A Little Secret, a Little #NESCBWI16, and a Little #TEDTalk: Megan Washington and Why I Live in Mortal Dread of Public Speaking

I have a secret.

It's not a big secret--and it's probably a secret many of you share with me.

I hate public speaking. Well, more accurately, I hate being in any sort of spotlight. I don't want any eyes on me. Not even on my birthday. :)

People sometimes say that you need to do the things that you fear most. I don't agree with this. I'm not planning on jumping out of any airplanes just because I fear it. But I do think that you have to do the thing that you fear most if it stands between you and your life successes.

Don't let your fears hold you back.

There's a lot to fear in the writing profession. Rejection. Having your innermost thoughts placed on display in your works. Being judged or criticized. Being in the spotlight, either online or at speaking events. I'm sure there are fears I'm forgetting.

This year, for the #nescbwi16 conference, I've decided to set the theme as The Power of (RE) INVENTION.

Reinvention can encapsulate a lot of ideas, all worthy. About changing ourselves so we can be successful.

But most importantly, I think we need to reinvent ourselves around our fears.

I spent some time up at the podium at #nescbwi15. How did I workaround my fear of standing in the spotlight? Well, I told myself that nobody really came to see me (totally true!), but I also reminded myself of the reason I was up there. My purpose was always to impart some information to the group.

I like to help people. I like to be useful. So I focused on everyone else and their needs, and not on my fear. For the most part that worked. I'm not saying I'm going to be the world's greatest public speaker, but if I can convey information to people in a way it can be heard, then I'm doing my job.

See how I'm white-knuckling that podium?! :) Thanks to Pam Vaughan who took conference photos!

I hope that even if public speaking is your fear, that you put that aside and submit a workshop proposal for the 2016 conference. Workshops are the backbone of our conference, and we recently put out the call:

The Call for Workshop Proposals: NESCBWI 2016 Spring Conference

The Power of (RE) INVENTION

April 29th through May 1st, 2016, in Springfield, MA.

Being successful as a writer or illustrator means changing what doesn’t work, and that means reinvention.

That’s why our theme this year is The Power of (RE) INVENTION.

We want to empower our conference attendees to reinvent their brand, their work, or their tools, and leave the conference ready to take the next step in their kidlit career.

We’re looking for workshops that span the gamut from solid craft workshops to workshops that delve into a re-inventive aspect of publishing, writing, or illustrating. For instance, how to reinvent a career by writing in new genres, using inventive technology to pull in reluctant readers, or reinventing brand to start up a stalled career. Be creative and inspire us with your workshop proposals!

We receive hundreds of proposals each year. There are always exceptions, but the majority of workshops we accept are from New England SCBWI members who submit as a single presenter and give more than one workshop at the conference. Feel free to submit three or four workshops so we have choices.

We start building our supportive community now, and we give preference to presenters who have been respectful, honest, and thoughtful to the needs of our conference goers in the past. We also love to bring in some new authors, agents, editors, art directors, and workshop presenters. 

The job of faculty at the conference is to impart their expertise in a way that attendees can hear it.

Submissions open for SCBWI PAL members on June 1, 2015.
Submissions open for everyone on July 1, 2015.
Submissions close at midnight on August 1, 2015.

We will let people know the status of their submission by the end of October, 2015.

Before you start the submission process, please have the following information handy:

1. Your bio. We post bios online with our conference information. Your bio must be under 125 words, or we will trim.

2. A great title and workshop description. These will also be posted online at our registration website. This description must be under 250 words and must convey everything an attendee would need to know to chose your workshop.
3. Learning outcomes—three or more concrete lessons or tangible tools that attendees can gain from your workshop.
4. Name and email of your co-presenter, if you have one.
5. Outline or longer description of your workshop so we have a clear view of what you will be discussing.

Please write and edit this information ahead of time, then copy and paste the answers in our online form so the information is free of typos and mistakes. We pull accepted workshop proposal information from this form and post it online in our registration website.

If you are an agent, editor, or art director who would like to attend our conference, please sign up through the workshop proposal form as well.

See our FAQ through here.

Questions? Please email nescbwi16(at)gmail(dot)com.

