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Stories can help children to develop into responsible, caring and contributing citizens.

Use the activities for each book below to teach good character traits like kindness, self-control and perseverance to your students.

To view all the books chosen and to see all the tips and activities suggested for each book, visit the Reading Into Character Section on the First Book Marketplace.

Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse written and illustrated by Kevin Henkes

This story models self-control: being able to deny your short-term impulses in order to stay focused and pursue what is really important

Lilly loved school, until her teacher took away her fabulous movie star sunglasses, her three shiny quarters and her brand new purple plastic purse.

Ask these questions after reading the story:

• Lilly wants to show off her new things, even though she knows it’s not the right time. Why do you think is it so hard to wait when you’re excited?
• Even though Lilly loves Mr. Slinger, she is furious with him for taking away her things. Why is she so angry? Should she be angry?

Wilma Unlimited: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World’s Fastest Woman written by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by David Diaz

This story models resilience and perseverance: honoring your word and your intentions by working hard toward an important goal, despite setbacks and challenges

A small and sickly child, Wilma Rudolph wore a heavy brace on her leg when she was a little girl, but she grew up to win three Olympic gold medals for running.

Try this activity to learn more about resilient athletes:

Who are today’s women’s sports stars? Ask your students to choose their favorite female champions in track, basketball, tennis, soccer, and more. Research their lives. Create a Women’s Sports Hall of Fame for your classroom.

Those Shoes written by Maribeth Boelts, illustrated by Noah Z. Jones

This story models kindness and compassion: valuing others so much that you show them respect and offer help to them as a way of honoring their value

Like all the other boys in school, Jeremy wants black high tops with two white stripes. But when he finally gets a pair, he realizes that he needs to give them away.

Try this activity to practice kindness and compassion:

Investigate local charities that welcome donations of good-as-new clothing, toys, books, or other useful items. Be sure to play close attention to their donation guidelines. If feasible, organize a class- or school-wide donation drive.

Developed as a joint project with Character.org and with generous support from Disney, each hand-picked book in the Reading Into Character section is paired with a FREE downloadable tip sheet.

The post Teaching Good Character with Books appeared first on First Book Blog.

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The Inventor’s Secret: What Thomas Edison Told Henry Ford Written by Suzanne Slade Illustrated by Jennifer Black Reinhardt Charlesbridge Publishing    9/08/2015 978-01-58089-667-2 32 pages   Ages 7—12 “Thomas was curious about electricity—invisible energy that flowed and stopped, sizzled and popped. “Henry was curious about engines—machines that chugged and purred, hiccupped and whirred. “When Thomas …

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   I've had so much fun reading the Letters to My Younger Self of my fellow Teaching Authors.  Some TA's I know well, and some I have never met in person.  Every single post has resonated with me in some way, and allowed me to know them a little better.  Go back and check out Jo Ann's, Esther's, Carla's, and April's posts.  You might find a little of you there.

      Now it's time to talk to someone I haven't thought about in a long while, 16-year-old me.  I don't like her because she was cocky, insufferable and over confident as a writer.  She once told a Pulitzer Prize winning author that she never revised anything, "because I get it right the first time."

      See what I mean?

      Hello, Rodman (as you are known, back in the day).

This is Your Future Self speaking, and I have some bad news for you. You do not win the 1976 Pulitzer Prize as you predicted in the class prophecy. As bad as you are in math, I am sure you didn't realize that you would be a college senior in 1976. Saul Bellow wins. He gets interviewed by Johnny Carson instead of you.

Here's even worse news.

There is no Story Fairy.  You know her, first cousin to the Tooth Fairy, the Easter Bunny, and Santa Claus.

13-year-old me

Right now, you think that Story Fairy waves her Magic Story Wand (sound effect: harp strings) sparkly story dust showers you and ta da! a story, appears, full-blown in your head.  A couple of hours later, you are ready to mail it off to the latest writing contest.

