Learning to Write Short
Whether you’ve tried writing a picture book, poem, or short story, you know that writing short is difficult. Use these tips to learn how to write short.
Prewriting: Preparing for Success
Prewriting can help you avoid writing blocks when you’re in the middle of writing your story. Here are three different ways to prewrite before you begin.
Five Tips for Writing Success
We won’t all write a global bestseller, but if your idea of success is being published regularly & making an income, these 5 tips will lead to writing success.
Five Common Character Motivations of Value to Writers
What motivates young characters to do what they do in our stories? Author Jan Fields shares the top five character motivations for children’s stories.
Change, The One Constant
How do artists make strides in their projects? Jan Fields shares what she’s observed about artists in other mediums and how we can apply it to writing.
Help! I’m Stuck!
All authors, whether pre-published or professional, get stuck sometimes. Here are five tips for pulling yourself out of the rut when you have writer’s block.
Four Tips for Building a Successful Mystery
Are you looking to understand how to write a successful mystery story? Then, dive in to learn about the Four Tips for Building a Successful Mystery.
Begin As You Hope to Continue
Revising your beginning is always one of the steps in turning your story from a rough draft into a finished piece. Here are 3 things a strong opening will have.
Can Lack of Research Kill a Writer?
Young readers may take our books and articles at face value and believe them to be true. That means proper research is important in any writing for children.
Picture Books: Sound, Story, and Emotion
Being good at writing picture books means doing three things well: sound, story, and emotion. Here’s why these are essential in your next picture book draft.
What Rejection Really Means
All writers face rejection. The key is to realize it isn’t personal. Here’s how to use the takeaways from your recent rejections to improve your writing.
Time Management Tips When You Have No Time to Manage
How do people manage to fit in a busy life, work activities, AND writing? Let’s look at 7 time management tips to help you fit writing into your busy day.
Avoiding the LONG Short Cuts
New publishing opportunities pop up and make it seem like a writer has found a short cut to getting their book published. Beware of the long short cut.
3 Keys to Good Kid Nonfiction
Good kid nonfiction comes down to three key elements: focus, vitality, and appeal. Learn how you can incorporate them into your next article or manuscript.
Writing Rewards and Challenges
If you’re getting the blues about your long term writing goal, consider taking a small break and doing a piece that will give you a writing reward!
Being Open to Surprises (Don’t Slam the Door on Possibility)
Many of us begin our writing journey with a firm vision of exactly what we want to write but don’t close yourself to surprises along your writing journey!
Personal Inventory Quiz: What Kind of Writing Do You Like ?
The writing world offers so many options. Finding the exact right spot can come from self-analysis and exploration. Answer these questions to see where you fit!
In My Day (How I Started Writing)
Your writing journey may be different from Jan Fields’ and it might not have any snow on the way to the mailbox, but it’s the right path for you. Keep going!
What’s Your Motivation?
To understand how best to plan for your writing adventure and keep going during the tough times, look inward and ask yourself: What’s my motivation?
Two-Layered Writing
Children’s writing has a dual nature—an objective story. what happens, and a subjective story, the emotion of the story. Today, we discuss how to include both!
