Letting Your Freak Flag Fly

Okay, to be honest, I was a little nervous about going to this workshop. Don't get me wrong, I was SUPER enthused to study with author Libba Bray and agent Barry Goldblatt (who are married! I had no idea! it's super sweet), but the title of the workshop made me nervous. Why? Because my work-in-progress isn't exactly wild or weird...but it DOES feature a protagonist who's taking incredible risks...which was why I was decided I should apply anyway.

And gosh, I'm so glad I did! Everyone's submissions ran the gamut: my roommate was working on a novel about women's suffrage at the turn of the century, and another girl wrote a fantasy about monsters being stitched together by nobles. I loved reading everyone's pieces and getting to know more writers -- talking about craft and publishing at midnight in a barn? A dream come true.

Plus, Libba Bray and Barry Goldblatt complemented each other perfectly. Libba's had hilarious yet deep insights on craft, and Barry's contributions on the business of writing and publishing were invaluable. Plus, he wore really cool shirts!

"Write what you love," Libba told us. "Take up space. Be heard."

I'll cling to that advice, especially as I approach the end of writing this book. I hate being done editing and polishing -- coming up with new ideas and sticking with them is my least favorite part of the writing process. But sometimes it's good to be picky and take that risk -- especially if it means you end up working on something you love!

I was sad to leave, but this time I made sure to get a picture!