And you always win those contests.   Local, regional, national, you win them all. You are editor of your school paper. You write a weekly school column for the local paper for four years,  without breaking a sweat. Writing is easy. It's the one thing you know you can do. Even though it is not considered a real asset in your teen world (like cheerleading and looking like Christie Brinkley), Writer is a far better label than Nerd or Girl Without Boyfriend.

You eventually become an adult (even though you don't really want to) and something terrible happens.  Story Fairy deserts you.  You write as fluently as ever, sailing along on your little blue typewriter when bang!  You hit a wall. You don't know what happens next. The main character just sits there, staring at you, refusing to move or talk. Hey, Fairy.  Where are you?  There must be something wrong with me.  Maybe I'm not a real writer after all.  And you quit writing.

But you can't stop. You keep journals.  You go on writing and hitting walls.  Sometimes a kind editor will scrawl a sentence on the form rejection letters you receive. You write very well, but this isn't really a story. No one ever explains why it's not a real story. And you keep writing.  For many, many years. All alone.

Then one day, through a set of Magical Circumstances, you find yourself in an MFA Writing Program.  You discover there are lots of other people just like you, who write all the time, never get published and don't know why.  You go to lectures, work with real writers and talk to your new writer friends.  Eventually you learn (you are a very slow learner) that there is no Writer Fairy.

Stories don't just happen.  They come in dribs and drabs.  A character chatters in a corner of your brain.  You remember family stories.  Music will paint a mental setting, like a stage without actors. You go back to the journals you've kept since third grade and discover story treasures there.

In other words, writing takes a long time. Right now, a long time means two days, only because you are a slow and terrible typist. You discover it takes months and years to turn those dribs and drabs into a story. You will stop and start, write and rewrite. A little voice in your head tells you when something is not quite right.  You write some more. (This is different from that other voice that says Who do you think you're kidding?  You're not a writer!  You tell that voice to shut up and go away.)

There is no bibbety bobbety boo to writing. It takes the three P's--patience, persistence and perspiration. It means writing something--even a journal entry--every day you possibly can. (In years to come, you will read that Stephen King writes every day except Christmas.  You learn that most people are not Stephen King.)

Still there, Rodman?  Still awake?  Here comes the good news.  You never give up, you read and write and learn from others and when you are really old (like forty), you start writing real stories that other people (editors) like and publish.  You will still get rejection letters (sometimes they come in something called an e-mail that hasn't been invented yet, so don't worry about it) but you keep on writing.  Because it's a compulsion.

Because you are a real writer. You always were.

Love, Future You, Mary Ann Rodman, published author.

P.S.  No, you don't marry Robert Redford or ever look like Christie Brinkley, but you do OK.

Future you and your mom, at a signing for your first book, My Best Friend

Posted by Mary Ann Rodman

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The Little Parrot and the Angel's Tears is a powerful allegory of overcoming insignificance.

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A Very Squeaky Mystery, starring twin brothers, Kevin and Scott, is an amusing picture book based on curiosity and problem solving.

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To aspiring book authors and illustrators out there: Intelligent perseverance will get you far. Take a break if needed but then try again!

If you like my found object doodles, you can browse more on Instagram at @inkygirl.

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Goal setting, writing goals, marketing goals, life goals . . . everyone has heard of these terms, these strategies to creating and achieving goals. But, what’s involved in actually creating and achieving those goals? How do you get from an idea or desire to its fulfillment? To begin, you need to have the ‘right stuff.’ You need three essential elements. The first of which is confidence. 1.

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There are many quotes that stress the importance of perseverance, but I think this one says it all. It may be your next actionable step, it may be tomorrow, it may be next month or next year. If you continue working toward your marketing goals you will reach them. The problem arises when doubt, a lack of self-confidence, or discouraging words make their way into your focus and thoughts.

