JenFW #kidlit writer, puzzler
@jenfw.bsky.social
Children's Author / Puzzle Specialist Author of 30+ #kidlit books, including fiction, text books, NF puzzle books, and comic books. The Puzzler's Guides to Alaska, Oregon, and California: one part puzzle book + one part natural history guide.
Come play! Alaska Book Week scavenger hunt/puzzle contest. Randomly drawn winners will receive prizes. I'll send The Puzzler's Guide to Alaska to someone--maybe you?! Find the pieces, solve the puzzle, submit your answer. Visit AlaskaBookWeek.org for instructions.
What are some things you create that aren't kidlit? How is it like the kidlit creative process? I'm creating a garden. I guess maybe watching the garden grow is similar to watching a story take shape. #kidlitchat
I remember explaining the importance of a little white stitch in the eye of an embroidered animal. You're right: it gave the animal life!
Brian Kirby@boringstorybook.com · last yr.The real best part of my creative process is when I put a dot in a circle a certain way and it becomes an eye, with life and expression. It is the best. #kidlitchat
Oh, yes, rhyming is great fun! I'm not so comfortable editing other people's rhymes, though. #kidlitchat
Larissa Elliott@larissadelliott.bsky.social · last yr.I love trying to puzzle out a rhyme. Drafting rhyme is great but sometimes it's even more fun when a couple of lines aren't working and you have to brainstorm how to say the same idea with different rhyming words. I even love editing other people's rhyme! #kidlitchat
Isn't it interesting how the creative process is so much the same for all of us? We all have the same moments no matter how many different ways we arrive at them. #kidlitchat
Agreed. I love a good flow. They never fail to surprise me. #kidlitchat
Jesus Perez@jesuswrites.bsky.social · last yr.My favorite part is when characters take over the story and lead it someplace I didn't expect. I used to struggle with this because I wanted to be a plotter so badly, but now I embrace the choas. #kidlitchat
My favorite part is the blank page. So much possibility! The hardest part is working through a zillion revisions--especially when reconciling contrasting opinions. #kidlitchat
kidlitchat@kidlitchat.bsky.social · last yr.TOPIC: What's your favorite part of the creative process? And what part is the hardest for you to work through? #kidlitchat
Aside from the moving thread, look at this gorgeous journal. I love journaling while I travel. Sigh. My journals look nothing like this. And while they never will, I'll bet I can do a bit better than I usually do, and this makes me want to try. Thanks, Mirka! #kidlit
Mirka Hokkanen@mirkahokkanen.bsky.social · 2y agoHere are 2 more travel diary pgs. My favorite from this spread was the Residenz palace in Munich. Munich definitely goes on my list of places to revisit one day. I have actually already visited Dachau and Salzburg previously, so they were more familiar. . #traveljournal #kidlit #travelillustration
Cheers to authors in DC representing us all! #kidlit #thankyou! #AABB #readfreelyreadwidely P. S. I want rainbow lipstick, please.
Am I connected to any programmers, coders, or app-developers here? If I am, would you be willing to email or chat with me about interactive puzzles? Thanks!
Sure, #KidsLoveNonfiction. So do I! Michelle, this looks great! Cheers to you!
Michelle Cusolito, M.Ed. ❌👑@mcusolito.bsky.social · 2y agoPreorder signed copies of #JellyfishScientist through @eightcousinsbooks 🔗in bio for details. On sale April 22! #WomenInStem #STEMinist #KidsLoveNonfiction #SteamTeamBooks #MarineScience #OceanScience #nonfiction #STEAM #STEM
Sure, #KidsLoveNonfiction. So do I! Michelle, this looks great! Cheers to you!
