Tips for Conquering Writer’s Block, at Author Joanne Rocklin’s Blog

Do you want some great advice on how to conquer writer’s block and get answers to other questions every writer faces? Then go to Joanne Rocklin’s blog on her newly updated website and you will find a long list of useful tips. Joanne and I have been friends and colleagues for many years and I was honored that she asked me to contribute to her blog. I passed on a tip suggested by one of my editors when I was writing my book A Guide Dog Puppy Grows Up--and that was to think about telling the story in the present tense. Here’s what I wrote:

My book A Guide Dog Puppy Grows Up tells how dogs are trained to work with blind people by following one puppy from birth to graduation.  My first manuscript had all the facts but seemed to be missing something. Then my editor suggested changing the tense from the past to the present. I did and suddenly the story came alive, making us feel as if we are participating in the action. So, if you are stuck in your story, take a look at the tense and see if changing it makes us see your story in a new light.

Go to Joanne’s website. You will find lots of other tips and information about Joanne’s wonderful, award winning books. Her most recent title is I SAY SHEHECHIYANU, illustrated by Monika Filipina, a beautiful picture book suitable for all Jewish festivities, celebrations, and the proud “first times” of childhood.

FALL GALA: Children's Literature Council of Southern California (CLCSC)

Last Saturday, November 9th, I attended the 52nd annual Fall Gala of the Children's Literature Council of Southern California (formerly SCCLCYP) at the Skirball Center in Los Angeles.  As always, it was a delightful morning with a delicious breakfast and the chance to see friends, meet librarians and teachers, and to hear inspirational talks.  The featured speaker was Linda Sue Park, whose talk focused on her life as an author and how reading has been key to the development of the ideas for her books.  We heard how a poem led to her book The Third Gift and how a meeting with a Sudanese refugee inspired her book A Long Walk to Water and how that book has stimulated thousands of students to sponsor wells for villages in Sudan.  She also read to us her new book Xander's Panda Party, a charming story in verse with amazing art by Matt Phelan.
     The program also included awards to Carrie Arcos (Peggy Miller Award for Young Adult Literature), Betsy R. Rosenthal (Myra Cohn Livingston Poetry Award), Wes Troke (Inspiring Work of Historical Fiction), Jon Klassen (Excellence in Picture Book Artistry), Doug TenNapel (Groundbreaking Graphic Novel) and Allyn Johnston (Dorothy C. McKenzie Award).  Each of them, except for Jon Klassen and Doug TenNapel who couldn't be there) gave touching acceptance speeches.  Allyn's speech recounted the course of her career in publishing.  When she was at Harcourt she was the editor of three of my books, A Guide Dog Puppy Grows Up, On the Brink of Extinction, and Hawk Highway in the Sky.
     I thank Marjorie Arnett, the Gala Coordinator and the 2013 Awards Committee for a terrific program and a wonderful morning celebrating books for children.