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Can you accept imperfection? Can you accept that you'll need to revise again and again (and still again), that the word you're looking for may not appear until the twentieth or thirtieth draft?  Can you accept that one day your writing will flow like wine and the next day the well may run dry and all you can do is sit at your desk and stare for hours at an empty screen? Can you accept that

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Princess Bing Bong is incredibly excited to learn to ride her brand new bike.“It had sparkly training wheels, purple racing stripes, and a glittery basket up front for her pet stuffed monkey Gibbles.”

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Getting published is a HUGE accomplishment.But where most civilians (non authors & illustrators) think that a book deal means buckets of money and leaving behind a legacy, those of us in the trenches know that getting a book published is only the beginning. Looking back to my late twenties thirties, all I wanted to do was be published, to get some recognition, to finally call myself a real illustrator. There was so much sacrifice and hard work that led up to that moment, but I shared the journey with a bunch of amazing illustrators and friends and my life changed in ways that I never imagined. Now, in my not so early thirties, with a few books under my belt, my priorities are shifting.

I think most creatives aspire to become greater at what they do. There is always a bigger goal, whether it be to sell a certain number of books a year, to win a certain award, or to get more press coverage for the work. . . there’s always something. My illustrator friends and I now obsess over sales figures and marketing strategies instead of just being able to focus on the work. It isn’t an easy business, and with trends moving more and more towards digital books,we are all working with a big question mark over our heads. Will the book sell? Should I send out more promos? How many school visits can I do this year? Can I afford a book tour? Will bloggers write about the book? Is my work still any good? Am I getting worse!?!? Can I work faster and make more books? Should I go digital?? The litany of worries go on and on.

If you’re anything like me, there’s also the doubt that comes AFTER you’ve sent the promos and made the appearances. Was that time well spent? Should I have been funnier? Did they really enjoy the book? Will anyone else buy it? Did I waste money on making those promos? Should I just stop making books? It will probably never end.

My very first class of sophomores are now graduating. I have seen so much growth in their work and personalities and it has been an inspiring ride. I have been able to contribute to many dreams, and though the road is still long for them, I have no doubt that they can make it if they stay dedicated. Many hope that making the work gets easier. My snarky professor answer to that is always, “not if you’re any good”. It is always painful, but you persevere and you make magic. There will be great successes, and there may be great failures. You might be famous and you might not. But every now and then when you are making something that makes you lose track of time and circumstance, you’ll remember why you love it and what brings you to the drawing table each day. Just keep working. Keep creating because you love it. There is no secret to longevity other than that. You’ll win some and you’ll lose some, but keep striving to do your very best work and everything will fall into place. . . I hope.

-for Matthew, our pessimistic realist

 

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I am unabashedly a Big Jeanne Marie Grunwell Ford Fan.
Like our readers and my fellow TA’s, I shall sorely miss her Monday posts.

Who else but Jeanne Marie could spend her days telling the sentimental soap opera saga of the rootable Hortons – “Like sands through the hourglass, so are the days of our lives!” - while grounding our TeachingAuthors readers in the Truthful Realities of her Every-Day’s-a-Balancing-Act Writer’s Life?

No wonder my Favorite Jeanne Marie post is “The Middle,” with her March 15, 2010 “Job Description” a close second.

“Ain’t that the truth!” I sighed.

I know all about Middles.
My Children’s Book Writing Quest had a Middle so vast, four American Presidents came and went, and two were re-elections.

My Beginning was terrific.  It got me going.
My Ending was even better than I’d – continually and creatively - imagined.
Making it through my Middle, though, proved my mettle.

Because that’s what Middles do, be they the sagging centers of the stories we write or the seemingly never-ending mid-sections of the writer’s story we’re living.
They prove our mettle, as in strength of character and spirited determination.
Think courage, bravery, guts, grit, nerve, pluck, resolve, valor, vigor and cojones.
Everything our Heroes and Heroines must do we must do too.
We keep on keepin' on.




That’s a whole lot of sand (and snow and mud) through the hourglass!


