Revising My Writing Life

In January of every year, I look back on what I’ve accomplished or didn’t accomplish. I’ve had to force myself not to dwell on all the things I wanted to do but didn’t. But I do think about them and wonder why…

Mostly, it’s because I gave up at the first wrong turn. “Gwendolyn,” I say to myself, “That was an awesome idea!” Why didn’t you follow up on the critique from your writing group?

Sometimes it’s because another idea or opportunity popped up and I immediately switch gears. Sometimes it seems too hard. I doubt myself. My mind tells me “You can’t possibly write well enough to have it published. Or an editor replied with a discouraging rejection.

Then I notice a new book on the bookstore shelves about a similar subject. My heart dips. My brain sags. My husband has no sympathy. “You shouldn’t have given up,” he tells me. That’s not what I wanted to hear. But is very similar to the advice I’ve given to other writers. Find a new angle. Change your approach. There are tons of books on the market with similar themes and plots. Your job is to dig deep into yourself and find the book that only you can write and then write it from your heart.

Study the craft of writing. Join a critique group or form your own. And listen to your writing group. Try some of their ideas and think deeply about their thoughts as you revise. Think about them even when they seem to point you west and you’re determined to head east.

During those confusing times, I often board Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer and think and write as it travels through our Oklahoma landscape on its way to Fort Worth, Texas. The journey is never pointless because one of my daughters lives at the end of the track. If my revising needs a longer ride, I transfer to the Texas Eagle and chug-a-lug my way east to Longview where a niece awaits me. 

The Heartland Flyer

Are there times your writing needs revising? Does it seem as if it’s heading north and it needs to head in the opposite direction? Try changing your environment. Even a different library or coffee shop can help clear your mind and your writing. I like to visit museums like the Museum of Osteology.

Find your best train for revising. Listen for the conductor’s announcement, “The revision train is now loading on Track SUCCESS!”

Posted by Gwendolyn Hooks

While the Sun Shines

If you’re anywhere near Sheboygan, Wisconsin, look for me this weekend at the Sheboygan Children’s Book Festival. The celebration, October 9-11, features free programming for children, teens, and adults with 16 authors and illustrators presenting at three venues.

I’ll be presenting a program for children on Saturday at 11:30 at Bookworm Gardens. I’ll read Flip, Float, Fly: Seeds on the Move, and we’ll do a milkweed seed activity and talk about monarch butterflies.  I can hardly wait!

On Sunday at 1:30 at the Mead Public Library, I’ll present a workshop for adults about writing lively nonfiction and share examples from exciting nonfiction books for kids. I found such wonderful resources!

The following weekend is our SCBWI-Wisconsin Fall Conference, where I’ll present a breakout session on Activating Passive Language. I’m also doing critiques. Here, I’m interviewed on the new SCBWI-Wisconsin Blog. You can read interviews with some of the other presenters here. 

Just in time for my conference planning, I finished revising a test passage for an educational publisher. Sometime before I take off for Sheboygan, I intend to send out a letter about a school visit. All this preparation can be a bit overwhelming, but it’s all fun stuff. After a pretty quiet summer, I’m happy to be busy! So when work is available, I always say "Yes!" if I can.

This week’s To-Do list demonstrates our current Teaching Authors topic: the variety of ways we try to make a living in addition to writing and marketing our books for children. Marti started us off with a post about her two articles in the 2016 Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market, including "Make a Living as a Writer." Last week Monday, Esther mentioned teaching, writing book reviews, and educational writing. On Wednesday, Laura Purdie Salas shared an exercise about writing on assignment. On Friday, April gave us three tips and a story. Mary Ann started this week with another story and her take on school visits and teaching. We all wear multiple hats!

When I’m busybusybusy, I have to remember to take breaks. Yesterday, I walked to the lake and saw this brief, tiny rainbow overhead.

Here’s a cloud-watching poem to go with the view:

Summer Job 

My favorite occupation
is to lie back and look at the sky.
If you find the right spot,
you can see quite a lot
in the shapes of the clouds rolling by. 

You can study the habits of insects.
You can see how they flutter and fly.
You’ll see birds on the wing.
You can hear how they sing
as they swoop and they soar through the sky. 

All in all, it’s a fabulous habit.
You really should give it a try.
There’s nothing to do
but consider the view.
As the day drifts away, so do I.

JoAnn Early Macken 

I hope to see some of you out and about! In the meantime, be sure to enter our book giveaway for a chance to win a copy of the 2016 Children’s Writer’s and Illustrator’s Market (courtesy of Writer’s Digest Books)! Saturday, October 10, is the last day to enter.

Laura Purdie Salas is hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup at Writing the World for Kids. Enjoy!

JoAnn Early Macken