Today was the third and final day of writers' conference. After opening ceremonies, we split into our workshops again. I'd printed out a schedule in advance and marked the classes I hoped to attend. My first one of the day was about writing middle-grade novels. Now that I'm more familiar with the definitions for YA and middle grade, I didn't think this class would be necessary. I tried to go to the contemporary worldbuilding class instead, but got mixed up and ended up in the middle grade room anyway. I'm glad I did- it was a very good class, and possibly the most helpful of the entire conference. It was sort of a tips and trick class, and I'm glad I went.
I had a double-length workshop with Ally Condie after that. It was about setting. I was really hoping I'd like it, because since it was double-length, I was missing my chance to attend a class called "CPR For a Mostly-Dead Middle" that seemed like it would help me. However, Ally's class turned out to be really great. She read us passages from some books and had us write about setting with some different prompts. One prompt was to write about a place we are familiar with. Although I'm not too familiar with the location, I chose to write about Lava Hot Springs. My last Youth Conference was held there, and I remember going to a pizza restaurant that had its tables in a grassy lot between two buildings. The grass was soft under our feet and I thought it was an interesting design. I also remembered how several of us had driven down the street while hanging onto the back of a truck, and that it was such a small town, we could get away with something like that. I thought about the cabin we'd stayed at. Anyway, while thinking about all those things, I really think I'm on track for a good first chapter now.
I had a double-length workshop with Ally Condie after that. It was about setting. I was really hoping I'd like it, because since it was double-length, I was missing my chance to attend a class called "CPR For a Mostly-Dead Middle" that seemed like it would help me. However, Ally's class turned out to be really great. She read us passages from some books and had us write about setting with some different prompts. One prompt was to write about a place we are familiar with. Although I'm not too familiar with the location, I chose to write about Lava Hot Springs. My last Youth Conference was held there, and I remember going to a pizza restaurant that had its tables in a grassy lot between two buildings. The grass was soft under our feet and I thought it was an interesting design. I also remembered how several of us had driven down the street while hanging onto the back of a truck, and that it was such a small town, we could get away with something like that. I thought about the cabin we'd stayed at. Anyway, while thinking about all those things, I really think I'm on track for a good first chapter now.
Jennifer Nielson was the keynote speaker today. She talked about writing motivation and how all of us are climbing a mountain to one of its many summits, and that even though a lot of us will be competing in the job market together, we're never really competing or stealing chances from each other. II thought it relevant, and she talked to us rather than at us, I sort of thought. That's how you do a keynote!
Not all my classes were winners. Some others I attended were "Outlining and Synopsis Writing" (which was not helpful because the lady rambled in circles the entire time, and even made a comment that whoever had written her presentation wasn't organized, implying that she hadn't written or even read through her presentation, since she'd described herself as someone who "had to-do lists for her to-do lists), and another class was about "Deepening characters' emotional arcs". You'd think that would be an easy class to teach. As an attendee, you'd think you knew what you're in for by the class title. But the two ladies teaching it introduced themselves as "women's fiction writers", and said that women's fiction is "any genre where the main character has an emotional arc".
Um. Okay. Isn't that... just about every book that exists? They spent quite awhile discussing what women's fiction was, putting up movie titles and having us say which sub-category of women's fiction each one fell into, and discussing that it's okay for men to read and write women's fiction. Remember that the class was called "Heightening and Deepening Your Characters' Emotional Arcs". Not, "What Is Women's Fiction and How to Write It". They talked briefly about characters, but it wasn't very helpful, and at the end they urged us to sign up for the Women's Fiction Writers Association for $48 a year. It seemed very out of place at the conference, and was a bit disappointing.
I had also planned to attend a class called "Three Harmful Habits Standing Between You and Publication", but when the time came, I chose to attend an agent-author panel instead, to learn more about agents. I hope I don't regret that, but the panel turned out to be great. Five authors who shared the same agent were there, as was the agent. I really liked the set-up- the lady "teaching" the class asked questions to the panel for the first 2/3 or so of class, and she asked really good questions I wouldn't have thought of, especially on short notice. Then we were still given the last third of the class to ask if we had additional questions. I think I learned a lot.
Um. Okay. Isn't that... just about every book that exists? They spent quite awhile discussing what women's fiction was, putting up movie titles and having us say which sub-category of women's fiction each one fell into, and discussing that it's okay for men to read and write women's fiction. Remember that the class was called "Heightening and Deepening Your Characters' Emotional Arcs". Not, "What Is Women's Fiction and How to Write It". They talked briefly about characters, but it wasn't very helpful, and at the end they urged us to sign up for the Women's Fiction Writers Association for $48 a year. It seemed very out of place at the conference, and was a bit disappointing.
I had also planned to attend a class called "Three Harmful Habits Standing Between You and Publication", but when the time came, I chose to attend an agent-author panel instead, to learn more about agents. I hope I don't regret that, but the panel turned out to be great. Five authors who shared the same agent were there, as was the agent. I really liked the set-up- the lady "teaching" the class asked questions to the panel for the first 2/3 or so of class, and she asked really good questions I wouldn't have thought of, especially on short notice. Then we were still given the last third of the class to ask if we had additional questions. I think I learned a lot.
After I'd sat down for dinner, Sam texted me asking if I could sit by her so we could leave earlier. She was taking me home after dinner so she could say hi to her kids and pick up Matt. They were going to the Whitney Awards together, like a date. We got back a lot earlier today than yesterday! Mom picked me up from their house and took me home from there. After we'd arrived, Dad opened his birthday presents (the main one being a deep fryer (or air fryer) that uses only a tablespoon of oil instead of tons of it, and supposedly makes healthier things).
After some cake, we were swept off to dinner. We went out for Chinese food at Mulan's. I had fried dumplings, and some fried sugar donuts too. Once we came home, we played a game called Code Names, but this time we used the version that had pictures instead of words, which Dad had gotten for his birthday. It was a pretty good day for me, and I hope that he enjoyed it too.
After some cake, we were swept off to dinner. We went out for Chinese food at Mulan's. I had fried dumplings, and some fried sugar donuts too. Once we came home, we played a game called Code Names, but this time we used the version that had pictures instead of words, which Dad had gotten for his birthday. It was a pretty good day for me, and I hope that he enjoyed it too.
