Notes on a Diversity Hashtag by Kell Andrews

Listening to #WeNeedDiverseBooks, I realized the conversation wasn't about me. And neither are the books I want to read.

When the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign began through the work of 22 writers and bloggers, I was enthusiastic. I was long familiar with the issue through Cindy Pon and Malindo Lo’s Diversity in YA campaign, and I had tried to populate my middle-grade novels with diverse characters. So I joined the conversation.

I tweeted. I favorited. I retweeted.

And as the campaign caught fire, the discussion took off in thousands of directions. #WeNeedDiverseBooks truly went viral. More than 80,000 tweets by readers and writers demanded more books about that reflected their lives and the lives they wanted to lead. The tweets and photos were touching, inspiring, provocative, and challenging.

And as the hashtag exploded, my voice seemed... unnecessary. I was participating as a straight, white, able-bodied person, and the conversation wasn't about me at all. It did not require me.

But I kept listening.

I realized that feeling excluded, marginal, and invisible is how young (and older) readers of color, gay readers, and those with disabilities, have felt about books all along. If a Twitter hashtag made me feel that way for a few hours, I could more easily imagine how decades of non-representation would feel.

The conversation was about me because I choose to see myself in others who are different.

And more than that, it did require me. #WeNeedDiverseBooks so that everyone can see someone on the page like themselves – and those unlike themselves. The point of the campaign isn’t that diverse books are only for certain readers – they’re for all of us. If we want them to be published, we need to read them, buy them, and support them.

I’m thrilled that the #WeNeedDiverseBooks created a groundswell that could not be ignored. The Book Con, to be held in concert with Book Expo America at the Javits Center in New York, will now hold a May 31 panels featuring diverse authors  – Grace Lin, Jacqueline Woodson, Matt de la Peña, I.W. Gregorio, Marieke Nijkamp, Mike Jung, Lamar Giles, Ellen Oh, and Aisha Saeed. And I will still be listening – I’ll be at BEA that day signing Deadwood for Spencer Hill Middle Grade at 1 p.m., so I can hear (and tweet!) the 10 a.m. panel.

Of course, this panel is not the end – it’s a continuation of the conversation and a rallying point for what's next: writing, publishing, buying, and reading books that represent humanity in all its breadth and depth.

The campaign’s official website is www.diversebooks.org.

Chris Eboch on Staying Productive

What do you do when your imaginary friends won’t talk to you?

Sometimes writer’s block is really just a form of exhaustion. This is a hard business, and it can seem to take forever to get anywhere. There’s so much to learn, so many decisions to make, so much to keep track of, and of course far too much to do. And unfortunately, success doesn’t lighten the load. Whether you are not-yet-published, a debut novelist with 1001 “must do” publicity tasks, a midlist writer juggling work-for-hire jobs with your own fiction, or an award winner suddenly in so much demand that you don’t have time to write, the writing life can get overwhelming.

Sometimes we need to take a break from all the pressure and reconnect with the reasons we fell in love with writing in the first place. You may find it hard to give yourself permission to take a vacation, but research has shown that people get less effective if they work too hard for too long. In the 19th century, when companies gave in to union demands for a 40-hour workweek, productivity climbed despite the shorter hours. And office workers may have even fewer “good” hours than manual laborers, on average about six per day.

In the short term, working long hours can help you achieve goals, but an extra 50% of work time may only produce 25% more work. Fatigue sets in and productivity drops. Even more important, after eight 60-hour weeks, productivity has dropped so low that most groups would be better off if they’d stuck with a 40-hour workweek the whole time.

Fortunately, for many people writing feels like a break from their full-time job, so it’s more like a hobby than extra work. And in some cases, that loopy state of exhaustion may free up creativity. This can be helpful for rough drafts or brainstorming sessions. I’ve gotten some of my most creative ideas during 2 AM bouts of insomnia. Still, if you are feeling burned out, consider whether it’s time to take a break, rework your schedule, or try something new.

Fellow Mayhemer Joy McCullough-Carranza says, “I’m not a writer who has to make herself write – I am almost constantly working – so I am very comfortable taking a couple weeks off if things have reached a breaking point. Sometimes a critique partner gently suggests this might be useful and it almost always is. In those breaks, I read more than usual, watch more TV/movies, etc., and I’m usually itching to get back at it before too long.”

Here are some more specific tips:

– Get enough sleep. I know, it’s often harder than it sounds, but studies have shown that losing an hour of sleep each night for a week causes cognitive degradation equivalent to a .10 blood-alcohol level. People in that state typically don’t recognize that they are impaired, so people who can survive on six hours sleep a night may not thrive on it.

