Heidi Heilig's Blog, page 3
March 9, 2015
Google Is. . . .
Inspired by a cardiologist friend who was checking out what Google users think of doctors, I thought I'd procrastinate working on Book 2 by playing with my search engine (not a euphemism).
What does the world think of writers? I typed in "Writers are" and waited for the auto-complete.
Hm. While I'm know some writers are "crazy*" (*waves*), and I think probably some writers are. . . um. . .oh right, forgetful, I disagree with the third whole-heartedly. Ever seen a baby come into this world holding a pen? I hope not. I checked with my doctor friend just in case, and he agrees.
But these answers aren't really the greatest. I'm hoping for something a little more . . . oh, how to put this. . . ego-boosting? So what about novelists? Okay, Google, do your thing:
Are novelists considered employed???? I told my doctor friend and he was like "Wow, put some ice on that BURN, this is my professional opinion btw." Then I asked him if he was a novelist who was a doctor also; he asked me if I was crazy, and I was like "WHY DON'T YOU GOOGLE IT."
I needed to feel better about myself so I went back to Google a third time, trying "authors." This time I was vindicated!
Rockstars??? Wow, AWESOME. But. . . then. . . I wondered. . . .
Ugly? NOT COOL???
So about this time I decided to stop procrastinating and find something more productive i.e. flattering to me personally. But wasn't there anything Google and I could agree on? As it turns out, yes there was.
Alright, Google. As long as you're good to readers, I can forgive.
*"Crazy" is NOT always the preferred nomenclature here, just a tip, but this will have to be another blog post for another time.
What does the world think of writers? I typed in "Writers are" and waited for the auto-complete.
Hm. While I'm know some writers are "crazy*" (*waves*), and I think probably some writers are. . . um. . .oh right, forgetful, I disagree with the third whole-heartedly. Ever seen a baby come into this world holding a pen? I hope not. I checked with my doctor friend just in case, and he agrees.
But these answers aren't really the greatest. I'm hoping for something a little more . . . oh, how to put this. . . ego-boosting? So what about novelists? Okay, Google, do your thing:
Are novelists considered employed???? I told my doctor friend and he was like "Wow, put some ice on that BURN, this is my professional opinion btw." Then I asked him if he was a novelist who was a doctor also; he asked me if I was crazy, and I was like "WHY DON'T YOU GOOGLE IT."
I needed to feel better about myself so I went back to Google a third time, trying "authors." This time I was vindicated!
Rockstars??? Wow, AWESOME. But. . . then. . . I wondered. . . .
Ugly? NOT COOL???
So about this time I decided to stop procrastinating and find something more productive i.e. flattering to me personally. But wasn't there anything Google and I could agree on? As it turns out, yes there was.
Alright, Google. As long as you're good to readers, I can forgive.
*"Crazy" is NOT always the preferred nomenclature here, just a tip, but this will have to be another blog post for another time.
February 24, 2015
Why YA?
IT'S BACK!
No, not the McRib. (Okay in some places, yes, the McRib.)
But I'm talking about The Question. You know the one. "Why do so many adults read YA?"
My answer?
"Because we're adults and we can do what we want. (HIGH FIVES FELLOW ADULTS!)"
Case closed, right? Well. Not always. Because some people (not the most recent asker of The Question, but SOME PEOPLE) follow up with another question: Shouldn't adults be ashamed for reading YA?
To which I respond:
"Is this even a serious question? No. Obviously. Christ."
There is a weird amount of hate on YA and on the adults who read it. And I find it interesting that in a country where a quarter of adults have read zero books in the last 12 months (and fifty percent of adults have read less than five books in that same time period), that so much judgment and ink goes into scolding those readers and auditing their choices.
I think it has a lot to do with gatekeeper fear, and with people not respecting youth, not respecting the next generation, not respecting the writers of YA fiction which are overwhelmingly women.
I personally have read five novels in the last month. (And no, that's not my own five times.) (Salvage by Alexandra Duncan, The Fall by Bethany Griffin, The Islands at the End of the World by Austin Aslan, Laini Taylor's Smoke and Bone trilogy, Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy, and yes, I am counting two trilogies as one book each, so that's actually nine books, but I did read the first of each series earlier this year so its really only seven. ANYWAY.)
These books had gripping stories, sparkling dialogue, and deep themes--family, feminism, love, longing, madness, power. They were well-written and I devoured them and I am hungry for more.
So the question shouldn't be "Why do adults read YA?"
The question should be "Why does anyone have a problem with that?"
No, not the McRib. (Okay in some places, yes, the McRib.)
But I'm talking about The Question. You know the one. "Why do so many adults read YA?"
