Libba Bray: Digging for the Truth

Libba Bray is the #1 New York Times best-selling author of the Gemma Doyle trilogy; the Michael L. Printz Award-winning Going Bovine; Beauty Queens (a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist); and the Diviners series.

Libba, for many years, attended a writing workshop where the group wrote to from prompts, uncensored. Writers could then share but then only receive positive feedback because it was all new writing.

Libba takes this room of writers on that same journey.

Libba reads a poem titled: Where I'm From

The first prompt starts with the line: "Where I'm from..."

Set your own timer now and write for 10 minutes.

"I love to see all of your heads bent in concentration. That is amazing."

Brave readers share with the room.

Ready for one more? 

Write a piece that begins with the words, "Have you forgotten me?"

I'm going to be honest with you, Blog Friends, I'm not sure...scratch that, I know I can't do this one without falling to pieces. This is a clear indication that Libba is getting this room of writers to get to the truth, because when you feel it viscerally, in the question alone without even putting one word on the page, something powerful is happening. 

Libba listens intently.

Illustrator Katherine A Taylor approached this prompt through illustration.

Sometimes just setting a timer for ten minutes and writing and telling yourself that you're not going to sensor yourself allows you to create amazingly powerful work. Trust me, we heard the power in the room. Just wow! 

Libba Bray: Hello, My Name is...:Getting Past the First Date with Your Characters

Today Libba is going to talk about the mediocre because she believes that’s where attention is not paid to character.

Characters aren’t memorable if they give us what we expect and are just status quo.

Her number one pet peeve is when she’s reading and she feeling like the author is giving her some BS (you know what I mean).

“In the universal is the particular.”

How do we get to that place where we are writing memorable characters?

-You read! Read as far and wide as you possibly can.

-Allow yourself to play. Be the characters.

-Think of your characters like nesting dolls. It’s fun to open each layer.

-Know what your character wants. If you get stuck, that’s the engine that propels it all.

-Write from the outside in, relating to writing about other times or other cultures. Research is important and fun.

It’s always important to remember that people are people.

It’s fun (and can be helpful) to have a playlist for a book, and also for a specific character. Music often helps Libba find the character.

Libba keeps a spiral notebook with her always. It’s astonishing how much goes into the pre-thinking. She also sometimes interviews her characters.

It’s also helpful to monologue it. As a free write, Libba might write a letter. Or think about what a character would say over a PA. Or give a graduation speech. It can help get the juices flowing.

Acting is excellent training for writing.

Keep in mind, that characters often lie. 

LIBBA BRAY: Writing It All Wrong: A Survival Manual

The delightfully funny and terribly wise Libba Bray (BEAUTY QUEENS, A GREAT AND TERRIBLE BEAUTY, Printz Award winner GOING BOVINE, and more) sets the scene...

You spend several hours writing, you hold off on the M&Ms, your poetic ovaries shutter with creative life. Then next day you open up that same manuscript...and the characters have all the depth of a Colorforms sticky. Your plot twist is pedestrian. You despair. You think there's just one way out of this: fake your own death.

I'm here to be bring you good news, (just like Jesus), Libba says: your novel probably does suck. It's OK--embrace the suck. Gettting it wrong is a necessary part of getting it right.

Libba talks about spending all day every day writing a novel that was ALL WRONG. She turned it in six months late and then got a 12 page, single spaced editorial letter calling out the wrong. She revised for months. And months. 12 or 13 hours a day. She gained 20 lbs. The novel had also put on weight--ballooning to 900 pages. And it still was not right, she says. But she soldiered on. And after more painful revision and bouts of self-doubth, she eventually got it right.

Here are some of Libba's suggestions on getting through getting it wrong:

• Gather your tools for survival. Your book is in there, buried under the book you hate. Find the tricks that help you dig it out (play lists, writing groups, Pop-tarts...)
• Ignore external voices. That thing you are writing it awesome--it's the only thing that matters. What's hot doesn't matter.
• Lower your standards. Your writing will never be perfect. If you strive for perfection, you're setting yourself up for failure. Don't stive for perfect; strive for better.
• Be open to changing format. Maybe you need to change your point of view. Or write in verse. Or change tense. Find what works for your story.

