Less Obvious Blessings

Acknowledging that we’re all thankful for family, friends, and good health … I’m curious about other things on your Gratitude List.

Like, what’s the one invention you’re thankful for? If you had to lose all other conveniences or discoveries, which ONE invention would they have to rip (figuratively or metaphorically) from your cold, dead hands? Please show your work.

For me? As much as I loves me my computer, my air conditioner and my coffee maker, I think I’d have to say I’m thankful for the printing press. It performs double duty in my life. It provides my living AND much of my entertainment.

And you?

Page 56 Story

Here is the story I made from the 5th sentences of various 56th pages. The only words I added are in bold. Try to overlook the POV and tense shifts. And the lack of dramatic tension. And clarity. And plot. The spelling, however, is impeccable.

Scene: Congressional bailout hearings

Cast of Characters:
• APON and LYDIA, Chairmen of General Motors and Chrysler
• The “GUNSLINGER”, AKA RALPH, longest-serving Senator ever
• CASSIOPEIA, Chairman of Ford Motors
• JHAI TSERAI, Treasury Secretary
• SHLIMAZEL, current President of the United States
• IGOR, current Vice-President of the United States
• DEIDAMIA, House Majority Leader
• ERIC, President-Elect
• JORDAN, Director of Homeland Security
• ANGEL, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Apon and Lydia are three billion years gone, the gunslinger told them; they have become Old Star and Old Mother, the north and south, each pining for the other but both now too proud to beg for reconciliation . . . and Cassiopeia sits off to the side in her chair, rocking and laughing at them both. They all got it from Jhai Tserai, who was apparently picky about details, especially those regarding quality management.

“Black in his heart, son.”

It had been going on almost nonstop for three months when he first came to see me. It made me a little mad to be confused for my father, but I knew Ralph was an egg or two short of a dozen. His mind was trying to formulate a motive but all he could think of was a full-page publicity shot of Bogie and Bacall kissing from the 1944 film To Have and Have Not.

“I ain’t telling you again, Shlimazel,” said Igor. “THEN, the onload() event fires on the body tag, which calls the drawgraph() function.”

“Say you so?” Deidamia exclaimed hopefully.

After tolerating his self-importance and dictatorial attitude all evening, I’d be content to fade away with my belly full and with Eric unable to contact me again with his crazy ideas like, “Given that, we have to think about raising taxes or cutting spending or finding some ‘not too cold, not too hot’ combination platter. If you cannot, stick with a tantalizing capsule description in your letter.”

“Coffee klatsch?” Shlimazel asked, incomprehensibly. “I will substitute for your ego, if you wish, but never for your spirit.” Trying not to leave handprints, he slithered along the ground, supporting his weight on his forearms.

Jordan whispered in Angel’s ear, his breath hot and foul, “You remember our secret game? Well, you wouldn’t, unless what you found there was better than the alternatives, and our eleven-year-old found Harry Potter more fun, more exciting, more suspenseful than all the alternatives open to him.”

“That hit home! Now I understand why my Nervenarzt recommended that I consult you,” Cassiopeia cackled.

Make your own story! Here are all of the sentences so you can copy and paste it into your own document. I printed out a copy and cut it apart, arranging and rearranging on the table in front of me.

Apon and Lydia are three billion years gone, the gunslinger told them; they have become Old Star and Old Mother, the north and south, each pining for the other but both now too proud to beg for reconciliation . . . and Cassiopeia sits off to the side in her chair, rocking and laughing at them both.

If you cannot, stick with a tantalizing capsule description in your letter.

Given that, we have to think about raising taxes or cutting spending or finding some ‘not too cold, not too hot’ combination platter.

After tolerating his self-importance and dictatorial attitude all evening, I’d be content to fade away with my belly full and with Eric unable to contact me again.

They all got it from Jhai Tserai, who was apparently picky about details, especially those regarding quality management.

