Back from the ACFW Conference

I’ve been back from the ACFW conference in Dallas for a week, but have been busy reorienting to life, as well as to new possibilities as a result of attending the convention.

I did not win the Genesis contest, historical romance category, but I’m not disappointed in the least. Being a finalist motivated me to attend, but a far bigger goal needed to be addressed while there. If I succeeded at that, I “won,” whether or not I won the contest.

The picture is of me (left) with Elizabeth Ann Boyles, also a finalist in the historical romance category. We’d both spent from Thursday until Saturday evening before the Awards Gala hoping to meet the other two finalists. In a group of 500 attendees it was a long shot, though not impossible.

As it turned out, we met just before the doors opened. We were standing outside, alone, waiting. After introducing ourselves, we broke out laughing. “So this is my competitor.” 

We hugged each other, and then we went in and sat down beside each other. We also expressed our hope that the other would win. We had a great time. Elizabeth is delightful. 

The the third finalist in our category, Elizabeth Lukinuk, won. She was the only winner who didn’t attend the conference, nor appoint someone to accept her award and give her speech. 

My biggest reason for attending the conference was to pitch my manuscript to several targeted agents/editors, and that’s exactly what I was able to do. I pitched to all of the agents that most interest me, as well as to the senior editor from Harlequin Love Inspired—the line I would dearly love to break into. Four agents requested to see a partial. The editor requested the full manuscript. Yay!

Since returning home, regarding the writing life, I’ve felt the need to think about my next likely writing project. I will choose from two stories that were plotted earlier. One was plotted in-depth and the other, roughly.

It’s the roughly plotted one that’s most likely to be my next project. It falls better into my series scheme. I love the theme, which explores the question: What is the best way to serve God?

The other idea should be the last book in what I hope will be a very long series. (We can dream, right?)

Over the coming week or two, I’ll dust off and send out the requested materials. Then, I will happily begin my new project while awaiting further instructions from the agents and the editor.

Attending the ACFW national conference in Dallas was an incredible experience for me. If God gives me another chance to attend, I will definitely go.

Heading to the ACFW Conference in Dallas

I’ll be departing for Dallas and ACFW’s annual, national writer’s convention, in the wee hours on Thursday morning, 5:00 am to be exact. I’ll need to leave for the airport at around 2:00 am. Not fun, but by doing this, I was able to  work around an additional night’s stay at the convention hotel, which would’ve cost another $200.

We’re not flush this year. Crops yields were below average, and wheat prices are not at the break-even point. Saving money counts! Fortunately, I had saved my harvest wages from 2014, telling my husband that if things looked promising for my writing in the coming year, I would use it to attend the national ACFW convention in 2015. Interestingly, my wages were very, very close to the exact amount that the convention is costing me. So I guess that is what God always intended for me to do, and He gave me the means of doing it. 

This convention will be different for me in a couple of ways from any other writer’s convention I’ve attended. For one thing, it’s a Christian writer’s convention, which is very appealing. For another, I’m looking at it as a job interview. I’ll be pitching a marketable manuscript, one that has taken second place in three contests, and is currently a finalist in ACFW’s Genesis contest, to an editor and an agent. The manuscript may or may not sell to this editor. This agent may not take me on. But I will have made some connections and the door to the possibility of traditional publication will have opened a bit farther.  And that is awesome. 

I’ve written my elevator pitch, my two-paragraph pitch, and my acceptance speech, should I happen to win the Historical Romance category. 

I promised to show you my completed one sheet (see above).

I also bought a dress to wear to the awards gala and a pretty jacket of navy blue lace. The dress is a stretchy jersey fabric in sunset colors: reds, burgundies, oranges, and with a touch of navy. I found a sparkly necklace in the same colors. And I plan to wear some burgundy pumps that a good friend gave me, which we jokingly call “Dorothy’s Wizard of Oz” shoes. (Maybe they’ll bring me luck?)  

What’s been happening with you, now that summer’s over? Have you attended any writer’s conventions lately?

Cheryl Klein 2012 Revision Workshop: Spokane, WA SCBWI

Four of us from the Moscow, Idaho area drove to Spokane yesterday for a day-long workshop on revision with Scholastic editor Cheryl Klein, sponsored by SCBWI.

The workshop did not disappoint. If Cheryl ever comes to your area, don't hesitate to attend this workshop.

However, in the event that that is not a possibility for you, you can glean 80% of what she had to say from her book, Second Sight: An Editor's Talks on Writing and Publishing Books for Children and Young Adults. This is mostly a compilation of blog posts she had written over several years when she was known in the blogosphere as Brooklyn Arden. She drew heavily from it in her presentation.

