Not much brain space for anything else while doing the line edits for the second book in the Boreas series. Boreas en de duizend eilanden (Boreas and the Thousand Islands) is scheduled to come out mid-April and I am really excited about that. Working hard now to have the manuscript back on my editor’s desk by Monday morning. I’m good with deadlines, they spur me on and keep me away from procrastination. And my editor Marlous is the coolest in the world. I love shaping and polishing my books with her. Rereading the manuscript brings back many memories of good times on the water, too. Sailing, snorkeling, and in general just hanging out with people who also love the water. Like my super cool friend Kirsten…
Mina Witteman – author | editor | teacher of creative writing
Posts from the “A Bit of Everything” Category
I lost my writing north like a compass with an old needle that lost its north-seeking ability. Now, you can do two things if that happens: you can throw out the compass – which would equal giving up on the writing dream – or you can fix the damn needle. What did I do? I’m not ready to give up on any dream. I went out to find me some lodestone and re-magnetize the needle. How? Usually, a writing prompt – or a few prompts if I slid down the slope too far – from one of my beloved Writing Maps will get the writing juices flowing again. This time I went on a Writing Safari with my best friend, author and creative writing coach Sieneke de…
Tagged: compass, Dolle Mina, feminism, hot pants, Lodestone, Mad Mina, North, Sieneke de Rooij, Sixties, Tropenmuseum, Writing Maps, writing prompt
I plowed through the tons of letters and invoices that gathered on my desk while I was away, I’ve done the laundry, I reconnected with my workout buddies Toni, Maria, Astarti and Anna. I sniffed up Amsterdam air. I plunged into a swarm of tourists diddling around outside my house. I bought tickets for the new Chagall exhibition. I witnessed a beautiful sunset from my fourth floor window. The good news is I haven’t forgotten how to ride my bike. The bad news is that I seem to have forgotten how to write, as if my compass lost its north. I’ve written one word for my new project since I’m back at my desk: ‘It’. And then it all stopped, as if someone had…
Tagged: #amwriting, compass, Elvis Costello, muse, North, poetry, Someone took the words away
I was on the road for 45 days and what did it bring me, this Gone Writing trip? An almost finished manuscript and a new level of understanding of my writer’s brain and how it works (and how and when it doesn’t work). Gone Writing brought me change. I think Maurizio Nannucci’s Neon tubes nails it:
After 45 days on the road, it’s time to go home and last night’s show was the perfect ending to this road trip. Fiddler on the Roof is all about love and loss, just like my journey was rediscovery of the power of love and loss. A rediscovery that I could pour into the story I’m working on. I didn’t have to wait long before I realized that Fiddler on the Roof perfectly illustrated what writing means to me, Tevye’s first lines were enough. I’ve adapted them slightly here to show you (and I hope Joseph Stein will forgive me for changing his words): “A writer on the roof. Sounds crazy, no? But here, in our little village of Fiction, you might say every…
Tagged: #amwriting, Fiction, Fiddler on the Roof, Joseph Stein, muse, stories, Tevye, writing
Valentine’s Day. I usually shy away from commercial festivities like this, but being all wrapped up in my love for writing and books these past weeks and since it’s International Book Giving Day, I thought I’d make an exception and give you not a book but a little snippet of my protagonist’s view on love. The girl sits in Cody’s chair and digs her nails into her boyfriend’s arms. It’s her first ink and she squirms and squeals even before Cody touches her with the needle and she almost passes out when he does, hyperventilating through the whole thing, but the look in her eyes is not one of terror but one of love, of devotion. Surrender. She’s doing this for him. She’d do anything for him. She…
Tagged: #amwriting, Love, Protagonist, strawberries, Valentine's Day
At the Winter Conference of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators in New York. Not much writing. Enough ideas, though. Always great to listen to other writers and illustrators, to publishing professionals like editors and agents. Today we had a full day of intensives for published authors. Here’s a few quotes from amazing speakers: Literary agent Rubin Pfeffer of Rubin Pfeffer Content on agents: Should I stay or should I go? Remember your objectives! Publisher and author Arthur A. Levine on writing: Continue to be moved by what you write. Author Martha Brockenbrough on social media tip for writers: share insights into your creative process. Author Jane Yolen (of 360 books!) addressing mid-list authors: Write the damn book! Editor in Chief of…
Mina Witteman 