The day of a crazy elfish fantasy writing cheerleading teenager

SIWC 2009 - the aftermath, Nanowrimo and other such writerly things =>

2009-11-01T15:57:00.000-08:00

Okay, so due to a certain subject in school *cough Physics 11 cough* I have been unable to post as much as I wish. But I'm here now and here it goes.

The Surrey International Writer's Conference was unbelievable and once again surpassed any of my high expectations. In fact, if it's possible, it was even better than I remember it being last year. Probably because I got to go all 3 days and go Thursday afternoon for Donald Mass's "Writing the Irresistible Novel". That, along with every workshop I went to see through out the course of the conference, was brilliant! Donald Mass's master class really resonated with me more than anything though. Probably because of the point I was at in the process of writing my latest manuscript Auburn Queen. I am finished my rough first draft and I'm in the middle of making larger changes. Moving, cutting, and adding scenes and chapters mostly. When my friend Sophia and I arrived at 3:30 Thursday afternoon I was stuck. It had been a little over a year since I began Auburn Queen (I remember because it was right before SIWC 2008) and I hadn't written anything else for that long because I can only work one big project at a time. I was out of ideas and resistant to working on the ones that were staring me in the face. But after three hours listening to the genius that is Donald Mass I had a fresh perspective, a new character to save and a new character to kill, lots of questions to ask myself about my manuscript and EVEN the answers to some of those questions (gasp I know!). The conference was off to a good start. Friday was just as brilliant (although standing on stage receiving my Young Writer's Scholarship Award with Sophia was a little awkward I'm just not used to having peoples attention on me. Plus, coffee likes to spill where it's not supposed to, like all over our awards right before the ceremony. => Thanks to Lisa Rector-Mass's quick thinking it all worked out and we walked up on stage replacements in hand ). Saturday and Sunday I volunteered which turned out to be just as awesome as attending the conference itself. I still got to sit in on a couple of the key workshops I wished to see and when i wasn't in a workshop I was helping were I could and meeting people. My most surreal moment came Saturday. Robert Dugoni, one of the writers speaking at the conference, walked by and recognized me. I'd been to two of his workshops, one Friday one Saturday, and I have nothing but good things to say about them. It was kind of him to take the time to say high to someone like me, and when one of the other volunteers told him I'd placed 3rd in Lisa Rector's scholarship he even congratulated me saying he wished he'd started when he was my age. It felt great. All in all SIWC is always the highlight of my year, and every time I go I learn more in a couple of days than I could in a classroom in a year. I want to end my segment on SIWC by congratulating Sophia Ma, a close friend of mine who won the Lisa Rector scholarship for the second time in a row this year, and Lin who Sophia and I met for the first time at the conference and who placed an impressive second. Finally, thank you to KC for the link to my blog on the SIWC website: http://www.siwc.ca/

Another little tidbit...

NANOWRIMO

This international month of novel writing begins today. It is my second year taking part but I did not make it to 50 thousand words in November 2008 so we will have to see if I do better this month. for those of you who don't know what it is nanowrimo occurs every November and your goal is to write a 50 000 word novel (or 1667 words a day) by the time you hit midnight on November 30th. if you want more info check out this link:
http://www.nanowrimo.org/

happy writing!

To those of you looking for a writing contest...

2009-08-26T17:41:00.000-07:00

Here's one I think you would do well to enter and the best part is it doesn't take long at all. Just enough time to throw 25 words together so do it and you could end up published in an anthology! I know I'm entering...
here's the link with all the information on rules, guidelines, winners from past years, and how to enter.

http://www.robertswartwood.com/?page_id=8

but hurry! the deadline is August 30th which is creeping up fast!

Editing is Painful

2009-08-25T15:22:00.000-07:00

especially when u have gozze (sp?) in your mouth because you just got all four wisdom teeth out today. Nevertheless editing waits for no man it must be done. still, it hurts to see all those crossed out paragraphs and circled words. So how do you deal with the pain of having to edit? What do you tell yourselves? here's what I suggest.

