Articles

Growing As a Writer – the Power of Community

By on May 23, 2025   /   Articles, For Writers  

Growing As a Writer – the Power of Community

If you’ve ever seen one of those sped-up videos illustrators post online, maybe you know the kind – of their artwork going from blank canvas to finished masterpiece all in the span of 30 seconds – I LOVE those! And yet I always walk away thinking how cool it would be for us writers to have something comparable. 

What would our sped up video show? 

 

My first thought is of a writer alone at their desk, possibly hunched over a low lit keyboard while frantically typing away. My next thought is of a writer in a cafe, at a table for one, tucked snugly in the corner with a tea in one hand and a pencil in the other. But neither capture the whole picture – or in this case: video.

 

Consider what writing looked like in early grade school. So many of us writers have a neatly “crafted” book on a shelf in our home (mine was

published via a manilla folder and some pink yarn). Then jump to middle school when our next novel’s printing press came in the form of a spiral binding machine found in the teacher’s lounge. These books weren’t written by our younger selves left alone to our own devices in classrooms or in the cafeteria sipping from tiny chocolate milk cartons. Instead, we had amazing teachers instructing us in the process of beginnings, middle, and ends. They were our first editors, showing us how to tighten our pages. And they partnered us up with peers who critiqued our work – maybe pointing out a spelling mistake or laughing at a well placed joke. These teachers and classmates were our community. They were who we bounced story ideas off of, who we asked questions about plot to, and who we sought advice from.

 

Upon graduation, if you were like me, chances are your community faded. This might be why we hear writing is a solitary effort. But, with no one to gain feedback from, to talk craft with, discuss books or the writing world with, and even perhaps no one who “gets” this side of us, how are we to grow? 

I believe community is the secret sauce. 

 

Community challenges us by holding us accountable. It lifts us up when imposter syndrome rears its ugly head. And it champions us by connecting us with experts and professionals. 

 

When I went looking to find “my people,” as happy as I was to attend conferences and workshops, I was saddened to leave the party, so to speak. It felt like the fun was over, and once again so, too, was the community. If my 30-second sped-up video were to be a true representation of writerly growth, then community needed to be a constant.

 

So I had an idea! 

 

Together with my literary bestie, Valerie Heller, we created MuchAdoAboutWriting.com where writers get to hone their craft AND stay connected. In our four years of running weekly live calls, we’ve had the privilege of seeing members truly become community as they interact with and support each other, share ideas and pages, deepen their understanding of writing craft, own techniques and skills, take in feedback and understand how to implement it when drafting and revising, and even celebrate getting published.

 

And the fun is just beginning! Now it’s our turn to grow by offering even more to writers. So, on top of our teaching calls, interactive workshops, and editing nights, we’re adding daily events to get you thinking and conversing about story on a deeper level through prompts, sprints, games, weekly eyes on pages, and much more.

 

As I round out my 30 second video, a HUGE shout out to Jon and Laura at https://writeforkids.online/ who are our biggest cheerleaders and collaborators in building this community’s offerings. We’re teaming up with them, and are inviting all the readers at From the Mixed Up Files to join us in a live webinar as we take you behind the scenes of The Insiders Coaching Club on Wednesday, May 28th at 8pm ET. Follow this link to sign up for the call: https://writeforkids.lpages.co/icc1/ 

Back to Top

Author Interview: Julia DeVillers of Meet Me at Wonderland

By on May 22, 2025   /   Articles, Author Interviews, Upper MG  

A girl with a summer job at her family’s amusement park crushes on a coworker who’d rather be working anywhere else in this fun and flirty middle grade rom-com. Meet Me at Wonderland (Aladdin). For grades 5+

MUF: Welcome to MUF, Julia DeVillers! Thanks for dropping by to talk about your new middle-grade novel, Meet Me at Wonderland. Tell us what inspired you to write this story.