My answer?
"Because we're adults and we can do what we want. (HIGH FIVES FELLOW ADULTS!)"
Case closed, right? Well. Not always. Because some people (not the most recent asker of The Question, but SOME PEOPLE) follow up with another question: Shouldn't adults be ashamed for reading YA?
To which I respond:
"Is this even a serious question? No. Obviously. Christ."
There is a weird amount of hate on YA and on the adults who read it. And I find it interesting that in a country where a quarter of adults have read zero books in the last 12 months (and fifty percent of adults have read less than five books in that same time period), that so much judgment and ink goes into scolding those readers and auditing their choices.
I think it has a lot to do with gatekeeper fear, and with people not respecting youth, not respecting the next generation, not respecting the writers of YA fiction which are overwhelmingly women.
I personally have read five novels in the last month. (And no, that's not my own five times.) (Salvage by Alexandra Duncan, The Fall by Bethany Griffin, The Islands at the End of the World by Austin Aslan, Laini Taylor's Smoke and Bone trilogy, Leigh Bardugo's Grisha trilogy, and yes, I am counting two trilogies as one book each, so that's actually nine books, but I did read the first of each series earlier this year so its really only seven. ANYWAY.)
These books had gripping stories, sparkling dialogue, and deep themes--family, feminism, love, longing, madness, power. They were well-written and I devoured them and I am hungry for more.
So the question shouldn't be "Why do adults read YA?"
The question should be "Why does anyone have a problem with that?"
February 4, 2015
Critique: How do you like it?
Two* things power my writing, and they both start with C: Coffee and Critique. You know that old joke? "I like my coffee like I like my soul: bitter, black, and cold." (Or something like that.) You can use a similar formula for critique! I like my critique like I like my coffee:Plain, strong, and harsh enough to give me a stomachache. Sweet and half hot air, but still powerful enough to reenergize me.In small, concentrated servings that keep me up all night.You get the picture.
So this is actually how I take my third+ cups of coffee:
Lukewarm and watered-down.Just like coffee, it's incredibly important to know how you want your critique before you ask for it, and to tell someone how you like it before they prepare it for you**. And while there is a right and a wrong in coffee (at least, according to the purists***), there is no right and wrong in critique. You need to ask for it the way it's most helpful to you. If not, you'll wind up with something you may not be able to stomach.
In fact, giving your critique partner some parameters can help them, too. No critique partner wants to give unhelpful--or even harmful--critique. And of course, a critique partner has the absolute right to say upfront "I actually can't do that for you," and that way, no one's time is wasted. It's a win all around.
So think about how you like your critique, and be aware that your critique needs will almost certainly change based on the stage of the project: on your first draft you may only want a list of things that make no sense, but by the time you get to what you hope is the final draft, you may care only about whether there are any typos. Personal story time. Now, I love critique, the more incisive, the better. The most helpful critique for me is when people I trust pick apart my ideas and argue with me, making me justify each choice. The one caveat? I only like that critique once the first draft is completed. Once, I was in the very early phase of a project, where I was still bubbling over, and I told a great critique partner that I had this amazing idea for a story. I started rattling off little details and funny dialogue and fascinating settings which were awesome to me but ultimately only related by invisible threads in my mind. And then I was like: "So what do you think?" And the friend was like: "I don't get it." I spent literally the next month surfing the internet rather than writing, unable to regain the enthusiasm that had vanished in the face of those four little words. And of course my friend felt terrible, but they were only responding in the way they were used to critiquing my last piece, where I was on the third draft by the time they first saw it. The mistake was mine, of course. I now know that, in the brainstorming phase of a story, all I want is positive energy. I don't need lies--"Wow! You sound excited!" is perfectly acceptable--but any hint of negativity kills the early creativity. So now, before I speak to any critique partner about a project, I make sure to tell them how their response can be most helpful.
What about you? How do you take your critique?
*Okay three things, the third being cookies, but I couldn't find a metaphor for that. **For those who are thinking "But a critique partner is so much more than a barista!" don't bag on baristas. They are friendly and sweet and they usually really care about making sure your coffee is just the way you like. ***My way is the right way, of course.
So this is actually how I take my third+ cups of coffee: Lukewarm and watered-down.Just like coffee, it's incredibly important to know how you want your critique before you ask for it, and to tell someone how you like it before they prepare it for you**. And while there is a right and a wrong in coffee (at least, according to the purists***), there is no right and wrong in critique. You need to ask for it the way it's most helpful to you. If not, you'll wind up with something you may not be able to stomach.
