Writers Groups--Now New and Improved by Mary Ann Rodman

 Continuing with our current topic "Something New for the New Year"....I have joined a new writer's group. Actually the group itself has been around awhile, it's just taken me this long to remember to reserve Thursday mornings to meet.

What's really new is that this is a Zoom group. The members are friends from the Vermont MFA program and live in Minnesota or Wisconsin. I live in Atlanta. 

Many years ago, before iPhones and texts and Zoom, I belonged to a metro Atlanta critique group. "Metro Atlanta" covers about 8 counties, and I live at the northern edge of the area. The rest of the group lived a couple counties to the east. The first Sunday night of the month, I would drive 100 miles, round trip, to group. Atlanta traffic is always terrible, especially Sunday nights when people are returning from out-of- town.

This did not stop me from meeting with the group known as WINGS. (This was so long ago, I no longer remember what WINGS stood for! ) They were terrific writers and critiquers, or I certainly wouldn't have made that long trek. These four ladies critiqued all but one of my published books. (My Best Friend sold just before I joined the group.) I could not have finished, let alone sold, any of them without their sharp insights and thoughtful questions. It was like having four editors, before sending my work to an actual editor. 

We were as diverse a group as you could find. What brought us together was a passion for children's literature and a desire to contribute to the genre. We were each others biggest fans and greatest critics. The Women of WINGS were the best.

But as they say, all good things must come to an end. Members retired or moved or developed health problems.  New members joined, but the group no longer was exclusively children's writers. There were writers whose work I was at a loss to critique (especially poetry). By then I was traveling to Mississippi once a month trying to look after my father, (which could be a whole book in itself.) 

I became a former member of WINGS.

Without a monthly meeting to spur me on, my creative output shrank. Long distance elder care and the seven hour drive to see Dad zapped my energy, creative and otherwise. Some years, this blog was all I wrote. Dad died, but I was still driving to Mississippi to settle his estate and clear out his semi-hoarded house. Then COVID hit. I was drained. (Weren't we all?) What's the point of writing I thought. It's not like I had an agent or editor panting for my work.  

I missed WINGS but there wasn't anything I could do about it. There wasn't another group around devoted solely to children's writing. (At least not any that wanted to new members.)

Then, I got an email from a friend from the Vermont writing program. She proposed that a bunch of us from the program and her local SCBWI meet weekly on Zoom. This would not be a critique group, but more of a support group. There would be a brief discussion of how we were doing and what we were working on. Then we would sign off for an hour, write, then check back in and talk about how it went. 

This was the kick in the pants I needed to go back to a first draft that had been growing cobwebs since 2013. Knowing I couldn't write longer than an hour freed me. I can write for an hour! When I check in the next Thursday, I can pick up where I left off and go another hour.

I know. An hour a week. Big deal. Stephen King write all day every day, 364 (I hear he takes his birthday off). I think about Toni Morrison who wrote at 4 am before her day job. I remember my old self, writing in car pool lines and the skating rink where my daughter spent 80% of her childhood. But life changes. I'm ....gasp...older. What hasn't changed is my love of writing. The Thursday Morning Zoomers remind me of that. Sometimes we don't remember why we are trying to write in a chaotic world that doesn't support creativity. We tell each other that is exactly why we need to keep going. Thanks to the Zoomers, I feel pretty confident of finishing another draft of my book this year. (Now whether anyone will ever read it is another issue. I try not to worry about that.)

So that's my new-old thing--writer's group. Writing is a solitary pursuit. There is no schmoozing at coffee break or getting together after work for happy hour. Sometimes you. have to crawl out of your cave and communicate with your own kind.

Once again I'm in the middle of major life changes--downsizing while renovating our forever house--in another state. So mostly I'm plodding along, an hour a week. Is it working? Some Thursdays I write for another couple of hours after we sign off. For the record, I wrote the first draft of this post during my Zoomer hour yesterday.

Keep writing, y'all.  The world needs us.

Posted by Mary Ann Rodman

What's old is new again!

Sharing the New Somethings I've so far planned for this new year 

has me smiling.

Here's why.

I collected so many 5 x 7 Little Ling Calendars since 1996, they 

became re-usable!

My calendar match for 2026?

1998...

...truly a Banner Year for me professionally.

Fingers crossed the New Somethings that follow be the first three 

of many that auger a similar year.

They certainly prove the adage "Everything old is new again."

New Something #1

I've returned to beginning each day writing my stories.

That practice led to 1998's publication of my first children's book, 

There Goes Lowell's Party!, as well as the sale of two picture 

books - Chicken Soup by Heart and Fancy That.

For eight weeks now, I've spent my mornings with a Story Star 

who claimed my heart and refused to let go. 

As luck would have it, her story is set in Philadelphia in the

late 1830's, the very time and setting of Fancy That.

