Writing Resources

I've done this 12-week program with two sets of friends and I hope to do it again soon. It is a beautiful program that masterfully takes you through various stages of connection and reflection with your art and your spirituality under the premises that art is a spiritual transaction.

"An artist must have downtime, time to do nothing. Defending our right to such time takes courage, conviction, and resiliency. Such time, space, and quiet will strike our family and friends as a withdrawal from them. It is."

-Julia Cameron

*Thank you Liz for gifting this book to me.

Take Joy, A Writer's Guide to Loving the Craft by Jane Yolen

Such a beautifully written book on the craft of writing with practical tips intertwined in stories that draw you in and leave you wanting to write and read more.

"Write for yourself...The only constant in your life is you. The best audience for what you write is you - the child you were, the adult you are."

-Jane Yolen

*Thank you Casey for gifting this book to me.

Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul

An incredibly thorough guide that takes you through the book writing and publishing process from start to finish. After having read it once, I continue to use it as a reference for tips on voice, pacing, editing and more.

"Show, don't tell...This is not insignificant. Imagine a sentence in a book that says Henya was sad. Now pretend we can't use the word sad. We have to describe the action that would make the reader realize she was sad. There are unlimited possibilities. Here are five:

Henya bit her lip. She turned away.

Tears streamed down Henya's cheeks.
Henya slumped in her seat.
Henya hurried into the closet and shut the door so she could be alone.
Henya busied herself making a peanut butter sandwich."

-Ann Whitford Paul