Blog Links for Ms. Ayotte’s Creative Writing Class

Hello Ms. Ayotte’s Creative Writing Class!

Why blog? It’s a debate with writers. Many writers refuse to blog saying it takes away from their writing time. However, young adult and children’s writers know that blogging is a way to reach readers.

Blogs vary in topics. Some writers discuss their personal lives. Some writers discuss their writing habits. Some writers discuss passions or issues. And some combine all of the above.

If you flip around on my blog, you’ll find that most of what I write is about writing with a bit of the personal and a few pictures tossed into the mix. My audience is mainly educators who take my Seattle Pacific classes and who might hire me for school visits. Sometimes editors or agents might check out my blog or website if they are considering buying one of my stories. This gives an editor or agent a feel for me as a writer and how well I might be able to market my books.

Some writers use blogs as a way to post information about their school visits, classes they teach, or contests or scholarships they offer. Which speaking of scholarships…if you are a LSHS senior, be sure and check out the Creative Writing Scholarship link on this blog.

You can download theLSHS Creative Writing Scholarship Applicaticationfrom either the blog or my website at www.mindyhardwick.com. Ms. Ayotte and I also have applications. So, get going…the deadline is March 31! And I’m hoping one of you will be awared the scholarship!

Okay, back to blogs….I’ve picked out some blogs you might enjoy. The following are blogs written either by writers or about writing.

I’ve also linked to a Websites for Teen Writers that I try to keep current for teen writers. The list of websites will have information on contests and great books to read. Explore and have fun!

Enjoy!

Scott Westerfeld–Young Adult Author of Uglies, Pretties, and Specials

Shanon Hale-Young Adult author whose website tends to lean more towards the personal rather than writing

Kirby Larson–Seattle writer. Author of Kirby Big Sky, Newbery Honor Award book

Cynthia Leitch-Smith–She is known to be “The Blogger” in Children’s Literature and updates often with interviews with young adult and children’s writers.

Fuse Number 8-A NY Public Librarian’s blog about young adult and children’s books.

Class of 2k7–This is a group of young adult and children’s writers who all have books coming out in 2007. They banned together for marketing purposes to create a website and blog which links the various new authors.

Anastasia Suen –This is the central location for finding any young adult writer who blogs.

Miss Snark–Miss Snark is an “anonymous agent” and many writers read her blog to find out what and how to submit to an agent.

Justina Chen Headley–Seattle author of Nothing But The Truth And A Few White Lies. This is her blog for writers. And is a great one for reading about the marketing aspect of writing. Yes. Writing is not just writing. It’s also about knowing how and where to market your book. She also has a blog for teens.

Buried in the Slush Pile–Madeline Smoot, an editor with Blooming Tree Press keeps this blog about the viewpoint of writing from an editor. Madeline edited my short story, “Hurricanes” for Summer Shorts. She also has my ghost story, “Hand on The Door” on hold for possible inclusion with her new book of ghost stories.

Now, it’s your turn. Search for your favorite writer. Do they have a website? A blog?

Do you have a blog? Let us know!

High School Today

Today was my first morning working as a teaching writer in Ms. Ayotte’s Creative Writing Class at Lake Stevens High School. When I arrived at the school, I was greeted with a blockade of six police cars blocking the road by the High School. Following a small car with two high school girls obviously trying to get into school, I looped around and went down another road, and pulled into the high school lot.

Shades were drawn. No kids were in the courtyard or passing classes and men in large, purple coats patroled the parking lot. “M’am. We’re in lockdown.” A man said to me as I got out of the car.

Quickly, I introduced myself to the principal, and explained I was here for Susan’s class.

“Have to leave,” he said. “Lock-down.”

I got back into my car and drove past the elementary school next to the high school. The elementary school where buses had just pulled up and parents were being shooed away from the school.

My insides shook.

School. One of our most traditional elements of childhood. School. What memories do you remember? I bet not lock-down. We had tornado drills. We had assemblies. We had finals, but we sure didn’t have lock-down.

I returned home, waited forty-minutes, and tried again at 9:30. This time, kids were outside, lights were on, blinds were up. When I arrived into the creative writing class, kids were sitting, unsure, after having been locked-down for an hour. Trapped inside their classes. Not knowing if the shooter was a high school student inside the school or someone near-by. In this case, it turned out to be a potential suicide in a house near-by. Not a student inside. This time it wasn’t them.

Quickly, Susan and I changed plans. Instead of taking kids to the library, I would write with them. Poetry. Poetry like I write with the kids in juvie. Poetry from the heart.

We wrote. We wrote about being safe. We wrote about trust. We wrote.

And maybe someday, years from now, when they remember high school and these things called lock-downs where everyone is trapped inside, they might also remember that writing heals.

My First Interview

Kim Winters, a Vermont College classmate, interviewed me for The Edge of the Forest. I am intereviewed in “A Day in the Life” and talk about the work with the juvie kids in “What’s in Their Backpack.”

Very exciting!