Craft Articles
Join us in exploring others’ craft and building our own.
Here you will find explorations of mentor texts – articles that dive into specific craft elements in published books, interviews with authors, and tips on growing and improving as a writer.
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Seina Wedlick: Deconstructing Story Structures
Traditional publishing is often a slow process...There are occasionally books that get snapped up and released really quickly, but, more often than not, it’s a much longer wait . . . It’s so important for writers to plug into a community of other writers they can share this journey with and to use the “waiting period” to work on something new or hone-in on their craft.
Jessie Janowitz: Give Your Narrator a Secret
Understanding your main character’s backstory is essential to the first-person voice. We filter the world through our unique personal experiences, . . . we refer to places we’ve been, people we’ve met, food we’ve eaten, etc. If we don’t know our narrator’s history, we can’t begin to know the language they’d use to describe it.
Ana Ot: Embrace Patience
I advise everyone to take their time with imagery. Don’t rush it. Let it unfold by crafting each phrase with care until the scene breathes life on the page. Thoughtful imagery has the power to transform a reader’s experience and leave a story lingering long after the book has been closed.
Sam Subity: Keep Writing!
The inspiration for Valor Wings came from my daughter's nightstand. One day the two books on top were Anne of Green Gables and Wings of Fire. Just for fun, I started concocting some scenes that merged the two into a story about a great granddaughter of the famous Anne who led a squadron of dragon riders in World War 2. So my working title for Valor Wings for a long time was "Anne of Green Dragons."
Erin Becker: Go For It!
I want to write books that make people feel good. I wrote Crushing It during the pandemic, during a difficult time in my life. Writing this story was like a warm hug and a reminder that sometimes, things do turn out okay.
Tim McCanna: Embrace Brainstorming
Brainstorming a solid idea for a book is as much a part of the creative process as actually writing the book. Sometimes you’re struck by lightning and that can be exciting. But often it’s about putting on your thinking cap and solving the riddle of “What should I write next?”
Lindsay Lackey: Welcome Ideas Out of Your Comfort Zone
My biggest tips for authors: 1) don't be afraid! New topics and challenging themes ARE possible. And 2) Ask for help! Books are built like houses: the results are much better with the help of a few experts.
MANAGING DIFFICULT EMOTIONS IN HEALTHY WAYS: A Q&A WITH AUTHOR DANIELLE DUFAYET
Danielle Dufayet’s picture books plant seeds in children’s minds and hearts about important topics like self-love, inner strength, patience, and letting go of perfectionism when creating art.
Crafting a Story of Contrasts: A Q&A with Nora Shalaway Carpenter, author of Fault Lines
I needed to write what felt right and natural to me, even though I was worried my agent and editor (and readers) might think it was weird. . . . I have always felt a deep, almost spiritual or magical connection with the natural world. That’s what was coming through in my writing.
Inspiring Activism: Interview with Carrie Firestone, author of THE FIRST RULE OF CLIMATE CLUB
“My books are all an extension of the activism and community organizing in my life. My teaching was also a reflection of that. I take on political/social realities that I would like to see in the world.” –Carrie Firestone
Stories of Mental Health are Absolutely Necessary: A Q&A with Rocky Callen, co-editor of Ab(solutely) Normal
We were both adamant that this collection feature protagonists living with mental health conditions and be written by authors with lived mental health experiences. There are many incredible stories out there that aren’t written from lived experience, but we wanted this anthology’s mere existence to be a testament to how those living with mental health conditions can still chase dreams and lead fulfilling lives.
Finding Inspiration in Necessity: A Q&A with Dashka Slater, author of Escargot
"I started out writing for adults and so when I published my first children’s book, after 15 years of writing for adults, I couldn’t believe what a warm welcome I got. People were immediately supportive and eager to share information. The collegiality of kidlit authors is one of the things that I love the most about this field."
Visiting New Spaces: A Q&A with Meera Sriram
Meera Sriram’s picture books take kids to a not so often visited “space”—people, place, experience—to evoke wonder and spark conversations. Sriram feels empowered and hopeful when she thinks about how her stories have the power to influence a child’s worldview.
Writing for Everyone: A Q&A with Patricia Tanumihardja, author of Ramen for Everyone
"I focused on just his family members because I realized that I wanted to weave together themes of food and family, in particular the father-and-son relationship. Food has always been a very important part of my family, both when I was growing up and now that I have my own family. My mom liked to cook and it was her way of showing her love for us. Similarly, I like to cook my husband’s or son’s favorite dishes and/or add in favorite ingredients here and there, just because I want to show them I “see” them and I love them."
Talk Writing with Me: a Q&A with Linda Urban, author of Talk Santa with Me
"My feeling is that if we are true to where our particular characters are developmentally, experientially, and philosophically, and we write from that place, we can write work that will connect with readers." --Linda Urban
The Writing Quest: A Q&A with Karen Krossing
Karen Krossing shares her publishing journey--it's been a long and fruitful one!--as well as her exploration of writing in various categories, from YA to picture books, and details of her writing process.
Observing the World: A Q&A with Author-Illustrator Isabella Kung, the Creator of the NoFuzzball! Series
I think in order to capture the essence of a person, an environment, or even an emotion, a creator must observe and try to learn all its nuances.
Bridging the Gap Between Reader and History: A Q&A with Skyler Schrempp, author of Three Strike Summer
Skyler Schrempp: “I once read that George R. R. Martin talks about writers as “architects” or “gardeners”. Architects plan everything out before building and gardeners plant a bunch of things and see what grows well. I guess I see myself as more of a gardener than a panster! Pantser implies you’re really winging it, but I feel very intentional when I write…and it’s slow…like gardening.”
Rhythm, Rhyme, and Summertime: A Q&A Peach and Plum, Here We Come! author Tim McCanna
Tim McCanna: "Trusting your intuition has to be earned by running into a lot of roadblocks and successfully finding your way through them. That’s true for any kind of writing."