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Tag: creativity

Writing with Friends: the 85K Challenge

December 20, 2018 A. B. Westrick 12 Comments

Writing is a solitary activity, but we don’t have to do it alone… Won’t you sign up with me?

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Filed under: 85K challenge, 85K writing challenge, 85K90, accountability, creativity, forum, friends, genre tribes, J.P. Cane, Julie Valerie, kathi appelt, NaNoWriMo, podcast, process, scenes, story, VCFA, Vermont College of Fine Arts, word counts, Working Title, WriterStat, writing

Addicted to Writing

August 31, 2016 A. B. Westrick 16 Comments

What’s an author to do when her latest revision is out with beta readers? I’ve cleaned out a filing cabinet,…

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Filed under: craft, creativity, fiction, Natalie Goldberg, process, scenes, story, Sudoku, writing

Get a flow going

July 29, 2016 A. B. Westrick 6 Comments

Last month I posted about endings, then tried my own suggestion: I wrote a possible final chapter. Once I had…

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Filed under: craft, creativity, dialogue, drafting, fiction, first draft, gel pen, manuscript, plot, process, scenes, story, uni-ball, uniball, writing

Welcome Ambiguity

December 31, 2015 A. B. Westrick 7 Comments

My brother-in-law emailed me a quote from Richard Rohr, and I printed it on a scrap of paper, taped it above…

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Filed under: craft, creativity, draft, fiction, first draft, process, Richard Rohr, writing

Stocking Stuffer for Writers

October 10, 2015 A. B. Westrick Leave a comment

The Halfway House for Writers is a book I’ll read again. And again. And again. Like Anne Lamott’s Bird by…

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Filed under: Anne Lamott, Bird by Bird, craft, creativity, emotional truth, Halfway House for Writers, Julia Cameron, Life in 10 Minutes, Natalie Goldberg, process, revision, stocking stuffer, The Artist's Way, Valley Haggard, writing, Writing Down the Bones

Self-Doubt

November 28, 2012 A. B. Westrick 7 Comments

I’m scared right now. Scared that I won’t be able to write another novel, or at least, not one worth…

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Filed under: books, character, craft, creativity, emotional truth, hook, NaNoWriMo, philip pullman, process, revision, story, the golden compass, voice, writing

Storytelling à la Pixar

June 9, 2012 A. B. Westrick Leave a comment

Here is yesterday’s fabulous post from io9.com: The 22 rules of storytelling, according to Pixar, written by storyboard artist Emma…

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Filed under: character, Clay McLeod Chapman, Clete Barrett Smith, craft, creativity, pace, Pixar, plot, process, revision, story, structure, theme, writing

On Joy

February 11, 2012 A. B. Westrick Leave a comment

A while back, fellow VCFA alum Lindsey Lane asked if I had a favorite quote about writing—and I did—and in…

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Filed under: Annie Dillard, creativity, joy, process, VCFA, writing

The Liebster Award

December 14, 2011 A. B. Westrick Leave a comment

A little love came my way recently. Richmonder Marci Rich, who writes The Midlife Second Wife, nominated my blog for…

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Filed under: craft, creativity, emotional truth, Liebster Award, VCFA, writing

On Creativity

June 23, 2011 A. B. Westrick 2 Comments

Last month a young woman told me she was pursuing a PhD in children’s literature instead of an MFA because…

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Filed under: Annie Dillard, creativity, Julia Cameron, MFA, process, story, The Artist's Way, writing

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plot rafflecopter giveaway emotional truth theme fiction middle grade book giveaway James River Writers structure craft Vermont College of Fine Arts research author interview writing books VCFA hook story voice MFA process YA revision protagonist literature scenes character middle-grade manuscript

