It’s butterfly season here in Massachusetts, where I live. All of the beautiful monarch butterflies have come back up north to enjoy a few glorious
Category: Writing – Middle Grade & Young Adult
When Truth is Stranger Than Fiction
Inspiration is all around us, within our homes and throughout our vast, amazing world. Case in point: the featured image comes from my once-in-a-lifetime trip
Editing Tips 2: When to edit and how
To preserve the art of your story, don’t edit until you have a full draft. Or a second, or even a third. Then, you are
Before We Turn the Page: The 2023 Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review
Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you’re invited to peruse my 2023 Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review! As another year draws to a close, I continue to marvel at the variety and quality of our posts, and thank all of our authors and readers for your commitment to our kidlit blog. Once again, I’ve been honored and challenged to highlight one post from each of our talented contributors with an image, date link, and brief summary. Enjoy!!
Editing tip: Ditch most filter words!
Crafting a memorable narrative requires keeping the reader engaged; limiting the use of filter words can help. Why is that? Because filter words tell rather
DECEMBER Middle Grade and Young Adult Opportunities
Welcome to the MG/YA Opportunities post! Find all of the monthly opportunities on the MG/YA support page! All opportunities are available to anyone with an internet connection.
Celebrating Indigenous North American Life and Contributions…with Kidlit!
In my eyes, there’s nothing like an exquisitely written piece of children’s nonfiction in its ability to teach things and light a fire in a
NOVEMBER Middle Grade and Young Adult Opportunities
Welcome to the MG/YA Opportunities post! Find all of the monthly opportunities on the MG/YA support page! All opportunities are available to anyone with an internet connection.
Kate DiCamillo’s Way of Seeing Character
The heart of Kate DiCamillo’s newest book, The Puppets of Spelhorst, could be the wondrous, looping trajectory of the plot or the rich color of
American vs British English: A Helpful Guide for Writers and Teachers
This post is inspired by The London Eye Mystery, a middle grade novel popular on both sides of the pond by talented Irish author Siobhan Dowd (who sadly, passed away in 2007). First in an award-winning two-book series, it features relatable, memorable, and unique kid sleuths.
OCTOBER Middle Grade and Young Adult Opportunities
Welcome to the MG/YA Opportunities post! Find all of the monthly opportunities on the MG/YA support page! All opportunities are available to anyone with an internet connection.
Don’t Let ALMOST Sabotage Your Plot!!
If almost works in real life, why doesn’t it work in our novels? It’s no fun for readers when a scene builds up tension and … almost happens.
Writing YA? Stressing Over Structure? Check Out Jessica Brody’s New Book: Save the Cat! Writes a Young Adult Novel, The Ultimate Guide to Writing a YA Bestseller
Let’s warm up with a True or False Pop Quiz about Story Structure:
Interview with Jacqueline Jules – Author of Smoke at the Pentagon: Poems to Remember
Laura: Jacqueline, I’m honored to welcome you back to Writers’ Rumpus to discuss this deeply touching book. After reading it, I can truly say you’ve more than achieved your goal of “honoring the lives lost and the resiliency of a city that rebuilt within a year.” What was your inspiration for creating this heartfelt collection of poems?
WRITERS' RUMPUS 