Last year, I had the opportunity to be a mentor for Girls Write Now.
Girls Write Now is a New York City-based organization which pairs a professional female writer with a teen writer from an underserved public school. Each week, mentors and mentees meet up for an hour-long one-on-one session while 6 times throughout the school year, the group gets together for genre workshops ranging in everything from fiction and journalism to memoir and sketch comedy.
It was one of the most amazingly supportive, creatively intense, ideologically pure programs I've ever had the pleasure to be a part of. I got to experience firsthand some of the most exciting and powerful new voices and I know for a fact that my mentee, Sharline, made me a better writer by pushing me with her commitment to excellence (and she really was excellent).
The organization has been going strong for 13 years and has even been recognized by the White House. This year, GWN's holiday drive is trying to raise $80,000 to continue their award-winning program.
Since writing and teens are two subjects near and dear to our hearts, we at the Class of 2K12 have pledged to help! We're trying to raise $300 for GWN through our First Giving page and I'd like to ask you to consider giving $10-$20 to this extremely worthy cause. You can donate securely and easily here.
Thank you!! And even if you aren't able to give, I recommend you check out Girls Write Now's site. It's sure to bring you some inspiration and holiday cheer.
Showing posts with label class of 2K12. Show all posts
Showing posts with label class of 2K12. Show all posts
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
5 Ways Being a Screenwriter Helped Me Write a Novel
The rumors are true...I am an outliner.
The truth is I need to see the plot naked and bare and without all the frills of, you know, good writing. Things like fully-formed sentences or descriptions that make sense...they only drag me down when I'm first embarking on a novel.
And for this, I have to thank my screenwriting background and film school, where I learned all about beats, character sheets, three-act structure and more craft commandments at whose ground I now worship.
Check out my Class of 2K12 blog post all about it here.
The truth is I need to see the plot naked and bare and without all the frills of, you know, good writing. Things like fully-formed sentences or descriptions that make sense...they only drag me down when I'm first embarking on a novel.
And for this, I have to thank my screenwriting background and film school, where I learned all about beats, character sheets, three-act structure and more craft commandments at whose ground I now worship.
Check out my Class of 2K12 blog post all about it here.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
The Class of 2K12 Has Launched!
What is the Class of 2K12 you might ask?
Well, inquisitive reader, it is a group of 20 young adult and middle grade authors whose debut books will all be coming out in 2012. Our tagline is "Fiction That Rocks." But you don't have to take my word for it*...because you can check out our just-launched website for yourself: www.classof2k12.com
Just look at some of our covers!
And here are just some of our taglines!
Because being 12, flat-chested and harassed by the school’s popular girl isn’t bad enough, Lilah Bloom’s life changes forever when she is hit by lightning and can suddenly hear dead people. - Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy
When her best friend marries Henry VIII, a previously disregarded maid-in-waiting must learn to walk the fine line between secrets and treason, knowing her life and that of the Queen could be threatened by any wrong word spoken (and those left unsaid). - Gilt by Katherine Longshore
Haunting her own serial killer, while gratifying, turns into a huge and possibly catastrophic distraction for Velvet Monroe and all she holds dear, including newly dead Nick, who despite a startling lack of scars and tattoos, she’s into…sort of. - Velveteen by Daniel Marks
And here's even a group book trailer!
It's an awesomely diverse and talented group. I feel extremely lucky to be a part of it.
Throughout the year, we'll be hosting tons of giveaways for books, Skype visits and more as well as coordinating group in-person events. In fact, we're giving away a giant 17-book basket to one deserving library on Facebook right now! Go here to comment and enter. You can also find us on Twitter.
In other trivia, the Class of 2K concept was started in 2007 by Greg R. Fishbone...the very same Greg R. Fishbone whose book you can still win at the bottom of my post from yesterday.
*This message is LeVar-Burton-approved!**
**This is a fabrication. Please don't sue me, LeVar.
Well, inquisitive reader, it is a group of 20 young adult and middle grade authors whose debut books will all be coming out in 2012. Our tagline is "Fiction That Rocks." But you don't have to take my word for it*...because you can check out our just-launched website for yourself: www.classof2k12.com
Just look at some of our covers!
And here are just some of our taglines!
Because being 12, flat-chested and harassed by the school’s popular girl isn’t bad enough, Lilah Bloom’s life changes forever when she is hit by lightning and can suddenly hear dead people. - Small Medium at Large by Joanne Levy
When her best friend marries Henry VIII, a previously disregarded maid-in-waiting must learn to walk the fine line between secrets and treason, knowing her life and that of the Queen could be threatened by any wrong word spoken (and those left unsaid). - Gilt by Katherine Longshore
Haunting her own serial killer, while gratifying, turns into a huge and possibly catastrophic distraction for Velvet Monroe and all she holds dear, including newly dead Nick, who despite a startling lack of scars and tattoos, she’s into…sort of. - Velveteen by Daniel Marks
And here's even a group book trailer!
It's an awesomely diverse and talented group. I feel extremely lucky to be a part of it.
Throughout the year, we'll be hosting tons of giveaways for books, Skype visits and more as well as coordinating group in-person events. In fact, we're giving away a giant 17-book basket to one deserving library on Facebook right now! Go here to comment and enter. You can also find us on Twitter.
In other trivia, the Class of 2K concept was started in 2007 by Greg R. Fishbone...the very same Greg R. Fishbone whose book you can still win at the bottom of my post from yesterday.
*This message is LeVar-Burton-approved!**
**This is a fabrication. Please don't sue me, LeVar.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Vlog, Swag and Other Four Letter Words
Yesterday, as a part of WriteOnCon (an annual online children's writing conference), I was in a group vlog with the Class of 2K12, a group of 21 authors with debut YA and MG books coming out in 2012. I have to admit I look pretty stiff and awkward in this vlog BUT, if you're a writer--especially one looking to get published--I think you should check it out for the wise/inspiring words of my classmates. And try to take my word for it that I'm less awkward in real life (maybe by a smidgen, but still. Less awkward).
You can watch the vlog here. Plus, if you leave a comment, you can win a tote bag of some 2K12 swag Which...
...segues nicely to my next four letter word. Swag! I have the final version of my stickers to share with you.
Ta-da!
Now, I'm guessing this doesn't entirely make sense without having read the book. Hope you think they're cute anyway. I really love them.
And according to this blog post title, I promised you other four letter words. So hear they are: goop! ears! whoa!
You can watch the vlog here. Plus, if you leave a comment, you can win a tote bag of some 2K12 swag Which...
...segues nicely to my next four letter word. Swag! I have the final version of my stickers to share with you.
Ta-da!
Now, I'm guessing this doesn't entirely make sense without having read the book. Hope you think they're cute anyway. I really love them.
And according to this blog post title, I promised you other four letter words. So hear they are: goop! ears! whoa!
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