In September, I wrote about my work with Dream Keepers and the six-word memoir. This month, we’ve been back at the library writing six-word scary stories. Here’s how it works. We began by creating a chart with three columns: setting, character, situation. The students brainstorm ideas for the chart, which I fill in. Here’s what...Read More
Dear Writers, This Wednesday, October 31 at 12:00 CT, the Write Now! Mastermind class will be all about productivity. If you’re planning on doing National Novel Writing Month or if you just want to increase your productivity, come hear my favorite tools for getting more writing done. If you’re not already a member, you can...Read More
Are you a plotter or pantser? Plotters plan out the scenes in their novels, pantsers fly by the seat of their pants. The saying comes from aviation. One can fly a plane two ways: using one’s instruments or using one’s instincts. Every year during NaNoWriMo, participants claim one or the other. I encourage you to...Read More
Last fall, I wrote an article called, “Fifteen Minutes a Day” based on a wonderful idea I found on author Laurie Halse Anderson’s blog. She challenged writers to write fifteen minutes a day (WFMAD). That’s it. There were no additional rules, no word count goals, no projects to complete—just write for fifteen minutes every single...Read More
The bookshelf pictured on the left? It’s just one of my bookshelves dedicated to writing books. On the other side of my office, I have a whole shelf of new writing books to read. And, thanks to Laura Howard’s great post today, I’ll be adding a few more titles to my “books to buy” list....Read More
Eek! NaNoWriMo starts in two short weeks, and I have NOTHING. Okay, I have a few ideas. But the time I’d dedicated to plotting and character building has been devoured by blogging instead. Thankfully, today’s guest post has some great ideas about how I can mine the public domain and still create a fun, sellable...Read More
Are you a collector? As a child, I collected rocks. I was so dedicated to my extensive collection that when we moved to a new house (which we did often) or a new town (which we did once), I packed up my rocks and moved them with me. In high school I collected clowns and...Read More
Every time I receive one of these Writers Read posts, I feel like I’m looking at a big box of delicious cupcakes. My only challenge? Which book to dig into. Luckily, you can safely read every single one of these books without gaining weight. You may forget to wash dishes and answer email while you’re...Read More
Today I am delighted to welcome Nina Amir to the blog. She’s the author of How to Blog a Book and is joining us to talk about how writers can make money blogging! Now that’s the kind of information we need! Enjoy! Three Ways Writers Can Make Money from a Blog by Nina Amir Many...Read More
Although I love a twisting plot, I tend to fall for books with well-drawn, intriguing characters. If the characters are rich, I find myself quoting them and relaying their experiences to my husband, almost as if they’re real people. I’ve even dreamt about a few of my favorite fictional characters. In order to write characters...Read More
