Our job as writers is to create believable and entertaining stories for our readers. This is true whether you’re writing for children or adults. Details about the setting — location, time period, and everything that goes with it — are what make the story realistic. Research is part of the process. Writers need a clear picture in their minds to build their imaginary worlds. The trick is knowing how much information to include without [...]
Short stories offer the opportunity to practice the craft of writing. They don’t take months or years to complete, and the sense of accomplishment once you finish is satisfying. Short stories also provide a chance to explore genres you might not otherwise try. Here are some tips if you would like to write your own: Figure out the basic plot. Short stories are usually 3,500 words or less, so you’ll need to make every [...]
When kids are young, they are excited about books. Many even want to be authors when they grow up. I always chuckle during school visits when I ask the question, “Who wants to be an author when you grow up?” Inevitably, every hand goes up in the kindergarten and first-grade groups. As the grade number goes up, the hand numbers go down. Middle-schoolers rarely have ambitions to become an author. Sometimes that also means they [...]