Then, the onload() event fires on the body tag, which calls the drawgraph() function.

It made me a little mad to be confused for my father, but I knew Ralph was an egg or two short of a dozen.

“I ain’t telling you again, Shlimazel,” said Igor.

Uh, page 56 in my book was a full-page publicity shot of Bogie and Bacall kissing for the 1944 film To Have and Have Not.

I will substitute for your ego, if you wish, but never for your spirit.

It had been going on almost nonstop for three months when he first came to see me.

Well, you wouldn’t, unless what you found there was better than the alternatives, and our eleven-year-old found Harry Potter more fun, more exciting, more suspenseful than all the alternatives open to him.

His mind was trying to formulate a motive.

Jordan whispered in her ear, his breath hot and foul, “You remember our secret game, Angel?”

Black in his heart, son.

That hit home! Now I understand why my Nervenarzt recommended that I consult you.

Trying not to leave handprints, he slithered along the ground, supporting his weight on his forearms.

Coffee klatsch.

“Say you so?” Deidamia exclaimed hopefully.

13 Year Old Talks Smack

I love this kid. I hope it’s true that he’s really an 8th grader from New Jersey and not some jaded writer or industry professional. Publishers Weekly printed this essay written by Max Leone. It makes me crave his adolescent approval, which seems weird, possibly creepy, now that I write it. But for a long time, my goal has been to write something — anything — that teenage boys will love.

Take a look ….

Read This B4 U Publish
A 13-year-old boy tells the industry what teens want
by Max Leone — Publishers Weekly, 11/10/2008

I am of that population segment that is constantly derided as “not reading anymore,” and is therefore treated by publishing companies as a vast, mysterious demographic that’s seemingly impossible to please. Kind of like the way teenage boys think of girls. The reason we read so little in our free time is partially because of the literary choices available to teenagers these days. The selection of teen literature is even more barren now that the two great dynasties, Harry Potter and Artemis Fowl, have released their final installments. Those two massive successes blended great characters, humor and action in a way that few other books manage. When they went for laughs, they were genuinely funny, and their dramatic scenes were still heart-poundingly tense, even after I’d read them dozens of times.

And so, after weeks of brainstorming and careful consideration (three months of procrastinating and two hours of furious typing), I will now attempt to end this dark age of adolescent prose. I will start by stating the main problem with books aimed at teenage boys. Then I will give some examples of what teenage boys actually want to read.

The first problem with many books for teens is archaic language. Seriously. It is the kiss of death for teenage boy literature. Any book infested by it is destined to become an eternal object of derision around the cafeteria lunch table. It is a problem that applies not only to the “classics” (yes, I will use quotations whenever I use that word. Live with it.), but also modern teenage literature. “Methinks”? “Doth”? Really? So we are constantly ridiculed for “lol,” while these offenses go unnoticed? To all writers of books aimed at teenage boys, I beg you: please use only modern language, no matter what time period or universe your book takes place in.

Another giant, oily blemish on the face of teenage literature (that was entirely intentional) is whatever urge compels writers to clumsily smash morals about fairness or honor or other cornball crap onto otherwise fine stories. Do you not think we get enough of that in our parents’ and teachers’ constant attempts to shove the importance of justice and integrity down our throats? We get it. I assure you, it makes no difference in our behavior at all. And we will not become ax murderers because volume 120 of Otherworld: The Generica Chronicles didn’t smother us in morals that would make a Care Bear cringe.

And then there are the vampires and other supernatural creature that appear in many contemporary teen novels. Vampires, simply put, are awesome. However, today’s vampire stories are 100 pages of florid descriptions of romance and 100 pages of various people being emo. However much I mock the literature of yesteryear, it definitely had it right when it came to vampires. The vampire was always depicted as a menacing badass. That is the kind of book teenage boys want to read. Also good: books with videogame-style plots involving zombie attacks, alien attacks, robot attacks or any excuse to shoot something.

