Can posture improve your writing? This was a question I pondered when author Amber Smith visited me for a few days. In my efforts to be a good host, I kept trying to encourage her to write in “comfy” spots, like my soft couch or a beanbag chair outside. She confessed she had to sit upright at a desk or table to feel like she … Continue reading MYC: Sit Up Straight!
First pages of a manuscript are tough to get right. Advice generally encourages writers to jump into the action to hook readers, but readers need a certain amount of information first in order to care about the people or events. I’ve written about this before in my post “Let the Main Character Drive the Bus,” and now I’d like to come at it from a … Continue reading MYC: The Hook & the Backpedal
Publisher’s Description In this nonfiction title for young readers ages 10 to 14, acclaimed author Gail Jarrow explores in riveting detail the famous War of the Worlds radio broadcast from 1938; she highlights the artists behind the broadcast, the broadcast itself, the aftermath, and the repercussions of “fake news” today. On the night of October 30, 1938, thousands of Americans panicked when they believed that … Continue reading SPOOKED! How a Radio Broadcast and THE WAR OF THE WORLDS Sparked the 1938 Invasion of America by Gail Jarrow
Publisher’s Book Description: Discover the childhood story of Carlos Santana in Gary Golio’s Sound of the Heart, Song of the World, featuring illustrations by Rudy Gutierrez, the internationally celebrated artist who created the iconic Carlos Santana Shaman CD cover. Carlos Santana grew up surrounded by music. His father, a beloved mariachi performer, teaches his son how to play the violin when he is only six … Continue reading Windows & Mirrors: CARLOS SANTANA Sound of the Heart, Song of the World by Gary Golio, illustrated by Rudy Gutierrez
Publisher’s Description “You’re only as good as your partner.” Mikayla is a wrestler; when you grow up in a house full of brothers who are die-hard mat heads, it’s in your DNA. She even has a wrestling name: Mickey. Some people don’t want a girl on the team. But that won’t stop her. She’s determined to work hard, and win. Lev is determined too–he’s going … Continue reading Recommended: TAKEDOWN by Laura Shovan
Welcome to a bonus Master Your Craft post! We’ll still have our regular post Wednesday, and in the meantime… Chapter endings are like fish hooks. A hook alone can catch a fish, but it’s easier with a worm. So what lure can you use to entice readers to take the bait and keep turning pages? Two good options are “contagious” emotions and the sometimes-misunderstood cliffhanger. In Jonah … Continue reading MYC: Chapter Endings, The End is Only the Beginning
The Pennies love to support a good cause, and the Writers for Hope Auction is one of them! Every April, in honor of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, members of the publishing world – editors, agents, and published and/or agented authors – help to raise money to combat sexual assault. Donations include critiques (ranging from queries to FULL manuscripts), consultation calls or Skype sessions, and signed … Continue reading Super-Charged Four on 400 Donation for Writers for Hope Auction!
Welcome to this week’s Master Your Craft post! Each Wednesday we’ll discuss writing a new book from the BIG IDEA to QUERYING. Last year, we walked you through every step from getting the big idea through polishing your finished novel. Last time, we posted some tips for drafting a query. This week, we’re tackling the dreaded synopsis. Numerous resources exist for how to write a synopsis. Any writer … Continue reading MYC The Dread Pirate Synopsis: Into the Shallows
