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Writing Prompts: How to Make Yours Shine

By on December 4, 2024   /   Articles, For Writers  
A writer's Notebook
Writing prompts, whether in a classroom or workshop setting, can be hit or miss–especially if the prompt is too general. If you ask students to choose an object in the classroom, for instance, half of them might focus on the ancient clock on the wall and how slowly the second hand moves from numeral to numeral. Or, if you ask students to write about a specific event in their lives, they might fall back on vague and/or generic descriptions that lack the tension required in strong writing. (The “What I Did on My Summer Vacation” and “I Remember…” prompts fall squarely into this category.)

Don’t get me wrong: Tried-and-true writing prompts are good in a pinch. But there are some excellent craft books available to help teachers, workshop leaders, parents and caregivers to infuse excitement and originality into their everyday prompts.

 

Help Is On the Way

Writing Workshop book

One of my favorite writing-craft gurus is Ralph Fletcher, an educator who’s been helping other educators since the early 2000s. His first craft book, co-authored with JoAnn Portalupi, Writing Workshop: The Essential Guide, is a great guide for teachers, students, and workshop leaders. In this book, Fletcher breaks up ideas into days and weeks to help with lesson plans. His most recent book (pictured above), A Writers Notebook: Unlocking the Writer Within You, helps writers to see their world and, perhaps most importantly, how to react to what they see. 

Advice from Ralph Fletcher

Ralph Fletcher


1. Make sure each writer has a writer’s notebook.
2. Provide adequate writing time of at least five minutes and up to 15 or 20 minutes, if everyone’s fully engaged. Ideas don’t just fly across space to land in a writer’s brain (well, at least not all the time).
3. Share a piece of your own writing before everyone starts writing. And write with them.
4. It’s okay to let workshoppers draw rather than write as all forms of creative expression are encouraged.
5. Help your group to find ideas by asking questions and sharing prompts.

Some great first workshop examples include:
–What do you know a lot about?
–Do you play sports, or enjoy an activity such as dance or chess?
–Who’s a special relative you spend lots of time with?
–Do you collect stuff?

Fletcher, a big believer in tying writing prompts to reading, provides some great ideas for read-alouds connected to writing:

—The Relatives Came by Cynthia Rylant. Write about a time you had relatives come to your house. What were you celebrating?  

— Marianthe’s Story: Painted Words Spoken Memories by Aliki. What is a color-filled memory you have? 

 — If You Find a Rock by Peggy Christianson. Write about a found object and the things you might do with it.              

— My Map Book by Sara Fanelli.  Create a map of an object or place. Explain in writing how the object works or what makes this place special.                                  

When time is up, ask participants to share their work, even if they’re not finished, and encourage them to come back to these pieces later. You never know what a bit of time and distance can reveal.

And finally…

If all else fails, you could probably encourage writers to write about all the places chewing gum gets stuck. But I need to add one more thought on my favorite writing prompt from Ralph’s toolbox. Have students write or draw what makes a safe place. The result of this prompt is both surprising and revelatory… in equal measure. 

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New books for the holidays!

By on December 2, 2024   /   Articles, New Releases  
Exciting new books coming out this month for the middle-grade readers on your holiday gift list.
The titles below include new additions to several New York Times Bestselling series, and two war-time historical fiction titles. Although intended for younger readers, A Sea of Gold, the latest by the amazing author/illustrator Patricia Polacco, would make a great companion to either of the historical fiction works.
Time for Kids has two new nonfiction titles coming out at the end of the month. One offers the “scoop” for young cub reporters, the other a thoroughly researched listing of amazing athletes.
Links are included to bookshop.org, which supports local booksellers. Want to learn more about the authors? Simply click on their names.
Happy shopping and reading!
Keeper of the Lost Cities Unraveled, Author: Shannon Messenger, Aladdin, December 2

The past and present unravel into staggering truths in this can’t-miss installment of the New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling Keeper of the Lost Cities series told entirely from Keefe’s point of view.
Please be careful. Please be happy. And PLEASE forget all about me. It’ll be better for everyone that way.
Those were the last words Keefe Sencen wrote to Sophie Foster before he ran away to the Forbidden Cities. He didn’t want to leave, but it was the only way to keep his friends safe while he figured out how to control his scary new powers and searched for answers about his past.
What he found was so much more than adventures in Humanland.
Where did he go? What did he do? And who did he meet while the rest of his friends worked to solve the mystery of Stellarlune? The answers go far beyond anything anyone could have ever imagined and give Keefe the power to change his destiny.