Commercial Break: CAMPAIGN for LIBBA BRAY to WIN a GRAMMY

INTERIOR HYATT CENTURY CITY CALIFORNIA BALL ROOM - AFTERNOON

(A room full of 1,300 people sitting on slightly comfortable chairs. We zoom in on CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #1 who has just paid $8.50 for a sandwich wrap of unknown origin and only had a few minutes to eat it. Next to him, CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #2 didn't even GET a sandwich and she is noticing the ballroom chandeliers look like crystals from Superman's man cave. She wonderis if you could microwave these super crystals, if the crystals would then turn into complete Thanksgiving dinners or maybe just a milkshake and a turkey burger.)

CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #2:

Libba Bray is speaking next, do you think she's brought snacks for us?

CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #1:

No, and please stop nibbling my arm. Have you read BEAUTY QUEENS yet? I got the hardcover, and I also got the audio book. Did you know Libba reads the audio version and does, like, ten different voices?

CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #2:

Talking about the audio version of Libba Bray's BEAUTY QUEENS is the ONLY THING that can snap me out of this hunger madness. It has to be one of the best audio books I've heard in a long, long time. It's not only well-produced, it's a fantastic, thought-provoking and hilarious story, I want to give a copy to every teen girl I know.

CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #1:

Me, too! It should totally win a Grammy.

CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #2:

You have graham crackers?

CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #1:

No. I'm saying if the award for best spoken-word album could be won by popular vote, we should totally start an online campaign for #BeautyQueensAudiobookShouldWinAGrammy

CONFERENCE ATTENDEE #2:

Shhhhhh! Libba's starting! I think I see a package of Swedish Fish in her pocket!!!

Autograph Party Encore

A couple shots of the Autograph Party winding down.

Our own TEAM BLOGGER Suzanne Young sold out her new NAUGHTY LIST at the bookstore

Jim Benton signing it up sans platypus and blender family

Jacqueline Woodson talking to Florida RA Linda Rodgriguez Bernfeld and friend

Libba Bray signing for the peeps. Libba has on the cutest jacket which you can get here!

Our Dear Genius Jane Yolen and her fans

First Time Conference Goers: Glenn the Hyatt's Videographer Guy

Who better to assess the merits of our conference than a chap who sees ALL the Hyatt's shindigs? I spoke with Glenn as he was breaking down his equipment, clearing the room for tonight's Bar Mitzvah.



--Posted by Jaime

EDDIE GAMARRA: The Real Deal About Television & New Media

Gotham Group's Eddie Gamarra has worked with Libba Bray, Holly Black, Mo Willems and other great authors.

This conference, he says, is so astounding to him--he cannot fathom a gathering in Los Angeles where producers and others in the industry get up on a panel and tell writers how to break in. "It just wouldn't happen."

Eddie works as a manager. Managers, he says, think in terms of ideas and what they can do with them. They can sell both film and TV rights. They are a creator-driven company and like to work with creative people who are multi-hyphenates: writer-llustrators, actor-writer, etc.

Gotham works with screenwriters, directors, animators, publishers, comic book publishers, and they co-agent with book agents.

--POSTED BY ALICE

Opening Keynote: LIBBA BRAY (Part 2)

"Trying to please other people with your story is madness."

"There is no sure thing except the magic of writing what matters to you and you alone."

"What's hot and selling today may not be tomorrow. The only thing you can do is listen to your pages and see what they want to tell you."

Four pieces of brilliant advice from Libba:

1. Be a giraffe.

2. Find the cracks that let in the light.

3. Just say no to the hot pterodactyl boyfriend.

4. "First you jump off the cliff, then you build the wings." (Ray Bradbury quote)

"There is nothing without the leap of faith."

"Honor your work with your honesty."

"I challenge you all to join me in the year of writing dangerously."

--Posted by Jolie

Opening Keynote: LIBBA BRAY

Libba Bray (Super Vixen and Super Author) takes the stage. Within 5 seconds, NO joke, has people cracking up.

Oh, yes...there's the Super Vixen. She strikes poses for the BIG screen.

Libba: "So, know anyone who's won an award lately?"

Yes, Libba--just days ago--won the Printz Award for GOING BOVINE, and yes, she has that Printz glow.

Libba told Lin Oliver she wanted to talk about punctuation.

"I love the smell of semicolons in the morning."

On writing: "There are few other jobs in which you are so exposed..."

--POSTED BY JOLIE STEKLY

Winter Conference Keynote Libba Bray Wins Printz Award!

SCBWI Winter Conference faculty member Libba Bray received the 2010 Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults for her book Going Bovine!

Libba will kick of the conference with a keynote address called WRITING AS AN EXTREME SPORT.

You can still register for the Winter Conference where you can experience the wit and wisdom of award-winning author Libba Bray in person. Click here for the conference registration page.