Advice for Writers from Carrie Ryan

Carrie Ryan’s THE FOREST OF HANDS AND TEETH grabbed me from the first line and didn’t let go until the end. Her workshop at the SCBWI-Carolinas Fall Conference was equally engaging.

Don’t let her bubbly personality fool you. Ms. Ryan does bad things to her characters and challenges others to do the same. Her advice? Take readers to the point where they believe the situation can’t possibly get worse, then, make it worse. Keep raising the stakes. Pull away your main character’s support system. Don’t shy away from situations where reaching the external goal would mean not reaching the internal goal. And by the way, there doesn’t have to be a happy ending.

Carrie Ryan also discussed her theory of credibility points. She believes readers give writers about 100 credibility points. If a writer asks the reader to believe something big (like in the existence of zombies), that will take lots of points. This means the writer should add details to make the smaller leaps of faith more believable.

So, how about you? Do you let your main character struggle or are you too quick to race to the rescue? Please leave a comment and share.

And The Winner Is...

Robin Constantine is the winner of my First Pages Blog Contest. She will be receiving the Mad Libs American Idol edition, where she may use adverbs as freely as she pleases.

I appreciate those of you who shared what you've learned. You rock!

First Pages: An American Idol for Writers

First Pages create lots of buzz at SCBWI conferences. Writers can choose to turn in a first page of a manuscript. If the page is picked, it will be read in front of a panel of experts (usually editors and agents) and an audience of conference participants. These sessions are a bit like an American Idol for writers. You hear the good, the bad, and the ugly. Everyone wants to watch, but only the brave participate. Sometimes the feedback is brutal. At least names are left off the manuscripts, so a bad “audition” won’t cost you your dignity. Every now and then, a piece will shine.

I’ve watched American Idol since the first season. I pride myself in my ability to predict what the different judges will say after a performance. This is the beauty of attending a First Pages session. As the panel responds to the pages, those listening get a better understanding of what editors and agents want to see and what turns them off. Although I’ve never had a piece read during one, I can still apply the feedback.

For example, during the last SCBWI Carolinas Fall Conference, an editor pointed out that it was not a good idea to use brand names in a manuscript, because it can make your work seem dated in later years. This was new to me, and I was able to change the brand names in my work in progress to generic ones before sending it out again.

So what have you learned from a First Pages session? Leave a comment and follow my blog. On Monday, one sharer will be randomly picked to receive the AMERICAN IDOL MAD LIBS edition. Remember, I must be able to contact you to send you a prize, so make sure you leave me your twitter name or email address if I can’t find it through your blog account. I will only mail the prize to a U.S. address. Good luck, and thanks for sharing.

David Macinnis Gill's YA Workshop

YA stands for young adult, and according to SOUL ENCHILADA author David Macinnis Gill, YA is a marketing category, not a genre. At the SCBWI Carolinas Fall Conference, he explained what YA is and how it distinguishes itself from middle grade and adult books.

Generally, YA books span ages 12 to 18+. But not all YA is appropriate for 12-year-olds. As YA reaches out for college students, the themes become darker and more complex. The language and content of YA books often keep them off the shelves of libraries.

So how do you know if a book is a YA? Gill listed four characteristics:
*a teen main character
*an inherently teenage story problem
*written for a teen audience
*told in the here-and-now, rather than from adult retrospection.


Middle grade and young adult books can share similar characteristics and have an overlapping audience. The main difference between the two is intensity. In a middle grade book, romance might involve hand holding or some kissing. Young adult takes it further. In middle grade books, a bully might hit or push. In a young adult story, a bully might kill or cause serious injuries. In a middle grade book, a teacher might be mean. In a young adult book, the teacher might be a predator.

Writers should have a good idea who their audience is when pitching manuscripts, but the final decision is often out of their hands. Editors, sales and marketing, and agents help decide a book’s category.

Packing for a SCBWI Conference

Are you packed yet? With at least two SCBWI Fall Conferences this weekend, I’m betting many of us are wondering what to stuff in our suitcases. Below is a list to get us started. Please add any suggestions to it in the comment section. After all, I’m packing too and would hate to forget something.

