Tag Archives: community

First SCBWI Meeting of 2018

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It had been too long, really! I missed out on the meetings of SCBWIAustriaGermany chapter for the last two times (NaNoWriMo and December-holiday-season did not allow me much time), Yesterday, finally, I was headed to Stuttgart to see my fellow writers and, as always, it was a great success.

We met at our usual spot in Stuttgart library, eight ladies in all, and discussed our work. There’s nothing as inspiring as talking to likeminded people about new ideas and see how far others have come, how well their work is progressing and getting feedback on your own project.

During the day I read a number of PB manuscripts that I’ve seen as mere ideas, read at various stages along the road, and that are nearly perfected now. I’ve read a promising idea of a dystopian story and can’t wait to see it grow into a full-fledged manuscript.

Special shout-out to one of our members for a promising honorary mention in SCBWI’s Undiscovered Voices Competition. Even if the manuscript did not make it to the finalist this time, I’m absolutely sure it’s bound to happen soon. Fingers crossed!

And to all SCBWI members here in the Austria/Germany chapter as well as all SCBWI folks around the globe: I am proud to be part of your open and friendly community, happy to give feedback and grateful to receive comments on my own work.

Until next month, ladies!

NaNoWriMo 2017

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I’ve heard about NaNoWriMo last year for the first time and was instantly intrigued. National Novel Writing Month. Nice. I’m not the only dreamer out there, I knew it! Sadly, last year’s November was already full. Two trips to the UK, the birthday of my oldest, several other appointments…simply put, I did not stand a chance.

But this years November hasn’t got quite such a tight schedule. Can it do it? Can I write 50k words in a month when I’ve hardly put down 30k during the last 9 month? Granted, there was the summer break when I stopped working on my WIP altogether and finished a short story and a poem instead, but 50k?

What to they say? “If you don’t try, you’ll never know what you can accomplish.” So, I guess there’s only one way to find out, right?

So I went ahead and signed up with the NaNoWriMo website. Come and find me and let’s be buddies – my alias is Rammerk!

The original idea of NaNoWriMo is to work on a completely new project. I pondered this for the last four days but have now decided to drop it. My heart is with my current WIP and Eden, my main character, is a constant companion in my head. If at all, I’m going to add those words to her story.

Will it be 50k? I don’t know. But I will try!

 

Back from London

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Last week I spent some days in London to attend the launch of Melinda’s last book in her Sin Eater’s trilogy. I also squeezed in a play – Hamlet, played by Andrew Scott ( ❤ ). And it’s been great – as always London did not disappoint!

But there had been some hick-ups beforehand. I had planned a 3 day/2 night stay in London in an AirBnB where five of us would stay and than the host did not answer to any of my attempts to contact her. The listing had disappeared. Negative reviews came in … and with less than a week to the trip and other people depending on the same AirBnB I got nervous pretty fast. As the host did not react, I called AirBnB and thankfully, the hotline guy was ever so helpful and promised to look into the matter. It took another two days for them to establish what they could not reach the host either. Nothing else to do but to cancel and rebook.

I need to say, I was pleasantly surprised. I got several suggestions for other flats from AirBnB’s team, the refund of the already payed flat went smoothly and I was able to get a very suitable replacement by simply switching the booking. Well done, AirBnB. With hopefully everything settled I flew over on Tuesday and yes – indeed all worked out fine.

The apartment was perfect. Andrew Scott’s performance was stunning and Mel’s book launch in the Crypt was a highlight all by itself.

Another SCBWI day

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Another successful SCBWI meet-up in Stuttgart!

The most amazing thing happened – we got more writers at the first SCBWI meeting than ever before. While it’s been Catherine, Linda and me for most of 2016, last Saturday we were 10 writers and illustrators at the meeting. TEN! And even better, some of the new people are non-native english speakers, too, and are writing a YA novel.

The whole day was near perfect. I got the first possible train to Stuttgart and was at the library ahead of time. Usually, it’s not that big a deal to get a table with three chairs as it’s been just the three of us for the past year, but since so many newcomers had announced to show up, it was a good idea in terms of reserving space for everyone. While signing up on Facebook for an event and actually showing up are, as we all will agree, two different things, this time actually everyone showed up! Needless to say, the day was a productive and inspiring one.

After shard lunch some of us headed back to the library again to work some more or read the works of others. When everyone but Linda had left, we spent some time discussing a MG idea she’s been developing. It’s intriguing and I hope to read the manuscript one day.

Furthermore, I think I am getting ready to send out the first chapter of my WIP to the ladies and see what they think about it.