Spotlight on Lisa Albinus

My name is Lisa Albinus. I get to live the dream of being an artist and author as I live my life with a Bible tucked under my arm and a paintbrush in my hand. My greatest desire is to breathe hope into the latent, creative dreams of your childhood and the crayons that have … More Spotlight on Lisa Albinus

The Child’s Voice in Writing

Engaging young readers is important for children’s authors, but in an effort to reach them, how do we understand our young readers? Maybe we are parents or grandparents. We might be teachers or caregivers. Maybe we just have a heart for littles. I think every children’s author would agree that effective writing for children requires … More The Child’s Voice in Writing

Stories Matter

“The universe is made of stories, not atoms.” —Muriel Rukeyser Once upon a time… … in a Galaxy Far, Far Away… … a young shepherd boy stood before the giant with only a sling. … a starship set out to boldly go where no man had gone before. … four reptiles stumbled upon green ooze … More Stories Matter

Diversify Income Streams

If you’ve chosen writing for the purpose of making your fortune, you’ve picked the wrong career. Of course, this doesn’t mean that we can’t earn money from writing and writing-related activities. So now that we’ve dealt with this hard truth and you haven’t stopped reading, let’s examine several ways to generate additional income. The best … More Diversify Income Streams

Making Mud Pies

I’m told I was a particularly difficult baby and a challenging child. The family blames the first on colic; I blame the second on a vivid imagination. Whatever the cause, a series of photos seems to substantiate the claims of my parentals, aunts and uncles, and grandmother. One snapshot in particular comes to mind. Picture … More Making Mud Pies

Fall Writing Contest Winner

Recently, Write2Ignite held a fall-themed short story contest for writers of young adult fiction. We’re pleased to announce that our winner is “H2O-CO” by Gayle Veitenheimer! Please visit Gayle’s Facebook page, and enjoy her story below: “H2O-CO” Squeals and giggles pierced the fall evening, grating against Greta’s ears. She frowned. Mallory Johnson had attached herself to … More Fall Writing Contest Winner

More Than Just the Facts, Ma’am

When you think about writing for children, you might picture stacks of picture books or a shelf full of novels. But did you know there’s a large nonfiction market as well? In my workshop session “More Than Just the Facts, Ma’am,” I’m going to introduce you to the world of children’s nonfiction and educational publishing. There’s … More More Than Just the Facts, Ma’am

The Charlotte Mason Method, Part Two

Last month, we introduced Charlotte Mason and discussed her influence on homeschooling. Her method is popular among many homeschool families, and it’s important to understand it so you can create resources that support families who follow this method. So far, we’ve talked about living books, copywork, dictation, science, and nature study. Let’s explore some additional … More The Charlotte Mason Method, Part Two