2013 in LA

Hey Everyone: This is my first post as co-coordinator with Rene Rawls of the SCBWI Hollywood Schmooze. I am honored to have the position now. And a bit daunted. It’s more to take on than I thought – of course! I always do this…but as a wise person once said to me:

“We are much wiser and greater than we think we are.”

Imagine your higher self-floating above . .  .

Capable of anything and everything . . . 

Belief. I’m not talking about anything religious. I'm talking about

MAGIC and FAITH in MIRACLES.

Kids love this stuff – they love reading about it too – fantasy, sci-fi, Harry Potter, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.
 

But what does all this have to do with the first meeting of the Hollywood Schmooze of 2013?

January’s Topic was on Connecting Emotionally with your Reader, ei. Emotional Writing.

I would say that all good writing is emotional, but some is more than others.

Feelings connect us to events and keep us interested.

Rene presented a great writing exercise – to write about the moment that a child learns that Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy or some other mythical belief is NOT true. Wow! I wish I didn’t have to coordinate and could just participate.

I could write a whole story on this – with the “loss-of-magic” moment as the turning point - a great exercise -- try it!

Next, I led an exercise on accessing a scene from a painful childhood memory. A few people shared theirs – after sketching the scene or an object from the scene, as a way to remember it. This was very powerful for me and for others too.