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
Tag: critique
Listen Like You’re Behind a One-Way Mirror
Or, Why you shouldn’t talk during your own critiques An encore post from 2014. Have you ever been part of a focus group? Eight to
Hone Your Craft
I participated in the Arlington (Massachusetts) Book Festival last weekend, one of three on a panel discussing revision, and the moderator popped a surprise question
In Memoriam: Liz LeSavoy
Writers’ Rumpus has lost one of our own. I was surprised to discover, when I looked back through our writing group’s attendance lists, that Liz
How to Support the Diverse Books Movement
We Need Diverse Books. Four simple words. This movement is not a trend or a fad, but a way of life. Diversity is all around
A Newborn Writer Hits the Books, Hits the Streets, and Lands in a Chair
It started with an idea and a passion. To write. To find readers. And to get paid. Six months ago I decided to take myself
World of Books: France, Belgium, and the Czech Republic
In my small collection of children’s books from around the world, some help explain ways of thinking. To children the world can be a scary
Finding a Critique Group to Nurture Your Fire
You’ve heard of Burning Man, right? The arty, fire-infused festival takes place each Labor Day week in the middle of the 400 square mile Black
On Car Repair and Rewrites
As I have rewritten the manuscript of my novel, I’ve had a mental picture of myself: I’m a mechanic leaning so deep into a car’s
The Art of Critiquing
If you’re a writer, you know that critiquing is one of the many important steps in the process. You don’t just sit there and write
Advice from a kid: Miranda at age 9 and at age 13
Nine-year-old Miranda and I went for a walk. She told me what she thinks about books. Here’s what she said. Topics that some kids like
Inked Voices: A new way to meet & critique
Today, Writers’ Rumpus is chatting with Brooke McIntyre, founder of Inked Voices, a website and tool that lets writers run cloud-based critique groups. Brooke is
Are your critiques as helpful as they could be?
Most writers describe the first draft as falling in love. We love our words, our concept, our characters. We have fallen asleep plotting their actions
Seeking the Specific in Illustration
For years I have worked as an artist, with dreams of being a children’s book illustrator. At last year’s New England SCBWI conference in Springfield,
