Summer school

Typing away at my desk can sometimes feel like creating in a bubble, so when a couple of writing courses crossed my inbox, I decided to go for it. So far, I am exploring new skill sets and meeting new writing friends, so I feel like I’m off to a good start. The WOW! Women…Continue reading Summer school

Writing a novel in verse

I recently took part in an online writing workshop through the Highlights Foundation: Limitations and Liberations of Writing Verse Novels, taught by author Cordelia Jensen. It was excellent! I adore poetry and have been reading lots of novels in verse (scroll down for recommendations). I thought I might try my hand at writing one…with a…Continue reading Writing a novel in verse

Revision toolbox

After typing THE END in giant block letters on my no-holds-barred first draft, how do I polish it into a ready-for-other-people-to-read version? As many writers will tell you, writing is revision. Once I’ve let a manuscript rest for at least 6 weeks (or 6 months or even 2 years!), I read it through again fast.…Continue reading Revision toolbox

SCBWI Summer Spectacular

This weekend is the SCBWI Summer Spectacular conference, usually a weeklong gathering of writers and illustrators in California. This year, it’s all virtual, but that means I can actually attend! The keynotes and panels will be recorded, so I can go back and watch any that I miss for the whole month of August. Not…Continue reading SCBWI Summer Spectacular

In-between time

Finished a draft of a novel recently, but my agent and I decided that it’s not quite ready for show. I’m not ready to dive back in yet, but I’m not sure which project to tackle next. So I’m going to spend a little time letting my creative energies recuperate. But what to do in…Continue reading In-between time