Notebook and pens (to write down important info, ideas, and doodles)
Business Casual Outfit for Critique (Looking professional never hurts)
Breakfast bar or crackers (In case you oversleep)
Business Cards for networking (Staples can usually make these same day)
A Copy or two of some manuscripts/illustrations (to share as needed)
Chocolate (You’ll want an energy boost during afternoon sessions)
Laptop (For researching leads)
First Page entry (We won’t try to spot the embarrassed soul who wrote it)
Something to share at Open Mic (We promise to clap)
A willingness to learn (If you listen instead of just focusing on being heard, you will get much more out of conferences)

I’m looking forward to the SCBWI Carolinas Conference this weekend. For those of you on Twitter, we’ll be tweeting what we learn at #cfc09. I’ll also share nuggets of wisdom on my blog next week.

September 11, 2001

Why would someone with a blog about writing write a 9/11 post? Because that day interrupted everything.

On September 11, 2001 I was a fourth grade teacher at Walkertown Elementary. Before my students arrived, I stopped to talk to my friend Lisa about the previous night’s Bible study. We had discussed Revelations, and how, because we lived in a country that wasn’t under attack, we had trouble seeing it as others might.

Later that morning, with my students in the room, Lisa stuck her head in the door. “Remember what we talked about this morning?” she asked. “Get ready.”

I didn’t get to ask her what was going on, but I felt a heaviness.

A little while later, a parent volunteer came by with a brief note from the office. It was a newsflash, followed by orders not to watch or discuss it with our children.

There was noise. I taught from my lesson plans, got a few students to the office when worried parents checked them out early, and made sure we made it to the cafeteria on time for lunch.

When our students were in specials, we gathered in rooms. We stared up at the horror, and we worried, and we wondered. Then we picked up our class and went back to teaching.

It was right not to tell the kids what was going on, but I know they felt the silence. Children know when something is being kept from them. But for a few more hours, we guarded their innocence and gave them some stability. I will not forget that day or the pressing silence.

Carolina Tweeps Who Write And/Or Illustrate

Last week on Twitter, Bonnie Adamson decided to recommend writers and illustrators from North and South Carolina as people to follow. Some of us were having a tough time keeping up, so she graciously shared her list. I've added to it, and it's a whopper. There are kidlit writers, freelancers, romance tweeps, science fiction creators, bloggers, etc. If you know of any other North or South Carolina writers that would like to be added, please leave their Twitter name and actual name in the comment section.

@Koppelmom (Donna Koppelman)
@johnclaudebemis (John Claude Bemis)
@GrannyGretchen (Gretchen Griffith)
@nikiofware (Niki Schoenfeldt)
@mdiffee (Marie Wright)
@quirkywriter (Laura Renegar)
@stephenmesser (Stephen Messer)
@bethrevis (Beth Revis)
@katiehines (Katie Hines)
@moyergirl (Joyce Hostetter)
@carrieryan (Carrie Ryan)
@Constaur (Constance Lombardo)
@NCWriterMom (Maggie Moe)
@catesfolly (Florence Gardner)
@Alan_Gratz (Alan Gratz)
@claycarmichael (Clay Carmichael)
@Georgia_McBride (Georgia McBride)
@CREvers (Christy Evers)
@marybrebner (Mary Brebner)
@kate_reilly (Kate Reilly)
@ncwriterchick (Bernie Hearne)--protects her tweets
@LaurieJEdwards (Laurie Edwards)
@bonniedoerr (Bonnie Doerr)
@ashleymc1477 (Ashley McCollum)
@BonnieAdamson (Bonnie Adamson)
@alijwalker (Alicia Walker)
@katmagendie (Kathryn Magendie)
@AmyClipston (Amy Clipston)
@MollyFyde (Hugh Howey)
@joliehale (Jolie Hale)
@annieteich (Annie Teich)
@shellyyarbrough (Shelly Yarbrough)--protects her tweets
@ElizabethSCraig (Elizabeth S. Craig)
@BergersBookRev (Alice Berger)
@LydiaBreakfast (Lydia Dishman)
@ncyankee719 (Robin Constantine)
@louisehawes (Louise Hawes)
@thunderchikin (David Macinnis Gill)
@ItsDorothy (Dorothy Ray)
@LadyLoriSC (Lori Norman)
@authorann (Ann Eisenstein)
@acfeagan (Alice Feagan)--raised & educated in NC, though currently elsewhere
@authorswrite (Robyn Campbell)
@tadhgceitinn (Tim Keeton)
@chewchewpoopee (Susan LaBarre)