tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-259735972012-01-31T07:27:30.347-08:00Your life is a collection of your stories. Learn here how to gather, preserve, and share the stories that will stick for generations to come.Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.comBlogger331100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-24304602656653337992012-01-30T00:01:00.000-08:002012-01-30T07:02:40.015-08:00

Today, I'm interviewing illustrator and writer Hazel Mitchell, also known as “The Wacky Brit.” I first met Hazel when we were both mentees in the 2010-2011 Nevada SCBWI Mentor Program. Hazel—like the sweet, energetic, whimsical art she creates—is delightful and a treat to know, so I wanted you to get to know her, too! Hazel has illustrated over twelve children’s books, including the All-Star

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-60412168232115314822012-01-14T16:09:00.000-08:002012-01-14T16:12:07.062-08:00

Often when I write, my mind goes hunting like a squirrel for its winter stash. It looks in drawers and closets, on high shelves and in dark corners. It roots in the basement, and comes back with images and sounds and smells I'd long forgotten. “What about this?” it asks, dropping the memory on my desk. “Hmm,” I say, turning it over in my palm. I haven’t seen this one for a while. Not for a long,

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-11613956110977742282012-01-10T00:01:00.000-08:002012-01-13T19:55:56.788-08:00

After you have finished writing your article or book, you’ll need to edit it before submitting it to the editor or publisher. Always send in your cleanest copy. That way, you increase your chances of being invited to send another piece. And, it marks you as a strong writer and a professional. Editing is done in several passes. If you look for certain things in each pass, your chances of catching

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-71266567379242673522012-01-03T00:01:00.001-08:002012-01-03T00:01:00.969-08:00

Most writers run for the hills when it’s time to create the index. Many view the index as either a convoluted mystery to which they don’t have a clue or an odious task that must be done before the book can go to print. The result is often a poorly constructed index, done at the last minute, which omits many necessary entries, is inconsistent in depth and style, contains book-specific terms that

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-10747238428761388922011-12-27T00:10:00.000-08:002011-12-27T00:10:00.194-08:00

To describe the parts or the whole of an illustration, use callouts and captions. You do not have to include both in an illustration. Callouts are brief (one to five words) labels or descriptions of each part of an illustration that you want to emphasize, or “call out,” to readers. You can place callout text close to the part of the illustration it describes (connected by a callout line

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-61313524332933630922011-11-20T10:07:00.001-08:002011-12-26T17:57:55.731-08:00

When integrated correctly, art enhances the text, and text illustrates the art. Working together, art and text become one dynamic duo. Have you ever tried to explain something to another person and, after several frustrating and unsuccessful attempts, said, “Let me draw you a picture”?, and suddenly the proverbial light went on? Can you remember one illustration from a beloved childhood

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-34953649288733747542011-11-14T01:00:00.000-08:002011-12-26T17:57:17.224-08:00

Another way to organize information is with a table. A table contains columns and rows, which readers scan to find what they need. Use tables to: Provide details about general information in a step Define glossary terms Solve problems Catalog information Structuring instructions When you write instructions for a task, here’s a great way to organize them: 1. Introduction. A paragraph or two

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-49807226123378996662011-11-05T15:38:00.000-07:002011-12-26T17:56:15.121-08:00

All your brilliant ideas, facts, figures, and solutions will go unread, unnoticed, and unappreciated if readers can’t find them. In this chapter, you’ll learn how to organize your information into lists, steps, and tables, to improve your readers’ comprehension and increase their chances of success. One you get the hang of using lists, steps, and tables, you’ll never write the same again!

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-61224795601158292852011-10-24T23:30:00.000-07:002011-12-26T17:55:52.877-08:00

What is my project all about? Who will read it? How much information will it include? These are a few of the questions all writers need to ask at the beginning of any writing project. This part shows you how to find the answers. Determining the audience and scope Before you begin any project, you should be able to answer two questions: 1. Who is the audience—my readers? Everything you write will

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-64841896975974327322011-10-16T13:08:00.000-07:002011-12-26T17:55:18.542-08:00

Today starts a seven-part series on writing how-to information, which will explain some techniques and give you examples of how to use them in your writing projects. You’ll learn how to: Determine your project’s audience and scope—to help you know who you’re writing to, and what your project will and won’t include. Organize information into “chunks” that readers can absorb and digest easily.

