Tag Archives: middle grade writing

Update: Nanowrimo

Posted on April 29, 2022 by PB Rippey

My 2021 Nanowrimo (aka momomo) middle-grade novel from last November is in the revision stages, especially the first 10-20 pages. Revising what I mo-ed like geyser-gush from a broken sprinkler head last year is: good. I truly enjoy the challenge … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, children's literature, fiction writing, life, middle grade writing, Nanowrimo, personal goals, poetry, SPRING2022, Teenagers, writer | 2 Comments

Post Birthday Questionnaire

Posted on February 26, 2022 by PB Rippey

How old are you? Not old enough.What do you want? Greater physical/emotional strength. To write more than I am writing. To see more wild sea otters.What have you given your teenager that is worthwhile, or impressionable? Apologies when I’m wrong … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, children's literature, fiction, fiction writing, hope, life, middle grade writing, Morro Bay, nature, personal goals, Pets, poetry, sea otters | 1 Comment

Saving Your Protagonist

Posted on February 1, 2022 by PB Rippey

I’m sure you’ve already read Save The Cat Writes a Novel, by Jessica Brody–however, if you haven’t? This: As I continue revising my Nanowrimo2021 novel, thanks to Cat the chant in my head is: What does my protagonist want? Simple, … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2022, fiction writing, Jessica Brody, middle grade writing, Nanowrimo, protagonist, Save The Cat, Target, writer, writing, writing contemporary fantasy | Leave a comment

Buh-Bye November Nanowrimo

Posted on December 5, 2021 by PB Rippey

And how was your Nanowrimo? Mine was interspersed with vaccinations (see previous post for shingles vax info if you’re thinking about going for it). And, right before Thanksgiving, a family reunion in redwood forests near Santa Cruz, CA. I might … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, children's literature, fiction writing, kidlit, middle grade writing, Nanowrimo, redwood forests, Santa Cruz, Shingles Vaccine, writer, writing | Leave a comment

NANOWRIMO UPDATE (Shingles Vax Edition)

Posted on November 10, 2021 by PB Rippey

10 days since the start of Nanowrimo. I have missed 2 days of showing up. Because I got my shingles vaccine and had no idea it would slay me. “Just a sore arm,” I was told. “Like the flu shot. … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, Big girl pants, Blue Apron, CDC advice, children's literature, Cinzano, fiction writing, Googling health, middle grade writing, NanoWriMo 2021, personal goals, Romanescu shrimp, Shingles Vaccine side effects, writer, writing, WTF | 1 Comment

Member: Mini-Get-Away Club

Posted on July 17, 2021 by PB Rippey

How odd to be out in the world. We aren’t venturing drastically far, but enough for a first substantial get-away since—-at least 3 years. The teen has been across the GG bridge, but he was just a boy then, shorter … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, Academy of Sciences SF, Alcatraz Island, children's literature, fiction writing, Fisherman's Wharf San Francisco, middle grade writing, San Francisco, travel2021 | Leave a comment

June Reading List

Posted on July 1, 2021 by PB Rippey

Revisiting favorite way-to-tell-a-story inspirations. Encouraged that my Novelist-Dames (like my Joni Mitchell and Ani DiFranco Songstress-Dames) stand the test of my personal decades. IMO, the tell vs. show offered by these novelists (contrary to contemporary insistence on show vs. tell) … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged ani difranco, Dido Twite, Elizabeth Peters novels, fiction, fiction writing, Joan Aiken, Joni Mitchell, Mary Stewart novels, middle grade writing, Peabody and Emerson | Leave a comment

SCBWI Events

Posted on March 15, 2021 by PB Rippey

A bright light in #stayhomestaysafe is being made aware (thanks to my SCBWI regional newsletter) of SCBWI regional events around the USA. Here are a couple I’m registered for: Austin, TX Webinar: To Plot or Not? , Tuesday 3/16 with … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2021, fiction writing, Jennifer Swanson, kidlit, middle grade writing, Newbery Awards, non-fiction writing, SCBWI, SCBWI-Los Angeles, Solve It!, STEMTeamBooks, The Night Diaries, Veera Hiranandani, writing | Leave a comment

Note-to-Self (Pandemic Edition)

Posted on December 1, 2020 by PB Rippey

Posted in Writing | Tagged #stayhome, #staysafe, #wearadamnmask, #writing, 2020, faction writing, fiction writing, memoir writing, middle grade writing, novels, writing in the time of covid | Leave a comment

STARTING NOW

Posted on December 13, 2019 by PB Rippey

I mean, why wait? W.R.I.T.I.N.G.

