by Shannon Dittemore | Nov 8, 2019 | Mailbag, Writing, Writing Life
Thank you again for responding to my Instagram plea and sending in questions. I love these quick hits! I’ve chosen four questions to answer, but please keep sending them over. There’s a form on the website here if you scroll to the bottom and we’ll...
by Jill Williamson | Nov 6, 2019 | Book Club Posts, Editing, First Drafts, Plot, Scenes and Scene Structure, Story Endings, Story Structure
Today on the Go Teen Writers Book Club, we’re discussing Chapter Ten: Twists. Chapter Recap:Mr. James says that every great story will include a twist. He doesn’t say it “should” include a twist, but that if the story is going to be great, it “will” include one. This...
by Stephanie Morrill | Nov 4, 2019 | Author Life, Grow An Author, Writing Life
If you follow me on social media, you’ve maybe noticed that I’ve shared a string of good news in the last month or two. New book contract! A book tour! The Lost Girl of Astor Street is on sale! (The ebook is currently $1.99.) This all looks very exciting....
by Shannon Dittemore | Nov 1, 2019 | Writing, Writing Exercise
I’d like to tell you a story: Once upon a Halloween night, a tiny, gloved hand reached into a cauldron full of treats. The hand swished left and the hand swished right, sending Bubble Yum and Jolly Ranchers tumbling out of its way. When it finally withdrew, it...
by Stephanie Morrill | Oct 30, 2019 | Book Club Posts
“We write both from and toward–from what has previously happened and toward the payoff for the promise we’ve made.” This was my favorite quote from the chapter, and one of my favorite takeaways from the book as a whole. Shannon did a beautiful...
by Stephanie Morrill | Oct 28, 2019 | Writing
I’m easing back into routine after being gone most of last week for a mini book tour in the county where Within These Lines takes place. I had a wonderful time connecting with the staff at Manzanar National Historic Site, speaking at a county library, and...
by Shannon Dittemore | Oct 25, 2019 | The Craft of Writing, Writing
When a reader’s eyes travel your book’s first page, they are not only reading a story, but one promise after another. Each promise crafted carefully by you, the author. Wait, what? You didn’t realize you were making promises? Oh, but you are. Story beginnings are...
by Jill Williamson | Oct 23, 2019 | Writing
Today on the Go Teen Writers Book Club, we’re discussing Chapter Eight: Emergence. Chapter Recap:Mr. James started this chapter talking about how most authors consider themselves more of an outliner or an organic writer, and that both writing styles have strengths and...
by Stephanie Morrill | Oct 21, 2019 | Writing
Hey, writers! There’s no real post today because I’m off in California on a mini book tour for Within These Lines! I’m gone most of this week, speaking at Manzanar National Historic Site, a county library, and several schools. You can follow along on...
by Shannon Dittemore | Oct 18, 2019 | Learning from Other Authors, Reading, Writing Life
I talk to authors all the time. Some of them are friends, some are acquaintances, and some are simply folks I meet at book events. For the most part, authors are easy to talk to. Primarily because, at the very least, we have two things in common: the publishing...
