Shawn L. Bird

Original poetry, commentary, and fiction. All copyrights reserved.

What else did you do at SIWC? October 26, 2012

Filed under: OUTLANDERishness,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 7:34 am
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Aside from the pitch and blue pencil time, The Surrey International Writers’ Conference offers an amazing variety of workshops and keynote addresses.  As a teacher, I love learning, and it was wonderful to learn from the following:

Friday Keynote by Jane Espenson– screenwriter of Buffy, Husbands, Once Upon a Time, etc.  She’s very funny and inspired us with the tale of achieving her dream to be a writer.  Our words have power: “SO SAY WE ALL!”

How to Be a Well Paid Blogger by Carol Tice.  In the next few months, you’ll see some changes to my blog, and many of them will be because of this rather astonishing workshop.

What to do with the Back story by Diana Gabaldon.  This workshop focused on how to subtly introduce elements of back story without stopping the action of the story.  To be honest, my favorite part of this workshop was when I raised my hand to ask a question, and Diana called on me by name.  <g>  In my blue pencil, we referenced things covered in this workshop, so I have specific things to remember…

Diving Into the Past a panel of historical fiction writers including CC Humphreys, Mary Balogh, Anne Perry, Jack Whyte, and in the audience, Diana Gabaldon who contributed now and then to the discussion when asked.  I was pitching to an agent during part of this session, and missed half of this panel.  The biggest tip I took from this was that you can research forever and never start writing.  Research enough to get going, and then write!  Don’t stop the fluency of writing to research, stick a question in square brackets and keep going.  Later, after the first draft is done, you can go back and figure out what you needed to know.

Keynote speaker for Friday night was Robert Sawyer who told us not to track trends and figure out what’s hot.  Rather, we should figure out our story and speak to the world the things we have to say, because we became writers to tell our own stories.   We have to trust others will love what we love.

The Night Owl event was Shock Theatre 5 with Michael Slade narrating a radio play mash up of classic horror stories, voiced by Jack Whyte, Anne Perry, Diana Gabaldon, Sam Sykes, with folly work by KC Dyer and a special appearance by CC Humphreys.  It was hilariously bad.

Saturday morning J. J. Lee gave an emotional keynote that had the crowd teary eyed and on its feet.  We write magic.

I missed the first session of workshops waiting in line for 70 minutes to see about getting a second agent appointment.  When I finally reached the front of the line it was 11:30 and I had to fly into the room to meet with Diana Gabaldon for my blue pencil.  I was so close to missing my appointment, I nearly had an apoplexy.

Taking Control, Advanced Social Media with Sean Cranbury was interesting.  His focus is essentially the anti-thesis of Carol Tice’s.  He believes in free sharing of information and celebration of the arts of joyful community.  However, he had a lot of good ideas about layout and professional presentation.  These will be reflected in some up coming changes to this blog.

History: Riding the Wave with CC Humphreys.  Poor Chris was feeling quite ill, but he was enthusiastic and had lots of interesting stories to tell about writing and researching A Place Called Armageddon, his latest book.  Chris and I had a mutual Fluevog admiration society going on throughout this conference.

The keynote on Saturday evening was Susanna Kearsley with whom I’d been speaking during the book fair, trying to place ‘where do I know your name.’  She had no suggestions, but when she was called up to do the keynote I had a face palm moment. So embarrassing.

There was a Night Owl movie event, but I was too tired at this stage.  My plan was to go back to my hotel for an early night, but in the end, I sat in the lobby chatting with Val King and Randy McCharles of Calgary instead.

Sunday morning, I was very slow moving.  I was a bit late for the morning key note by Diana Gabaldon who spoke about something moving and amusing, but I’ve completely forgotten the details.

Luckily Ursula recorded it, and here is every word!

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhgHPPMuMNs

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I missed the first workshop session standing in line to  book and then having another agent pitch appointment.

My final workshop was Rhythm of the Word by Sam Sykes who showed how prose can be empowered by playing with rhythm in structure and dialogue.

Jack Whyte and me at the 1920s themed Banquet at SIWC2012

The final keynote was by New York agent Donald Maass.  He declared this a time of positive change and growth in publishing, and challenged us to use our words to write works that will CHANGE THE WORLD!

We had something to do every day from about 8:30 a.m. until 10:30 p.m.  Every meal we sat with other writers, agents, publishers, or editors discussing projects, life, and writing.  There were 700 like minded souls sitting down to dine each meal, and just that was completely brilliant.  I loved sitting with new people each day and discovering new things!  It felt like ‘home’ in the most amazing way.  It was wonderful meeting authors I love, getting my photograph taken with JJ Lee, Diana Gabaldon, Anne Perry, and Jack Whyte.  Last time I attended SIWC I was too shy to approach any pros for photos.  It’s fun being able to put up photos in my class room.  Next time, I will take more photos of the people I mix and mingle with, so I’ll have “I knew them when!” photos! 🙂

 

magicians’ secrets October 23, 2012

Filed under: OUTLANDERishness,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 7:29 am
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I was driving home last night, listening to my audio book  (A Breath of Snow and Ashes by Diana Gabaldon), and as the story went along I was thinking, “Oh.  There she goes again, neatly fitting in a piece of back story.  That was subtly done!”  The thought must have happened at least a dozen times.