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, 2020, art, books, happy new year, Inspiration, Let it snow, life, Literature, Middle Grade Fiction, middle grade writing, Resolutions, Thanks, Wow, writer, writing | 1 Comment

Window Out Of Revision

Posted on March 29, 2019 by PB Rippey

As I continue revising, it’s good to take breaks, even if only for a few minutes, as you probably know. If I’m working in a Starbucks or a library, I bring up pictures on my laptop that are gaze-inducing and … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2019, beach, fiction writing, Inspiration, middle grade writing, poetry, revision, Santa Barbara, writing | Leave a comment

REVISION

Posted on July 28, 2018 by PB Rippey

I finished my novel. All the writing, beach walks, and kitten-breaks seem to have paid off. I’m finished. Let the revising begin. Actually I’ve been revising all along. I adopted a habit of backing up a few chapters, reading/revising them … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Writing | Tagged 2018, books, cats, children's literature, fiction, Inspiration, life, Literature, middle grade writing, revision, Thanks, unicorns, universe, Wow, writing | 3 Comments

Lost Time

Posted on July 3, 2018 by PB Rippey

Yesterday I was driving home from Trader Joe’s, my mind deep in my novel. I am SO close to finishing it I can see the end and I was excited about what I was seeing. Then a street sign yanked … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Faction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2018, books, Inspiration, life, Literature, middle grade writing, Trader Joe's, writing | 2 Comments

Crucial Weekends (Moaning Myrtle Edition)

Posted on May 14, 2018 by PB Rippey

There is still only finishing my middle-grade novel (see previous post). However, life outside writing continues to happen– my mother-in-law’s 80th birthday AND Mother’s Day, during which I was presented with a Hufflepuff hoodie, a Mother’s Day card … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Me and Us, middle grade, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2018, books, Butterbeer, Dobby, English Breakfast, Gryffindor, Harry Potter, Hogsmeade, Hufflepuff, JK Rowling, Luck, middle grade writing, Moaning Myrtle, Mother's Day 2018, Three Broomsticks, Universal Studios Hollywood | Leave a comment

How It Is

Posted on May 2, 2018 by PB Rippey

There is only finishing my middle-grade novel. Getting my son to school, helping him finish his science project and get it to school; hurtling towards summer–school, science projects, math tests, helping at the school book fair, end-of-school-year requirements and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Avoiding My Writing, Children's Books, Writing | Tagged 2018, books, domestics, Family, Inspiration, life, Literature, middle grade writing, writing | 2 Comments

Writer’s Retreat: What Was It Like?

Posted on September 27, 2017 by PB Rippey

SCBWI Working Writer’s Retreat, September, 2017 The “working” aspect in Working Writer’s Retreat (for me)=the retreat provided printers, so there was no excuse (for me) for not sprinting to my sparse (sweetly existential) weekend bedroom after a workshop, whipping open … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, children's literature, Encino CA, Family, Holy Spirit Retreat Center, humanity, Karaoke, kittens, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, oak trees, SCBWI, SCBWI So Cal, Vegetarian, Working Writers' Retreat 2017, writing | Leave a comment

MAY DAY (BLOOMING LATE EDITION)

Posted on May 4, 2017 by PB Rippey

On May Day! May Day! May Day! (a few days late, but—-) 90+ degrees today, again. My Spring yard is shriveling. I thought this wouldn’t happen until next month. Silly me! When the Arctic is melting! Doh. The box turtle and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Parakeet, Pets, Writing | Tagged 2017, animals, books, California, deadlines, Family, life, Literature, May Day, middle grade writing, Muses, revision, Starbucks, writing | Leave a comment

