tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post7977106688741270265..comments2024-03-26T05:19:32.342-04:00Comments on Out on a Limb: Kidlit Q & ARuth Schiffmannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02625363295823548969noreply@blogger.comBlogger32125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-89752358402826206592013-11-08T12:10:45.180-05:002013-11-08T12:10:45.180-05:00While I enjoy sharing tidbits, I too find that a n...While I enjoy sharing tidbits, I too find that a new project should be kept a little close to the vest. It can make "bringing something to the crit group" kind of hairy for sure. Marciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10006966091789130047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-1487679628039679882013-11-07T00:18:54.487-05:002013-11-07T00:18:54.487-05:00I agree with your answer to number five. I could e...I agree with your answer to number five. I could easily spend all night on Twitter, but I must stay focused. Thank you for sharing your writing process. I love to hear how others go about their own work.Kriston Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05258709141261621047noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-38472607783525657342013-11-03T13:43:25.659-05:002013-11-03T13:43:25.659-05:00I enjoyed reading about you and your writing.
Than...I enjoyed reading about you and your writing.<br />Thanks for visiting my blog. :)Melissahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08516493326566981116noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-76385949566852959542013-11-03T12:56:20.589-05:002013-11-03T12:56:20.589-05:00I'm more of a pantser by nature, but am becomi...I'm more of a pantser by nature, but am becoming more of a planner as I go along. It really helps on my longer projects!Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01681732058311386672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-47871152445080221862013-11-02T18:20:20.832-04:002013-11-02T18:20:20.832-04:00Best of luck on your YA suspense novel. It's n...Best of luck on your YA suspense novel. It's nice to return to your first love. Missed Periodshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10343265071637032284noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-22756381229328385082013-11-02T18:02:41.192-04:002013-11-02T18:02:41.192-04:00But it's so hard to stay off social media when...But it's so <i>hard</i> to stay off social media when it's so much fun!! I'd keep my ideas close the vest if they would incubate and emerge fully formed. Sadly, nothing's been working in the past year, and I use my CPs to bounce ideas off all the time. They love the ideas and help me fix them ... but I toss them out anyway, always searching for the "perfect" high concept idea. I hope you're having better luck than I am. :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07735576044552810103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-47786162053168836762013-11-02T14:42:07.665-04:002013-11-02T14:42:07.665-04:00Such good words of advice. Comparison will never g...Such good words of advice. Comparison will never get you anywhere good. Karen Stronghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08697785820907711723noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-25600539647478358942013-11-02T11:00:40.527-04:002013-11-02T11:00:40.527-04:00Ruth, if ever there were words to live by: "N...Ruth, if ever there were words to live by: "Nothing good comes from comparing ourselves to others." So important. Really, I think we all need to pause for a moment, take a deep breath, say those words, then don't move until they actually sink in!Jean | DelightfulRepast.comhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02038772991628796917noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-17299595625883580952013-10-31T22:01:42.580-04:002013-10-31T22:01:42.580-04:00Oh gosh Ruth. Love this. Especially the social med...Oh gosh Ruth. Love this. Especially the social media becoming distracting. Love the advice the writing teacher gave you. It was fun learning more about you. I'm the WORST about comparing my writing self to other writers and then feeling like I don't match up. I'll have to remember your pearls of wisdom when I find myself doing it. {hugs}Robyn Campbellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17356555082768185840noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-23064811129062862292013-10-31T14:26:04.820-04:002013-10-31T14:26:04.820-04:00I really like the advice that your writing teacher...I really like the advice that your writing teacher gave to you. Not talking too much about a project before getting it in written makes perfect sense.<br />I also liked your words of wisdom--wise indeed to focus on one's own work and trust the process.Cynthia Chapman Willishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12408985785062180536noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-51900258560397236552013-10-31T13:03:12.247-04:002013-10-31T13:03:12.247-04:00Ruth,
I'm a firm believer in keeping projects...Ruth,<br /><br />I'm a firm believer in keeping projects close too--I know what you mean by losing energy. And I love your social media thoughts. I know that I have to purposely back away so I'm not affected by everything that's going on around me. I absolutely feel like I'm not moving ahead sometimes!!! Morganhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15747144518868320969noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-77742353753577303392013-10-31T12:44:48.650-04:002013-10-31T12:44:48.650-04:00Hi Ruth, nice to meet you. I had also heard that w...Hi Ruth, nice to meet you. I had also heard that we must not talk of our stories until they are done. But I wasn't told the reason.<br /><br />"Talking about our stories, she said, steals some of their energy." this sounds true. I will henceforth not talk about them, I tend to talk about them to my friends when they ask me what I am writing.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-2514138470584969822013-10-31T11:27:46.204-04:002013-10-31T11:27:46.204-04:00I agree that talking to early and too much about y...I agree that talking to early and too much about your WIP loses some of it's energy. It's hard to not talk about it when someone asks you what it's about though, however unless it's a fan who might want to buy it, I say very little to anyone else. It's more fun to surprise people!