Day 2, Day 3

So I skipped the karaoke, but I made it through the auction! Team Tim Wynne-Jones and MT Anderson (aka Tobin Anderson, aka Octavian Nothing) were hilarious, and actually sold things I thought would never sell, and the school netted a ton (no numbers here) for its scholarship fund.

And again the workshops and lectures - brilliant. For me, the highlight was Tobin Anderson's lecture. He was talking about plot, and structuring plot using the templates of Aristotle and Barthes. Now, I know the Aristotle from teaching English lit; but the Barthes was new to me and a bit abstract, but I want to know more, more, more, since I have most of my problems with plot. Sequencing and scene structure and pacing - what to keep and what to cut - I ask myself all the time. Well, certainly character defines the action. Each action must be true to the character. But also, there's the question: if you cut out this scene, does it hurt the story? Because if not, then it should leave, no matter how pretty.

And, by the way, description is usually gratuitous. My big issue.

So today, we heard the Stevens sisters, Janet and Susan, who are major PB authors. I laughed until tears streamed down my face. (There's a lot of crying at this rez. But none of it from hurt feelings.) They are a delight to watch - defining themselves as the heroes of their own life stories, reading their best work, showing how they work, playing off each other with immaculate timing and delivery...kids must LOVE them. I love them. And their wacky, wonderful, pun-filled books.

Okay, must eat, basic necessity. This afternoon: a special PB workshop, then a DANCE! Now that, I'll do.