First thing each morning, a fresh cup of coffee beside me, I'm

back in my limner Pippin Biddle's world, re-reading research

notes, paging through familiar reference books, immersing

myself in my character's story to learn who and what claim

her heart.

Fancy that!

New Something #2

I will not only teach one of the Chicago Newberry Library's

many singular workshops - "Oh, the Possibilities: Writing

for Children" on February 28.

For the first time ever, I will be a Newberry Library student,

registered and rarin' to go!

"Exploring Chicago's NorthSide" is an eight-week seminar 

that explores seven of Chicago's neighborhoods on the 

near North side through readings and Walking Tours.

I found my way to the Newberry Library soon after I began

teaching Writing for Children classes at Ragdale in 1998.

This year marks my 25th year of teaching (both in person

and virtually) "a bounty of new berries, each ripe with

story."

How nice to be a "new berry," too.

New Something #3

John F. Kennedy said, "Change is the law of life."

The Manuscript Workshop I've taught for the last ten

summers at the Landgrove Inn in Landgrove, Vermont 

now has:

    new dates - May 31 through June 5;

    new owners - Emily and Bruce Haupt;

    a new name - The Landgrove;

    a new chef - John Gould;

    and at long last, new Internet service!

The stars were aligned at SCBWI's 1998 Summer

Conference because not only was I named SCBWI's

Member of the Year, I met Barbara Seuling!

It was Barbara who mentored me to become a Writing

Coach, and as if that wasn't life-changing enough, 

Barbara gifted me with the opportunity to continue

her long-time Manuscript Workshop.

The Workshop evolved, so that now I both teach and

coach writers to help them tell their stories, in a much

smaller group limited to six.

Barbara's demand for Excellence and love of writing

for children remain ever present.

Here's to your New Somethings for a Banner Year!

Oh, and thanks to Susan at Chicken Spaghetti

for hosting today's Poetry Friday.

Esther Hershenhorn

P.S.

If this now-updated post looks familiar to some, 

it's because I mistakenly uploaded it on

January 23!

P.P. S.

Check out this virtual Newberry Library class:

"Laura Ingalls Wilder and the Little House Books:

'But It Was A Different Time Then."

Play, Play, and More Play

My word for the year is PLAY.  The opposite of toil.  And why not? 

17 years ago, at my current school, I wrote my Teaching Philosophy to articulate the direction that I was headed as a kindergarten teacher.

“I believe in the power of play (think of anyone you know who has lost their passion for life and they’ve probably forgotten how to play.)

I believe in learning through wonder, exploration, and discovery (think of anyone you know who is a lifelong learner and they’re probably driven by wonder, exploration, and discovery rather than thinking of learning as a task that must be completed.)”

My commitment to play has become even more entrenched.  I’m not sure what my life would have been like had I not found my way to a career surrounded by 5-year-olds and a life of visual art and writing for children.  Play is powerful. My own daughter went to a school until she was 12 in LA committed to play, Play Mountain Place.  I carry the lessons of our experience there as a parent into my classroom every day.

https://www.playmountain.org/

I design writing, reading, math, science, and social studies invitations to deepen the play and find relationships between scholastic skills.  

Writing is a tool to express oneself.  This is the reason to learn to write.  Our week is designed with many different projects anchored in play, all leading to the goal of writing.  Story crafting in the Wildlands (an acre of outdoor learning on campus), the classroom, or the play yard is designed to end in writing.  Making inventions at the Maker Table is designed to lead to writing about the invention. Consistent writing leads to more writing.  Writing makes stronger readers. All of this steeped in play.

In my own writing, play drives my work.  It is the joyful adventure of following an idea without fully knowing where I’ll land.  It is playfully following the twists and turns. It is the journey of delight that brings me back to the computer (or notebook) again and again.  Creativity anchored in play is like a drug. If it were toil, I doubt I would be compelled to return over and over.  It is play that drives me. Play that beckons me back. Play that keeps it fresh, alive, and youthful. 

Year End Thoughts on a Timeless Picture Book

      I read at least one picture book a day. As a kindergarten teacher, I steer away from picture books that blatantly try and teach my students “lessons.” Adults who impose their morality onto unsuspecting 4 and 5-year-olds usually don’t hold the student’s interest. I am particularly sensitive about books that aren’t respectful of young children, seeing them as blank slates and not the interesting, thinking humans that they are. 

     Children want to hear stories.  They don’t want to be preached to.  But find a good story where universal themes are woven into the characters and their relationships, and you will hold the rapt attention of an entire class.  I’m always on the hunt for these great stories that leave us hankering for a good discussion or leave us with a feel-good moment.  Lately they feel like they’re few and far between. 

     Don’t get me wrong. The books my fellow picture book authors are writing and that publishing companies are buying are beautifully written. But compared to the literature from earlier decades, many feel like they are leaning out of storytelling as we knew it and are more no-nonsense books with sparse wording or non-fiction subjects.  All have their merits and are well produced.  They just lack the storytelling of years gone by when the wordcount hovered well above and over the current 500-word norm and were not influenced by the Common Core Standards.

