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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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.
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.
The challenge of depicting positive friendships in middle grade books
Three of the top sources of depression and anxiety are loneliness, feelings of isolation and a lack of connection. I also learned that increased screen time combined with separation during the pandemic made it harder for kids to know how to interact with others in person. That cemented my decision to show how friendships can hold together even when interests change.
Are Critique Groups Right for You? Tips From Gennifer Choldenko
I have been in critique groups on and off for most of my career. I’m here to tell you that they can be wildly helpful and bracingly unhelpful–the trick is how to make them work for you.
Put a Button on It!
A “button” is something that happens at the end of a scene that provides closure, a final touch that seals the deal. It can also be called a “tag” and is a final beat that can be used to close out the scene. Buttons create a satisfying ending that takes the scene just that one more notch. It can add a twist, focus our attention on a particular character or goal or theme, or emphasize an emotion.
It’s Not Just Letters Anymore: Modern Epistolary in Carrie Firestone’s The First Rule of Climate Club
In First Rule of Climate Club, Fisher Middle School’s new eighth graders get the opportunity to participate in a science class pilot program devoted to climate change. Firestone tells their story through protagonist Mary Kate’s eyes, but uses a slew of different types of communication that creates room for other points of view.
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
Crafting the Short Story: “They Call Me Hurricane” by Rocky Callen in Ab(solutely) Normal
I want to give you a sense of some things to think about as you approach writing a short story. Let’s look at Rocky Callen’s story “They Call Me Hurricane” from Ab(solutely) Normal to see how she approaches the short story form.
Pushing it One Step Further - Humor Techniques in Simon Sort of Says
Simon Sort of Says is my new favorite middle grade novel, a laugh-aloud story about the sole survivor of a mass school shooting. Did I just put the words laugh aloud and school shooting in the same sentence? I did. And I meant it. This isn’t just a book with a kid with a snarky tone. Or a great voice. This is a book that’s so funny I snorted. Humor and warmth are the undercurrent of this book. Simon and his family deal with events with humor. Simon connects with new friends through jokes and laughter. Ultimately, their connections and their ability to keep laughing helps them in the healing process.
Retro Post #9: VOICE IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS: SAL AND GABI BREAK THE UNIVERSE BY CARLOS HERNANDEZ
Through a combination of humor, culture, warmth and language, Hernandez uses voice to make his characters unforgettable and his novel hard to put down.
Walking with Lennon: How to Find Inspiration and Shape a Story
Novels are amalgams. Your experiences. Your friends’ memories. Stuff you’ve read. Stuff you’ve heard about. Be open to it all. Mash up the different elements. The real secret of the secret sauce of novel-writing is that no one knows what goes into it.
Keeping Things Real: Writing Authentic Realistic Fiction for Middle Graders
But engaging middle school readers requires more than an interesting plot—the characters and their experiences must feel authentic to and reflective of the complicated world in which the readers live.
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.
Using a Small Thing to Big Effect: The Wreath in Linda Urban's Talk Santa to Me
Linda Urban’s stories are studded with angst, anguish, and hope, as well as problems, pathos, and humor. She is stellar at structuring stories so that something small, seemingly insignificant, becomes the integral to the climax and the protagonist’s understanding of the situation. In Talk Santa To Me, surprisingly, it’s a gaudy silver Christmas wreath that takes this hefty role.
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.
Anne-Marie Guest Blogs at The Official SCBWI Blog
In January 2023, I had the pleasure of being the guest blogger for The Official SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators) Blog. Here are links to the posts, in case you missed them.
What We Read in 2022: Middle Grade
A list of the books we read in 2022 for our in-person middle grade book group for middle grade authors.