Again, I hope that even if public speaking is your fear, you will consider imparting your expertise to the #nescbwi16 crowd, and submit a workshop. Don't let fear stand in the way of your success!

And, here's the promised #TEDTalk, with Megan Washington and Why I Live in Mortal Dread of Public Speaking. I love it when she says, "it's impossible to stutter when you sing." What an amazing workaround she found, which led to her life's work!

Oh, yeah, we're wearing the same outfit. :) Isn't she great?! So, what's your fear? What's your workaround? Can't see the #TEDTalk? Click here.

One True (Writing) Thing: About Self, Writing, and Community

I read a YA thriller yesterday. (Escape From Eden, by Elisa Nader--an author I met at a recent conference--she's delightful, by the way, and her book rocks!) In a fast-paced scene, (okay, it was all fast-paced with delicious twists at every turn) Elisa took a beat to describe the sound of blinds tangling as a door slammed shut.

And, I thought to myself, wow, that is exactly how that sounds. What a great nugget of truth.

It might seem unnecessary to bring that piece of sensory truth into the novel--it didn't advance the plot, it didn't strictly need to be there, but that one piece of truth lent reality to everything else.

By anchoring your reader to familiar things, it allows them to believe in all the made up stuff. :)

Knowing one true thing about your writing journey can show you the reality of how to advance your writing career.

A few years ago, I led a special interest group for first time conference-goers at the marvelous NE-SCBWI spring conference. I asked the writers/illustrators to think of that one thing that they needed to get their career to the next level. I mean, there isn't just one thing, but there is always that one bald truth staring us in the face. If I could overcome that, one thinks, I could go places. :) It was especially important advice for the conference, because attending workshop after workshop can be overwhelming. If you know what one thing you are trying to get out of a conference, then it changes the whole reality of the experience. You can take breaks instead of trying to take in every little piece of information. By focusing on what matters, you can learn how to do that one thing much more quickly.

Now, I meet a lot of writers on a daily basis. I talk with people who are interested in joining our local community, The Writers' Loft. I find out what they are writing and what they are looking for. Because everyone who wants to join a community is looking for something specific. And since I know our community of writers, since I attend writing conferences, since I read books about craft and publishing, and since I try to keep abreast of publishing news, I can sometimes connect people with what they need. That one true thing.

 You probably don't need to talk with another writer to find out what you need. (Although it certainly can't hurt.) It's probably that nagging irritating thought that won't leave you alone. If only I had time to write. If only I knew how to get this Picture Book into the hands of an agent. If only I had a great pitch for my book. If only I knew how to add tension to my revision.

Focus on that one true thing and go after it! No excuses. And, if you need a writerly friend, email me. Open invitation. I'd love to help connect you to the answer of your one true thing need.

Finding community doesn't have to be hard.

My one true thing? I am trying to not lose the thread of my writing projects while I grow my non-profit. My answer so far is that I am leaning on my writerly friends to keep me accountable for my writing, and I'm learning everything I can about project management. What about you? What's your one true writing thing right now?

Take the Suck out of Success

The road to success can really suck. Especially as a writer. It is fraught with critiques, revision, and rejection. 

Lofter Kyla (far left), me (2nd from the right) with our triathlon training posse, on the day of our tri, last September.
For some reason, I thought this sign was funny. :) This race was so much better because we trained together. It made the TRAINING fun. And that says a lot!

I still see success for my books as having them find a place with a traditional publisher. That definition of success for my writing hasn't changed. But for my own professional life, I've found other successes--and they all have to do with creating community and connecting people with what they need for their own success.

I enjoy building the Writers' Loft, a non-profit writing community. I enjoy helping to organize the NE-SCBWI conference. I find success when I connect with and am helpful to others. I might sound like a broken record at times--community...community...community.

But I think that some things bear repeating. Like this one--The Kindness Project. Because we are human. Because some things are universal. Because we need witnesses to our road of suck. Because we want to celebrate the successes--and the kindnesses. Because, ultimately, things are better when we aren't alone.

What is your perspective on community? What type of writerly community do you see as the most beneficial to your success? I am putting together a workshop about building community, and would love to know what has been important to you, or what you want to know about in order to build your own support system. 

The Rewards of Being a Stalker, Or, What Happens When You Get Off the China Cabinet

I'm not Catholic, but I always experience a Catholic amount of guilt when things are going my way.

The passivity of that sentence belies how much space I put between myself and my successes--"when things are going my way."

The truth is that things don't just go my way. I make things go my way.

I bend the universe to my will. :)

Well, if I'm being terribly honest, it is more of a collaboration of sorts. The universe opens up opportunity, and I work my butt of to take advantage of that opening. In writing, for sure, but also in relationships with other writers.

I always feel guilt when I talk about the wonderful time I had at the NESCBWI conference. I know that not everyone has the opportunity to attend a conference. And I know that not everyone has cultivated the relationships which I have.

Some people are hanging out like this:

And, I get that. It's nice up there. Comfy. There's even a cat bed. One could hide up there and be all cozy, and say, "I don't have time to blog. Being up here, it's better for me just to focus on my writing. I don't need relationships with others to get my writing life to the next level. I'm afraid to put myself out there, and talk to _______ (fill in the blank with your scariest scenerio: an agent, a publisher, another writer, an author)."

At the conference, I met lots of wonderful people, some just starting out in this writing thing, and some from my established writing community. When people asked me how to start their own writing community, I had to think about how things had gotten rolling for me.

What I came up with was that I did a lot of stalking and supporting others. I actively grabbed people who I thought were kindred spirits, and I still spend a lot of time trying to figure out what will help get others to the next level. I never have the time to do everything that I wish I could, but I help when I can. I hope it's enough.

My advice? When you find someone you think is wonderful, stalk them. :)

Invite them to coffee (virtual or otherwise--gchat is a great coffeehouse). Email them. Tell them what you really think of them (people love to hear that you think they are awesome). Be honest. Be respectful. Comment on their blogs. Read their manuscripts.

Spend your time investing yourself into others and their careers.

Because this is awfully hard to do alone.

The proof that this works? I stalked this guy after following the amazing comments he left around the blogosphere. I up and asked this rock star to coffee (IRL) after saying something like, "I know you don't really know me--I'm really not an ax murderer." I asked this lovely lady, and this one, for help when I found it hard to put my butt in the chair. We write together, virtually, and IRL (love the local library). This amazing writer I stalked off of a comment she left on Nathan Bransford's blog. Talk about a needle in a haystack! And, I can't say enough about this brilliant writer, who I've been stalking since before I even started blogging.

We had an unbelievable time at the conference. Me and my stalkees:

Laura, Jennifer, me, Erinn, Ansha, Alicia

Nandini and Alicia

Kris, Laura, Ansha, and Jennifer

Thanks, everyone, for making NESCBWI12 unforgettable! I love you all.

I'm trying not to feel guilty about having such wonderful writers in my corner. Because I have worked hard to make it so. :)

When I get off the cabinet, and put in the hard work to maintain relationships, it feels like this:

Even cozier, right?

So, tell me, do you have any awesome stalking stories? Are you just starting out developing your own community? Were you at the NESCBWI? Have you considered stalking? :) Do you find it hard to get off the china cabinet?

Tuesday Monday Meeting: Sick Daze

I had a fabulous time at the NESCBWI conference, came home, and promptly got sick. For a week. Urgh. Sometimes when I'm sick, I can still write, still blog. But this illness made my head all funny. I said weird things, and made up words. Hmmm. Maybe I should have been writing something twitchy and MG. Oh well. Instead, I hid from the general public for a week.

I was like this old cat in the drawer, hiding out last week.

Pip is actually being very brazen since old cat just might lash out.

But I'm mostly better now, except for the pain in my ear which makes me wonder if I have an ear infection. TMI? For sure.

I'll post about NESCBWI soon, and try not to replicate all the great posts already written about the conference. The highlight of my weekend was FINALLY meeting Alicia, and hanging out with Laura, Kris, Martha, Anna, Natasha, and Jen. As well as making new friends. Oh, and giving an impromptu pitch to an awesome agent.

More on that later. On the writing front, I'm pleased with where I am in both the projects I'm working on. I can't wait to do some quality writing this week. I'm rewriting, revising and drafting all at one time, and I enjoy the diversity of it all. My writing goal is to make some serious headway this week, to catch up on blogging and commenting, and to continue having fun with TwitterGames.

