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What Do You Want In Your Circle?
In a recent, early-in-the-new-year Scriva meeting, we did two short activities that are meant to sharpen focus, boost spirits and build community. The first was inspired by Igolu.com, which has some...
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Gas and Brakes
How long does it take you to write a book? How fast do you work? I get asked these questions a lot, especially the first one by school-aged kids. The answer is that it varies – dramatically. My...
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The Madness of Multiple Versions
So what does the Nike swoosh have to do with writing? Well, it’s more the motto than the logo, actually. Let me explain. As you might know from past posts, I’m working on a nonfiction picture book...
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YIKES! Social Media?!
In a conference call with AMP for Kids, the publisher of my forthcoming middle-grade graphic novel called Muddy Max: The Mystery of Marsh Creek, I asked what I could do to support a successful launch...
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A Tense Surprise
In an earlier post about how I sometimes do multiple simultaneous drafts of the same manuscript, I mentioned how a critiquer had suggested trying to rewrite my picture book biography of piano inventor...
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NEVER Give Up on a Book You Believe In
When I was pregnant with my second child, who is now 10 years old, I started writing a picture book called Squeaks, Stumps, and Surprises: A Big Brother’s Guide to Life with a New Baby. I was trying to...
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Celebrate!
Scriva Amber recently sold her wonderful YA novel THE WAY BACK FROM BROKEN in a two book deal (YAY!) and I asked her what she was going to do celebrate. The conversation went something like this:...
View ArticleCritique as Creative Collective
I read a wonderful article in the Sunday New York Times called “The End of Genius” that I think captures why we Scrivas, and you and other writers, thrive in critique groups. It’s about how our brains...
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A Tale of Three Retreats
Every fall, usually the first weekend in November, the Viva Scrivas gather somewhere fabulous for a weekend writing retreat. (If you’d like to learn more about these expeditions of extreme productivity...
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Credit where Credit is Due
My newest book The Next Wave: The Quest to Harness the Power of the Oceans just published. Hurrah! Thanks to wonderful Scriva critiques, it is a Junior Library Guild selection and has gotten a starred...
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Gift of Gratitude: Thankful Beads
[This is a post that ran a few years ago about a gratitude activity that I think is worth repeating in case you missed it. Happy Thanksgiving! Scriva Liz] One holiday season, a couple years ago, I had...
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The Life of a Writer, Skills Needed and Salary
O.K. this is weird and random, but I came across the U.S. Department of Labor’s description of the job “writer.” I found the tasks done; knowledge, skills, and abilities needed, interests; work styles...
View ArticleSome Yoga/Writing Principles
The new year is a time to take stock and a time to try to do things differently than we have before. When life gives us a lesson, we can respond as we always do –and then life will give us that same...
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Bullet Journal Your Way Into Writing
Do you find it hard to find time to write? When you do have time to write, do you waste time wondering what to do? Inspired by a blog post by the wonderful children’s book author Kate Messner, I have...
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The Time of Day
I’m not a morning person and I am committed to getting some exercise (walk, run, or yoga) almost every day. As a result my basic schedule for MANY YEARS has been: wake up, get kids off to school,...
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REVISING SCENES
While revising my middle-grade novel April Fool, I have found Donald Maass’ THE FIRE IN FICTION to be enormously helpful. The whole book is terrific, but I’ve been focused on Chapter 3: Scenes that...
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The Problem with “Butt in the Chair”
I’ve heard at least dozen writers talking about overcoming writers’ block with one simple rule: Sit your butt in the chair. I have two problems with this advice. First of all, I don’t really get...
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A Lot to Read
There have been times in the history of the Viva Scrivas when only one or two people were submitting work to be read most months. We wrung our hands about what to do about it, how everyone should be...
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Present to Past Tense
Ah, the tense tango continues. You may remember in an earlier post how I rewrote my nonfiction picture book manuscript called THE MUSIC OF LIFE: BARTOLOMEO CRISTOFORI AND THE INVENTION OF THE PIANO...
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How to Deal with a Huge Pile of Comments
Have you ever felt buried under a pile of manuscripts comments? My two critique groups generously agreed to read my whole middle-grade novel April Fool. So I had 10 copies printed and mailed them off....
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