So...in July, something happened that hasn't happened in ten years and I went sort of insane about it for a minute... sarahallen.substack.com/p/something-...

Something happened for the first time in 10 years (and I went insane)

Or, Why Is Relaxing So Not Relaxing?

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Something I've been working on is teaching myself illustration, which is a little intimidating and scary. But Rachel Michelle Wilson has given her top advice for illustrators who started as writers! Her thoughts about diving in to illustration are SO good! sarahallen.substack.com/p/the-number...

Only three of these note cards left to go. Three scenes/chapters. Then this book is written!! It will be *underwritten* and need tons of fleshing out and revising, but that's what next drafts are for! And in the meantime, we're so close to the end!

What song or singer brings you back to your most core younger self? Mine is clearly evidence of how edgy and hip I am. sarahallen.substack.com/p/rewind-and...

Rewind, and cue Clay Aiken

What song pulls you back to your truest younger self?

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Congratulations to him for having the biggest tiny pile of dead skin.

What book, film or TV character over 45 is your very favorite?

You guys, I am very proud of myself, I just did something* I am absolutely petrified of, that overwhelms and freaks me out so much every time I have to do it that I want to puke. But I did it! And I'm not even dead! *see: buying plane tickets

"What advice would you give to writers who want to at least try social media to build their career but feel weird about posting?" sarahallen.substack.com/p/the-white-...

The White Whale of Social Media Without Cringe or Burnout? with Kenny Gould

This is no author I know's favorite part of the job, so what do we do?

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Just a few library displays I've done lately that I'm proud of 😊

This year, I decided that my main author platform social media goal was consistency. (I'm talking Insta and TT, not here. Here I'm a squatter.) Didn't matter if I posted meh stuff, if it got no views, but I WOULD do 1-2 posts a week no matter what. I HATE that it's working.

Are you a plotter or a pantser? Honestly, the longer I do this writing thing, the less clear-cut the answer feels. Here's what I've actually noticed about my process after several novels — 🧵

I've sometimes felt like I was doing something wrong, because I never quite felt like a true plotter or a pantser, because my brain just kept jumping between the two. Now I treat that like a feature, not a bug! How bout you? A pantser or a plotter? sarahallen.substack.com/p/i-need-an-...

I just want you all to know that I made a robot display at the library and he is very cute :D

I just did a middle school visit and an eigth grader wearing thick liner and a choker necklace told me I was the "coolest author ever" so I think the Jedi mind-trick worked!!

Filming a silly today and a little worried at how much pretending to be 70 feels like my true form.

Yeeeah boi we're going to the seventh continent today to see what its REALLY like! Thanks to Greg Neri for being our guide! sarahallen.substack.com/p/what-write...

What writers get wrong about Antarctica (and a chance to see for yourself!), with Greg Neri

And yes I work out with the golden girls, don't you?

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The middle grade market is struggling. I see it in my MG author friends who aren't getting deals on incredible books that would have sold like lightning just a few years ago. But I have two reasons why what's happening right now might not be such a bad thing. 🧵

I've never seen another book quite like this one, and I absolutely loved it. What are you reading lately?

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...

All My Middle Grade Author Friends Are Writing Other Things And I'm Not Mad

Don't stop me 'cause I'm having a good time, having a good time

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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.

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. 🧵

Happy National Poetry Month from me and Michael Buble! www.youtube.com/watch?v=bL8r...

Happy national poetry month and April fools day from me and Michael Buble!

YouTube video by Sarah Allen

youtube.com

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-...

10 Things The Writer Isn't Telling You, By Her Cat

Also, in case you've forgotten, your feline assistant's dinnertime is right now probly

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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

Pixar

What their first and last movie do differently and why it matters for writers

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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. 🌟 Color it in as you go — because every place is a reading place! #ReadingIsFun #Literacy #KidsBooks

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 know🧵

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-...

How to Write a Limerick! A Fun & Engaging Poetry Activity - Grades 4, 5, 6, 7

Introduce your students to the fun and rhythmic world of limericks with this engaging "How to Write a Limerick" worksheet! This resource breaks down the structure of limericks-5-line poems with a spec...

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