In fact, giving your critique partner some parameters can help them, too. No critique partner wants to give unhelpful--or even harmful--critique. And of course, a critique partner has the absolute right to say upfront "I actually can't do that for you," and that way, no one's time is wasted. It's a win all around.
So think about how you like your critique, and be aware that your critique needs will almost certainly change based on the stage of the project: on your first draft you may only want a list of things that make no sense, but by the time you get to what you hope is the final draft, you may care only about whether there are any typos. Personal story time. Now, I love critique, the more incisive, the better. The most helpful critique for me is when people I trust pick apart my ideas and argue with me, making me justify each choice. The one caveat? I only like that critique once the first draft is completed. Once, I was in the very early phase of a project, where I was still bubbling over, and I told a great critique partner that I had this amazing idea for a story. I started rattling off little details and funny dialogue and fascinating settings which were awesome to me but ultimately only related by invisible threads in my mind. And then I was like: "So what do you think?" And the friend was like: "I don't get it." I spent literally the next month surfing the internet rather than writing, unable to regain the enthusiasm that had vanished in the face of those four little words. And of course my friend felt terrible, but they were only responding in the way they were used to critiquing my last piece, where I was on the third draft by the time they first saw it. The mistake was mine, of course. I now know that, in the brainstorming phase of a story, all I want is positive energy. I don't need lies--"Wow! You sound excited!" is perfectly acceptable--but any hint of negativity kills the early creativity. So now, before I speak to any critique partner about a project, I make sure to tell them how their response can be most helpful.
What about you? How do you take your critique?
*Okay three things, the third being cookies, but I couldn't find a metaphor for that. **For those who are thinking "But a critique partner is so much more than a barista!" don't bag on baristas. They are friendly and sweet and they usually really care about making sure your coffee is just the way you like. ***My way is the right way, of course.
December 30, 2014
New Year's Resolutions
I used to do Resolutions at New Years. I started when I was little, and it was fun, but then I stopped a few years ago when I realized that it was the same one for the fifth year in a row, you know, that one about losing weight I MEAN EATING HEALTHIER AND EXCERCISING MORE.
I realized it was pointless to decide one day that all the rest of the days would magically be different. Also, I like donuts and hate shopping for new clothes. So.
Now I have goals. Goals are much better. "Goal" is a nicer word than "resolution." I like working towards something, rather than "on" something. Because if I miss a goal, it's one brief disappointment, instead of a constant nagging daily failure. And if I make the goal, I can celebrate.
This year, my goal is to finish the sequel to THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE by summer.
Did I mention that that's when I have to finish it by?
"Goal" is also a nicer word than "deadline."
I realized it was pointless to decide one day that all the rest of the days would magically be different. Also, I like donuts and hate shopping for new clothes. So.
Now I have goals. Goals are much better. "Goal" is a nicer word than "resolution." I like working towards something, rather than "on" something. Because if I miss a goal, it's one brief disappointment, instead of a constant nagging daily failure. And if I make the goal, I can celebrate.
This year, my goal is to finish the sequel to THE GIRL FROM EVERYWHERE by summer.
Did I mention that that's when I have to finish it by?
"Goal" is also a nicer word than "deadline."
December 23, 2014
Holiday Gift Guide for the Procrastinating Writer
It's two days before the majority of Americans feel that gifts are generally supposed to be opened. (One day if you do Swedish Christmas, and several days late if you do Hanukah.) And I have my draft open, staring at me with big metaphorical puppy-dog eyes. So. PERFECT TIME for a Procrastinating Writer to try to think of gifts that can be purchased before time ticks down.
If you have a procrastinating writer in your life, here's a list of the things I've found handy the past year.
1. Coffee: Dark roast and freshly ground. Or not. I'm a lazy coffee maker--boiling a handful of grounds on the stove, pouring them over a sieve and then dumping ice in because coffee is best enjoyed cold or at least lukewarm--but there's a Starbucks above my subway stop so generally I go there when I'm out of coffee. Although for those days I'm too lazy to walk literally one block (in my defense it is a long block) to the Starbucks, there is always the pre-ground stuff in the supermarket. Or Café Bustelo Instant, for when I'm also too lazy to boil water.
2. Netflix Subscription: When I'm really avoiding rewrites, my favorite thing to do is fire up a streaming video and shrink it down to the corner of my screen so I can pretend to still be working on the manuscript and fooling no one but myself.
3. New Books: Any of them. All of them. I just bought Brown Girl Dreaming and I recommend you do to. But there are tons of book lists that come out this time of year with great ideas. This is actually a good gift idea for any writer. Or really any person. There is nothing that cures my writer's block like reading an excellent book.
