I love walking in my crazy university neighborhood, because I find such interesting items (and overhear great conversations). Lately, I have been taking photos of the most fun items I discover. In my work with Dream Keepers, a writing group I created for kids and teens in Milwaukee, we regularly use visual writing prompts—and these photos...Read More

When I first read Jocelyn Koehler’s post, I was hopelessly behind the recommended word count and had been staring at my NaNoWriMo project on my computer screen for an hour, trying to figure out what to write next. After reading her post, I happily closed down my computer and headed to the library. The next...Read More

Whether you are a professional writer or a NaNoWriMo newbie, at some point writing begins to feel like a day job. You know what I mean, you’re showing up and turning in the words, but the work does not challenge or excite you anymore. You need to try extreme writing. Read on as our daredevil...Read More

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

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

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

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

Several years ago, I heard a story about a writer who kept his notes about his novel in a brown paper bag in his office. Every time he had a random thought about the book—a snippet of dialogue or a song lyric, he’d jot it down and toss it in the bag. You know where...Read More

Remember what it was like to be in love? I’m talking about those first few weeks or months, when you can barely last a day without each other. You’ll sacrifice work, food, friends, and even sleep to spend a few moments with your beloved. That’s what you need to feel about your National Novel Writing...Read More

In 2006, I started Dream Keepers, a writing group for at-risk tweens and teens in the city of Milwaukee. Here’s what my website says about the group: The Dream Keepers Creative Writing Workshop unites parents, teachers, and professional writers-in-residence to teach youth how they can transform their lives and their communities through writing. Dream Keepers...Read More