“Get enough sleep” may go against advice you’ll find elsewhere, such as get up early or stay up late to write. Individuals must find their own balance. If you can’t eliminate some other task from your life to free up time, you may need to snatch a few minutes here and there to write, or block out time on weekends and vacations. (See part 4, “How Do You Find Time to Write?”)

– Write something just for fun with no worries about marketability. Play! This can help you remember why you wanted to be a writer in the first place. Even better, it takes off the pressure, which may help counteract perfectionist tendencies or fear of failure.

– Take yourself on regular “artist dates” – trips to museums, zoo, or art galleries, walks in the park, thrift store shopping. Plan a goofy craft party with friends or your family. Read great books just for enjoyment. In Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott calls this filling the well. If you don’t take enough in, you won’t have anything to give out through your writing.

– Take a writing class that may get you fired up again. For the time being, don’t worry about what you “should” learn next (say, how to find an agent.) Instead, try something that sounds like fun (poetry, memoir, paranormal fiction?), even if you’re sure you’ll never try to publish in that area. Many classes are offered online. You can also check your local community college or community center, combining learning with socialization. Even reading books or magazines on writing could help you feel inspired.

– Take a class in something completely different, just to stretch your mind. Art classes are good for exploring creativity, while a course in history or politics may give you topic ideas. Studying a foreign language or music might tap into different parts of the brain.

An action-fantasy inspired by the Arabian Nights -
Publication was squeezed in between other projects.

– Brainstorm new ideas. After a strenuous year where I wrote a novel, several nonfiction books, and multiple articles, plus edited an older manuscript and took two books through the self-publishing process, I found myself not wanting to start a new fiction project. I stopped worrying about the book I was “supposed” to do next and reread some of my favorite innovative novels by other authors. I came up with a completely new idea – yet one that drew on many of my interests – and I started to feel hopeful about fiction again.

– Keep perspective. I remind students who want to be professional writers that they are trying to switch careers, which normally would mean going back to college for four or more years, and then maybe doing an internship or starting at the bottom and working their way up. So why do people think their first manuscript should be a bestseller? It's not like writing is easy!

It would be nice if we didn’t have to think about projects as study and homework. However, I know lots of my “dead files” are not worthy of publication. They were part of learning the craft and finding my voice. Realistically, it can take years to find success. Just because you’re not there yet doesn’t mean you can’t get there.

Most importantly, remember that you deserve a break sometimes, and your writing may be better for it.

How do you balance writing with the rest of your life? Have you taken a vacation from writing? Did it help or hurt your progress in the long run?

Chris Eboch’s novels for ages nine and up include The Genie’s Gift, a middle eastern fantasy, The Eyes of Pharaoh, a mystery in ancient Egypt; The Well of Sacrifice, a Mayan adventure; and the Haunted series, which starts with The Ghost on the Stairs. Her book Advanced Plotting helps writers fine-tune their plots. Learn more at www.chriseboch.com or her Amazon page, or check out her writing tips at her Write Like a Pro! blog.

Planning, Preparing, and "Performing" School Visits by Caroline Starr Rose

This has been a busy season for me. In the last six weeks I’ve given seventeen presentations at six different schools. If you are an author or aspiring author, it’s never too early to plan ahead for visits of your own. Here are some tips on preparing school visits, from start to finish:

Plan:

What in the world will you talk about?

What age group will your presentation(s) best be suited for?

Will your presentation work best in a small (classroom) or large (assembly) setting?

How long will your presentation run?

Will you need props or technical equipment?

What will you charge?

Will you offer free visits? If yes, what will your guidelines be (a certain number a year, for example, or free visits to your children’s schools)?

These are just a few of the things you need to consider before scheduling your first event. If you’re not sure just exactly how to create a presentation, look to your book for inspiration. Think through topics, settings, characters or themes and see what ideas naturally arise. You can also mine experiences from your own life. Perhaps you have a unique background or skill that can be the basis for a school visit. As long as you connect your presentation to reading and writing in some way, there are limitless directions you can take.

Be Professional:

Once your planning is well underway, it’s time to present yourself to the world at large. I’ve posted here once before about school visits, and that post covers several ways you can do this in your community. Today my focus will be on your author website and/or blog.

Be sure to devote an easily discoverable page to author visits. Give a brief overview of topics (ideally you’ll have more than one). It’s also helpful to include what kind of setting (small or large) and age groups your presentation is best suited for. Here’s my page as an example.

