Kristin Wolden Nitz

Category: First Chapters

  • Inserting Characters

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    Kristin Wolden Nitz
    in

    A few years ago I was on a walk with my son when he was in seventh or eight grade.  He’d just finished reading a first draft of one of my manuscripts. “I really liked Sophia,” he said. “But you’re really going to have to introduce her earlier.” I laughed because he was exactly right. My…

  • First Chapters: A Contract with the Reader

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    Kristin Wolden Nitz
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    As a writer, I’ve long been aware of the importance of the first page and chapter of a book.  In fact, I discussed the approach one editor takes to first pages  in the entry called Chapter One: More or Less Done.  But I think that it’s only been the last few years that I’ve though of…

  • Chapter One: More or Less Done

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    Kristin Wolden Nitz
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    I used to buy into the assertion that picture book writers have to be much more selective in their word choices than novelists.  In fact, I still believe that in general.  But if  I went back to see how much time I spent working on the the new chapter one,  I’m sure the number would horrify me.  But…

  • Back-to-School Writing

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    by

    Kristin Wolden Nitz
    in ,

    Buy one!  Get the second one half off!   That’s what a good percentage of the signs seemed to read at the mall today.  I didn’t study them very carefully though.  My college-age daughters were doing their back-to-school shopping.  I came along to bankroll the expedition.  But instead of watching them try on things,  I was back to…