first thought: Aw! I like this photo. My next thought: Because you can't see your face! And the next thought: Really, Syd, you're still thinking like this? After all these years?
I've worked so hard--and continue to work as aging alters me yet again--to overcome my body image issues, and accept myself JUST AS I AM. But I'm no longer hoping to find a boyfriend, hoping to fit in at school, hoping to be somewhat popular, or at least not be stuck on The Outside, hoping that I'm okay--whatever that actually means, but it somehow has to do with beauty… right?!?
I have so much empathy for all those teens trying to create photos that make them feel like they fit within society's too-narrow standard of beauty. Almost everything else in life matters so much more, but how can you explain that to teens living their most insecure years in front of an ever-present camera?
Teen Me wouldn't have believed it, either.
February 27, 2015
To Toss or Save???
I've been working my way through Marie Kondo's book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I almost always choose to read a book instead of clean or tidy anything, but Kondo's true passion (absolutely infectious) in this charming little guide inspired me to go through ALL of my stuff.
Step One: clothing. I had no problem tossing out old clothes, giving up a significant portion of my writing wardrobe (old, hole-y, but soft sweats).
Step Two: books. NOOOOOOO!!!!! I procrastinated this step for a couple of weeks, but now I love having space on my shelves for exciting new books. I really don't miss my old Russian language text books, out-dated writing industry books, really boring literary criticism. Or any of the other books that made me feel guilty for not wanting to read them.
Next I tackled Step Three. Papers.
Recycling manuals for appliances I no longer own felt great. Same for kiddie birthday party ideas that I'd cut out of magazines. I don't see any unicorn parties in my high school daughter's future. Old insurance policy papers? Out! This is easy!
But then I got to my writing papers.
Every short story I've ever written had its own file. Every novel I've written had its own file(s). Plus, hunky rubber-banded first drafts, second drafts, sixth drafts… My file drawers barely closed. My presentations had spilled into a different file cabinet: 30 (!) different talks in 30 (!) different folders.
All weekend I pretended that my home office didn't exist, and read a book I'd rediscovered in Step Two. On Monday I made myself face those overstuffed files.
The magazine market has changed dramatically since I first wrote all those short stories. Thankfully, so has my writing! Penning all those stories taught me about characters, plot, language--and the meaning of "ready for submission." I won't be sending any of them out again, so I simply saved one copy of each story and discarded its file, submission sheet, and other notes and correspondence. I do like to see how my writing has changed, and many of those stories reflect things from my daughters' childhood. But now they hang together in a "Retired Stories" folder in the back.
I tossed all but one copy of each unsold novel manuscript. Each is revised, so I don't need old marked up copies. I didn't need copies of queries to various editors and agents, many of whom are no longer working in the industry. I kept only the papers relevant to current submissions.
So many of the papers clogging my files aren't relevant to where I am right now in my writing career, so I recycled hundreds and hundreds of pages!
I realized while going through my presentations that they fall into four categories: generating ideas, nuts and bolts of writing, characters, and revision. I saved one handout from each talk.
I filled my giant recycling bin to the brim with my not-needed writing papers. Now I have space for all the new things I'll be creating and doing--and that feels exciting and, yes, a bit life-changing.
Step One: clothing. I had no problem tossing out old clothes, giving up a significant portion of my writing wardrobe (old, hole-y, but soft sweats).
Step Two: books. NOOOOOOO!!!!! I procrastinated this step for a couple of weeks, but now I love having space on my shelves for exciting new books. I really don't miss my old Russian language text books, out-dated writing industry books, really boring literary criticism. Or any of the other books that made me feel guilty for not wanting to read them.
Next I tackled Step Three. Papers.
Recycling manuals for appliances I no longer own felt great. Same for kiddie birthday party ideas that I'd cut out of magazines. I don't see any unicorn parties in my high school daughter's future. Old insurance policy papers? Out! This is easy!
But then I got to my writing papers.
Every short story I've ever written had its own file. Every novel I've written had its own file(s). Plus, hunky rubber-banded first drafts, second drafts, sixth drafts… My file drawers barely closed. My presentations had spilled into a different file cabinet: 30 (!) different talks in 30 (!) different folders.
All weekend I pretended that my home office didn't exist, and read a book I'd rediscovered in Step Two. On Monday I made myself face those overstuffed files.
The magazine market has changed dramatically since I first wrote all those short stories. Thankfully, so has my writing! Penning all those stories taught me about characters, plot, language--and the meaning of "ready for submission." I won't be sending any of them out again, so I simply saved one copy of each story and discarded its file, submission sheet, and other notes and correspondence. I do like to see how my writing has changed, and many of those stories reflect things from my daughters' childhood. But now they hang together in a "Retired Stories" folder in the back.
I tossed all but one copy of each unsold novel manuscript. Each is revised, so I don't need old marked up copies. I didn't need copies of queries to various editors and agents, many of whom are no longer working in the industry. I kept only the papers relevant to current submissions.
So many of the papers clogging my files aren't relevant to where I am right now in my writing career, so I recycled hundreds and hundreds of pages!
I realized while going through my presentations that they fall into four categories: generating ideas, nuts and bolts of writing, characters, and revision. I saved one handout from each talk.
I filled my giant recycling bin to the brim with my not-needed writing papers. Now I have space for all the new things I'll be creating and doing--and that feels exciting and, yes, a bit life-changing.
February 20, 2015
Little Free Library Update
With the colder weather, I haven't been seeing much action at my Little Free Library, but a few Fridays ago I had my favorite "librarian" moment!
