A Pen Of Strength

This is the first of a series of posts on women writers. As a woman writer, I labor, as do most who write, to define my place in the world. Part of that journey involves finding one's truth, one's voice. After pouring over classic literature, the majority of whom are white men, I have come to the conclusion that my study has been terribly limited. This narrow focus, I believe, has filled my mind with the words of men, as beautiful and precise as they may be, they do not reflect the female sensitivities and have served to cloak my voice. The hope is this focused study of women writers will help me dig below the chatter and find a more authentic voice. I invite you to join my journey and hope you'll join the conversation.  

E. O. Hoppe/The Mansell Collection

This month I've been reading Rebecca West, a London-born journalist, reviewer, essayist and novelist. Her work spanned over almost seventy years. Of her work George Bernard Shaw said, "Rebecca West could handle a pen as brilliantly as ever I could and much more savagely." West was already a feminist at seventeen and participated actively in the suffrage movement. By the time she reached her twenties she was writing for several well known publications, including the New Yorker.

"I myself have never been able to find out what feminism is; I only know that people call me a feminist whenever I express sentiments that differentiate me from a doormat or a prostitute." —West

I can't help but think that this is what Shaw had in mind when he characterized her writing as "savage." Things haven't changed so much when you realize that women who express opinion or disagreement are often marginalized by others as being "bitchy" or unpleasant. 

National Portrait Gallery

In thinking about my own voice, I realize that my training to be pleasant, created a need to please those around me. If one is going to speak truth, speak from the heart, from that deepest place within oneself, wondering how a particular sentence is going to effect others can put a stranglehold on the process of writing. 

"Voice is the articulation of all perceptions in verbal expression, written or oral, including the so-called nonverbal which we want to get into writing too. Voice is the expression of the whole person, an extension of speech, an extension of the body." —John Schultz via The Writer's Workout by Christina Katz

As I have been reading West, it apparent that her strongest desire was always to write so that her meaning was clear, concise and expressed to the reader her unique thought on a particular subject. 

What do you think about the effect culture has had on the female voice? Have we progressed? 

Here is a bibliography of my reading :

West, Rebecca. The Essential Rebecca West: Collected Prose. Pittsburgh: Pearhouse Press, 2010.

West, Rebecca. Family Memories. New York: Viking, 1987.

Weldon, Fay. Rebecca West. Fay Weldon. New York: Penguin Viking, 1985.

West, Rebecca. The Judge. New York: George H. Doran Company, 1922.

West, Rebecca. 1900. New York: The Viking Press, 1982.

West, Rebecca. The Birds Fall Down. New York: Viking, 1966. 

Marvelous Middle Grade Monday: Bittersweet Summer by Anne Warren Smith

Release Date: March 1, 2012

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NetGalley Advanced Readers Copy

About The Book: It's a strange summer for Katie Jordan. Her neighbor Claire is scheming again. Her best friend is away. Her dad says they might have to move. And on top of everything, her mom's country music show is coming to town. This funny, tender novel about friendships, family, and changing lives is a sequel to Turkey Monster Thanksgiving and Tails of Spring Break.
First Line: The Fourth Grade room was unusually quiet as the line of sad kids shuffled forward. 

Another Great Line:"I wondered if there were any books about kids having to move. Probably not. It was too terrible to read about." (35)

What Others Are Saying:   "Third in a series, this effort makes reference to the other works (Tails of Spring Break, 2005, etc.) but nonetheless stands alone well. Katie’s first-person voice feels fresh and authentic. Her yearning—for a real mother and to not move—juxtaposed against Tyler’s poignant pathos, as he only checks out library books about babies and their mothers, builds "MOTHER-mouse caves" for pretend baby mice and confronts his wayward mom while she’s onstage, all add rich emotional depth to this tender, believable middle-grade book. 
     This satisfying novel is recommended for its realistic situations and nicely drawn, eminently human characters." —Kirkus Reviews


