Meditation, Mindfulness, and Writing

A lot of books have been published about the craft of writing. Some are more formulaic. Others, however, discuss writing as more of a mystical process. Writing is less about telling or teaching, but more about discovering. It’s about delving into the mind and the subconscious, finding what may be lurking, and being brave enough to share it. 

A plot may twist and turn. A narrator may delight the reader with wit. But when a plot does not venture beyond the senses, beyond the everyday world of thoughts and feelings, it is like any other experience. The magic of writing lies in its ability to engage the mind, then to try to go beyond it. 

An intimate look into a character’s thought process, for example, is something that makes us observe our own thoughts and belief systems. A hard look at societal norms that we take for granted makes us think beyond the status we were born into. A character’s description of emotions may lead us to remember, and even transcend, those emotions in our own histories

I would argue, then, that a good writer needs practices that go beyond the mind. A great writer can observe the human mind with piercing clarity. They can see what it is capable of, as well as its limitations. 

This is where practices like meditation and mindfulness come in. The very act of slowing habituated thoughts, to see what is in between, is an experience that, with time, can lead to tremendous insights. What about the human experience is the same? When we take away the confines of age, gender, nationality, race, socioeconomic status – what is left? 

And yet, there is a contradiction in practices like meditation and mindfulness. In order to engage in them, one must, gradually, retire the very mind that seeks clarity. Writers are cerebral creatures. And being required to pause the mind, even for a small period of time, can require a great deal of effort. 

This is what happens to me continually, as a writer, and as a meditator. On the one hand, my mind is constantly questioning, commenting, and analyzing. And on the other hand, there is a part of me that is observing the mind, that is slowing it down, that is training it to let go. It can make for confusing mornings and nights especially, those periods of time when I am most alone with my thoughts and judgments. 

But I tell myself that practicing both writing and meditation is worth the effort. After all, any musician will vouch for this truth : the more one thinks about the music — the more one plans and plots where to pause, where to soften the note, where to emote — the flatter the music is. A true musician knows how to let go, how to watch and allow as the music forms by itself. After all the thought and planning comes surrender. 

Perhaps it is the same with writing as well. When we first start writing, we think. But as we become more seasoned, we learned how to let go, and to watch what words form on the keyboard. 

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A.M. Sarma is an aspiring author, and a recipient of the 2023 SCBWI Emerging Voices Award. She is currently seeking representation for her manuscript "Under the Gulmohar Tree" (young adult historical fiction.) Besides fiction, she enjoys learning about philosophies and mythologies from around the world. She is a pediatric speech therapist by day, and lives in California.

Learn the Basics About Translation and International Rights

These used to be called "foreign" rights, but that's a pretty colonial way to consider it, so the industry is moving towards calling these "international rights" (because while it's generally thought about as selling different language rights to countries/territories besides where your book was originally published, you can sell the same language rights to multiple countries/territories) and "translation rights" (because you can sell different language rights in the same country/territory, including where your book was originally published.)

The Not-for-Profit Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)* recently held a webinar "Translation Rights 101" that explains the basics of how the world of translation and international rights work, and also includes some information about the IBPA member benefit programs that can help you sell these rights for your books. (Of course, you need to control those rights to sell them. If you're working with a traditional publisher, check your contract and/or chat with your agent.)

You can watch the webinar video recording and see the slides here.

Your book reaching readers in other languages and parts of the world is a thrill (So far it's happened for one of my books, a German version of my picture book Red and Green and Blue and White (illustrated by Paul O. Zelinsky, published by Levine Querido), which the German publisher Sauerländer called Für Jeden Ein Licht (which translates back to English as A Light for Everyone). 

Selling the translation and international rights for your book is also another stream of income, which is always appreciated.

The original English version of my picture book (left) and the German translation (right)

The webinar is free. And for those who don't know, IBPA and SCBWI have a reciprocal member discount (members of one organization get 20% off membership in the other organization.) 

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

*Full disclosure - in my day job I'm the Chief Content Officer for IBPA, and I hosted this free-for-all webinar as part of our efforts to provide empowering education for author publishers (a.k.a. self-published authors) and small independent publishers.

