Whole Novel Workshop

Many of my followers (Thanks! Both of you) might be wondering why the cyber silence this week.
 
I’ve been away at a writer’s conference dedicated to the WHOLE novel. When I read about the workshop on-line I couldn’t believe it. Someone will read my whole ms and give me comments? So I wrote for and received a grant from the Illinois Arts Council and a scholarship that GREATLY underfunded the workshop tuition. Before leaving for the week I received a 3-page critique letter.

And immediately felt like running out into traffic.

Obviously I am not a writer. So I left for the workshop carrying a backpack of doubts.

But since here, I have been showered and encouraged and more than affirmed that indeed I am a writer. This is a YA (young adult) novel ms. A lot of people tend to think there is some writing that is easier. The truth is: there’s nothing easy about writing. To write for young people is just as difficult as writing for an adult audience. We still need to engage our reader and trust them to “get” it.

There is a creek that runs through the property. The location used to be a mill. I sense it still is. There is a grinding and refining taking place that will, hopefully, produce something of substance. The ingredients necessary for a finished product.