Writing

Feeding the (Young) Artist Within: Books to Help Us Free Ourselves for the Journey

By on April 6, 2016   /   Book Lists, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, For Writers, Writing  

I’m very excited to teach another summer camp this year at the school where I retired two years ago. Last year, we took the students on a science and poetry journey, using the observational tools we honed in the school’s forest to inspire a variety of poems. That was a blast!

This year, I wanted to tailor campers’ experiences to the wider age range – because to be honest, though we had a great time, poetry was a tough thing to focus on for 5 days straight for the youngest kiddos, who really wanted to play all day in the gorgeous weather.

It’s nature art camp this year, and I’m pumped. My campers range from 1st to 5th grade, so I want to challenge those kids the best way possible, and there’s lots of opportunity for fun, sharing and exploration.

But here’s what I’ve learned about art and personal expression. What I’m about to share is true for writing, too, but there is an in-your-face thing that happens with visual arts in particular, and it’s called being afraid to fail. With writing, I can produce a cruddy draft and craft the heck out of it before I show it to anyone.

Visual art is really fun, and it’s messy, and sometimes, we really do have to accept that it’s more about the process than the product. That’s fine when you’re in your own studio, but in a group setting, a visual product is out there for everyone to see from the moment creation begins, and sometimes it’s hard to own the uncertainty of the process.

This means I have to be prepared for disappointment, and I have to help kids of all levels be prepared for mistakes and to help them figure out how to be okay with that.

My goal in our five days together is to expose the campers to several art experiences, and to give them a safe space to explore personal expression. We’ll play with watercolors and go to the splash park. We’ll do some rubbings and sun prints from pieces of nature we find in the woods. We’ll read  SWATCH: The Girl Who Loved Color (Julia Denos), about a girl who loves all the colors and wants to collect them, then play with colors and maybe adopt some for ourselves. We’ll make hand-felted flowers inspired by the school gardens, while we explore textures of natural fibers in the natural world with our eyes and hands.

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On the last day, we’ll work together to create a piece of Andy Goldsworthy -inspired art as a gift to those who come to the next week’s camp. Here is a link to a kid-friendly Andy Goldsworthy-type project, and here is one from the Eric Carle Musem, with a great lesson plan and information about the artist.

Every day of camp we’ll start with a read aloud – because where else can we spark imagination better than between the pages of a book? Here are some titles I’ve found that seem to launch a feeling of safety and support in personal exploration for kids (or adults!) of any age. I enjoy re-visiting these myself when I begin to worry too much about the product and forget about the process.

Beautiful Oops!, by Barney Saltzberg

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This is a board book even the grownups want to play with: torn pages, folded corners, crumpled bits of paper – what if we made even more art from our mistakes?

The Dot and Ish, both by Peter H. Reynolds

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I once read The Dot to my art and design classmates when we were deep in the very stressful process of preparing for an important exhibition – there was a ton of self-doubt making its way around the room, and we were all exhausted. Then we were all freed by my reading of this book, with its advice to “make a mark.”. Ish is another simple picture book created by Peter H. Reynolds, and I have helped students work through difficult feelings of perfectionism by sharing this one as well.

The Most Magnificent Thing, by Ashley Spires

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This book is all about trying, and failing, to make the thing that is in your mind, but embracing the importance of walking away so that you can return to try again with a new perspective.

For all my campers, a feeling of purpose can spark inspiration, as well. I’ll also be sharing Maybe Something Beautiful: How Art Transformed a Neighborhood, by F. Isabel Campoy, Theresa Howell, and Rafael Lopez as we begin creating our community piece at the end of our week together.

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Have you ever thought of reading picture books to give your imagination some spark, or some creative support? I highly recommend it for any age!

