On my mind this week:
Educators: I have a couple of World Read Aloud Day (Feb 7th) slots left if these times work for your classroom/library: 11.30am PST/2.30pm EST and 12pm PST/3pm EST. Email me if you’d like to grab one of them!
If you’re local I’ll be at Linden Tree Books on Feb 4th at 11am with Stephanie Wildman. Preorder her book and bring your kids along for story time to hear us both read.
We covered Writing Slumps on Kidlit Survival Guide this week and I have an in-depth look at lyrical writing coming next week for paid subscribers. You can see what we have planned the next few months here.
Do you notice delights? Read this article (NYT gift link) and let me know what delights you’ve noticed this week.
Staying with the New York Times, if you like a good research rabbit hole, their Overlooked section will keep you busy for a while!
Dear Mr. G is available at a deep discount right now on that big online store we all know but also at Barnes and Noble. But please shop your local independent store if you can (they can order it if they don’t have it in stock).
Tip of the Week
I’ve tried lots of plotting and outlining methods but I really liked trying out The Snowflake Method this week. It allows you to start with a straightforward three sentence pitch and end up with a fully fleshed outline. Because you build on each part as you go it means you have something tangible even if you don’t do every step of the process. I haven’t gone beyond step 6 yet but I already have something that helps me see where my novel is going.
I don’t know if I’ll go as far as working out what every scene will be but maybe I should seeing as I usually give up on my novels after a few chapters! Do you have a plotting method you prefer?
Happy writing,
Christine
I just spotted a delight on my way to school pickup: 3 high schoolers skipping arm in arm along the sidewalk. It just made me smile so much to see big kids doing something so little kid-like. We should all do things that make us happy and bring us back to the kid we once were.
Overlooked Snowflakes ... a delight. Thanks for the reminders. Susan