The Northwest Author Series Presents Children’s Author Amber Keyser on How to Use a Critique Group

Hosted by Christina Katz at the Wilsonville Public Library, 8200 SW Wilsonville Rd. Sunday, January 24th at 3:30 p.m.
$5 at the door ($3 for students & seniors)

Topic: Don’t Suffer Alone: How to Use a Critique Group to Enhance Your Writing

Much of a writer’s life is spent hunched over a keyboard alone. But writing doesn’t have to be a completely solitary endeavor. A good critique group can feed your creativity, hone your skills, keep you focused, and avert despair. In this workshop, we’ll discuss the characteristics of a productive writing group and how to find one. Through hands-on activities, we’ll explore how to give and receive constructive criticism. Finally, we’ll focus on how critique and revision will help you produce your best possible work and have fun doing it. Several members of Amber Keyser’s critique group, Viva Scriva, will be on hand to share the inner workings of this productive bunch of writers.

Amber Keyser, an evolutionary biologist turned freelance writer, uses both story and science to understand how the world works and why we do what we do. She has written articles for Mothering Magazine online and CommonSenseMedia.org. Her articles for children have appeared in Odyssey Magazine and at Globio.org, an online biodiversity resource. Her books for children include An Algonquin Heart Song: Paddle My Own Canoe (The Friends of Algonquin Park) and two graphic novels from Capstone Press, Cells with Max Axiom and Genes with Max Axiom (due out in 2010).

We’ll have extra doorprizes at this event especially for writers interested in critique groups! Hope you can make it.

Marina’s Notes from Melissa Hart’s Presentation on How to Craft & Market Life Stories

Melissa Hart, author of the memoir, Gringa, recently released from Seal Press, gave a riveting speech on how to write a memoir that sells.

The first step: Choosing a topic

Topic selection:

You must brainstorm before you select a topic:

1. What three events in your life stand out as most significant?
2. What three events stand out as most painful?
3. What three events stand out as the funniest and/or most bizarre?
4. What are three of your most vivid memories from childhood?
5. What are three things about your life that make you unique?

It is essential that your main topic sound immediately interesting. Make sure your perspective is different from previous memoirs. Publishers are looking for fresh stories.

Hyperboles and stretching the truth:

Ariel Gore said “A memoir is to a journalistic autobiography as a movie based on life events is to a documentary.”

• It’s okay to make up dialogue you can’t remember as long as it’s based around a truth.
• Do not stretch too far from the truth, and if you do, don’t admit it.
• You have to be very careful with lies, be as honest as you can. Lies tend to disappoint people.
• Avoid getting sued by people in the book
  • Change name, job, and all identifying characteristics

When writing a memoir:

• Make it specific, don’t try to cram your life into one book
• Focus on one small part (i.e. Your love of candy, the men in your life)
• Admit your flaws
  • No one wants to read about someone who is perfect
  • Have the courage to make yourself unlikable
  • Use humor
    • Publishers love it when you have the courage to write humorously about a social issue that people are afraid to talk about (i.e. having a brother with down syndrome, but talk about how he always wins taco eating contests)
  • Tie in current events whenever possible

Literal Elements

There are things that all memoirs need

1. Conflict & Resolution
2. Setting
   1. Season, time of day, walls, floors, people around, the atmosphere of the place
   2. Characters
      1. Focus on eccentricities and idiosyncrasies
   3. Narrative arc
      1. Rising Action
      2. Climax
      3. Falling action
   4. Descriptive Elements
      1. Hyperbole
         1. i.     Exaggeration of the truth
      2. Metaphor/smile
         1. i.     Comparing two things
      3. Sensory details
         1. i.     Don’t forget smell and taste
   5. Conclusion
      1. Take time to explain the significance of the event, reflect
      2. End with an image or a funny story

After first draft

• Work with a critique group or a partner
• If you can, let the writing sit, you can come back to it with a fresh mind

After final draft

• Never sell all rights
• You need a platform, be visible, get known
• Create a book proposal
  • Write a good synopsis
  • Really sell your work

Fun Extras:

• Try a 6 word memoir at Smith
• Take a creative writing class
• Learn about multimedia production, this can also help with advertising

Melissa Hart Resources:

melissah@uoregon.edu

www.melissahart.com

Blog for Writers at www.butt2chair.wordpress.com

The Northwest Author Series Presents Memoirist Melissa Hart on How to Craft & Market Life Stories

Hosted by Christina Katz at the Wilsonville Public Library
Sunday, November 15 at 3:30 p.m.
$5 at the door ($3 for students & seniors)

If you can tell your own stories skillfully in an entertaining voice, you’ll find opportunities to publish short essays in magazines and newspapers. You’ll also have a shot at publishing book-length memoir. This presentation will teach you how to identify a particular time period and/or theme in your life on which to focus your memoir. We’ll talk about the structure of short memoir and the various forms it can take, including essays, social commentary, and slice-of-life vignettes. The course will cover characterization, plot, setting and theme. We’ll discuss how to craft a book-length work, and we’ll pay particular attention to the challenges of memory, dialogue, hyperbole, and responses from family members and friends. Participants will receive a bibliography of current books on crafting memoir, as well as a list of magazine and newspaper editors particularly interested in the genre. You’ll come away with a new-found respect for the stories that only you can tell, and a solid sense of where and how to market them to editors.

