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| Phineas and Ferb know how to do summer right. |
Last summer I really wanted to enjoy the season -- I didn't want to spend Saturdays torn between whether I was writing or playing with my children on the beach. This summer, I think the best way to seize the day would be to get back into my WIP -- as long as I still have Saturdays free for building a rocket, fighting a mummy, or climbing the Eiffel Tower -- maybe going to the park if I'm feeling less ambitious.
I know a lot of writers with day jobs as teachers and school librarians look forward to summer as a time to work on their writing. And other writers with children find summer their least productive time, when kids are home from school. For a lot of writers, it's business as usual at the day job, with writing during nights and weekends.
But summer is also the season for writers' conferences, retreats, and workshops, small and large.
ALA Anaheim - The summer conference of the American Library Association is where librarians convene and rub elbows with writers like John Irving, Jodi Picault, Sherman Alexie, and Lin Oliver, and George R.R. Martin. (June 21-26)
The 40th Anniversary SCBWI Summer Conference - The Los Angeles meeting of SCBWI is about craft and networking with fellow children's writers and illustrators. It's already sold out, but check your regional SCBWI for more events. (August 5-8)
Teachers Write! - Writer Kate Messner (a former children's librarian) is hosting a summer-long online writing workshop and community for teachers and librarians.
What are your summer plans? More writing? Less? What are your goals? Do you have any events on the calendar, or know of any others? Any books you're especially interested in reading?
Oh, and happy Father's Day to all of the writer and reader dads out there!
2 comments:
I always go into summer with the intention of writing more. My schedule is a little more flexible, but that's balanced out by the fact that my daughter is out of school and demands more attention than usual. Also, my husband takes time off work several weeks during the summer, and in addition to wanting to do things as a family, it's also when we have time to take care of larger projects (finishing the deck, cleaning out the garage, etc.). So all my good intentions of writing more tend to go right out the window.
I'll try to make room for more writing late at night, but not this week. It's a vacation week for us, and I'll be spending some quality time with the family. I will write some, but not as much as I'd like. But there's more to life than writing, and this is my week for that.
I need to whip my WiP into shape. Meanwhile I'm hoping to land an agent with the MS that's on submission. It's going to be a busy summer, though, with one kid on her way to college.
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