Characters We Love to Hate

Writing Tip of the Day

It took me a while to learn this. Maybe you're still struggling with the concept. But this by writer Alexandra Finn nails it: BAD-ASS VIEWPOINT CHARACTERS.

Basically, don't make your characters totally unrelatable to your readers. Give your narrator a redeeming quality. A dog, a best friend who's funny, a sympathetic thought or two. And do it pretty close to the beginning.

Although the Story Sleuths have disbanded their blog, luckily for writers, their old posts are still there. I often reread what such favorite kids' writers as Cynthia Lord, Jennifer Holm, Rita Garcia-Williams have to advise us.

Here's their take on PRICKLY CHARACTERS.

And that's my advice for the day, completely pirated from others, but worth following. Now, back to writing and reading, all of us!



Related post: More from the Story Sleuths and Cynthia Lord

Touch Blue

I love it when a book delivers a little something extra!

I've been following the Story Sleuths' current discussion of Cynthia Lord's book, TOUCH BLUE.  In this this post they write about non-fiction elements in fiction. What the Sleuths are pointing out is how intriguing facts planted seamlessly into a story make a book so much fun that kids don't even realized they've learned something. Unless, of course, they wanted to know that particular fact. Like what are those birds and why do they sit with their wings open to the sun? (Cormorants, drying wings.)

Such a bonus! And such a good thing for a book. And for the lucky kids who read those books.

The Story Sleuths always give me a lot to ponder, as a writer. Like this one, from the author of One Crazy Summer.




Related Post: Cynthia Lord, speaking at the Maryland SCBWI event about the Pluses and Perils of Writing What You Know.
(An event I have very good memories of, since it's where I met my agent!)

Author Interview

You can learn a lot about writing from author interviews like this. Especially if you've read and reviewed the book carefully. Rita Williams-Garcia's novel for young readers really intrigued me. Historical fiction at its very best. So to read how she used her research to fill in the pieces, just enough to give the book its flavor yet not overwhelm, check that great post over at Story Sleuths, which is a blog worth following if you've ever wondered just how writers put their thoughts together.

Here's a bit of my take on the novel.

Rita Williams-Garcia’s knowledge of the period is extensive. Her ability to describe this remarkable time and place (1968 Oakland, California) so that young readers understand the circumstances surrounding the Black Panthers and the American political climate is pitch perfect. Her child-friendly references— from President Kennedy to Cassius Clay to Mighty Mouse— make the story wondrous. This is historical fiction at its very best.

You can read more of what I had to say by following this link to my review in the Christian Science Monitor or to Joyce Moyer Hostetter's blog about history and how the stories are told.