So you’ve finished the first draft of your new novel. Now what? I’ve edited half a dozen manuscripts in my writing endeavors, each one requiring
Category: Writing – Tools, Tips & Resources
A Guide to the Writing World
Like every industry, the publishing industry has a set of rules. Rules which both publishers and agents expect authors to follow. Many amazingly written manuscripts
So you want to write Flash Fiction?
In the spirit of Flash Fiction, this post will be 500 words or less. The previous words count. So do these. You get the idea.
Write Deep
Congratulations New England Society of Children’s Books Writers and Illustrators! Celebrating forty-five years of influencing and encouraging quality children’s literature and capping it off with
When To Put Down Your Manuscript
This past weekend, I had the privilege of attending the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators New England regional conference (NESCBWI) While there, I
Debut Author/Illustrator Support Resources
Just a couple of weeks ago, the announcement went out for my debut picture book, The Breaking News (Roaring Brook/Macmillan, Winter 2018). My writing and
Come Over to the Dark Side: Scrivener
I write fantasy adventures, but I’m not adventurous when it comes to writing tools. I’ve always been a Microsoft Word person. And even with Word,
Cover reveal for The Art of the Swap (and a little “how a book is born” story to accompany it)
By: Kristine Asselin and Jen Malone We’re joining you today from the land of co-writing to (hooray!!) reveal the cover for our first joint venture!
Commitment: Upstream by Mary Oliver
In her book Upstream the Pulitzer Prize winning poet Mary Oliver says of creative commitment, “There is a notion that creative people are absent-minded, reckless,
Word Counts from the NYT Best Sellers’ List
The story of the word count I imagine most resembles the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears. The aspiring writer steps into a publishing house,
Commonly Confused Commas
Writers of all ages struggle with proper comma usage. As a writer myself, I agree that plot, characters, and word choice are infinitely more important
Want to Know Your Characters? Try a Character Sketch.
One of the hardest aspects of writing a novel, a good novel, is creating characters that are relatable. Whether you’re writing a 300 word picture
3 Ways to Keep Writing Resolutions
I’ve written resolutions on New Year’s Day faithfully since I was 8 year old. And somehow writing resolutions have almost always appeared. Some years I needed the writing resolutions more than others. Until I got married, I hardly needed them…I have 65 filled journals to prove my writing was free and unfettered!
Book Review: BIG MAGIC: Creative Living Beyond Fear
I didn’t expect to read about being creative over my holiday vacation week. I expected to BE creative, to do some writing during a family