4. Donations: This is actually another good idea. You can make donations in people's names to causes they love or would love if they knew about them. A few years ago, my husband got me a Kiva card, which allows you to make microloans to people who are starting small businesses. Every few months, the loans are repaid enough for me to make another loan, and every time that happens, I feel reconnected to the gift he gave me and to people around the world.
And for those who want to make a big impression, how about a:
5. Vacuuming Robot. And a shark costume for the writer's cat* if you really want to splash out.
*obviously don't get a cat for a person who doesn't already have a cat. pets make terrible holiday gifts, no matter how awesome they are at Roomba riding.
If you have a procrastinating writer in your life, here's a list of the things I've found handy the past year.
1. Coffee: Dark roast and freshly ground. Or not. I'm a lazy coffee maker--boiling a handful of grounds on the stove, pouring them over a sieve and then dumping ice in because coffee is best enjoyed cold or at least lukewarm--but there's a Starbucks above my subway stop so generally I go there when I'm out of coffee. Although for those days I'm too lazy to walk literally one block (in my defense it is a long block) to the Starbucks, there is always the pre-ground stuff in the supermarket. Or Café Bustelo Instant, for when I'm also too lazy to boil water.
2. Netflix Subscription: When I'm really avoiding rewrites, my favorite thing to do is fire up a streaming video and shrink it down to the corner of my screen so I can pretend to still be working on the manuscript and fooling no one but myself.
3. New Books: Any of them. All of them. I just bought Brown Girl Dreaming and I recommend you do to. But there are tons of book lists that come out this time of year with great ideas. This is actually a good gift idea for any writer. Or really any person. There is nothing that cures my writer's block like reading an excellent book.
4. Donations: This is actually another good idea. You can make donations in people's names to causes they love or would love if they knew about them. A few years ago, my husband got me a Kiva card, which allows you to make microloans to people who are starting small businesses. Every few months, the loans are repaid enough for me to make another loan, and every time that happens, I feel reconnected to the gift he gave me and to people around the world.
And for those who want to make a big impression, how about a:
5. Vacuuming Robot. And a shark costume for the writer's cat* if you really want to splash out.
*obviously don't get a cat for a person who doesn't already have a cat. pets make terrible holiday gifts, no matter how awesome they are at Roomba riding.
December 18, 2014
Year In Review
So I'm sitting here procrastinating on working on my sequel, so to make myself feel better I've decided to write a post. Of course, since my last post was almost eight months ago, there's some catching up to do.
To be fair, I was busy. For one, I had a baby, which let me just say was a bit of a trip. I'm a parent now. WHOA.
I have nothing wise or insightful to say about this. Just. . . whoa.
And then, not two weeks after my son arrived, I got my edit letter. I did my first round of edits with my baby on my lap.
And that round of edits was magical (and not just because of all the hormones in my blood). Martha at Greenwillow and Sara at HotKey are so incredibly smart, and the edit letter was brilliant and insightful and all good things. In the past few months, I've honed and polished the manuscript, the characters growing stronger, the plot clearer, and the writing cleaner.
We're nearing the final stages of that process, and it makes me a bit sad. Coming from a collaborative background in musical theatre, working with these two brilliant editors has actually been one of my favorite parts of writing this book. Not like writing from scratch with blank pages that sit there and mock you grumble grumble this *$&#^@ sequel. . . .
Between rounds of edits and cleaning spit-up, I took a trip to Hawaii to see my brother-in-law marry my new sister-in-law. It was a beautiful wedding, and the gods of Old Hawaii blessed them with a brief shower of misty rain and a lovely double rainbow. They blessed me with a baby that didn't cry on the 11 hour flight.
Anyway as the year (and this post) draw to a close, I'm looking back and not feeling so bad about not having time to update this here blog.
To be fair, I was busy. For one, I had a baby, which let me just say was a bit of a trip. I'm a parent now. WHOA.
I have nothing wise or insightful to say about this. Just. . . whoa.
And then, not two weeks after my son arrived, I got my edit letter. I did my first round of edits with my baby on my lap.
And that round of edits was magical (and not just because of all the hormones in my blood). Martha at Greenwillow and Sara at HotKey are so incredibly smart, and the edit letter was brilliant and insightful and all good things. In the past few months, I've honed and polished the manuscript, the characters growing stronger, the plot clearer, and the writing cleaner.
We're nearing the final stages of that process, and it makes me a bit sad. Coming from a collaborative background in musical theatre, working with these two brilliant editors has actually been one of my favorite parts of writing this book. Not like writing from scratch with blank pages that sit there and mock you grumble grumble this *$&#^@ sequel. . . .
