28 Feb
0

Writing Irresistible Kidlit, by Mary Kole

Posted by heathercashman in I Just Read . . ., Writing, Writing Tips

My rbain brain is so cluttered with amazing information, I don’t know where to begin.

This book covers many areas of the writing craft, from the mind of your audience to theme to emotion to many words I’ve never heard. This book made me feel a bit illiterate in some ways–mostly French ways–and I had to use the dictionary. Every chapter in this book gives ideas and questions and direction about how to go about forming the structure for a knock-your-socks-off novel. (Cliches are also included in Kole’s discussion.)

I could not recommend this book highly enough. It makes you reevaluate characters, themes, plots, and teaches you about Interiority, Objectives, how to incorporate subplots for the most impact, and many other elements of writing the perfect (or as close as us mere humans will ever get) novel.

mary kole

07 Jul
0

Less is More

Posted by heathercashman in Writing

I went to a conference where Linda Sue Park presented a workshop.

lindasueparkShe said something I’ll never forget. “If you want to be a writer, you’re going to have to give up things. You have to make hard choices, maybe have less sex, give up television, sleep less.” It was the first time I thought, Do I really want to be a writer?

Then I realized that without writing, I wasn’t happy. In her keynote address, she told us about her latest book, bk_longwalktowaterA Long Walk to Water, about a boy named Salva from Africa, the amazing trials he had to overcome, and how he freed 150 other boys and went back as an adult to help his community. She’s an amazing writer who gives to the community and to kids all over the world. And she’s super nice.

Looking to her example, I decided that what I wanted most for myself was to be a published author. Life isn’t always easy to prioritize, and I’ve found there are things I won’t give up for writing, like time with my kids, because my time with them is slipping away. But I’ve managed to make writing a daily part of my life, and I love it!