Things in Pittsburgh come in threes. Three rivers, three eagles on the city coat of arms, three kids in our family. Each of my kids is in a different stage of their educational journey. My oldest is midway through the traditional four year college experience. My middle just graduated high school. My youngest completed his… Read more »
Writing
Three things I Learned Teaching an After School Writing Club
Every spring, I teach a four week after school writing club at a local elementary school. We read picture books and discuss what makes each book special. Maybe it’s a funny character, a unique setting, interesting vocabulary, or a seriously surprising ending. Then, the kids write and illustrate their own books. I’m there to teach… Read more »
Maybe You Can
We’ve all had those days…weeks…where it seems like nothing is going right. You’re not just pushing a boulder, you’re pushing it uphill in an ice storm. You think maybe you can’t. It’s OK if it feels hard. It’s OK to take breaks. But if it’s something you care about, you have to adjust your grip… Read more »
Savoring Every Page
I read around 200 books a year. I read for research, especially if I’m working on a project for a client. I read many books for pleasure, and many books to learn what’s working the market this year. Most of the time, those categories overlap. I read each book thoroughly, but quickly. I need to… Read more »
Announcing my new agency!
Big news! My wonderful agency, Erin Murphy Literary Agency, is now merged with Aevitas Creative Management. I get to keep working with the incredible Miranda Paul, and I’m excited about our future projects!
Join me at these Upcoming Workshops!
Register for Writing for Children: Picture Books here! Register for Writing for Children from Manuscript to Published Book Here!
New story in Highlights for Children!
I was so pleased to see my new story in the January 2025 issue of Highlights for Children. I was also really excited to discover I can download copies of Highlights on the Libby app and read them at home! I read this magazine over and over as a kid. I love that I can… Read more »
Things I Learned from Running that Help Me as a Writer
I’ve been a writer for a long time. I have bags of old journals and bins of old stories. I’ve also been a runner for a long time. I’ve learned a lot from both that help me with both passions. Here are some things I’ve learned. There’s always someone faster. This is true about running,… Read more »
Gifts for Writers
It’s the time of year for gift giving. And it’s not always easy to find great gifts for writers. How do you wrap up a publishing contract? So I’ve gathered up twelve wonderful pieces of writing advice that I’ve gathered in notebooks over the years. Hopefully these carry you through the next year of writing…. Read more »
Milestones Matter
The shortest distance between two points is a straight line. That’s what I wanted for my writing career: a nice, straight short line from typing my opening lines to holding my published (and well-reviewed) book in my hands. I should have known it wouldn’t happen like that. I already know that the most interesting stories… Read more »