My Pinterest Experiment (Part II)

As part of a recent Highlights Foundation Workshop I attended, Alison Myers offered to do a "social media critique" for each participant. Because I was already blogging, tweeting, and Facebooking, Alison suggested I try Pinterest.

Initially I set up Pinterest boards that focused solely on my book. Most of the material I put on the  boards came from either my website or my blog. Alison writes, "That is a time savvy move." But then she says, "Remember Pinterest is a SOCIAL networking site so you need to reach your tentacles out into other boards that will draw folks to your boards. Meaning you visit similar author's boards and 'repin' their work." Aha! It works much like Twitter and Facebook. I need to make friends.

I was surprised by all of the historical pictures on Pinterest. It's an excellent resource for visual research. Because my book deals with tuberculosis, I typed that word into the search function. Lots and lots of pictures popped up of sanatoriums, advertisements, medicines, x-rays. In the future, I will be adding Pinterest to my research arsenal.

Alison says you can use an aggregator to automatically notify your Twitter and Facebook accounts when you pin something new. I haven't looked into that function yet, but I plan to.

As a teacher, Alison says she uses Pinterest for "inspirational ideas and visual content" to share with her students. She recommends that I focus my Pinterest strategy on becoming a resource for teachers. Alison writes, "Imagine that you are a teacher getting ready to teach a unit on the spread of tuberculosis in the 1920's. You visit Pinterest and find a board with photos and facts. The board is found on Shannon Hitchcock's page, which also happens to have a book...that you can purchase...and an author who will give a Skype visit about her research! Now that is something to sink your teeth into." Indeed it is. I have my work cut out for me.

You can visit my Pinterest boards here:

If you have experience using Pinterest, I'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment and let's discuss.

Stephen Roxburgh's Novel Revision Workshop

Wow! Let me just start with a superlative...or two!! I attended Stephen Roxburgh's workshop through the Highlights Foundation on June 19th thru 22nd.

Stephen read my historical novel in its entirety prior to the conference. He scribbled lots of notes in the margins for me to consider, but my real job is "to revise with intent." Each of us, (six participants), left with a detailed plan about how to revise our particular novel. Each plan is different.

My plan includes:

1. Outline the novel now that it is complete. Look at the emotional arc of the story. For every scene ask myself what I want the reader to be feeling at that point. How can I amp up the emotions?

2. Since my novel takes place over two years, Stephen wants me to draw a timeline and make sure the passage of time is as smooth and seamless to the reader as it can be.

3. I am to track every scene with my protagonist's boyfriend in it. Stephen thinks he comes off as a little "too good to be true."

4. For the final polish, I am to clip the pages together in 20 page increments and then shuffle. Pick a pile and start. Only polish until I feel my attention fading. Then stop and pick up another 20 pages after a long break.

He recommended that I read WINTER'S BONE and use it as one of my "guidebooks" on how to amp up emotions. I am feeling inspired to take my novel to the next level!

Perhaps the highest praise I can give this workshop is that I'd do it all over again. I consider the money well spent.

Dreaming Of Chautauqua?

I have never been to Chautauqua, but I try and attend at least one Highlights Foundation program each year. At no other conference, have I received the sort of one-on-one editor feedback available through their programs.

Below is an email from Jo Lloyd about scholarships available to attend Chautauqua:

Hello Highlights Foundation Friends,

Wishing you a happy holiday season. Since you have mentioned one or more of our programs in recent blogs, I wondered if you might pass along information about our 2011 Chautauqua Scholarship Program via a blog or some other social-networking means?

You may know someone who is hesitating to pursue his or her Chautauqua dream due to finances. The Highlights Foundation offers scholarships and now is the time to find out more.

A lot of children’s writers dream of the Highlights Foundation Writers Workshop at Chautauqua. “Next year,” they promise themselves. “Next year I’m going to Chautauqua!” Then reality sets in. The drive and talent to support the dream are there, but the finances . . . maybe not.

Please encourage your writing friends to stop dreaming and start planning! Pass along our scholarship newsletter. Scholarships will be considered in two groups. Early applications will be accepted through December 15, 2010.(Final scholarship deadline is February 11, 2011.)

Please feel free to forward this e-mail to others who might find it of interest, paste it into your blog, or spread the news on social-networking sites.

Thanks so much,
Jo

Jo Lloyd Program Assistant
Highlights Foundation, 814 Court Street
Honesdale, PA 18431
Phone: (877) 512-8365 (toll-free) or (570) 251-4557
Fax: (570) 253-0179
jalloyd@highlightsfoundation.orghttp://www.highlightsfoundation.org/