The Value of Rereading Children’s Literature as an Adult

I would venture that most adults who are rereading children’s literature are doing it while sharing literature with children in their own families and communities. Whether reading books to one’s own children, nephews and nieces, students, or mentees,  experiencing a story with another young mind  is a unique experience. All of a sudden, a character is seen through new eyes. A twist is re-discovered, and a conclusion is regained after much struggle. When a book is reread with a child, it’s like the book gains a second life. A shadow of one’s own childhood is visible again. It’s  a way to re-experience a simpler and easier time. 

However, there are also adults who genuinely enjoy reading children’s literature  by themselves- especially middle grade and young adult novels. Some of these readers, like myself, are aspiring writers. But there are others who will engage with a young adult romance or fantasy series, just as much, or even more, than the latest murder mystery or thriller. I know many such readers. And before I was an aspiring author, I was one of them. 

I think there is something to be learned from what these titles offer a more mature reader. 

First, at least in my view, titles for middle grade and young adult readers tend to offer hope for a happily ever after. After spending my college days reading award- winning masterpieces where the main character always ends up dying a tragic death, this was a welcome relief. A book can address serious topics. But books for young readers offer some sort of a solution, or avenue for growth and redress. This mindset is especially valuable in adulthood, when turbulence inevitably strikes, 

Second, middle grade and young adult fiction tends to possess a refreshing defiance. Whereas, as we get older, we are tempted to accept what we write off as the natural order of things, young readers are filled with indignation over the injustices they see in the world. Authors for young readers recognize a need for an explanation, or at the very least, the need for some form of protest. I think that reading these titles ensures that as we get older, we don't inadvertently forget how to care. 

And finally, books for young readers address questions that we all revisit, time and time again, throughout our lives. Coming of age, a topic that cannot be skipped in these works, brings up many uncomfortable truths. Nobody really seems to be knowing what they are doing. We are all searching for happiness – or if not that, then just for some meaning. And watching a teen grapple with this, with honesty and vulnerability, is refreshing. We don’t have it all figured out. And middle grade/ young adult books, whether they are embracing a quest, a new love, or just a pivotal summer, remind us that is okay. 

  It is a rare adult novel that addresses all of the above, and still manages to entertain. So I will continue to check out the children’s sections of bookstores, at least in the near future. 

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A.M. Sarma is an aspiring author, and a recipient of the 2023 SCBWI Emerging Voices Award. She is currently seeking representation for her manuscript "Under the Gulmohar Tree" (young adult historical fiction.) Besides fiction, she enjoys learning about philosophies and mythologies from around the world. She is a pediatric speech therapist by day, and lives in California.

Inspiration and a Craft Tip from Kate DiCamillo

Looking over my notes from the recent SCBWI Summer conference, the keynote by Kate DiCamillo held two gems I wanted to share...

The Inspiration

It took Kate 473 submissions before she got a YES towards getting published. And after telling us that, she said, "What if I'd stopped at 472?"

The Craft Tip

When progressing from one draft to the next, Kate prints and then re-types the entire draft. (She shares the 5th draft with her beta reader friends.)

While not every craft strategy will work for everyone, this approach was new to me, and I'm excited to try it for my work in progress. Thanks, Kate! (And thanks to SCBWI for having Kate give a keynote!)

Newbery-medal winning author Kate DiCamillo

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

How does a writer convey being “Indian American”?

The push for diversity in children’s literature has been an amazing development. The difference between the variety of titles that were available when I was a young reader, and the kind that are available now, is mind boggling. As an adult, I can walk into any children’s book store and learn something new. And that is a beautiful thing. 

At the same time, as an author who is Indian American, this plethora of perspectives presents an almost confusing number of options. Because, I’m happy to say that I’m not trying to seem like some definition of “normal” when I write. My background comes through as I write. But how does it come through? Is it artificially imposed? Can I make its presentation more organic? 

For example, many books written by Indian American authors are about India itself. Maybe a story about a grandparent or a cousin, going through the unique challenges presented by their socioeconomic status in a completely different, but somehow similar landscape. These stories entertain with a look at a new world. 

Then there are stories that incorporate India’s rich mythology and storytelling culture. There are variations on dragons, castles, and princesses in India. There are gods, demi-gods, demons, and so much in between. There are wish -fulfilling stones, idols in temples, astrology placements. The possibilities for fantasy are endless. 