Oh, and we're starting up WIBIJ again. Soon. So be on the lookout!

Let me know what you are working on this week. How are you doing in your writing life? Are you keeping up with your goals? Feeling inspired? Needing a push? 

Escape Artist

This cat may look completely angelic, but she's an escape artist. And she is supposed to be an indoor cat. Not because I'm mean, but because I've lost a furry friend to the outside before. Not fun. So the kitten lurks and lunges and leaps for the door whenever it opens. And I track her down whenever she escapes.

Superman, my middle child (in orange above), was the resident escape artist before the kitten. We were always on high alert. One Saturday I got a call from a neighbor at 6 am. She explained that Superman had walked (in pjs, no shoes) through the snow to her house. She was happy to let him hang out and watch TV for as long as I wished. I have the best neighbors.

And sometimes it is good to escape.

In case you want to escape your ms/chores/job, whatever real stuff you have on the burner, here are some excellent posts:

Erin Bow's Anti Advice at Shrinking Violet Promotions.

A book about INBOUND MARKETING, and thoughtful video.

First Page Shooter--an AWESOME blog series where two great agents dissect first pages.

I am heading to the NESCBWI conference this Friday. I had planned on just going up Saturday, but my fabulous husband took off Friday so I could go to the conference for TWO WHOLE DAYS. I'm thrilled. I've never been to two days of a conference before. I'm trying to decide whether to put myself out there Friday after the introductory stuff wraps up, you know, and be social.

Or whether I should escape to my hotel room, and write.

What do you guys think? Especially those who have gone up (and been social) on Friday. What happens Friday night?

What links and posts have you been escaping to recently? (Feel free to include your own!)

Twittergame today? #ItTakesSoLong

Because it does. :)

Play along!!

NESCBWI, Or, Laura Is Much Taller In Person.

Okay if this photo looks familiar, it's because I nicked it from Anna's blog. Thanks Anna. (In Anna's version, my eyes are actually open). So, here we are at the NESCBWI. It's Kris, Karen, ME (see, I do exist), and Anna. If you follow those links, they will take you to the posts that those fab women wrote about their experience at the conference.

I have been zapped out of the first picture and replaced with the fantabulous Laura! (so, maybe, I don't exist?)

Last time I attended the NESCBWI, I went with my writing partner Robert, who sadly now lives very far away in the beautiful land of make-believe Washington State.  I missed sharing this conference experience with Robert, but I loved meeting all the cool New England bloggers.  Laura is much taller in person!  Seriously.  I felt like everyone I met meshed with how they were in my head, except that Laura was much taller in person than in my head version. :)

I also saw Nandini, and Martha, two writers who live in my town.  Woo-Hoo, Natick Writers Unite!

So, my favorite parts of the conference?

• Believe it or not, my meeting with Sarah Davies.  Evidently I have officially processed her feedback, and come out the other side.  Go me!  Go her!  Go constructive criticism!
• When Cynthia Leitich Smith told us to write in all genres, to reinvent ourselves as writers again and again, and that one of her books had 62 DRAFTS!!!  Woo-hoo!
• When Stacy DeKeyser told us to expose ourselves (to stand naked), to be fearless, in order to find our writing voice.
• Seeing how passionate Sarah Davies, Edward Necarsulmer, and Ammi-Joan Paquette were at the agent panel.  They really go the extra mile for their writers!  (Anna, you are one lucky, talented duck!)
• Meeting so many wonderful writers.

UPDATES:
I didn't write about NESCBWI until after our WIBIJ game ended today.  Because WIBIJ visited all of these awesome New England writers' blogs.  I didn't want to give anything away.  The game was a blast, btw, I hope you join us sometime!

I'm still nervously watching Goldie #2.  I have not killed it yet.

Things got a little WILD in The Practice Room today, when I got all competitive.  Kate awesomely rose to the bait challenge.  Who's up for another challenge in The Practice Room?

Tomorrow, for the sake of continuity, New Englander Kris will grace me with her presence, here at my Friday Feature.  Come by and leave her an awesome question about her journey toward publication!!

Tahereh has an awesomely creative contest happening at her blog right now!  Go ahead, check it out!

So, what's going on in your neck of the writing world--virtual or otherwise?  How's everyone today?