Finally, here is what I consider the cardinal rule of writing for young adults: Do Not Underestimate Your Audience. They actually know a lot about what’s going on in politics. They will get most of the jokes you expect them not to. They have a much higher tolerance for horror and action than most adults. Most of the books I read actually don’t fall under the “young adult” category. I can understand the humor in Jon Stewart’s or Stephen Colbert’s books as well as any adult.

Publishers can stop panicking and worrying that the teenage boy market is impossible to crack, that teenagers hardly ever read anymore, and that they have only a few years before books become obsolete and are replaced by holograms or information beamed straight into people’s minds. Okay, they probably do have to worry about that last one. But if they follow the simple rules I outlined above, they’ll be able to cash in on the four or five minutes each day that teenagers aren’t already spending on school, homework, videogames, eating, band practice and sports.

P.S. I have very good lawyers, so don’t bother trying to sue me if none of these suggestions work and your company goes out of business.

**********

Thoughts?

Guess How Many?

Guess how many kids fit in a tuba locker?

O

n

e

?

* * * * * * * *

T

w

o

?

* * * * * * * *

T

h

r

e

e

?

* * * * * * * *

F

o

u

r

?

* * * * * * * *

F

i

v

e

?

* * * * * * * *

S

i

x

?

* * * * * * * *

S

e

v

e

n

?

* * * * * * * *

Eight!

Page 56 Game

Somebody gave me this game. Too fun.

Rules:

* Grab the book nearest you. Right now.
* Turn to page 56.
* Find the fifth sentence.
* Post that sentence.
* Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

On Stones

• Stonehenge is a circular arrangement of prehistoric monoliths on Salisbury Plain England, probably in the Neolithic period, possibly to enhance their games of freeze tag.

• To stonewall is to refuse to answer, even when the playground monitor is just a stone’s throw away.

• The Rosetta Stone is inscribed with a Ptolemaic decree and its markings helped experts decipher hieroglyphics.

• To get blood out of a stone means to labor in vain. But leave no stone unturned when killing two birds with one, since a rolling stone gathers no moss.

• The Blarney Stone, located in Ireland at the top of Blarney Castle, is said to impart eloquence on those who kiss it.

• Kidney stones are calcium deposits which can pass through the urinary tract, making one’s father turn green with pain.

• The Philosopher’s Stone turns base metals and wordy books about boy wizards to gold.

• Stone soup is a concoction of water, root vegetables, and granite, thought to fill your belly for a ha’penny.

• Stonewashed denim is to Cheech and Chong …

… as a starched shirt is to Frasier and Niles Crane.

• The Rolling Stones were a 1960s rock-and-roll band made up entirely of malnourished, full-lipped, hideously ugly musical hacks, usually stoned. Widely assumed to be extinct.

• Sharon Stone is a girl who makes bad movies.

Oliver Stone is a boy who makes bad movies.

Ironically, neither had anything to do with Romancing the Stone, The Sword in the Stone, or The Adventures of Timmy the Tooth: the Brush in the Stone.

• On Stone Mountain, near Atlanta, Georgia, there is a huge Confederate Memorial carved. It’s THE place to buy a Union Jack.

• Stone cold fox.

Go ahead, cast the first stone. Or will you respond with a stony silence?

10,000 Hours

In the November 24, 2008 issue of Time Magazine … which I’m feeling uber-smug for having already finished … there’s an article about Malcolm Gladwell. He’s a brainiac who has written his third book, OUTLIERS, which Time describes as, “a frontal assault on the great American myth of the self-made man.” It’s a book about exceptional people who “operate at the extreme outer edge of what is statistically possible.”

He’s a remarkable man and the book sounds like a good read. But I was stopped short when I read about Gladwell’s 10,000-Hour Rule. He says the key to success in any field takes simple practice, 10,000 hours of it … 20 hours a week for ten years, regardless of talent.

