Most of us have memories of fairy tales. Maybe your parents told you a story of a princess who saves a prince from a curse with her kiss, perhaps a babysitter tucked you in while recounting the exploits of a very sly fox and how he came to the lion’s court to face judgment, or… Read more »
All authors dream of their own version of success: perhaps it’s making a living from their writing; or resonating with their readers; or receiving rave reviews… I have done all of these things and more by writing in a series, and today, I want to share my top five tips for doing just that. What… Read more »
So you want to write a young adult novel, but what exactly does that entail? Maybe you fell head over heels for the all-encompassing magic of first love in Twilight, or the pull yourself up by your bootstraps and conquer the world heroine in Hunger Games, or maybe it was the found family and self-discovery… Read more »
Romance writers, listen up. Are you planning to attend a future writing conference? You need ammunition to nab an agent and/or publisher for your amazing romance novel. So, here you are, skimming the pages of your favorite writer’s magazine. You see an advertisement for a writing conference with awesome workshops and agents who seek your… Read more »
In grade school, my sister won our science fair with a project about putting sponges in the dishwasher to kill bacteria. She had a good hypothesis, ran a solid experiment, and had lots of imagery on her presentation board. She had very clearly (and successfully) applied the scientific method. I like to break the scientific… Read more »
A good story needs a great ending. No matter how interesting other parts of the story are, without a solid ending, the audience usually remembers the story as boring. This sounds harsh but it is fair. Think of the end as the reward for following you on a journey. After getting to the end of… Read more »
It is often said that authors who write creatively benefit from writing what we know—building characters and developing plots that draw on our own experiences. For example, a lifelong sailor who grew up around water has a better chance of crafting a compelling high-seas adventure tale than they would a story about a landlocked farmer…. Read more »
Hello! Today on the Kid Lit Craft column I’m going to be covering my favorite of the many amazing types of kid Lit books: middle grade. But first, what is middle grade? It’s not a name you hear often outside of the publishing world, and if you peruse your indie bookstore or local Barnes &… Read more »
I’ll come right out of the gate and say, publishing is for the birds. If you’ve never published a book before, get ready to take a deep sigh. Several times. Be sure to have your Nespresso geared up. Have a financial cushion available, and prepare yourself for hiccups. If you do all of this, when… Read more »
Have you ever considered becoming a stalker? Not a creepy stalker. A curiosity stalker. You see, not every inspiration appears like a magical bunny out of a hat. In fact, most of those inspiration bunnies spend their time hopping across your lawn, sneaking into your garden to nibble up your lettuce before something else catches… Read more »
