What’s Up Wednesday #2
What’s Up Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted by Jaime Morrow and Erin Funk, and you can find the link here!
WHAT I’M READING
I just started THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING, a debut by Ashley Elston which came out yesterday. It’s about a girl in the Witness Protection program who’s been relocated so many times she wants to give up on making new friends – and she meets a boy who starts asking too many questions – and also tries to hold her increasingly messed-up family together while trying to find out why they’re on the run. It reminds me a little bit of Lois Duncan’s classic DON’T LOOK BEHIND YOU. Check back in tomorrow for an interview & giveaway with Ashley!
WHAT I’M WRITING
I sent my draft of Cahill book 3 to Editor Ari last weekend so I’m taking a break. Sort of. I’ve got a lot of promo to do for STAR CURSED, which comes out in 33 days! I’m also starting to think more about what my next project might be…
WHAT INSPIRES ME RIGHT NOW
My students. I’ve been leading writing workshops this semester for the first time through Writopia. I just came from my last class with my eight year olds this semester. They are crazy and bright and funny and so talented. What I love most about working with them is how fearlessly creative they are. They aren’t scared to get it wrong yet. They don’t have that internal editor that stops them as they type, wondering if it’s wrong, what readers or editors or anyone will think. They’re proud and excited about their stories. I envy that a little – but it inspires me to try and find that fearless joy within myself.
WHAT ELSE I’VE BEEN UP TO
I am working on a sekrit project that involves the DC writing community that I’m really excited about, and getting ready for a retreat over Memorial Day weekend with my writing besties, and catching up with friends after the deadline. Yesterday I met a friend for lunch outside – the Chupacabra food truck has opened a takeout restaurant really close to my house, which is either the best or worst thing ever – and then had dinner with my best friend. I was feeling super-stressed about something and we sat on the patio next to the fire pit and drank pinot grigio and I was very grateful that Code Name: Rosalind is such a good listener. Tonight I’ve got a phone date with my far-off bestie in California, too. Yay for friends who make you feel like the best, most lovable version of yourself.
I love what you said here about kids not being afraid to get it wrong and how they're proud and excited about their stories. So true, and I think the writing process would be much less stressful if we adults remembered to think like kids more often and just love the stories we're writing, flaws and all. Have fun with your secret project and your writing retreat!
Thanks, Erin! I'm so excited for the writing retreat this weekend!
And yes – I wish I could be more fearless in my writing, like my students! I need to shut out the publishing aspect of it and just focus on the writing part, you know?
THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING is on my TBR list and I can't wait to read it. I've been waiting on that one for a while! There are so many great books coming out in the next while. Not sure how on earth I'll get to all of them. 🙂
That's so awesome that you get to do a retreat with writing buddies. I would love to do something like that sometime. Actually, I'd just love an excuse to meet all of these wonderful people in real life. Sounds like a really fun and super productive thing to do. 🙂
THE RULES FOR DISAPPEARING was great! I know what you mean though – my shelves are absolutely overflowing with books. I need to put a moratorium on buying until I catch up a little – but I can't!!
I highly recommend putting together a local writing retreat. We rent a house a few hours away, so it only costs about $200 between gas, groceries, and splitting the rent 7 ways!
Writopia looks really cool. What a great way to encourage kids to write! I volunteered as tutor with 826 Seattle a couple of years ago. Although there was an element of writing, they pulled me into doing math and science tutoring for older kids. Still fun, though! And I loved reading their creative writing stuff. You said it perfectly – they don't have an internal editor holding them back yet, so anything is possible. It's a good reminder. 🙂
This is my first semester teaching with Writopia, but I've really enjoyed it! I hope to teach a week or two of their weeklong summer workshops too.
The writing teaching your'e doing sounds amazing, and such great points about the students. I work with older kids (teenagers) and it's always so fascinating seeing how their writing process/thoughts on writing/etc. is different from the older writers I know. Also, Writopia looks amazing!
Writopia is so great! This is my first semester with them but I'm really enjoying it. It's fun to be able to teach different ages – I've got 8 year olds and then 11/12 year olds.
Catching up with friends is the best 🙂 when you're feeling super stressed or worried or whatever, a little time spent with besties doing nothing but chatting and having fun is the BEST thing in the world. It sounds like you had a lovely time, yay!
Thank you! I would be so lost without my best friends. We've known each other since freshman year of college (so, going on 15 years now)!