Revision 911 SCBWI Workshop with Cynthea Liu

Wow.  What a way to spend a Saturday.  Yesterday was full of ideas, information and new ways of looking at old writing habits. What was the reason for all this?  Her name is Cynthea Liu, children's author, speaker and writing coach.  

Cynthea Liu

And coach she did.  Ours was a time of eye opening, hard core revision.  "The C Liu Wringer,"as her critique partner calls it.  

Now I can't speak for the rest of my powerful SCBWI group, The Bookends.  But I walked into the room yesterday morning full of confidence.  Yep. I knew the ten pages of my latest chapter book were splendid. Cynthea would give them back to me (after having read them earlier) with a, "Well done.  It's ready to send out."

Didn't happen.  Instead, something far better did.  I learned about revision in a deeper way than previously.  I learned my book needed real revising and new techniques applied. And I learned again what a supportive and intelligent writing group I am fortunate to call mine.

"Writing a great book is maybe 20% drafting, 80% revision."

Jonathan Schkade, Sherry Randle, Susan Barker, Cynthea Liu

So yesterday was a cautionary message for all of us writers out there. (Of course, I'm first in line on this one.)  Let's keep an open mind about our writing prowess and skills. Let's make our books the very best they can be. And let's continue to grow as writers for children, the best profession in the world. 

Cynthea, I want to say, "Well done." It was a splendid day. Not for the reasons I anticipated, but for the reasons I discovered.  Huzzah!  

Sarah Whitney, Cynthea Liu, Anastasia Burke-Ely, Jannean Muehlfeld