What I Thought: When I realized that Bittersweet Summer was the third in a series, I decided to seek out the other two. Each book is delightful with the right balance of fun and tension. Warren has a keen sense of voice. Katie's personality is distinctive and clear from the moment the story begins. I love how the author has laced real honesty in the actions of her characters. When Katie says,"As we climbed in, I hoped Clare wouldn't notice the banana peel that was stuck between the front seats." it conveys Katie's self consciousness about how "perfect" Claire is.  You get a true sense of how her mind works and her unique perspective. 

tmourning.blogspot.com

Illustrator:
Tuesday Mourning

Interview on Scribd Portfolio on Directory of Illustration

Website

Blog

About The Author: Anne Warren Smith
Website
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company

Who: Anne grew up in Ticonderoga, a small town in the Adirondack Mountains of upstate New York. She plays with several grandchildren and has a dog named Lucy who will be the star of a future Katie Jordan book. When not writing, she swims laps at the pool, makes jewelry with tiny beads, knits sweaters, and walks the Oregon beaches or the trails of the Arizona desert.  

       She teaches classes in writing fiction and memoir in Corvallis, Oregon, and has led workshops throughout the Pacific Northwest.  She lives in Tucson during the winter 
months.  

 Other Books: 
       When Claire, Katie's perfect classmate and neighbor, plans a fancy Thanksgiving dinner, Katie begins to wonder if the relaxed day she, her father, and her messy little brother usually enjoy means they are not a "real" family. Instead of celebrating Thanksgiving in the family's traditional way by eating pizza in their pajamas, nine-year-old Katie wants to create the perfect holiday, but by Thanksgiving Day, Katie has invited guests Dad didn't expect, festooned the house with what may be poison oak, and set the sweet potatoes on fire. Ultimately everyone sits down to a most unusual dinner—one that succeeds because it comes from the heart.

Everyone, it seems, is going somewhere fun for spring break—everyone except Katie Jordan and her family. Even her best friend, Sierra, is going to Hawaii! But then, Katie realizes she’s not the only one being left behind—what about all those poor lonely pets? And so Katie sets out to save her spring break by starting a pet-sitting business, starting with Sierra’s cat. But Katie hadn’t bargained on having a business partner—especially not someone as awful as Claire Plummer! When Claire’s dad has to go out of town, she has to stay in Katie’s room, and before they know it, they have a moody cat, an excitable dog, and dozens of fish to look after—together. But do the two girls have more in common than they realized?


Anne Warren Smith will be joining us for a visit on February 15th. If you have any specific questions you would like to ask add those to the comments below. 


Don't forget to check out the other Marvelous Middle Grade
Reviewers in my side bar.

Cooking the Perfect Synopsis

So, I've been working on my synopsis for my middle grade novel, which means I've scoured sources for suggestions, formats and instruction on getting it right. 

Why? Three reasons: 

1- It's a vital marketing tool, next to the Query.

2- If it isn't right you may have a flaw in your story. 

3- At some point someone is going to request one.

I've coalesced what I've researched into a basic recipe. 

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Rockin' Synopsis
Preheat: Present Tense
Serves: Agents, Publishers anyone looking 

1 cup Voice               [Gives a taste of your unique voice.] 

1/3 cup   Who       [Main characters: What do they want?]

1/3 cup   Why       [Why should we care?]

1/3 cup   How       [How is he/she going to get it?]

1/2 cup   What      [What goes wrong, who/what gets in the way?]

1/2  cup  Risk            [What is he/she risk? No risk, no story.]

1/2 cup  Reward    [Do he/she get what they want or version of it?]

Mix well trimming extra words, unnecessary phrases until you have a succinct mix. Set aside for several days. With fresh eyes, revise again perfecting every sentence until you have the exact flavor you want. Then share it with several  CP's or Beta's to see if they see what you see, feel what you want them to feel. If not, revise again. Repeat this until the synopsis has risen to the desired level. 
***************************************************************************

I found several excellent suggestions for how to obtain the perfect ingredients and boiling them down to the exact proportions. Here are a few links you may find helpful!

How to Write A Synopsis
How to Write A Book Synopsis: Tips, Techniques
Writing A Synopsis
Synopsis
Writing a Synopsis That Rocks

I know there are tons more out there! Do you have a post on your blog? Share a link in your comments! 

*Check in next Monday for Middle School Review of Savvy and Scumble by Ingrid Law