Interviews with Authors

Gigi Amateau, Apr.2013
Tina Athaide, May.2020
Sarah R. Baughman, Aug.2019
Karen Magnuson Beil, Dec.2020
Cece Bell, Sept.2014
James Bird @MGBook Village, May.2022
Anne Blankman, Jun.2017
Emily Blejwas, Oct.2021
Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Jan.2016
Skila Brown, May.2014
Anne Bustard, Feb.2020
Samantha M. Clark, Aug.2021
Gwen Cole, May.2018
Winifred Conkling, Jan.2015
Meredith Davis, Oct.2019
Shannon Doleski, Jul.2020
Kathryn Erskine, Oct.2013
Anika Fajardo, Jun.2021
Robin Farmer, Nov.2020
Lamar Giles, Aug.2015
Alex Gino @MGBook Village, Jun.2022
Dean Gloster, May.2017
Kristen Green, Jul.2015
Frances Greenslade, Apr.2021
Mary Lou Hall, Jul.2017
Mary Winn Heider, Jun.2019
Leah Henderson, Aug.2017
Linda Oatman High, Jan.2021
Cordelia Jensen, Sept.2018
Daphne Kalmar, Aug.2020
Kristen Kittscher, Nov.2013
Lindsey Lane, Nov.2017
Janae Marks, Sept.2021
Cory McCarthy, Aug.2018
Kelly O’Connor McNees, Oct.2014
Meg Medina, Mar.2013
Mary Miley, Nov.2013
Hannah Moderow, Apr.2018
Laurie Morrison, Sept.2018
Kaela Noel, Oct.2020
Sara Pennypacker, Feb.2021
Shawn Peters @MGBook Village, Apr.2022
Loriel Ryon, Jun.2020
Adam P. Schmitt, Apr.2019
Ruta Sepetys, Apr.2016
Wendy Wan-Long Shang, Apr.2015
Maleeha Siddiqui @MGBook Village, Jan.2022
Lindsey Stoddard, Jul.2018
Lisa Stringfellow @MGBook Village, Feb.2022
Melanie Sumrow, Jul.2021
Erin Teagan, Feb.2017
Sonja Thomas @MGBook Village, Mar.2022
Mindy Thompson, Nov.2021
Nicole Valentine, Sept.2019
Padma Venkatraman, Nov.2016
Malve von Hassell, Sept.2020
Steve Watkins, Jun.2018
Lauren Wolk, Mar.2021
Brenda Woods, Mar.2020
Brian Young, May.2021

Tweets

Retweet on Twitter ABWestrick Retweeted
Alex Gino @lxgino ·
6 Jun

ALICE AUSTEN LIVED HERE releases tomorrow but you can read this interview now! https://twitter.com/ABWestrick/status/1533814596334755841

ABWestrick @ABWestrick

I loved interviewing @lxgino about their new #mg novel, out June 7 from @Scholastic: ALICE AUSTEN LIVED HERE. A great story about queer history, questioning stereotypes and what makes a family a family @MGBookVillage #kidlit #LGBTQ #Pride2022 #PrideMonth https://mgbookvillage.org/2022/06/06/interview-with-alex-gino-about-alice-austen-lived-here/

Reply on Twitter 1533850601175625730 Retweet on Twitter 1533850601175625730 6 Like on Twitter 1533850601175625730 14 Twitter 1533850601175625730
ABWestrick @abwestrick ·
6 Jun

I loved interviewing @lxgino about their new #mg novel, out June 7 from @Scholastic: ALICE AUSTEN LIVED HERE. A great story about queer history, questioning stereotypes and what makes a family a family @MGBookVillage #kidlit #LGBTQ #Pride2022 #PrideMonth https://mgbookvillage.org/2022/06/06/interview-with-alex-gino-about-alice-austen-lived-here/

Reply on Twitter 1533814596334755841 Retweet on Twitter 1533814596334755841 4 Like on Twitter 1533814596334755841 7 Twitter 1533814596334755841
ABWestrick @abwestrick ·
2 May

My interview with @jamesbirdwriter is up today @MGBookVillage. Funny, heartwarming #MG #fiction about a boy who gets a chance to turn his life around. I loved this glimpse into Ojibwe traditions, & the story is great. #kidlit @MacKidsBooks #mgbookchat https://mgbookvillage.org/2022/05/02/interview-with-james-bird-about-the-second-chance-of-benjamin-waterfalls/

Reply on Twitter 1521088160343773187 Retweet on Twitter 1521088160343773187 4 Like on Twitter 1521088160343773187 8 Twitter 1521088160343773187
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Recent Posts

  • On Hiatus. #amwriting May 10, 2022
  • Writing Backstory April 12, 2022
  • Rejection March 8, 2022
  • First Drafts February 8, 2022
  • Morning Pages January 11, 2022
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