SCBWI's Blueboard - A Message & Chat Board
Writer's Room => Picture Books (PB) => Topic started by: Mindy Alyse Weiss on July 22, 2011, 01:32 PM
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I've written two blog posts about the incredible Picture Book Intensive I took with Lisa Wheeler and Alexandra Penfold at the FL SCBWI Workshop in Orlando. It was such an amazing event, and I love how much the info has helped my writing! Before the intensive, my mentor said that almost all writers are strongest in one genre, and that I was primarily a middle grade writer. After seeing several manuscripts I've revised since the intensive, she said that I am definitely a middle grade AND picture book writer. Wahoo! Hard work, always looking for new techniques, reading and analyzing zillions of picture books, and belonging to several amazing critique groups really does pay off! I hope the notes will help your picture book manuscripts, too!
Here's part 1: http://mindyalyse.livejournal.com/66416.html
And here's part 2: http://mindyalyse.livejournal.com/66756.html
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Mindy, I thought these were both great posts!! I've been focusing on my first-ever MG these days, but now I'm all inspired to get back to my PBs in progress! Thanks for sharing the experience with us!
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Yes! I read part two today. Thanks again for posting these, Mindy!
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:flowers2 Thanks for sharing your blog posts! Your enthusiasm is catching. Good luck w/your stories!
~Tina
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Thanks so much, Jenna, Katy, and Tina. And you're welcome. I hope the info helps you as much as it has helped me. :)
I know what you mean, Jenna. I put my MG aside for a bit because it's so exciting to see how much stronger I can make my picture books now. But now my MG is screaming for attention again, so I'll have to figure out the best way to juggle the genres.
Thanks, Tina. Good luck with your stories, too. :)
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Mindy, this is great! So many terrific pointers. Thanks for taking the time to write it up. :thankyou
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You're welcome, Steph. :)
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Thanks for sharing your posts. I attended a picture book workshop with Lisa Wheeler last year and it was fantastic! I'd definitely recommend her workshops to anyone.
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:wow Both Lisa and Alexandra doing a workshop together has to be amazing!!!! I've taken a picture book workshop with Lisa. She gave me a whole new way of looking at a WIP. And, I was fortunate to have Alexandra as my critiquer at NESCBWI last year (middle grade manuscript)...how lucky am I to have met both of them!
What I remember most from Lisa, other than the opener, is to trim trim trim unnecessary words - even the ones that seemed needed on the first draft. In other words...make every word count!
Thanks Mindy for your posts. :hearts
(ps-did you see my news?)
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For those able to attend, these are fantastic top-notch editors. Lucky you!
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Thanks for sharing your great notes Mindy! Happy to hear that the conference was so helpful for you.
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Thanks so much for sharing this, Mindy! The info. is very helpful, and your enthusiasm is catching--I have been focused on my MG over the last few months, and this makes me want to revisit my PBs again!
:sun Becky
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Thanks for sharing your notes! These are great!
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You are wonderful, Mindy, to take the time to write up these posts and share all this helpful information with us! You're wonderful, too, to help get us excited about our writing. Authoring can get discouraging, and it's easy to find ourselves at low points, but excitement like yours can be contagious. Thanks so much for sharing! :hearts I'm wishing you the best on finding homes for all your revised and improved stories.
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Thank you all so much. And yay that it helped get some of you excited about your picture book manuscripts again. I love being able to see mine in a new way, and hope you all have magical moments with yours, too.
Shelli--I agree, Lisa is fantastic!
Mona--Yay that you had a great workshop with Lisa and wonderful crit with Alexandra. And huge congrats on your fantastic news! I'm so happy for you, and hope an editor scoops up that manuscript soon.
Aw, thanks so much for your sweet words, Ev. :hug
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Thanks so much for the links to your notes on the picture book intensive. They were great and really helpful.
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I've written two blog posts about the incredible Picture Book Intensive I took with Lisa Wheeler and Alexandra Penfold at the FL SCBWI Workshop in Orlando. It was such an amazing event, and I love how much the info has helped my writing! Before the intensive, my mentor said that almost all writers are strongest in one genre, and that I was primarily a middle grade writer. After seeing several manuscripts I've revised since the intensive, she said that I am definitely a middle grade AND picture book writer. Wahoo! Hard work, always looking for new techniques, reading and analyzing zillions of picture books, and belonging to several amazing critique groups really does pay off! I hope the notes will help your picture book manuscripts, too!
Here's part 1: http://mindyalyse.livejournal.com/66416.html
And here's part 2: http://mindyalyse.livejournal.com/66756.html
These are TERRIFIC! I am printing them out and hanging it next to my PC.
PS - I wish I could figure out how to subscribe to a live journal blog!!!
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Thanks so much, Jodelle and Covetcat. :) I hope the notes help you as much as they've helped me. I feel like my picture book manuscripts took a huge leap forward after this intensive.
Covetcat--I wish I knew how people could subscribe to an LJ blog, too. I know that I can click a button on profiles and receive notifications when they post, but can't remember if you have to be a paid LJ member to do it. I have a feeling there's some way to subscribe...but I haven't figured it out yet.
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Great information! Thank you for sharing this.