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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Lea Lyon: Following Curiosity and Trying New Things
Lea is the illustrator of several picture books, including Lailah's Lunchbox: A Ramadan Story by Reem Faruqi. Lea is also the author of Ready to Fly: How Sylvia Townsend Became the Bookmobile Ballerina (illustrated by Jessica Gibson) with more books for kids on the way. Her nonfiction book for older kid readers, The Double V Campaign: African Americans Fighting for Freedom at Home and Abroad, won the Grateful American Book Prize.
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.
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.
Writing Enticing Middle-Grade Fiction with the Classroom in Mind
For me, story comes first, unbounded by requirements that might inhibit my creative process. I write my first draft, and in revision I assess if it has possible classroom connections.
Grounding Fantasy in the Familiar: An Interview with Sam Subity
With contemporary fantasy, it doesn't take such a stretch of the imagination for the reader to follow along when you blend the familiar with the unfamiliar.
CRAFTING MEMORABLE MIDDLE GRADE NOVELS: A Q&A WITH JANAE MARKS
I love exploring what it’s like to be twelve years old, an age where you’re not quite a kid or a teenager. It’s such a transitional time, and can be full of so much drama. (My middle school days certainly were!)
Interview with Brian Weisfeld: On Developing and Co-Writing a Series to Inspire Entrepreneurship
The four years of creating that original manuscript were the hardest and most humbling of my entire career. But my journey is also a reminder that there are a lot of different paths to publication.
Catching Up with Lindsay Lackey--a debut author's first year
Get to know our September featured author, Lindsay Lackey! Lindsay's debut middle grade novel All the Impossible Things came out on September 3, 2019. Read on to find out about everything from her book launch to school visits to writing the next novel, as well as the biggest surprise moment of her 2019.
An Interview with Mae Respicio: Learning Craft Will Always Set Writers Off on the Strongest Foot
Learning craft will always set writers off on the strongest foot.
Day Job Connection: Laura Stegman, actor and publicist
"Like querying, acting is full of rejection. Give up, and you're done. So, armed with an actress' resilience in the face of rejection and a publicist's ability to attract a reader's eye, I have been well trained for an author's career. As Lady Gaga says, 'If you have a dream, fight for it.'"
A Novel-In-Verse is a NOVEL first: An Interview with Aimee Lucido
"Craft study has helped me tremendously to make better books, and to hone my ear so that I know when something is working or not. I've become so much better at writing stronger characters with more compelling arcs, I can tell when my language is pitch-perfect and when it's falling flat, I can revise more quickly than ever before, I can look at comp titles when I get stuck, I can pull from a wider range of craft techniques when I'm struggling to convey something . . . the list goes on and on. Learning craft has helped me become a better writer in countless ways."
