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Tag: characterization

The 7 Layer Cake Writing Method

January 25, 2019 Laura Fineberg Cooper

Baking a 7 layer cake is like writing a story. You have so many tempting and tasty choices to make, and each new layer builds

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Describing Characters

February 16, 2018 Alison Potoma

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

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Want to Know Your Characters? Try a Character Sketch.

January 24, 2017 Dana Nuenighoff

One of the hardest aspects of writing a novel, a good novel, is creating characters that are relatable. Whether you’re writing a 300 word picture

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The Plotter, Pantsed

January 13, 2017 Alumni & Guests

  By Dianna Sanchez Recently, I baked banana cookies. I was doing a series of posts on holiday recipes because my book, A Witch’s Kitchen,

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Resisting the Kitchen Sink

October 28, 2016 Alumni & Guests

By Dianna Sanchez I recently attended a reading by Daniel Jose Older and Zoraida Cordova at which they both talked about their first novels. Older

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Rick Riordan is a Demigod!

September 9, 2016 Joyce Audy Zarins

Look at a picture of Rick Riordan.  You can see his quirky sense of humor in those eyes. Although he might feel like he lives

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Charlie Brown Inspires a Character Study

May 24, 2016 Carrie Charley Brown

While watching The Peanuts Movie the other day, I was reminded of how much I empathize with Charlie Brown. This kid has inner conversation going

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Mapping Character

March 29, 2016 Alumni & Guests

By Almitra Clay I’ve been on a personal journey for the past few months, doing something that I’ve needed to do for a long time:

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Show Me!

March 25, 2016 Kristine Carlson Asselin

I’m often asked to present my workshop on the differences between “showing” in your writing vs. “telling” in your writing. I thought I’d share some

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Animation, Illustration and Writing – Part 1: Iterations

January 22, 2016 Alumni & Guests

By Sarah Lynne Reul Animation has been called the illusion of life. It’s the optical illusion of persistence of vision that creates the effect of

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Do You Share Any of These Offbeat Ways Authors Pick Character Names?

July 14, 2015 Alumni & Guests

Today my “show biz insider-y” YA romance Map to the Stars releases (shameless sales plug: it’s only $1.99 right now for your e-reader!) and in honor of it being an unapologetically light and fun beach read, I thought I’d pick an equally frothy topic to explore today: cool and/or silly ways authors name characters.

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What’s in a Character’s Name? Part 2

October 17, 2014 Alison Potoma

What’s in a Character’s Name? Part 1 focused on the etymology and origins of names.  In Part 2, let’s consider 5 things to think about

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What’s in a Character’s Name? Part 1

September 19, 2014 Alison Potoma

The etymology of names is something that has always interested me. When I was in high school, writing plays, I went to the local book

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Meet the Tricksters

April 1, 2014 Marianne Knowles

April Fool’s Day is the perfect occasion to meet some Tricksters. You know these characters.       Tricksters take the plot in unexpected directions,

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Creating Active Characters

January 17, 2014 Alison Potoma

Good character development is essential for a story to work. The more complex a character is, the more we want to spend time with the

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Rumpus Writers

  • Alumni & Guests
    • On Car Repair and Rewrites
  • Alison Potoma
    • Book Reviews: papa, daddy, & riley and who’s your real mom?
  • Amy Courage
    • Interview with picture book author Ame Dyckman
  • Rebecca Moody
    • MG Book Review: The Clockwork Crow by Catherine Fisher
  • Carrie Charley Brown
    • Is Reading Part of Your Writing Diet?
  • Carol Gordon Ekster
    • #kidlit Interview with Brooke Hartman, Author of Lotte’s Magical Paper Puppets
  • Dana Nuenighoff
    • What My Past Manuscripts Have Taught Me
  • Joyce Audy Zarins
    • 2020 Codas: Gifts and a Review
  • Kim Chaffee
    • Interview with Cathy Carr, Debut MG Author of 365 Days to Alaska, Plus a Giveaway!
  • Kirsti Call
    • ROOT MAGIC, by Eden Royce Plus GIVEAWAY!
  • Kristine Carlson Asselin
    • How Memory Can Inspire Fiction
  • Laura Fineberg Cooper
    • NORTHBOUND: A Train Ride Out of Segregation
  • Lexi Donahue
    • Book Review: The Sisters of Straygarden Place by Haley Chewins
  • Marcia Strykowski
    • Beautiful Board Books!
  • Marti Johnson
    • ON A GOOD HORSE
  • Marianne Knowles
    • January Picture Book Opportunities
  • Josh Funk
    • Twin Book Babies Are Born!
  • Paul Czajak
    • Kids, and the Daunting World of Writing

COW SAYS MEOW

By Kirsti Call, Illustrated by Brandon James ScottMarch 16, 2021
52 days to go.

COLD TURKEY

By Kirsti Call and Corey Rosen Schwartz, illustrated by Chad OtisOctober 12, 2021
8 months to go.

SOME DADDIES

By Carol Gordon Ekster, Illustrated by Javiera Maclean AlvarezMay 4, 2022
15 months to go.

MY PET FEET

By Josh Funk, Illustrated by Billy YongMay 30, 2022
16 months to go.
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