 

 The End of the Story, Author; Melissa De La Cruz, Roaring Brook Press, December 3

Return to the land of Never After for the last time in the riveting conclusion to New York Times-bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz’s hit middle-grade series perfect for fans of The Land of Stories books. The Never After crew is back for a final epic adventure . . . With Queen Olga drawing ever nearer, Filomena and her friends race to find the last surviving fairy, Sabine, and protect her at all costs. For if Sabine dies, so does all of Never After. Without a moment to lose, Filomena, Jack, Alistair, Gretel, and the rest of the gang–along with some new pals like Captain Hook–set off for Pan’s Neverland to find Sabine. But even in Neverland, there’s mischief afoot. Pan is no ordinary boy, and the group discovers Sabine goes by another name in this mysterious realm: Tinker Bell! But trickster gods and undercover fairies are just the beginning for Filomena and her adventurous friends. As Olga’s evil forces close in, will Filomena find a way to protect the magic of Never After once and for all, and ensure a happily-ever-after for the End of the Story?

 

Swimming with Spies, Author: Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger, Scholastic Press, December 3

As war escalates between the Russians and Ukrainians in the port city of Sevastopol, can one girl and a pod of dolphins prove that communication is the greatest weapon of all?

It’s February of 2014 in the seaport city of Sevastopol in Crimea. Sofiya Oleksandrivna only wants two things: to figure out a way to get Ilya Ilyich to stop bullying her, and to convince her mother to come back home. But as battleships come to populate the waters around their city and Russian forces, including Ilya’s father, start to make their presence known, an even greater threat takes over Sofiya’s life.

The only escape Sofiya has is the dolphinarium where her father is a trainer at the forefront of teaching sign language to a pod of dolphins. And now the Russian military has ordered the dolphinarium to hand over its animals for military use. As armed Russian troops invade Crimea and conflict and tension continue to rise, Sofiya will do everything she can to keep her pod safe. And what she knows better than any of the soldiers occupying her city, is that the most powerful force is communication.

Based on the true events of the 2014 annexation of Crimea, Chrystyna Lucyk-Berger depicts a familiar world where divisions are sown by hate, but where love can make a world of difference.

Wolves at the Door, Author: Steve Watkins, Scholastic Press, December 3

War. Wilderness. And the will to live.Asta and her younger sister, Pieta, have watched in terror as Hitler’s invasion spreads across Europe. Eventually, the war arrives in their city, bringing with it destruction and death. As the Nazis clash with Stalin’s Red Army and relentless bombing rains from above, the girls flee to their grandparents’ farm. But no place is safe. Surrounded by enemies, Asta and Pieta are presented with one chance at escape: a transport ship leaving from the Baltic Sea.

Getting from the farm to the coast is an impossible trip through a brutal war in the dead of winter. With food scarce, warm clothing lacking, and few resources, the sisters have little chance of making it. And Asta and Pieta are not alone in their plans–everyone is headed to the harbor with the same desperate hope. Securing a place on the ship will require nothing short of a miracle. Their dangerous journey is only just beginning, though, and the sisters can’t begin to imagine what they’ll have to sacrifice to survive . . .

 

A Sea of Gold, Author/Illustrator Patricia Polacco, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, December 3

“An empathetic, heartbreaking look at how warfare can tear families apart–and how traditions still endure.” –Kirkus Reviews

Beloved and bestselling storyteller Patricia Polacco draws on her Ukrainian heritage in this picture book following one family’s history through the generations and the powerful bond of their love.
In the village of Cherinovska, Ukraine, a family raises sunlasknuk (sunflowers) through the generations. When war erupts, they’re forced to leave their beloved home for a faraway world: America. Arriving with nothing but the clothes on their back–and the seeds in one little girl’s pockets–can they make a living…and a new home?

