Inspiration
Let's Celebrate (all of the) Holidays!
The Annual Highlights Fiction Contest is coming up! Entries can be up to 800 words and the deadline is 1/31. This year's topic is Holiday . While Christmas & New Years are top of mind right now, I thought a list of …
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Christmas Past and Present
I found a series of writing prompt responses the other day, probably from early high school, lovingly typed on a very large typewriter. I vaguely remember getting a magazine which offered writing prompts or maybe I found a "…
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Writing Samples
Christmas Confusion! (A Holiday Story)
Susanna Leonard Hill is hosting a Holiday Contest this week! To participate: Write a children's story about a Holiday Mishap , mix-up, miscommunication, mistake, or potential disaster, not to exceed 350 words and po…
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Birthday Partying like a Kid
It's my birthday today! I was having a deep philosophical conversation with my 3-year-old this morning about how cool it would be if I became a kid again on my birthday. So when I was asked to play Cootie, I said &q…
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winner
Mentor Text Resources & a Winner!
Thank you to all the participants in the Mentor Text Challenge. Remember mentor texts are an excellent defense against writer's block, lack of inspiration, and all sorts of writer's ailments. We have a challenge winn…
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Writing
Mentor Text Challenge (with a PiBo Prize!)
I like to write a "companion" post for PiBoIdMo every year. Last year's Match Up Mash Up game spurred PB ideas faster than a cowboy at a rodeo. This year since we've been talking mentor texts to learn craft, …
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Writing
Ask the Education Consultant - Interview with Marcie Colleen
I adore seeing Marcie Colleen at NJ SCBWI events, because she is a ball of energy and easy to find in a crowd. But it has been fun seeing Marcie everywhere in writing cyberspace the last few weeks, too. Marcie & Laur…
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Writing
Halloween Thank you
I've been meaning to say THANK YOU to Bridget Heos and the Mr. Pig writers at The Little Crooked Cottage for running a giveaway I recently won. I received this awesome Mustache Baby prize pack - Signed copy of Must…
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Writing Samples
White Cat's Halloween - a Halloweensie Poem
It's the time of year to gorge small children with sugar and make them pee their pants! Which also means it's time for Susanna Leaonard Hill's Halloweensie contest . The rules: your Halloween story must be 100 words…
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Writing
What Slows Down a Read Aloud
Picture books need to be under 500 words (and that's only when you overshoot 350.) Pacing and word choice are important. Manuscripts must be read out loud. I know these things, but a lightbulb clicked on recently: time…
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Writing
Mentor Texts
I read in several "how to write" books to try typing out picture books you love to see what they looked like as a manuscript. Well, I dutifully ignored this advice for a year. I finally tried it with the followin…
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The Dirty Girls
The Latest, Greatest Low Tech Devices
I am device rich. My calendar is always with me to schedule the next dentist appointment or to remind me to pick up a kiddo. My map tells me where to go when I'm lost (which happens a fair amount.) To see if a store is open…
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More Fun
Back to School
Imagine you're walking down the street when a smell tickles your nose. Are you being followed by a young man fresh out of gym class who is not yet wearing deodorant even though it really is prime time to start? Though you tr…
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Summer
Summer Hazards
Summer is winding down. I'm okay to see it go. It's very dangerous. Though I managed to avoid serious summer dangers like sunburns and bee stings and flaming marshmallow attacks, I fell victim to some bad ev…
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rhyme
As Simple as ABC
An idea popped into my head during a lovely nap on Saturday (though of course once the idea arrived, the nap had to be cut short which was most unfortunate.) This particular idea indicated it would like to be told as an alph…
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writing community
Where Does a New Writer Start (part 3)
I'm continuing a series where I respond to a new writer who wanted advice on how to get started writing picture books. Check out part 1 and part 2 also! "I’m not sure which category my voice fits in." I s…
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Writing
Where Does a New Writer Start? (part 2)
I'm continuing an earlier post where I respond to a new writer who wanted advice on how to get started writing picture books. See the first part of the post here. "How do you stay organized?" "What…
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