Onward and mush!

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Focus, determination, and perseverance are essential to just about every aspect of your life. Each characteristic is unique and together create a synergy.

Focus is one’s ability to concentrate exclusively on a particular thing through effort or attention.

Determination is an unchanging intention to achieve a goal or desired end.

Perseverance takes determination a step beyond by using steady and ongoing actions over a long period of time to ensure its intention is accomplished. It continues on through ups and downs.

These elements combined with positive thinking and projection can be an unstoppable force.

I’m a huge fan of positive thinking and projection. I believe our mind has a great influence over our well being and the direction our life can take. Granted, it’s not always easy to harness that influence, but there is enough content out there, including The Secret, to at least strive to think positive and project.

For example, Jack Canfield and co-creator Mark Victor Hansen, of Chicken Soup for the Soul, were rejected 144 times from publishers. Finally, in 1993, their book was accepted. Since they were in debt and couldn’t afford a publicist, they did their own promotion. In 1995, they won the Abby Award and the Southern California Publicist Award.

In a teleconference I attended with Jack Canfield as the speaker, he said he and his co-author created vision boards of what they wanted. They even took a copy of the New York Times Best Selling Page, whited out the #1 spot, and replaced it with Chicken Soup for the Soul. They put copies of it everywhere, even in the toilet. They had focus, determination, perseverance, and they envisioned and projected success. The rest is history.

On a much smaller scale, my daughter and co-author of Day’s End Lullaby, Robyn, practices the philosophy of The Secret. For ten years she dreamed of being in the audience of the Oprah show. She actually got tickets twice, but for one reason or another she was unable to attend. It didn’t stop her though; she persevered and kept trying. She knew one day she’d accomplish her goal and she did.

So, what has this to do with you and me as writers? Plenty.

The elements for obtaining your goals are the same whether for business, pleasure, or writing. Just about every writer has heard the adage: it’s not necessarily the best writers who succeed, it’s the writers who persevere.

Be focused and determined on your writing goals. Have a ‘success’ mindset. This means to project success, along with taking all the necessary steps to becoming a successful and effective writer. And, don’t let rejection stop you – persevere.

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MORE ON WRITING

Writing an Ebook – What’s Stopping You?
Building an Writer’s Portfolio
8 Steps Needed Before Submitting Your Manuscript

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Karen Cioffi
Multi-award Winning Author, Freelance/Ghostwriter, Editor, Online Marketer, Affiliate Marketer
Writer’s Digest Website of the Week, June 25, 2012

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I'm back! Well, getting there anyhow! I hate to ignore my buddies in the blogosphere, but it was worth it. I'd like to introduce you to Annabel, born August 13. She's a real spitfire. I'm overwhelmed, but in the best way possible. I had to compromise because I don't believe in putting my kids' pics online or talking about personal things here. So you have an adorable foot. :D

It's a wonderful thing really, because now I know without a shadow of a doubt I'm doing the right thing by pursuing my love of writing. It was the missing link that brought balance to my life. Now I have a beautiful, albeit fussy, new person to love, but I also know that I don't have to give up on what fulfills me.

You knew I was going to relate this to writing, right? It's a lesson for all of us really. So many things can eat our time and energy (like a newborn baby that doesn't let you sleep). But if it's important enough, you find a way. Don't give up. Even if you're sidetracked for a while. Keep at it. Because if it's as important to you as it is to me, it's worth it. 

Ironically I won't be able to comment for a couple of days due to the Jewish New Year. Those of you who celebrate it - happy Rosh Hashanah! Those of you who don't, to quote Arnold - I'll be back! And be sure to come back next week for a giveaway and review you won't want to miss.

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I recently had a conversation with someone concerning those times when we get caught up in too much nothing and overrun our circuits obsessing over the things we cannot control. We try so hard to figure out the Shoulds and Oughts and the Mights. And once we’re on that path, it’s all too easy to start considering the Can’ts and the Won’ts and even the dreaded Why Bothers. Why is it so hard to start thinking about the Go-For-Its and the Why Nots and the What-the-Hecks? How do we learn to see possibilities instead of problems and to just stop taking everything so darn seriously? He calls his solution “Punching the Bag”: going back to the basics to practice, work up a sweat, and rediscover the reason you’re doing what you’re doing in the first place.

This month marked another international SCBWI-LA conference, in all of its overwhelming and overstimulating glory. This year was my third conference, and marked the end of my official year as a “Mentee” with the portfolio showcase mentorship award.The first year I attended, I had pretty much no idea what I was doing or how to illustrate (I still cringe at that old portfolio.) I couldn’t afford to stay nearby since the hotel costs a bazillion dollars a night, so I couch-surfed with strangers in all different parts of LA. I left my portfolio on the top of the rental car and it flew off in the middle of the street and was run over by cars. My takeaways? Mostly technique-related. I was too overwhelmed to absorb very much. Also noted: Don’t leave things on the top of your car.

The second year, I was a little more organized. I stayed in a hotel nearby, making it easier to meet people. My portfolio did not get destroyed during the conference. I did not get lost on LA freeways. I was totally shocked to hear that I won one of the portfolio mentorship awards, and remain convinced that I was somehow “accidentally” chosen, and that I did not belong in the group. (Imposter syndrome, anyone?) My takeaways: put together a better portfolio. Make better work. Tell better stories. Be better at being mentored. Be better in general. I felt pretty excited but oh, the pressure!

And this year? After stressing for a year about wishing I could get more done, cursing those without day jobs (I am sure they have no worries and spend their days dashing off illustrations effortlessly, right guys?) sending my work out and collecting terse rejections, refining and refining a dummy book only to turn on it a moment later as I compare it to the work of someone else–this year my illustration demons were at their best. The conference stirred up a concoction of complex emotions; I wasn’t sure whether to be excited, happy and inspired or disappointed and ashamed or even, dare I say it, bitter.Sunday afternoon came and brought the last breakout session of the conference. I had chosen to attend a talk and Q&A with Steven Malk of Writers House, about agenting in general and his thoughts on the business. Among many other things, he said the following:

1. Be patient. (Some stories need time. Some illustrators need time. Sometimes it’s not time yet.)
2. Loosen the grip of fear on your heart. (This quote speaks for itself.)
3. Focus on what you can control. (So this means my vague goals like “be successful” or “get an agent” are, um, less than helpful.)

If you don’t want to tweet, or facebook, or blog, or whatever, then don’t! If you want to keep you day job for now because you need the financial security, then keep it! If you aren’t ready to write as well as illustrate a book, than just stick to your portfolio for now!

It was a liberating moment: the first time someone had given me permission to do it my way. I don’t have to be an overnight success. I can be a really gradual success. Or I can make my own definition of success. We don’t all have to be an Erin Stead or a David Diaz, hitting a home run on the very first try.

So now I’m trying to loosen the grip of fear, and stop caring so darn much. I’m reading more picture books, not because I should, but because I like them. I’m drawing more, not because I need to practice, but because it’s fun. I’m experimenting and trying new things. And when each day is done, I may not have done something huge or impressive or spectacular or perfect, but at least I punched the bag.

 

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You can also find my comics for writers on Tumblr and Pinterest.

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Time and again, writers, editors and other folks in the industry say that if you want to be published, you should "Write what you know." So, in between Elena's first and second brain surgeries last year, I managed to sit butt in chair long enough to write a short story for an upcoming Chicken Soup for the Soul book. The beginning drafts were painful. I'd been away from the process for so long that slogging through my prose felt like an exercise in futility. But in the end, the hard work paid off. The Chicken Soup folks bought my story! Getting the news in the midst of our family drama was a highlight of my Year That Went to the Dogs, and a reminder to Trust the Process, wherever it takes you. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Family Caregivers hits bookshelves nationwide on March 13th. Check out this link for a look inside and to pre-order.