<br /><br />Someday I hope to write a YA or MG too, Ruth but right now I'm still enjoying writing PB's too much! Maybe I'll grow up some day!Allyn Stotzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00125021589041199877noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-34908198904657433712013-10-31T09:10:36.488-04:002013-10-31T09:10:36.488-04:00What interesting advice that teacher gave you. I w...What interesting advice that teacher gave you. I would have a hard time saying much about something before I'd written it. Because I don't plot, I don't really know what I'm going to write! I liked hearing about your journey. It's probably a good idea to structure your time.Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-74533717885055060472013-10-31T07:58:26.612-04:002013-10-31T07:58:26.612-04:00You've hit home on the 'we're on our o...You've hit home on the 'we're on our own journey' part, Ruth. It is easy to get distracted by other writer-friends' success but we do need to trust the process, have faith in our tenacity and enjoy our pace. Best of luck with the picture books and YA novel!Yanting Guehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04788603550626277974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-71667039957077833672013-10-30T18:47:21.297-04:002013-10-30T18:47:21.297-04:00Hi, Ruth, I enjoyed your answers. I agree about lo...Hi, Ruth, I enjoyed your answers. I agree about losing energy when you talk too much about a story before it's written. And I think you're wise not even to submit too early drafts to a critique group before you've finished the story. (I'll look forward to the finished product.) I agree that flash fiction hones your skills, too. I've written (and had published) some flash fiction, and I think it really helped later with scenes in longer works. Keep writing! And thanks for a good share. Elizabeth Varadan, Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01708206753256682635noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-31973263142670255312013-10-30T04:31:51.570-04:002013-10-30T04:31:51.570-04:00I like this tag and learning more about the blogge...I like this tag and learning more about the bloggers I follow. <br /><br />It does seem like others are moving ahead, but we're all on our unique timeline. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-6811691865741084872013-10-29T13:10:40.673-04:002013-10-29T13:10:40.673-04:00Talking about our stories too much steals some of ...Talking about our stories too much steals some of their energy. Interesting theory. I guess you could counter with a kindling theory that says something to the effect that talking through your story could oxygenate it, give it life, fan the flames of creativity. Bottom line is do what works for you, right?Kim Van Sicklerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04957877837203134260noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-80086994818055346632013-10-29T11:52:16.537-04:002013-10-29T11:52:16.537-04:00I agree with your teacher, Ruth. It's taken me...I agree with your teacher, Ruth. It's taken me a long time to share my wip ... and I love your advice about trusting the process. Thanks so much for participating.Vijayahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07876606729146077830noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-31712362386736965962013-10-28T21:59:43.132-04:002013-10-28T21:59:43.132-04:00I hear you on getting to bed, lol! I hate those ni...I hear you on getting to bed, lol! I hate those nights when my fingers just keep pounding away on the keyboard, but my eyes keep looking at the clock, knowing sleep is slipping away. I love sleep.Leandra Wallacehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00381034024025750992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-53506493075746019032013-10-28T21:06:52.727-04:002013-10-28T21:06:52.727-04:00I think everyone should practice and learn how to ...I think everyone should practice and learn how to do flash fiction. It really helps a writer learn to make every word count. S.P. Bowershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09746614009206426805noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-66172063033278877872013-10-28T20:20:06.459-04:002013-10-28T20:20:06.459-04:00I totally agree about story energy, Ruth, and love...I totally agree about story energy, Ruth, and love your advice about not comparing. So wise and true! Great post. I'm glad you had a few minutes to do it :) May the muse (and enough work time) be with you as you continue work on your PBs and YA! :)Susanna Leonard Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17655630528649780363noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-15660273236582932122013-10-28T16:53:35.455-04:002013-10-28T16:53:35.455-04:00It's wonderful to learn more about you and you...It's wonderful to learn more about you and your writing! I think your teacher was on to something, and I try not to share too much as well. Plus, I like things to be a surprise anyway. :) As for social media, I'm with you. It can be such a colossal waste of time - sometimes, anyway. I think you are right, we all need to find the right balance for us. Even when our publisher or other writers want us to be a social media butterfly, and we are not. :) Karen Langehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18177923284595298347noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-27184744725667816182013-10-28T15:30:41.882-04:002013-10-28T15:30:41.882-04:00I so agree with the advice your teacher gave you. ...I so agree with the advice your teacher gave you. We are, after all, story-tellers. If I talk about it, I have less of an impetus to tell *it*~~~<br />In every book event I have done I was asked about WIP, and it's hard to know how to handle it without sounding overly precious. You did a masterful job with it, especially answer #2Mirka Breenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00653086859905415156noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9068659764096530244.post-21400237164855467882013-10-28T14:55:02.067-04:002013-10-28T14:55:02.067-04:00I need to print out your answer to number 5 and pu...I need to print out your answer to number 5 and put it on my bulletin board!! So true, Ruth. I also feel the same way about not talking a lot about what I'm working on. I don't really have a reason why I've done that, but the idea of releasing some of the energy from the project makes sense. Coleen Patrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15863892455120177554noreply@blogger.com