Dear Writers, Let’s start this new year with three quotes from Thick Nhat Hanh: There is no way to happiness – happiness is the way. Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy. The most precious gift we can offer others is our…
Sarah Aronson
The Power of Words
Dear Writers, Yesterday, on Twitter, I recommended reading @thelivbits’s recent post on words that define the year. I love Liv!!! She gives me ALL THE FEELS. I also love her mission and her drive. Also: I love challenges like this. I like thinking this way. I like seeing what other people write. After reading her…
Character Building Exercises: from NCTE2017, Our Mighty Girls Panel
Hi Writers and Teachers! Character is the foundation of story! The following exercises can help you understand all your characters–from the POV character to the antagonist and ally–all from the inside out! Please feel free to share with friends! And let us know if they work for you! WHO ARE YOU? Divide participants into pairs….
Getting to know your novel
Dear Writers, Are you working on a novel? Need some motivation to kickstart your revision? Or perhaps a new way to think about revision–or what I call reimagination? Or are you simply tired of going it alone? Registration is open for Getting To Know Your Novel at the Highlights Foundation. Here’s what makes this class…
We have a winner!
Thank you SO MUCH for all the enthusiasm for The Wish List 2: Keep Calm and Sparkle On! As a person who has NEVER WON ANYTHING EVER (except one game of negative Bingo–in other words: I was the last person to put a tile on my board), picking the winner for a giveaway: a) is…
Keep Calm and Sparkle On–ARC give-way!
Hi Friends– If you know me, you know I love to celebrate every writing milestone! This week, my wonderful editor sent me ARCs for Book Two of The Wish List series! Since they arrived on International Day of the Girl, I thought it would be fun to give away some books with GIRL POWER! But…
My High Holidays goal: Write what matters. Put creativity first.
Dear Writers, Teachers, and Friends, During these nine days of Awe, as the heat has (finally) broken, I’ve thought a lot about my goals for this year. I’ve thought about new stories. Talking to readers. Making a difference. Working with writers. I am lucky. But I am also troubled. Mostly, for creativity. For play. For…
Share the sparkle!!!
Want to be a fairy godmother or godfather? There is NOTHING more gratifying than helping someone else. Inspired by the 2017-18 PLANNING TO CHANGE THE WORLD plan book, here are ten easy ways to bring social action to your class or family! Sparkle On!!!!!
You CAN go home again!
They say you can’t go home again. But on August 21, that’s exactly what I’m going to do! Here’s the scoop: Do you have a wish for your story? The magic you need to make your wish come true could be waiting for you at our WISH UPON A STORY event. Join us at the Bethlehem…
Kindness 101
Going to NerdCamp was like getting a crash course in Kindness 101. Since I came home, I’ve been thinking about what I learned–what kindness means–in the real world and for all of us, as we draft and write stories for young people. In this post, I want to think about this goal in order to enrich our lives,…