Writers are readers. But are you the right kind of reader—a paleontological reader? As writers who want to hone our craft we need to read beyond simple enjoyment or displeasure. Sure, there are times when we need to escape — like anyone else — and simply wallow in the pleasures of a book, or of some poetry. And certainly, there have been many among us who have thrown a book down wondering how in the world did this get published! … Read More »

Twyla Tharp said, “Metaphor is the lifeblood of all art.” That is, for our art to come alive it must relate to our readers in a comparative way that is important. The experience of reading is an empathetic one — the reader should feel a connection. That connection is made through metaphor. This is where much of our joy of reading comes from. I believe that the best way to do this is to invite your reader in amongst the … Read More »

I don’t know about you, but with all this social distancing I’m finding it difficult to get close to some of my writing. A little trick I sometimes have to play on myself these days is to simply concentrate on just one literary technique at a time. Just one, so I don’t get overwhelmed whether I’m revising or writing something new. And one of my favorite literary devices to play with is personification. Personification is a power-wielding giant, because it … Read More »

With all the imbalance going on in our lives today, it’s a good time to think about controlling—balancing—what we can. And if you are writing in verse for young readers balance is an essential element. It needs to be right up there with consideration of characterization, setting, plot, meter and rhyme. As readers, we ofttimes can sense imbalance even if we can’t put our finger on exactly why something feels clunky. For example, the magical number in most western literature … Read More »

I bet you’ve heard stories about writers who hoard their best writing advice, or how opportunities are snatched up jealously and the names of contacts never shared. This may be so in some writing circles, but it hasn’t been my experience. Most writers I know tend to give their all at presentations, in critique groups, and on blogs, etc. This has allowed me to joyfully learn at the feet of others, fill notebooks with writing advice, connect folks with each … Read More »

Whether it’s a 100 word picture book or a 100,000 word scholarly novel. To create a book that matters for any age reader—from 2 to 92—there are four things it must include. I call these the 4Hs of writing: heart, hurt, hope and humor. Let’s look at each one. Heart By heart I don’t mean sweetness or love. I mean a revealing and reveling in what it means to be human. Heart is the stripping away of artifice to see … Read More »