I read that paragraph three times because I’ve heard for many years — since I’ve become serious about writing — that only those who persevere will have a career as an author. I’ve heard a million stories, give or take 200,000, about authors who took ten years to become ‘overnight successes’ because that’s the industry average. I know mediocre writers who are quite successful. Why? Because they don’t quit and they learn everything there is to know about the publishing industry. And I know excellent, make-your-heart-leap-into-your-throat writers who will never get published. Why? Because they give up or refuse to learn about the industry.

I also read recently, in the December issue of The Writer magazine, (again, feeling smug to be current in my reading) about William McGonagall (1825-1902), the world’s worst poet, whose “confidence far surpassed his talent.” Chuck Leddy, the author of the article, maintains that “to persist in the face of hurled insults and howling laughter, is a unique sort of genius that remains worthy of celebration.” I wholeheartedly agree. In fact, if I had my Wayback Machine all lubed and oiled, I’d buy Mr. McG a Guinness.

Mr. McGonagall obviously dangled his legs off the cliff of talent, but it’s clear he put in his 10,000 hours. After all, it’s 2008 and he’s still the subject of magazine articles. There are studies documenting Gladwell’s 10,000-Hour Rule … it’s not just anecdotal, trying to make us feel better about trying to be published authors for all these years.

So I started looking at my timeline. I’ve been serious about writing … and let’s define that using Gladwell’s scale by saying it’s conscientious writing 20 hours a week … since about October 1999, to the best of my recollection. I never seem to do any writing on weekends, so twenty hours a week is four hours per day. If we count reading craft books, reading in our genre, critiquing others’ manuscripts, participating in critique groups, attending conferences, workshops and lectures … well, golly! I’m overdo for my breakout novel because I’ve put in more than 10,000 hours. And I really hope that “regardless of talent” piece is true.

But if the ten year thing has to be part of the equation, then I only have another year to strengthen my book signing hand!

Ready when you are, Universe!

Are you close to 10,000 hours of practicing something to fulfill your dream? If you could do anything in the world, what would you want to spend 10,000 hours practicing? (And I know that leaves me absolutely open to all kinds of funny, possibly obscene, answers, but it’s a chance I’m willing to take! Let ‘em rip ….)

Only Three Books

Here’s something interesting. It’s not necessarily a “bad retail behavior” story, but it’s thought-provoking.

Apparently, a well-dressed gentleman stopped in a bookstore and informed the employees that he’d just been sentenced to six months at the workhouse and would be allowed to take three books with him.

He selected Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard (possibly because of the heft of the volume), Seven Habits of Highly Effective People, and an unmemorable third.

This episode turned into a parlor game for all the booksellers, as in, “If I were sentenced to six months in the workhouse and could only take three books with me, what would I take?”

Because I’m always expecting the authorities on my doorstep, I want to be ready so I’ve been thinking about my three choices.

One …  I’d bring A GIRL NAMED ZIPPY – GROWING UP SMALL IN MOORELAND, INDIANA by Haven Kimmel.

It’s one of the very few books I’ve lifted to “You Betcha, I’ll Read It Again” status. I love it with every fiber of my being. It does three things to me simultaneously … laugh hysterically, break my heart thus turning me into a little puddle of sobbing Becky, and curse the day the writing bug bit me because I’ll never be Haven Kimmel.

Two …  I’d bring THE TAO OF POOH and THE TE OF PIGLET, by Benjamin Hoff

because really, is there any other way to learn the Chinese philosophy of Taoism? No. No, there is not. Technically, you can find both books in one volume. Alas, I don’t own it. But if I’m only allowed one, I’d choose Piglet because I believe in the virtue of the small.

Three …  my URBAN DICTIONARY compiled by Aaron Peckham.  I would spend my incarceration memorizing every delicious word and then come out saying things like …

D’s been giving me heat ‘cause I slang bricks.

That concert was hellza cool!

Oooh! I love this song. Let me get my dance on while I lean back.

