I spent about 4 years writing my first novel, a young adult historical romance (Faithful, Penguin/Puffin, 2010). When I landed an agent based on an SCBWI critique pitch, I was thrilled. This was my big break, the thing I’d been hoping for, wishing for, desperate for. (I’ll post on this next time.) I thought I… Read more »
Book coaching
Writing Hacks: Change the Unexpected
My Courses Are Up!
At last!! I’m so excited to announce the launch of my Six Day Story System course! I’ve spent the past 6 months preparing this course – and a number of others that will be up very soon. This first one speaks to a need I’ve seen repeatedly: for information at a just-above-basic level. A series… Read more »
Courses for Writers
I’m very excited to announce that I’m preparing the first in a series of writing courses, and plan to release it into the world in May! First, My Fundamentals Course This has been long in the making – and it’s only the first of many. This first course will cover the basics of writing for… Read more »
The Antagonist Never Changes
I’m a fan of Steven Pressfield. He’s a screenwriter who also shares his substantial knowledge of craft, and I’ve been following him for a long time. A while back he wrote this post about the villain (antagonist). At the time I wanted to argue with him in the same way he argued with his former… Read more »
Your Story Spark
That idea that just won’t leave you alone…that image that plays in your head…that scene you wrote out of the blue…that character who talks to you while you’re doing the dishes… That can indeed become a story. But, you ask, how? My Own Experience One day at my desk, with no warning or fanfare, I… Read more »
Picture Book Basics
Back in the day I believed that picture books were THE books for kids. I had good reason to feel this way as BHP (Before Harry Potter) there was no real “middle grade” category, and YA was still in the semi-adult realm, with books like The Red Badge of Courage. So, like many of you,… Read more »
What Is Hybrid Publishing?
And is it for you? As you probably already know, the publishing world is going through a huge transition. The big New York houses are combining (or trying to – most recently, a judge denied the proposed purchase by Penguin Random House of Simon and Schuster, that would have merged the two). Self-publishing has become… Read more »
Never Give Up, Never Surrender!
One of my all-time favorite movies is Galaxy Quest. It’s a sharply funny spoof of one of my all-time favorite TV shows, Star Trek. I love the internal theme of Galaxy Quest, too: “Never give up, never surrender.” Whether it’s overcoming aliens or human foes or personal hurdles, it’s a great motto. What is Persistence?… Read more »
Happiest of Holidays!
The holidays are here and first and foremost, I want to thank you all for being loyal readers and friends. I love bringing craft knowledge to this blog. In fact, I love teaching so much that I’m putting more energy into creating content that I hope will help you fulfill your dreams. Whether you hope… Read more »
Write the Novel of Your Heart
A Masterclass for Middle Grade and Young Adult Writers Learn to write your novel at a fraction of the cost of an MFA! I’m super excited to introduce my upcoming Masterclass, with a start date of early spring 2023. The class is based on my 20 years in publishing, my craft education including an MFA… Read more »