I would have to say that if you've been studying the craft and techniques of writing for a while, not much of what she had to say will be new to you, however, a refresher is always good.

If you are new to studying the craft of writing, you will probably come away with your head spinning from information overload.

I especially liked her explanations for the numerous uses of BOOKMAPS. She is extremely left-brained, extremely analytical, as you might expect an editor to be.

There was one new piece of information, one missing piece from my "Understanding the Craft of Writing Puzzle" that she did answer for me. I have always wondered where, exactly, a manuscript should begin. She gave the example (which is typical of my own book) of a young adult who is in the process of moving to a new town. Where should the story open? When the young person gets the news that the family will be moving? As the family is on the road, moving to their new home? Driving into the driveway of the new home? The first day of school? A week later?

Her response was a simple, slap yourself upside your cheek and wonder why you never had that figured out before: You begin it where the protagonist comes in contact with whatever your overarching story is about.

If your overarching story involves conflict between two people, your first scene is where those two people meet and conflict. If it's about a mystery, it's where the person who is to solve the mystery comes on scene and gets the first clue or bit of necessary information. If it's a love story, it's when the hero and heroine meet.

The first scene ends where the protagonist is faced with a choice that determines the next action step in the story.

SCBWI-Spokane: Conference

Good friends Kim (L) and Jenn (R) with Holiday House editor Pam Glauber

So I’m coming out of my self-imposed Social Media lockdown to crow about a great conference that deserves to get some press. For the past 10 or so years, there’s been a SCBWI chapter in the Spokane, WA area, which is the nearest SCBWI chapter from where I live, and about 60 miles away.

I think it was Verla Kay who started the ball rolling, all those years ago. She’d just moved into the area, up from California. Each year, SCBWI-Spokane puts on an annual, one-day conference, in addition to a couple of smaller events.  On Saturday, for the first time in ten years, I attended their conference, which definitely turned out to be worth my time.

For one thing, it was small, probably around 60 people, which meant I was able to have conversations with most of the attendees. Most memorable, apart from my conversations with the speakers, were the conversations with the movers and shakers of SCBWI-Spokane. (Most notably: Mary Cronk Farrell, Claire Rudolph Murphy, Rachel Hamby, Kelly Milner Halls, and Debbie Fredericks.) I also met a fellow librarian from Walla Walla (go-librarians!). And, surprise of surprises, I discovered that six of the attendees were from my area, in addition to my close friend Laurie Schneider, who’d signed up but was unable to attend.

That makes a total of 11 people who I now know in my immediate area, that are interested in writing for children. It’s possible that our local critique group just might be getting bigger!

New friend Betsy (L) with agent Kerry Sparks of Levine-Greenberg

Friday evening, conference helpers were invited to attend an appetizer/desert event at Claire Rudolph Murphy’s house. That loosely-structured event was where I was met a good number of people.

Lovely Margy Swensen, who I’d never met before, has several spare bedrooms in her house, which she offered to conference-helpers who didn’t want to have to shell out $ for a motel room. I’d been in contact with hospitality chairperson, Rachel Hamby, and mentioned that I was planning to pass on the dinner reception because I didn’t want to get home from Spokane at 10:00 pm on Friday night, and have to turn around and get up again at 5:30 am on Saturday, to be at the convention by 7:30 am. So … we all from my area now know of Margy and her gracious offer, come convention time next year.  

The conference itself began at 8:00 am on Saturday morning and ran until around 4:30 pm. Presenters included one agent, one published author, and one editor.

The agent was Kerry Sparks from Levine Greenburg. She is young and energetic, upbeat—delightful. She was on my list of agents to query even before I met her. Since meeting her, she’s risen significantly on the list.

The editor was Pam Glauber of Holiday House, which is a small house and one of the few that still accepts unsolicited submissions. She is also young and energetic, upbeat and delightful. I’ve always liked the selection of books Holiday House puts out, and so I was thrilled to meet her.

The author was YA author Marsha Qualey, from Wisconsin. For some reason, I’d always thought she was from Canada, but no. She, along with Claire Rudolph Murphy, are both instructors for the low residency MFA in Children’s Writing program affiliated with Hamline University.  

All talks were excellent, but it doesn’t stop there! In November, SCBWI-Spokane will be hosting Greg Pincus, Social Media guru, who will fly up from his home in Beverly Hills to talk to us about all things Social Media. I’ve met him before, and he’s very approachable.  

Then next spring, SCBWI-Spokane will be hosting an all-day workshop with Scholastic editor Cheryl Klein.

Fun events to look forward to! Many thanks to SCBWI-Spokane for their dedication to children's literature, and to providing local events.