Most of us cannot get where we want to be on our own. We need to learn from others, to be challenged by others, and to be supported and encouraged by others. The same is true for writing. At first, I was too nervous to share my writing (except my hymn texts) with anyone but …
The Value of Courses, Challenges, and Community for Writers Read More »
Friend and writing colleague Emily Lim has tagged me in the Writing Process blog hop that has been making the rounds. Thank you, Emily! I know Emily through Julie Hedlund’s 12×12 and Susanna Leonard Hill’s Perfect Picture Book Friday, and now we’re both taking Emma Walton Hamilton’s Just Write For Middle Grade online/home study course. …
I re-read my January Accountability Post to see how I did in adhering to what I had set out as goals for February, and to my relief I found that I accomplished much that I intended. Usually when I do these month-end wrap-ups, I wonder what I could have accomplished if I had worked harder. …
Picture book manuscripts galore! Picture book manuscripts as far as the eye can see. When I signed up for 12×12 in 2012, hoping to write 12 picture book first drafts in 12 months, I really had no idea if I’d be able to do it. It seemed unbelievable to write that many unique drafts, while …
12 x 12 in 2012 on 12/12/12 — an End of Year Celebration! Read More »
As I continue this week-long celebration of the first year of Perfect Picture Book Fridays (PPBF), I am happy to be able to share with you all an interview with the founder of PPBF, Susanna Leonard Hill. Besides having a blog in which she encourages writers and readers with features such as PPBF, Would You …
It’s Perfect Picture Book Friday/Susanna Leonard Hill Week on By Word of Beth! On November 14, 2011, author Susanna Leonard Hill’s blog featured a post that piqued my interest (to say the least). Reviewing picture books every week? Sharing resources to help families, classes and libraries more fully utilize those picture books? I didn’t have …
November is often seen as a rather gloomy month, as autumn gives way to winter in what can be a series of dull, grey days. My mother used to quote the poem by Thomas Hood that begins “No sun — no moon — no morn — no noon” … and ends “November.” Evocative and well-written …
Every year on September 15th-ish, there is a wonderful celebration of creativity known as International Dot Day, based on the equally wonderful picture book by Peter H. Reynolds, The Dot. This year, over 500,000 — yes, over HALF A MILLION — people, mainly children in classrooms, are participating in Dot Day. Some are Skyping with …