Yo, check it! Sista got Tyrese on mad lockdown again this weekend. Brotha won’t be able to hang.

And of course I’ll start calling everyone “holmes.”

Holla back at me with the three books you’d take to the joint with you.

Bad Retail Behavior

I was recently part of a discussion about annoying things people do in bookstores. I find these stories horrifying and hilarious at the same time. AND I WANT TO HEAR MORE RIDICULOUS RETAIL REPORTS.

One woman said she worked in the children’s department of a bookstore.

“I had a boy in the department for 20-25 minutes who occasionally called out for his mom, then went back to what he was doing. Turned out, what he was doing was pulling the stickers out of a sticker book.”

She confronted every woman of the ‘right’ age asking if they had a son in the children’s dept. She finally found the mother at the register very far from the children’s department.

“I told her that her son had been looking for her and had been destroying books. I don’t think it was store policy for me to use the term ‘destroying books’ but I was beyond angry.”

If it was me, my words would have melted the paper the store policy was written on. Clearly, some people … such as The Becky … are ill-suited to work in retail.

Another time the store had a couple dump their kids, then go to the restaurant next door. The children were too young to actually tell the bookstore employees where the parents were and after paging throughout the store, someone walked over to the restaurant and found them.

There was also the customer at another bookstore who was offended when the store wanted her to pay for the board book her little darling had chewed on, since it could no longer be sold. She didn’t really want to buy a second copy because they already owned a copy at home.

Nice lessons to teach, eh?

Another bookstore employee said she’d only been working there for two months, but already had all kinds of bizarre requests. Like people who wanted refunds because they didn’t like the book. After they read it.

These must be the same people who think libraries are those places where knitting groups meet or that grocery stores are those places where you’re supposed to yak REALLY LOUDLY on your cell phone about your unfortunate rash. In the cereal aisle. Where I want to be.

Oops. I digress.

Apparently, people bring back books with coffee spills and other stains, and wonder why they can’t get a refund.

Who ARE these people?!

This might be my favorite story, though …

“One of the oddest things that happened at our large independent was when a customer came in to buy a copy of The God Delusion. He was so angry with the fact this book had ever been published that he took his newly procured copy, sat on one of our comfy reading chairs and proceeded to destroy the book. He tore out page after page and shredded them until he was surrounded by quite a pile of debris. When he was done (and he was busy with the project for quite some time), he stuffed all the scraps into his bag and left. I have often wondered whether this gesture of defiance actually made this guy feel any better.”

If he lives near BeckyLand and feels as strongly about video, it might explain the copies of Rocky II, III, IV, and V I saw crushed on a road once.

I can’t recall hating a book so much that I wanted to destroy it, although I did have that run-in in high school with Sinclair Lewis ….

PLEEEEEZE tell me more stories about bad retail behavior. Doesn’t have to be bookstores. If you don’t have retail stories, you could also tell me which book we might find you methodically shredding in a comfy bookstore chair. If you were a whack-job, that is.

Novel Retreat Kudos

This is the last in my series about the Novel Retreat in 3 Acts. If you missed the others, I talked about what I got out of the Retreats, Nancy Sharp Wagner explained how they came to be, I gave the details of the three Retreats, and I showed the fabulous monastery where they’re held.

Today, I’m posting some of the past participants’ thoughts about the Novel Retreat in 3 Acts so you don’t have to take my word for how great they are!

**********

I have an MFA in Writing for Children and Teens, and while I wouldn’t trade that experience for anything, I can honestly say that these retreats offered some wonderful, practical, hands-on information that I never got in the masters program. (It had many wonderful benefits, of course, but different). So the Novel Retreats were absolutely worth it! I’d definitely do it again. I wish I’d had a chance to do this many years ago!

