Analysis: My first writing workshop for adults

May 26, 2014beccakinla authors, teachers, writer, writing, writing groups, writing process Tags: book, california, coaching, crash course, creative, hobby, how to, jewish, juvenile, kid, kid lit, Klempner, learn, learning, magazine, middle grade, picture book, skill, teen, training, tween, workshop, write, writer, writing, writing workshops Leave a comment

Along with writing and editing, I’ve coached writers one-on-one off-and-on for the last couple years. I’ve presented writing workshops and made author visits to groups even longer than that, but those groups always consisted of school children. Yesterday, for the first time, I combined the two and taught a writing workshop for fledgling writers aged 15 and up. Actual grown-ups attended!

The Crash Course

Since my greatest area of expertise is writing for tots, tweens, and teens, I decided to offer a three-hour crash course in writing for those groups. My husband agreed to whisk away the kids who weren’t in school (some Jewish day school kids attend on Sunday mornings), and I prepared materials and advertised.

Overtime

I thought three hours would be enough, I really did. Continue reading →

Can teenagers really save the world? Musings on middle grade and YA lit

November 20, 2013beccakinla advice, book, books, children, children's books, novel, novels, parents, stories, students, style, teens, ya novels Tags: adults, believability, book, books, character, characters, children, disbelief, independence, juvenile, kid, literature, middle grade, novel, novels, psychology, realism, rescue, role, save, teens, tween, universe, world, writer, writing, ya 4 Comments

I’m completely behind both writing and housework this week due to a bout of strep throat (thankfully, on the mend now due to penicillin). This was the second time I’ve been laid up for several days since Sukkos, so it was pretty much a drag, and I really need to try to wrap up at least one story this week. However, I just feel the need to share this with my readers.

Can three teens really save their airship from pirates? Not sure I buy it.

While lying in bed trying very hard not to swallow (it just hurt too much), I read a slew of middle grade and YA novels. Now, I know that tween and teen novels tend to share certain characteristics, and that many of these meet the psychological needs of tweens and teens. But as a once-but-no-longer teen, a particular trait rubbed me the wrong way. Continue reading →

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Rebecca Klempner

Author page of Rebecca Klempner

juvenile

Analysis: My first writing workshop for adults

The Crash Course

Overtime

Can teenagers really save the world? Musings on middle grade and YA lit

The Crash Course

Overtime

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