Cover of MEET ME AT WONDERLAND by Julia DeVillers

Julia DeVillers: Hi MUF! So the inspiration for my story came about when my fabulous editor, Alyson, and I were talking about embarrassing moments when I told her about the time at my high school job that I, dressed as Chuck E. Cheese (the New Jersey sewer rat),walked into the break room and saw a cute guy filling out a job application. I panicked, tried to sneak out, and bumped into my manager, who made me unmask. That mishap inspired Meet Me at Wonderland. While I swapped Chuck E. for a moose mascot, my real-life disaster became the book’s “moose-cute.” I LOVED writing this book so much, with its blend of rom and com.

MUF: Your protagonists are on the upper end of middle-grade characters. Can you talk about what made you choose to write MG instead of YA? What sorts of choices did you make to write a romance for the middle-grade readers?

JD: I’ve been writing middle grade for most of my career, only my nonfiction books are YA. Middle grades can range widely. What I’ve chosen to do for my upper middle grade romcom is focus on crushes–the ups and downs, the awkward, the excitement, the despair– and the (spoiler alert!) “ends with a kiss.’ In Meet Me at Wonderland, Coco and Henry are workplace rivals who start their relationship with banter with each other in a fun, funny way. Don’t get me wrong, the emotional stakes are still real. I think it makes the genre accessible to my readers who want to explore what it feels like to have a crush without diving into the more intense, complicated relationships you might find in older books.

MUF: There’s been plenty of talk about how it can be tricky for kids to find books when they’re not quite ready for YA but are aging out of younger middle grade. What age reader were you writing for when you wrote MMAW?

JD: Exactly, Meet Me at Wonderland fits right in between lower middle grade and YA space, as it’s for 10 and up. (And by up, I have to say I’m hearing from adult arc readers they’re loving the nostalgia read–first crushes! First jobs! – themselves!)

MUF: You have written quite a bit in the middle grade space. What is it about this age group that you’re drawn to?

JD: Personally, I started my middle grade years loving school, my friends, and life was good. Then friend drama and more serious issues hit, and I felt unrooted, emotional, and alone. I don’t want kids to have those feelings, so I write about them in the hopes that my books can help middle graders feel less alone. Plus that time is such an intense time of growth and discovery. Middle grade readers are developing a sense of independence but are still figuring out how to navigate relationships, whether it’s with friends, family, or those early romantic interests. I love capturing that excitement and awkwardness in my writing because it feels so relatable and real. Plus, there’s a wonderful balance of humor and heart in middle grade.

MUF: What was it like to write for the American Girl brand? How does that process work and is it quite different than other books you’ve worked on?

JD: It was SO FUN. I wrote the books for the 90s dolls with my twin sister, Jennifer Roy. I wrote as one twin character (Isabel) and she wrote as the other (Nicki). Along with books, we now have our “own” dolls. The process was different because AG chose the era, the names, and some of the backstory, which is to be expected since they’re developing iconic characters to fit their historical line. They were the experts and Jennifer and I brought their vision to life and put our own touches on it. That’s so special, knowing we contributed to this beloved line. Writing about the 90s was a vibe, and brought back so many memories we wanted to recreate for young readers.

MUF: Read any fun new or new-ish MG lately? 

Author Julia DeVillers

JD: This year so far: Isle of Ever by Jen Calonita, As You Wish by Nashae Jones, The Misfits series by Lisa Yee and Dan Santat, Secrets of Lovelace Academy by Marie Benedict and Courtney Sheinmel, The Liars Society by Alyson Gerber, On Thin Ice by Jessica Kim, J vs. K by Kwame Alexander and Jerry Craft, the Penny series by Sara Shephard, Bree Boyd is a Legend by Leah Johnson. My favorite of last year was Not Nothing by Gayle Forman.

MUF: Have we forgotten to ask you something important?

JD: This is my first book since getting through cancer! The reason Chuck E Cheese was on my mind at always because when I was sick I was very nostalgic and remembering happy times (not that being in a rat costume is a happy time, ha!) So…it feels very special to be celebrating with you!

Find Julia at @juliadevillers on Instagram and TikTok and at juliadevillers.com. (Where you may find pictures of her dressed as Morty the Moose.)