     In 2010 the Common Core Standards were adopted for education across the country.  It’s my understanding they were not developed by educators but rather came out of the business and political community.  Technically they came from The National Governor’s Association (a political organization founded in 1908) and The Council of Chief State School Officers.  At the time I remember noticing a huge shift away from reading and writing fiction and a move toward non-fiction literature only.

      As a kindergarten teacher, it didn’t make sense.  It was completely out of balance.  Literary learning shifted away from fantasy and toward nuts and bolts, cut and dry, no-nonsense reading and writing.  I worried about how it would affect young children and their desire to read and write. I worried that storytelling would be devalued.  I worried that the publishing industry would shift their product to meet the new demand.  I think I was on to something thirteen years ago.

     Social Emotional Learning has been a big buzz phrase, especially post pandemic lockdown.  I’m finding many of the “message” books aren’t delighting us with story but are beating us over the head with be kind, be brave, be happy, be you, be special…you get the idea.  So just the other day I reached back in time and pulled out what I consider to be an old classic, Stella Luna. 

    

     Stella Luna was written and illustrated by Janell Cannon and was published in 1993. I had forgotten how much I loved this picture book about the baby bat who gets separated from her mother and lands in a bird’s nest.  So many intricate ideas in this book to ponder like:  How we perceive each other, (The little bat is the loveable protagonist, although many people think of bats negatively. The birds are characterized in a less appealing way.  Plus, they eat bugs, yuck!), Ideas of value, (who has it and who doesn’t?)  Concepts of good and bad, (What constitutes good and what constitutes bad? What is good/acceptable behavior and what is bad/unacceptable behavior?) An exploration of right and wrong, (Who is right and who is wrong?)  Point of reference, (How important is point of reference and context?)  And then there’s judgement.  (Who judges whom and why?  What is normal and what is not? Who deserves love and who does not?)  All this wrapped up in this book about a little bat who’s lost its mother and the family of birds who take her in. This book is timeless.  None of these ideas have faded.  They are more relevant than ever.

     As a children’s book author, I like to think about…if I had written a particular book, what would I have written. Hands down, Stella Luna.  I remember reading it in the 90’s when I was “author-curious” and being drawn to the irony of the story.  This idea with all the above listed implications that turned my perception upside down in a delightful, intellectual way that didn’t insult young children.  I wanted to write stories like that.  I wanted to bring that twist that leaves you thinking about the story a little bit longer…that makes it linger in the edges of your mind.  

And so, when it was my turn to write my own story, Stella Luna was there in the recesses of my imagination cheering me on.  I found that delightful irony in my debut picture book, Hello, Little One: A Monarch Butterfly Story about a caterpillar and a butterfly who only have a two-week window to connect before they proceed through their separate life cycles. Youth longing for age and Age longing for youth.  Without Stella Luna, my story would have been flat, maybe even a lesson-filled tale of morality.  I am grateful that I came upon this book before I set out to write my own years ago and am so happy to have rediscovered it now with my new class of students. It’s storytelling at its best. It’s the book I wish I had written.  What book do you wish you had written?

By Zeena M. Pliska

Kindergarten Teacher by day (public school in Los Angeles)

Children's Book Author by night 

Hello, Little One:  A Monarch Butterfly Story (Page Street Kids)

Egyptian Lullaby (Roaring Brook Press)

From Once upon a time…to…Happily ever after! – thanks to Richard Peck’s Best-ever Writing Tip!

Once upon a time I had the good fortune to learn my craft from the 

inimitable award-winning author Richard Peck, a true Best Man if ever 

there was one.

t

The result?

My stories, no matter the format, now organically end happily ever after.

I gladly pass along Mr. Peck’s keen eye-opening words so your 

Beginnings and Endings do what they must:

     “On your first page is the last, on your last page the first.”  

Stuck on your ending as you finalize your revision? Revisit your 

beginning.

Unsure of your beginning? Reread your ending.

And, reread books, especially picture books, to see the truth of Richard 

Peck’s advice.

If you’re unfamiliar with Richard Peck, or even if you’re not, take a 

moment to read this glorious tribute, then seek his published work. 

His contributions to children’s literature are note-worthy.

SCBWI offers his brilliant Master Class on Writing the Novel for 

Young Readers in the current Summer Spectacular Bookstore. 

And, for pure Show, Don’t Tell, read Matthew Winner’s post on First 

Page/Last Page connections.  The examples underscore Richard Peck’s 

advice.

Thanks to Molly Hogan for hosting Poetry Friday today at 

NIXTHECOMFORTZONE.

Molly’s August 7 post addressed gratitude.

I remain forever grateful to Richard Peck for all he taught me – 

in person and through his books, about writing and Life.

Happy writing!

