Top Five Reasons We Love Being Writers

We all love to write. That's why we're here. So here's our top five reasons we love it so much. And if you haven't done so already pop over to our blogiversary post and enter to win free books and critiques!

Wendy Mcleod MacKnight

1. Telling stories has always bound us together 
2. The books I’ve read in my life have lifted me up when I needed lifting, filled me with hope when I was lost.
3. Books give me comfort when I'm sad. 
4. Stories help us make sense of the world. 
5. I love it!

Tom Torre 

1. I love being able to escape the confines of a poop-filled world and enter a world where I control the good and the bad.
2. Being part of the writing community is a reward by itself. I have gained some irreplaceable friendships and have teamed up with some amazing people over the years since becoming a writer. 
3. It's a way of venting out the excess creative goo that settles in my brain juices.
4. The feeling of finishing a book and saying "I did that." is amazing.
5. The constant struggle and challenge of the writing industry, while overwhelming at times, just makes me want to keep trying harder and harder. We'll each make it - one day. It's not a matter if, it's just when.

Jamie Krakover

1. I love exploring the what if.
2. I love the community writers have built, the people I've met, and the connections I've made.
3. It's a challenge that allows me to exercise the other side of my brain. It balances out my engineering side.
4. Because the more I write, the more I discover things about myself.
5. When you write, literally anything is possible. There are rules, but some are made to be broken.

Shari Green

1. Because stories connect us.
2. Because I love words/sentences/books, and writing lets me live in words/sentences/books, lol.
3. Because creating something that someday, somewhere, a child may read and either feel a little less alone or grow in empathy for someone else, or a child may read and think "this was written just for me"…well, how amazing would that be? the possibility both overwhelms and inspires me.
4. Because it’s fun (sometimes).
5. Because it’s hard (sometimes), and I do love a good challenge.

There's our reasons for loving to write, what are yours? 

 

Top 5 Favorite Pieces of Writing Advice

This week our 5 year blogiversary celebration continues with some of our favorite pieces of writing advice! And if you haven't done so already pop over to our blogiversary post and enter to win free books and critiques!

What are you top five favorite pieces of writing advice?

Shari Green 

1. First, a quote – not advice, really, but something I hold close as a children’s author: “We have been given the sacred task of making hearts large through story.” (Kate DiCamillo)
2. Writing a first draft is making clay (so it's okay if it's messy!). Revising is sculpting something worthwhile out of that clay.
3.  Keep showing up. (Do the work.) 
4. So much of publishing is out of your hands. Don’t spend your energy on things that are out of your control.
5. There’s always more to learn. 

Jamie Krakover

1. Just because something works for someone else doesn't mean it must work for you. You do you! 
2. You don't have to write every day to be a writer 
3. Remove aspiring from your profile, if you write you're a writer, not an aspiring writer 
4. Kill the filter words, it strengthens your writing. Not he heard the car horn blare, just the car horn blared. 
5. Keep moving forward. Find good writing buddies that wont let you quit.

Tom Torre

1. You are your own writer - it's good to be inspired by other authors, but find your own voice. That's where you'll find the most success.
2.  Can't stop, won't stop - write when you can, as much as you can. But don't force it. Let it come when it feels the most natural. 
3. Always keep an open mind to critiques. Your beta readers, critique partners, editors, agents, whatever, all want what's best for you and want to help you improve your craft.
4.  KEEP READING!!! The most important part about writing is reading. 
5. Ignore the "no's" and focus on getting that "yes" - as writers we will experience ten million no's before we get that magic yes. The yes will come, as long as you're in it for the long haul. 
6. BONUS - never give up, never surrender

Tom Mulroy

1. Don't compare your progress to others.
2. Read.
3. Give yourself time away from a project when you need to.
4. Remember most of the work is done in revision.
5. This is more of an industry thing that a writing thing, but all the same: Be nice to people.

  Kim Ventrella

1. Every great book feels like a failure at some point. If you can remember that, and remember what it felt like to move past that failure, you'll likely be able to make a career as a writer.
2. It’s about emotional connection. If readers relate to your character, then they’ll care what happens to them, and you’ve just won the biggest battle of good storytelling.
3. Back on failure If you can embrace it (i.e. allow yourself to experiment and fail) you’ll grow much faster as a writer, as opposed to always trying to be perfect.
4. Take every opportunity you can to remind yourself why you started writing. Push yourself to constantly rediscover that magic.
5. Step out of the high-stakes performance zone on occasion and take time to study great books, analyze what makes them great and then experiment with what you’ve learned in your own writing.

There's our writing advice. What's some of your favorite pieces of writing advice? Let us know in the comments!

 

 

Our Top Five Middle Grade Books

All month long we're celebrating Middle Grade Minded's 5th anniversary. We've got a celebration and giveaways (check out this post). And today we are celebrating turning 5 with our top five favorite Middle Grade Books.

Shari Green

1. Because of Winn Dixie (Kate DiCamillo) – the captivating voice, the quirky and charming characters, and the mix of sad and sweet 
2. The One and Only Ivan (Katherine Applegate) – the beautiful and heartbreaking story, the innovative approach 
3. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery) – the charm, the characters, and the nostalgic trips to my childhood each rereading brings 
4. Harry Potter series (J.K. Rowling) – the magic, the themes, the stunning world-building/plotting…basically, everything (what’s not to love?!) 
5. The Wednesday Wars (Gary D. Schmidt) – the authentic voice, the Shakespeare stuff, the humor 
6. (I had half a dozen books vying for that fifth spot. I love them all, for different reasons. In case you’re wondering… Charlotte’s Web, The Tale of Despereaux, Home of the Brave, Rules for Stealing Stars, Hour of the Bees.)

Jamie Krakover

1. Harry Potter (JK Rowling) - The magic pulled me in and the story got me back into reading on a regular basis
2. The False Prince series (Jennifer Neilson)- It was so engaging, cleverly written and I love the main character he's such an interesting and well calculated individual (and really anything by her pretty much goes on my automatic to buy list, her books and character reel you in and don't let go.) 
3. Fear Street (RL Stine) - I loved the murder mysteries and couldn't put them down, also prided myself as a young reader that I had the formula figured out and could figure out who would be the first suspect, the next after, who the misdirection was and ultimately who did it 
4. Mrs. Smith's Spy School for Girls (Beth McMullen) - This book has a strong female character, lots of action, and a ton of sass. It's a fun adventure and really awesome story. 
5. Quantum Prophecy Series (Michael Carroll) - This series centers around a group of kids whose parents were superheroes, but in the time after they were born, superheroes vanished. Now it's up to the children to develop their powers and protect the world again from new threats.

Wendy Macleod MacKnight

1. Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery- best written MG character ever!
2. A Wrinkle in Time - Madeline L’engle - wonderful story, great early STEM! 
3. Brown Girl Dreaming - Jacqueline Woodson - a life in all its complexities in exquisite poetry 
4. The War That Changed My Life - Kim Brubaker Bradley - the magic of love and hope in World War II. 
5. The Golden Compass - Philip Pullman - exquisite world-building and deeply philosophical 

Stefanie Wass

1. BECAUSE OF WINN DIXIE (The voice!)
2. ONE FOR THE MURPHYS (I still wonder how the main character is doing. She was so, so real), THE TRUTH ABOUT TWINKIE PIE (The sweet Southern voice)
3. DRUMS, GIRLS, AND DANGEROUS PIE (The heart wrenching premise)
4. A CROOKED KIND OF PERFECT (Hilarious and heart breaking at the same time. Spot-on MG voice. Plus music!) 

Tom Torre

1. A WRINKLE IN TIME - Madeline L'Engle : when I first read this book in like 8th grade I think, I fell in love with the story so much that I focused too much on drawing pictures of what I thought everything looked like in the book, than working on a book report for it and proceeded to get a bad grade bc my cover was awesome, but the report stunk. 
2. HARRY POTTER SERIES - JK Rowling : I mean...come on....it's Harry Potter.......WHO DOESN'T LOVE HARRY POTTER!?!?! 
3. HOLES - Louis Sachar : This book got me into comedy / character development in MG. It's seriously such a great story that's "big fish-esque" 
4. A MONSTER CALLS - Patrick Ness : made me cry...nuff said. 
5. THE GOLDEN COMPASS - Philip Pulman : made me want a familiar.....such great world building, and incredible characters.

There's probably like 30 other books fighting for these spots, and it changes every year lol 

Tom Mulroy
In no particular order, and with the understanding that there are a dozen other books out there that could easily slide into one of these places depending on the day:

1. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle. The book that captured me the hardest when I was a middle grader myself.
2. Jacob Have I Loved by Katherine Paterson. The first time I read it I was blown away by how thoroughly the characters were created and by the complete sense of place. I feel like I could spend the rest of my years as a writer chasing this book.
3. Unclaimed Treasures by Patricia MacLachlan. I love how minimal this book is in its writing, and yet manages to tell such a complete and subtextual story.
4. When Zachary Beaver Came to Town by Kimberly Willis Holt. Great writing, great characters, anchoring sense of time and place.
5. Tangerine by Edward Bloor. Again, strong characters, strong sense of place. I'm picking up on some themes here.... 

Kim Ventrella

1. All things Harry Potter 
2. Graveyard Book
3. The One and Only Ivan
4. A Wrinkle in Time
5. The Moorchild.

Also, all the other books!!!

 Look at all those awesome books! What are your top five favorite Middle Grade Books? Let us know in the comments! 

Middle Grade Minded turns 5!

Happy 5 year blogiversary Middle Grade Minded!

When a group of us started this blog 5 years ago, I never imagined we'd be here five years later. But due to the dedication of our bloggers new and old, and the continued support of our readers here we are! And we're continuing to grow as we go. It's been so much fun interacting with everyone over the last five years, sharing writing tips, reviews, and our general love of Middle Grade literature.

So a sincere thank you to each and every one of you who was involved in the blog one way or another. We wouldn't be here if it wasn't for all of you.

So that means it's time to celebrate. Throughout the month we will have special posts including top five lists from our bloggers old and new, plus giveaways, and our regularly scheduled posts. So get ready for a SUPER sized anniversary month!

As a thank you to the loyal readers of this blog we have a TON of giveaways. See the two rafflecopters below. There's something for everyone, for the reader, opportunities to win signed books and for the writer critiques galore. So feel free to enter all that are of interest.

And from all the Middle Grade Minded bloggers, THANK YOU for supporting us for five years! We love you guys!


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