Michelle Cusolito, M.Ed. ❌👑@mcusolito.bsky.social · 2y agoPreorder signed copies of #JellyfishScientist through @eightcousinsbooks 🔗in bio for details. On sale April 22! #WomenInStem #STEMinist #KidsLoveNonfiction #SteamTeamBooks #MarineScience #OceanScience #nonfiction #STEAM #STEM
Think about it: 500 words is the length of a pb manuscript. If you write pbs, this might be fun for you. I LOVE IT! And I got an "honorable mention" last year, despite drawing a genre that is well out of my bailiwick. Fast, fun 500-word fiction! #kidlit #ornot #NYCMidnight nycmidnight.com/500
500-word Fiction Challenge — nycmidnight
The 500-word Fiction Challenge is an international creative writing competition that challenges participants to create short stories based on genre, action, and object assignments in 48 hours.
nycmidnight.com
Okay, everyone: What's your favorite wildlife encounter ever? Where? What animal? What happened? Did you write about it? I want to know! #kidlitchat
Brian Kirby@boringstorybook.com · 2y agoI get a lot of creative energy from encountering creatures. I got to take a walk on the beach last week and had this dolphin swim up to take a peek at me. #kidlitchat
What a super-fun family activity and Insta theme! I'll go find you there. Hmmm. Maybe you should cross-post to here??? #kidlitchat
Jennifer Harris@mypbjam.bsky.social · 2y agoI run a wild instagram account where I talk about children's books by staging scenes with dolls. Every week, my family brainstorms ideas, builds furniture, sets, and props. Handle there is also @mypbjam #kidlitchat
I AGREE! It IS all related! And putting a book together is definitely like baking--there's always magic or a curse in the oven.
Veronica Bartles@vbartles.com · 2y agoBaking isn't technically "career-related," but I think of my writing in terms of putting together a delicious recipe. And I've been really enjoying creating/sharing recipes that tie in with the books I'm reading. It's ALL related somehow! #KidLitChat #KidLitConfections vbartles.com/kidlitconfec...
I think it was Katherine Patterson who said something like "the things that take me away from writing [kids] are the things that give me something to write about." That stuck with me. #kidlitchat
Brooke Baum@brookebaum.bsky.social · 2y agoMy daughter fuels my creativity for sure. Just everything about raising this tiny, spunky, incredible, challenging, smart, adorable little human gives me a million ideas for things to write or draw. Ironically, she also makes it hard to have the time to do anything with those ideas. 😂 #kidlitchat
Travel, wildlife watching, gardening, crafting. My mind ventures into neat places when I'm doing these things. #kidlitchat
kidlitchat@kidlitchat.bsky.social · 2y agoTOPIC: April showers . . . etc. etc. What non-career-related hobbies/pursuits/obsessions make your creativity flower? How does what you admire or find fascinating leave its mark on your writing or art? #kidlitchat
If I were anywhere near any of these places, I'd be there. Psst, Grace, when you come to Alaska, may I please be the "in conversation with" person? #kidlit #goseeGrace #sayhitoLisaforme
Grace Lin@authorgracelin.bsky.social · 2y agoHi all! I’m going on book tour! Pls come see me and spread the word! gracelin.com/news-events/
Today's the last day to submit a 150-word #SpringFlingKidlit story. You have until 11:59 PM CST. Do it and you could win one of these generous and fun prizes: sites.google.com/view/springf... I'm posting my story now! #Entered @kaitlynleann17.bsky.social @ciaralovesbooks.bsky.social
Spring Fling Writing Contest - Prizes
Prizes 2025
sites.google.com
Last night, I participated in my first-ever live social media event: #kidlitchat! I want to give a hearty shout-out to @gregpincus.bsky.social whose tips, encouragement, and forbearance made me feel welcome. Thank you, Greg! I learned heaps and had some fun. Cheers to rhymers and first-timers!
YES! Writing a pb is like writing a poem. I agree--and I like that.
Melissa Murray@melissamurray.bsky.social · 2y agoI usually think of writing a PB as analogous to writing a poem. I use poetic techniques and pay attention to the sounds of the words and how it pairs with the pacing of the story. I think well done rhyming PBs will always have a place in kidlit because of fun they are to read aloud. #kidlitchat
Hmmm. I'm going to have to think on this one. Thanks, Alexandra!
Alexandra S. D. Hinrichs@puddlereader.bsky.social · 2y agoWhen it adds to the story and draws out and illuminates elements of the story that would not exist with out it. It’s like any other part of the story— a character, plot, setting or particular scene— how does rhyme move the story forward? #kidlitchat
