Attend a Library Convention! Here's Why. by Kathy Halsey

Columbus Skyline @ AASL

AASL and ALA are not alphabet soup that our favorite literary dog Martha cooked up. They're acronyms for the American Association of School Librarians and American Library Association. In the world of publishing, they have been called gatekeepers, but I prefer the word "ally." As a former school librarian myself, I know our goals are similar- to promote literacy and to engage readers for a lifetime. Librarian go to conferences for the same reason as writers: connections, professional development, and fun.

Even if you are a pre-published writer, you can learn so much from your local school library association conference or one of the national conferences. AASL came to Columbus, OH, my home town, this past fall and I attended the conference for only $25! The secret? Only purchase an exhibit/vendor hall pass. You will miss the great presentations, but chatting up vendors, getting piles of free books, and meeting amazing authors kept me busy.

Only some of the loot I snagged for FREE!

Make a game plan before you peruse the exhibit hall. It is a dizzying array of swag, companies, and librarians. I targeted the vendors by my writing interests: PB, NF,  and library/educational publishers. Look at their displayed books, snag a catalog, introduce yourself as a writer, and hand them your business card. (Tip: The best time to chat with folks you really want to meet is during  concurrent sessions. The vendor hall is almost empty and reps appreciate your interest.)
Discuss commonalities and areas of expertise with the reps. I pitched this blog and its readership to get a free trial to some library apps that could be useful to writers, such as StoryboardThat, an AASL best app. 

Science & Children Journal

Avail yourself of free professional magazines, also. I found PW, School Library Journal, a chapter book series pub, and best of all for NF writers, and Science & Children, a National Science Teachers Association journal. This particular issue's focus is writing in science. Many articles give the appropriate Next Gen Science Standards for articles. Writers can save time if they plug these into their science manuscripts. Visit NSTA for more resources. 

J. Patrick Lewis, Former Children's Poet Laureate

Author Tim Federle, writer of MG, PB, and funny drink books (He knows librarians & their habits well. LOL)

Connecting with the authors seen above along w/the likes of Matt de la Pena, Don Tate, Michael J. Rosen, and Melissa Stewart made AASL a stellar experience! 

Share your conference tips and favorite finds in the comment section so we can all benefit!

A One Day Workshop w/ OWLS by Kathy Halsey

School librarians who also write gathered at the State Library of Ohio yesterday for a day-long confab. Check out the writerly goodness that floated through the stacks. 

Librarians by day, writers by night, the OELMA Writers' League met with Jody Casella, YA author of THIN SPACE, and Michele Jakubowski, middle grade/early chapter book guru, who wrote several series for Capstone, including Sidney & Sydney, Perfectly Poppy, and a new mystery series targeted to 4-6th grade, THE SLEUTHS OF SOMERVILLE.

Jody, Kathy and Michele. These authors say that we ARE writers.

TIDBITS - FOOD FOR THOUGHT

1. The path is different for us all. Jody wrote for 15+ years before her breakout book. Michele's path to publication has taken 5 years. Jody has an agent and Michele has negotiated her own contracts.

2. No English degree? No MFA? No problem. Our writer/librarians had a myriad of backgrounds: science, math, special education, academia, and illustration.

3. Try something different for a new equation.  One English teacher + one librarian + an after school walk up "Murder Hill" = YA/paranormal thriller with alternating POV. These partners create characters and scenes as they walk and observe others for character traits. They feel comfortable as co-authors because they are responsible for only half of it! (Bird by Bird, remember?)

4. There is no one perfect process that guarantees success. Our voices are all different. A sign above Jody's desk says, "TRUST THE PROCESS." It takes time to find the daily routine/your process. Try reading what you wrote the day before, take walks and have cell phone nearby in case genius strikes so you can tape yourself. Find a writing buddy to whom you are accountable.

5. First draft and revision reminder: Throw it all out there in the first draft. Like a jigsaw puzzle, you must see all the pieces. If a scene doesn't work, ditch it, but save EVERYTHING as compost for other stories.

6. Setting is often overlooked and it can be an important character. Louis Sachar thinks it's the most important element of story. His seminal middle grade, HOLES, would not be the book it is if not set in Camp Green Lake.

7. Keep a companion journal for the manuscript you are writing. Jody says it becomes a record of your thought process for the book and serves as a reminder of where in the process you get "stuck" for the next book.

8. A fun exercise: try this and see what transpires. Go to a coffee shop. Record dialogue word for word. Later, insert tags and action around the dialogue.

9. We are all drawn to tell certain stories. Examine the "why" for every manuscript. You will find theme, emotion, and the heart of the tale. This is what keeps readers with us.

Hope these tidbits refreshed you, feed your writing appetite, and nourished you for your journey! Gonna go nosh on some manuscripts now before the next OWL event, October 3, 2015. Check out the OELMA site for more information.