Your Words Matter

Somewhere in my basement sits a box containing a faded grade-school project asking the age-old question: what do you want to be when you grow up? The girl whose two favorite book series were, not coincidentally, both about girls who were aspiring authors (the Betsy-Tacy series by Maud Hart Lovelace, and the Anne of Green … Continue reading Your Words Matter

Writing Prompt: Behind the Mask

Use the image as a starting point. What's the story behind this picture? Write a poem inspired by the image. Write about a time you were in costume. What was the occasion? People often wear masks, whether literal or figurative. Examine your characters. What masks do they hide behind? What secrets or insecurities are they … Continue reading Writing Prompt: Behind the Mask

Writing Prompt: Dear Diary

Write a diary entry on behalf of one of your characters. Is it an ordinary day? A momentous occasion? Explore a glimpse of their thoughts and personality through the pages of their diary. When did you start to realize that you liked to write? What was the first thing you remember writing? Write about your … Continue reading Writing Prompt: Dear Diary

Writing Prompt: Rainy Day

Write about a rainy day. How does rain change your environment? Describe the rain with as precise and vivid language as you can. Use the image as a starting point. What is happening in this scene? Imagine you are experiencing rain for the first time. Write about the encounter. What do you notice? Write about … Continue reading Writing Prompt: Rainy Day

See Like Your Heroes

"You don’t want to look like your heroes - you want to see like your heroes." -Austin Kleon Read. Extensively. Broadly. Deeply. That’s the first piece of advice given to writers. It’s tied with that other great piece of writing advice: write. But why do writers need to read? Usually this advice is dispensed in … Continue reading See Like Your Heroes