Thesis Defense

Today, I finally had my thesis defense. And I passed! I only need to do some minor fix-ups, print three copies, and have them bound. But the process of going through the defense helped me realize that the novel still has a way to go before publication. I need to fill in some plot holes and make some minor characters stronger. I am leaving the manuscript sit until summer, at which point I will pick it back up again and begin revisions.

In the meantime, I'm aleady formulating ideas for my next novel.

Revisions

I dislike revisions. It's just not fun to me anymore. I'm not sure why. Right now, I'm attempting to do first revisions on my thesis, and it's boring me. I'm grumbling through it. haha. I'd much rather be writing something brand new. But, it is a necessary part of being a writer, not to mention these particular revisions are required for me to graduate with my MFA, so I have to do it.

If I'm acting this way with the minor revisions, I don't know how I'm going to get through any major restructuring that needs done-- and believe me, I know there has to be some!

Classes and other random things

So, I've decided to take a class with the Institute of Children's Literature on top of my six credits this semester at Chatham. The first set of materials arrived today and I'm really excited! The course is in writing for the magazine market, both fiction and non-fiction. I decided to take it because I've never had a class in writing for magazines before, and I really think it's the one area I need work in. Besides, I need a way to keep writing, publishing and making a little money while I'm waiting for my next children's book to be published by a big publishing house and become the next bestseller. ;-) I read over the instructions for the first assignment, and so far the course seems interesting and creativity-inducing.

I am about to embark on my very last semester as an MFA student. I need to finish my thesis and take one children's lit class, and then I will be done. It's kind of strange, and scary, that I'm only taking one class in the classroom and then I'll be expected to get a "big kid job."

In other news, I am writing again. I've started a brand new YA novel (just in time to have my life taken over by classes, therefore causing me to put the new project aside, as usual). I've also signed up for a workshop with Naomi Shihab Nye as part of a literary workshop at my school. Until recently, I wasn't even aware that Nye had published children's books. Kathy suggested that my thesis would be a good thing to submit, since Nye has poetry and YA experience. So, I did. . . and now in October we'll see how it goes.

Thesis Update

I just completely finished the first draft of my thesis, 2 weeks early! I'm not completely happy with the second half, but hey that's why it's called a rough draft, right? I'm taking a break from it before I go back in and revise.

Illustrations! Submissions! Readings! Oh, my!

I got to see some sample illustrations for Angeline Jellybean last night and--wow! I am so thrilled with them I could dance in the streets.

I've been working on a number of projects. My thesis (still not titled with only 10 pages left to go), a couple of picture books (Mr. Beta and You Oughta Like the Otters which desperately needs reworked and a different title), and random other things. I think my next round of submissions might be a picture book called Jason and Jamal. I wrote it around the time I wrote Angeline, so maybe that was when I wrote all of my brilliant work. haha.

I sent some poems out awhile ago. I'm not really expecting any acceptances. Of course it would be awesome, but I rather enjoy collecting rejection letters too. ;-)

Here's good news not about me: My boyfriend, Mark C. Bradley, will be a featured local writer at Ukazoo Books in Towson, MD on September 14th! Yay, Mark!

If things were simple. . .

I would have picture books floating around at different publishers right now. But things aren't simple, so instead I'm sitting here with a list published by SCBWI trying to find a home for Mango Dance, totally overwhelmed by the mass number of publishers and their imprints.

You know, it's ok, though. Doing the grunt work is part of being a writer, and something we all have to go through. What is starting to drive me crazy is the number of people I see asking other writers to do the tough stuff for them. "Can you recommend an agent?" "Which publishers publish multi-cultural picture books from the point of view of a five year old boy. . . " You get the point. I don't know the best publisher for your manuscript, simply because I don't know it as well as you do.

If things were simple, I'd have my thesis written by now. Totally revised too! But the world doesn't let me sit down and work non-stop on any one writing project. I have responsibilities beyond writing. That's just the way it is. But, I make time to write because I love it. I may not always be in the mood for it, but once I get started, it's like a natural high and I don't want to stop.

If things were simple, I wouldn't be stressed out right now about a million different things. Then again, if I weren't stressed out, I wouldn't need writing to relax me.

Thank goodness things aren't always simple

Thesis Update

It has taken me four excruciating weeks to get caught up on my thesis. I don't know what's been going on with me, but I've been totally unmotivated.

Maybe I was just worn out, or maybe my old "I don't have to do anything productive in the summer!" additude came back. Whatever it was, I think I've kicked it.

I finally have my office 100% unpacked and set up, so I've been doing my writing at my desk like a real writer. Music playing in the background, internet disconnected-- it was the best feeling in the world last night to pound out those pages.

Killing your darlings

They say writers must kill their darlings. I feel like I've already killed Angeline a thousand times. . . So one more time, for the sake of publishing a really, really good book, couldn't hurt, right?

I've written a brand new picture book in the same kind of style as Angeline. It's called Mango Dance, and it's based on an experience I had in Trinidad.

Oh, and that thesis is really running from me again! But it can't hide forever. Oh, no. I will catch up with it again!

A Non-scientific equation

No computer+95 degree weather which prevents me from walking to the library=no work done on thesis. I did, however, start writing a new picture book. That's mildly exciting news. Maybe I'll go to writer's group next week and workshop it.

About a thesis, jelly beans, Ferris wheels and power cords

I think my thesis needs a title. Maybe it'll make it seem more real to me that I'm writing a publishable book if I name it. I just haven't written a poem with a line or a title yet that has stood out to me as "that's it!"