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-18262827102827569672011-09-25T12:05:00.000-07:002011-09-25T12:24:24.716-07:00

I'm still speechless, but thrilled and humbled that my manuscript, HOVER OVER ME, was selected to receive the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (scbwi.org) Sue Alexander Award for 2011. This award represents a wonderful opportunity for writers of children's literature to be recognized for their hard work and their courage to submit manuscripts for critique at the annual SCBWI

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-14001478108388680472011-07-02T11:30:00.000-07:002011-07-02T11:30:00.969-07:00

It's been so hot here in Palm Springs that we've been spending most of the daytime indoors, as "cave dwellers." After the sun goes down, I go out to the balcony, which overlooks the pool, and watch the growing night. It reminds me of the year I lived in Kyoto, where in August the days were so hot and muggy that you could barely move during the day. Classes were over, but we international students

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-32332766904386878812010-11-25T12:04:00.000-08:002010-11-30T22:05:55.250-08:00

Today I'm taking a break from blogging about revisions to introduce Sherry Kyle, author of The Christian Girl's Guide to Style (for girls ages 8-13). It's the latest offering in the Christian Girl's Guide series from Legacy Press.Sherry lives and writes in California, where she and her husband are raising their four children. The Christian Girl's Guide to Style is her third book for kids. Her

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-28165971076824270702010-11-25T09:28:00.000-08:002010-11-25T09:29:54.061-08:00

After I worked on the storyboard long enough to feel confident that it was a plan I could work with, I began writing. I'll confess that this hasn't been easy. I felt with this draft more than any others before, whatever I chose to put on paper was what would stay. If I didn't put stakes in the ground now, then I'd be writing and rewriting this story for the rest of my life. And so, many times

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-24081570300136626812010-11-08T18:32:00.000-08:002010-11-08T18:36:52.148-08:00

I was now facing my story head-on, and began revising the early pages, which I knew didn't need drastic changes. Some changes in action, deepening of the characters, foreshadowing and adding images that supported the overall metaphor and theme. But then I hit a brick wall when I looked over the changes that were necessary from then on, which involves plot point changes, adjustments in some of the

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-53058942600748837322010-11-05T07:28:00.000-07:002010-11-05T07:31:22.313-07:00

Now that I have a schedule, I'll start prewriting. This step actually started when I read over the editorial letter and line edits, but what's a schedule if you can't mix it up?One of the first prewriting tasks on my schedule is leaving time for my mind to chew and stew and steep on all the information it has absorbed about my story in the past few weeks. This will allow it to find images,

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-27769608789410704672010-11-02T20:29:00.000-07:002010-11-03T17:48:08.822-07:00

I have six months--make that five months now--to revise a novel that I began writing over a year ago. I have six months to revise it because it received the great privilege and honor of being chosen to participate in the Nevada SCBWI (Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrator)'s annual Mentor Program. This wonderful program is truly a labor of love and dedication for the organizers (led

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-66013954362280258592010-07-25T10:06:00.000-07:002010-07-27T07:35:56.366-07:00

Years ago when I was a student in Japan, I was invited out to dinner by a friend--another American student at my school--and her Japanese relatives. They invited me because my friend spoke no Japanese and her relatives spoke little English, and they wanted me to interpret. I’m sure they asked me because I was so poor that I didn’t charge much; a dinner out would suffice. And even though my

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-12045119526489897072008-12-25T16:05:00.000-08:002008-12-25T16:58:32.092-08:00

I've been reading God Stories: Inspiring Encounters with the Divine, edited by journalist Jennifer Skiff, with interest and awe. Briefly, this book is a compilation of stories told by everyday people about their unexpected encounters with God. Each story is a nugget of personal experience, ranging from prayers answered immediately to meetings with angels to God-spoken warnings or reassurances,

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-33307223927901968722007-03-14T20:08:00.000-07:002010-11-25T16:39:51.942-08:00

It's my pleasure to interview Mary DeMuth, critically acclaimed author of fiction and nonfiction, teacher, and freelance writer on the blog today. It's a long one, but full of great information for those of us who write autobiographical fiction. So, pour yourself a cup of something strong, and enjoy!Marilyn: First, thank you for stopping by my blog. Congratulations on the attention given your

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-47422274559381945912007-01-30T17:27:00.000-08:002010-11-25T16:40:51.283-08:00

How did your month of diary-keeping go? Did you poop out after the first week? First two weeks? First two days?If you finished out the month with all or most of your days filled in—congratulations! You have established a new habit. If your energy, interest, or will ended after the first week, take heart—you have eleven more chances this year to start again!As I noted earlier, our house began the

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-10407714977027732232007-01-08T09:19:00.000-08:002007-01-08T09:40:54.323-08:00

Dear Diary Challengers,How was your first week of keeping a diary? Did you find a diary that will work for you? Did you write every day? Did you write just one page a day? How do you feel about this—eager to continue, or having second thoughts?I hope you were able to keep up with the challenge and write every day. It's a great habit to get into. If, however, you skipped a day (or two), don't be

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-36724377491756342282007-01-01T20:21:00.000-08:002007-01-08T09:39:13.625-08:00