Esther Hershenhorn

Where Is My Creative Mind?

I keep telling myself, “Come on Gwendolyn. Show your creative side. Rewrite that last paragraph. Show some pizazz!  Pizazz? I let out a deep breath. My pizazz floats away disappearing in the warm April breeze along with any cool thoughts I might have had about my current work-in-progress.

I keep watching the news for updates. I think about my writing project. I watch the news. I think about my project.

What now? I need to finish this project. The deadline is somersaulting toward me with no brakes in sight.

I don’t turn off my TV. Instead, I tune in my favorite music station. It plays jazz music all day and all night. No voices. No commercials. Just soothing jazz. I get some of my best ideas while listening to jazz.

I talk to my writer friends who are extremely generous during regular times and even more so now with COVID-19 AND lockdowns on our minds.  We read each other’s work, offer comments that are on point. You ask yourself, “Why didn’t I think of that?” They bring out more of my creative self.
Pull out a manuscript in your “Not Quite Ready” file. With a new perspective, you may be able to zero in on what could turn it into a sale. Relax. Take deep breaths. Close your eyes and type or write with your favorite pen. Don’t judge your work. Don’t even read it. Just keep going. As I write this, I’m thinking to myself, “Gwendolyn, you need to follow your own advice.”

While Hubby fishes, I write  by the calming
waters of  Lake Draper in Oklahoma City.

I am one of those who stops typing more often than I should and reread, delete and add as I write. Maybe it is time I follow my own advice. After all, it seems as if I’ll have plenty of time for revisions. WOW! Just giving myself permission to write without worrying about the result makes me feel extra creative. Maybe I’ll try a different point of view. There is an old manuscript I want to bring to life.

Is there an idea or character you visit from time to time, but never seriously follow through with your plans for it? Then maybe this is your moment. You won’t know until you explore it fully.

Fill your computer screen with stories only you can write. Your creative mind is within you. Use it. I promise to do the same.

Posted by Gwendolyn Hooks

A Very Sad P.S. to my March 15 Post…

P.S. is short for the term “Postscript” which comes from the Latin “Post Scriptum,” an expression meaning "written after.”

Alas,
on March 16, the very next day after posting my very sincere thanks and tribute to my very first children’s book writing mentor Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, the NY Times reported her March 12 death in Munster, Indiana.
Here’s the link.

My sighs were audible. I could feel my heart heave.
For one whole week, while working at my desk in Chicago, reading everything I could find about this award-winning author’s long-time career – interviews, reviews, write-ups galore, so I could tell my Love Story about I’M TERRIFIC’s creator to our Readers, Marjorie Weinman Sharmat was right around Lake Michigan’s bend making Other Plans.

I also lamented my decision to not include this photo.  I think it screams ‘TEACHINGAUTHOR!”

Publishers Weekly paid tribute to this prolific author on March 19.

Fortunately, a Munster newspaper obituary shared contact information so I could express to the Sharmat Family my condolences as well as my deep appreciation of this very terrific life-changing author.

Here’s to Nate the Great, but best of all, to Marjorie the Terrific!

Esther Hershenhorn

READ ALL ABOUT IT! ANN WHITFORD PAUL REVISES AND EXPANDS WRITING PICTURE BOOKS! + BOOK GIVEAWAY!

I’m happy to report: award-winning author, poet, teacher and mentor Ann Whitford Paul has revised and expanded her 2009 go-to hands-on guide on writing picture books, aptly named WRITING PICTURE BOOKS! Writer’s Digest releases this 2018 edition November 13.
I’m even happier to report:  YOU can win a free copy in our Book Giveaway!  Be sure to check the entry details at the end of this post.

This news is truly headline-worthy for anyone writing a picture book today.  Our world and thus children’s book publishing have changed in ways that impact both the stories we tell and how we tell them in the picture book format.
Think: the turbulent financial times 2008 brought us.
Think: WeNeedDiverseBooks.  STEM.  Common Core. Graphic illustrations.  Herstory. #OwnVoices. Meta books.
Pete the Cat’s Misadventures still appeal to young readers.  Mo Willems’ fans grow mightily on an annual basis.  Tomie DePaola remains beloved.
Our stories still need to offer Universal Truths and recognizable sentiments so they connect with readers.
The picture book, however, has changed with the times.

Fortunately, Ann’s attention to the process, from story creation to publication, hasn’t lessened. (Note: read my 2009 Thumbs Up review.)
Idea generation.  Character creation.  Point of View.  Beginnings and Endings.  Plotting. Word count. Rhyme and more.  Ann’s easy-to-grasp instruction once again shines.
As for the rich and relevant examples and hands-on revision exercises, again, Ann understands HOW we as writers learn – and hone – our craft.

