Ten Years Blogging

http://www.silviaacevedo.com

Milestones trigger emotions, and this one is no exception. Today marks ten years blogging. My website and blog is mostly about the creative life (writing, publishing, media in general) and occasionally sports. I’ve experienced growth in all those areas, and I hope something I wrote added to your insight on a subject.

My very first post was about inspiration, specifically about shooing the Muse. You can read it here:  http://www.silviaacevedo.com/a-writer-writes/muse-schmuse/ I feel pretty much the same way today. If I waited until I felt inspired, who knows when I’d ever get around to it? The funny thing is, once I start, it’s the writing itself that inspires me to write more. What inspires you?  And what topics should I hit in the next ten years? 🙂

Play Date! at the SCBWI Retreat

YesMy engines are really revving for the SCBWI-WI fall retreat. You should come. Really! You have just three short weeks to sign up, and I’ll tell you why you should (and then how to maybe get in for free!).

The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators is the premier association for creators of children’s lit (and one of the largest organizations for writers and illustrators in the world). If you want to learn more about writing or illustrating for kidlit, these are your people.

Wisconsin’s fall retreat is three days of amazing networking, creating, and communing. This year’s lineup is impressive as always: the society director, three editors/directors, an art director, an agent, two leading authors/illustrators/creators, along with 11 local presenters, myself included. My involvement isn’t why I write today; I’ve been praising the association for more than ten years. This is the place to go to build your craft.

I am proud, though, of the two presentations I’m doing. Both are collaborative.

Friday’s Intensive with Melissa Gorzelanczyk is four-fold: Honing in on images; Focusing on plot; Unreliable Narrators in your writing and illustrating; and Bringing Back the Thrill. Plus we’ll have a memento for attendees. The picture gives a hint. 🙂

My second presentation, with Valerie Biel, highlights how music, dance, theater, literature, and the visual arts can inspire your creations. And attendees get another memento.

So you’re convinced. I can tell! Sign up by August 31st here.

Aaaaand if you want a chance to get your registration fee reimbursed, apply for the DIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIP BY AUGUST 14. SCBWI is inclusive in what constitutes diversity, so you may well qualify. Find out and apply here.

If you’ve been dreaming about creating for children, this may be your moment. Hope to see you there! 🙂

Writing Prompt – Dancing

Dancing FeetI recently bought a prompt journal (300 Writing Prompts by Piccadilly Inc.) to force really quick writing.  Here’s my latest prompt:

Do you prefer to dance with no one watching, with a group of friends, or with one special partner?

All of the above. I just like to dance. I’m not particularly good or bad at it. I suspect I’m like most people, just shuffling or bouncing along to the beat of the music, but I like the freedom of dancing.

Why do so few people dance in public? Why is it so hard for me to coax (or pull) a friend onto the dance floor at a music festival or county fair? Do people seriously care that others watch? I don’t, but I know I’m in the minority there. :/