News: Angeline Jellybean is now out at a publisher. My Ferris wheel article is on its way to Cobblestone magazine. Unfortunately, I forgot to put an SASE in both. :-( We shall wait and see if they get immediately tossed in the slush pile or if I get responses. *crosses fingers*

No news on the power cord yet. I think I'm going through laptop withdrawl. My fingers are itching and I'm bored as ever.

Random semi-Updates

My computer is broken. :-( Something is wrong with the power cord. I'm going to see if it's possible to buy a new cord somewhere online. It's a writer's nightmare, for sure. I'm in the library attempting to work right now but it's not the same.

I couldn't mail my Ferris wheel piece and Angeline Jellybean today, either. Darn lack of big yellow envelopes in my apartment. I must add that to the list of things I need at the store.

In better news, my least favorite place to go on the storymobile wasn't horrible today. We signed up five new kids, and met an amazing young father with a two and a three year old, and he actually reads to his kids and was genuinely interested in books! Woo-hoo! People like that make my position so much less frustrating.

My goal: have something decent written to workshop on Monday!

It's been awhile. . .

I have a gmail e-mail address that I use exlusively for this blog and writing-related projects. I haven't received an e-mail in it since March 2nd. My point? Nothing has been going on in my writing life. I've been stagnant, stuck, unmoving, for over a month. Not that I haven't been writing, because I have. It's just that when it comes to submitting my work, setting up my website, and generally promoting all things literacy, I've been lazy. Most of that is due to the fact that I've been getting things done for America and working my butt off. When I think about it, ALL I have been doing is promoting literacy. :-P And, in fact, I've been the total opposite of lazy. I just have too much on my plate to think about submissions right now. Putting in 50 hour weeks on a storymobile and doing service projects all over the city can take a lot out of you. I'm even a little behind on my thesis. Ack ack ack!

Ok, all calm now. Let's talk about what I've been writing-- The Thesis (as I will refer to it until it has at least a working title) is going well, if not a little slow. I'm also currently working on a short story about a mother and daughter traveling on the Titanic. Kathy listened to me read it and said "This feels like a novel." I almost died, because I know it does. And maybe it will be at some point. But not right now. I already have one started from over a year ago that I doubt I'm ever going to have the patience to finish, plus I have to concentrate on my thesis right now. The last thing I need is another novel coming my way. . .

Submission Opportunity, Thesis Update, and More

Ok, so it's been a long time since I've written here. So, it's about time I do a complete update of everything that's been going on.

I'm finding myself, at this point in my life, much more challenged and entertained by writing for children than poetry. Maybe it's because I work with children and children's books every day. Maybe I was just ready for something new. Poetry has lost its novelty for me-- I no longer feel like I'm a master of it, nor do I enjoy sitting down and reading a poetry book as much as I do a children's book or YA novel. . .

An online friend of mine has created a site for children which includes poetry, short stories and activities. It's absolutely amazing the amount of work that has gone into this thing! She's now accepting submissions from children's writers, so if you are one please check it out at http://raenidaystorystation.com/default.aspx . You won't get paid for your work, but you will have the satisfaction of knowing it's being read and enjoyed by children everywhere.

Anyway. . . I'm going full spead ahead on my "povel" as my thesis. I've been busy reading lots of povels and examining what works and doesn't work about them. I have my proposal submitted and have actually started the manuscript! More about that later, though.

I'm also currently working on a non-fiction piece for children about the invention of the ferris wheel. This paper is the first time I've ever written non-fiction for children, but the topic is interesting and the process has been so much fun!

In other news, the issue of Rectangle (Sigma Tau Delta's literary magazine) with my poetry in it is coming out next month! Yay! Now I have to get my butt moving and submit some more. I want to really start trying to get my picture books published.

Povel?

Have you read a povel today?

I know, you're going "Huh? What the heck is a povel?"

I povel is simply a novel written in poetry form. Also known as novels in verse. Many of them are targeted to the YA audience. When I was first told about this form, I couldn't believe that something like it existed. I couldn't understand how anyone could write an entire novel in poetry. I did some research, and I was amazed as just how many novels written in verse are out there.

I am currently reading Bronx Masquerade by Nikki Grimes (not completely written in poetry) and "Make Lemonade" by Virginia Euwer Wolff. Another author that I heard was amazing was Sonya Sones. I've requested some of her books from the library. If you want to read something new, check this genre out!

I'm also strongly considering doing my thesis as a povel. Stay tuned for more.

I have nothing to say

Ok, so that's not entirely true. I have lots to say, but it's mostly coming out in the form of poetry this week. Since this blog is about my writing news, and I have no writing news at the moment, I have no new blog entries. I haven't submitted poetry anywhere. I haven't been published again. I haven't gone to any open mics or have been featured in any readings. In short, the writing life has been a little boring.

I have my first poetry workshop of the semester tonight. I am also taking a class on writing children's picture books, so that'll be an interesting challenge. In my last children's writing class, I started out writing picture books, decided it wasn't for me, and switched to the YA novel Ice Girl. Maybe being forced to write picture books will help me learn to like writing them.

I have also been thinking about my thesis project. I'm starting a semester late, but I want to get a head start. Just the thought of it is making me crazy. Right now, I'm thinking of running with Lauren Alleyne's title suggestion of Summer of No Fear.

A couple of days ago, I started a poem about a 30-something, lobster red man sunbathing in a Speedo in Mellon park. Perhaps I will share it when it's finished.