So You’re Gonna Be Startin’ Something…
I have a couple of theme songs running through my head at the moment regarding the revisions, besides the subject header. “Freak Out” comes to mind along with the “Rocky” theme song. Last night let me tell you I was slicing and dicing words, using what Miss Snark the literary agent extraordinaire taught me. No overwriting this time! I am going to trust my gut 100% on these revisions.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I have a true test as to when the writing’s good. When I can set my pen down and get caught up in the story without editing, when I’m sucked in, then I know it’s right. When I start nitpicking lines and thinking–this section isn’t working, then I still have work to do. There’s a kind of magic when you find those perfect sections. The trick is sustaining it for 365 pages. 
I’m reading Charlotte’s Web to my son right now, and sometimes I get caught up in the language of E.B. White. People sometimes think children’s books are easy to write. Not at all. They’re every bit as complex as adult fiction, but there’s a child as the hero/heroine. Some of my favorite children’s books when I was growing up were: Anne of Green Gables and Little Women. In both cases, the heroine was a writer. Funny how that happens. 
Was there a book that influenced you as a child?
Michelle posted in Writing @ 6:57 am | Viewed 814 times
Suzanne Says:
I loved the Little House books!!!
Peggy Says:
Little House here too, and Anne and Little Woman, all my favs!
Good luck with the revisions. Sounds like you got a good grip on them.
Margery Says:
Anne, of course. Cherry Ames, Trixie Belden and any books with cowboys. And I grew up to work in a hospital, and write suspense and western historicals
Leanna Ellis Says:
I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder. But now that I’m reading them to my kids…I didn’t realize she wrote about food so much!
I also loved Charlotte’s Web and Mr. Poppers Penguins. I still remember my mother reading Little Women to me when I was sick during my sixth grade year. Loved it.
Kelly Says:
As a kid I started reading fairy tales at the age of 4. I actually learned to read early because my Mom wasn’t reading to me enough in my estimation. She read to us every night but I wanted a marathon 24 hour session apparently. But after that my favorite book was Lad: A Dog by Albert Payson Terhune. I didn’t own it but the library had two copies so for about 6 years straight I just took one out, returned the other, and kept revolving it so I always had a copy. I must have read the thing 200 times. I could almost recite the 400 page book verbatim. In grade 7 I read a short story though called “On the Sidewalk Bleeding” and that was the one that set me on the path to writing. I thought “I want to write something like that”. So I did, and then never stopped.
Katie Says:
I am Louisa May Alcott’s Biggest fan. I’ve read and re read and re re read all of hers - from Little Women to Rose in Bloom to Jack and Jill and everything in between.
Robyn Says:
The Wrinkle In Time series by Madeline L”Engle, as well as her Austin family books. Her teenage heroines were anything but perfect; they went through the geeky awkward stage and got frustrated easily. I totally related!
Melissa Says:
Nancy Drew. Oh, I *devoured* those things. I have fond memories of checking out three or four of them at a time during the summer. I even had dreams of being an amateur detective.
Also loved the “Little House on the Prairie” books, too.
Michelle Styles Says:
I adored reading.
=TheWIzard of Oz series, LloydAlexander’s books, CS Lewis’s Narnia. The Little House Books and Nancy Drew. Rosemary Sutcliffe’s book on Romano Britain…
My absolute favourite was Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes. I had a huge crush on the secondary character Rab — the one who gets killed.
Amy K. Says:
I loved the Boxcar Children and Little House books.
Tori Says:
So many to choose from!
Rene Says:
I think Johnny Tremaine. Mainly because it encouraged my love of history. And the Sherlock Holmes novels. I started reading those in the 5th grade and really loved them. I liked Little Women too. I loved Amy.
Gina Says:
I used to love books by Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary growing up. Keep up with the editing. I love when those perfect sounding sequences pop up. Wish it happened more often.
Danica Says:
Wow, I loved all those books-to add to the list, I was also a big pippi longstocking fan.
Well, let’s face it, when I was a kid, if you looked in the dictionary for bookworm, there was a picture of me. 
Michelle Says:
Oh, the Little House books were great.
Kelly–I’ve never read that story before. I do remember an obscure book by Julie Andrews (actually she used the name Julie Edwards) called the Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles. I enjoyed it as a child.
Robyn–I adored A Wrinkle in Time. I made my sixth graders read it when I taught literature and they never really “got it.” I was disappointed in that.
Michelle–You know, I’ve never read Johnny Tremaine. Guess I’ll have to try that one!
Rene–Did you cry as much as I did when Beth died?
MaryF Says:
Little House, A Wrinkle in Time (though I started reading it to my 5th graders last year and couldn’t remember why I liked it), Trixie Belden. When I took Kid Lit in college, our prof read The Whipping Boy to us at the beginning of each class. She did the voices and everything. I love to read to my class - we just finished Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing, and I’m tempted to start Goblet of Fire next.
Steph T. Says:
Oh - what a trip down memory lane - I loved anything by Judy Blume and Lois Lowry (there was one book in particular that was a mystery with a young heroine named Turtle. I must’ve read it a thousand times.)
I’m glad your revisions are moving along!:thumbsup: