Num. 27 rising baby! You all are amazing. Thank you so much for helping this little newsletter about publishing and writing and creativity reach more artists like you. We've got such an enthusiastic and weird lil tribe being built over here, and I love it.
Wanna know what's sort of secretly going on in the middle grade world right now? sarahallen.substack.com/p/all-my-mid...
Typing up a scene from my current WIP that has references to a John Cleese movie, Taskmaster, and Alan Rickman's portrayal of Colonel Brandon, so I feel I'm doing my job.
Just know that when I'm watching TV, I, too, am being watched.
Writing a poem a day made the words feel less precious, more possible. If today's poem was a struggle, tomorrow brought something new. You can check out what more poets had to say here: sarahallen.substack.com/p/30-people-...
And the group encouragement was crucial too. As Heidi Mordhorst put it, a daily practice is "so much more rewarding when it comes with a community." Writing alongside others makes the work feel both braver and less precious.
Another key theme was surprise. Marilyn R Garcia: "By necessity, I have no plan... I am often surprised by what comes out." Moe Phillips said it "woke up sleeping parts of my brain." Daily prompts and consistency unlock something.
As I've interviewed this group of poets it seems like what we've learned most is play over perfection. Laura Shovan, who hosted the challenge, said daily writing helped her "approach each poem with a sense of play" ā curiosity over pressure, diving in and trusting the process.
What happens when you write a poem every single day for a month? A group of us did a month-long poetry challenge and tbh I was surprised at some of the breakthroughs I had, even just mentally. Turns out the other poets learned a bunch too. š§µ
Happy National Poetry Month from me and Michael Buble! www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL8r...
Timicin my tuxedo cat wrote last years April 1st newsletter and he told me to share it again today because he says its basically the best expose ever written. sarahallen.substack.com/p/10-things-...
Teachers, PLEASE use this upcoming National Poetry Month to let your students play with words for the pure joy of it. And here's a free something to get you started :) www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/30-P...
So let's help students with that first lift! I've made 30 pages of poetry starters, each one opening with a line or two to light the spark. No two poems will come out the same. Kids may start from the same place, but they'll end somewhere totally unique. That's the magic.
When students are disengaged with creative writing, the common complaint is "I don't know what to write about." But give them an opening line ā a single sentence that sets a mood, an image, a question ā and suddenly the lift doesn't feel so heavy.
April is almost here, and that means National Poetry Month is right around the corner. There's something quietly powerful about giving a student the first line of a poem and watching what they do with it. The blank page isn't so scary when someone hands you a door.
So...we're having some THOUGHTS about the most recent Pixar movies on the stack today. Please don't hurt me. sarahallen.substack.com/p/pixar
Reading doesn't have to happen at a desk! I created this FREE "Read in 20 Places" sheet to help kids discover that books can follow them EVERYWHERE. š Color it in as you go ā because every place is a reading place! #ReadingIsFun #Literacy #KidsBooks
Read the full interview with Samantha Sacks for more insights on children's book publicity, media strategy, and the evolving landscape of kids' publishing: sarahallen.substack.com/p/what-makes...
The #1 thing authors can do to help their own publicity campaign? Show up with a list. Samantha says it's a huge plus when authors come in with influencers and fellow authors already committed to posting about the book. Your network is part of your publicity strategy.
One emerging trend? Substack. "We're pitching Substacks more than ever before," says Samantha. As book reviewers migrate to the platform, savvy publicists are following. Something to keep in mind if you're building your own audience there!
Publicity for children's books isn't just a smaller version of adult publishing ā it's a whole different game. Fewer dedicated media outlets means you have to get creative. The silver lining: more event opportunities like school visits put authors directly in front of readers.
I sat down with Macmillan children's book publicist Samantha Sacks to talk about what it really takes to get a kids' book noticed. She had some thoughts about what ever kid lit author should knowš§µ
Teachers!! St. Patty's is comin, and wouldn't that be a perfect time to do a little limerick unit? I gotchu covered! www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/How-...
What makes kid lit publicity different from adult book publicity? Well I know it goes over MY head so I decided to ask a professional. sarahallen.substack.com/p/what-makes...
I knew I wanted to talk to my friend Jarrett Lerner about his banner year this year and how he made it happen, but I didnāt realize how thoughtful, encouraging, and generous his tips and advice were going to be. This is a really good one, folks! sarahallen.substack.com/p/he-has-ten...
Yeah.
Students can be so scared of poetry, but they don't have to be. Sometimes its just the blank page that's intimidating. So I've got 30 poetry starters for 5th-8th graders in case that's helpful for your students! www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/30-P...
