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JOIN US IN EXPLORING OTHERS' CRAFT AND BUILDING OUR OWN
complied by Becky Levine and Kristi Wright This year’s Spring Spirit–a one-day SCBWI conference sponsored by the California: North/Central Region–was, as usual, a wonderful day. There is always so much energy in the air. People are excited to attend the sessions, but they’re also greeting old friends and making new ones. Going to writing conferences […]
Guest Post by Mae Respicio Truth: the act of writing is a solitary one. It’s just you, your idea, and your voice hashing it out on the blank page. I love the magical moments that can come from this process, but I’ve also wondered what it might be like to tackle the feat of writing […]
craft review by Laurel Holman Whether on purpose (planners) or by instinct (pansters), most published novelists have produced stories that conform to a universal story structure. Breaking down a novel into its component parts can be a tremendously valuable exercise for writers still learning the craft and those who are already masters. Save the Cat, […]
Guest Post by Mae Respicio Recently, my son was excited to dive into his first book report of the year—a “character sketch” on any novel of his choosing. In our household such firsts are cause for celebration, so we took a fun trip to our favorite indie bookstore and perused covers. After several minutes of […]
interview by Beth Mitchell Book coach Jennie Nash, Middle Grade writer Abby Mathews, and dystopian sci-fi writer Melanie Parish host a new variety-style podcast called Mom Writes. At MG Lunch Break, we’re always excited to share resources that can help us in our middle grade writing journeys, so we’re delighted that Abby agreed to stop […]
We’re pleased to welcome Kate O’Shaughnessy to the blog! Kate, a member of our in-person Lunch Break, has completed two middle grade manuscripts and has work with a freelance editor on both. She was kind enough to answer our questions about the why, the what, and the how of working with a freelance editor. Kate […]
As follow-up to our craft review of Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible KidLit, the author herself graciously agreed to answer some of our burning questions. Welcome, Mary! KidLit Craft: Let’s dive right in. How did your craft book come about? Mary Kole: I learn by talking about things. Sometimes too much. Ask my husband. Probably not […]
craft review by Kristi Wright Often when I read writing craft books, I’ll treat them like a buffet, read a little here, read a little there, stuff myself silly with the tastiest craft ideas and leave less interesting fare untasted on my metaphorical plate. With Mary Kole’s Writing Irresistible Kidlit, I read voraciously from the […]
As middle grade writers, it’s often difficult to get substantial feedback from industry professionals on our work. Here are five opportunities that give you more feedback than the average conference critique: Rutgers One-on-One Plus Date: October 21, 2017 Location: New Brunswick, New Jersey Application Deadline: June 27, 2017 http://ruccl.org/conference/about-one-on-one-plus.html http://ruccl.org/application/conference-application.html The One-on-One Plus pairs each […]
In early March, many of our members attended the our regional SCBWI conference at Asilomar conference center near Monterey, CA. In addition to a windswept beach for inspirational walks, the conference offered an amazing faculty as well as time to hang out with other writers in person. The theme was Find the Heart In Your […]