“What’s new?” you ask, "..revised...expanded?"
That is but one of the questions Ann graciously answers in the interview that appears below.
You have my word: the 2018 edition of WRITING PICTURE BOOKS is every bit as right-on and write-on as the first edition.  Be sure to enter our Book Giveaway so you might win a copy. And if you don't, you can always pre-order. :)

I offer Ann my sincere thanks - for sharing the details of her newest edition with our TeachingAuthors readers, for donating two copies for two Book Giveaways but more importantly, for writing this invaluable textbook. She makes a challenging task – i.e. writing picture books, easier.

Happy Reading and Picture Book Writing!

Esther Hershenhorn
P.S.
Thanks to A JOURNEY THROUGH THE PAGES for hosting this week’s Poetry Friday Roundup..


. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

What prompted you and Writers Digest to revise your 2009 edition of WRITING PICTURE BOOKS?

Writer’s Digest approached me about a revision, because we were approaching the ten-year
anniversary. We’ve both been thrilled with the response to the first edition and I jumped at the opportunity because so many changes have occurred in the business since the first edition. Also, I’ve learned a lot of things through my own writing and wanted to share this new knowledge with writers.

How did your revision reshape the book’s organization as well as content? What additions and/or enhancements can the reader expect to find? What subtractions might they miss?

The organization remains the same but with additional chapters—on basic plots, page turns, finding an agent, the business of publishing. In addition, all book examples were replaced with books published within the last ten years. I also rewrote all the examples and quizzes so that writers who might have read the first book, would have additional illustrations of concepts to help solidify their knowledge. The one thing you won’t find in the new edition of the story is the No-no’s in a Manuscript Quiz. There simply wasn’t room. But I also did write a new one and will post it on my web-site after the book comes out.

IMHO: WRITING PICTURE BOOKS is the #1 go-to text on how to write a picture book. I’ve used it with my students and writers since 2009.  Can you share a few glowing responses, a few Fan Letters you’ve received from writers who learned and honed their craft via this book? 

Oh, darn! I should have saved some fan letters, but sadly I have not. I can tell you that periodically people e-mail me about how the book has helped them, how they’ve done the exercises, and sometimes even sold a book. I LOVE getting those notes and probably should have saved some of them. I do respond to each one, but, unfortunately, I have a niece who is a professional organizer and she has taught me to purge, purge, purge! I’m grateful though to anyone who writes—the truth is that a positive letter makes my day and spurs me to keep writing. So please don’t be shy. Let me know how my book has impacted you.

You noted in your 2009 edition that you wrote WRITING PICTURE BOOKS in memory of the unforgettable Sue Alexander and that a portion of the proceeds of this book would help fund the SCBWI Barbara Karlin Runner-Up Grant.  How has this support “recognized and encouraged the work of aspiring picture book writers” and how will it continue?

I’ve spoken to many recipients of this award and they all say how much it boosted their self-confidence and sometimes even led to publication. It was a pleasure to be able to support picture book writers.

In honor of the publication of this new edition, Writer’s Digest Books and I are establishing through SCBWI the Ann Whitford Paul-Writer’s Digest Most Promising Picture Book Grant of $1,000 to be awarded yearly.
After judging non-specific genre children’s books contests, it became obvious to me that picture book manuscripts were easily ignored. I think the prejudice that short must be simple to write is responsible for that. Writing picture books with their focus, brevity and lyrical prose can be terribly difficult. I struggle sometimes for years to get my stories right. I wanted to recognize that struggle and honor those who write these short, but challenging, manuscripts.

Can you share news of the latest Ann Paul picture books?

 The same year that the first Writing Picture Books came out, so did another book of mine titled IF ANIMALS KISSED GOOD NIGHT. Its sales were good, not spectacular, but still I was surprised when FSG took it out-of-print. Then much to my even bigger surprise, they republished it as a board book with a new cover. The sales sky-rocketed. And then, the publisher asked me to do another IF ANIMALS SAID I LOVE YOU and IF ANIMALS CELEBRATED CHRISTMAS. And next year there will be a fourth IF ANIMALS WENT TO SCHOOL. So I’ve been busy with these.

Finally, picture books do indeed do important work.  Today’s picture books bring so much to the page: diversity, social justice, activism, gender equality.  Yet there still remain bedtime stories, tales of forever maternal love, first-day-of-school titles, just to name a few.  What is your take on the important work this format does and why sales of picture books are again on the rise?

I LOVE this question! I came to writing picture books after years of bed-and-nap time reading to my children. In our too-busy world, those quiet times, sitting skin-to-skin reading together, were a gift to all involved. Adult and child alike were fully committed, focused on the same thing. We shared the tactile experience of the smooth pages, the quiet whoosh of the page turns, the bright visuals and of course, the words, the glorious musical words. No wonder sales of picture books are on the rise! We need those moments of togetherness more than ever.

Picture books are the first introduction for children to reading. They are enticed in by the pictures. The words sneak up on them and suddenly, they are saying them along with us and even pointing specific words out. Studies show that children who are read to come to elementary school well ahead of those who haven’t had those experiences.

