Conference Notes Part II

More notes from the writers conference. Hope you find them helpful. Then pics of the crazy women below.

• Make sure every character you have on the page has a personality so they seem real, even if it's a waitress. (Not too much info., or readers will wonder when that person is going to show up in the story again.)
• Seed things in a few times before you reveal the answer or solve the dilemma. This stops things from happening out of the blue for the reader. Especially important if you write mysteries.
• Get into a scene late and exit early. Never blather or drag things out with drinking-coffee-at-breakfast scenes. B-o-r-i-n-g.
• Visualize each chapter as a scene. Make notes at the top of chaps. of what you want characters to do and say, what the scene is accomplishing, then complete and fill out.
• If you don't know what a character arc is, find out!
• Make sure your dialog follows the less is more rule. People talk in shorthand and with abbreviated words. Remember that.
• Subtext adds to plot layering. It is the messages under the message.
• Take advantage of all promotional activities. {My description: You must learn to be a carnival hawker!} Check out book clubs, giveaways of all sorts, handouts, biz cards, tv/radio/print, publicists, postcards, t-shirts, signings, thank you cards.
• This just in: I emailed one of the speakers for this resource I didn't know about. Have you heard of HarperCollins' Authonomy website and blog? Check it out. (I'm planning on visiting regularly.)

Conference pics~~~


Steph and her biscuit at the Hampton. (That's author Alex Sokolov behind her.)

Deborah LeBlanc proudly displays a promo item for her pet project - the Literacy Challenge. "Don't be stupid...READ!!!"

Deb waits her turn to speak. (She showed Kathryn's Tender Graces trailer as an example of good promo work!) I love the library bubble windows.

Cyn & Steph outside our favorite Houma eating joint -- A-bear's (phonetically named so non-Cajuns can pronounce Hebert's).

Cyn at the free hotel breakfast. (Author Heather Graham and someone I don't know at table behind her.)

Local musicians provide entertainment at the library rooftop wine and cheese party.

Author/poet/professor Christopher Tusa.

PS See more pics from Kat's perspective at her blog!

Good friends, good words, good food, good music. Can't wait til next year!

Where in the World is Gumbo Writer?

...she's off at the annual Writers Conference in the big swinging town of Houma, Louisiana with her writing group gang, enjoying the NTYBS authors' talks, the learned professors speaking on poetry, and just in general, soaking up writerly stuffs! She's sending a postcard to you all that says, Wish y'all wuz here!

This is true Cajun Land -- there's even a Boudreaux & Thibodeaux's restaurant here where you eat your seafood right out of a mini-pirough(canoe, for you unordained). Now, speaking of dem two good boys...here's a little sumpin' for ya:

Thibodeaux: "Boo, did you get dat parrot bird I done sent you for your birfday present?"

Boudreaux: "Mais, yeah, mon amie! Sha, dat ting was good!"

Thibodeaux: "What you mean, it was good? You ate dat bird?"

Boudreaux: "Of course I ate dat!"

Thibodeaux: "Paeiya, you couchon! Dat bird, him done spoke five different languages!"

Boudreaux: "Mais, Thib, den he shoulda said someting!"