*give yourself some time (the longer the better) before starting to edit once you've finished your first draft. This will create space between you and "your baby" so you can see more clearly.

* Once you've done that, especially if it is your first time seriously editing a novel, do some research so you know what to look for and what editors and agents will be looking for when/if you pitch it to them. I know it's hard to wait but space is crucial.

*get someone else (beta readers, a trusted writer pall) to read it and make suggestions. No matter how much time you give your writing before you edit you will still be very close to it. After all, you've spent a long time writing it, dedicated hours of your life. That's competely normal. Which is why you need someone with a less biast eye who can honestly look at your work and tell you what's good about it and what stinks. It hurts, but it'll be better in the end and you'll thank yourself.

*give editing the time it deserves. Don't be fooled. Editing is just as important as the writing itself. It can be the difference between another rejection or finally becoming published.

Editing can be hard, make sure you have a strong suport team going into it who will be there to support you when you need it and also give you the strengh to be ruthless in ripping you novel to shreds and piecing it back together again. Good Luck.

whirlwind blows the house down

2009-08-10T09:02:00.000-07:00

okay not really but now that I have your attention. My 10 year old cousin arrived yesterday and he does NOT sit still. If you can get him to stay in one room for more than 5 minutes then you're doing well. We had planned to take him to an amusement park today to get all that whirly energy out but of course the clouds have decided to open up and pour their contents out on Vancouver so we won't be going anywhere today. WHAT DO WE DO! if we have to try and house him inside our house for a day there won't be any house left but what do you do with a ten year old boy if you can't take him outside? My family is out of ideas so if anyone has any let me know. He's supposed to be here for a week and it's supposed to rain almost every day! HELP!

SIWC 2009

2009-08-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's almost that time again! I attended the Surry International Writer's Conference for the first time last year and found it invaluable on my way to becoming a writer. I am ecstatic to be going back again this year and for anyone who has not gone yet or isn't sure I fully encourage you to go. No matter what your age or level of experience it is an amazing conference that is well worth the money spent on it. For me, being 15 when I went last year, the whole thing was a huge learning experience. It gave me a chance to experience what it was like for people who are actually writers on a day to day basis and it made me realise that this can in fact happen. If I work hard it is not an impossible goal. It also gave me advice that has forever improved the state of my writing. It's strange, I can't believe it's almost been a year since I last went. The moment my friend and I left last year we said we wished it was time for next years already and it looks like we're finally getting our wish.

back

2009-06-24T12:07:00.000-07:00

so it's summer and i'm back. Sorry I haven't posted on this blog in like forever but life has been much too busy. Unfortunately that ALSO means my writing has fallen by the wayside just a tad...any suggestions for how to keep yourself on track with your writing. As you can see i'm finding ANY chance to distract myself. So many distractions so little time :)

2009-01-09T13:39:00.000-08:00

It's been quite a while and for that I appologize. I have been busy getting back to school and working on my manuscript. I'm sick today though so I have some time. I want to post here the entry that ended up getting me 5th Place in the Surry International Writers Conference 'Lisa Rector's Young Writers scholarship' so people can check it out if they want. http://www.siwc.ca/blogs/kcdyer/alison-burns-wins-lisa-rector-young-writers-scholarship-honourable-mention

I also want to post the winners entry here, she is a good friend of mine and VERY talented.

http://www.siwc.ca/blogs/kcdyer/sophia-ma-wins-lisa-rector-2008-young-writers-scholarship

Please take the time to check out her post if anything she is an incredible writer and this piece took my breath away.

Hero?

2008-11-18T14:43:00.001-08:00

In writing 12 today we talked about a hero piece we're going to write. I began thinking "who is my hero?" a super hero like batman or something? NO definitely not. A super villan (darth vader??) even less so. Someone in my family-maybe but not strong enough. Some famous actor or actress? I pitty them rather than make them my hero. A woman from long ago who suffered through a world run by men????? no. Once again pitty. Then who? My hero is not someone who can be defined by there hair or skin colour. Nor do they live in a certian point in the past or the future. They are, have always been and will aways be. They can be everywhere and no where at the same moment in time. It is the epiphany of happiness and the darkest, deepest depths of dispair. they will always stop to help you if you drop something on the street. You can and will both love them and hate them if it were possible to meet my hero. My hero is everyone and anything that has moral values. That cares for others. It can be as simple as doing a good deed for someone and not needing anything in return. That is my hero.
I guess I have a piece to write...

