A beginning about beginnings: This story was going to start like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. #kidlitchat

My favorite first lines are punchy with a hook, but but if they're not immediately followed by something that grabs me even more, I'm not going to stay hooked. #kidlitchat

"Lies have short legs." #kidlitchat So many lines to choose from!

Here's an oldie: About two miles outside of Centerburg where route 56 meets rout 56A there lives a boy named Homer. #kidlitchat

"Check this out. This dude named Andrew Dahl holds the world record for blowing up the most balloons...with his nose. Yeah. That's true." I HAVE to know this character! #kidlitchat

I need a new butt! Mine's got a crack. #kidlitchat

My name is Nate Twitchell, but I can't help that. #kidlitchat

"If I was going to kill the Prophet," I say, not even keeping my voice low, "I'd do it in Africa."

Good evening, #kidlitchat chums!

I guess I should add another goal: Get up the guts to start querying my half dozen or so PB manuscripts. #kidlitchat

My goals: Continue writing every day, get back to a new project I started before needing to make edits to another story in November, and lead a successful writing conference. #kidlitchat

Hello, #kidlitchat friends!

I hope I can make it to #kidlitchat next week, but we'll be in the throes of early registration, so it's hard to predict.

OK if I plug my conference before we get to our end? This year we're offering a 5-day online workshop featuring @laurashovan.bsky.social. so you don't have to travel to participate--though we'd love to see you here. Can't wait! Reg opens at 12 NY Eve. Info at wifyr.com or DM me. #kidlitchat

One thing I never do at the end: an epilogue saying what happens after the story. Not a fan of those. I like to invite reader speculation, maybe with a minor loose end or two, but my story's over at The End. #kidlitchat

Christmas haul #kidlitchat

I might know the end, but I haven't yet discovered the emotional weight of the ending, or what it all means. I might have an idea, but before I know the characters better and their struggles, it's all A to B to C... #kidlitchat

Back to topic: Since I typically don't write in order, start to finish, having a basic sketch to fill in helps keep me going, including an idea of the end goal. Though, like a sketch, nothing's set in stone. #kidlitchat

Oh, and: 1. Taking a break from conference work. 2. Reg opens at midnight New Year's Eve. 3. Conf season online kickoff 1/8. 4. Our tamale guy came by a couple nights ago selling single-serve tres leches cakes, so I'm eating one now. #kidlitchat

I usually write a very brief story summary with main plot points as a first step, so I have at least a general idea of an end. #kidlitchat

Hi #kidlitchat friends!

Hi #Kidlitchat! Always happy for a break from conference planning. Just over two weeks until registration opens. This week, we announced our morning workshop lineup, the heart of our conference. www.wifyr.com/morning-work...

It's been great reading about everybody's successes, and the challenges too. Here's wishing everyone even more triumphs next quarter! #kidlitchat

Hi, friends. The last three months: I've written every day. Had a manuscript reviewed by a top editor. Started a new project. Helped with year-round conference activities. Planning June's conference (reg opens Jan 1!). Tonight I'm updating some of my query letters. So, not much. #kidlitchat

I love seeing some of your quirks. Anybody else save chapter breaks for late in the process? #kidlitchat

Hi, kidlitchatters! The structure I choose depends on the story and gut feel, informed by Save the Cat, Hero's Journey, Scene & Sequel, or whatever seems to fit best. #kidlitchat

While I'm promoting #wifyr, we also do a monthly online book club (though we're on holiday hiatus) where we have the author of our selection come and talk about their book, writing journey, process, etc. It's free! I'd love to see some of you join us. #kidlitchat

Something new at #wifyr this June--One of our weeklong morning workshops will be online, taught by @laurashovan.bsky.social. Can't wait! #kidlitchat

Also keeping me busy recently: I guest-lectured at one of the local universities last night about building a writing habit, which I guess is kind of like a seminar. #kidlitchat

We're also doing our own replacement for NaNo again this month, WIFYR-WriMo, where WriMo stands for "write more than you usually do" and we set our own goals to get there. #kidlitchat

Easy topic this week. We're gearing up for Jan 1 registration for Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers (wifyr.com), which I help run. We had an event last Fri and Sat. We're finalizing the website. Planning our Jan kickoff and March Ahead retreat, and the conference in June. #kidlitchat

Hi, #kidlitchat friends.

Good evening, #kidlitchat! I mostly use social media these days for the conference I help run. We still have have a fairly active FB group and page. Oh, and for this chat, of course. I still find a couple of mswl places useful too.

Cool topic. For my first manuscript, which largely took place in Iceland, where I had never been, I contacted a photographer and asked him a bunch of questions about the light. Very helpful! #kidlitchat

It's an increasingly rare thing, a free Tuesday night when I can attend #kidlitchat.

Even after writing for 2,642 straight days and establishing a fairly solid habit, some days it's hard to get started. But I'm not ready to end the streak quite yet, so here goes. #amwriting

Disappointed that I have to miss #kidlitchat tonight due to a staff meeting for this week's virtual wiring intensive, which I'm leading. But we have an amazing group of presenters to prepare for. Seats are still available. See wifyr.com for details.

Way late, but I'm able to take a break from working on my upcoming conference event to join part of the #kidlitchat.

We still have seats available for our 3-day online writing intensive, featuring several well-known editors, agents, and authors: Joy Peskin, Vicky Weber, Andie Smith, Laura Shovan, and others. Sept 18-20. Sign up today at www.wifyr.com/allyear-events. #amwriting #kidlit #kidlitchat #mg #picturebooks

I've been fighting to find the story in a premise I really like for a new MG. I'll get there. #kidlitchat

If you're interested, check out wifyr.com to learn about our 3-day online writing intensive, featuring Joy Peskin, Mary Cole, Vicky Weber, Laura Shovan, and a bunch of other great editors, agents, and authors. Or DM me. Or both. #kidlitchat

If you're interested, check out wifyr.com to learn about our 3-day online writing intensive, featuring Joy Peskin, Mary Cole, Vicky Weber, Laura Shovan, and a bunch of other great editors, agents, and authors. Or DM me. Or both.

🌮 🌮 devoured. Time to catch up. #kidlitchat

Taking a break from prepping for a great 3-day online conference I'm helping to run in a couple weeks (and tacos) for tonight's #kidlitchat

Looking forward to tonight's #kidlitchat, though I might be a little slow to post at first. Because tacos.

Bottom line, I guess, is that I write because I love doing it. So, as long as I still enjoy a story, not finding a home doesn't matter. Definitely not a good reason to lock that story away forever. #kidlitchat

I have some projects that are like that kid who was my friend though nobody else in my group liked him. But we were friends for reasons. #kidlitchat

I recently pulled out an old project, one I started about 20 years ago. I've pulled it from my archives a few times. I still really like it after another run through, and am giving it extra attention while I let other stories percolate and sketch out a new one. #kidlitchat

It's like the song. "Never can say goodbye." I still work sometimes on older projects. Thing about writing is we keep getting better if we're doing it right. Nothing is finished until it's in print. #kidlitchat

Writing routine is my jam. I've written 2,586 straight days so far, mostly at night after my wife goes to sleep. She works early, so I write late-ish. But I've written in my bedroom, home office, hotels, on trains--wherever I happen to be. #kidlitchat