Melissa Hart is the author of the memoir Gringa: A Contradictory Girlhood (Seal, 2009). Her short memoir has appeared in The Washington Post, The Los Angeles Times, Mothering, The Advocate, Hemispheres, Fourth Genre, Woman’s Day, High Country News, Orion, and various other publications. Melissa teaches journalism at the University of Oregon, and memoir writing for U.C. Berkeley’s online extension program. She’s a contributing editor to The Writer Magazine.

Marina’s Notes from Kati Neville’s Presentation on Test-Market Your Idea with Self-Publishing

Christina Katz, Marina Cameron & Kati Neville

Notes from “Test-Market with Self-Publishing: Get Your Ideas Reader Ready”

Kati Neville is co-author of Fix, Freeze, Feast (Storey Publishing, 2007) and an expert on self-publishing. She was quite successful with self-publishing, and was a great resource for those interested in publishing their own works.

Kati Neville asked some key questions for writers to explore when thinking self-publishing:

1.)   How is your idea unique? What resources are similar/different from it? Make the business case for your project without emotion.

1. Who is your market?
2. Who will sell it?
3. Competition?
4. Think about timing, try to tie into key events.

2.)   Do you need to partner with others to strengthen or balance your content? If yes, list the qualities of your ideal partner before you search. Do not enter into a partnership lightly.

1. View it like a marriage
2. Be realistic about “convenient people,” you may not want your neighbor or your sister to be your business partner.
3. It’s okay to have a “business perspective.” You can be formal, it may speed things up.

3.)   What professional contractors and supplies do you need to complete your project? If your goal is to use self-publishing as a stepping-stone to a traditional publishing relationship, you should budget more for professional services/products. And don’t skimp.

1. Often times people you can work with people who are just starting out in the business to get a deal, even though they have less experience, it may be worth it.

4.)   Are there industry standards or style guidelines you should use? Find out before you sit down to write.

1. Do a little research before you begin writing, there might be a format that you should use, especially for things like cookbooks and instructional books.

5.)   Will your final product be printed traditionally or electronically? Develop a solid knowledge of your audience and take into account your marketing/publicity plans (and those of any partners). Focus on small print runs, even though they cost more per copy.

1. Think about the audience you want, are they “book people?”
2. Cooking is tactile, the people are gift givers, they like to have something to read in their hands.
3. When printing, you can always print more but not less. It’s hard to know how many books will sell.

6.)   Do you have professional headshots and the beginnings of a professional platform. This is critical for those angling for a traditional publishing deal.

1. This is important to express to the editor who you are, it’s important for people to see you.
2. You have to display your expertise in the field, convince them you are a professional even if you aren’t.

7.)   What is your marketing/publishing plan? Define the actions and contacts that will increase the visibility of your work among its audience over the long haul. If your product is an e-book, this includes the professional appearance and reach of your host company.

1. How do you get out the word?
   1. Blog/website
   2. Classes/seminars
   3. Podcasts
      1. Get an interview on a more popular podcast
      2. Script it
      3. Work on social networking
2. Things take a long time, be in it for the long haul.

The Northwest Author Series Presents Cookbook Author Kati Neville on Test-market with Self-publishing: Get Your Ideas Reader-ready

Hosted by Christina Katz at the Wilsonville Public Library
Sunday, October 18 at 3:30 p.m.
$5 at the door ($3 for students & seniors)

Self-publishing belongs in every writer’s portfolio. For hobby writers and generalists, self-publishing is a fun, creative outlet. For professionals, it offers an opportunity to test markets while gaining audience and momentum for a traditional publishing relationship. Aspiring cookbook authors can use online publishing tools and resources to gather feedback on recipes and cooking styles. Whether or not you are an aspiring cookbook author, self-publishing can advance your career to author status. Bring your book ideas and questions to this workshop, where we’re sure to have a lively discussion.

Kati Neville secured a traditional publishing relationship for her self-published cookbook, The Warehouse Gourmet. In 2007, it was revised, expanded, and re-branded as, Fix, Freeze, Feast. Today, it’s a bestseller. Kati is a contributing editor for “The Saver’s Kitchen” podcast and writes about podcasting for writers in “The Get Known Groove.” She has shared recipes and money-saving tips with the audiences of Better.TV, Showcase Minnesota, Real Simple, Costco Connection, and Prevention.

