Pop a Wheelie Point of View
This past weekend I took Number One Son to field lacrosse provincial qualifiers in the GTA (Greater Toronto Area). As we were speeding down a major multi-lane highway I noticed two motorcycles on the on ramp. Because I was in the right lane, I was in the process of judging whether or not I’d need to adjust my speed when I realized exactly what the first motorcycle driver was doing: he’d popped a wheelie! Merging onto a major highway. Not 50 feet away from me.
Here are our two points of view:
Number One Son: Whoa that’s EPIC! How does he do that?
Me: OMG is he crazy?! What if he wipes out and crashes in front of me?
And that’s why I love writing for kids. Their reaction is so much more fun.
(The motorcycle sustained the wheelie for about 5 seconds or more, returning to two wheels just as it merged onto the highway proper and sped away. Big relief for me. In spite of our differing points of view, it was definitely the most memorable moment of the weekend for both of us.)
© Lizann Flatt, www.lizannflatt.com
No part of this blog may be used without written permission from the author.
No part of this blog may be used without written permission from the author.
NaPiBoWriWee Done
I did it! Hard to believe I actually pulled off the seven drafts in seven days before the deadline: http://paulayoo.com/content/natl-picture-book-writing-week-napibowriwee-2010-may-1-7-2010 Am I ever glad I participated in this event.
The push of the challenge format really helped me. I started off a bit behind. Saturday, the first day of the challenge, we took the kids fishing. Hey, it was the Orillia Perch Festival. But that afternoon and evening I curled up with my notebook and got the first one done. Day two and I did…nothing writing related. So it was one on Monday and two on Tuesday. Wednesday was a bit trickier because that idea kept wanting to rhyme. Some of my prose rhymes too much…or my rhyme has too much prose in it. So it’s finished but it stinks, basically. There’s something there I’d still like to work on, though.
Thursday was ouch. It was an idea I had thought of every so often for a lot of years. I did hammer out a draft but it’s the one I like the least. Rats! Friday, today, was a bit of a surprise. I was going to do another idea I’d been thinking of for quite awhile but as I was going through the random slips and ripped bits of paper that pass for my idea file I pulled up a note, a single sentence really, and ran with that. Now that one I can’t wait to get back to working on.
As a result of this challenge week I have some new piles of stories to shape. I’m completely happy with that.
Thank you Paula Yoo for all your work organizing this event, blogging about it, encouraging all the participants. You rock!! (and I wrote that like I mean it! :>)
© Lizann Flatt, www.lizannflatt.com
No part of this blog may be used without written permission from the author.
No part of this blog may be used without written permission from the author.
NaPiBoWriWee Progress
I’m into Day 5 of NaPiBoWriWee or the National Picture Book Writing Week challenge (what? check out http://paulayoo.com/content/natl-picture-book-writing-week-napibowriwee-2010-may-1-7-2010 for the answer). How am I doing?
Not bad.
I have four picture book manuscripts done in the challenge to complete seven in seven days. Okay, those four are completely crappy. They’re first drafts for sure. But four new first drafts is more than I had before I joined this challenge.
So far I’m liking this push to just write it and move on. I think what I’ve realized about my writing process is that I tend to get stuck wanting to perfect one idea before I move on to another. Hard to generate new material to explore if I’m always stuck on the old.
But now, at Day 5, I find myself procrastinating. I’ve already drafted out my top ideas or the ones I thought would be the most fun. Now I’m into the dregs of the idea file.
It may be a tough slog from here on in. But a-slogging I will go…
© Lizann Flatt, www.lizannflatt.com
No part of this blog may be used without written permission from the author.
No part of this blog may be used without written permission from the author.
The NaPiBoWriWee Plunge
Okay, I’ve decided: I’m taking the NaPiBoWriWee challenge. Seven picture book manuscripts in seven days. And it starts at midnight tonight.
http://www.paulayoo.com/content/natl-picture-book-writing-week-napibowriwee-2010-may-1-7-2010
Deep breath.
Not sure how many I will actually manage to complete, but seeing as I have in my files at least seven ideas outlined or jotted down and a few random phrases recorded to develop further, I might as well see if I can actually develop them into a story. Good thing no one’s saying you have to complete seven Good stories. My goal? I’m hoping to get at least one draft that I’d like to work on more.
Come on, join in! You know you want to…
© Lizann Flatt, www.lizannflatt.com
No part of this blog may be used without written permission from the author.
No part of this blog may be used without written permission from the author.