 

 

Time for Kids* Kid Reporter Field Reporter: A How-To Book for Junior Journalists,

Author: Hannah Rose Holzer, Penguin Young Readers, December 29

Learn how to be a junior journalist with this TIME For Kids Field Guide!

This field guide teaches you how to write many types of articles across several different sections including News, Opinion, Reviews, Arts and Culture, Sports, and more! Learn how to be a journalist in this book that explains how to interview sources, cover sports events, critique restaurants, write features on impactful people, and create great articles. This guide also features biographies on several famous journalists throughout history, including Ida B. Wells and Nellie Bly.

Providing reliable sources for parents and educators for over 25 years, the TIME for Kids field guide is an excellent gift for young readers who want to learn more about the world and how to write about it.

 

 

Time for Kids* Amazing Athletes:101 Stars You Need to Know! Author: James Buckley, 

Penguin Young Readers, December 29

Learn about 101 of today’s greatest athletes in this TIME for Kids book!

The fact-filled TIME FOR KIDS: AMAZING ATHLETES includes biographies on 101 of today’s most impressive sports stars. Kids will be inspired by the careers of LeBron James, Simone Biles, Travis Kelce, Caitlin Clark, Coco Gauff, Nathan Chen, and more! Perfect for young sports fans, this book is a great introduction to the best of the best athletes across eighteen different sports.

Providing reliable news sources to parents and educators for over 25 years, this TIME for Kids book is perfect for sports fanatics and introducing different types of sports.

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WNDMG Author Interview with H.D. Hunter About New Novel Futureland

By on November 20, 2024   /   Articles, WNDMG  

 

Say hello to author H.D. Hunter! His book, Futureland: The Architect Games, was published on November 19, 2024, by Random House Books for Young Readers. This is the last book in the Futureland trilogy about the adventures of Cam Walker and a flying theme park created by his parents. Today we’re going to talk about his latest book, his revision process, and more, so let’s get into it!

 

       

Interview with H.D.:

SN: What was the process like collaborating with Cake Literary on Futureland? What drew you to the premise and was it like hammering out a plot and beats together, or did you get an outline and go away and do your thing?

HDH: Futureland is so complicated! What initially drew me to the premise was that the story seemed so fun. I wanted to write something fun and exciting for kids. The worldbuilding across Futureland feels boundless, the characters are many and varied, and we had to find a good way to plot a cohesive mystery in three parts across three different locations. But somehow, make it all flow together! Working with CAKE required a lot of sharing insights and opinions and many more rounds of revision than usual. Still, each book was different. By the time I was ready to draft The Architect Games, I was pretty much doing my own thing with outlining, plotting beats, genre-bending, and all that. But when we started, it was very much a lock-step collaborative process.

 

SN: You’re known as the fastest reviser, what’s that process like for you? How many drafts do you usually write, and how do you know when you’re done?

HDH: Haha! I look at revising as a system. I like to be super organized. So, I know what revisions I’m going to make on which round of reviewing the manuscripts. Sometimes I’ll go through just for character changes. Sometimes I’m just adding scenes. Other times I’m just removing them. Each round through has its own focus so I can keep my eye trained on one thing, and that helps me move swiftly. Revising is like nurturing a plant to me. The “fast” part is that you show up every day and make your deposit. You water and fertilize, and it feels like it takes forever, but eventually, your seed sprouts and the blooms come after that.

I usually will have between five and seven drafts, but I think I’m getting better—I’m needing lighter revisions from start to end on some of my newer projects. Personally, I love my work. I’m a little delusional in that I don’t hate my first drafts or really struggle with imposter system. And I really enjoy reading my writing. So, I know I’m “done” with a book when I get bored of reading it, haha. It’s like okay, it’s good, there’s nothing left to change, I’m not having fun polishing anymore. Must be time to publish!

 

SN: You’ve written across genres; what do you enjoy the most when writing for a middle-grade audience?

HDH: My favorite thing about writing middle grade is the comedy. No matter what sort of story you’re writing, there’s a whimsy that plays in middle grade, unlike any other category. I write about a lot of serious things—but when I’m writing in middle grade, I feel the freedom to be silly and fun, and it makes me excited that I can meet readers with that version of my writing.

 

SN: What was your a-ha moment when you knew, “Yes, I want to be a writer!”

