It’s been exactly two weeks since I walked into the ACFW Greater Philly Writer’s Conference. This morning I thought I’d browse through a few of the notes I took. Isn’t it amazing how much our itty-bitty brains forget in such a short time? As I skimmed through the documents I’d saved, I was surprised by all the nuggets of truth I had already forgotten. And that is bad. Very bad. I went to this conference so I would learn something. Which would mean I need to remember it! So, in an attempt to not forget – and maybe to help inspire someone else – I decided to post a few of my favorite quotes from the conference. Enjoy!
On how to be a better writer: “Read, read, read, read, read!” ~Sally Apokedak, author and associate agent with Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency
On Voice: “It goes beyond style and technique. It’s personality on the page. It’s a thumbprint. No one has the same thumbprint. Your voice should be unique from anyone else.” ~Joyce Magnin, author of the ‘Bright’s Pond’ novels
“Think of yourself as a storyteller. Write as if you are talking to one person, not the masses.” ~Blythe Daniel, President and agent with The Blythe Daniel Agency
“We should craft theme as carefully as we craft plot, structure, etc. Fiction may not be real but it can still hold a valuable message. The books you remember are the books that make you think.” ~Sally Apokedak, author and associate agent with Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency
On Show vs. Tell: “Telling is boring. Showing is active & colorful. But there are times you need to tell. You can’t just show the entire novel. Balance.” ~Joyce Magnin, author of the ‘Bright’s Pond’ novels
“Write good, compelling characters. Readers want to be engaged with the characters. They may begin reading a book for the plot, but keep reading because of the characters.” ~Mike Dellosso, author of ‘Centralia’
“Submit, submit, submit! You can’t get published if you don’t submit!” ~quoted during a panel of magazine editors discussion
“Character’s need to want something. They need to be proactive, as opposed to reactive. You cannot just let bad things happen to a character.” ~Sally Apokedak, author and associate agent with Leslie H. Stobbe Literary Agency
What are your favorite quotes? I’d love to hear them in the comment section!
Happy reading, friends!