For Parents and Teachers: How to Encourage Your Reluctant Writer
When I’m talking about writing during a school visit, I ask the teachers to close their eyes so I can take a quick poll of the assembled students: How many of you love to write? [...]
Got Feedback? Here’s How to Use It
It sounds so easy, doesn’t it? You get notes on your story or poem, read them over, and then revise based on the suggestions you’ve received. Just like that, you’ve got a bright and shiny [...]
Surviving the Writing Workshop
It’s writing workshop day! Maybe you’re a sixth grader who’s never been through the process of getting feedback live and in person--and from six people all at once! Or maybe you’re thirty-two, sitting at shaky [...]
After the First Draft, Before the Editor
When I finish a first draft, I immediately want to send it off to my editor to get her thoughts. But before I do, I feel like I should clean it up a little bit, [...]
The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad First Draft
Ask anybody who sees my early drafts (especially my editor) and they’ll tell you that I write the worst first drafts ever. The girls in the weekly writing group I lead are often shocked when [...]
Editors in the Classroom Workshop
One of the most important things an editor does is help the writer see what she’s actually written—as opposed to what she thinks she’s written. The editor points out to the writer what’s confusing about [...]
What Does an Editor Do, Anyway?
It might seem strange to launch a blog about writing and teaching with a post about editors, but hear me out. I want us to get away from the idea that writing is a solo [...]