I have known 2007 Newbery winner, Susan Patron for many years. This former librarian is active in the SCBWI and has a well deserved reputation for her enormous talent, but also her generous heart. I was amazed by the grace and dignity that she conducted herself when her Newbery winner, "The Higher Power of Lucky," hit a firestorm of controversy over one little word, scrotum!
I am so pleased that Susan agreed to give us a Writing Tip of the Day.
Realize each day that everything in your story is connected, especially the most disjointed aspects, and you must discover those deeply hidden links between them.
I'm not referring to the car in the fourth paragraph; I'm talking about the twinge of the dog's ear or the slight rip in the mother's dishcloth. Before you dump those details that don't seem to relate to anything else, find out why you wrote them, by which I mean, peel back the layers of your characters' lives. You'll probably discover that you had a very good reason, and your story will be richer. Writing is about finding out what you know.
Tina, if that is too long or serious, here's a shorter alternative: Eat a fresh fig. If figs are not available to you locally, you may substitute a fig newton.
I love fresh figs! Also love finding those connections in stories.
Posted by: Joyce Moyer Hostetter | February 25, 2014 at 03:49 AM
God, I love Susan Patron. She always says everything just right. And, in this case, complete with an alternative.
Posted by: Denise Gruska | October 14, 2008 at 04:14 PM
Great stuff! Thanks Tina.
Posted by: Laura | October 14, 2008 at 11:01 AM
I love this inspiring tip! Thanks for bringing us such wonderful thoughts about writing.
Barbara
Posted by: Barbara Bietz | October 14, 2008 at 08:42 AM
How delightful! Great advice, too. Now if I can only relate a hawk's feather to leftover meatloaf. . .
Posted by: val hobbs | October 14, 2008 at 07:58 AM
A fresh fig, what a delicious idea! Thanks for suggesting it, Susan. Another good substitute is the kind of big, plump Calimyrna fig that's packaged, yet soft and moist, not dry. As the French say, "miam-miam!"
Posted by: Caroline Hatton | October 14, 2008 at 07:49 AM
I have a fig tree in my backyard. I'm going out to pick a basket of them before I sit down to work!
Posted by: June Sobel | October 14, 2008 at 06:37 AM