Sharon Skinner's Blog, page 16

AUTHOR APPEARANCES: WHERE IN THE WORLD IS SHARON SKINNER?

I just got back from Dallas on Sunday and am prepping and packing for the 11th annual Kingman Area Books Are Magic Festival, otherwise known as KABAM, which takes place on Saturday, May 2nd this year.

I am currently riding out a tornado of author appearances and workshop presentations. I won’t actually hit the eye of this particular storm for a couple of weeks. So, we’re going to have to hang on to our hats for a bit.

Dallas was fabulous! I got to hang out with the beautiful and talented Carol (If you need PR or Media Communications, she’s got you covered and she writes fiction, too!) Barreyre and her talented partner in crime, John Harrell. (Henceforth, identified as the man with the amazing fireworks brain.)

The writing workshops I presented to members of SCBWI North Texas went swimmingly (and not just because of the rowdy Texas thunderstorms that rolled through while I was in town). I could not have asked for better participants. Everyone was engaged and willing to learn about craft and work their story mojo muscles.

Next up, KABAM! I will be in the Brick Cave Publishing booth (book signing pen at the ready). So, if you’re in the area, make sure to stop by and say hello.

This week, I leave you with a musical interlude from Fruitcake Superbeing.

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AUTHOR APPEARANCES: NEXT STOP WRITING WORKSHOPS SCBWI TEXAS NORTH

LA Times Festival of Books was fabulous! Huge hugs and thanks to the many fans, both old and new, who stopped by the Brick Cave Booth to buy a book, ask about the upcoming sequel to The Healer’s Legacy (The Matriarch’s Devise, due out November 2015 BTW) or just say hello!

While at the #bookfest, I managed to slip away for a few minutes to visit the fantastically monstrous dynamic duo, Daniel and Dawna of Steam Crow fame and pick up a couple of Steam Crow Scout badges. You can’t have mine, but you can get your own by becoming a #SteamCrowScout.

Next stop on the Author Appearances schedule is SCBWI North Texas where I am teaching two workshops on Saturday April 25, 2015. Click Here for Details.

Till next week,

 

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APPEARANCES: LA TIMES FESTIVAL OF BOOKS 2015 AUTHORS

I am off and running again and making another author appearance! If you are attending the 2015 LA Times Festival of Books this weekend, I hope you will take some time to visit me in the Brick Cave Books booth #156, located near of the Poetry Stage.

For Brick Cave Book updates: Click Here

For more information on LA Times Festival of Books 2015 Authors: Click Here

For your writing craft and publishing hunger: Jane Friedman’s Blog

#Bookfest #AuthorAppearance @BrickCaveBooks @SharonSkinner56

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BUSY HANDS: KEEPING THE CREATIVE WRITING MIND-FULL

A few weeks ago, my fabulous beta readers had my newest manuscript and I needed a mind break to keep myself from futzing with it while I waited for their feedback.

What’s a creative mind to do?

If you’re like me, you need to keep your creative juices flowing, and your hands busy. So, when I’m not writing, I generally find myself doing other—more visual or mechanical—things.

Don’t get me wrong, I love creative writing, but I wasn’t quite ready to leap back into the other WIP.

So, when my daughter mentioned she was looking for a Princess dress for the grandbaby’s first birthday, and since I love sewing and costuming, I jumped in with both feet.

I went looking for ideas and found the little summer dress (pictured above) in a local store for under $10 dollars. I knew I could repurpose it (fairy GRAND-mother style) into just the right Princess dress for our little treasure. So I bought it and took it home.

A visit to SAS (the local fabrics by the pound shop) and a quick swing through JoAnne’s provided all the sea foam green and pink fabrics, ribbon, trim and thread I needed to make my vision a reality.

The process gave me something creative (and joyful) to do while giving me distance and space from the current WIP, providing the opportunity to allow my subconscious to churn and stew. Some people say they get their best ideas in the shower or on a walk. But my mind seems to always want to be busy creating, and my hands want to be moving. I need time to immerse myself in color, texture, design for my brain to loosen up and ideas to shake free.

Things I didn’t realize needed changing in the new novel, leaped out at me and I had to jot them down so I wouldn’t forget once I got back to revisions.

We had a fitting last Saturday, and baby Z’s face lit up when she saw the dress and she giggled the entire time she wore it. It needs a few minor modifications, but all-in-all I couldn’t be happier with the way it turned out.

Sorry, no reveal until after the party. You should know by now how I feel about spoilers! Check back after May 9th to see the final pics.

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SEVEN THINGS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT MY WRITING

This is actually a FB meme I was tagged on by awesome author (and all-around amazing writing friend) Gini Koch, wherein I was challenged to write seven things about my writing that people don’t know. And I thought it would also make a great Blog post. So, here are:

Seven Things You May Not Know About My Writing:

1)When asked where my ideas come from, I answer honestly, “from the voices in my head.” Truth. All my work is character driven. So, in that respect, I am a total pantser, meaning I write by the seat of my pants. This means I feel a lot like a journalist, following my characters around and writing down what they do and say. The hardest part about doing this is to give the characters the reins, even when they seem to make choices that further complicate things, which they generally do at every opportunity.

