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

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

Writing Prompt: Lighthouse

Write a story or scene that takes place in or around a lighthouse. Use the image as a starting point. Describe the place and the moment. Utilize as many senses as you can. Reach for strong, vivid language to help your reader experience the scene. Use the elements of the scene (whether lighthouse, boat, ocean, … Continue reading Writing Prompt: Lighthouse