There are a dozen reasons why I can’t write. I’m scared the basic story is bad/boring/dumb/cliche. I’m scared I can’t tell the story that I imagine. I worry as soon as I sit down to try and start, something will interrupt me. I’m worried I ran out of ideas. I’m scared I’m not smart enough… Read more »
General writing
Favorite Part of Being a Writer
I love writing, but really what is my favorite part of being a writer? My niece and nephew stayed with us for a week this summer, and it was a delight. Yes, my kids had fun, but for me the best part was that both kids are super readers. My niece carried a book everywhere… Read more »
Diverse Books Reading List
I love the #WeNeedDiverseBooks campaign. I also love summer reading lists. The Lee and Low diverse summer reading list is perfect for both! They have a list for grades K-8 broken down into age groups. I will read them all. I spotted one of the SCBWI Crystal Kite winners on the list. A really fun… Read more »
Big Rewards for Reading
I love big rewards and I love reading, so this summer, we are going to tackle Scholastic’s Summer Reading BINGO. I loved doing these activities as a kid and yes, I force my kids to do them, too. But I don’t have to force too hard. I would like to find a math version of this kind… Read more »
Summer Reading Programs!
Summer reading is almost here! Summer reading feels like such an indulgence. I look forward to it every year. Yes, sometimes I force my kids to participate in the summer reading programs, but the good part is I never have to force them to read. Here’s what’s happening in our area: Northland Library Summer Reading… Read more »
Favorite Kids’ Book Series
This month, I read the boys two Judy Blume books: Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing and Superfudge. These were two of my favorite kid book series growing up. I successfully glossed over the part where a secret about a certain holiday character is revealed, and the boys asked for more books about Peter and… Read more »
Bad Soup Analogy for Bad Books
Should we let kids read bad books? Quick blog post today, readers, about the quality of kids reading materials. Lots of parents just want their kids to read. I’m lucky that my kids are hearty readers and devour most books without any fuss. In fact, taking away reading time is one of their dreaded consequences…. Read more »
Writing a Novel (Tips & Tools)
I use a few tools when writing a novel. I do a long outline of the story. I write the shorter synopsis. I write a bunch of taglines to see what story idea sounds really catchy. I use the alphabet trick when determining and deciding character names. I draw maps of the novel neighborhood. I use… Read more »
Six Word Stories Part 2
Who doesn’t love good six word stories? They are short and sweet. I am so lucky to be able to visit classrooms and hang out with kids. As a writer, there’s nothing more valuable than learning from and listening to your target audience. So when I had a chance to go into my son’s sixth… Read more »
No Time to Write
Some days I have no time to write. Some days I have hours to write and can lay down over 2,000 words. Or I can read and heavily revise two or more chapters. I really lose myself in the story and just let it flow. But other days are busy and it seems I have… Read more »