 

 

In fourth grade, Valerie Stein touched an ancient artifact from an archaeological dig. Though she never got to travel the world in search of buried treasure, she ended up journeying to new and exciting places between the pages of books. Now she spends her time researching history, in museums and libraries, which is like archaeology but without the dirt. Valerie’s book, The Best of It: A Journal of Life, Love and Dying, was published in 2009.  Both her current work and an upcoming middle grade series are historical fiction set in Washington State. Valerie is Publisher at Homeostasis Press  http://www.homeostasispress.com/index.php, and blogs at Gatherings, the blog of Gather Here: History for Young People https://gather-here-history.squarespace.com/

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A conversation with Mitali Perkins, author and writing mentor

By on March 13, 2016   /   Author Interviews, For Writers, News, Writing  

Do you have a middle grade manuscript–and some spare time during the summer? Are you looking for a mentor to provide editorial feedback and guidance? Check out the summer programs at The Highlights Foundation in Honesdale, Pennsylvania. In addition to a middle grade whole novel workshop taught by M. T. Anderson and N. Griffin in August (and now accepting applications), they’re running other classes, including Summer Camp at the Barn: A Week of Creative Mentorship 2016 (July 17-July 23 2016).

One of the faculty mentors participating in the Highlights Foundation’s Summer Camp will be Mitali Perkins, celebrated author of middle grade and YA fiction (Monsoon Summer, Secret Keeper, among other titles). As she looks ahead to her “camp week”, she graciously took some time for an interview with Barbara Dee.

How did you become involved with the Highlights Foundation Summer Camp?

I taught there a few years ago and fell in love with the place. It’s a five-senses experience (the taste of organic, fresh food, lovingly prepared, the sound of laughter around meals, and birdcalls in the woods and a rushing creek, the sight of quiet trees and kind faces, the smell of good coffee, and the feel of your keyboard tapping under your fingers as you write, and write, and write). Highlights Summer Camp is saturated in a deep love for children’s books, which makes it the perfect venue to recharge our creativity and commitment to a unique and important vocation.

What do you hope to accomplish in the one-on-one sessions with your mentees?

My goal is to bring out the best in my mentees, give them the courage to champion their own voices, and challenge them to go deeper and wider in craft. Recently I found myself tagged in a Facebook post by one of my former Highlights mentees, so I’ll excerpt her words as my hope for this summer’s relationships:

“It was my time with Mitali that made me think ‘Maybe I *could* do this….’ She helped guide and hone the story and she said, “Writing a story requires certain things, not just good writing, but characters, and conflict.” Now I had known all this, but not really known it. I didn’t really pay much attention to the craft of telling a story–the method, if you will–of writing an interesting narrative. Our conferences did, in fact, change my life, and helped me clarify what keeps me sane–and that’s writing. Mitali entered my life precisely when I needed her, and in reading my work she gave me a bit of confidence no one else could. When the demons show up to criticize and shout: “What does this matter?”, “This is crap!”, or my least favorite, “Who cares????” I am reminded of Mitali’s words: “You write well…. and you have just as much right to speak as everyone else.” These words don’t slay the demon, but they do shut him up for a bit. I can think of no greater gift to a writer than those words: You have the right to speak.”

What topics will you cover in breakout sessions?

I plan to offer a session on crafting good dialogue as well as one on creating a sense of place. I will also offer tips on using social media as a pre- or post- published writer.

Did you ever have a writing mentor? How did he/she help you with your work?

Not really, but I wish I had. I’m still looking for one! Maybe I’ll find one this summer at Highlights! Essentially, my wonderful agent Laura Rennert has served as my mentor, as have my brilliant editors, like Yolanda Leroy of Charlesbridge.

What’s one thing about being a professional author you think writing students should know?

It takes grit. You have to take risks and make mistakes. Also, if you’re full-time, like I am, it’s like running your own business with you and your work as the product.

What’s the hardest thing about writing MG?

You have to forget about the gatekeepers (parents, teachers, librarians) who have purchasing power and keep writing for the child reader, but that’s hard given that you’re also trying to butter some bread in this profession.

In your view, are there some plots that are overrepresented in MG? Underrepresented?

No, because voice matters. A fresh, unique voice can breathe new life into that same old hero’s journey, making it a page-turner.