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As a writer, don’t ever under-estimate the power of self-discipline. Talent, passion, and discipline are needed–but the greatest of these is discipline.

Best-selling author Elizabeth George speaks to this point on the first day she faces her students in her creative writing classes. Study this quote from her book, Write Away–and read through to the zinger at the end.

“You will be published if you possess three qualities–talent, passion, and discipline.

You will probably be published if you possess two of the three qualities in either combination–either talent and discipline, or passion and discipline.

You will likely be published if you possess neither talent nor passion, but still have discipline. Just go the bookstore and pick up a few ‘notable’ titles and you’ll see what I mean.

But if all you possess is talent or passion, if all you possess is talent and passion, you will not be published. The likelihood is you will never be published. And if by some miracle you are published, it will probably never happen again.”

Be Encouraged!

This is great news for all writers, I believe. We worry sometimes that we don’t have enough talent, that we have nothing original to say, that our voices won’t attract today’s readers. But as Ms. George says above–and after writing and teaching for thirty years, I totally agree–discipline is what will make you or break you as a writer.

Why is this good news? Because self-discipline can be mastered, bit by bit, day by day, until it’s a habit. Talent is a gift over which we have no control, and passion comes and goes with our feelings and circumstances. But your necessary ingredient to success–discipline–can belong to anyone.

Do whatever you have to do to develop the writing habit. Let that be your focus, and see if the writing–and publishing–doesn’t take care of itself!

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For you, what is the hardest part of writing? Getting started? Making time? Finding ideas, or maybe dealing with rejection?

Perhaps the hardest part is the endless waiting that goes with this profession. You wait for word from a critique partner, then an editor or agent. When a book comes out, you wait for reviews and reader reaction and sales figures.

The question isn’t whether you will have to wait during the publishing process. You will. It’s a fact, no matter who you are. The question is how you will wait. Waiting involves more than entertaining yourself (with blogging, reading, watching movies, talking on the phone, or eating out) to make the time pass with less stress.

Ingredients of Waiting

If you want to survive in this thing we call the writing life, your waiting has to be different. While it’s a difficult skill to learn, you need to wait patiently, productively, and expectantly. Here’s what Webster’s has to say…so think about these traits in connection to your writing life.

Patiently: bearing pains, suffering, and trials without complaint; manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain; not hasty or impetuous; steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity.

Productively: having the quality or power of producing, especially in abundance; yielding results; continuing to be used in the formation of new words or constructions.

Expectantly: looking forward to something with a high degree of certainty; usually involves the idea of preparing or envisioning; much more than wishful thinking

Honest Self-Assessment

Is that how you wait to hear from an agent or editor? Are you uncomplaining (to yourself, your critique group, your family, your blog readers)? Are you steadfast, not making hasty decisions (like sending angry emails or posting nasty comments in discussion groups)? Do you show forbearance under the strain? Then you wait patiently.

Do you work on other projects while you wait? Do you continue to study and go to your critique group? Do you refuse to sit and not write until you hear the fate of your current manuscript? Do you focus on the current work-in-progress, giving it your undivided attention? Then you wait productively.

Do you have a clear vision of where you want to be as a writer five years from now? A year? A month? Do you work hard and work consistently on your craft, expecting to improve steadily over time? Even while you wait, are you preparing yourself physically and mentally to be the writer you’ve always wanted to be? Then you wait expectantly.

Be a Professional

Wannabe writers complain when editors and agents don’t respond within a week. Wannabe writers won’t write another word until they sell their current manuscript. Wannabe writers continually tell themselves and others that the odds are terrible and they’ll never sell anything.

Professional writers don’t like waiting either–nor do they always like the answer that comes. But they don’t waste the waiting time. They use it to write and grow and move ahead.

