Skellig: A Book Review

Title: Skellig
Author: David Almond
Reading level: Ages 9-12
Paperback: 182 pages
Publisher: Laurel Leaf (September 11, 2001)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0440229081
ISBN-13: 978-0440229087

Skellig has a distinctive British feel to it but it is not confusing to American readers. Author, David Almond, never defines who Skellig really is other than in the context of a fantasy character. The short chapters make the story move smoothly forward and entice the reader to want more.

Michael, his baby sister and his parents move into what the real estate agent calls a fixer upper but Michael sees it for what it is. A horrible dump where the floor is full of cracks and holes. The old rickety abandoned shed out in the yard is another eyesore and Michael is warned to stay out. Of course as soon as you tell a teenager don’t go in there, what do you think he or she will do? Michael never imagines he will see anything other than junk and a mouse or two. When he steps into the dusty structure his first look at Skellig is astonishing. Michael thinks he may never see him again or if he is even real.

“He was lying there in the darkness behind the tea chests, in the dust and dirt. It was as if he’d been there forever. He was filthy and pale and dried out and I thought he was dead. I couldn’t have been more wrong. I’d soon begin to see the truth about him, that there’d never been another creature like him in the world.”

Skellig is neither pure fantasy nor realistic fiction but rather a blend of both. Michael soon meets his home-schooled neighbor, Mina who has a passion for William Blake’s poetry, a vast knowledge of birds and a low opinion of public schools. Mina and Michael become close friends and Michael shares his secret about Skellig with her. Together they mend Skellig’s weakening body and move him to a secret hiding place away from danger of being discovered. During the move Michael brushes his hands across Skellig’s back and feels what appears to be a pair of wings.

The mysterious connection between Skellig, Michael, his sister and Mina is expertly woven by Almond’s magical and poignant prose. The story line hovers between life and death for Michael’s sister and Skellig’s own failing health. Everything about Skellig is up to interpretation by the reader. However, there is a tension of magnetism about Skellig that draws the reader into the individual qualities of nature versus nurture. Michael’s father and mother nurture their critically ill daughter, Michael nurtures Skellig and Mina nurtures the little birds and owls in the empty house her grandfather left her.

The book is written for an audience of eight to twelve year olds but I believe many adults will enjoy this story because it shows the value of friendship, family unity, trust and love.

Write it down,

Carma

Are You Making These 10 Mistakes in Article Writing?

1. There's no point. Is there a clear focus to your article, or is it just a rambling of opinions and ideas? Using the structure of a Top 10 list should help.
2. There's no space. Is there enough white space for the reader in between ideas? A good rule of thumb is four lines maximum per paragraph. If you're publishing an HTML newsletter with a sidebar, that could be as few as one or two sentences!
3. There's no discretion. Oh my goodness!!! Are you overusing exclamation marks? If it's really that important, tell us why! Otherwise you're just distracting your reader.
4. There's no reader. Are you talking AT your reader or TO them? Ask them questions, use the word "you," and take a conversational tone in your writing. Try reading your articles out loud as you write; imagine a client is listening.
5. There's no end. Do your sentences tend to run on and on? Don't make it hard work to read your articles, or your readers won't stay with you. Write clearly and your ideas will be read, understood and shared.
6. There's no action. Do you let your reader off the hook with passive language? Pull them in by using lots of action words for things they should do, or to describe things you or others have already done.
7. There's no logic. Are you confusing your reader by combining too many points in the same paragraph? Use a clear and concise structure to separate your ideas.
8. There's no match. What is the focus of your list? If it's problem-focused, or a "don't" list (Top 10 mistakes, Top 10 symptoms, etc.), then that's what the header of each point should be. If it's solution-focused, or a "do" list (Top 10 ways to, Top 10 tips, etc.), then ALL of your list items should reflect that.
9. There's no magic. Do your list item titles (mini-headlines) stand out and attract attention? Choose a similar short phrase or keyword for each, rather than a full sentence. Make each mini-headline approximately the same length.
10. There's no invitation. Have you ever heard Andrea Lee say, "A confused mind always says no"? In the Author Resource box at the end of your article, make it clear which ONE action you'd like the reader to take - preferably to visit your website and sign-up for your free gift.
(c) Linda Dessau.

