Here we are
embracing our passion for words
learning from craftsmen
risking ourselves on the page
and handing the paper for critique.
Here we are
together for celebration of what we are
who we are
writers
powerless to resist the compulsion
powerful enough to create worlds.
You do not believe in censorship
you say
and yet you sit there and complain that
I accept work with curses. Work that is
about process, about drafting, about stretching.
I do not censor youthful voices
that may want to shout,
to try new language, new words.
We learn about audience and persona
and your child is allowed to stretch her wings
to try on new faces and expressions with me.
She is allowed to find her voice in my class room,
even if her voice
is louder than you like.
Haunted
Full days.
Wishing
Spinning
Devouring.
Turned inside out.
There was a rainbow.
.
.
This was a poetry exercise I created for my class today-
The prompts by line were
I am…
I have…
3 -ing verbs
I feel…
I wish…
I got some really interesting pieces! First we did this as a class activity, rolling the paper over and trading with someone new for each line. Then we shared the results. Finally, they created their own from stratch.
Writers live life, twice, trice;
their words are worth most any price;
they wish, they dream, they dice & slice;
they craft their words, they stretch & splice;
Writers fly to many heights;
they make you see amazing sights.
Writers live most when they write.
How to be a writer:
put words on the page every day.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
Just write.
There are 99 days before the Surrey International Writers’ Conference, and I’ve just remembered I have to prepare for my pitch. I’ve been so excited about my blue pencil appointment with Diana Gabaldon that I’ve completely neglected the fact that I have an agent to meet with. I anticipate having Grace Awakening Myth ready to pitch, or perhaps Number Eight, a high interest, low vocab novel I have had ‘just about finished’ for two years. (Seriously, it’s missing about 2000 words, but Grace was a bully and completely took over).
The last time I pitched at a conference, I ended up with a contract for Grace Awakening with a small Vancouver publisher. This time I’m meeting with a big time New York agent, and I feel a little out of my depth! Writers’ Digest features a post this week on how to pitch to agents at conferences. I am eager for the tips, and perhaps you’ll be interested, too. See you in the appointment line!
Shawn L. Bird 