Blogs

Have you ever wondered how the authors gave life to the interesting people who populate your favorite books? They practically jump off the pages and into our lives, inspiring affection and curiosity about their backstories. Every well-known hero or villain has an equally interesting backstory. Today, we learn how to learn more about the backstory …

Exposing the Hidden Backstories–Where Did These Characters Come From Anyway? Read More »

The written word has traditionally been considered the most important tool for storytellers to employ. However, there is a subset of artists whose work transcends linguistic barriers. These picture book authors have a special talent for using vivid images to attract readers and evoke emotional responses. We set out today to learn about the wonderful …

When an Author Is Also an Artist:  The Visual Writer Read More »

Do you frequently lose track of time while fantasizing about all the possibilities? Do you daydream about faraway places, unbelievable adventures, and exceptional people? My friend, you have a huge imagination; congratulations! Your colorful inner world has limitless possibilities in a universe where imagination is valued beyond all else. Today, let’s walk on the pathway …

What to Do with A Big Imagination? Read More »

A typical piece of advice in the field of storytelling is to “write what you know.” But what if you want to write about something that you don’t have command of? You have to write on a topic that’s new to you. Well, for that reason, the internet is a window to the world, a …

How does The Internet help Create When You Are Not Writing What You Know? Read More »

Do as the character Najid did when he was courting Elizabeth, make a Persian Love Cake for the one whose heart you wish to capture.  (Or just make it for the ones you already love). Once upon a time in Persia, an ordinary young woman fell in love with a prince. To win his heart, …

Persian Love Cake: one bite of this spicy, sweet cake, and the person served a piece of the cake will fall in love.  Read More »

As a writer with a big imagination I am always creating a situation, characters, or a plot.  I sometimes hear a beginning sentence in my head and watch a scene unfold.  Then it expands, or disappears.  If I forget to write it down, unlike Margaret Atwood, the whole possibility for a story can go away.  …

What to do with a Big Imagination? Read More »

A typical piece of advice in the field of storytelling is to:  “Write What You Know.” But what if you want to write about something you don’t have true knowledge of?  What if your characters, like Pink Paisley Scarf’s Persian character, Najid, or MaeAnn, with her family who speaks Tagalog, are from cultures you know …

When You are not Writing What you Know: How the Internet Helps. Read More »