Tag Archives: writing advice

Great Storytelling: The Perfectly Constructed YA Novel

Meg Medina’s Burn, Baby, Burn is an example of great storytelling. This didn’t surprise me as I’d loved Medina’s Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. I’d recommend Burn to any teen looking for a good read. I’d also recommend … Continue reading

Posted in Family Problems, Fiction, Human Rights Issues, Romance, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Inlandia Journeys Teen Issue is Live!

Submerged by Shaina Boal I’m so excited about the latest teen issue of Inlandia, which is live now! “Despite the notion that we are voiceless, it seems to me that the challenge of a good creative writing instructor is to … Continue reading

Posted in Fiction, Grief, Non-fiction, Short Stories, Young Adult Literature | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

One Important Secret: Balance. Character, Emotion, and Story in Far from the Tree

Since I am on a YA fiction jag, I want to have a quick look at why National Book Award winning Far from the Tree by Robin Benway is so good. Happily, all the things that make this novel work … Continue reading

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Hope in the Mail

Wendelin Van Draanen, author of Hope in the Mail: Reflections on Writing and Life, wrote one of my favorite YA novels, The Running Dream. (I wrote a review of The Running Dream here. Check it out–and check out the book!) … Continue reading

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