MARGARET PETERSON HADDIX is the author of more than twenty books for children and teens, including the Shadow Children series and the newly launched Missing series. Her books have won numerous state readers choice awards and the International Reading Association' s Children' s Book Award.
Dig In
Growing up she always ended up doing things the hard way: proving to 2 older brothers… that she was just as good, or better. Do we have FEAR as children? We are FEARLESS as children.
Approaching writing is much the same. Ask questions:
What is safe enough? How much risk?
Danger? Depict realistically. Use REAL life experiences. (White water rafting)…. “dig in”
Focus – this is what really matters RIGHT NOW…
What are my characters focused on? What are they doing?
Surprises: Johnny One note? – commentary is original? Important… what is your character trying to do? What is their motivation ? Think deeply about what makes them deeper than paper dolls? When all of your characters are alike, then there is no room for character advancement or development. recalls childhood of Betsy McCall Dolls.
Does it make a difference which character makes a comment, say the dialogue? Know your character’s better. Good example given was the movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly
Entering contests helps because of “deadlines” and strengthens skill and motivates, amasses a body of work. Even rejections can be seeds for other stories.
focus of life – deadlines and “distractions”..
Writing is like falling in love.
Anticipating a 15 ½ year old that is learning to drive getting on the road for the first time…
Kids are changeable as they LEARN their new skills – adaptable, always evolving
Dramatic changes – tougher for adults than it is for kids/teenagers.
We have 20 – 30 years of experiences to draw from.
More concerned about loves and hates from one minute to the next.
Hang out with kids to get inspirations… watch kids play… play games… naïve
What reminds you of being a child…. Journals, diary’s, artifacts?
You will go in the direction that you are looking!!! FOCUS
Flashes of Awe – Dig in – Inspiration for writing.
Transcribed from notes taken 8/1/08 at the SCBWI conference - afternoon session - by Suzanne Gibson
I am Picture Book Creator
when stopped by people who claim to have a good idea, and are interested in the business, he gives them the SCBWI contact information to steer people in a direction – to pursue their "great" ideas.
Picture books were a start – childhood drawings – create stories and draw pictures
His parents basically viewed work as one of options
Divine human experiences: those that lead to poverty, and those that don’t
Art categorized as “poverty”…. Art school… graduation?
San Diego born / UC Santa Cruz – confused by studying American History – and UNEMPLOYABLE
Reading Jack Kerouac – road trip – create a good successful story – launch a career (minus the alcohol and despairing death)…
Dodge Dart – head east – cross country in winter? A huge FLAW…. Mom wouldn’t send $$$ if ran out… GET A JOB…
In NYC and got job at Barnes and Noble corporate offices. 1986, before National – still a regional book store. Books that were “over print” – Remainder books – books that were overstocked. Job: Advertise this Big Boxes (palette) – learn how to create book cover (copies)…groomed on the job. It was art school / got paid for it J B&N Jr, Children’s Only store – more concentrated on Children’s picture books / art books of the 1980’s / fully saturated color art – William Joyce, (Rolie Polie Olie / Robots)… Stories with picture and words in big colorful packages.
Roughly autobiographical – kid moved to big city – homesick – contrives to take a magical journey – the Trouble with the Johnson’s – a family of dinosaurs – illustrated it – idea to make a dummy (not knowing it was a dummy)… no computer, but had access to a great assortment of professional display tools. DISPLAY DEPARTMENT / Mike Cavanaugh – the B&N Book Buyer…Target – Chris Van Allsburgh’s editor = Walter Lorraine / took it to Houghton-Mifflin – tried his publisher / editor. It was a personalized rejection letter. “I can’t figure out what you are trying to do here”…. Focus / Emotional Distance created while it’s away / Grounded / read revision and notice the flaws… could see truth in notes from WL…
What is NOT working – can’t get enough focus or clarity in the work… try to tell a story – make it work in 32 pages… in general – conflict boiled down into something that works in a few short sentences…not too complex. Tighten this form of communication.
Communication has to be direct. Not condescending, Not Indirect…
Scholastic offered an interview – thanks to MC – looking for “young talent”… reviewed it… liked it…. Bought it…
4 – 5 Months to get the contract…
Got married –
$5000???? WOW!!!
Struggled – Jean Fiewel – Got out of “rut” pasting – Scholastic sent “free lance “ work… practice, work, and improve… / pseudonym?
able to quit that job at the yellow pages
then able to quit working as Elroy Frehm
later stopped having scary gaps between
then one job after another came in
next step = able to work with great stories
and 20 years later -
thats where I am now
gets letters from children we have to do good work
these kids are are ultimate audience
when I was first starting out
I didn't know if I was doing this right
I just wanted some one to tell me
this is what you do, so do it
and no one ever told me that
and that uncertainty is now what I love about this job
= the field is wide open there are no rules
people have expanded this field tremendously
the only rule is = it must work
the job IS a flying leap
you always get something when you're willing to take risks like that
Notes transcribed by Suzanne Gibson with input from Anastasia Suen 8/05/08
The first speaker at the SCBWI conference after the introductions of the faculty was by Bruce Coville... I must admit, being new to the industry I am only now learning the who's who, and who does what in the industry. So I listen intently and take notes and make use of the references made available to me before and after the conference. Again, where possible and appropriate, I've added an active link... so you can explore as you wish...
