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JOIN US IN EXPLORING OTHERS' CRAFT AND BUILDING OUR OWN
Diverse group of authors highlight craft elements in their latest books that you can integrate into your own writing or illustrating.
These are compassionate stories that encourage readers to awaken their own inner activist. And they also model ways for kids to engage in deep conversations about topics that can be hard to talk about.
Especially for writers starting out, day jobs are essential. Sometimes those jobs can feel like a drain–of energy, of creativity, of joy. But often, skills you develop on the job can actually help with your writing. This series, comprised of interviews and posts from authors for children, focuses on how non-writing work has helped writers […]
guest post by Naomi Kinsman A couple days ago, I stood in front of a third grade classroom acting out a scene between a giant and a young girl, complete with action and dialogue. Afterward, in our class discussion and in one-on-one conversations, the youth writers and I unpacked specificity of voice, gesture, subtext, tone, […]
craft review by Jen Jobart Akata Witch by Nnedi Okorafor is the story of a girl who must embrace her otherness in order to save the world. Sunny, who recently moved from the US to Nigeria, is struggling to fit in. Her albino skin makes her “other” in her new community. Then she makes a […]
craft post by Jen Jobart The Worldbuilding chapter of the John Truby’s book The Anatomy of Story was the culmination of several things that help me to realize that there are a finite number of stories that can be written. There are endless ways to write those stories, but we humans are all the same […]
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 […]
