Are you a young writer or illustrator searching for guidance and inspiration? Or, do you know a young creative who is? Here are some programs that may help! They are arranged geographically, starting locally (where I live) and expanding internationally. Ottawa Public Library Awesome Authors Youth Contest – This free yearly contest is for Ottawa… Read more »
writer’s craft
Reflections on a finished draft
Friends, I know it has been a while since I posted some news. I have been intensely focusing all my creative energy on drafting a novel, and today I reached “THE END.” This is a huge deal for me. Sure, I drafted novels before, but that was 10 years ago in my MFA program. With… Read more »
Interview with Open Book
It was such a joy to be interviewed on Open Book about This is the Boat that Ben Built. Here’s a snippet from the introduction: “Today we’re speaking with Jen about This is the Boat That Ben Built as part of our Kids Club interview series. She tells us about where her love for cumulative stories comes… Read more »
Picture books, protagonists, and the wonder that is Kevin Henkes – Part 2
In part 1 I introduced Chrysanthemum, Owen, and Sheila Rae – three of Henkes’ creations. It appears as though, in each of these stories, he breaks one of the cardinal rules of writing for children: that the protagonist should solve his or her own problem. But there is still emotional resonance in them – how… Read more »
Engaging the Heart: Poetic Tools for Writing Emotion (Part 1)
Here is the first of 2 blog posts I wrote for Ingrid’s March Dystropian Madness series. These posts are based on material from my January 2013 graduate lecture at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Enjoy!
Reading like a Writer – Long Sentences and Juxtaposition
I am fascinated by the ways in which writers evoke emotion in their readers. I know from my own reading that I am unlikely to be deeply moved by a character who goes on and on about their sad plight, their glorious discovery, the enraging injustice that has befallen them. Or, worse yet, a narrator… Read more »