Bruce Coville
The Art of the Heart: Writing True for the Child
noting a Shakespeare Society of America – ritual disrobing, Bruce began his address by getting comfortable,... taking off his jacket and rolling up his shirt sleeves. In a pleasant and contemplative voice he acknowledged the audience and the gathering of the tribe – one is missing – Sue Alexander (the co-founder of SCBWI who suddenly passed away in the beginning of July)
We are part of A lonely thing – with 1000 people, who make their living telling lies to little children
“look at me” – in a quiet way – a giant attention getting speech
If you are asking: Should I be a writer?
Well, if you come home and have had one of “those day” edgy experiences…. Both you and your significant other are the same – pushing the buttons of crankiness…. with the full knowledge that you should not say these things… and then think to yourself "MMMMmmm… this is good stuff" (content for a book or scene)…
are you willing to converse with strangers – and tell you life story (of embarrassing moments of your family) ???
Reach the Hearts of children – that’s the direction we are all heading... or should be heading.
Why are you here? – why? Why do you want to write for children… my heart is filled with stories… Why? Push that “why” to the next level… deeper and deeper into the level of Why?
Fully understand what you are doing, because the children in America are in a state of crisis.
Stages – one – the child as economic contributor to the family – contribute with hard work, heart warming… it wasn't asked of.. it was expected... and just part of the family dynamic.
After WWII – economic prosperity to – Object of Love – child is now doted on – want for a better life… lots of attention… the work wasn’t crucial
Third stage – 5 – 15 years ago – Keep the economy moving by being consumers – BUY STUFF culture. But not necessarily good for the heart.
Secret to happiness: Real work that you love (Catherine Hepburn reference)
Kids are NOT expected to help.
Kids want to be contributing
Kids want heroes – that’s how we create ourselves
Take on their personalities - emulate the characters they have a connection with, or want to have a connection with.
Where to find good role models: in Children’s books
Who do I want to be like? Invite people we want to be like…
7 deadly sins: are the motivators
Lust,
Gluttony – if you are not… you are not in the right business,
Greed,
Sloth – sit down and do the work, ASS GLUE,
Wrath – Cherish your wrath – it’s a great motivator
Envy – ref. Harry Potter – WHY (jkr)NOT ME, GOD?
Pride – Be Proud of our Work
Bruce’s seven sins
Dullness – defines where the story begins
Repetition – repeating yourself – we don’t want to rip off HP, but if you have anything like it……. Make a trend, don’t follow it.
Cliché – slide off the mind of the reader – it’s too easy – Find them and re-write them
Sloth – not working at your best… (it’s so easy) exceed expectations – give more than they are expecting -
Inattention- not thinking it through – if A, then B…. but B is the start of C, D, E and so on…. What happens next? Where do all the ripples go? All the implications, all the details
Perfectionism – the enemy of achievement – throttles creativity – Let go and let someone read the draft…. Work and avoid the fear… First Draft – cut away everything that is NOT the subject….
Clumsiness – where does the story begin (Lack of craft) – master the craft – misplaced modifiers – READ IT OUT LOUD… DOES IT MAKE SENSE
7 heavenly virtues – transposed for writers
1: Passion – Great work comes from passion
2: Temperance / sensuousness – loving descriptions of the sensuous world / 3 out of 5 senses should be engaged… texture and style to pull in the reader
3: Wisdom – what have I done? What have I learned / take a sheet of paper into 6 boxes/ columns: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 (elementary grade memories for each level) recall and access those ideas… / find that the bulk of the responses are BAD… we are hard wired to remember what went wrong… and LEARN… - - - don’t touch a hot iron theory – and learns – every day doors close in children’s hearts, it is our job to KICK those doors open… have courage in our own writing… write down those 6 stories
4: Guile – the magician’s trick – “look” bamboozle and pop the “deceit” and “Darth Vader / “Luke, I am your father”
6: courage – be Bold in what we do / that’s sounds scary, I better do it – don’t be afraid of rejection – forget your ego… no editor has raced to your one’s house and smacked down as you open the door. When you get to the cliff – jump – you may get wings… Let go and GO… reach inside and pull out the painful story. Take advantage of your fears…
7: Joy – is the birthright of a child – make a child happy – it is all around us – celebrate every day joys and help children see those moments and experience them. The joy should be in the process as writers. Live through the “oatmeal” days to get to the screaming while you write JOY days.
5: humor – God has humor – why did he put the playground and the plumbing so close together.
Joy is not Cheap - Joy is Free!!! We are born with tears… create Laughter to bring out those tears.
But our first emotion after birth is laughter…
Humor is a high achievement… to act with JOY is celebrate . not react to fear.
Long Term – the story tellers start the “ideas” that become real events
Story tellers – the stories are what survive in our memories –
Create Empathy though stories – learn skills through our characters – loneliness, live someone else’s story
Plot, Structure, character development---- but more important – capture the hearts of children
Humanlessness is a “humorless” act.
TEMPERANCE
May you write with joy, passion, and courage, may your words dance across the page, may it be heart-affirming work…
THAT WAS AN INCREDIBLE 1 HOUR KEYNOTE ADDRESS!!!! WHAT A START TO THE CONFERENCE!!! Transcribed by Suzanne 8/5/08
