http://justinelarbalestier.com writing, reading, eating, drinking, sport Fri, 06 Nov 2009 20:50:38 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en One of the most frequent complaints I'm hearing from those down the NaNoWriMo word mines is that they keep getting stuck. As it happens I have already written a post on how to get unstuck. It is rather lengthy, however, so here's a quick and dirty version of what you ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/11/06/nano-tip-no-6-emergency-unstucking-techniques/ Today (yesterday) I had my last school events of the Liar tour at Joliet West High School and Glenbard South High School in the outer suburbs of Chicago, Illinois. The students at both schools were amazing and asked many smart, engaged, funny questions. It was a total pleasure to meet you ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/11/05/tour-almost-over-gorgeous-art/ I know that NaNoWriMo is set up with a specific word count in mind. And word counts are, indeed, a useful way to keep track of you progress. However, do not get obsessed with them. The world will not end if you don't meet your daily word count. Nor will ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/11/04/nano-tip-no-4-word-count-is-not-everything/ Don't forget to look out for Scott's NaNo tip today. And here's where I'll be in Chicago today and tomorrow: Tues, 3 November, 7:00PM B&N Skokie 55 Old Orchard Center
 Skokie, IL Wednesday, 4 November, 7:00PM Anderson’s Bookshop 5112 Main St 
Downers Grove, IL Same deal: if all who turn up have read Liar then I will tell you ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/11/03/chicago-events/ This is the most important tip of all: It's only a first draft, it doesn't have to be perfect. You know what that means? You can relax. A first draft can be bad. In fact, it will be bad. Don't worry about it. Plow on. Don't even think of it as ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/11/02/nano-tip-no-2-the-zen-of-first-zero-drafts/ Today's NaNoWriMo tip comes from Scott. Go check it out. Last night we watched Bong Joon-ho's The Host again, which is probably my favourite giant monster movie ever. If you haven't seen it do so immediately! It more than stood up to a second viewing. We then watched the Making ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/11/01/writing-novels-easy-making-films-hard/ Tomorrow is the first day of National Novel Writing Month. Although I've never taken part in it and probably never will, ((November is almost always a travelling month for me.)) I think it's an awesome way for beginning writers to learn the art of the first draft. I know many ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/31/tips-for-nanowrimo/ When I first got the idea for Liar I thought it would be a comedy. I thought it would be a goofy, screwball comedy with a protag who was lying about herself out of boredom and insecurity and that as the layers of her lies were peeled away chapter by ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/30/the-book-you-thought-you-were-going-to-write/ I've been having a long-running conversation with a bunch of writer friends about our hopes for our careers. One of them has written a truly marvellous book, which comes out next year, and she's been telling herself not to hope for too much. She's trying very hard not to think ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/28/hopes-and-goals/ Today Louisville's Courier-Journal has a most excellent article about adults reading YA by Erin Keane. I don't just say that because I was interviewed for it, but because the article is smart and non-sensationalist, and includes some actual facts: Young adult fiction's appeal has grown way beyond the school library. What ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/27/adults-reading-ya/ In the last few weeks I've spent an inordinate amount of time talking about the writing of Liar and making much use of jigsaws as a metaphor to describe said writing. Turns out that Margaret Drabble has also been thinking long and hard about jigsaw puzzles---longer and harder than me, ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/26/jigsaws-novels/ I now say a fond farewell to the peoples of the Pacific North West. Goodbye Seattle and Portland! What gorgeous cities you are. My timing was perfect: all the leaves were gold, red, maroon, pink, orange and brown. Spectacularly gorgeous. Also mostly the weather was crisp and clear. Only two ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/23/goodbye-porland-hello-austin/ So far on my tour I have persuaded people who attended my events to read Flygirl by Sherri L. Smith, ((As well as many other novels.)) to try their hand at writing novels, that kangaroos deliver the mail in Australia, that if only they were good I would reveal the ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/21/using-my-power-such-that-it-is-for-good/ You know what I wonder about authors on tour? ((You don't wonder? Well, I'm going to tell you anyways. So there.)) I wonder if they ever get sick of talking about themselves. I mean, I know that authors are frequently the world's most self-obsessed human beings, but even so gabbing about yourself ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/20/written-from-the-road/ Today I fly to Seattle, which could not possibly be as cold and wet as it is here in New York City. Surely not? Here are my public events in Seattle: Monday, 19 October, 4:00 pm Mukilteo Public Library 4675 Harbour Pointe Blvd. Mukilteo, WA ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/18/seattle-portland-austin/ A while ago I posted about my writing goals. I updated it a year ago with the publication of How To Ditch Your Fairy. But now I have published Liar which is in a whole new genre and allows me to cross even more off my lists. My goals are not ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/17/writing-goals-redux/ Today I blogged over here. Those of you who've been wondering about the process of writing Liar might find it interesting. Today I prepare for my appearance in Larchmont tonight and the many appearances I'm doing next week in Seattle and Portland. Then I'll be at the Teen Lit Festival in ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/16/guestblog-on-teenreads/ For a while now I've been thinking about how many readers seem to hate female characters more than they hate male. Or rather that the same behaviour from a male character is okay but someone inexcusable in a female. Sarah Rees Brennan has written about this phenomenon most eloquently: Let us ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/15/on-hating-female-characters/ I'll be here: Friday, 16 October, 7:00 pm: Voracious Reader 1997 Palmer Ave 
Larchmont, NY It's a very short train ride from Grand Central so if you're in NYC and wish to hear me be witty and wise you can do so! It's even closer if you're in Westchester County and thereabouts, (which you would ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/14/what-im-doing-this-friday/ When I was a brand new about-to-have-my-first-book-published baby author I freaked out entirely about blurbs. I was sure I needed them. Or rather my brand new baby book needed them. I panicked and decided I needed to ask every single published writer friend I knew. But then when it came ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/13/dont-panic-about-blurbs/ I've been thinking a lot about the Roman Polanski case. I've read everything I can about it over the last few weeks including the original trial transcripts, which left me feeling sick to the stomach. But many people have already said what I feel about the case, including the most ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/12/whats-wrong-with-hollywood/ This is a little bit weird. I had no idea it existed and stumbled upon it while, yes, I confess, googling myself. ((What? I wanted to check out some more Liar reviews. That's not a crime, is it?)) So here is my husband talking with the Romantic Times about my ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/11/scott-westerfeld-talking-about-um-me/ This is where I'll be today in Nashville, Tennessee: Saturday, 10 October, 2:00-3:00 pm Southern Festival of Books Talk in Room 16 Legislative Plaza Nashville, TN Followed by signing 3:00-4:00 pm War Memorial Plaza Between 6th & 7th Avenues. Nashville, TN For those who've been asking, I'm happy to sign whatever books you want me to sign. I don't ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/10/nashville-today/ Yesterday was lovely. First up there was the flight from NYC. Well, okay, that was not lovely. Flying in the US rarely is. Ridiculously long security lines, having my luggage searched yet again and all my carefully packed to prevent wrinkling event clothes trashed, etc. However, I sat next to ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/09/memphis-rocks/ I've received a lot of mail this week. Most of it asking the same question: "Could you tell me what really happens at the end of Liar?" I have already answered that questions on the Liar FAQ. But I'll answer it again: No, I won't tell you what really happens. ... http://justinelarbalestier.com/blog/2009/10/08/written-while-packing/