Marina’s Notes from Laura Whitcomb’s Presentation on Novel Shortcuts

By Marina Cameron, Northwest Author Series WHS student intern

Laura Whitcomb spoke at the library September 27th about novel shortcuts and how to speed up the writing process without cutting down on quality.

Here are some of her main points:

The Core

• You have to keep track of why you are writing in the first place
• One thing to do is to write a dust jacket for your novel (at least 100 words). Make them want to read it.

The Crosshairs

• What is the most important moment in your whole story? Where do the most important moments in each chapter lie?
• Imagine your novel being nominated for the Oscars, what clip would they show?
• Imagine your novel being made into a movie, what would the preview look like?
• One trick is to go thorough your manuscript and mark the “crosshairs” in each chapter

Culling the Poetry

To get ideas faster, set aside to write about…

1. What should happen in the scene?
2. Project dialogue
3. 10 minute free write (think about the time, the lighting, the overall feel, thought)

“Heartstorm” for 5 minutes (include senses, details, and emotions) about a scene from your novel.

After your heartstorm, choose your favorite words/phrases (at least 10) and line them up like a poem.

Put on some music, it helps you use more of the creative side of your brain

You can check out an unfamiliar movie from the library and listen to their soundtrack

Some good movies (depending on style)

• The Mission
• The Englishman Who Went up a Hill but Came Down a Mountain
• Chocolat
• Rob Roy
• Hamelet

Listening to your Ghosts

Sometimes seemingly irrelevant ideas come calling as your write a scene from your novel in progress, those can be really  useful to your writing…

Try to be open minded while you attempt to use this ideas

One thing you can do is a word association exercise

Here are some prompts

• Smell
• Color
• Sound
• Sensations
• Taste

Dreams can also be very inspiring, before you go to sleep, tell yourself what scene from your novel you want to dream about before going to sleep, each morning write down what came to you

What to do when your writing stinks?

• Don’t rewrite crap and don’t be afraid to delete
• Make sure you have consistent character, plot and voice
• Backtracking can be helpful here

Tips for crossing the finish line…

Go through and mark up your writing,

• Awk: for awkward
• More: when elaboration is needed
• NO!: If something is totally off
• Close: if it needs a small amount of rewriting
• Circle: words that should be changed to improve word choice
• Move: don’t be afraid to rearrange
• Check fact: check history for a fact that you want to refer to
• Check back: check to ensure your novel is consistent

Characters

One way to visualize characters is to imagine they have baggage for going on the journey of the novel:

A suitcase

This is what they are all about, their main goal or character trait

Ex: Indiana Jones is searching for lost artifacts

A carry on

Something that makes the complicates the first

Ex: But he is in love

A secret pocket

A surprise for the audience

Ex: He also has a fear of snakes

To learn more about Laura Whitcomb, visit www.laurawhitcomb.com

Books by Laura Whitcomb include:

A Certain Slant of Light (2005) and The Fetch (2009) from Houghton Mifflin

Your First Novel (2006) and Novel Shortcuts (2009) from Writers Digest Books

The Northwest Author Series Presents Laura Whitcomb on Novel Shortcuts

Award-winning young adult author Laura Whitcomb of Wilsonville kicks off the 2009- 2010 Northwest Author Series on September 27th at the Wilsonville Public Library. Her presentation, “Novel Shortcuts,” takes place in the Oak Room from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $5.00 or $3.00 for seniors/students. No advance registration is required.

Topic: Novel Shortcuts–Speed Depth in Fiction Writing

Laura Whitcomb will teach “Shortcut to the Scene,” the exercise around which her book Novel Shortcuts, was written. She’ll also share techniques for writing faster and better including: using music to get at the core emotion in your story, finding the crosshairs of your novel (and each chapter), and tips for crossing the finish line faster. This workshop will include in-class writing and “homework.” If you have a manuscript you are working on, bring it along.

Laura Whitcomb’s first novel A Certain Slant of Light (Houghton Mifflin, 2005), was a Barnes & Noble “Discover Great New Writers” selection, a Book Sense Pick, and an ALA Best Books for Young Adults selection. Her second novel, The Fetch (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, February 2009) was ranked fifth in the YA Top Ten “Next List” (formerly Book Sense) and is nominated as a “Best Books for Young Adults” by YALSA. Her first writing book, Your First Novel (Writers Digest, 2006) was co-authored by literary agent Ann Rittenberg.

Books will be available for purchase and signing by the author afterwards. The series is sponsored by The Wilsonville Public Library, the Wilsonville Arts & Culture Council, and the Friends of the Wilsonville Library.

