In the midst of my rewriting rampage, Arthur A. Levine editor Cheryl Klein was kind enough to post a copy of her keynote address from the Terminus 2008 Harry Potter conference. Read the full text here: http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeqjo1w/id38.html
In it, Klein discusses topics as diverse as characters, setting, theme, and plot. It's a checklist for the revising writer, taking a quick look at everything essential to a great book.
I took her speech and applied her questions to my own work. What am I trying to say in my work? What are my protagonist's virtues--and how do they relate to her flaws? How do my characters virtues and flaws drive her through the story? The insights gained are driving me through the story, too--in a very helpful way. Thanks, Cheryl Klein, for sharing your thoughts on the craft of writing for children!
:) Cheryl
And thank you for posting that link. That is such a wonderful find. I can't wait to put into use for my own story. (And I am sorry I have been away so long. I'm glad to see you are still writing!)
ReplyDeleteHi Heather--I'm so glad you found it useful! It definitely helped me. I have a newly-written book map for my WIP. It didn't prompt any plot changes (yet) but helped me to see what is essential in each scene. Happy writing!
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