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?…
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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,…
National Picture Book Month
November is National Picture Book Month, and I thought I would contribute to the celebration with a list of ten of my favorite picture books. This is by no means…
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…
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…
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…
If Your Life to Date Were a Children’s Book…
… what would the title be? This was a question Peter H. Reynold posed to his workshop participants during last summer’s Southampton Children’s Literature Conference. Then he did something extraordinary.…
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…
The #1 Query Mistake Authors Make Today
Last week I had the pleasure of participating in WriteOn.com’s annual online writing conference for children’s book authors. I contributed blog and vlog posts, and led a live query critique…
Independent Publishing – Pros & Cons
Independent Publishing essentially has two definitions. In the commercial publishing world, independent publishers (also called “indies” or “small presses”) are small publishers that publish a limited number of books per…
