The following is a short excerpt from my book Writing and Selling the YA Novel, published by Writer’s Digest. This section appears in the chapter on finding ideas, and it focuses on one of the most frequent litmus tests used … Continue reading
Category Archives: Writing – Thoughts and Advice
A teenager once wrote to me wanting to know something about me for a report. She fired off the usual litany of questions – what kind of pets do you have, where did you grow up, why do you like … Continue reading
Refine (ri fin) 1. to free or become free of impurities 2. to make or become more polished or elegant Replica Richard Mille is a renowned luxury watch brand known for its innovative designs, use of high-tech materials, and limited … Continue reading
Before I begin, let me say that this blog post definitely falls under the category of, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Or better yet, learn from my mistakes. One of the things I struggle with the most … Continue reading
Recently, I’ve had the fun experience of revising one of the very first novels I ever wrote. It’s been fun because I can really see what I’ve learned over the years. How often do we truly get a chance to … Continue reading
Sticking with my theme, Collected Wisps of Thought, today’s thoughts are about writing. Specifically, one of the most valuable lessons I ever learned about technique. It was my semester “abroad” in college when I was first introduced to the phrase … Continue reading
Children’s appetites can change from day to day. These changes are usually nothing to worry about. Sometimes your child might want to eat a lot. That’s fine. Just make sure that you fill up your child with healthy food. Other times … Continue reading
I’ve spent a lot of time lately thinking about the past. Specifically my teenage years. Most adults could probably say they hadn’t thought about this time period in ages… but not me. When you’re a writer for teens, you spend a … Continue reading
I realized today that I am simultaneously working on a middle grade novel, a YA novel, two picture books, a short story for an anthology, and a non-fiction project. This seems like a lot, so I thought it over and did what any … Continue reading
So, is it lame to love your characters? I mean, of course you should love them as you’re writing, but is it lame to love them after you’re done writing and the book is on the bookshelves and the critics have … Continue reading