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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I AM GOD’S DREAM, AND OTHER BOOKS BY MATTHEW PAUL TURNER

June 10, 2022 Hilary Elizabeth Margitich

Brace yourself, because this is the blog piece where I talk about God. I realize this could be received by you in all sorts of

Our Approach to Telling Eva Kor’s True Holocaust Story to Kids

June 7, 2022 Alumni & Guests

Twin Auschwitz survivor Eva Kor and author Danica Davidson worked closely during the last year of Eva’s life to get her story down in book form for children.

I’m a Neutrino: Tiny Particles in a Big Universe

June 3, 2022 Joyce Audy Zarins

If you are a bit unclear about what a neutrino is, you need this picture book. And if you wonder what makes a good non-fiction

JUNE Middle Grade and Young Adult Opportunities

May 27, 2022 Lexi Donahue

Welcome to the MG/YA Opportunities post! Find all of the monthly opportunities on the MG/YA support page! All opportunities listed are available to anyone with an

REDUNDANCY and the Saggy Middle

May 24, 2022 Marti Johnson

We’re all aware of the saggy middle The story that can’t get out of its own way. Common techniques to eliminate this conundrum include increasing

Novels in Verse. Have you tried your hand at this highly marketable genre?

May 20, 2022 Keri Demers

Whether you’re interested in crafting a novel in verse or you’re just interested in expanding your reading palette to include this hybrid genre, I’m here for you.