When you’re writing a story, setting is key. And weather is a part of the story. It’s valuable in nonfiction, historical fiction, or any story. When I write about the first woman to run the Boston Marathon, it’s important for me to note it was snowing in April. But how do I know that? How… Read more »
General writing
Is Canva Pro worth it for writers?
There are so many things to think about when writing books. Character, plot, setting, voice, POV, tense, adverbs, cliffhangers, villains, heroes, and more!!! But once you get the story written, the manuscript sold, and the book published (easy peasy) then comes the hard work of getting the word out about your book and connecting with… Read more »
Tech Tricks for Writers: Autocorrect
Here’s a fun tech trick for writers. Have you ever gotten really frustrated with autocorrect? Of course you have. But sometimes it offers genius moments. Unexpected combinations of words. Creative interpretations our logical brains would never produce. Hilariously inappropriate statements. Just recently I suggested that my husband get a cough drop but autocorrect suggested a… Read more »
Do You Use a Standing Desk?
Do you use a standing desk? I’m trying out a new standing desk in my office. I used to have a very tall craft desk. I thought I might stand to write, but I couldn’t stand for eight hours. I ended up buying a tall drafting chair so I could sit sometimes. Then I ended… Read more »
Pittsburgh Writing Events
Where do you find out about Pittsburgh writing events? Of course, my favorite is the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators But there are many more writing groups active in our region. There is so much going on. There are so many opportunities even though we can’t gather in groups. Sometimes I can feel overwhelmed… Read more »
Writing with Your Senses
“The eye and the ear are different listeners.” – Jane Yolen When we read sensory details in a book, parts of our brain are activated. The parts that are activated are the same parts that would be active if we were experiencing the sense in real life. So if you write about the spicy sweet… Read more »
Being a Citizen Scientist – Firefly Count
I love being a citizen scientist. I participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count. I submit eBird checklists! I signed up to learn how to count pollinators for Project BeeWatch, but my schedule didn’t work for the training. Last week I started a new citizen science project: Firefly Count. It’s so simple. On lovely summer… Read more »
Researching for a Story
I’m doing some research for a story. My story involves baking. I’ve had some delicious success with pizzelles. I’ve had some terrible failure with bagels. It’s ok. I’m not that upset about the bagels. Because sometimes things in our stories work, and sometimes they don’t. But we learn every time!
Making Picture Books
One of the best ways to learn how to do something like writing or art is to copy very good versions of said thing. That’s the goal of Pictures and Words OnlineOnline Summer Story Camps 2020 camp. We’re learning how to tell great stories using pictures and words!
Dinosaur Boogie – On Sale Now!
