Meet Lilypad, the Learner
Hi, I’m Lilypad.
I love to write and, as a lifetime learner, I’m dedicating myself to become the best writer I can possibly be!
I recognize a fellow learner when I see one!
Let me guess: you’ve been writing for a bit, playing around with some ideas. Maybe you’ve joined a critique group or even attended a writing conference. In other words, you’re taking this writing thing seriously and are determined to stick with it until you see your name on the cover of a published book.
You’ve also realized how much you still need to learn. That’s fantastic! The most important trait of a successful author is the willingness to embrace the lifelong learning curve. Acquiring new craft skills keeps our writing interesting and fresh. Our work remains relevant and marketable. And most importantly, we create extraordinary books for children, who deserve only our best.
Lucky for us, WriteForKids has gathered an outstanding list of workshops taught by instructors who have mastered their corner of the writing universe. Here, you’ll learn everything from self-editing to pacing to choosing the right ending to your story. You can work on layering your stories with emotion or showing kids the light at the end of a dark experience. You may discover that outlining transforms your first draft from “meh” to “marvelous”, and speeds up your revision process.
This is the time when you really develop your writing identity. Your natural strengths will be revealed and pave the way to creating your writer’s voice. Your weaknesses will surface as well, but that gives you the opportunity to rebuild them with new skills. You may even be inspired to try something completely different and end up loving it.
You’re smack-dab in the middle of what it means to be a writer. How exciting!
Where to begin? That very much depends on what you need:
- If you are new to writing for a particular age group, I suggest you check out the Writing Blueprints for a good foundation. If you’re moving from fiction to nonfiction, I recommend Writing Children’s Nonfiction: The Beginner’s Guide and No More Boring Nonfiction! If you’re experimenting with writing fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction or picture book biographies, we have workshops to get you started.
- Once you feel you understand the basics of whatever you’re writing, you can start layering on new skills. Browse through the workshops listed in the age category buttons above (Write Picture Books/Write Chapter Books/Write Middle Grade & YA), as well as in Write Nonfiction. Peruse the offerings in Improve Your Writing Skills. Think about comments you routinely get from your critique group about your work. Do they say the dialogue doesn’t flow? Does the middle of your book drag? Is the plot’s main conflict predictable? This valuable feedback will point you toward what you still need to learn.
- Then dive into the Revise & Edit section to really make your manuscript shine.
Don’t rush this phase. It’s the most important time in your development as a writer.
Finally, when you feel your manuscript is ready to be published, drop in on my friend Skylar to get some great advice on going Pro.
And remember – good writers become great writers when they dedicate themselves to growing their skills and expanding their knowledge.
