Fundamental STEPS to Writing Historical Fiction-- Highlights 2018

Congratulations to Joyce Hostetter who won THE HERO TWO DOORS DOWN and to Clara Gillow Clark who won PACO'S PAINTBRUSH. Clara Gillow Clark is the blogger from whom I won FOOD FIGHT FIESTA. (And no, I didn't rig the contest. Random.org always picks my winners!)

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Several weeks ago when I blogged about teaching at Write 2 Ignite, I mentioned that I have another opportunity to teach this fall. I'm thrilled to share that I'll be part of the faculty for Highlights Foundation's Historical Fiction Workshop led by my friend and mentor, Joyce Hostetter. 

Following the acronym STEPS, this is what Joyce and her team will cover:

STORY: Finding stories embedded in history and embedding history into our stories.

TIME: Allowing the historical era to shape characters, dialogue, actions, and more. Lila Weaver will present a talk on going from an eyewitness to a story teller.

EXPERTS: Seeking insight from archivists, specialists, eyewitnesses, and survivors. This is MY talk!! (I guess Joyce decided that after hearing my excitement over finding each new expert for Half-Truths, she would have me share my experience with others.)

PLACE: Infusing the story with a sense of locality and culture. This talk is by Julie Chibbaro.

SOURCES: Researching history and documenting resources.

 

Check the schedule and you'll see that besides talks on these subjects, participants will meet one on one with Joyce. They will have time to work on their manuscript and receive input from the faculty and other attendees. Carolyn Yoder, Joyce's editor, will also join the group for a question and answer session. 

 If you don't know Joyce, then here's the link to the Highlights blog where she talks about her journey as an historical fiction novelist. It's always fun to hear how she wrote BLUE without a thought that it would turn into a series. DRIVE is coming out this fall and Joyce is now writing her fifth book in the Bakers Mountain Series!

If you want to make history come alive to middle grade or young adult readers, then this is the workshop for you. To read more about the workshop and enter the great giveaways that Joyce is offering, click here for the special newsletter on the workshop. 

Hurry! The workshop is limited to eight students and is filling up--but Joyce and I would love to see you there too!

Meet Liz Rice: Highlights Foundation Groupie Extraordinaire!

Today please welcome Liz Rice who shares some of her experiences at Highlights Foundation workshops and links to their scholarship applications. Hurry! The deadline is December 15!

Carol asked me to write about the Highlights Foundation Workshops. She says I’m like their groupie. Which in many ways I am! I have attended six of their workshops and gone to their campus for my own self-created Unworkshops, many times. This year I attended their Summer Camp where I met Carol, and two Artists-in-Residency programs.

The first workshop I attended was, "It’s All About Character" in November of 2009. Since then I’ve attended at least one per year. What makes these workshops and Unworkshops so special, besides the delicious food, the wonderful pre-dinner wine and appetizers, the cabins [which are wonderful cozy rooms with refrigerators and coffee makers], and being in the Poconos. . .  It’s that compared to a writing conference, the Highlights Foundation has set up these opportunities to give you an immersion in your specific work in progress and an immersion in the writing process. Plus, you’re with a generous and very helpful faculty.

Liz and Jerry Spinelli

I attended the Eileen and Jerry Spinelli Artists-in-Residency in September. I learned so much from listening to Eileen and Jerry Spinelli. Eileen helped me stay focused on one project, while still carving out a little time to explore new picture book ideas as they pop up. She suggested I devote an hour in the morning to playing with the new idea, so I don’t lose its flicker. And then  I should return to my work in progress to keep moving ahead to completion. I’ve been doing that ever since. From participating in discussions during lunch, I learned from Jerry to give yourself permission to stop working on a manuscript if you feel it isn’t working and instead, put your focus on an idea you’ve been pondering.

I enjoyed that Residency so much that as soon as I arrived home, I registered for the Suzanne Bloom Artist-in-Residency, and attended it two weeks later. A groupie would do that, right? There were two author-illustrators, a few illustrators, and me--the only writer. Great opportunity to learn about picture books from the illustrator’s perspective, how they tell their part of the story and also enhance what the author has written.

Liz and Suzanne Bloom

The Artist-in-Residency is an Unworkshop with perks! For the same price as an Unworkshop, you have the opportunity to gain insights and get feedback on you works in progress. The authors and artists will work on their upcoming books or illustrations in between mealtimes. Then during meals, artists and attendees share their processes, frustrations, experiences and answering questions. 

The Artists-in-Residents of 2016 have been honored with scholarships in their name. They will be helping to identify, review and award the recipients of those scholarships. 

The application deadline is December 15^th for the Eileen Spinelli, Jerry Spinelli, Suzanne Bloom and Meg Medina 2017 scholarships. Recipients are selected on two criteria: seriousness of purpose and financial need.

This link gives you more information about those scholarships. Scroll down for links to the Spinellis’ and Meg Medina scholarships.

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/6881/announcing-the-2017-suzanne-bloom-scholarship-for-artists/

Speaking of the Artist in Residency program, check out the 2017 list of honorees.

https://www.highlightsfoundation.org/6897/2017-artists-in-residency-honorees/

Get a cup of your favorite beverage and enjoy exploring everything on the Highlights Foundation website. Make sure you sign up to get emails on upcoming workshops.

http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/

The Experience link is a bit of a tour with testimonials:

I hope to see you at one of the Workshops or Unworkshops in 2017!

Liz Rice is the author of  Aranya Tries Again (Ladybug Magazine) and BILL RICHARDSON (Mason Crest Publishers). Before devoting time primarily to writing, she taught preschool to 4^th grade for 22 years. 

Find her on:

https://www.facebook.com/Lizricewrites/

http://lizricewrites.com/

Blog - http://lizricewrites.com/this-writers-journey-down-a-novel-path/