2) I have been writing since I was in elementary school, but started truly studying the craft of fiction in earnest over 20 years ago. I continue to pursue that education by attending writing workshops and conferences and reading books, blogs and articles on the subject. And by teaching. Every time I craft a new workshop, it either fortifies a concept or helps me to explore that aspect of craft in a new way. Not to mention, I always learn something from participants when I teach.

3) I earned my Master’s degree in Creative Writing from Prescott College and an early draft of The Healer’s Legacy was submitted as part of my thesis, which was focused on the use of fantasy literature as resistant text for young women in a patriarchal normative social environment.

4) I used to be more focused on poetry and was a regular on the Phoenix SpokenWord circuit. It wasn’t until 1995 that I realized I had bigger stories to tell and began writing novels. The first (very crappy) draft of my first novel poured out of me in less than eight weeks. It was a great story with fun characters, but was horribly written. It took me years of studying craft and more revisions than I care to count before it was finally publishable and debuted as The Nelig Stones in 2013.

5) I wrote a (not yet published) Picture Book. TBO—I have actually written several (It is not as easy as it looks!), but this one I think is actually worthy of publication, and since my current publisher does not publish Picture Books, I am in the process of submitting it to agents and editors. Wish me luck!

6)  I love writing. Although, I used to dislike the revision process. However, I have always wanted to make sure I am giving my readers the best product possible. Now, I enjoy and find a great sense of fulfillment in polishing the work and getting it right. I do think I owe a lot of that enjoyment to working with a fabulous editor. Credit where credit is due: Anne Lind.

7) I have multiple projects going at all times and all of them are at various stages of development. As I finish revisions on The Matriarch’s Devise (the second book in The Healer’s Legacy series), I am also thinking about the next book I am writing, an urban fantasy titles Collars and Curses. A very rough draft of that book has been cooling off this past year and is now ready for me to hit hard on revisions, including filling in the gaping plot holes I already know exist. I also started drafting a follow-up to the Nelig Stones, and have the first few chapters written and most, if not all, of those new characters have been bouncing around inside my head for over a year. The PB mentioned in #5 was first drafted in 2013 and revised numerous times since then. I have been making notes on the final book in Kira’s trilogy, as well. In addition to this, I co-write the Tavara Tinker series and have been editing and/or collaborating on a number of other projects.

What kinds of things do you think people want to know about YOUR writing?

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WRITING FICTION: WHERE DO I START?

“I have an idea for a book, but where do I start?”

I have been getting this question a lot lately. My answer is always the same.

As to the key portion of this question, you start anywhere. When writing fiction, I always start with character. Other authors start with plot, and yet others with a concept or an idea. No starting point is wrong. Wait. Let me rephrase that. The only bad starting point is no starting point. In other words, there is no wrong place to start, but in order to write, you must start somewhere.

I have a tendency to write my way into story, often discovering who my characters are along the way. This means that sometimes, what I thought was chapter three ends up being chapter one and what I thought was chapter one ends up being pulled from the story.

When I talk to other writers about this, especially those who are just starting out on their writing journeys, I always point out that we all have a process and that each writer’s process may be different, but every one’s is valid. My own process tends to morph and seems not only to depend on the book I am writing, but on the character whose story I am telling. But I don’t let that changing process bother me. As long as I am writing, I will at some point have the words on paper that I need in order to mold and shape and polish the final story into something worthy of my readers.

But, in order to get those words on paper, I have to start somewhere. Beginning. Middle. End. Character description. Plot outline. Short scenes. Snippet of dialogue. The question, what if? A single emotion. A taste. A smell. Anywhere. Just so long as it gets words on page.

WRITING IS REWRITING.

Words are not carved in stone. As writers, our work is flexible and malleable, less like marble to be chipped away, more like clay that can be reshaped and refined over and over until we get it where we want it. Revision is a powerful tool, allowing us to take the ugliest lump of clay and shape it into a powerful work of art.

In reality, writing is all about the final execution. Where we start is a matter of process and taste.

But, in order to finish, we must first start.

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TUCSON FESTIVAL OF BOOKS 2015 (TFOB)!

Brick Cave Books rocked the TFOB (Tucson Festival of Books 2015) and the fans rocked my world!

I do wish I had been able to get around and see more of my fabu writing friends, but the Brick Cave Books booth was nearly nonstop selling and signing both days.

Special thanks to Jenn Labuz (Sith Lord of the book booth) as well as hearty thanks to those who managed to steal a moment out from their own busy book schedules to stop by, especially the lovely Maryelizabeth Hart?, talented YA author Natalie Wright?, the incredible Ann Chamberlin, and so many others my mind is a blur.

Fan high point: Meeting a reader who got the deep read on Healer’s Legacy. Jasmine, you set my writer’s heart aflutter!

Sunday’s high point? Meeting Ettore “Ted” DeGrazia’s fabulous daughter and her family, who after sharing some lovely stories about her father bought one of my books for their granddaughter. Life is just ah-mazing!

