By Ellen Buikema

I often feel that my first drafts are like the first cooked pancake in a batch, otherwise known in my family as the doggy-pancake—tasty but with issues.

Although it is said that Shakespeare never crossed out a line, most published books have very different first drafts.… Read the post

by Ellen Buikema

One of the most valuable qualities of writing YA Literature is how it addresses the needs of its readers. Young adulthood is a tumultuous time of evolving, searching for self and identity, growing and changing, transforming from the world of childhood to that of adulthood.… Read the post

by Ellen Buikema

National Novel Writing Month, aka NaNoWriMo, is an organization that promotes creative writing worldwide via annual writing challenges where participants attempt to write fifty thousand words in a month. I pondered whether or not to attempt their challenge for several years and finally opted to give it a try in 2020, the unhappy year many wish wasn’t.… Read the post

by Ellen Buikema

Have you ever had a story playing in your mind and wanted to retell it for the amusement of your friends? If you begin without knowing what statements to use and the specific order you’ll find yourself with a choppy, not-so-interesting mess.… Read the post

by Ellen Buikema

Writing is a solitary endeavor, and many writers are happy to stay in their writing caves. However, one must escape into the wild sometime. Consider approaching the art of writing as you might a traditional job where you bounce ideas off co-workers, commiserate when things go wrong, and celebrate each other’s successes.… Read the post