Nanowrimo

2008-11-12T15:43:00.000-08:00

Yikes I am way behind on my nanowrimo!...which means I probably shouldn't be wasting my time writing this but I will anyways ;). Does anyone know some fantastic catch up tricks for Nano because if not I am a sinking ship.

For those few writers who don't know nanowrimo is where you try and write a 50,000 word novel or more in a month. It is about Quantity rather than Quality. google Nanowrimo and it should be the first thing that comes up. Finish 50,000 words and I've heard through the grape vine that nanowrimo's fantastic sponsers will take your book put it into paperback form and send it to you for free (basic shipping included :) ) so go write!!! That's what I'm doing.

ps. for all you nano writers out their how far along are you and how is it going?

Pen Name

2008-11-02T18:43:00.000-08:00

I have created what I think could be a really good pen name. My normal name (which I will not write here) is very boring and ordinary and I want something memorable. So me and my friend (who has also created a pen name) decided on Azen Star for a pen name.

I want to know what you think.

Do you like this better or should I go with my real name.

What would you do? go with your real name or a pen name and why?

Dreams in Your Writing

2008-11-01T10:04:00.000-07:00

I just woke up and after hurridly writing d0wn my dream I rushed here (instead of doing homework but that's ok. I need to get this in because I probably won't be posting much in the next little while my uncles here).

I wan't to know what you think about using a dream you have as a driver for a story? I mean obviously not every dream is writing material (mine usually aren't)

I had a really incredible vivid dream last night with (surprisingly) fairly workable plot and characters. However...It's FAR from the genre I usually write. This is more crime fiction and I usually write fantasy. The question is do I take time away from Auburn Queen to work on this as a NaNo? what do you think? to follow the dream or not to follow the dream!! that is the question ;)

dangerous doors

2008-10-29T16:22:00.000-07:00

I smacked into a door today...or rather it smacked into me. I was just standing outside the drama room at school minding my own buisness. Someone decided they were going to open the door from the inside fast enough that I didn't see it coming and whack!!!!!!!!!!! painful much. So that's my random event for the day I'm hoping it doesn't happen again. Oh i'm getting a blood test today or tomorrow. Can't wait-NOT.

So did you run into anything today?

-Ali

James McCann and the blue pencil

2008-10-27T23:06:00.001-07:00

I know-very strange title. I had my blue pencil apointment at SIWC with the author James McCann and it was such an honour. Not only that but it was very helpful (once of course I got over the embarasing fact that I left my manuscript outside and had to run out to get it :( ). Little did I think he would remember me...apparently he did. Check it out. Thankyou James McCann http://jamesmccannauthor.blogspot.com/

Incredible LUCK! - the ups and ups and ups of the SIWC!!

2008-10-26T09:00:00.001-07:00

I have had the BEST weekend at SIWC I got back late last night and could hardly get to sleep I was SO excited :). I have never been to a conference before and had the pleasure and honour of meeting so many other writers. I am also pleased to have had the honour of meeting a surprising amound of editors and agents and I have to admit...that is what I am most excited about!! So what came out of this weekend you ask??

1. Lisa Rector a high class editor residing in New York (with freaking awsome clothes I want her Bue Jacket!) has become close to several of the young writers there. We plan to stay in touch and she answered many of our questions about to publishing world. She also introduced us to many of the people you see listed below (but not all).

2. I have Donald Masse's card and his book "Writing the Breakout Novel" (which with a spectacular show of stupidity I left behind yesterday. Luckily my friend is going today as well and is going to pick it up for me).-thankyou Lisa :)

3. I have the card of someone else called Eileen Reppenhagen who wants to interview me for a book on young people and money-sweet!

