This Fall, I was struck by a bout of writer’s block. I should point out that my writer’s block does not start with the blinking
Category: Writing
Flexibility Is Key to Being a Published Author
By Carol Ekster I learned about the powerful quote below, by Maya Angelou, when an instructor shared it in spin class. It touched me. Wanting
How to Host a Book Swap
Last year a pair of second graders, Cianna and Laura, came to me with a proposal. “Ms. Potoma, we would like to have a book
Meet the talented children’s author, April Pulley Sayre.
I first met April at Kindling Words, a writing retreat. We happened to have gotten paired together for a funny ice-breaking activity of looking into
Writing in Rhyme
By Liz LeSavoy Do you think in rhyme all of the time? Do your stories evolve with a rhythm to resolve? I’ve always loved the
Why Being a Writer Is Better than Creating Jelly Belly Flavors (A Tale of Gratitude)
Last week I did a school visit where we discussed “show don’t tell”. To keep things fun, I asked a few brave 5th graders to sample
Inked Voices: A new way to meet & critique
Today, Writers’ Rumpus is chatting with Brooke McIntyre, founder of Inked Voices, a website and tool that lets writers run cloud-based critique groups. Brooke is
Remember: We Writers Are a Lucky Bunch
GUEST POST by Dede Perkins I have a confession to make. Even though I write for a living and tell people I really do love
What’s in a Character’s Name? Part 2
What’s in a Character’s Name? Part 1 focused on the etymology and origins of names. In Part 2, let’s consider 5 things to think about
Want to Write for Kids? Join SCBWI!
By Carol Ekster When I first started writing twelve years ago I was naïve and uninformed about the publishing industry. I thought I knew about
Finding Time to Write: Part 3
Part 3: The Writer’s Retreat If you’ve followed this series, you may have noticed a progression in quantities of time: Part 1, Writing While Waiting,
What Shape Is That Story?
While reading John Green’s Looking for Alaska recently, I was surprised by the shape of the story. It reminded me of other authors who have
World-Building Errors, as Illustrated by Divergent
By Almitra Clay Even if you haven’t read it or seen the movie, chances are you are aware of Veronica Roth’s Divergent. In the first
What’s in a Character’s Name? Part 1
The etymology of names is something that has always interested me. When I was in high school, writing plays, I went to the local book
WRITERS' RUMPUS 