Recap #1 from Midwest Writer's Workshop

Wow! What a weekend! I got here to Muncie IN on Wednesday afternoon. I went to call hubby and realized that there was a time change. The time in Chicago is an hour earlier than Muncie. This would not make a huge difference except that I am a night person and the workshop started at 8:00 every morning so, 7:00 my time. Not to mention that I couldn't sleep the first night. Needless to say, I drank a lot of coffee.

At the welcome they reminded us that, "Playing it safe is the most popular way to fail."

For my intensive session I took "The Art Of Characterization in Fiction and Non-Fiction" with Dinty W. Moore. I was a little disappointed that he fired me as his best-friend. I sat next to him during the workshop and in an example he put me in the story as his best-friend. Somehow I managed to get fired because I wasn't laughing enough or something. I was just concentrating on what he was saying. Oh well.

The session dealt more with non-fiction than with fiction but I think I can use some of the exercises while I am reworking my book. He was basically reverberating the show don't tell rule by having us describe someone from our past in detail. I suppose I could have just used one of my characters instead if I had wanted to bend it towards the fiction side. Too bad I didn't think about it at the time. It was a good session and I learned a lot even though it wasn't quite what I expected.

One the main things that most of the speakers that I saw at the conference was stressing was that you have to learn to use the social media to your advantage so I am going to make a point of posting a lot more. I probably have at least five posts just about the workshop. But, for now,
Goodnight and good writing....Patti

Time

Time runs away from me. In February I was looking forward to May. In May I was looking forward to July. Now it's July and I'm in Muncie Indiana not able to sleep because I'm excited and nervous about the Midwest Writer's Workshop. My birthday is next week and I want to know where the time went! I don't post often enough but before I know it I'm going to be posting about nano again. I try so hard to get everything done but sometimes the time is just...a runaway.

My book is ready. I am meeting with an agent on Friday or Saturday. Part of me hopes it's Friday so I can get the nervousness over with but part of me hopes for a little more time. I have to be up at 6:00 Chicago time but I know I'm not going to sleep yet even after the four and a half hour drive earlier. I didn't take a nap but I'm used to going to bed after midnight. This year I promise to post some good stuff from the conference. Hopefully it will be before the next one.

On a serious note. I love this conference. I love learning about the industry. If you want to be a writer you have to learn as much as you can. I hope, if there is anyone reading this, I will be able to bring you some kind of insight. Now I better attempt to go to sleep so my brain can absorb as much as possible tomorrow. Good night and good writing.....Patti