4. I have the card of the senior editor at Tor Susan Chang and a request for my latest manuscript which I pitched to her at the conference. Also I heard of a program through them called Young Readers that could be very helpful.

5. I have the card of an agent called Verna Dreisbach who has requested a sample of my work and is actively looking for young people to publish (her buisness is just getting started so if this works out it could be a much easier way of breaking in I am very excited!!!!!!) - thankyou Lisa :)

6. A vague new idea for a story in a genre I don't usually deal with has come to me after attending the workshop called 'using your personal life as a starting point for fiction'. Hopefully that will work out.

CONGRADULATIONS TO SOPHIA MA WHO IS NOW OFFICIALLY PUBLISHED IN AN ANTHOLOGY THAT VERNA DREISBACH IS CREATING!

so...if you went to the SWIC conference how did you find it? Who did you meet, who did you pitch too? Tell me everything! :) And if you didn't go tell me if you plan to go next year or just how your writing is going in general-wish me luck!

dialogue-good or bad??

2008-10-21T16:07:00.000-07:00

Dialogue...it can make a piece or destroy it depending on how it's used.
If used well...
-it can convey information (realisticly)
-can make your peice more interesting
-it can start or end a conflict
-it can advance the action or story at a faster pace if need be

it visually opens up the page for the reader.

their are endless posibilities-dialogue can do almost anything but only IF USED IN THE RIGHT WAY

dialogue shouldn't be exactly like real life (for example you don't want an entire page of dialogue where nothing happens) but it should still be conveyed as realisticly as possible and should not be awkward on the tongue.

unfortunately if dialogue is done wrong...
it can ruin writing no matter how well the rest of your piece is composed so in that way it holds a unique amount of power.

so do-nots when it comes do dialogue.

-do not have one character say another characters name it is not realistic
-do not have one character say something to another character that the other character would logically already know one of my favourite examples of this is the following.

character1 and character2 have known eachother for years:

character1: so are you married??

character1 would alreadyknow their good friend is married it just doesn't sound right. If you still need the reader to know character2 is married you might do something like this instead.

character1: so, how's your marriage going?

that sounds much better and more natural than the first thing character one said and it is more realistic.

so, what do you think? dialogue: make or break, good or bad??

Briliant!!

2008-10-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

I owe Just_Me a big thankyou. You gave me a great way of forcing myself to just get the words out of me. I was wasting way too much time editing when I hadn't even finished writing my first draft. I guess that's just the kind of writer I am. One thing's for sure, I got a hell of a lot done using your method.
Here it is, plain and simple for any perfectionists out their who are daring enough to give it a try. Time yourself for 10 minutes and just write. Don't critisize or think about it just write. After 10 minutes take a five minute break then write for another ten minutes and so on. For each set of 1o minutes see how many words you can write before you run out of time, it's brilliant!!

CRUNCH-FREAKOUT-NEVER GONNA GET IT DONE IN TIME

2008-10-17T16:20:00.000-07:00

The title is pretty much self explanatory *groans*. I have a conference in a week and we are in cruuuunnnnnnncccccccchhhhhhhhhh time. I need to have like 40 more pages of my latest novel finished...yikes. PLUS tomorrow i'm totally buisy so that's one less day to write. PLUS homework, PLUS helping my friend paint her room, PLUS helping another friend start a blog-double yikes...The list goes on, but we shall see my preties, we shall see. It's still possible to get this done. I'm going to need to use my turn-back-time super powers but u never know. I need to be spending all my time writing *grumbles* damn blog is distracting :) *scolds herself* I HAVE SO MUCH TO WRITE!! :(

