Kristin Wolden Nitz
-
During my family’s spring break to the Smokies, I had plenty of time to meditate on Calyn’s story. I climbed steep trails and hiked through gaps that led from one valley to another. I had a good feel for the…
-
Back to Back Writing Retreats
Ordinarily, I wouldn’t plan on abandoning my family for writing retreats on back to back weekends. But this was a special case. I committed to the Missouri SCBWI retreat last summer as one of their presenters. Then word came down that…
-
An Attolia Alert!
I was wandering through the Publishers’ Weekly website when I ran across an interview with Megan Whalen Turner. I smiled when I discovered that Ms. Turner has the same advice for potential readers that I always give. She recommends reading…
-
Retreat!
I spent last weekend at a revision retreat sponsored by the Missouri SCBWI (Society of Book Writers and Illustrators) at the YMCA’s Trout Lodge. Randi Rivers of Charlesbridge was the guest editor. An incredibly nice aspect of this retreat was that…
-
The Copy Editor
Copy editors check over a manuscript for grammar and punctuation. But they’re also the last line of defense when it comes to continuity and clarity. Since so many books cross their desks, they can tell when things aren’t working. I…
-
Word Wrangling with the Bounce Queen
I’ve given my students and other fellow writers plenty of advice through the years on how to make a poem “scan” correctly. And I’ve always felt like a bit of a fraud when I’ve done it because I hadn’t ever…
-
The 100 Best Chapter Books?
Betsy Bird admitted at the very beginning that her poll on the 100 best chapter books was not scientific. But she did take a few wise steps. Since some teachers required their classes to take part, she insisted that each book…
-
Copy edits for SUSPECT
The copy edits for SUSPECT are flooding my mailbox. What a great thing to come home to. It definitely beats a wet basement. I got peek at the final art for the jacket. Very fun! If I can figure out…
-
In the Gap
Calyn’s story, my work-in-progress, is set in the mountains. So I’m getting excited for our trip to the Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. Since I often like to work from pictures when I’m moving my characters, I know that photos of its old growth…
-
The Westing Game
THE WESTING GAME came in at #11 on the Fuse #8 countdown of the top 100 Chapter books. Whenever any of my writing students express an interest in mysteries, this is one of the two or three books that I suggest. Usually, I…
Join 900+ subscribers
Stay in the loop with everything you need to know.
Kristin Wolden Nitz 