Should you include fees on your presentation page? That’s entirely up to you. You can read more here as to why I’ve chosen to do so.

Pick Brains:

Check in with author friends who more experienced and ask them for advice. This is how I learned I needed a City of Albuquerque business license and an Albuquerque Public Schools vendor number. I also found out I would have to pay gross receipts tax for any visits conducted within the state of New Mexico. If you’re not sure what official steps might be required of you in your state, I’d start by talking to other authors in your community. If you have no connections there, check with your city and state government or with the schools in your area.

One author friend gave me an incredibly useful school visit contract she created, which I've adapted to best suit me. The contract covers what the author commits to doing, when and where the event will take place, the author’s fee, a Plan B for unforeseen illness or weather issues, and ways the school can best prepare for the visit. It’s gold. If you’d like a copy, I’d be happy to email you one.

Practice:

Your presentation is ready. Your author visits page is up and running. A school has scheduled you for an event. Now what?

Practice, practice, practice! Know your material. In other words...

Prepare:

If you need special props or materials, be sure to organize everything ahead of time. If you plan to create a powerpoint presentation, be sure you’ve checked with the school to see if they have access to an LCD projector or SmartBoard. If you’re working on a Mac, it would be wise to buy an adapter, as not all schools use Apple products.

Look up the school’s address. Pack your bags. Have everything ready to go. So that you can be…

Prompt:

Don’t dash around madly the day of your event, remembering the last school you visited didn’t have an extension cord and perhaps you should swing by Wal-mart on your way across town, and after you get back on the road turn on the wrong street, miss the school’s entrance, and get lost finding the front office. 

Ahem. I know no one who did that last week.

You’ll probably be a bit keyed up to begin with. It’s really helpful (and saves on the sanity) if you give yourself a bit of extra time. Plan for busy traffic, faulty Google Map directions, or trouble finding the visitors’ parking lot.

Thanks to @CStarrRose for teaching us about frontier life and her book May B. #buckboardsbloomers&buffalochips pic.twitter.com/JIkGfeDv3d
— Julie Sibley (@juliesibley) May 7, 2014

Play it cool:

You will at some point have technical difficulties.

Office staff might have no idea where to direct you.

Some days kids will be rowdy.

Other times the payment the school has committed to have ready the day of your visit (in your contract, right?) won’t be there.

Repeat after me: go with the flow.  Ask for help if necessary. Wing it if your projector acts up (you prepared ahead of time, remember?). Correct those kids who are squirrelly, or ask teachers to help you out. If there are payment issues, be gracious and understanding. It will all work out in the end.

Have any of you done school visits? What advice might you share? Anyone with questions?

AUDIOBOOKS: LENDING AN EAR TO YOUR STORY by eden unger bowditch

When I write, I often hear the characters in my head. I hear the story unfold as I put the words on the page. When an audiobook is made, suddenly someone else is telling the story.

It’s exciting and terrifying. Someone else is having real impact into how your story sounds in the world. I am a voracious reader and, while I am rarely without a book in my hand, I also love audiobooks. I was a ‘please read me another’ kind of kid and I guess I still am! When I drive or do chores or work in the garden, it is a pleasure to have a virtual person sitting nearby reading to me. And I am very picky. A good reader is SOooOOoo important! When there’s a series read by a fabulous reader and, suddenly, in the middle, someone else reads one of the books, it is disconcerting and, if the reader is not as good- or my ear is refusing to accept the voice- it can turn me off to continuing.

So… when I received a mystery email from an actor asking if the audition script was still available, I was confused. Script? Then he explained it was for the audiobook. I forwarded the request to my publisher and they said it had been cast! Now I was confused and dismayed! I used to write theatre and dialogue is my thing. And here, my publisher went off and started an audiobook without me! I checked out the requesting actor’s reel and he was fantastic! He did all manner of voices. He was funny and flexible. My publisher sent me the name of the actor they had cast and I was anxious. He was a very good reader (very engaging, indeed) but I didn’t see him doing accents and there are many accents in my books. They sent me his audition clip and, again, I was worried. He had not done any of the voices.

Clearly, when he auditioned, he didn’t know who was from where or anything. He was cast because he has a wonderful reading voice. I sent him an email with a list of the characters. He was so kind and willing to work with me, it made the whole experience a pleasure. In the end, when I had some kids listen, they wouldn’t let me turn off the story.

The long and short is that the performance is engaging and fun. The most important thing is that I was involved and the actor had fun, liked the story, and was willing to work with me. He adjusted. And I did, too. Some pronunciations are different than they were in my head. But the fact is, listeners have been enthusiastic.

