WRITERS' RUMPUS

HOW TO MIDDLE GRADE

Hi! My name’s James Ponti, and I write Middle Grade book series such as City Spies and The Sherlock Society. I’m excited to share some pointers with you, but only with a major caveat. I know a bunch of writers and we all do it differently. I’m not talking plotting vs. pantsing, but radically different approaches.

SKIPSHOCK by Caroline O’Donoghue: A Master Class in World Building

For writers of fantasy, science fiction, and romance, this genre-blending novel is a master class in how to create details and imagery that pull readers into the plot and keep them riveted from first page to last, and importantly, leave them eager for more.

The Secret Sauce to Successful Author Visits for Libraries

January 21, 2025 Amy Amberg

Are you finding that author visits at your library are hit or miss? You get a famous writer, coordinate with a local bookstore to bring

2025 Caldecott Contender: The Yellow Bus by Loren Long

January 14, 2025 Keri Demers

School buses have been an inspiration for lots of picture books over the years. Just peruse any children’s library and you’ll find stories about nervous

Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall Are Back At It…With STELLA & MARIGOLD!

January 7, 2025 Hilary Elizabeth Margitich

One of the great highlights of my summer, besides attending a fantastic writing retreat in the green mountains of Vermont, was receiving an advanced reader copy of Stella & Marigold from Chronicle Books (thank you from the bottom of my book-loving heart, Chronicle). It’s the first book in a brand-new early reader series for children 6-9 years old, by the magical author-illustrator duo Annie Barrows and Sophie Blackall.

Happy New Year to Kidlit Creators: Embrace the Journey!

December 31, 2024 Marianne Knowles

But wait, where is the Picture Book Opportunities post for January, 2025? The monthly blog posts listing courses, conferences, contests, and other events ended with

The 2024 Writers’ Rumpus Year in Review

December 24, 2024 Laura Fineberg Cooper

Whether you’ve been naughty or nice, you’re invited to peruse my 2024 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!!

SPECIAL MOMENTS

December 17, 2024 Marti Johnson

Around the globe people are celebrating. Why December in particular? I can only speculate. AI suggests that as darkness comes earlier each day, we all need a reason to seek joy.