Writer’s Block
Is there anything worse? (Well, yes, plenty of things are worse…but writer’s block is pretty bad.)
I often hear people define writer’s block as not being able to come up with any ideas. But I find that I’m not actually bereft of ideas…it’s just that my critical, editor’s brain swoops in each time and declares each idea unworthy, dull, impossible, or idiotic before I can even get it down on paper.
What to do? Mostly, trust that unworthy, dull, impossible, and idiotic first drafts often turn out to be reasonably decent second drafts. Set a number of pages I need to finish before I can quit for the day, no matter how bad they are. And remember that I’m not trying to out-Shakespeare Shakespeare….I’m just trying to get to the end of the story I’m attempting to tell.
(It has witches, familiars, and poetry in it. I’m hoping it’s nowhere near as idiotic as it feels right now.)
Read MoreVacation
Just back from a lovely (although very, very warm) vacation on St. John in the Virgin Islands. (I thought they must be named after Queen Elizabeth I, but no, they are actually named after St. Ursula and her eleven thousand virgins, in case you were wondering, as I was.) Trying to get my head back into the writing game…more next week!
Happy World Sea Turtle Day!
Celebrate with Save the…Turtles, and discover things like:
Which sea turtle is the largest turtle in the world? (The leatherback)
How do sea turtles navigate thousands of miles of open ocean to return to the beach where they were hatched? (We’re still figuring this out! But sunlight and the earth’s magnetic fields may play a role.)
How often does a sea turtle leave the water? (A female–just to lay her egg. A male–never after it reaches the water after hatching).
How can knocking down sandcastles, turning off lights, and reducing plastic waste help sea turtles? (Read the book to find out!)
Read MoreClimb the Steeple of Old North Church
While I’m waiting to hear back from my editor on a collection of poems about Paul Revere’s ride, I thought I’d share this delightful resource I came across on during my research–a virtual tour of the steeple and bell tower of Old North Church. Follow the stairs and ladders up to the top and imagine yourself as Revere’s two friends (or maybe just one, the historical record is a bit on the skimpy side) toiling up the tallest point in Boston to light a pair of lanterns and let watchers in Charlestown know that the redcoats were leaving Boston over the Charles River…
Read MoreSarah L. Thomson
A children’s book author publishing award-winning nonfiction, poetry, picture books and novels including…
“Readers will treasure the blossoming friendship between opposites in this whimsically illustrated tale. Short chapters and plenty of action make for an accessible and appealing reading experience. . . . Touching and inspiring.”
—Kirkus Reviews