Do you feel white authors should avoid writing from the POV of a character of color?

No. I’m alarmed that this question is increasingly asked. As adults who write for and about children, ALL of us have to confront the intersections of our privilege before telling a story. As we honestly explore how we are crossing different kinds of power borders to tell a story, it should become more clear to us whether or not we should proceed with that story. For example, take my RICKSHAW GIRL. Naima, my main character, and I do share the same cultural origin, skin color, and gender — we are both brown-skinned Bengali girls. But she is an uneducated daughter of a Muslim rickshaw puller while I was and am the overeducated daughter of a Hindu engineer. Do Naima and I REALLY have the same POV, as some readers might reverentially gush? It’s tricky, though, as some power differentials shriek with pain in our culture thanks to the realities of American history while others are more muted. Tread carefully, friends, as all of us must in this powerful, mind-shaping vocation, but don’t set up some crazy apartheid system in the realm of stories. Last but not least, ethnicity is a social construct: in a world where we are mixing and melding more than ever, are you going to decide who is a Muggle and who is Pureblood enough to tell a story?

When you read MG, what do you respond to?

Unforgettable characters and a strong sense of place. I want to slip into the skin of my hero and be there, with all five senses (can you tell this is a motif for me?), in his or her life.

Which MGs of the last few years have stood out for you, and why?

I’ve recently read and enjoyed CRENSHAW by Katherine Applegate, ONE CRAZY SUMMER by Rita Williams-Garcia, A TIME TO DANCE by Padma Venkatraman, A LONG WALK TO WATER by Linda Sue Park, and THE CROSSOVER by Kwame Alexander. I like heroes who must overcome obstacles that aren’t typical “first world problems.”

Barbara Dee’s sixth novel for tweens, TRUTH OR DARE, will be published by Aladdin/S&S in September 2016.

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The Writing Barn in Austin, TX

By on March 4, 2016   /   For Writers, Writing  

Last weekend, I went out of my comfort zone (and my little writing space in a Chicago suburb) and journeyed to The Writing Barn in Austin, Texas for a “Mastering the Middle Grade” workshop. Before I arrived, I  knew that The Writing Barn was owned by author and writing teacher Bethany Hegedus, and set on seven and a half wooded acres about 20 minutes from downtown. But what I didn’t know is it’s a place where magic happens.

No, really. I’m not making this up. It might sound cliche but that’s why we have cliches–they’re so often true.

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The Writing Barn in Austin, TX

Twelve of us writer people arrived as strangers and left as friends, already planning our retreat reunion. We bared our souls, dug deeply into our works in progress, and learned invaluable lessons about craft from middle grade author Donna Gephart and agent Tina Wexler, our fearless program leaders.

The Thursday evening to Sunday morning retreat consisted of critique sessions for each participant, lectures, free writing time, a visit with authors Nikki Loftin and Kathrine Catmull, walks on the beautiful property, plus delicious food, lots of snacks, and abundant chocolate.

WB 12WB 8We ended the weekend by painting rocks, each of us choosing a word or phrase to represent our experience. They ranged from “trust your story” to “humor rocks” to “tribe.”

I’ve thought a lot about the word “tribe” and what it means to writers, who spend so much of our time as solitary, sometimes crazy creatures, bent over our keyboards, wracking our brains for just the right word, often doubting ourselves. During the retreat, I not only found a “tribe,” I also was reminded that writing takes courage. Sharing the story that only you can write takes courage.

WB 9Stepping back — so hard to do when we all have busy, complicated lives — can make a huge difference in your energy, your perspective, and of course, hopefully, your work.

For more info on upcoming retreats as well as classes and events at The Writing Barn, check the website. More photos from the retreat weekend can be found on The Writing Barn Facebook page.

 

Michele Weber Hurwitz is the author of The Summer I Saved the World in 65 Days and Calli Be Gold, both from Wendy Lamb Books/Penguin Random House. Both books are on state award lists. Find Michele at micheleweberhurwitz.com.

 

 

 

 

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