A Lesson in Showing Versus Telling
Last week I started teaching the spring course in Childrens Literature for grad students in the MFA in Creative Writing and Literature at Stony Brook Southampton. We spent the first class discussing the many formats of children’s lit, and began our picture book study (we’ll move on to chapter books, middle grade and YA fiction [...]
The End of Publishing… Again.
Early this week I had the pleasure of interviewing veteran literary agent and children’s book expert George Nicholson for the Children’s Book Hub. George reminisced about the time when it was thought that paperbacks would ruin the publishing industry, by bringing about the demise of hardcover trade and library books. This sentiment was so widespread [...]
Ideas on the Go
I’ve been honing my Story Radar, and have found the holiday season to be more abundant than ever with respect to prompting ideas. The problem is, most of them come to me when I’m on the fly… and if I don’t document them immediately, by the time I get home they’ve gone. So I’ve been [...]
Who Can Help Me Tell This Story?
This week I had the joy of interviewing my friend and picture book hero, Peter H. Reynolds, for the Children’s Book Hub. As usual, Peter said a million inspiring things and shared a number of jewels about writing. Among them was a reference to his own writing process that set off lightbulbs in my head. [...]
Voice Exercises
As every singer knows, exercises that strengthen and warm up the vocal cords are essential in order to sing well. Painters do studies, and dancers stretch. But what about writers? This Fall, I’ve been taking a workshop entitled “Imagining What You Know” with the incomparable Roger Rosenblatt. Each week, Roger has given us a new [...]
Chekhov, the Picture Book Author
Michael Chekhov – nephew of playwright Anton Chekhov - was an esteemed Russian-American actor, director and acting teacher. Among those who studied with him were Gary Cooper, Marilyn Monroe, Gregory Peck, Clint Eastwood, Anthony Quinn, Ingrid Bergman, Jack Palance, Lloyd Bridges, and Yul Brynner. Constantin Stanislavski, with whom Chekhov collaborated at the Moscow Art Theatre, referred [...]
Just Start
The summer before last, I became a student in the Southampton MFA in Creative Writing and Literature program where I am also a faculty member. (I know, it’s a little crazy, but it’s actually great.) Since then I’ve had the good fortune to take courses with such gifted writers and teachers and Billy Collins, Jules [...]
Illusions of Progress
One more gift from Peter H. Reynold’s workshop last summer: I.O.P, or “Illusions of Progress.” Now, for some this may have a negative connotation. An illusion of progress, as opposed to the real thing… could sound like busywork. But it’s Peter’s view (and I agree) that I.O.P. can be a great motivator. Look! I already [...]
Story Radar
Here’s another jewel I picked up from Peter H. Reynolds’ workshop last summer: “Story Radar.” This is a term Peter uses for the technique of always being on the alert for ideas and inspiration. An expression, a character, an event, a question, an image – anything can ‘wave’ to you on any given day as [...]
Books Not Yet in Print
I’ve been taking a break from blogging the past month or two, but it’s time to get back to it! And what better way to begin than by sharing some of the pearls of wisdom I picked up from last summer Southampton Childrens’ Literature conference? I had the great honor of sitting in on Peter [...]
