A Beginners Toolkit
My journey into creative writing began with a home décor blog. After my husband and I moved from Pittsburgh to the suburbs of Philadelphia, I started writing about the house we fixed up and left behind to ease my homesick heart. After blogging about home design for a few years, I realized I was more interested in telling stories about fixing up houses than the actual fixing up of the houses.
I began exploring fiction after my son was born in 2013. Since then I’ve written thousands of words no one will ever see. After spending many years learning about the craft of fiction from books or podcasts, I decided to make a huge investment in my creative pursuits by enrolling in the Writing for Children and Young Adults MFA program at Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA). At VCFA, I worked closely with talented, thoughtful creators of children’s literature who encouraged me to stretch outside my comfort zone. To date, I’ve written pages of poetry, picture books, chapter books, and even a middle grade novel.
The following is a list of my favorite resources. As for the books, I always borrow from my local library before purchasing for my personal library. When buying a book, I tend to make purchases that support a brick and mortar bookstore either in person, via the store’s website or via bookshop.org. Because I’m a mother of two young children I’ve included a section with resources I find helpful in navigating the unique challenges experienced by mothers who write.
For Inspiration
Books
Big Magic, Elizabeth Gilbert
Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
Syllabus: Notes from an Accidental Professor, Lynda Barry
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, Stephen King
Still Writing: The Perils and Pleasures of a Creative Life, Dani Shapiro
The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks & Win Your Inner Creative Battles, Steven Pressfield
The Hero is You: Sharpen Your Focus, Conquer Your Demons, and Become the Writer You Were Born to Be, Kendra Levin
Podcasts
Keeping a Notebook with Nina LaCour
Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert, Brene Brown on “Big Strong Magic” (Season 1, Ep. 12)
Write-Minded
88 Cups of Tea
Ten Percent Happier with Dan Harris, Kristin Neff, Kryptonite for the Inner Critic
Articles/Videos
Elizabeth Gilbert: The Flight of the Hummingbird – The Curiosity Driven Life
Dear Sugar: Write Like a Motherf*cker
Dear Roxane: Is It Too Late to Follow My Dreams?
The Courage to Create: A Webinar with Jennifer Jacobson
Meditations for Every Stage in the Writing Process
For Craft/Writing Practice
Books
Consider This: Moments in My Writing Life After Which Everything Was Different, Chuck Palahniuk
A Swim in a Pond in the Rain, George Saunders
Reading Like a Writer, Francine Prose
Digital Minimalism: On Living Better With Less Technology, Cal Newport
The Power of Daily Practice: How Creative and Performing Artists (and Everyone Else) Can Finally Meet Their Goals, Eric Maisel
From Where You Dream: The Process of Writing Fiction, Robert Olen Butler
Hooked: Write Fiction That Grabs Readers at Page One & Never Lets Them Go, Les Edgerton
Story Genius: How to Use Brian Science to Go Beyond Outlining and Write a Riveting Novel, Lisa Cron
Story: Substance, Structure, Style, and the Principles of Screenwriting, Robert McKee
Websites/Online Communities
Story Club with George Saunders
Helping Writers Become Authors with K.M. Weiland
Writing Advice by Nathan Bransford
Articles/Videos
A Successful Daily Practice Requires Honesty, Eric Maisel
Matt Stone and Trey Parker Plotting Advice
Scriptnotes with John August (Masterclass in Structure)
8 Writing Tips from Jeff VanderMeer
Kurt Vonnegut on the Shapes of Stories
Eliminating “Thought” Verbs by Chuck Palahniuk
Helping Writers Become Authors Secrets of Story Structure Series
How to Construct a Picture Book in Three Acts
Copyright for Writers: Protecting Your Work (thank you to fellow beginning writer, Eric, for this resource!)
For Moms
Books
Overwhelmed: Work, Love, And Play When No One Has The Time, Brigid Schulte
A Circle of Quiet, Madeleine L’Engle
Podcasts
Mom Writes
The Stories Between Us
Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert, Do What Ignites Your Soul (Season 1, Ep. 1)
Write-Minded, Doing It All and Still Writing, featuring Aya De Leon
Articles/Websites
Calliope’s Writers (An online community of mothers making space, time and energy for writing while raising children hosted by developmental editor and book coach Georgina Green)
ThirdPath Institute, Creating Time for Life (An organization dedicated to helping families redesign work so both parents can maintain fulfilling careers while staying involved at home.)
(not) For Free
After I made creative writing a regular part of my life, I started making investments in my education. These include the following programs/membership organizations. I’m happy to discuss my experiences. Drop me a line via my contact page.
MasterClass: Judy Blume Teaches Writing
Slow Novel Lab with Nina LaCour
Highlights Mini-Courses (2-night webinar style classes on specific topics)
Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI)
Vermont College of Fine Arts (VCFA) MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults