tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post7072587845061790698..comments2024-03-15T09:26:02.796-05:00Comments on PROJECT MAYHEM: TEN THINGS A MIDDLE GRADE AUTHOR HATES TO HEAR by Lee WardlawProject Mayhemhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05154342399869089664noreply@blogger.comBlogger37125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-47982512447431411282013-05-31T18:06:11.391-05:002013-05-31T18:06:11.391-05:00As a YA writer, I can totally relate.As a YA writer, I can totally relate.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09962862566388212238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-16156977185953764522013-05-14T08:37:07.848-05:002013-05-14T08:37:07.848-05:00WOW. Just-wow. James Mihaley's "Hilarious...WOW. Just-wow. James Mihaley's "Hilariously heartbreaking" comment above sums it up very nicely.valeriehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14963603652408959213noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-6336541294603743462013-05-13T14:53:25.141-05:002013-05-13T14:53:25.141-05:00I'm with you guys! I guess Lee could have told...I'm with you guys! I guess Lee could have told the ENT that, if she had the time, she'd stick things up other people's noses.<br /><br />THANKS, LEE!eden unger bowditchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17874537224610872095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-72276241745918409992013-05-13T14:52:51.887-05:002013-05-13T14:52:51.887-05:00I'm with you guys! I guess Lee could have told...I'm with you guys! I guess Lee could have told the ENT that, if she had the time, she'd stick things up other people's noses.<br /><br />THANKS, LEE!eden unger bowditchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17874537224610872095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-58474614614793267682013-05-12T17:50:26.360-05:002013-05-12T17:50:26.360-05:00Hilariously heartbreaking!Hilariously heartbreaking!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15958657151960409700noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-40697656961610821072013-05-10T21:59:52.479-05:002013-05-10T21:59:52.479-05:00I've had that one too, Joyce. Yeah, 'some...I've had that one too, Joyce. Yeah, 'sometimes'. :)<br />Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-26103624986380500572013-05-10T21:56:18.235-05:002013-05-10T21:56:18.235-05:00Groan...3 and 6-10 are all too familiar. But that&...Groan...3 and 6-10 are all too familiar. But that's what makes this list fun. :)Marciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-84651279896033266832013-05-10T19:22:57.356-05:002013-05-10T19:22:57.356-05:00These are great, Lee. #10 happened to me as recent...These are great, Lee. #10 happened to me as recently as . . . yesterday. Only he hadn't written it yet. What I get a lot is, "Oh, you write for kids? That must be so FUN!" I've taken to saying, "Sometimes." Which usually stops the conversation.Joyce Sidmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02528420395072182909noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-37483298171508400922013-05-10T19:07:50.201-05:002013-05-10T19:07:50.201-05:00The comment that bothers me the most, though, is w...The comment that bothers me the most, though, is when people ask me if I've written a particular book or know the author of said book. I won't name the book because people never feel lukewarm about it. You either love it with a passion or feel terminally nauseated by it. I fall into the latter category. So, in the past, when people have said: 'Oh, my fav book is X. Did you write it?', I will, if feeling grumpy, tell them exactly what I think about it! Needless to say, I am sometimes standing alone at cocktail parties because of that...Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-45515343578770565752013-05-10T19:04:20.037-05:002013-05-10T19:04:20.037-05:00I find writing short stories harder, Angelica. So ...I find writing short stories harder, Angelica. So I admire that you can do those. Novels don't have to be too hard, though. I write in scenes, so if you just imagine a novel as being lots of short story scenes linked together, you'll have it made!Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-16086548090273719732013-05-10T19:03:21.683-05:002013-05-10T19:03:21.683-05:00Wait till you hear #'s 11-101...Wait till you hear #'s 11-101...Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-71339203525149274472013-05-10T19:02:34.699-05:002013-05-10T19:02:34.699-05:00Scalp hygiene...that would make such a riveting st...Scalp hygiene...that would make such a riveting story, starring Harold the Hair and Dandy Dandruff.<br /><br />I've been offered story 'ideas' such as these in the past, with the offerer (is that a word?) saying we could spit the royalties. Sigh.Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-59630849971104883192013-05-10T18:59:28.968-05:002013-05-10T18:59:28.968-05:00Thanks, Hilary! Please don't tell the young g...Thanks, Hilary! Please don't tell the young girl that I live in California. Ha. :)Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-18451664986993256952013-05-10T18:58:38.653-05:002013-05-10T18:58:38.653-05:00It depends on my mood and the circumstances. If p...It depends on my mood and the circumstances. If people seem to have made the less-than-tactful comment in all innocence, and they are genuinely interested in the genre and what I do, I will often talk openly (and at great length - - yeah, I'm a motormouth) about children's literature. I'm happy to explain that a children's book - - whether a novel or a picture book - - has all the same elements as an adult book: a grabber opening, three-dimensional characters, a logical plot, riveting conflict, suspense, dialogue, a satisfying conclusion, etc. The books are just, um, 'shorter'. Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-53569967309095113392013-05-10T18:47:52.084-05:002013-05-10T18:47:52.084-05:00I agree, Joanne, 100%!I agree, Joanne, 100%!Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-24192875313796325192013-05-10T17:43:57.000-05:002013-05-10T17:43:57.000-05:00Oh,my. # 10 is my favorite.Oh,my. # 10 is my favorite.Stephanie Thebanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02197712437323773022noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-59440041237486294382013-05-10T16:23:37.241-05:002013-05-10T16:23:37.241-05:00Hysterical! #5 was my favorite. Hysterical! #5 was my favorite. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12093495142545698084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-67107851414740132972013-05-10T16:00:16.399-05:002013-05-10T16:00:16.399-05:00The last time I spoke, a young girl came up to me ...The last time I spoke, a young girl came up to me and told me she was going to be writer and go to college in California to study writing. Apparently she plans ahead because she was only 11. ;) Anyway, I said she could email me anytime with writer questions. And she replied, "What's your phone number? I'll call you when I get to California." :)<br /><br />HILARIOUS POST, LEE!Hilary Wagnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18199287020561210673noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-30052253787751012562013-05-10T13:52:05.731-05:002013-05-10T13:52:05.731-05:00Lol! That's hilarious. (Although probably less...Lol! That's hilarious. (Although probably less hilarious when said questioner is standing in front of you.) ;)Rachel Schieffelbeinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01629400142880123520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-13889024424204069952013-05-10T13:03:27.378-05:002013-05-10T13:03:27.378-05:00I'd really love to hear what you've decide...I'd really love to hear what you've decided through the years as a tactful reply to most of these stupid remarks. I get #2 ALL the time. And how about, "Will you ever try to write a 'real' novel someday?"<br />GrrrrUnknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04514921977076789767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-55730058950726714702013-05-10T13:00:28.483-05:002013-05-10T13:00:28.483-05:00Good for you, Lee! Unfortunately, he'll probab...Good for you, Lee! Unfortunately, he'll probably never realize he's a pompous ass...<br /><br />All of these are hilarious, but #7 really irks me, since I spent 10 years working in the Children's dept of a very large indie bookstore. The best books are for kids. Children are way more important than adults, because if you can't reach a kid and make her (or him) into a reader, you won't HAVE adult readers.Joanne R. Fritzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08076959910493197255noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-84558951908133004452013-05-10T12:57:36.859-05:002013-05-10T12:57:36.859-05:00Great post--so true that it's painfully funny!...Great post--so true that it's painfully funny! I have experienced many of the same myself. Thanks for sharing!Danielle H.https://www.blogger.com/profile/11079935240201178744noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-54027007370305021022013-05-10T12:28:38.427-05:002013-05-10T12:28:38.427-05:00Thanks, all! #7 was a real shocker for me, as the...Thanks, all! #7 was a real shocker for me, as the female clerk worked in the children's section of the bookstore! Really? REALLY? Sheesh. <br /><br />Looks like one of my hilarious photos didn't show up. Ah, well...probably pilot error.<br /><br />And, yes, the intro was The Worst. He was trying very hard to belittle me. I've had fantasies about various replies, but at the time I just ignored him, let the audience see him for the pompous ass he was, and delivered a talk that brought the house down. Take THAT! :)Lee Wardlawhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08485471232476734876noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-66972736785128610462013-05-10T12:27:36.004-05:002013-05-10T12:27:36.004-05:00I love Mary Ann's comment - yes the KIDS do ge...I love Mary Ann's comment - yes the KIDS do get it!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2173408054965817352.post-44395861144939920062013-05-10T10:40:30.305-05:002013-05-10T10:40:30.305-05:00I have heard everyone of these, except #7. I have ...I have heard everyone of these, except #7. I have had both my dentist and hairdresser ask me to "ghost write" their story ideas...the hairdresser's was about scalp hygiene! The upside of all this is that the kids ask good questions...it's the adults who are brain dead on the subject.mary ann rodmanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13639787144894232298noreply@blogger.com