There are also stories about what it is like to grow up as an Indian American, balancing the pressures of a world outside the house, as well as a world inside the house. They portray the struggle of trying to find middle ground between parents, friends, and teachers. They portray wanting to be different – but not too different. 

And finally, there’s being Indian American, without making everything Indian American. Not every Indian American character needs to know about their family members, or about their religion. In fact, not every Indian American character needs to take so seriously the demands of balancing two cultures. Some characters are just people – and the fact that they are Indian is not, and frankly should not be, a key facet of their personality. This approach fights back against stereotypes in stories. An Indian American kid does not always need to be good at school, or not allowed to date, or socially awkward, or under a lot of pressure from parents. Seeing characters that don’t fit into stereotypes is just as important as seeing diversity in characters.

So… those are a lot of ways to incorporate being Indian American into writing. But for a while, I found none of them completely satisfying. I’ve written stories that fit into each of these four types, and yet I’ve always come out feeling incomplete. I've felt like I didn’t really do my background justice, either by talking about it too much or by not talking about it enough. 

But it recently started to occur to me that perhaps these categories of literature don’t quite satisfy my need for authenticity because each of them is just a partial portrait of a diverse perspective. Diverse perspectives are diverse, because different people have different combinations of the immigrant experience showing up in their lives. Real lives are a complicated myriad of factors, presented in different proportions across the years. 

Writing a character from a diverse background is serious business. Because achieving a believable but fresh perspective from all of the above encourages soul searching. And therein lies the real entertainment.

A.M. Sarma is an aspiring author, and a recipient of the 2023 SCBWI Emerging Voices Award. She is currently seeking representation for her manuscript "Under the Gulmohar Tree" (young adult historical fiction.) Besides fiction, she enjoys learning about philosophies and mythologies from around the world. She is a pediatric speech therapist by day, and lives in California.

#SCBWIsummer24 Recordings are Available for Those Who Registered!

This is VERY cool... now we get to virtually attend all those breakout sessions we were interested in but weren't able to do simultaneously with the one we chose... for each of the time slots!

For folks who registered for the 2024 SCBWI Summer conference, here's how to access:

1) go to scbwi.org and log in 

2) click MEMBER HOME

3) click MY RESOURCES

4) You should see this as one of the options: Summer Virtual Conference 2024 Handouts, Video Replays, and Social Media Assets

There's a wealth of videos and handouts... but it's all available for only a few more weeks.

So many I wanted to go to, and now I get the next best thing! (We get the next best thing, actually...)

Illustrate, Translate and Write On,
Lee

Revisiting “The Hero’s Journey”

         

    Something an academic advisor told me when I was an undergraduate student has stuck with me through the years. When I was thinking of declaring one of my majors as English literature, and wondering how that would help my career, she said something to the tune of “it’s not just about analyzing books. Literature is a study of the human experience.” 

It was like a lightbulb went off in my head. I had never completely understood why a work of fiction could keep me entertained for so many hours at a time. Or, why, whenever the world felt so large, and I felt small, insignificant, and confused, a book would somehow - albeit temporarily - make me feel better. Because when I read, I was afforded a view into the character’s – and the author’s – mind. All of a sudden, I could see how different people viewed the world, and most importantly, how they derived meaning from the seemingly insignificant, mundane realities of everyday life. 

I would almost try on ways of thinking and feeling as I read. I was looking not just to discover myself, but to discover all that human beings had in common. To see how, even though each mind was unique and different, so many things about characters and their lives were the same. Deep down, a lot of our fears and our passions are alike. 

Like many avid readers, at some point, I started to think about writing something of my own. But I had no idea what to write. What, exactly, did I have to say? I knew so little. How could my words offer connection and comfort? More frighteningly, what exactly did I believe, about myself, and about the world around me? 

This was how I delved – not just into philosophy, but also into mythology. And as I explored, I found a combination of the two in Joseph Campbell’s iconic works. Just looking at the back cover of , “A Hero with a Thousand Faces”, I was enthralled. This was a compilation of ancient and modern stories from around the world  that spoke of the very point of life, veiled in mystic symbolism, archetypes, and metaphor. 

