by Karen Krossing | Aug 27, 2012 | Presentation News
Writing as a career means spending long hours alone, building characters, brainstorming plot and revising over and over again. It’s no wonder that many authors have introvert qualities – a subject that I’ve recently enjoyed reading about in the book Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World that Can’t Stop Talking, by Susan Cain. (Authors: You may find yourself in the pages of this book.)
However, being an author also means public readings, writing workshops, book launches, and online and in-person promotional events. These require extrovert qualities and can be challenging for some authors. It also means getting regular author photos taken – a task I dread.
I’ve learned how to enjoy public authors events, but posing for author photos still makes me uptight. I want a photo that shows who I am, but doesn’t make me look hideous. A photo that uses the talents of a professional photographer, but appears natural. A photo that will appeal to my readers.
This summer, I met up with Owen of Owen Captures, an expert photographer who could make me feel comfortable and take an excellent photo. Never mind that I was nervous for days before the photo shoot. Owen knew how to get great shots in spite of my nerves. At least I think he got a great shot. You can decide for yourself below. Thanks, Owen!
Photo credit: Owen Captures (owencaptures.com).
by Karen Krossing | Jul 26, 2012 | Book News
Check out recommended books from Canadian children’s book writers this summer in this article by Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch from The Winnipeg Review, including two books on my shelf: Yesterday’s Dead by Pat Bourke and Time Snatchers by Richard Ungar.
by Karen Krossing | Jul 12, 2012 | Mentoring, On Writing, Presentation News
Have you been wishing you could attend a conference or workshop to improve your craft? Network with others in the writing and publishing community? Learn a new technique? Keep up-to-date on trends and issues?
Professional development is important for all these reasons. But – let’s face it – conferences and workshops are not always affordable, particularly in far-off locations.
So how can you get there? One way that published Canadian creators can get funding to attend conferences and workshops is through a professional development grant from the Access Copyright Foundation.
The Access Copyright Foundation was created to promote and support Canadian culture by providing grants to encourage the development of publishable works. They also offer research grants and events grants. The professional development grants are available in literary or visual arts for individuals or organizations, and they will fund up to $3000 of expenses related to a workshop, seminar, conference, mentorship, studio program, etc. The deadline for this grant is May 1 of each year. For more information about the Access Copyright Foundation (which is administered by the Saskatchewan Arts Board), click here.
This week, I was thrilled to learn that I received a grant from the Access Copyright Foundation professional development program. Next February, I’m going to the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators 2013 Winter Conference in New York City! I can’t wait to network and develop my craft further.
This grant program is an awesome opportunity. Mark May 1 on your calendar and don’t forget to apply.
by Karen Krossing | Jun 10, 2012 | On Writing
A good editor knows how to ask the questions that nudge a writer deeper into the story. When an editor can do this, I know my story is in excellent hands.
But before the story ever reaches the editor, I need to act as my own editor – ask those questions of myself to produce the best quality story that I can.
Yesterday, I attended New York City agent Donald Maass’s Fire in Fiction workshop, based on his book of the same name. If you’re looking for the right series of questions to ask about your work-in-progress, Maass will steer you straight.
I left the workshop with an arsenal of writer’s tools in the form of questions designed to deepen character and build the world of the protagonist to have a greater impact on the readers and get them more emotionally involved.
Want an example? When Maass observed that some fantasy and historical stories have under-developed political structures, he spontaneously developed this set of questions:
- What are the distinct social classes in your story?
- Which characters in your story come from each of these classes?
- How will the reader know these characters are from a certain class?
- How does the protagonist see the social classes?
- Who is going to change the social class structure in the story?
- Who is going to move from one class to another? How is this character going to change because of the move?
- What is one thing that is ironic about one of these social classes?
- Pick two social classes and find out what is in conflict between them. Is there one class that has a grudge against another? Is one group being repressed? If so, how?
- What is unfair in the social class system of your story?
- What one law or situation is unjust in the community?
Writers can use the questions that Maass has developed to deepen their stories and inform about their characters. For more insights, check out The Fire in Fiction.
To take this idea further, why not try Maass’s method for yourself? When you’re troubled by some aspect of your work-in-progress or looking for ways to revise a manuscript, consider developing your own series of questions around the issue. Answering those questions could bring unexpected insights and better prepare your novel for that editor or agent.
by Karen Krossing | May 28, 2012 | Book News
I’m delighted with author/illustrator Debbie Ridpath Ohi‘s graphic review of my latest novel, The Yo-Yo Prophet. Debbie faithfully completes a “daily drawing” – an excellent way to stay inspired and fresh. After reading The Yo-Yo Prophet, Debbie created this daily drawing based on the main character, 15-year-old Calvin Layne:
Here’s what Debbie had to say about the book:
“So many reasons to love THE YO-YO PROPHET: the way the main characters change throughout the book, … the tension and excitement of Calvin’s yo-yo performances and competitions, how Calvin reacts to and eventually finds a way to cope with bullying, how he deals with his missing father and the declining health of his grandmother. Uplifting and hopeful ending without being clichéd.”
You can view the full review here.
You can check out more of Debbie’s daily drawings here. Debbie’s first illustration project, I’m Bored, a picture book written by Michael Ian Black, will be released in September 2012 with Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. Congrats, Debbie!