 

Back to Top

Crafting Purpose: Why Writers Need Mission and Vision Statements

By on May 9, 2025   /   Articles, For Writers, Writing  
Writer sits at a desk writing with pen in hand beneath a desk lamp

Successful businesses often refer to their companies’ mission and vision statements as foundational to their success. These statements help companies define purpose, stay focused, and set goals. If you’re a writer, you probably realize that purpose, focus, and goals are important to your writing life. But have you considered defining them with your own mission and vision statements?

The illustration shows a man in business attire leaning on a chart that contains a pie graph and a bar graph while holding a target in the opposite hand.

 

The  Mission Statement

A mission statement defines your creative purpose. There are a lot of distractions in the writing world, and it’s easy to find ourselves with multiple unfinished projects or on a path we did not intend to travel. A mission statement will narrow the focus of your work to only that which you have identified as important and will help you establish your “author brand.”

 

When defining your mission, it’s important to ask yourself a couple of questions. These questions will guide the development of your mission statement and help you maintain focus. 

 

What do I most like to write?

Identify the genre and style you gravitate toward. Finding joy in the creative process will yield a more authentic voice and produce stronger motivation. Your passion will sustain you through the tough times and will shine through to your readers.

 

What is my creative purpose?

Maybe your creative purpose is very personal, like writing stories that record your family’s history. Maybe your purpose is larger, and you want to make a positive impact on the social and emotional development of young children. Or perhaps you are driven to bring science to life in ways that draw kids into STEM. Articulate your greater purpose and allow that purpose to guide you.

 

Once you’ve answered both of these questions, you’re ready to craft a mission statement that defines your creative focus. Identify that focus and be very selective with the action verb(s) you use. Here are a few examples of possible mission statements:

 

  • My creative works will shine a light on the lived experiences of LGBTQ+ youth.
  • I write to preserve the stories and personalities that shaped our family.
  • My books will engage young adult readers in imaginative worlds where diversity is celebrated and good triumphs over evil. 
Two images -- one with an a person sitting at a desk writing on a laptop and the other of a woman sitting in a casual chair with her feet on an ottoman and a laptop in her lap

The Vision Statement

A vision statement gives you a trajectory toward an ultimate destination. It’s less about what you will do and more about who you will be.

 

To craft a vision statement, picture what success looks like for you. This isn’t a wish or a dream; it’s a realistic image of your future self that will help you generate specific goals. Ask yourself these questions:

 

What impact do I hope to make with my writing?

Your impact is about the effect you want to have on your readers. Some writers want to bring humor and joy to childhood. Others want to reveal untold stories from the past or make sure kids from marginalized groups find themselves represented in books.

 

What do I hope to achieve?

You might define success in a personal way, like presenting your family with bound copies of family history, complete with photographs, descriptions, and meaningful stories that shaped generations. Or, maybe you aspire to see your books on the shelves of bookstores and in the hands of readers. 

 

Your vision statement declares your aspirations. It’s about your creative legacy and the long-term impact of your work. As the name suggests, this is something visual, so many writers find it helpful to create a vision board. Whether you create a visual display or not, articulating your vision is a powerful step. Here are a few examples of possible vision statements:

 

  • To create thought-provoking poetry that addresses social justice and creates change in my community
  • To bring history to life for elementary-age children through engaging reading material published in educational resources.
  • To build a body of work that helps young readers from marginalized populations feel seen, valued, and empowered

Setting Goals

Once you have your mission and vision established, your writing has a focus and a destination. Now you are able to set measurable goals that will get you to that destination. 

Red and white concentric circles form a target; an arrow pierces the center of the target

 

One goal might focus on your work habits. Many writers like to set a specific number of words, pages, or minutes they will write each day. Another goal might focus on building your craft, like attending three craft workshops within the calendar year. If you seek publication, you probably want to set some goals involving your connection to writing communities, submissions to literary agents, and the establishment of your online presence.

 

Be sure to avoid setting goals that rely on the responses of others, like securing a literary agent within six months or winning a Pulitzer prize. These are great aspirations to work toward, but your goals should focus on what you can control.

 

Once your purpose, focus, and goals are established, you can weed out the activities that don’t serve you and make a plan for achieving your goals. Now there’s only one thing left to do….Write!

 

 

Back to Top