I’m on my 9th re-read (print and audio) of this particular book within this calendar year.  I’ve seen all these lines before.  I knew what she was doing the previous 8 reads, but now, having come out of a workshop  where she discussed this technique and the careful process of fitting in these references to events from earlier books, and having her comments in my blue pencil session fresh in my mind, I can hear her voice echoing along with narrator Davina Porter’s.

It’s like the end of Wizard of Oz, “Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!”

It makes it harder to read books merely for enjoyment, when you very consciously catch sight of the technique.  I suspect it also makes one pickier as a reader, since you have less tolerance for poorly executed technique.

Hopefully, it makes you a better writer, though.  You grow in knowledge.  Not just intuitive awareness, but conscious knowledge of an executed skill that must be mastered to be an effective writer.

 

suicidal raccoons & automotive carnage October 22, 2012

Filed under: anecdotes — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:51 am
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After a blissful and inspiring weekend at the Surrey International Writing Conference, I was driving home, listening to Davina Porter narrating the audio book of A Breath of Snow and Ashes, breaking into giggles every once in a while recalling conversations or events at the conference, pondering a workshop I thought I should propose for next year’s conference, and generally minding my own business on the highway, when out of the blue a suicidal raccoon strolled onto Highway #1 directly in front of Sheila the Bug.

I hit the brakes.  He hit his brakes. He stared me down.  Sheila the Bug had been coasting along at 90 km/hr.  If Ranger Rick had decided to keep moving, either forward or back, he would have been fine, but his death wish was strong.

If I’d swirved at that speed and distance I would have rolled Sheila, and I was on a mountain with a long cliff to the lake below me.

Ranger Rick was going to die.

He hit Sheila the Bug. There was a loud thump of collision, and several smaller thunks and bumps as he travelled beneath the car.  I sighed regretfully.  I have never hit a creature before, beyond birds which flew into me.  I was imagining the carnage beneath my vehicle: blood, guts, fur.

Suddenly my temperature gauge light came on, then it started flashing madly.  I was entering a small town 30 mins from home.  I pulled into the empty mall, parked beneath a light and looked beneath.

There was no raccoon carnage whatsoever.

Instead, there was automotive carnage.  The bumper was smashed in half, something black and important looking was missing on one side, the radiator had a dint in it.  Pale, glistening autoblood was streaming from radiator.

Damn raccoon.

I phoned my knight in shining armour, and he rode up on his trusty Honda steed and rescued me, tow truck following behind.  When I called ICBC to report the damage, the operator said, “Wow.  That must have been a huge raccoon!”

I have to say, I was stunned at the revenge extracted by that striped bandit.  Not content to kill himself, he had to take out poor Sheila!

Sheila the Bug will be in the car hospital for quite some time.  No doubt Ranger Rick is lying in wait for the next unsuspecting VW Beetle!

Plainly, I should just have stayed in Surrey with all those wonderful writerly people.

 

Diana Gabaldon said to me… October 20, 2012

Filed under: anecdotes,OUTLANDERishness,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 11:24 pm
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The green shoulder is mine. I’m cropped out because I look like a troll in this shot! lol Diana does not seem to be able to take a bad photo! Check out her funky turquoise nails!

Today I had a blue pencil appointment with Diana Gabaldon at the Surrey International Writers’ Conference.  A blue pencil is 15 minutes of time in front of a professional author, who reads a very short selection of your work, and provides some general feedback.

I knew I’d be completely starstruck, so I asked her a month ago via Facebook if it’d be okay if I recorded the conversation, and she was fine with that.

I arrived into the empty seat in front of her desk in a flurry because I’d been in a line and lost track of the time, so I was nearly late for my appointment (and we’re not going to even discuss what a trauma that would have been after counting down, sometimes by the hour, for 135 days!).  I pulled out my scene, which is a very early, poorly cobbled together start to Grace Beguiling, which is/will be a historical/fantasy novel set in 14th century France.  The scene is 6 pages, which is way too long for a blue pencil, so I’d highlighted parts I particularly wanted her feedback on.  She just smiled, said that she was a fast reader, and zipped through the whole thing, laughing out loud in places, and making corrections of typos.  It is very cool to have your favourite author laughing out loud while reading your writing.  It’s a little embarrassing to have your favourite author correcting your typos.

When she was finished reading, I turned my iPhone’s memo recorder on and recorded her observations, suggestions, and reminders.

