WRITERS' RUMPUS

HOW TO MIDDLE GRADE

July 21, 2026 Alumni & Guests

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.

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

July 14, 2026 Laura Fineberg Cooper

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.

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Writing Side by Side: Adriana Mather and James Bird on Books, Family, and Finding the Magic

July 7, 2026 Hilary Elizabeth Margitich

Writing is often described as a solitary pursuit. Most of us spend our days alone with our thoughts, our characters, and a blinking cursor. Yet

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Celebrating America’s Birthday with a talented author/illustrator team!

July 3, 2026 Marcia Strykowski

We’re just in time to celebrate America’s 250th birthday with Roxanne Troup and Jennifer Doehring. They have a beautiful new picture book, Happy Birthday America,

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How to Write (In)credible Nonfiction: Find an Expert!

March 15, 2024 Alumni & Guests

Guest Post by Lori Alexander As the author of nonfiction picture books and chapter books, I’m sometimes asked by other nonfiction writers, “Do I need

The Lost Library by Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass

March 12, 2024 Laura Fineberg Cooper

Award-winning authors Rebecca Stead and Wendy Mass have teamed up on this delightful and mysterious novel! How could any lover of middle grade resist?

Interview with Nonfiction Picture Book Writer (and Story Detective!) Karen M. Greenwald

March 5, 2024 Hilary Elizabeth Margitich

I’m thrilled to have Karen M. Greenwald as my guest today, a talented nonfiction picture book author, and an incredible “story detective” of sorts. She

Editing Tips 2: When to edit and how

February 20, 2024 Joyce Audy Zarins

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

#KIDLIT INTERVIEW WITH AUTHOR ANITRA ROWE SCHULTE

February 13, 2024 Carol Gordon Ekster

CAROL GORDON EKSTER: I love the #kidlit community on social media. Anitra reached out to me in a message and when I checked her out,

Embracing Connection: The Joy of Returning to In-Person Conferences

February 9, 2024 Alumni & Guests

Guest Post by Carrie Pearson Back in the (pre-pandemic) day, writers and illustrators used to gather in person for most of our conferences and workshops.