Create a board book for that special infant or toddler on your gift list. Board books are typically concept books with a single theme: family, animals, vehicles, toys. Usually, one page will have an illustration or photo and the facing page will have limited text-sometimes a single word. With durable pages and personalized content, board books are sure to be read and reread. Choose a Recipient I’m a long-distance Grammy. To create a board book for my new grandchild, I focused on photos of family members including those of us who live in a different state. Grammy, Grandpa, and Auntie are featured on two pages each with rhyming text. I…
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How do You Name Your Character?
I like my character’s name to be compatible with the time period. For instance, if my female character was born in the 1920s I’m inclined pick the name Evelyn or Doris. But if my female character was born in the 2010’s I’m more likely to pick Emily or Madison. So how do I select a time-appropriate name? Historically Accurate When writing in a different time period, my go-to website is SSA. The social security administration has compiled the 200 most common names for girls and boys from each decade starting in the 1880s. Generally speaking, when choosing a character’s name, I pick a number before I pull up the list…
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Backstory and Info Dumps
What are backstory and info dumps? Backstory is everything that happens to set your character up to tell their story. Info dumps, on the other hand, are a writer’s attempt to tell the backstory in large chunks of print on the page. Backstory Before you begin to put words on the page, you have a vision of your character and their circumstances. How many brothers and sisters? Do they live in a city or the country? What are their secret desires? Their fears? What is it about their past that drives them toward their future? These are all elements that make up their backstory. As a writer you may want…
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Disinfect Your Desk!
Why disinfect your desk? Covid-19, of course! Let’s recap CDC guidelines: wash your hands for twenty seconds in hot soapy water; Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth; Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash; Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces. It’s this last one I want to bring to your attention today. Frequently Touched Objects Writers write. I hope you’re keeping your sanity during this Covid-19 craziness. We’ve all heard the recommendation to wash hands frequently. But think about all the things writers touch. The keyboard. Mouse. The stapler. Paper clips. Pens. Pencils. A stylus. Tablets, phones, remote controls.…
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How to Write a Thank You Note
We write thank you notes for gifts, exemplary service, and recognition. Most of us have dutifully written that thank you note or email to Aunt Nancy. Keep reading to find out what to include in your thank yous. Thank you Notes for Gifts What goes into a thoughtful thank you note? Always start with a greeting followed by naming the gift using a positive adjective and a specific detail which shows how you appreciate or how you will use the gift. Here are some examples: Dear Aunt Nancy, Thank you for the lovely flowers. They really brightened my day. Dear Aunt Nancy, Thank you for the birthday check. I will…
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Vocabulary, Building Blocks for Writers
Vocabulary is a fancy term for the words you use. Since words are the writer’s building blocks it makes sense to build a large vocabulary. So how do you do it? Building Vocabulary Vocabulary can be specific to a profession, art form, or region. For instance, to a student, the word site will probably refer to a website, but to a biologist or archaeologist it will refer to a location. Medium to an artist is the material they use to make their art, but it can also be a psychic leading a seance, a size, or the way information is transmitted. And then of course, different regions have their own…
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The Writer’s Toolbox
An analogy is a comparison used to explain something. The simplest form of analogy takes this format: word is to sentence as chapter is to book. You may have seen it expressed this way Word : sentence :: chapter : book This comparison is easy to understand because we are familiar with words in sentences, and chapters in books. Analogy Teachers often use analogies to explain complex concepts or procedures. A kindergarten teacher may compare the United States to a school building, explaining that each state is like a classroom. Every classroom has a teacher with a set of classroom rules, while states have governors and laws specific to their…
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Hoof Print in the Snow
If only I could focus reader attention the way my dog focuses on tracking a deer through the snow. Wait, maybe I can! Remove Distractions Snow blanketed the ground nearly a week ago, masking the usual smells that Dusty loves to sniff on our daily walks. Shrubs marked by other dogs, clumps of native grass flattened by sleeping deer, and bird nests of ground dwelling quail were all buried by inches of snow. So instead of stopping at every bush, tree, and possible ground nest to satisfy her olfactory senses, Dusty has taken to shoving her nose in each hoof print she passes, breathing in what I imagine is the…
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Write Your Congressman
Why write your Congressman? People write their elected representatives for a variety of reasons. In a representative democracy like the United States, your congressman acts on behalf of their constituents. Constituents include children, adults, citizens, and immigrants. Regardless of voting status, if you live in this country your congressman speaks for you. They are not mindreaders. It’s up to you to tell them what you think about the issues of the day. Succinct The most important advice for writing your congressmen: be succinct. Your Senator or Representative has thousands of constituents and likely receives hundreds of emails and letters each day. Save your detailed argument with facts, figures, graphs, and…
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What Should I Write About?
Where do you find ideas for stories? Well . . . there are plenty of places to discover something interesting or worthwhile to say. But to track them down, you have to keep informed about what’s happening in the world, brainstorm original ideas, and keep your ear to the ground for the curious, the weird, or the otherwise fascinating. Finding Something to Say Ideas for stories are everywhere. In the news, in that summer novel, in your neighbor’s backyard. Whether you’re writing fiction or nonfiction, an idea is out there waiting for you. Elizabeth Gilbert writes in Big Magic that inspiration is ripe for the writer who is open to…