Happy New Year! While we are making resolutions and setting goals for the new year, we also remember the past and wonder where all the time went—and how did it go so fast? A great way to solve this problem is by creating scrapbooks. Are you a scrapper? Do you have one or two scrapbooks tucked into a bookcase, a memory box, or on a closet shelf? Have you tried scrapbooking and failed?Those of you

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-7471791149338351582006-12-30T12:48:00.000-08:002007-01-08T09:37:45.645-08:00

You might expect that someone who has kept a diary steadily for the past 11 years and teaches other people how to form and maintain this rewarding practice would be raising children who are also avid diary-keepers.Wrong. While their mother scribbles away every night and tries to spread her message to audiences, these poor children have been shamefully overlooked. Neglected, even.I decided to put

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1163381445969976972006-11-12T17:28:00.000-08:002010-11-25T16:42:23.117-08:00

There are many ways to create a legacy of your life, and I believe that almost all of them are some form of sharing stories--either through telling stories or writing them. That's why this blog is here. More important than sharing stories is, I think, living to the fullest of our potential, being the best we can be, and leaving that example as our legacy. Lately, I've been learning much about

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1162670916984448702006-11-04T11:57:00.000-08:002010-11-25T16:39:51.943-08:00

Welcome to Part 2 of my interview with Tricia Goyer, author of the nonfiction books Generation NeXt Parenting: A Savvy Parent's Guide to Getting it Right (Multnomah), and Life Interrupted: The Scoop on Being a Young Mom (Zondervan/MOPS). Today, Tricia talks about her life as a "Generation X" mom and her ministry with other moms.Marilyn: Hi again, Tricia. In addition to your interest in the World

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1162178097674651552006-10-29T18:40:00.000-08:002010-11-25T16:39:51.944-08:00

I am very happy to have Tricia Goyer as my guest over the next few posts. As an award-winning author of novels and nonfiction books (including a children's book) and hundreds of articles, and as a homeschooling mom and a mentor to other "Generation X" moms, Tricia is a modern-day Renaissance woman. Through her novels centered on the World War II era, including her most recent, Arms of Deliverance

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1161025152167491222006-10-16T11:53:00.000-07:002010-11-25T16:38:13.442-08:00

I heard a story a few months ago that both saddened and encouraged me. The mother of a friend of mine was dying. They had not been close in their adult years; too many angry words, too many unmnet expectations, and too much pain had created an empty gulf between them, and all that remained was regret. And now, time was growing short because her mother was dying. My friend didn't want to leave

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1159412914230389822006-09-27T19:59:00.000-07:002010-11-25T16:38:13.443-08:00

One of the most priceless gifts parents can give to their children is the story of their birth. Because we have no memory of our earliest beginnings, the only way to know about this significant event is from someone who witnessed it.The story of my birth has a story. I was born in late December, almost late enough to be a New Year baby, and the story of my birth had become legend by the time I

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1158873119565963782006-09-21T14:05:00.000-07:002010-11-25T16:38:13.444-08:00

I love the story of Joshua leading the Israelites across the Jordan River. I love it for many reasons, and one of them is because God instructed the leaders of the twelve tribes to choose one stone each from the riverbed and build a memorial on the other side. Every time they saw the memorial, they were to remember and talk about the wonders and miracles God had done for them that day.I believe

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1158535789631954352006-09-17T16:24:00.000-07:002010-11-25T16:38:13.445-08:00

For years I'd heard my parents and grandparents--those in New Hampshire and those in Massachusetts--talk about "the hurricane." For years, in my mind this was some ho-hum storm that became a legend that the old-timers talked about. A collective, cultural landmark, much as JFK's assassination, The Beatles' first appearance on Ed Sullivan, and the blackout of 1965 became to me. I even have

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1158355872283789992006-09-15T14:25:00.000-07:002010-11-25T16:38:13.445-08:00

People know me for "making history last" by recording, preserving, and telling my family's stories--and for showing others how to do the same for theirs. Whenever I'm asked for my Number One piece of advice, I answer without hesitation: Keep a diary every day."Keep a diary?!" people exclaim, sometimes outraged. "I don't have time to floss my teeth."Then I explain that keeping a daily diary can

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25973597.post-1158086586417309722006-09-12T10:49:00.000-07:002010-11-25T16:38:13.446-08:00

My grandparents--my father's mother and father--lived in a grand, rambling house on the corner of two busy streets in Canton, Massachusetts. This house, brown-shingled and green-shuttered--a very New England house--held magic and mystery for we young grandchildren who came for holiday celebrations, Sunday dinners, and drop-in visits. My grandparents were farmers and business people, and among

Marilynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15643832128827155655noreply@blogger.com2