Day 2 - Meeting the newbies

So, yesterday, July 8, 2008, was spent getting settled into the dorms (was that only yesterday that I dragged my enormous suitcase up 3 flights of stairs?) and getting to know the other newbie students.  I've met lots of wonderful and interesting people.  The thing that strikes me most, though, is the diversity, in age, in location, and in interests.  At 38, I am right in the middle of the age range.  We have a few grandmothers, and a few young-uns, and many people like me with young and teenage children.  It's fascinating!  There are people from all over the world, literally (one woman has been living in Iceland for the past 2 years and is in the process of moving to China!)  and certainly from all over the US.  Not too many men, though.  I think there are only 3 or 4 in our class.  And that's another thing-our graduating class is huge compared to previous classes.  The group that just graduated in January only had 8 people.  Our group has 27!  

What did I learn today?  That walking up and down the hill from the college into the town of Montpelier is hard work (people have likened it to the Grinch's descent into Whoville).  That dorm rooms with no air in the summer are HOT!  And that it's fun to get to know lots of new people with similar interests.

Today's agenda:

Orientations.  All day.  And a cocktail reception tonight.  I may need a drink after a whole day of orientation.

Day 1 - Travel

Yesterday, Monday, July 7, 2008, I took the train from Stamford, CT to Montpelier, VT.  Because of delays, it took about 9 hours.  But it was 9 hours of watching dvd's, reading, napping, and chatting with the 3 other new students I met on the train.  Then it was off to sleep at Betsy's Bed and Breakfast for a good night sleep.

What did I learn?

I learned that everyone is as excited and nervous as I am.

I don't know how to relax and do nothing.  I was so antsy on the train, I probably drove everyone else crazy.

What's on today's agenda?

Checking in to the dorms, lunch at Thrush Tavern with as many newbies as I can gather, exploring the town, then an informal dinner at the school.  Who knows what else might come up?!

This is it!

The day that I've been waiting for for the past 6 months, really the past 2 years, is finally here.  Tomorrow morning I get on a train bound for Montpelier, Vermont to begin my MFA degree at Vermont College of Fine Arts.  I'll be on the train for 8 hours, ugh, and on Tuesday I'll meet up with other incoming students for lunch before we begin our official journey.  After only writing seriously for a little over a year, it really is a dream come true to be doing this.   Unfortunately I haven't had time to get excited about it because I've been too busy stressing over the little details of my being away for 2 weeks.  Making sure the house is fully stocked with food, all the laundry is done, my DH knows what to do with the kids to get them off to camp and home again each day.  I've discovered that I am completely obsessive about these little details--so much so that I seriously haven't thought much about going back to school at all.  I suppose once I get on the train tomorrow reality will suddenly hit me in the face and I'll realize I am actually doing this.  Then I can stress over that for awhile.

I will continue to keep you posted as much as I can throughout the residency.  If I can find time in the EXTREMELY BUSY schedule!

A Little Overwhelmed...

Well, I got my residency schedule, and it is 10 days of BUSY!  It's all very exciting, and I really can't wait, but, boy, am I going to be exhausted by the time I get home!  In addition to the faculty lectures, and graduate lectures, and readings, and workshops, there are also receptions, cocktail parties, karaoke, dance/games night, and just general parties!  One of the biggest benefits of doing a program like the one at Vermont College is the networking.  Making friends and acquaintances that can help you, either emotionally or at a career-level; people who are in a similar situation as you.

Some of the authors I'll be meeting and learning from are:

Kathi Appelt (author of The Underneath-a strong competitor for the Newbery this year)

Norma Fox Mazer

MT Anderson

Tim Wynne-Jones

Rita Williams-Garcia

Sharon Darrow

Martine Leavitt

(and I found out that Cynthia Letiech-Smith will be returning in January!)

And these are only a few of the talented writers I'll be working with!

Amazing, right?

I'll be posting one more time before I leave, and then I'll try to post each night to keep you up with my experiences in Vermont.

Hopefully this will be helpful to anyone considering attending a low-rez program.

Low-Residency MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts

Wow, that's a long title!  I said last time that I would describe the program to you, so here it is.  I am describing the program at Vermont College, but there are many wonderful programs (though I think VC is the best) that are run in a similar way.  Here are the main points:

It's a 2 year program-with a 10-day residency in January, and another in July.

So you go to the school for 10 days twice a year for 2 years and go to lectures and seminars given by active, published authors.   You also have your writing workshopped while there (I'll talk about that more in a minute.)

You are matched up with a faculty member advisor for that semester.  After the residency you are expected to send in a packet of work once a month (the number of new pages and revised pages is pre-determined with your advisor).  This is the best part, to me.  In many writing classes, you are given assignments.  Here you get to work on your own chosen writing.  And, you're encouraged to explore different styles and genres in a safe environment with an advisor who won't hesitate to tell you something stinks (in the nicest possible way).

Back to the workshop.  About 2 months prior to the residency you send 20 pages of your work to the school.  They group the students in heterogenous groups-newbies and graduating students and everything in between, as well as picture books and middle grade and young adult pieces.  The school binds the pages together and sends them to each student a few weeks before the residency.  Each student reads and critiques the works in their binder (there are about 12 people in each group, plus 2 faculty members-you only have to read the pages from your group).  Then at the residency your work is the focus of a one-hour workshop, with feedback from the other 11 students + the faculty in your group.  Sounds awesome, right?

So that's where I'm at right now.  I've received and begun to read my workshop binder, making notes on each page.  I'm feeling a little nervous at this point about everyone else reading my story.  I mean, I love my book, but I don't know if anyone else will!  And the other work in the binder is soooooo good!  

I'm really excited to get started with this, because I know I have so much to learn.  Hopefully my honest insights on other people's work will be helpful too.

I leave mid-day on July 7th.  I CAN'T WAIT!!! 

It's been awhile...

Wow-I hadn't realized how long it had been since I last wrote.  Here's what's been going on:

1.  I have completed 2 major revisions of my novel, Sisters.  It's now as polished as I can make it for right now.  I sent in the first 20 pages for my residency workshop at Vermont College (which, by the way, is only 38 days away).

2.  After sending in those pages, I put the manuscript away and will not be looking at it again until after school is finished, unless I can convince my advisor to accept and critique it with the first packet.  

3.  I have begun to work on my new middle grade novel (I think I'm channeling a 13 year old girl...)  I am 12 pages in so far.

4.  I read the prologue and first 2 chapters last night at our library (along with a few other talented writers reading their work) for the 300th anniversary of "Ridgefield Writes".  I was nervous, of course, but not as bad as last time I read my work for an audience.  I guess it's true that it gets easier each time.  At least that's what I hope!

In my next blog, I will describe how the low residency program at Vermont College works, since it's only a little over a month away (did I mention that?).   

Favorite Books

It's a dangerous thing to be a children's writer and work at a children's book fair.  I'm going to be broke by the end of the week.  Such awesome books!  Some of the popular titles are:  The Boy Who Dared, Swindle, Diary of a Wimpy Kid (both of them), and The Invention of Hugo Cabret.  Of course I'm not talking about the "garbage" books, like the Guinness Book of Gaming Records, and Invasion of the Campfire Weenies.  I picked up The Book Thief and Clementine myself.

So what kids' books have you read recently?  What are your favorites and what did you think was "garbage"?  What books are still on your list?