I’m a fiddler.
No, you won’t find me balancing on a rooftop, silhouetted by moonlight, playing an instrument with a bow. But for the past couple weeks, I could easily be found on most nights hunched over my desk, glowing in the light of my monitor, endlessly tweaking my Powerpoint presentation.
On Saturday, I’ll be giving a workshop at the national SCBWI conference titled No Bookmarks Allowed: How to Inject Suspense into any Novel. And basically, I’m nervous as hell with a little bit of heck thrown in, too. I know I’ll be fine once I begin talking and there’s no turning back. But until that time comes, I haven’t been able to think about anything but my workshop.
Sometimes I’ll think about creative ways to improve it. But usually I’m just thinking of ways I might potentially blow it.
Also, I’ve been kind of cranky lately. (Shut up! At least I admit it! What’s your excuse!?!?) I’m not normally a cranky person, but I get that way when I don’t sleep. And when there’s a speech coming up that I’m nervous about, I just do not sleep much. I always think there’s a more creative way to get a point across and that I’ll find that creative way if I just stay up and stare at my monitor for another 15 minutes.
Of course, that doesn’t usually work. But I still try!
The past few days, friends have been e-mailing or texting me around midnight. Most of the messages consist of nothing more than Go To Bed. And even though they’re right…boy, that sure makes me even crankier!
What I’m getting at is, I’m actually kind of excited about my presentation. All of those extra 15 minutes (which usually piled on multiple times within the same night) might have paid off this time. But I'm afraid that for the first day-and-a-half of the four-day conference my mind will be distracted. So consider this an apology-in-advance to any of you who might run into Cranky Jay this weekend. I promise, once my workshop is over…it’s party time!
- Jay
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7 comments:
Wow, I so need to hear that talk. Want to come up to Portland and give the same talk? Or, maybe just post some of the key points from the talk on Disco Mermaids, that might be cheaper.
Don't go to bed!
I hosted a workshop yesterday and stayed up way past midnight every night last week and got up early several mornings with thoughts just a rolling! Late night is just about the quietest time in my house!
Here's a dose of good news to help the crankiness...I saw teachers purchasing your novel Th1teen R3asons today at a workshop for teachers in Arkansas! The stack of books ran out...then they put out another one!
Good luck!
Portland? Portland is one of my very fave cities. And I do get up there occasionally cuz I have family there. So while the blog would be cheaper, in-person would be more fun!
And Arkansas? Arkansas is now one of my very fave states!
- Jay
You don't seem cranky at all! Now, go to bed. Lamy
I am SO bummed I'm going to miss your seminar (actually I'm bummed I'm missing the whole conference this year).
I'm sending all my good karma to you so you will love doing it so much, you'll do a similar one next year!
BTW, Loved your book! :)
Genius genius genius genius
Boy are you brave. I am very wimpy about getting up and talking in front of crowds - I'd rather run into a flaming building.
Wish I had gotten to see your presentation!
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