Pacific Coast Children's Writers Workshop (PCCWW)

Last weekend I attended the Pacific Coast Children's Writers Workshop (PCCWW) with friends Cara King and Sheryl Scarborough. I had been looking forward to getting away from the city, and living in a condo on the beach for a few days. It was just as beautiful as I imagined--well, maybe even more. There wasn't much downtime, but I did manage to take a few photographs (see separate blog).

The theme for the writing workshop was Voice. This was quite interesting since it's the one thing that every editor and agent seems to ask for, and yet it is so difficult to define. Faculty members Erin Clarke (Senior Editor at Knopf/Random House), Stephen Fraser (Agent at Jennifer DeChiara Literary Agency), and Marion Dane Bauer (award-winning children’s Author) gave excellent advice on how to uncover that elusive skill.

Erin Clarke explained that voice is a combination of everything: Plot, Setting, Dialogue, and Narration. She suggests practicing--by reading and by writing. Sometimes it's necessary to experiment. Markus Zusak wrote 150-200 versions of the beginning of The Book Thief before he perfected the voice. Read your work aloud. Does the voice work? Do your characters sound distinctive and authentic? Be passionate about your work, and your work will sing. Don't try to be someone you're not. Relax, and let it flow. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Think about your audience--don't mimic exact speech. Finally, make it timeless. Remember the publishing business is slow--use language that has been tested by time.

Stephen Fraser says to be your authentic self. Authenticity, focus, clarity, freshness--this is what makes up Voice. He believes voice can be developed. Pretend to be your character. Talk like him or her--feel like him or her. Reach out with your senses and feel what it's like to be your protagonist. He encouraged us to write an elevator pitch. Compare your novel to a classic book. What makes it unique? Think about how the sales department will position your book.

Marion Dane Bauer believes every story has a three point trajectory. First, every story begins with desire. It must have an emotional core. Write the story only you can write. What is your vision? Choose stories that resonate with you (not necessarily autobiographical). Answers you are seeking in your own life. Second, the story builds to where your protagonist's entire world falls apart. Third, Emotional Resolution. The meaning is important. It needs to be felt, not necessarily articulated (naming a theme is unnecessary). Voice is you passing through a character: honest and authentic. Voice is the emotion moving through the character. She also offered this advice for people wondering about breaking rules: The one rule of writing is you have to make it work. Another piece of wisdom she shared is "Show don't tell always means show the character, don't tell us about the character."

PCCWW is unique in that attendees are required to read most of the submissions before the workshop begins. Also, group one candidates are critiqued in front of an audience by all three faculty members. It was interesting to listen to the faculty, and compare their reactions to my own.

Though the conference schedule was tight, the faculty were quite willing to spend time with the attendees, answering questions or simply chatting. There were several opportunities to mingle at lunch and dinner. The other attendees were also friendly, supportive people and I hope I can stay in contact with them.