-totally stressed out and needst to write-

---Ali---

Today-forgotten binders and half read scripts

2008-10-15T15:46:00.000-07:00

Today I happened to forget my binder. That may not sound bad but when it holds seven of your eight subjects navigating the day gets a little hairy. First period was science and by some miracle I did not need my binder. My first curve ball was thrown at me when I walked into french and we had to read paragraphs we had written about a movie we watched during class. Only 12 of us had to speak and since my paragraph was in my binder I was really hoping that I wouldn't be called on. You can probably already guess what happened...I was called on. Using some magical french power I didn't know I had I made up my speech on the spot. Curveball averted!! Next was Math. Piece of cake all we did was take notes I didn't understand all class so I didn't need my binder because I take my notes in a different place. Finally was the killer, drama. We're working on our major term one scene and I really did need my script because we were supposed to be writing in our blocking today. Needless to say that didn't really happen. WE PLAYED BONDING GAMES ALL CLASS and only read through the script twice (well one and half time for me-don't ask)

Masque

2008-10-11T18:54:00.000-07:00

I got a ride home on Saturday so I am getting to go to masque!! This is awsome but it also means I need to figure out a costume and FAST! (any suggestions??) stress beginning to set in just a little as I rush to finish my novel and write my pitch etc. Got to waste tomorrow doing homeowrk which sucks because I could be writing but whatever. Oh and does anyone know what you wear to a conference?? This is my first one.

-counting the days!!!!!!

SIWC!!!

2008-10-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

I am so excited, I am oficially going to the SIWC or "surry international writers conference" it's going to be so awsome!! I am going a a young writer on the friday (only $5o!) and I am volunteering on the Saturday though I still get to listen in on like tons of different workshops and stuff because I scored the position workshop monitor! I also get to do some running and helping people make masques for the masquerade that night. I wish I could go to the masquerade but I think my parents will probably want to take me home before the end (12:30 am saturday morning). The other thing that is GREAT is because I came fifth in the world wide 'Lisa Rector Young Writers Scholarship' she knows me. She is a very important person at the conference and has agreed to look over my work personally with me for which I am extremely greatful! I can hardly wait!!
If any writers out there would like to go the website is siwc.ca , I know SO hard to remember right! lol. You can register online or mail in your papers and money.

OOOOOHHH and one last thing. My rangers group is planning on attending our first co-ed camp. Rainbucket. That should be interesting! -more info. coming soon ( rainbucket.ca ).

a buisy day

2008-10-05T21:30:00.000-07:00

Work today was ok but work yesterday was SO terrible. Yesterday was probably the buisiest day of my life!! Friday night I slept over at one of my friends houses and we went straight from their to cheer tumbling. Then I went straight from cheer to working and I worked till five. My boss was being totaly stressed and didn't give me a lunch break. So I had to eat my 'lunch' in the 15 minutes between driving from work to my friends birthday party. It was a CRAZY buisy day and now I better go couse my mom is threatening to take away my computer privliges for a week. see ya.

cheerleading + school

2008-10-03T16:30:00.000-07:00

Cheerleading practise last night went well. We started our new routine and I seem to be in a pretty good position for most of it so cross my fingers it stays that way!!
My friends was so stressed about school when we were iming last night. I felt really bad for her. How come teachers seem to think they have they right to make a student feel that stressed about school. I think that's just stupid. Hopefully she's feeling better. Oh and my english teacher decided that we needed to take another quiz tuesday about the same stuff that was on the quiz last class. HOW STUPID CAN SOMEONE BE. Seriously why would you have a test on the same stuff when you know we're just not good at poetic devices, meter, foot, and scansion.
To end on a positive note I'm babysitting with one of my friends on the cheerleading team tonight and then sleeping over, should be fun!

stupid school

2008-10-01T17:08:00.000-07:00

School was terrible today!! English specifically. I had a quiz and I had done so well on the pretest I figured I didn't need to study. But when she passed the test out it was like WAY HARDER than what was on the pretest. I'm almost like sure I failed or pretty damn close! I hate when teachers don't give us acurate overviews. and whats worse, interms go out on tuesday! Then I get on the bus after school to come home and aparently my bad day isn't over. I get in and we're packed like sardines! There were so many people who couldn't even fit on the bus that we had to wait till the next bus came. Then when we finally did get moving I had to hold on to the person in front of me couse all the seats and handles were taken. Although it was a test in balance i'll give the bus driver that much. Good thing i'm a cheerleader!