The part I most wanted to know about (and had spent months researching) she dismissed with a wave as, “Fine.”  We had some discussion about language choice in historical work and development and structuring of a ‘very beginning’ where there needs to be some action to grab the reader and the story must be established right away.  I am so glad I have that recording to remind me of my focus.  Grace Beguiling offers a number of stylistic challenges, and she’s helped me think about how I’m going to solve them.  There was nothing earth shattering, just common sense reiteration of basic principles.  It’s good to hear those words from someone whose knowledge you trust implicitly.  “Remember that…”  Oh right.  I know that.

Do it.

I wish the piece I’d brought wasn’t quite so rough, but it was a worthwhile endeavour.  One quote is going to be artistically rendered and put above my writing desk.

My favourite author, Diana Gabaldon said to me, “You know how to tell a story.”  That will keep me inspired for a very long time.

 

happiness is meeting your favourite author! October 18, 2012

Filed under: OUTLANDERishness,Reading,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 10:07 pm
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Diana Gabaldon  and I at the Strawberry Hill Chapters in Surrey:  a gala fund raiser for the Surrey International Writers’ Conference.  This was a nice opportunity to chat a bit with her, as I visited with all of the other authors, waiting until the crowds were gone to speak to her.  Since we’ve been corresponding for a few months, she knew who I was and was very welcoming.

Now to get a good night’s sleep before falling off the deep end into the conference!

PS.  You can’t see them, but there are new Fluevogs on my feet after a pilgrimage to the Gastown Fluevog HQ… 🙂  (It’s been a very happy day celebrating my addictions).

PS2.  I didn’t even hyper-ventilate when I met her, although coming home  I wondered if I was having a heart attack.  After determining I simply did not have TIME to fit in a heart attack this weekend, I decided it was the Thai chicken wrap I had for dinner. 🙂

PS3. This trip was partially to help me prepare psychologically for my Blue Pencil session two days later.  You might be interested in reading the post Diana Gabaldon Said To Me as well

PS4. I was also amused to meet Diana’s son Sam Sykes, who wasn’t an official author at this event.  He’s amusing.

 

 

3 levels of story: Donald Maass workshop June 7, 2012

Filed under: Grace Beguiling - Petrarch,Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 6:07 pm
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I am beyond excited to be going to Surrey International Writers’ Conference next fall (in 133 days!).   I attended SIWC in 2009 after I’d written Grace Awakening, and successfully pitched it there.  I was a walk in registration on the Saturday that year.  This year,  I registered and paid on the first day I could for the full conference.  As a result, I have appointments with agent Victoria Marini and with Diana Gabaldon!  I’m so excited I can hardly stand it.

In the midst of my excitement, I’m feeling the pressure to be finishing up book 3, Grace Awakening Myth, and getting back to work on Grace Beguiling.  Beguiling is the book I was in France to research in 2011, and it has already had some help from Diana Gabaldon, as she responded to some historical questions about Roman Catholic practice that I’d posted on the Compuserve Writers’ Forum.   I was poking around the Forum today, looking for some interesting conversations and tips, and I came across links to this blog post that is the notes that L. S. Taylor  took at SIWC in a masters’ class by agent Donald Maass in 2011.    Maass handles some serious talent, and I’ve heard him speak before.  This workshop is so full of fantastic stuff that I thought I’d direct you to the link.   I’m going to be chewing on this for a while.  Taylor records, “Fiction that keeps us enthralled works on three different levels at once: the macroplot, the scene structure, and the line-by-line tension. A throbbing beat that keeps us dancing/reading, enthralled.”

Click here to read Taylor’s notes from Maass’s Master Class: Impossible to Put Down: Mastering the Three Levels of Story.  Thanks Laura for taking these great notes and posting them on your blog for us all!

 

the other side of the pitch February 18, 2012

Filed under: Writing — Shawn L. Bird @ 6:40 pm
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When I attended my first writing conference- the Surrey International Writers’ Conference in 2009- I was told about The Elevator Pitch. This is the 30 second blurb about your book that establishes the protagonist, conflict, theme and audience. You need one, because every time you’re asked, “What’s your book about?” you should be able to answer concisely, in a manner that catches the person’s interest. I worked with author Carol Mason to polish mine, and when I presented it to Crystal of Gumboot Books that afternoon, it earned me a “Yes, we’d like to see more!” and eventually a contract.

I wondered at the time, what is it like for an agent, publisher or editor at these events? They’re the ones being pounced upon by every would-be writer in the building. Everyone there has something to pitch, and the APEs are the ones being pitched at. The image in my head is someone standing in the middle of the room, frantically covering his head while baseballs rain down from every direction.

Mark Glenchur has written a delightful poem that gives a hilarious view from the APE side. Unfortunately, the writer in the poem did not have a 30 second elevator pitch polished and ready.  Read and learn.