~ Maurene

**********

I’d been drooling over the idea of getting a MFA in writing for children for years, but always, the money, time, distance, and application process stopped me. (Transcripts from more than 20 years ago? Admittance essays?) I’ve been learning to write for children for a decade, attending local workshops, participating in a great critique group (mostly picture books), and reading craft books and current kid lit, but I still wasn’t accomplishing much new work … and, thus, not sending out a whole lot of submissions.

Finally I made a list of what I hoped an MFA program would accomplish in my writing. It boiled down to this: deadlines, accountability, and novel-writing partners — so I would finish projects instead of dithering around with them year after year.

When the 3-Act Novel Retreats came along, even though they would cost me airfare from Atlanta in addition to the retreat costs, I jumped at the chance. For a mere 10% (including airfare) of the cost of an MFA I could get a year of deadlines, accountability, and writing partners to spur me on.

And it’s been great. I started with a vague idea for a novel, and a year later I have a manuscript that will be ready for submitting in a few weeks. If these retreats were within driving distance of Atlanta, I’d participate year after year. Nothing like a deadline to spur a writer to sit in that chair and write!

~ Lisa

**********

For me, it was absolutely worth the 90 hours of driving to and from Montana, the money, the time, the deadline stress, and the no-cell-coverage. I feel that through this retreat series I’ve learned the tools to take my writing to the next level. I feel like a writer now, not just a writing enthusiast. I have learned what I need to do with my writing to make it the best it can be. It’s actually very liberating and exhilarating.

Before I signed up for the series, I thought about it for a long time. I was having a hard time justifying the expense and the time commitment in my own mind. Time was huge for us Montana participants because of the extra drive days. I’m too busy! But then Elaine Marie Alphin said to me that if I wanted to be a serious writer, I needed to act like a serious writer, and be involved in serious writer things. She was so right! I’m glad I jumped in.

I’ve always loved writing, but I’ve also always known that I needed more tools to make my writing better. This series was a huge leap forward for me. I loved every piece of instruction, and have been able to directly apply what I was taught into my own writing processes. Working with a small critique group was fabulous, and the support system we’ve established will be beneficial for years to come.

I recommend this retreat series to anyone I talk writing with. I’ve learned more in the last year than in all the years before.

~ Kiri

**********

My expectations? I really didn’t know what to expect in terms of the retreat presentations. But I hoped by participating to jump start myself into finally writing this story that has been in my head for years. I was delighted by the retreat — the formal presentations, the participants, the retreat center.

Where was I when I started? I had an idea and 20 pages from a creative writing class 25 years ago. Where am I now? Well, I didn’t quite meet the deadline, but I do have a draft of 60,000 words and am still fired up to write the last chapters and then revise using the tools I gathered. Like others, I feel validated. I am a writer of a novel.

Benefits I received? Inspiring sessions. Elaine’s enthusiasm was contagious. All kinds of ideas for getting the draft down. Figuring out that laying a careful track is what I need. Darcy’s workbook with helpful revision tools. The support and friendship of a wonderful small group. The restorative atmosphere of the monastery combined with the fellowship of like-minded writers. Knowledge about the business end of writing and selling a novel. A helpful critique from an editor. And a critique group to continue the sharing of manuscripts. Pride in what I have accomplished.

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat if I could. I only wish I had been able to do this 25 years earlier!

The facility? I love the retreat center. I always feel like I have stepped outside of time there. The quiet and the natural beauty of the place are centering. Great to have a private room and bath. Good food too.

~ Beth

**********

I don’t know if I had a particular set of expectations when I started the retreat. I had a few HOPES. I hoped that I would actually be able to finish a novel. I hoped that it would flow well enough that someone would actually enjoy reading it. I hoped that I could figure out the publishing process. And I believe for the most part, I feel fulfilled. I DID write a novel and I DID have other people read it! Yay!!! I think it’s still far from publishable quality, but maybe I have the direction now to get a little closer to that goal.

When I started the retreat series, I had never even attempted to write such a long work before. And now I have. I feel like that’s an accomplishment.

