I just finished directing a Playwrights Festival with my middle school students. Since we can’t perform live in person this year, we decided to do
Author: Alison Potoma
Alison Potoma writes quirky and adventurous science fiction and fantasy books for readers of all ages. When she isn't writing, teaching art to middle schooler's, or designing a set for a play, she putters in the garden, gets lost in the world of video games, and builds things with power tools. Alison lives in Derry, NH with her husky dog, Koda.
Book Reviews: Papa, Daddy, & Riley and Who’s Your Real Mom?
The Diverse BookFinder is a collection of children’s picture books featuring diverse story lines and characters. It is a comprehensive list, not necessarily a “must
Book Review: Most Marshmallows by Rowboat Watkins
“As the summer draws to an end, and chilly nights become the norm;As the skies clear, and stars burn from lightyears away,telling stories of warriors,
How to Edit a First Draft
So you’ve finished the first draft of your new novel. Now what? *I recently finished a first draft of a new novel. Only took five
Screencastify for Authors
In the spirit of social distancing, I give you “How To Use Screencastify” for Authors. Screencastify is a simple way that you can make a
Find Your Joy
The past month or so has been pretty crazy around the world. You all know what I’m talking about, and I’m going to leave it
Using the Rhyming Dictionary
A few years ago I took up writing limericks for National Poetry Month. Writing a limerick a day is both fun and difficult. What helped
Book Review: The Paper Bag Princess
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch and Illustrated by Michael Martchenko has to be my favorite fractured fairy tale. Published in 1980, in at
YA Book Review: Of Fire and Stars / Of Ice and Shadows / Inkmistress
Of Fire and Stars, Of Ice and Shadows and Inkmistress by Audrey Coulthurst all take place in a long ago faraway kingdom with magic –
Stay Organized with QueryTracker
For those of us in the query trenches. QueryTracker is a way for authors to search for literary agents and publishers, and keep accurate records
What Kids Can Teach Us About Writing for Kids
The past few months I have been revisiting a musical that I wrote about ten years ago, Jack and the Beanstalk, the Musical. I am
Review: Save the Cat Writes a Novel
Save the Cat! The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need has been a staple for writers of all kinds: screenwriters, novelists, playwrights. But now,
Getting Back Into the Swing of Things
I have a confession to make. I haven’t written anything new in six months. My hiatus started after writing 12,000 words of a new novel,
Need a Word Count Tracker?
I’m directing a play at school and have been at rehearsals every day this week until late. Please enjoy this ever-popular post from NaNoWriMo 2016.
Clean up your writing with the Hemingway App
I am always looking for new and exciting tools to help with my writing. While editing my latest novel I came across the Hemingway Editor.
Book Review: That Inevitable Victorian Thing by E.K. Johnson YA
That Inevitable Victorian Thing, a YA novel by E.K. Johnson is delightfully historically mind-bending. The premise: What if Queen Victoria I persevered and grew the British