HDH: I was in fourth grade! I had fallen in love with the poem Annabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe, and my teacher, Miss Green, explained to me what it meant to be an author. She told me I could write my ideas and stories and end up in somebody’s textbook one day, maybe even 100 years later, just like Edgar Allan Poe. That was all I needed to hear.

 

SN: Growing up, what was the book that made you become a reader and why?

HDH: According to my parents, I came out reading! I started to read very early, around age two, which was a big tip-off to my neurodivergence. I always had books in hand and I enjoyed horror, fantasy, and stories about history. I can’t really name just one book, but I was enthralled with things like Goosebumps and Louis Sachar’s Wayside series.

 

SN: You’ve self-published and you’ve had multiple books published traditionally, what advice would you give new writers who are deciding what route to take in getting their stories out in the world?

HDH: I would encourage writers to define success on their own terms. There are many ways to have an incredibly fulfilling career, whether you’re indie or traditional, and most authors I know aspire to do some sort of hybrid career. Prioritizing what’s important to you is a good first step. Do you care more about creative control or reach? Do you want an easier path to recognizable legitimacy, or are you more eager about building connections from the ground up? Both sides of my career have given me amazing experiences, and they truly aren’t interchangeable for me. So, have your cake and eat it, too! But which route you start with will likely be determined by what you imagine your ideal publishing experience to look like.

 

SN: People tend to romanticize the writing life. You’ve been a full-time writer since 2019; what was the most surprising aspect of writing full-time that you didn’t expect? What’s your writing routine like?

HDH: When I’m in project, I’m writing in hour-long sprints at least 4-6 times a day. I write mid-length novels, so I’m trying to get to a first draft of between sixty-five and seventy-five thousand words. If I can clock six thousand words in a day, I can finish up a first draft relatively quickly and then take my sweet time to revise and polish. This speed also helps me stay engaged with the piece, and not lose the pulse due to other life obligations or project fatigue. I have the privilege of writing full-time as a career—so this volume isn’t possible for everybody. But I think a daily writing practice, even if it’s only fifty words, can be good for anyone committed to finishing a project.

I think the most surprising part about taking on writing as a full-time career is how similar it is to any other full-time career. I didn’t escape the corporate world, or bureaucracy, or some of the other factors that can sometimes make business challenging. That was probably a bit naïve of me, but if I could do it all over, I’d just be a bit more intentional about preparing how to navigate a version of the corporate world where art is the main product, especially with so high a personal stake in my art.

 

SN: What’s next for you?

HDH: I’ve got a lot cooking! The Futureland series ends with The Architect Games in November 2024. I’m out on sub soon with a YA Fantasy. I’m drafting a YA apocalyptic-adventure-romance. My next scheduled release is in 2026; it’s a YA horror about Georgia’s very own haunted lake, Lake Lanier. Search for the lake on Tik-Tok or Google if you haven’t heard of it!

Book Recs

SN: Young black boys are an often overlooked/underserved demographic in publishing. Do you have a few middle-grade books you could recommend for them?

HDH: The Last Last-Day-of-Summer by Lamar Giles

Nothing Interesting Ever Happens to Ethan Fairmont by Nick Brooks

Alex Wise vs the End of the World by Terry J. Benton-Walker

Fun question:

SN: If you could have two superhero powers, what would they be?

HDH: Teleportation, easy. And I’d want to be able to speak every language known to existence.

 

Thank you H.D. for such a fun interview! Wishing you much success with your latest book!

About H.D. Hunter

Author H.D. Hunter

Hugh “H.D.” Hunter is a storyteller, teaching artist, and community organizer from Atlanta, Georgia. He’s the author of Torment: A Novella and Something Like Right, as well as the winner of several international indie book awards for multicultural fiction. You can find his work online in Porter House Review.

Hugh is also the author of the Futureland series, including Battle for the Park, which was named a Georgia Center for the Book 2023 Book All Young Georgians Should Read. Battle for the Park is also a 2024 selection for the CORE Excellence in Children’s Science Fiction Notable list. Futureland: The Nightmare Hour and Futureland: The Architect Games are the second and third books in the series.

Website: www.hughhdhunter.com

Instagram: @hdhunterbooks

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