Waiting well is a skill you can acquire. You (and everyone in your environment) will be happier if you learn this skill. Don’t let waiting times–no matter how long they drag on–cause a setback in your writing.

If waiting well is a problem for you, don’t just read this post, agree mentally, and move on with you

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Okay, you prepared (Stage One). You explored your options (Stage Two). You got started (Stage Three). Now you’re ready for Stage Four of “The Five Stages of Success”, where you survive and thrive.

Start-Up Speeds

You might have had a very fast start. That would be the writer who published the first thing he submitted, or his first novel was a Newbery Honor Book. These overnight successes are at the extreme end of the bell curve.

The other extreme end of the “survival and growth” stage is where you find the most dedicated, determined writers. They sell articles about “how I made my first sale on my 239th submission” or they sell a book they’ve been working on diligently for twenty years.

Average Writers

Most of us fall somewhere in the middle. This stage is the most challenging, partly because it’s usually the longest. There is a lot to learn about the writing business, and improving one’s writing craft simply takes time. If you know that and truly understand it, you will enjoy this stage of your success so much more.

It shouldn’t be rushed through. Try to resist society’s “instant gratification” message when it comes to your writing. More and more, I’m receiving emails from new writers saying, “I haven’t had a response in two months from a publisher. I shouldn’t have to wait to be published!” And I think, Why not?

Writers for centuries have had to wait and practice and revise before being published. And thank goodness they did! Even writers like Jane Austen didn’t write early drafts that were very good. So don’t get in a rush. All you will accomplish by that attitude is getting material self-published that is way less than your best is going to be. Nearly everyone I hear from who did this regrets it later.

Growth is Fun

So where’s the success in this stage if it takes such a long time?

I believe there are dozens and dozens of mini-successes spread throughout this stage. They include things like:

• finishing your first book
• attending a conference
• making a new writing friend
• small sales and large sales–celebrate each one!
• being asked to speak to kids or librarians
• the years your income taxes reflect “black” instead of “red”
• good reviews
• book signings (whether you sell many books or not)
• autographing books for your friends and family
• and so many more!

During this “surviving and growing” stage it’s easy to get fixated on all the things you can’t do yet. Don’t forget to notice–and celebrate–that you ARE making it! You are growing. You are getting there, step by step.

One Regret

If I could do one thing over in my writin

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First I want to give a shout out to my friend and critique partner Ian Kezsbom for signing with the amazing agent Jill Corcoran! Yay!!


Now:
It seems there is no shortage of plotting formulas out there. And I think they are AWESOME! Yes you read that right - even a Pantser like me has something to learn when it comes to plot and structure. The simple worksheet from SAVE THE CAT did my latest MS wonders. 


Does that mean that's the magic book? The one with all the answers? No. It's a great book - don't get me wrong. But my writing, like yours, like I suspect every author's, is a conglomeration of many variables. The more of these ingredients we add, the better our writing is.


Incorporating bits and pieces from these sources makes me feel like I'm spinning a complex web. But when I stand back to take a look, it's stronger and more elegant than anything I've woven before.  Where do I draw information from?

1. Books on writing like SAVE THE CAT and ON WRITING
2. Books I love like the HUNGER GAMES and HARRY POTTER
3. Books I didn't love so much (I have to find out WHY they didn't work right?)
4. The blogosphere - that's right! You guys!! So thank you from the bottom of my heart. You inspire me daily.
5. Advice from other writers - Do I HAVE to mention Libba Bray's speech again? That I learned to write what scares me?
6. Conferences and participation in professional groups - I cannot recommend SCBWI enough here.
7. Life experience - Drawing from my own desires, fears, and feelings. Also my background in both theater and psychology lend a unique perspective to my characters. Oh and everyday things from television (E.g., Vampire Diaries) to things my kids say.
8. PRACTICE. Yep just plain writing does wonders.

31 Comments on The Secret Formula, last added: 6/16/2011