The big benefit of the series was that the novel writing process was broken down step by step and we had access to experts to help us along. There were also clear DEADLINES. I work best with a deadline, so this was a huge benefit. It was also beneficial to be put in a small group so there was built in encouragement and feedback from others who were going through the same process.

I’m thinking that my small group will stay together, at least for a little while, so I can take
advantage of that if I don’t get to be part of the retreat series again.

I really liked the facility. It was so peaceful and away from all distractions. It was a place where you could really go to think and write.

~ Kristin

**********

This has been such an incredible experience! I stayed an extra night after Act 3 was over to try to maintain some momentum on the writing. When the writers go home, the St Benedict Center gets QUIET!

We’re talking tomblike silence, except for the howling October wind. (There were fish blown out of the lake lying on the sidewalk the next morning!) I had the solarium to myself all afternoon and very late into the night. It was great for working, since it was the first time I’d really had to think in about a year, but I have to say, I missed having all my writer pals to run to and chat with!

I don’t know how I’m going to get through this winter without another retreat to look forward to!

~ Mary

**********

The tools we received to write and revise a novel were incredibly helpful, and I believe we all created better stories because of them. I would highly recommend this retreat for everyone who wants to write a middle grade or young adult novel. The connections made and critique groups formed will be indispensable. The retreat was worth every penny and then some.

The word “journey” is what I keep repeating in my mind. Eventually, we will all get there; I truly believe that. I’m glad I’m not out there alone in the woods — I have my whole Retreat group with me. The retreat was a wonderful gathering of talented and dedicated writers. In the words of Robert Frost, we have promises to keep and miles to go before we sleep. Keep writing.

~ Amy

**********

I think the Novel Retreat in 3 Acts has been the single best thing I could have done for my writing career. Not only did I complete a novel in a year, but I also gained what I hope is long lasting friendships and a support system that will span my writing career. And I think that is what every writer needs — goals and friends.

~ Gina

**********

The drive home was almost surreal, thinking about how much these three retreats have meant. It was a little depressing to think that after several months of anticipation before the first retreat coupled with the past year, this project has occupied a pretty fair amount of time and I do feel let down that it’s over!

Certainly everything we’ve been working on came together with the editor and agent reading and critiquing everyone’s first pages. It was the culminating and most powerful part of the three retreats. Obviously we all still have a ways to go but I know all three retreats have equipped us to deal creatively with every aspect of our projects.

I sincerely hope we can continue to meet in Schuyler on some kind of regular basis. I hope we can continue to read each other’s works and draw support, encouragement, and inspiration from one another, and begin to celebrate the success of the individual manuscripts that came out of this retreat as they begin to find acceptance and publication.

Thank you all for everything and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes out of our group in the months and years ahead!

~ Steve

**********

I learned so much from Elaine in Act 1. She is a wonderful person and a smart lady. Her structure and organization was awesome and her handouts a tremendous help. I started way behind the curve ball, since I knew absolutely nothing about writing a novel.

I loved my critique group and I thought that was very beneficial. Darcy’s workbook is awesome and definitely got us to look at our novels in a different way.

Overall I loved every minute of it. I couldn’t get enough. I loved being surrounded by people who share the same passion and are as passionate about writing as I am. I wish I could have attended Act 3.

I would love a reunion – writing time, critiquing time, just spending time with writers, talking, breathing, eating, writing. I would also love to attend all 3 retreats again!

~ Heidi

**********

The retreats were AWESOME!!! I learned so many things and drastically improved my writing. Since I didn’t get to go to Act 1, I was thrilled that Elaine did a refresher, and answered my gazillion questions.

Overall, I discovered I could write a whole manuscript without agonizing over it for many years hounded by self-doubt … I met some of the coolest writers ever … Darcy and Elaine both ROCKED! … and I loved my beyond awesome critique group. Good idea putting together small pods like that!

~ MJ