But, to my surprise, Joseph Campbell’s works took me many years of study. I read, highlighted, underlined, and read again, feeling the truth of what I was reading, but not really “getting it” at the same time. It was humbling – I was put in my place. Because suddenly I realized, in order to write something wise, I had to be wise myself. It is a goal one chases for a lifetime. I could continue to write, but my writing would develop as I did — nothing more, nothing less. 

However, I believe sincere study of mythology and philosophy can only help a writer. Campbell’s work is often taught in “formulas” or “plot diagrams.” As thought provoking as these are, they barely scratch the surface of what his work was actually about. Yes, a “chosen one” meets allies, has unique powers, and must eventually engage in the highest self- sacrifice. 

But what exactly makes the chosen one special? What is the self- sacrifice a metaphor for? Is the villain truly “evil” or just a representation of the ego alive within each and every one of us? And what is the hero’s mind really like, after apotheosis? It is not just the study of philosophy and mythology that is useful. The study gains value when it is followed by application of concepts to one’s own life. 

The wisdom gleaned from such practice shows up in the writing itself, not necessarily in methodologies. It shows up in dialogue, in description, in subtle character development.After all, even myths have to be analyzed and dissected in order to find the deeper meaning within. This, more than any plot diagram, is what makes for satisfying literature. 

- A.M. Sarma

A.M. Sarma is an aspiring author, and a recipient of the 2023 SCBWI Emerging Voices Award. She is currently seeking representation for her manuscript "Under the Gulmohar Tree" (young adult historical fiction.) Besides reading and writing fiction, she enjoys learning about philosophies and mythologies from around the world. She is a pediatric speech therapist by day, and lives in California.

10 Highlights from #SCBWIsummer24 So Far (a.k.a. part 1)

The SCBWI Summer 2024 virtual conference Saturday is about to start, and I thought it was a good time to share some highlights so far. Remember, you can use the hashtag #SCBWIsummer24 and keep up with the live-blogging at the Official SCBWI Conference Blog, with insights, inspiration, and tastes of the conference by Debbie Ohi, Don Tate, Jaime Temairik, Jolie Stekly, Justin Campbell, and me, Lee Wind.

Ten moments that are still resonating for me:

Often picture book memoirs are less about the external actions (not so much the hero's journey) and more about the internal growth - "the character arc becomes the plot arc." - Andrea Wang, author of Watercress

Andrea Wang, telling us to "lean in" when approaching picture book memoir, answering my question on advice to counter the feeling that it's self-indulgent: "Don't write it for the reader – write it for you, first... Make it as personal and emotionally honest as you can."

Advice from Pamela Harris, on facing insecurity: “I may not be a household name, but I’ve done a lot of awesome things.”

Advice from Amy Kumph, looking back on lurking rather than engaging and putting work out there: “I wish I had feared less.” 

Careful about writing to a trend: “I can tell when a story's gimmick outshines its emotion." - agent Saba Sulaiman

“We work with authors, not books.” - agent Josh Adams, speaking about how an agent wants to work with a client over their career, not just for one book.

Betsy Gomez: Support challenged diverse books: Circulation numbers matter, so if you can't buy a book for whatever reason, check it out from the library. (This one was posted to Bluesky by Don Tate - thanks, Don!)

Shamar Knight-Justice sharing that it takes him 300 hours to illustrate a picture book.

Jan Mitsuko Cash's advice for published translators: Be careful about scheduling - "I've had to learn how to say 'no' to things." Think about what you want to prioritize and what you really want to pursue.

"You do you." - Laurent Linn. This was quoted a few times, and then spoken by Laurent himself. What it means to me: It's about finding your voice (as an illustrator and an author), and understanding you're not trying to be someone else with your creative work, or even competing with anyone else. No one else can do you. You can't really "do" someone else. So, "you do you." Really, really wise. 

Remember, even if you're not attending this year's summer conference, you can check out social media (especially Bluesky) for #SCBWIsummer24, and glean some conference wisdom, craft, and inspiration at the SCBWI Conference Blog.

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

The SCBWI Virtual Summer 2024 Conference is Happening Now!

 

Check out all the live blogging at the Official SCBWI Conference blog from Debbie Ohi, Don Tate, Jaime Temairik, Jolie Stekly, Justin Campbell, and Lee Wind (that's me).

There's so much inspiration, craft, and wisdom being shared!

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee