“The writer has to take the most used, most familiar objects — nouns, pronouns, verbs, adverbs — ball them together and make them bounce.” —
Category: Writing – Tools, Tips & Resources
Shape Your Story, Part One: Summon the Primary Teacher in Yourself
The school year is upon us, folks! As some of us gear up to get our kids ready again, let’s sharpen our structure skills with
World Building: The Magic
One aspect to world building which is crucial in any speculative fiction is deciding on the magic system of the world. This expands beyond the
Summer Writing
Even if you don’t have as much BIC time or that laser focus, there are still many valuable ways to be productive during these summer months.
World Building Part 2: Cultures
One of my favorite world building tips comes from Victoria Schwab. In her “On Worldbuilding” video she says that as an author, we are only
But… What Is Your Story About?
Guest Post by Rebecca Crockett A few months ago I had an incredible opportunity to discuss my work with a high-level editor at a well-known
Sarah Lynne Reul Picks Up a Pencil
(Note: this is a re-blog of a guest post that originally appeared on The Late Bloomer’s Book Blog. Coordinated by reading teacher Gigi McAllister, the blog who
World Building: The World Itself
Fantasy is one of my favorite genres. I love to escape our world for a moment and believe in the fantastical. However, my belief is
Nine Reasons Your Children’s Librarian Should be Your Hero
On February 14th Diana Haneski, the library media specialist at Margery Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, saved the lives of fifty students and
Meet Laura Sassi, talented #kidlit author, plus #giveaway
CAROL GORDON EKSTER: In this wonderful #kidlit world, Laura Sassi stood out as a kind, supportive, and talented author. She’s a frequent visitor here at
Vexing Vocabulary Part TWO
Welcome to Part TWO of Vexing Vocabulary. Part ONE covered ME, MYSELF, & I, LESS/FEWER, YOUR/YOU’RE, ITS/IT’S, EFFECT/AFFECT, and TOWARD/TOWARDS. If you’d like TO read
How NOT to Format Your Manuscript
In my day job as an editor in educational publishing, the formatting of a sample manuscript can determine whether I hire a freelance writer or
Vexing Vocabulary Part 1
As an ELA/SAT tutor and member of multiple kidlit writing groups, I’ve noticed certain words cause more vexation than others. Worry no more! My goal
Describing Characters
I recently started revising my YA science fiction novel. I have very vivid pictures of each character in my head. When my critique partner read
