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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The Twists and Turns of Publishing with an Overseas Press

March 8, 2022 Alumni & Guests

Guest Post by Susan Lendroth, author of Piper and Purpa Forever! This year’s Super Tues(2)day – 2/22/22 – was indeed a super day for me

Interview with Author Doe Boyle

March 4, 2022 René Bartos

René Bartos: I am so excited to be able to chat with author Doe Boyle today! Welcome to Writers’ Rumpus, Doe! Can you tell me

March Middle Grade and Young Adult Opportunities

February 25, 2022 Lexi Donahue

Welcome to our MG/YA Opportunities post! In 2022, the MG/YA Opportunities post has taken on a new structure but don’t worry, you’ll still be able

Writer’s Voice – Your Most Powerful Tool

February 22, 2022 Marti Johnson

Writers hear over and again about the strength or lack of voice in their manuscript. (Hopefully, the former.) In non-fiction, it is generally the author’s

Finding Your Place in the Writing Community

February 18, 2022 Rebecca Moody

Writing can often seem like a solitary occupation, and for a new writer this can be discouraging. Sometimes it feels like you’re writing in a

Imaginary, by Lee Bacon

February 15, 2022 Laura Fineberg Cooper

IMAGINARY, written by Lee Bacon and illustrated by Katy Wu, is poignant, humorous, and sheer delight from start to finish. Released in October 2021, this early middle grade novel is centered around eleven-year-old Zack, who still hasn’t recovered from his father’s death five years earlier. Zack’s only solace is to retreat into his imagination with his imaginary best friend Shovel. If you think the narrator is Zach, guess again.