Writing and Reading Links

I relate! “The beginning really does feel like staring up at a massive mountain that you know you must climb. You can’t even see the top. You have no idea how you’re going to get there. You are rather sure you don’t have the right supplies. And yet you have to put one foot in front of the other on faith alone and struggle your way to the top.”
Every Novel Feels Like an Impossibly Tall Mountain :: Nathan Bransford

“Very often, two of the most common questions writers will ask about characters in their story is, ‘How many characters do I need and or can I have and which characters do I need? What characters are important to my specific story?’”
The Structurally Most Important Characters :: Helping Writers Become Authors

This is an excellent newsletter on all things picture book written by Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen. So much to learn here! Listen in on them discussing Wanda Gag’s Millions of Cats.
Millions of Cats :: Looking at Picture Books

“When you experience something magical, you can repeat that same phrase: All magic is just labor, hidden well. That magician has practiced to make his tricks look effortless. That sequence of pyrotechnics at a concert was rehearsed until they simply couldn’t fail. That teacher who can get a rambunctious little kid interested in a book is not actually possessed of magical powers. She is just really really good at her job.”
All magic is just labor, hidden well :: Vanderhacks

“In many ways, rejection is proof of effort and courage. If you don’t submit, you don’t get rejected. But if you submit and if you keep learning and growing as a writer, you’ll potentially amass a pile of rejection slips.”
Rejection and Reflection for Writers :: Institute for Children’s Literature

On writing for the littlest listeners: “When you look to capture the attention of a baby, your (or at least my) impulse is not to try to teach them anything or be clever. You know they’re not receiving those messages yet. You’re simply hoping to engage them minute to minute.”
Jon Klassen on the Art of the Board Book :: The New York Times

“A book that burns brightly…A great nature story for this generation.”
It was a lovely surprise to find this brief discussion of The Burning Season on the Kirkus Reviews podcast (starting at 28:40).

Wow! This is an incredible look at middle grade using stats from 2024. Worth the time if you write for this age group or work with kids who read middle grade.
The Middle Grade Landscape :: Sam Subity