Third Eye (April Edition w/Cat)

Posted on April 28, 2017 by PB Rippey

Woke up at 430am, pressed on with the last 40 pages of revision, my 3rd eye drowsy, but game. Now that I’m wide awake, overly caffeinated and the little boy is at school and the husband is off to heroic … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, Pets, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, cats, Critique, Family, Literature, middle grade writing, Muses, Pets, poetry, revision, The New Yorker, Third Eye, writing | 2 Comments

Heat Wave Revision

Posted on April 21, 2017 by PB Rippey

Today’s spring temperature high is predicted as: 86F. Which, in my sweltering valley, probably means: at least 90F. If not more. The MG novel I’m almost finished revising (this time around) has everything to do with global warming, pollution, the (mis)use … Continue reading →

Posted in Adult writing, books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2017, Climate Change, crab claws, fish, global warming, middle grade writing, Santa Barbara, sea life, spring | 2 Comments

Coffee Kick & Go (Tremble Edition)

Posted on April 12, 2017 by PB Rippey

It may be poetry month in the USA, but here at PB Writes the author was up late revising her MG novel, prepping it for the agent requesting a read. This sweet, cool and sunny spring morning–after creating pancakes-secreted-with-carrot-puree for the boy, feeding … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Books, Fiction, Pets, Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, books, cats, coffee, Dogs, Family, fiction, life, Literature, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, muse, Pets, poetry, Poetry Month, revision, spring | 2 Comments

April Is Poetry Month (As If You Didn’t Know)

Posted on April 7, 2017 by PB Rippey

At the recent SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Day (see my SCBWI piece), editor Pam Gruber had her workshop attendees write down a bit of world building. In honor of all those writing a poem a day this month (I am … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry, Writing | Tagged 2017, April Poetry Month, cats, middle grade writing, poetry, Poets, Santa Barbara, writing | Leave a comment

SCBWI-LA Writers & Illustrators Day 2017 (Links Edition)

Posted on March 20, 2017 by PB Rippey

I was asked by SCBWI-LA to write about my experience at the recent WID. The piece is up on the Kite Tales blog. 1, 2, 3: LINK. Such a luxury for me to discard certain hats (taxi-mama, chef of sorts, … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Faction, Fiction, Poetry, Writing, Writing Progress | Tagged 2017, books, Kate Messner, life, Lisa Cron, Literature, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, Picture Books, SCBWI, SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Day, Skirball Cultural Center, Wired for Story, Writers Conferences, writing | 2 Comments

SCBWI

Posted on December 11, 2016 by PB Rippey

Have you registered for the (Los Angeles chapter) SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Day 2017? It’s happening February 25th at the Skirball Cultural Center, a venue I once frequented in order to exercise my former toddler in the intriguingly lit Noah’s Ark … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, middle grade, Writing | Tagged 2016, children's literature, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, Mulholland Dr, Noah's Ark, Picture Book writing, SCBWI Writers & Illustrators Day, Skirball Cultural Center, Writer resources | Leave a comment

Seasonal Conundrums

Posted on August 14, 2016 by PB Rippey

Researching summer camps for my 8 year old, round about last March/April, I became frustrated: Sports camp in triple digit heat? No. Great white shark and hammerhead shark sightings along our southern coast. Surf camp? No. Science Camp? He loves … Continue reading →

Posted in books, Children's Books, Fiction, Writing | Tagged beach, children's literature, fiction writing, life, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, ocean, personal goals, poetry, Santa Barbara, shark sightings, writing | Leave a comment

O Summer!

Posted on August 5, 2016 by PB Rippey

I’ve been quiet since May, after a brief, powerful writer’s retreat. I’ve been busy this summer with what the retreat inspired: Writing. Revising. Writing. Revising a new short story, one screaming for edits of late. It’s almost ready for submission. Compiling … Continue reading →

Posted in Writing | Tagged 2016, beach, fiction, Kauai, life, