Teach Yourself How to Write Anything

Tasks and Reflections for Each Category

Read books
Sort what you like and don’t like, read the ones you like again
Reflect:
- What do the books you like have in common?
- What habits work to read the most?
- Do you like reading these books?

Type up mentor texts (passages, chapters, picture books, entire short pieces)
Reverse engineer a GN script based on a published novel
Compare the GN and the novel version of the same story (eg, Wings of Fire, Sense and Sensibility, Graveyard Book)
Study mentor texts for specific things (eg, descriptions, good dialog, scene transitions, POV, interiority). Buy a cheap copy of the book and mark it up.
Determine what are things that you read you want in your own writing
Explore TVTropes.com
Read craft books, take classes, attend presentations
Reflect:
- What did you learn?
- What resources helped you learn the most?
- Is there still something you need to understand before you can start experimenting?

Drawing on your increased understanding and Taste Bank, write as much as you can with what you know right now. Go as far as possible. The point of this step is not to write a draft; it’s to identify what you still need to learn.
Write a pitch
Write a synopsis
Write a 0 draft (note: the first time you write in a format, this will not be a “first draft,” this is a draft to determine what you still need to learn.
Vomit draft: better out that in.
You are still not ready to revise.
Reflect:
- How did writing feel? Are you writing in the right format? Age category? Genre? What would help it be more fun?
- What worked best for you to get the 0 draft done?
- Where did you encounter a “stuck” feeling, where you still need to learn something? (make a list)

Break what you need to learn into easily managed parts
Do NOT worry too much about the whole now.
Diagnose what isn’t working (then go back to Understand that piece, then Apply to your manuscript).
Become a critique partner
Reflect:
- How do you feel? Are you in the Pit of Despair? If so, are you looking at the project as a whole or the smaller pieces? Do you need a break?
- What worked to help you figure out the individual pieces to study? (time away from the project? Working with a critique partner or coach? Consulting craft books? Comparing your MS to books in your Taste Bank?)
- **How have you grown and improved as a writer since you started this project? (this is so important for motivation)

When you have no more easily identifiable pieces that need fixing, let manuscript (or section or chapter) sit for 1 day-6 months.
Write something else in that time, and keep reading to build your Taste Bank.
Read with fresh eyes (read what’s on the page, not what’s in your head)
Keep a revision list–don’t try to fix while you read.
Find critique partners and be a critique partner for others.
Reflect:
- How long do you need to let something sit in order to read it fresh?
- What method of getting feedback on your manuscript works for you?
- Is your critique group/partner a good fit?
- Are you giving helpful feedback?
- How does it feel to get feedback? Do you feel empowered?
- How far have you come from where you started? Take 10 minutes and journal about where you were when you started and where you are now, and notice how much you’ve improved.

These categories create two loops:

Writingmastery.com
For a fairly low monthly fee–$15 a month the last time I checked–you get unlimited access to extremely helpful classes. I especially recommend the revision class with Jessica Brody and the class on scenes with Jordan Rosenfeld.
Writingtheother.com
InkedVoices.com
Writing Graphic Novels for Kids
My own list of resources for learning to write graphic novels

Intuitive Editing by Tiffany Yates Martin
Save the Cat Write a Novel by Jessica Brody
Writing Picture Books by Ann Whitford Paul
The Power Of Point Of View: Make Your Story Come To Life by Alicia Ralsey
Magic Words by Cheryl B. Klein
Writing Irresistible Kidlit by Mark Kole
The Story Grid: What Good Editors Know by Shawn Coyne
Story Genius by Lisa Cron
beware the salesmanship is strong here: her theory that story is tied to character is great, but her method for how to apply that theory, which she insists is a must do, does not work for everyone and that’s fine, I promise.
Make a Scene Make a Scene: Crafting a Powerful Story One Scene at a Time by Jordan Rosenfeld

Literaticast
Superbly successful kidlit agent Jennifer Laughran interviews various experts in the field
You May Contribute a Verse
Hosted by two picture book writers, this podcast has hosted some of the biggest names in kidlit and some of the most promising up-and-comers
Writing Excuses
Probably my favorite writing podcast by science fiction and fantasy writers. Each short episode is a fascinating deep dive. A must listen.
Graphic Novel TK
Though no longer active, the backlog of this podcast delves into the minutiae of publishing a graphic novel
Odyssey Writing Workshop
Short clips from talk from the Odyssey Writers Workshop. Fascinating, but unfortunately the intro is often long. Great for when you have easy access to the “skip forward 30 seconds” button.

Ellen Brock. I especially like these series of hers:
- Four Types of Novel Writers (as a cure for when you have a case of the “I should be doing it the way everyone else does it” because there’s no one right way)
- Advanced Story Structure (for people who like to write in a structure; sort of like “Save the Cat lite”)
BookEnds Literary
Lyrical Language Lab

Social media hashtags such as #amwriting, #kidlit, etc.
Discord groups
Check out Nathan Christopher’s Twitter profile for a link to the fabulous PB Workshop Discord group for all kidlit writing. My writing game took a huge leap forward when I connected with this talented and dedicated group of kidlit writers.

I’ll also send you book recommendations and news about my own books.