Driving home from junior high drop-off, I saw two little girls in pajamas running down the street with books clutched to their chests. Aw! They've been to my library. A few minutes later, a car screeched to a halt outside my house, and a girl got out, leaving the car door swinging open. Book emergency!
I figured the neighborhood elementary school must have been holding a Read-a-Thon. I even spotted the sporty boy who lives a few houses down choosing a novel.
Maybe some of these kids will turn into lifelong readers! Fingers crossed.
Driving home from junior high drop-off, I saw two little girls in pajamas running down the street with books clutched to their chests. Aw! They've been to my library. A few minutes later, a car screeched to a halt outside my house, and a girl got out, leaving the car door swinging open. Book emergency!
I figured the neighborhood elementary school must have been holding a Read-a-Thon. I even spotted the sporty boy who lives a few houses down choosing a novel.
Maybe some of these kids will turn into lifelong readers! Fingers crossed.
February 12, 2015
Blogging Elsewhere
Ack! I sure haven't been blogging here. I have good reasons--and I'm sure they'll show up in fiction someday. It'll be sort of like Jane Eyre, except with grannies in the basement. Egads things have been weird!
Thanks to peer pressure I've kept up at YA Outside the Lines, and here's my most recent post: http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/2015/02/sometimes-love-means-letting-go-sydney.html
I will pressure myself to blog here regularly too!
Thanks to peer pressure I've kept up at YA Outside the Lines, and here's my most recent post: http://yaoutsidethelines.blogspot.com/2015/02/sometimes-love-means-letting-go-sydney.html
I will pressure myself to blog here regularly too!
October 24, 2014
Another Downside To Not Keeping Up With Must-Read Books
If my To Read pile weren't scattered over several surfaces in several rooms, it would be taller than me. I can't keep up with all the must-read titles, so I'm always a few--many?--volumes behind. I try hard to avoid spoiler alert conversations about the books I plan to read, especially when those stories are being turned into movies. Toward the end of my reading of Gone Girl, as the plot twists were coming to light, I'd cover my ears, close my eyes, and shout ya-ya-ya when trailers came on TV. My family loved that, by the way.
The biggest downside to waiting to read the book too close to the movie: I can't stop myself from picturing the actor's face while reading.
I saw Ben Affleck's strong jaw all through Gone Girl. I kept wondering, is he that well-cast for the role of Nick Dunne, or have I been brainwashed after seeing those short teaser trailers months before at the movie theater?
Now I'm reading Olive Kitteridge before the HBO miniseries starts next week. Not only do I see Frances McDormand's face as Olive, I'm hearing her voice as I read. I adore McDormand's acting, but this is driving a little crazy!
I much prefer creating my own visualization of characters. No human will ever match The Thorn Birds' Father Ralph of my young teenage mind! Sigh. It's much more fun to be righteously indignant about casting--he's not my !!!!--than to be constantly reminding yourself, it's Nick not Ben-freaking-Affleck!
The biggest downside to waiting to read the book too close to the movie: I can't stop myself from picturing the actor's face while reading.
I saw Ben Affleck's strong jaw all through Gone Girl. I kept wondering, is he that well-cast for the role of Nick Dunne, or have I been brainwashed after seeing those short teaser trailers months before at the movie theater?Now I'm reading Olive Kitteridge before the HBO miniseries starts next week. Not only do I see Frances McDormand's face as Olive, I'm hearing her voice as I read. I adore McDormand's acting, but this is driving a little crazy!
I much prefer creating my own visualization of characters. No human will ever match The Thorn Birds' Father Ralph of my young teenage mind! Sigh. It's much more fun to be righteously indignant about casting--he's not my !!!!--than to be constantly reminding yourself, it's Nick not Ben-freaking-Affleck!
October 7, 2014
Finally! I get to be a librarian!
For many years now, I've often wished that I'd become a librarian. One of my college work-study jobs was shelving books in the beautiful Penrose Library on Whitman College's campus, and I loved the quiet hours and discovering so many books about so many different things.
Okay, so, I have to admit that I harbor the misconception that librarians get to hang out at the checkout desk reading all day. Ssh! The one job where you don't get in trouble for reading! I know that's not how the job actually works, but wouldn't that be the best thing ever?
I've finally found a way to be a sort-of librarian: I put a Little Free Library in my yard!
The design was inspired by the red schoolhouse in Vermont where I learned to love reading. Now, I have so much fun watching neighborhood kids sprawled on my lawn paging through books. The other day I caught some YA-types carrying off armfuls of novels. I only wish more grownups would come… I feel sad that most adults read phones instead of books, but I'm still hopefully stocking my library with hot titles. Gone Girl, anyone?
If you've ever wanted to be a librarian, check out the Free Little Library movement: http://littlefreelibrary.org
Okay, so, I have to admit that I harbor the misconception that librarians get to hang out at the checkout desk reading all day. Ssh! The one job where you don't get in trouble for reading! I know that's not how the job actually works, but wouldn't that be the best thing ever?
I've finally found a way to be a sort-of librarian: I put a Little Free Library in my yard!
The design was inspired by the red schoolhouse in Vermont where I learned to love reading. Now, I have so much fun watching neighborhood kids sprawled on my lawn paging through books. The other day I caught some YA-types carrying off armfuls of novels. I only wish more grownups would come… I feel sad that most adults read phones instead of books, but I'm still hopefully stocking my library with hot titles. Gone Girl, anyone?
If you've ever wanted to be a librarian, check out the Free Little Library movement: http://littlefreelibrary.org