Christina Katz, author of Get Known Before the Book Deal and Writer Mama (Writer’s Digest Book), created and hosts the series. She has selected Wilsonville High School senior Marina Cameron to be the student intern this season. The Northwest Author Series will run September through May each month during the school year except December.

Please join us as we kick off our third season on Sunday, September 27th!

The Lineup for the 2009 – 2010 Northwest Author Series

The Northwest Author Series has selected the line-up of authors for the 2009-2010 season:

September 27: Young adult fiction author, Laura Whitcomb – “Novel Shortcuts”

October 18: Cookbook author, Kati Neville – “Test Market with Self-publishing”

November 15: Memoirist, Melissa Hart – “Memoir that Sells”

January 24: Children’s author, Amber J. Keyser, Ph.D. – “How to Use a Critique Group”

February 21: Nonfiction author, Cindy Hudson – “The Nonfiction Book”

March 14: Fiction author, Naseem Rakha – “Write What People Remember”

April 18: Romance author, Deborah Schneider – “Romance 101”

May 16: Children’s author, David Michael Slater – “Plotting Your Success”

We look forward to seeing you on September 27th when award-winning young adult author Laura Whitcomb kicks off the 2009- 2010 Northwest Author Series at the Wilsonville Public Library.

Her presentation, “Novel Shortcuts,” takes place in the Oak Room from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m. Tickets are available at the door for $5.00 or $3.00 for seniors/students. No advance registration is required.

Books will be available for purchase and signing by the author afterwards. The series is sponsored by The Wilsonville Public Library, the Wilsonville Arts & Culture Council, and the Friends of the Wilsonville Library.

To learn more about Wilsonville’s Northwest Author Series, contact Christina Katz at christinakatz at earthlink dot net.

The Northwest Author Series Call for Presenters for the 2009-2010 Season

The Northwest Author Series is a literary speaker series sponsored by The Wilsonville Public Library, The Wilsonville Friends of the Library and the Wilsonville Arts & Culture Council. The series is created, publicized and hosted by Wilsonville author Christina Katz.

We are now scheduling our third season.

Our presenters last season included Elizabeth Lyon, Carmen T. Bernier Grand,  Brian Libby, Christine Fletcher, Linda Kuhlmann, Cynthia Whitcomb, and Samantha Ducloux Waltz. In our first season, we welcomed Marc Acito, Heather Sharfeddin, Cynthia Whitcomb, Shelly Lipkin, Sage Cohen, Susan Fletcher and Elizabeth Rusch.

The series takes place the third Sunday of each month during the school year (September – May) and features writing professionals who have a desire to share what they have learned in a how-to format with our growing suburban literary community. Attendance at our monthly event averages between 30-40 writers, authors and aspiring authors all eager to learn as much as they can in each author’s one-and-a-half hour presentation.

Refreshments are served. Door prizes are given to two members of the audience and a grand time is had by all. If you’d like to hear from our hostess and some of our attendees, please scroll down to the next post and watch the video about our series by Bill Johnson.

Presenters are encouraged to include as much anyone-can-try-it how-to instruction throughout their 90-minute presentations. We strongly prefer a how-to presentation rather than a how-I-did-it presentation. Writers come to our series to learn new skills that they can turn around and apply themselves.

Final selections will be made by June 30, 2009 for the 09-10 season. We will contact those selected at that time to set a presentation date.

Anyone who is interested in being considered for the upcoming season, please submit your brief course description, a short bio, and a professional-quality headshot to Christina Katz (see e-mail address in the sample presentation). Presenter pitches should follow our sample format. Pitches that do not follow the format will not be considered.

The Friends of the Wilsonville Library offers our presenters an modest honorarium. Sorry, we cannot cover travel expenses.

Interested in applying? Please closely model your pitch after NAS Sample Presentation Pitch 2009.

Submissions instructions are included in the sample. Topics that have been covered include:

• humor writing
• platform development
• children’s writing
• book proposal writing
• freelance writing
• writing fiction
• self-publishing books
• screenwriting
• playwriting
• personal essay writing
• poetry writing
• researching children’s writing and young adult fiction

We would love to offer fresh topics in 2009-2010! So if you have something else you can offer in a how-to format, please submit a proposal.

Please note that all of our presenters for the Northwest Author Series are traditionally published authors. We won’t be repeating any of  the authors from the last two seasons next year.

Thank you for your interest in the Northwest Author Series. I hope we will have a chance to enjoy your presentation.

Contact christina katz at earthlink dot net if you have any questions.

An Introduction to the Northwest Author Series

Thanks to Bill Johnson from Oregon Writers Speak for coming down to Wilsonville to kindly shoot and edit this video.

You can hear more Oregon authors speak here.