Between rounds of edits and cleaning spit-up, I took a trip to Hawaii to see my brother-in-law marry my new sister-in-law. It was a beautiful wedding, and the gods of Old Hawaii blessed them with a brief shower of misty rain and a lovely double rainbow. They blessed me with a baby that didn't cry on the 11 hour flight.
Anyway as the year (and this post) draw to a close, I'm looking back and not feeling so bad about not having time to update this here blog.
April 24, 2014
To Catch a Thief
A few weeks back I was lucky enough to go to a Lock Picking Party in New York thrown by Atlas Obscura.
Atlas Obscura always throws a lovely party, but my justification for going was research: one of the characters in The Girl From Everywhere is a rather charming thief, and as the saying goes, it takes a thief to catch a thief. (Translated for writers, it's something more like "It takes a bit of devious character study to write a thief," but I'm certain you know what I mean.)
It was a fabulous event of course, with music and refreshment and quite a few very snappy dressers, but the main draw for me was the fact that we were all promised to be taught how to pick a lock.
Schuyler Towne, one of the world's best lock pickers, gave us the basics--and they are surprisingly basic!--but the real treat was the array of locks and the set of lock picks we were all given.
My husband Bret turned out to be the better lock-picker, but we sat together on the steps of the library, working our picks until I got the hang of it.
photo by Steven Acres
I managed to pick three locks, and now I'm thinking if this whole writing thing doesn't work out, I have a fall-back career.
Atlas Obscura always throws a lovely party, but my justification for going was research: one of the characters in The Girl From Everywhere is a rather charming thief, and as the saying goes, it takes a thief to catch a thief. (Translated for writers, it's something more like "It takes a bit of devious character study to write a thief," but I'm certain you know what I mean.)
It was a fabulous event of course, with music and refreshment and quite a few very snappy dressers, but the main draw for me was the fact that we were all promised to be taught how to pick a lock.
Schuyler Towne, one of the world's best lock pickers, gave us the basics--and they are surprisingly basic!--but the real treat was the array of locks and the set of lock picks we were all given.
My husband Bret turned out to be the better lock-picker, but we sat together on the steps of the library, working our picks until I got the hang of it.
photo by Steven AcresI managed to pick three locks, and now I'm thinking if this whole writing thing doesn't work out, I have a fall-back career.
April 22, 2014
The Girl From Everywhere with Greenwillow in 2016
I'm thrilled to announce that The Girl From Everywhere is to be published by Greenwillow Books in US in winter 2016. I can't imagine a more perfect pairing.
Thanks goes to my fabulous agent, Molly Ker Hawn at The Bent Agency, and to Martha Mihalick at Greenwillow, with whom I am so excited to be working. (Excited enough to be careful not to end that sentence with a preposition.)
Thanks goes to my fabulous agent, Molly Ker Hawn at The Bent Agency, and to Martha Mihalick at Greenwillow, with whom I am so excited to be working. (Excited enough to be careful not to end that sentence with a preposition.)
February 4, 2014
Represent!
I'm so pleased to announce that I've accepted an offer of representation for my manuscript from Molly Ker Hawn at The Bent Agency. Together, I'm confident we can hone the best possible version of the piece, and I'm honored to be working with such a smart, energetic, insightful person.
In other news, songs from my show The Hole (with Joey Murray and Rob Baumgartner) were performed at Goodspeed Opera House two weeks ago while I was away for my sister's wedding. Unfortunately, there are no recordings that I know of, but rest assured, I am told it was "fierce."
In other news, songs from my show The Hole (with Joey Murray and Rob Baumgartner) were performed at Goodspeed Opera House two weeks ago while I was away for my sister's wedding. Unfortunately, there are no recordings that I know of, but rest assured, I am told it was "fierce."
August 22, 2013
Good Reviews
I'm in the position of having a show up at the Fringe Festival NYC while also having sent a novel out to agents. The experience has been overwhelming.
America's Breath of Fresh Air has received glowing reviews from lovely bloggers. If I may say so myself, those reviews are well-deserved; the actors, the director, the music-director, the choreographer, the band, the stage managers, the assistants, and of course, the writers have all worked very hard. The show is funny and well-rehearsed and a total blast; closing night is tomorrow and I am sad to see it end.
America's Breath of Fresh Air has received glowing reviews from lovely bloggers. If I may say so myself, those reviews are well-deserved; the actors, the director, the music-director, the choreographer, the band, the stage managers, the assistants, and of course, the writers have all worked very hard. The show is funny and well-rehearsed and a total blast; closing night is tomorrow and I am sad to see it end.
