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Not That Story Again!

by Jenn Stefaniak

Published March 20, 2014

Five Simple Tips for Revising

by Jenn Stefaniak

Published March 14, 2014

Everybody Is Different: Varied Characters Make For Believable Characters

by Gerry Mandel

Published March 10, 2014

Art Inspired Writing

by Jenn Stefaniak

Published March 7, 2014

“But I can’t think of anything to write about,” my kids cry as an excuse for daydreaming out the window. Then in an attempt to divert their attention from the window or to prevent a breakdown, I end up struggling along...

Book Review: “Models for Teaching Writing-craft Target Skills” by Freeman and Koehler

by Jenn Stefaniak

Published March 1, 2014

No doubt about it, reading positively affects writing; however, educators often struggle with how to integrate the former into writing instruction. Freeman and Koehler seek to meet that need with Models for Teaching Writing-craft Target...

Words of Wonder

by Jenn Stefaniak

Published February 24, 2014

It never fails. Whenever I visit my mother for a few days, I make my way to the basement bookcases. A bouquet of old stain, pine and mildewed pages welcomes me as I peruse my...

Teach Writing with Focused Reading

by Jenn Stefaniak

Published February 17, 2014

Talent Is Overrated: Teaching the Three Rs of Great Writers

by Jenn Stefaniak

Published February 9, 2014

When we think of writers who have left their names etched in history, such as Robert Frost or J.K. Rowling, two words that come to mind are talented, unique, and we lift them up on...

Rich or Poor?

by Gerry Mandel

Published January 9, 2014

Realistic Storytelling

by Gerry Mandel

Published November 11, 2013

Not That Story Again!

Post Published March 20, 2014 by Jenn Stefaniak

I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get tired of reading the same old stories, with the same old archetypal characters and plots. The predictability of story lines is the reason I stopped reading Fantasy novels a couple of years ago. Oh, I’m sure I’ll return to my favorite authors, especially once that fifth book is released, for which I’ve been waiting three long years.

Five Simple Tips for Revising

Post Published March 14, 2014 by Jenn Stefaniak

Let’s face it. Writing is fun. It’s the revising we avoid. When we first write, our pen goes wherever our ideas lead; we create characters and situations, mold them and direct them at will. Then we sit back, marinating in the satisfaction of our finished work. Enter the dreaded voice of revision, whose sole purpose is to highlight all that stinks about our wonderful composition.

Everybody Is Different: Varied Characters Make For Believable Characters

Post Published March 10, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

No two people are alike. For that matter, no two animals are alike either! One mark of a great story is believable characters, each with his or her own distinct personality and habits. Author Kaley Birchfield is only eleven years old. Her story, “A Home for Barney” (the featured story from our March/April 2014 issue), is only six pages long.

Art Inspired Writing

Post Published March 7, 2014 by Jenn Stefaniak

Book Review: “Models for Teaching Writing-craft Target Skills” by Freeman and Koehler

Post Published March 1, 2014 by Jenn Stefaniak

Words of Wonder

Post Published February 24, 2014 by Jenn Stefaniak

It never fails. Whenever I visit my mother for a few days, I make my way to the basement bookcases. A bouquet of old stain, pine and mildewed pages welcomes me as I peruse my fondest childhood memories that line the shelves. Each time it seems that one or two books find special notice, and most recently it was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, a hardcover, beautifully illustrated first edition ...

Teach Writing with Focused Reading

Post Published February 17, 2014 by Jenn Stefaniak

When I first started homeschooling, I spent days scouring the Internet for ideas on teaching writing, and whoa, was I hit with barrages of information. It was overwhelming for sure, but I managed to weed out some good ideas. The frustrating part was that most of what I found was just that—concepts, with little to no guidance in how to apply them at home with my children.

Talent Is Overrated: Teaching the Three Rs of Great Writers

Post Published February 9, 2014 by Jenn Stefaniak

When we think of writers who have left their names etched in history, such as Robert Frost or J.K. Rowling, two words that come to mind are talented, unique, and we lift them up on a pedestal of literary greatness. We set them apart as endowed with a gift for fashioning one-of-a-kind creations. But this idea is a myth, one that has ruined students of writing for years, including me.

Rich or Poor?

Post Published January 9, 2014 by Gerry Mandel

Sammy Westfall set her story, “More or Less” (the featured story from our January/February 2014 issue) in the Philippines, where her family lives part of the time. It’s fascinating to get a glimpse of another culture and learn some words in Tagalog, the language of the Philippines, but Sammy’s story is a timeless one that could have been set anywhere in the world.

Realistic Storytelling

Post Published November 11, 2013 by Gerry Mandel

I don't know about you, but I like the characters in the stories I read to seem like real people. Realistic characters have strengths and weaknesses, they talk in everyday language, they joke with their friends. A story can have an interesting plot, gripping suspense, life lessons, but if the characters don't seem like real people, the story is less effective.

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