Spice
Years ago, I was author-in-residence at a lively middle school where two exceptional teachers had created a strong writing program. A cardboard box, decorated with skull and crossbones, sat the the front of one room, with a sign...
Read MoreAuthor: Liza Ketchum
The brave new world of research
This morning I came across a hand-written, nearly illegible letter from my great-uncle Carleton. In his cramped, wobbly hand (he was 92 at the time), he wrote about his grandmother’s wedding. He remembered her stories...
Read MoreOperatic writing
As writers, we pay constant attention to the Don’ts of writing. Don’t Tell: Show. Don’t bog the story down with long flashbacks. Don’t create stereoytypical characters. Don’t give in to melodrama....
Read MorePunctuation
For those who don’t receive the Writer’s Almanac, I can’t resist posting this poem on punctuation–especially since I sometimes bug students about the semi-colon and then realize I probably misuse it...
Read MoreWhat’s on the Wall?
How fitting that Anne should post about procrastination, just when I realize that I am avoiding cleaning my office. The chaos in my writing room is a habitual problem, so the avoidance is not new. The trouble is, a month ago I...
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