Linda Dessau is an editor, ghostwriter and certified coach, and is the author of The Customizable Style Guide for Coaches Who Write: Look Smarter, Write Faster and Get Better Results from Your Writing. Want more secrets to good writing? Visit http://www.forcoacheswhowrite.com to pick up your FREE copy of the Readability Secrets for Coaches Who Write. It includes a 5-point checklist that is guaranteed to improve your writing.

Write it down,

Carma

Why You Should Hire A Writing Coach

A writer needs a coach just as an athlete does. Although writing is not an athletic sport, (unless you count the activity of pacing back and forth in your office while you tear your hair out trying to figure out what to write,) it is a specialized profession. A coach is a specialized expert in their field.

Click on the Children's Writer's Coaching Club logo in the sidebar. Find out how Suzanne Lieruance can help you get your writing for children's career off the ground.

Following are five reasons why you need a writing coach.

1. Increase productivity. Free up more time for writing. Work like cooking, washing dishes or cleaning house is unproductive for writers. This type of work can be delegated to other family members or if your budget allows it, hire someone else to do it.
2. Earn more money. Your writing coach will teach you how write top notch query and cover letters leading to great writing jobs. Also, a writing coach will show you where to look for jobs.
3. Generate desired results. You are your own worst critics. A coach can be objective and open your eyes to your positive attributes.
4. Receive self-esteem support. It is easy to feel depressed when creativity seems to get stuck. You may feel inadequate and the knee-jerk reaction is to beat your self up. A coach can show you how to combat against writing blocks.
5. Shatter Procrastination. All the planning and goal setting in the world will not help you become a best selling author unless you apply action. A writing coach is there for you every inch of the way. Each time you cry out "It's too hard", your coach will tell you yes it is hard but you can do it!

A writing coach gives support, listens and teaches. If your writing career is not going where you want it to go you need a coach. It's time to get off the fence. Suzanne Lieurance is The Working Writer's Coach and the director of The National Writing for Children Center.

Write it down,

Carma

Five Thoughts to Discover Your Writing Inspiration

"You can't wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club." (Jack London)

Inspiration is all around us. A word, a song, or a picture can propel us forward to greatness.

Today inspiration came to me via Suzanne Lieurance, my writing coach from the Working Writer’s Coach, The National Writing for Children Center and my summer boot camp writing buddy, Lisa H. from Peace and Laughter in the Moment..I think. Job boards are also inspiring because when a job speaks to you, a slew of ideas begin to cascade through your head and you can’t wait to write them down and submit.

Consider using one or all of these five approaches to find your inspiration.

1. Music is a major source of inspiration. Listen to your favorite music when relaxing and ideas will come like a waterfall.

2. Free writing creates moments of the muse. You may be stuck on a topic and your writing is reflecting boredom. Even if you have to write the same words over and over keep doing it and before you know it your creative power is unleashed and you have a novel, article or EBook.

3. Next is reading. Great minds do travel in the same dimension. Get out a favorite book that is close to your own niche and read away.

4. Carry a small personal recorder in your purse or pocket. Now if you are in the shower that may be a little difficult. Dry off your writing hand and use the pen and paper that is laying on the bathroom vanity. Or run dripping wet to the computer and type it in.

5. Go to the park if you are feeling stuck. This is a wonderful chance to practice meditation and prepare your mind to receive great thoughts.

I like to take bike rides early mornings so I can "hear" the quite and "see" the Forrest with out the trees. Where are you when brilliant ideas pop in your head?

Write it down,

Carma

How to Overcome Childhood Shyness

Shyness does not have a standardized definition in the dictionary and cannot be defined by one or two words. Bashful, frightened, timid are just a few. Most definitions incorporate feeling uncomfortable in social situations. The simple act of recognizing and understanding a child’s feelings can create an environment that feels safe or safer to a shy child.

Fifty percent of the adult population in the United States is shy. Most people are embarrassed by their shyness and keep it hidden. They somehow believe they are different than everyone else. Incorporating the following tips will go a long way to help bring a shy child out of their shell.

