Too Old to be a Writer? I don’t think so. You have got to read this inspiring piece, KM Peyton: ‘You’re never too young to start writing’, on The Guardian blog. It is inspiring and uplifting. I believe like this author does that one is never too old to write. Her first book was published when she was 15 and she’s had numerous others published since then. She is now 86. I admire the journey this lady has been on. So if you’re thinking you’re too old to start writing, think again!

Chicken Soup for the Soul is accepting submissions (poems and stories) for different topics. For detailed guidelines, visit their website for more information.

Charlesbridge is also accepting submissions for YA stories. Visit their website for details.

And here’s a neat article on Publisher’s Weekly blog, Shelf Talker. The topic by Josie Leavitt is “Where Do You Like to Read?” Mine is in the living room close to the fireplace where in the corner of the room, I have a maroon armchair and a lamp right by my side. I also have a footstool where I put my feet up while reading. We all find our own special places. Where’s yours?

Sante Fe

“Children need to feel they have a place, that they’re not some object, and that they have a designated and honorable role in a family where everybody contributes.” – Scott O’Dell

School Visit: Just returned from a school visit to Perez Elementary, Austin, Texas. This was a Project WISE (Writers in Schools for Enrichment) visit sponsored by the Writers’ League of Texas. My presentation was in English and Spanish and the students were really enthused, especially when I encouraged them to write their own stories and, yes, illustrate them as well. My thanks to the librarian for her gracious hospitality.  Looking forward to FESTIBA in the Rio Grande Valley next month.

A couple of days ago, some in our critique group brought up the topic of writer’s block or as someone else said, “The muse just wasn’t there.” I hear you, I said. Happens more often than not. If you sometimes struggle with what some call writer’s block, you might want to view the following Writer’s Digest blog, The Writer’s Dig, hosted by Brian Klems. The guest post, “5 Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block,” by author Molly Cochran goes into some detail about some of the causes. For example, her list includes:  Indecision, Lack of Inspiration, Perfectionism, Opinion of Others, and Not Knowing What Type of Book Will Sell. If you’ve been struggling with writer’s block, you might want to find out why.

Tip: No matter what your writing life brings, believe in yourself and keep moving forward. Most writers cycle between periods of self-doubt and periods of confidence. – Writer’s Digest Weekly Planner

Narrative Nonfiction: More about writing narrative nonfiction because I discovered there were a lot of writers, including yours truly, interested in this topic at the SCBWI chapter meeting I attended a few days ago. I found this excellent post by Eerdmans Publishing Company on the From the Editor’s Desk blog titled “Four tips for Writing Nonfiction Plots.” It lists the following four main steps and then goes into detail for each one:

Creating plot in narrative nonfiction is all about choosing wisely what you keep and what you cut.

Remember that character should always shape the action of the story.

Use scenes that set up conflict and show resolution.

Look for the dark and difficult points in a character’s story.

Visit the above website and read it in full. It is very helpful. Good luck with your narrative nonfiction piece.

Chautauqua

“A writer ‘gets started’ the day he is born. The mind he brings into the world with him is the amazing machine his stories will come out of, and the more he feeds into it, the richer those stories will be.”—Lois Duncan