The book has just been released. Have a listen!

http://www.audible.com/pd/Teens/The-Atomic-Weight-of-Secrets-or-The-Arrival-of-the-Mysterious-Men-in-Black-Audiobook/B00JOR0ZC8/

http://www.amazon.com/Atomic-Weight-Secrets-Arrival-Mysterious/dp/B00JQEE35E/

or at iTunes!!

-eden

For the Love of Animals, by: Marissa Burt

I've been thinking about adopting a cat lately. The past decade has been a sadly pet-less existence, but as far back as I can remember I've always loved cats: their ambivalent affection, the feel of a soft weight arriving in the night to curl up at your feet (or perhaps on your face), the way their tails make a perfect question mark.

I think children are born with a kinship for animal friends. I see this in my young boys, who are just now discovering the collections of fables, Anansi stories, and old animal myths. There's something endearing about these adventures, something magical about escaping into an animal-world akin to our own but so fantastically different.

Today I thought to spotlight some of my favorite middle-grade reads with anthropomorphic animal stars.

MRS. FRISBY AND THE RATS OF NIMH, by: Robert C. O'Brien

Mrs. Frisby, a widowed mouse with four small children, is faced with a terrible problem. She must move her family to their summer quarters immediately, or face almost certain death. But her youngest son, Timothy, lies ill with pneumonia and must not be moved. Fortunately, she encounters the rats of NIMH, an extraordinary breed of highly intelligent creatures, who come up with a brilliant solution to her dilemma. And Mrs. Frisby in turn renders them a great service. - Amazon summary

If a book can make a kid want to BE a rat, that is a remarkable feat. Typing up the summary of this book stirs memories of the gripping suspense of it all, the intrigue and horror I felt discovering the secret of NIMH, and the admirable courage of Mrs. Frisby. Amazing! Bonus: the movie adaptation was also a win.

WATERSHIP DOWN, by: Richard Adams

Set in England's Downs, a once idyllic rural landscape, this stirring tale of adventure, courage, and survival follows a band of very special creatures on their flight from the intrusion of man and the certain destruction of their home. Led by a stouthearted pair of brothers, they journey forth from their native Sandleford Warren through the harrowing trials posed by predators and adversaries, to a mysterious promised land and a more perfect society. - Amazon summary

Rabbits! On a quest! Escaping the ravages of modernity! I read somewhere that Adams originally crafted this tale as a serial bed-time story he told his children, which makes me love the book all the more. However, the movie adaptation completely terrified me as a child - trippy leaping rabbit sequence, anyone?

SOLO'S JOURNEY, by: Joy Aiken Smith

This story of survival focuses on Solo, a special cat with wisdom and insight who, after the death of his mother struggles to survive in the tough but close-knit community of feral cats to which he belongs. When the Owners come to destroy their home, Solo realizes he must lead his Quorum away. - Amazon summary

I think this book might have been out of print when I first read it twenty-five years ago. But oh how wonderful it is! This is the book I "bought" (read: paid the lost-book fee) from the library, because I couldn't find my own copy anywhere (pre-internet days, folks - times were hard). And this was the book that made me look pityingly on my indoor-only cat, wondering if she truly longed to be free. And the one that bizarrely inspired me to clip my fingernails into little cat-like points so I could be more feline. I recommend it like crazy, hoping that it can find its way into the hands of today's cat-loving readers.

TAILCHASER'S SONG, by: Tad Williams

Fritti Tailchaser, a young ginger tom not yet a full grown hunter, is the main cat among a host of appropriately named feline peers in this extravagantly detailed fantasy. When his best friend, Hushpad, vanishes, Fritti embarks on a quest to find her, and so enters the list of jousters against the evils of the world. His many trials and adventures bring him into contact with a veritable galaxy of cats, who speak a language for which a glossary is provided. This feline epic culminates in a decisive battle with an evil cat god. - Amazon summary

Before the WARRIORS craze, there was brave, courageous Fritti Tailchaser and his quest-worthy Hushpad. While not technically middle-grade, I discovered this fabulous novel in the 7th grade and spent many lunches reading it over my Cup'O Noodles.



There are so many more books I could list: CHARLOTTE'S WEB, and STUART LITTLE, and all the friends in ALICE IN WONDERLAND, not to mention Project Mayhem's own: Hilary Wagner's wonderful NIGHTSHADE CHRONICLES.

What about you, fellow Mayhemers? What were some of your favorite animal books as kids and why? Have you stumbled across any new titles sure to become favorites?