Dear Poet Project
I love this idea from the Academy of American Poets! Students read and respond to the poetry of poets who serve on the Academy’s Board of Chancellors. What a great opportunity to connect students with writers. There are specific instructions here for any other teachers or librarians who are interested. Select letters with receive a … Read more
The Fire Horse Girl’s Inspiration
I wrote a blog post this week for Scholastic’s On Our Minds Blog about what inspired me to write The Fire Horse Girl. Click the link above to read. I hope you enjoy!
Outlines
To be a writer is to sit down at one’s desk in the chill portion of every day, and to write; not waiting for the little jet of the blue flame of genius to start from the breastbone – just plain going at it, in pain and delight. To be a writer is to throw away a great … Read more
Scenic Route
Is it a bad sign that I am finally getting around to writing my New Years resolutions on the fifth day of the new year? Maybe, but 2012 was a bit of a roller coaster for me, and I am finding a scenic route through 2013. This year is about falling little out of step … Read more
Fire Horse Girl – Released this Week and Giveaway
There is a giveaway of The Fire Horse Girl and a listing of all the great books coming out this week on Adventures in YA and Children’s Publishing. It is a great site in general, so after you sign up for the giveaway, look around. Also, I will be guest-posting an Inspired Openings blog post next Monday. … Read more
KERA Think Podcast
If you live in the Dallas area and are interested in a great writing program, click here to listen to Suzanne Frank, Dan Hale, and me talk about The Writer’s Path at SMU. And yes, Krys Boys is as fabulous as you would think if, like me, you have listened to Think for years.
Putting it All Together
If you have been following along on our journey to dig up the central conflicts and theme in your work-in-progress, now is the moment that we bring it all together. I have to use a enumerated list…that is how exciting it is! 1. Gather up your three charts and a blank sheet of paper. If … Read more
Chart – Plot and World
Here is more of the early brainstorming for Jade Moon. Hopefully you have you character chart explained in yesterday’s post. To continue discovering the repeating images and themes in your story, complete two more charts. On a fresh sheet of paper, brainstorm everything you know about your book’s plot. This might include what happens, what … Read more
Chart for Finding Central Themes and Conflict in a Story
For the next few days, I thought it would be fun to take a trip down memory lane to the early days of Jade Moon (before she was even Jade Moon). It is fun to see her in the early stages of the book. She is still as fiery as she is in the finished book. … Read more
Letters About Literature
Here is a plug for one of my favorite writing activities and contests for students. For Letters About Literature, students are asked to reflect on the value a book has brought to their life – how has it changed their view of themselves or the world . I love the topic. I have had students … Read more
