Joyce Sweeney and the Magic Beans
We writers need patience, perseverance, and persistence, but we also all could use a little bit of magic. Joyce Sweeney and her writing workshops are just the kind of magic writers need. I had the pleasure of attending my first workshop with Joyce in 2006 at the SCBWI Miami Conference (www.scbwi.org). In that workshop I learned that I had “plot problems” – BIG plot problems. But I also I came away from that session knowing that Joyce Sweeney was the kind of teacher who could help me fix those problems. Since that first workshop with Joyce, I’ve had the pleasure and good fortune of attending more of her workshops and delving even deeper into the study of plot to learn about such things as plot points, pacing, and her infamous plot clock. Besides learning about plot, I’ve learned things such as “Ten Things to Do Before You’re Published” and “Ten Things to Do After Your Published.” Really important things writers need to know. For me, Joyce’s workshops were the magic that helped me pull all my hard work together and turn my writing into marketable stories that have now become books.
Over the years, because she has helped so many writers achieve their dreams, each newly published author is presented with a magic bean as part of a ceremony. The bean symbolizes the author’s achievement as well as the magic that has occurred as a result of Joyce and her workshops. The bean recipient then chooses another author and passes the magic on to them hopefully inspiring them on to great success in the coming year.
Everybody can use a little magic – especially writers.
Happy Reading,
Nancy