*Portray shyness in a positive light: Compare your shy child to other shy children who have grown up to be successful adults. For instance: Abraham Lincoln was extremely shy as a boy and was afraid of girls. Even movie stars like Tom Hanks were painfully shy. Explain that shy people can be more courageous than the average person. It takes more energy for a shy person to do the same things an outgoing person can do.

*Keep communication lines open on a daily basis: A shy child will feel closer to the family. All it takes is a smile, comment or even a question to make a big difference. The key is not to make your child feel singled out and different from other kids.

*Encourage a shy child to join an extra curricular activity group: Shy children need to feel like they are contributing to a cause and they need a reason to interact with other kids their own age.

*Compliment them on their accomplishments publicly: Most shy children crave attention but shun it at the same time. This is why it is important to be careful when drawing attention to them. The hit and run approach works best. Don’t give them the time to struggle or respond. “Great sweater. I really like it. What can I do for you?” Move forward and know that you did a good thing.

*Reward small improvements: Most shy children blossom when challenges are broken into manageable chunks. It’s their anxiety that gets in the way of their development, not their intelligence. Many shy children learn to overcome their fears when it is made clear that failing is part of learning.

When shyness goes unnoticed or rectified, it can have a distressing influence on an adult child’s life. It is possible for shy children to become introverted adults and miss out on many opportunities in life because no one ever demonstrated that shyness can be overcome.

“The way to overcome shyness is to become so wrapped up in something that you forget to be afraid.” Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson.

For more on this topic you can read Dr. Bernado Carducci’s The Shyness Breakthrough. Dr. Carducci states that the cause of childhood shyness is not genetic. For another resource about communication go read Theresa Schultz's article How to Listen to Your Kids at Stress-Free Parent blog.

Write it down,

Carma

Must Have Books for the Intelligent Writer

It is rare when a writer uses the dictionary to find a correct spelling when pressing the F7 key will find it faster than it takes to turn a page. Instead of depending on the mechanical brain, depend on this list of books which will add to any office repertoire while enhancing the overall quality of writing.

The Elements of Style, (Strunk and White) Do you scuffle with which and that as I do? Sometimes you need to go “which” hunting as Strunk and White so cleverly articulate. That is the defining pronoun and Which is the nondefining pronoun.

“The lawnmower that is broken is in the garage." (Tells which one.)
“The lawnmower, which is broken, is in the garage." (Adds a fact about the only mower in question.)

The International Thesaurus of Quotations is a quotation book arranged by ideas and with many different proverbs to match meaning and sense. For those of you who like to use quotes in your writing you will find this book relevant and fascinating.

Writing: "He that writes to himself writes to an eternal public." Emerson, "Spiritual Laws," Essays: First Series (1841)

"I myself, I am not a character in this novel; I am the novel." Philip K. Dick, A Scanner Darkly (1977)

The Chicago Manual of Style. An essential reference of words, technology, guidance for editing electronic sources for all writers. (there may be a version online) I must admit I have used this book the least and while perusing through for this post I realized I have been missing some key points on writing.

A verb is the most essential part of speech and the only one that can express a thought by itself, in a complete grammatical sentence (with the subject understood)

Run!

Enjoy!

Think!

The Synonym Finder, J.I. Rodale. Often one will find oneself trying to think of an exact word and instead of right clicking on a word within your word document and scrolling down to synonyms, try looking up the word in The Synonym Finder. This book cuts down on using the same word too repetitively, incessantly, ceaselessly or boringly.

A couple of equally important books are the most current issue of the Writer’s Market and 1001 Ways to Market Your Books. Who knew that writing would include all this reading?

Write it down,

Carma

Book Review: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies!

It is Children's Book Review week at The National Writing for Children Center this week. My review of Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! is the first review of the week. Surf on over to read and leave a comment.

Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! is the Newbery Medal winner for 2008. One thing strikes me in this medieval historical fiction of individual monologues and that is the characters do not speak of their poverty with any resentment. Like many children they are cheerful and show moments of daring acts. Each character attribute is written in a matter-of-fact-that-is-just-the-way-it-is manner. Kids are just trying to figure out what their position is within the Lord’s Manor.

Write it down,

Carma