Janet Fox

As promised in my last blog post, in this one I’m going to address the multiple ways you can look at plot, and how simplifying your approach may in fact help. The Plot Paradigm The earliest plot paradigm harks all the way back to Aristotle, who defined the three-act structure in his Poetics, as this:… Read more »

Here’s the next in my series of blog posts on writing craft… When I began writing fiction (a long time ago, now) I had no idea what I was doing. Really. Not a clue. Sure, I’d been an English major in college. Yes, I loved to read. And, of course, I’d messed around with words… Read more »

This is the next in my series of blog posts speaking to craft. Today, I’ll take a holistic approach to the work. Maybe you’re writing your first (or third, or sixth) book. Maybe you’re still a beginner, hoping to write a book one day. You have the spark of an idea: a character, a concept,… Read more »

For the next handful of posts I’m going to be offering tips for writers, from the most basic elements to the most advanced. In today’s post, a pretty basic tip but clearly one that needs updating from time to time. Not long ago I was helping a writer with a manuscript, and they sent me… Read more »

Those end-of-year “Best Of” lists can drive an author, published or wanna-be, crazy. Why didn’t my book make a list? When will I ever make a list? When will I be published so my book can be considered for a list? Rather than feed that anxious envy, I’d like to concentrate on a few things… Read more »

I’m very excited to be able to reveal the cover of my next book, THE ARTIFACT HUNTERS, which will launch August 25 from Viking. This middle-grade novel is a companion to THE CHARMED CHILDREN OF ROOKSKILL CASTLE, with a different protagonist (though some of the same characters). I’m excited for this story to reach the… Read more »

Serious studies of late (here’s one) suggest that expressing gratitude can make you feel happier and improve physical and emotional health. So many people I know are feeling sad, or mad, and the world at large feels fractured and splintered and polarized. It’s hard to counteract negativity in the abstract (even harder when it’s a… Read more »

I’ve known Caroline Starr Rose for a long time – her talent, her generosity to other writers, her award-winning books, and her delightful self. Caroline has a new picture book out and it’s right up my alley. Historical nonfiction about two women? Racing around the world in the 1800s? Yes, please! Here’s a synopsis of… Read more »

I’m thrilled to be able to introduce Jacqueline West, the New York Times best-selling author of the gorgeous series, The Books of Elsewhere, and her newest release, A Storm of Wishes! Check out that extraordinary cover. And this sounds like a fantastic read, which will very much top my TBR stack. And…check out her fun… Read more »

Several years ago, the marketing guru Kirsten Cappy of Curious City had a wonderful idea – why not build a Halloween-themed website that will allow kids access to stories, and create printable downloads for folks to put into Trick or Treat bags? That site – Trick-or-Reaters – has taken off, and now, in a new… Read more »