Next stop DEVCON! FREE EVENT, March 21-22 on the ASU West Campus, where I have the following panel schedule:

Why is Dystopian Fiction Such a Hot Trend in YA? (Sunday Noon Sands Room #105)

YA Dystopian fiction continues to be popular despite ongoing predictions in the book industry that the trend will surely fade. Join in an interactive discussion on why teens are drawn to Dystopian, what makes a powerful Dystopian story, and how to survive in a YA Dystopian world (especially if you’re an adult).

Vampires and Zombies and Werewolves, Oh My! (Saturday 11AM Sands Room #135)

A discussion about paranormal creatures and how they went from being terrifying monsters to BFFs and even love interests. What makes us (and our readers) want to humanize them? Desire them? And even want to be them?

Ask the Authors (TBD)

A free-for-all answer and question session with local authors on the craft and business of writing.

Come out and see us!

 

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AUTHOR APPEARANCES: RUNNING TWICE AS FAST AND UNICORNS!

I am busy, busy, writing, traveling, appearing, selling and signing. In fact, I spent all day Saturday at Ann Chamberlin’s Book Shop at the AZ Renaissance Faire and once more sold out all my books well before the end of the day.

It’s times like this that I can’t help feeling like Lewis Carroll’s Red Queen: “Now, here, you see, it takes all the running you can do, to keep in the same place. If you want to get somewhere else, you must run at least twice as fast as that!”

But, speaking of quotable authors, I did take a little time out from my own very busy schedule to catch up to the spectacular Peter S. Beagle at his Mesa screening appearance of The Last Unicorn Tour. I waited in line to thank him personally for granting me permission to use some lines from A Fine and Private Place in my book, Mirabella and the Faded Phantom. And kind and wonderful author that he is, he spontaneously told me he had read my book  and “really liked it” and he called it “a good story.”

Be still my heart! I nearly swooned. Thank you Peter for your fabulous stories and for being such a generous supporting author to those of us still newly hatched. May you continue to receive and enjoy the rock star fame you so richly deserve!

Peter and his awesome Last Unicorn Tour staff have moved on to the next city. Check out the schedule here: http://lastunicorntour.com/

Next stop for me will be the spectacular Tucson Festival of Books event, March 14-15, 2015 from 9:30am-5:30pm at the University of Arizona Campus. Stop by and see me in booth #145

More info here: http://tucsonfestivalofbooks.org/

Meanwhile, rather than leave you this week bereft of writing wisdom, I direct you to the highly-recommended Dear Editor blog: http://deareditor.com/2015/03/09/re-why-does-my-action-read-slow/

Find me at the Book Festival and say hello all you fabulous, magical readers and writers!

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WHERE IS SHARON? AUTHOR VISITS

It’s that time of year again when I’m getting very busy with plenty of author visits and appearances. Not as much time to write about writing. This morning I taught writing workshops for six graders out at Mountain View school in Phoenix and next weekend I will be spending all day Saturday  out at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. I will be selling and signing books at Ann Chamberlin’s Book Shop. Stop on by and pick up a good book.Or three.

 

 

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ELIMINATING OVERUSED AND WEAK WORDS

I’m deep in revisions for The Matriarch’s Devise (the upcoming sequel to The Healer’s Legacy) and now that I have filled the plot holes, increased the conflict, and refined my characters, I am sifting through the manuscript in an effort to stamp out the overuse of my “favorite” words.

Don’t get me wrong, I love words. All kinds, shapes and sizes. BUT I find when I am writing a first draft, I have a tendency to over use certain words. Words like “look” and “head” and “away” often top the list, as do their related variations. And with every book, there comes a time in the revision process where these words must be made to pull their share of the load or be eliminated.

I appreciate “look” for its place-holding abilities and for allowing me to write without hesitation when in the creative stage of first drafting. But, let’s face it, not only is the poor thing generally overworked, he just doesn’t always have the right muscles for the job at hand. (And don’t tell him I said so, but he can be completely superfluous.)

While there are perfectly good and legitimate ways to use the word “look,” it is easy to overuse and abuse this poor little verb. Opportunities for eliminating this little guy often include simply trusting the reader. Or, as is often the case, even if you really need the character to look someone in the eye, having them gaze, stare, peer or glower can provide the same effective stage direction, but will also add a nuance of emotion to the scene. These words do a lot more heavy lifting than the more generic “look.”

When sorting through the document, using the find function to search for my favorites, I’m not only seeking to stamp out redundancy and weak words, but to tighten and clarify the prose. At each instance of the word, I read the sentence and/or section to determine what purpose the word is fulfilling and then I ask myself the following types of questions:

Is there a better way to say this?
Is there a different action I can give the character?
Is this even necessary, or can the reader make sense of what is happening without it?
Can I revise it in a way that provides additional emotion and/or sensory detail?

Of course, I don’t eliminate every instance of the word. There are perfectly good places to use the word look, or one of its variations. And I never want my writing to read as if I spent my time just picking words out of a Thesaurus. However, I work very hard to balance the use of such words with their stronger, studier, more hard-working cousins.

So, what are some of your favorite words?

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