Before we get to the awesomeness that is Judy Blume, we have a winner for P.J. Hoover’s SOLSTICE!
Jessica Bell!!! (I’ll send your email along to P.J. ) Congrats!
The following are quotes from Judy Blume tweeted from LASCBWI. Enjoy!
@storyconnection: “I don’t think abt my legacy. That’s dangerous. But I want a tombstone that says, ‘Are u there God? It’s me, Judy.’”
@mbrockenbrough: “Telling a story is a quest. And questing involves questioning, doesn’t it?
@story connection: “I started writing not knowing what I was doing. That’s good.”
@LPP_Media: On self-censorship: “If it’s there because it’s important to the story or the character, include it.”
@alicepope: “Everybody who writes has to get out there and listen and observe.”
@shanasilver: Dialogue is the only thing @judyblume likes to write. She likes juxtaposing what they’re thinking versus what they’re saying.
@lishacauthen: “If I get up every morning and am excited to be in my little room with my characters I know I’m on to something.”
@mbrockenbrough: Judy Blume is 73. “We’re going to get her skincare regime shortly,” says Lin Oliver.
@LPP_Media: “How do you know how to write books if you don’t read books? Write the kind of books you like to read.”
@storyconnection: “Whatever works for you is the right way.”
@mbrockenbrough: “The first draft is finding the pieces to the puzzle. The next draft is putting the puzzle together.
@storyconnection: “Get yourself through it and write a whole draft.”
@story connection: “The stuff that matter, that works for you readers, comes from deep, deep inside.”
@ErinDealey: “I wanted to be the next Dr. Seuss. I wrote terribly awful rhymed pic books.”
@mbrockenbrough: “It never gets easier. The only thing that gets easier is that I know how to do this now.”
@alicepope: “It was fun to say, ‘I was the most banned author in America.”
@margorowder: “I open a book on the day something different happens.”
@alicepope: The first time Judy Blume got a rejection, she went into the closet and cried.
@mbrockenbrough: “It’s determination as much as any kind of talent that’s going to get you there.”
Which is you favorite one?
Oh cool! Thank you so much!!! :o)
“It was fun to say, ‘I was the most banned author in America.’ ”
Heehee, love that! I have to say, if I ever write a novel that’s so shockingly honest and true to life that people want to ban it I’ll consider my career MADE!
Awesome! I love the second one.
My favorite is the one about juxtapositioning thoughts with what a character is saying!
I like this one: @alicepope: “It was fun to say, ‘I was the most banned author in America.”
What a wonderful attitude.
So much good stuff there. I’ve heard so much about rejection, now I’m wondering if I’m toughened up, perhaps like I was with the last Harry Potter book. Since I was prepared for EVERYBODY to die, it didn’t kill me as much.
*sigh* Well, I can hope so.
“The first draft is finding the pieces to the puzzle. The next draft is putting the puzzle together.”
For me, putting the puzzle together is the toughest!!!
I love, love, love Judy Blume. But then again, who doesn’t? Thanks for sharing this Laura, so wonderful to read all her snippets of wisdom in one place.
“Everybody who writes has to get out there and listen and observe.” Because I will let my hermit tendencies take over if I’m not careful.
I love the puzzle one.
Yeah, there are a lot of us out there who started because we thought we might be the next Dr. Seuss. Um….yeah….maybe someone like…me!
Nice to know I am in such good company!
Shelley
Great! Love these! Thanks Laura.
Those are fabulous!! I have 3 faves: the tombstone, the puzzle and opening the book!
I LOVE these quotes, Laura! Thanks so much for putting them together.
I think this is my favorite:
“The stuff that matter, that works for you readers, comes from deep, deep inside.”
But this one is also great:
“I open a book on the day something different happens.”
Notice she says the DAY something changed, not the exact moment! Maybe we’re allowed a wee bit of build-up! 🙂
Judy Blume is my hero. I love hearing everything she has to say, and I wanted so badly to be at SCBWILA! Thanks for giving me a little piece of it.
I had a few favorites: the tombstone one, the one about being onto something when she looked forward to being with her characters, and the Dr. Seuss one. I love how real she was with these. Thanks for sharing them!
I know Jessica – good stuff!
Congrats Jessica!
I hear ‘Judy Blume’ and I picture myself in 7th grade in my junior high school library. Can’t believe she was at a conference and I wasn’t able to go. This was my favorite tweet: Dialogue is the only thing @judyblume likes to write. She likes juxtaposing what they’re thinking versus what they’re saying.
It’s so hard to write good dialogue. To write it in a way that conveys opposing information, like what a character says vs what she thinks, without confusing the reader…that’s genius. So hard to do.
Becca @ The Bookshelf Muse
I love the tweet about what she wants to put on her tombstone, lol!
Awww, you missed my favorite! Something like, If I’m writing a sexy scene and I’m not turned on, I’m doing something wrong. GO Judy! She sat next to me at a workshop and I about died of awe. Still recovering.
So much fun! Did anyone else read her WIFEY?
Ah, Judy Blume. I mean seriously, who doesn’t love her?
My favorite: “Whatever works for you is the right way.”
Because it’s so true. Every writer is different.
I love her. What an inspiration…
It was magical being there and listening to Judy Blume. She was a wise tribal elder and a down to earth gem at the same time. I agree with Lisa Gail Green – the steamy scene comment was my favorite – and most unexpected. Cover your ears, Ramona.
Man, I can’t believe I missed her. It must have been AMAZING. My agent sat next to her at dinner and just about died of excitement! Envious!
Definitely her comment about what she wants written on her tomb. It was such a great response to a question from the audience. It brought a tear to my eye. I was so impressed by how warm, humble, and wonderful she is. She was one of the highlights of the conference.
This is so fun! I loved the one about the pieces of the puzzle. It makes me feel better about a those first drafts 😀
I had a few favourites, but for the sake of picking just one I like:
@LPP_Media: “How do you know how to write books if you don’t read books? Write the kind of books you like to read.”
I love all of these! Thanks for sharing. 🙂