Our books let children know they’re not alone when dealing with a bully, that other parents divorce, too, and that there are places in the world where people live differently. When they develop empathy for the characters in our books, they can translate this to real lives.

But it isn’t enough to write just any old book. If our words aren’t compelling and lyrical and tell a powerful story, children’s interest in reading will wither and die. We are the first step on the road to becoming a life-time reader who can discern fact from fiction, and that is an awesome responsibility.
               
                                                                    * * *

So, readers, to enter our drawing for a chance to win your very own copy of Ann Whitford Paul’s 2018 edition of WRITING PICTURE BOOKS (Writer’s Digest), use the Rafflecopter widget below.  You may enter via 1, 2, or 3 options.
If you choose option 2, you MUST leave a comment on TODAY’S blog pose below or on our TeachingAuthors Facebook page, sharing your Favorite Picture Book published between 2009 and 2018.

(If you prefer, you may submit your comment via email to: teachingauthors [at} gmail [dot] com.)

Email subscribers: if you received this post via email, you can click on the Rafflecopter link at the end of this message to access the entry form.

NOTE: if you submit your comments via email or Facebook, YOU MUST STILL ENTER THE DRAWING VIA THE WIDGET BELOW.  The Giveaway ends November 8 and is open to U.S. residents only.

P.S. If you’ve never entered a Rafflecopter Giveaway, here’s info on how to enter a Rafflecopter Giveaway - and the difference between signing in with Facebook vs. with an email address.

Remember: there will be TWO lucky winners!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

1 Poem I Wrote When I Was Young(er)--and Happy Poetry Friday!

.
Howdy Campers!  Happy National Dog Day on August 26, happy book birthday to a new and marvelous poetry resource, A POETRY FRIDAY POWER BOOK PET CRAZY By Sylvia Vardel and Janet Wong. (more on this book soon)....and happy Poetry Friday! The link to PF is below.

I'm in Kauai, and the other day we went on a glorious red-dirt tropical jungle hike, and within an hour, the heavens opened, pouring bathtubs of water on us for over an hour!  The upshot was a hilariously red-mud, slippery and stunning hike...and a drenched cell phone which lingered in a coma in a bag a rice for 24 hours, was transferred to the ICU of dehumidifying crystals, and died a sad death yesterday morning.

Which is a long way of saying that the universe did me a favor by ripping my cell phone out of my grip but also messing with me, my brain, my calendar and the fact that it is my turn to post today--oops!

None of my photos from the hike survived to float up to the cloud, so here's a picture I took of a bumpersticker the day before our hike for your amusement:

I'm the last to post on our topic along the lines of What I Wrote When I Was Young (scroll below for what I'm sure are magnificent posts by my fellow bloggettes--I haven't read them yet)

I've decided to offer you a poem I wrote it on this date seven years ago, when I was five months into my first year of writing a poem a day.

Enjoy!

I LIKE SUMMER IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER
by April Halprin Wayland

I like summer

when Eli is chewing his old bone

which hasn’t had meat on it for forever

and it is a gnawing chewing crunchy sound

and I just mixed yogurt and honey and pecans together which is

deeply delicious

I like the summer

when Mom opens the roof of our old car

and we zoom down the road with all the windows down

and my job is to watch Eli to make sure

he’s only putting his head out of the window

and not trying to hang his whole body out.

I like summer

when shoes are optional and I opt no

and the breeze is good on my shoulders

and the cement is hot on the bottoms of my feet

and we get to go to the thrift store after all the errands

and I can buy anything I want for three dollars

and I pick the little red boat with a real sail

I like summer

when Dad puts one leg on the arm of our old couch

and he’s reading a mystery novel

and its night and you can hear the crickets outside

because the door is open

and Mom and I are playing Scrabble

and I have all the letters for SUMMERY

and the first M and the Y are on triple letter squares.

I like summer

because my breathing gets slower

and we don’t have to go anywhere

and we walk the dog without shoes

and a postcard comes from my friend who lives on a sail boat

and I am almost there with him, swimming with the dolphins

and I am also here in our backyard, barefoot

eating a deeply delicious grape.

poem (c)April Halprin Wayland. All rights reserved

Thank you, Jone for hosting at Check It Out!

posted with sun on my shoulders by April Halprin Wayland

Summer Scheduling (with a Few Distractions)

Summer Scheduling

Today is a good day for writing,
with my morning and afternoon free.
I’ll bring my pen and my notebook
to the backyard beneath a tree.

But first, I’ll just water the garden,
walk the dog around the block,
hang some laundry to dry in the sunshine,
find a spot for a meaningful rock.

I’ll fill up the empty bird feeders,
move the trellis where roses can climb,
check the milkweed for signs of monarchs—
oh, my goodness! Just look at the time!

JoAnn Early Macken

a bit of our backyard milkweed

I’m tickled that the tree in our backyard has grown enough to shade most of the yard, that the weather has been pleasant enough to make me want to spend most of my available time outside, and that I have such good company. Although I can be distracted by monarchs, the dog, or a hummingbird, I’m happy to say that most days are not like the one I’ve described in this poem!

Rosy on the glider

Be sure to see Carmela’s latest post for details about her Cover Release Giveaway! It’s not too late to sign up for her Creativity Newsletter and join the fun!


Today’s Poetry Friday Roundup is at Carol's Corner. Enjoy!

JoAnn Early Macken

Roses are red, violets are blue…

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

I ♥ choosing words.

Such magic!

Who knew?

With Cupid dominating February’s beginning weeks, we TeachingAuthors this time around are appropriately sharing what we love about writing.

April loves the Writerly Peeps who keep her writing.

Bobbi loves the fully-dimensional villains who wreak havoc with their heroes. 

JoAnn loves the Magic the act of writing creates.

For Carmela, slipping into the "skin of story" fills her with joy.

For Carla, research wins her heart.

Were I writing a List Poem entitled “All I Love About Writing,” each of my fellow TA’s above loves would claim a line.

I’d also include:

·       that delicious flow that envelopes me once all parts of me are engaged in the writing process, allowing me to get lost, and even better, somehow found;

·       the characters who tell me their stories, many of whom have yet to live in others’ hearts but certainly hold a place in mine - Lissy, Yitsy, Leo, Moses, that troop of orphans from the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition;

·       the young writers and readers I’ve come to know;

·       and my “storied treasures” whom I teach and coach.

Writing – the learning, the honing, the process, the craft, and writing within the Children’s Book World, continue to gift me on a daily basis.

What I love the most, though, is the choosing of words.

Words that “lingered in my fingers,” as JoAnn so poetically put it, or “that poured from my pen.”

Words, that when ordered, help me speak my heart.

I did not know when I first began writing for children in earnest how writing would help me uncover my voice, that first person singular pronoun “I.”

How writing would help me recover that voice.

How writing would then help me discover my story.

There are all those words tumbling out, to be turned and twisted, held this way and that, pushed here, pushed there, ’til in time they find their rightful place.

Miraculously, what was once inside me – in my head, in my gut, in my heart, beneath my skin, slowly, bravely, makes its way out and onto the paper.

And if I’m lucky, into the World.

Think the prefix “ex” in what we do when we write – i.e. “express,” i.e. “press out.”

As I remind Young Writers in S IS FOR STORY, 

“You choose the words.  You wave the wand.  You make the magic.”

Here’s to writing and all it brings us!

Esther Hershenhorn

p.s.

Remember to check out the ongoing 30-Day Boost Your Productivity Challenge to make sure you’re maximizing your writing time.

The Joy of Writing

In honor of Valentine's Day, the TeachingAuthors team has been blogging about love--not romantic love, but the love that fuels our writing. Since today is Poetry Friday, I considered composing a personal "Ode to Writing." But I'm short on time, so I'll be sharing an excerpt from Wisława Szymborska's "The Joy of Writing" instead. You'll find a link to this week's Poetry Friday round-up at the end of this post, along with some information about updates to our website. If you have a child or student who likes to write poetry, you'll be especially interested in a new link I've added.

I often hear my students complain, "Writing is hard!" No doubt, parts of it can be. And, being human, we tend to focus on the negative. However, research shows that being happy in our work can help us to be more productive.

If you've been following this blog, you know I'm in the midst of a "30-Day Boost Your Writing Productivity Challenge," so this topic fits right into my efforts to increase my personal productivity. (For my 10-day progress report, see this blog post.)

So what part of writing do I love most? It's immersing myself in a fictional world. As Jane Yolen says in "Take Joy: A Writer's Guide to Loving the Craft" (Writer's Digest Books) :

"Writing takes us into another, brighter, deeper, more engaging world than the world we actually live in."

Reading often does the same thing, but when I write, the world is my creation. For me, that act of creation is often a spiritual process. As Yolen says a little later in Take Joy:

"The writer in the midst of writing, like the penitent in the midst of prayer--finds the self falling away. Or getting out of the way. Only when we slip out of our writer bodies do we truly don the skin of story."

I love slipping into the "skin of story." I can easily spend hours there. In fact, I get so immersed in the process that I have to set a timer to remind myself to stop for lunch, appointments, etc. The fictional world becomes that real to me. And while I'm living in it, my heart is filled with joy.

While working on this blog post, I suddenly remembered the wonderful poem "The Joy of Writing" by Nobel Laureate and Polish poet Wisława Szymborska. I was tempted to reproduce the entire poem here--it's not that long. However, I worry that might be copyright infringement. So I've copied only the opening stanza below. You can find the rest of the poem, and an interesting commentary on it, at Storyacious magazine.

          excerpt from The Joy of Writing

Why does this written doe bound through these written woods?
For a drink of written water from a spring
whose surface will xerox her soft muzzle?
Why does she lift her head; does she hear something?
Perched on four slim legs borrowed from the truth,
she pricks up her ears beneath my fingertips.
Silence – this word also rustles across the page
and parts the boughs
that have sprouted from the word “woods.” . . .

by Wislawa Szymborska, Translated by S Barańczak  & C. Cavanagh
© Wislawa Szymborska, S. Barańczak & C. Cavanagh

As promised, here's the link to today's Poetry Friday round-up at Kimberley Moran's blog, Written Reflections.

If you're reading this post on our website, you may have noticed that I've revised the sidebar to include the cover of a brand new TeachingAuthors picture book to be released soon, as well as a link for readers to "like" our page on Facebook.

I've also added links to some new opportunities on our Young Writers page. If you know any writers under the age of sixteen who write poetry, you may want to consider submitting their work for inclusion in the Rattle Young Poets Anthology. Poems must be submitted by a parent/legal guardian or teacher. Submission deadline: June 15, 2016.

Remember to "Take Joy" in your writing!
Carmela

One Thing I LOVE About Writing

Sometimes when I put my purple Pentel pen to a page in a spiral notebook, something happens that’s greater than the sum of its parts. A chemical reaction. Fusion. Synergy. Okay, call it Magic. Thoughts pour out that I’m not even aware of thinking.

That’s my favorite thing about writing.

Long ago, in a lecture at Vermont College of Fine Arts, Ron Koertge told us about someone who called himself an amanuensis to the air. An amanuensis is someone who takes dictation. I love that concept! I don’t remember who that inspired writer was, but I thought about him when I wrote this poem.

Staring Out the Window 

I’m staring out the window,
but I don’t see a thing.
I’m searching for that fresh perspective
staring seems to bring. 

I hear a quiet whisper
right into my ear.
I feel that welcome tingle.
A new idea’s here! 

It circles round inside me,
from mind to heart and then
it lingers in my fingers, and
it pours out from my pen.

I’m the third Teaching Author to address this February Valentine-themed topic of One Thing I Love About Writing. April started us off with a tribute to those writerly peeps who support us and tell us the truth. I am all in on that subject—in fact, I think I might have chosen it if I had gone first.

Bobbi sang the praises of villains in a post that made me look at bad guys in a different way. I love when that happens!

Don’t forget about our 30-Day Boost Your Productivity Challenge. More details are here. Procrastinators like me can start any time. Please join us!

Today’s Poetry Friday Roundup is at The Miss Rumphius Effect. Enjoy!

JoAnn Early Macken

Searching for The Answer: Online “Clippings”

I enjoyed reading Esther’s, Laura’s, and Jill’s posts about their clipping habits. Although I listen to Public Radio in the car and follow the news online and on TV, I rarely read newspapers or magazines. Instead of clipping paper, I keep too many tabs open in my browser. I periodically devote an hour or two to skimming, bookmarking, and adding links to don't-forget-to-read-later lists until I reduce the number to something more manageable.

This actually appeared on my computer screen once:



It’s a bit much, isn’t it? I know. I don’t want to miss anything.

Today’s post is a look at some of the many tabs currently open in my browser. Here are the latest I couldn’t resist but haven’t yet made time to explore fully:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art Releases 400,000 Images Online for Non-Commercial Use by Christopher Jobson on May 20, 2014:
The Metropolitan Museum of Art has released a vast archive of 400,000 (mostly) hi-resolution digital images online that you can download and use for non-commercial purposes.

Make Way for Monarchs: a June 6 research symposium at the Chicago Botanic Garden. I’m registered! Several varieties of milkweed grow in our backyard, I've raised monarchs there for the past four summers, and I plan to do it again this year. Last fall, my husband and I collected milkweed seeds and scattered them in hospitable locations all over the city. I've already started seeds in pots to give away, and I'm revising a monarch manuscript. I can’t wait to soak up everything I can at this meeting--I'm hoping for an on-the-brink-of-disaster recovery.

Never, Ever Give Up: Long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad's TED Talk about motivation, sent by my sister Eileen, who knows I need it!

Nonfiction in Picture Books: A Panel Discussion by Matia Burnett, May 08, 2014

Today’s Poetry Friday Roundup

These topics might seem random, but they are all parts of a big picture that includes everything from research for current projects to random things I’m curious about. I can never know all there is to know, but I’m always searching. I start by collecting everything I can, trying my darnedest to gather every last snippet of information.

Then I narrow it down to what’s usable, eliminate redundancies, and focus, hoping to locate that one magic nugget.

Framed above my computer is a birthday card from my sister Judy with a Gertrude Stein quote:

There ain’t no answer.
There ain’t going to be any answer.
There never has been an answer.
That’s the answer.

I may never have The Answer, but I won't stop looking.

JoAnn Early Macken