2 days agoCliffhangersBy request, we looked at cliffhangers in Story Club, my young writers’ group. As readers, we discussed dislike for cliffhangers! We can lose sleep over a story that keeps us that engaged. And when one is called into dinner just after reading a fraught-with-tension end-of-chapter, it can be frustrating. As…Cliffhanger3 min readCliffhanger3 min read
May 19Plot TwistsIn this week’s Story Club, my young writers’ workshop, we looked at Plot Twists. How can we surprise the reader? Can we hide the truth and then uncover it in an ‘aha’ moment? I enjoyed the film City of Ember, which is based on a book. What amazing plot twists…Plot Twist4 min readPlot Twist4 min read
May 15Book Review — Skandar and the Unicorn ThiefI recently read this high-action, creative tale of element powers, misbehaving unicorns, and young riders with heart. In Skandar and the Unicorn Thief, the first book in the Skandar series by A.F. Steadman, Skandar is a thirteen year old who has always longed to be a unicorn rider. He hero-worships…Book Review2 min readBook Review2 min read
May 6Twists on TalesIn this week’s Story Club, my young writers’ workshop, we looked at tales with a twist. Putting a spin on a well known story or character can draw our readers in. We may want to tell a humorous tale, like Sherlock Bones (dog detective) by Tim Collins. …Creative Writing2 min readCreative Writing2 min read
Apr 21Themes in StoriesThis week’s Story Club, my workshop for young writers, had the theme of … themes. What are the overarching themes of our story? Love, loss, friendship, moving to a new town, family are big ones in young (and older fiction). Knowing the themes we wish to write about helps us…Themes2 min readThemes2 min read
Apr 5Character MoodsThis week at Story Club, my young writers’ workshop, we looked at moods. Which moods do our characters tend to be in? How do they look, speak and act differently in these moods? Portraying characters in different moods can help bring our characters to life. We thought about Elsa in…Creative Writing2 min readCreative Writing2 min read
Mar 28Book Review — The Girl Who Broke the SeaI haven’t posted a book review in awhile, and was inspired to by this moody and enchanting YA novel by A. Conners. There was much I loved. The setting is unique and exciting — a deep sea rig that’s patched up like an old ship with plenty of duct tape…Book Review2 min readBook Review2 min read
Mar 23The Inciting IncidentAt this week’s Story Club, my workshop for young writers, we looked at the inciting incident, also known as the call to adventure, the catalyst. Known by many names, we discussed this initiatory spark that starts off the story action. Whether it be a gentle ‘spark’, for example a letter…Creative Writing2 min readCreative Writing2 min read
Mar 8Dynamic WritingScribbling scribes gathered gleefully at Story Club. At my young writers’ workshop we wondered — how can we make our writing more alive? The sounds of words, the cadence and rhythm in our writing, convey covert pleasures to the reader. We looked at writing tools which can bring a sing-song…Creative Writing3 min readCreative Writing3 min read
Feb 22Writing Tips — ClimaxThe high point of tension. The face-off between protagonist and antagonist. The summit of a ‘story mountain’. We began this week’s Story Club by thinking about times we ourselves felt tension in our lives. This helped us tap into our feelings and bring them into the climax of our stories. …Creative Writing2 min readCreative Writing2 min read