Day One | Broadleaf 10th Anniversary Writers Conference
Querying a novel in isolation wreaks havoc on the brain. I'm in a continual state of emotion-management.
When a full request arrives in my inbox: I restrain my optimism.
When the rejections arrive in my inbox: I force indifference.
The days, weeks, and months tick by and these manipulated emotions rebel against my better judgement.
About six weeks ago I registered for the Broadleaf Writers Conference, in need of some tangible and professional feedback on my work. Last minute, I almost canceled. I came up with reasons--good reasons--why staying home made sense.
Despite my demoralized state, I drove north to Decatur, Georgia.
DAY ONE
I arrived at a historic brick building with pillars buttressing the grand entryway. This grand multi-storied building looked nothing like our Florida libraries. I slowed down, looking at my instructions which indicated we were to park in the underground parking garage--something else we don't have living at sea level.
I was early, because I'm always early. You wouldn't know it, because I don't enter until a socially-acceptable time (hello fellow introverts). I wandered downtown in search of coffee and found B-Side. When I entered, a server was handing an ice water to an unhoused person. It warmed my heart to see this small kindness.
I was in a new city and attending a new conference completely solo. So, I searched the faces of the nearby customers wondering if any were fellow writers. My nerves felt raw with anticipation and trepidation.
Returning to the underground garage, I swiped some oil on my dry lips and coaxed my emotions into feigning confidence.
At the registration desk I announced my name. "Debra Eby...wait, um..." I couldn't remember which name I'd registered under. Instead of questioning my sanity, the staff member laughed, joking about never knowing who we are with pen names. I relaxed. This was a place where I was understood.
My next hurdle was selecting my genre identification sticker. I knew the genre of my current novel--after over a hundred queries, how couldn't I? I searched for "Upmarket" or "Book Club", but that was too specific. "Historical Fiction" is something I'd like to explore, but my current novel isn't that. I forced myself to commit to the red general "fiction" sticker and placed it next to the pen name listed on my name tag: Debi Canterbury. This is my maiden name--a name I felt troubled parting with, so I've reclaimed it through my writing endeavors (it also keeps my photography business separate).
The opening was led by the only familiar face, Zachary Steele. He was the administrator of the Florida Writers Workshop back in April and had been the one to introduce me to his organization, Broadleaf. He was warm, authentic, and encouraging to our roomful of literary hopefuls.
Penning the American South
I chose this session since Florida is kin to the south. Parts of Florida are very southern, while others...not so much. The joke is that Florida is the only place you go north to get to the south.
I am in love with Southern Fiction, especially Southern Gothic. Learning from this panel of writers was like trying to drink from a waterfall. I sat in awe as they shared their writing journeys with an eloquence stemming from their wordsmith talents.
Jeffrey Dale Lofton spoke of storytelling being "buried in the marrow of southerners". He spoke of the grotesque and Southern Gothic themes--reminding me of Flannery O'Connor. He immersed us in Georgia red clay, inspiring us to make place a character.
Kimberly Brock discussed the coastal and Appalachia south as well as the myths we tell ourselves. Kimberly challenged us to, "Write what you can imagine, but with respect." Kimberly also spoke about the land owning us, and not the other way around.
Piper Huguley spoke of inclusion of the Black experience and what's possible with finding common ground in friendships. She also spoke of the resilience of Black southern womanhood. Piper discussed Washington D.C. as a southern city.
Patti Callahan Henry painted what it looked like to fall in love with the southern experience as an outsider and of libraries being her sanctuary and books her solace. She challenged us to always tell truth--even in fiction. Patti tells us that, "Landscape is memory and memory is landscape."
Home Is Where The Horror Is
While Horror is unlikely to be a genre I ever write, I do love suspense. This panel demonstrated how to write everyday places in a frightening way.
Panelists: Clay McLeod Chapman | Shaun Hamill | Paul Jenkins
There and Back Again
- Exploring character(s) motive:
- What do they want?
- Why can't they get it?
- What are they willing to do to get it?
- Characters require agency.
- We are made of memory of the past and dreams of the future (desire).
- Novels are puzzles - trying to fit the pieces together:
- Tools like Scrivener and pen to paper to help organize the pieces.
- Creating timelines: "It's like dating a couple different guys at the same time."
- Characters are like a river:
- Main Channel: Main Character
- Side Channels: Side Characters, Journals, other POVs
- Intuition - so many of these authors have honed their craft to the level of intuitive flow.
- Each novel you write teaches you.
- Stay curious--we must stay living.
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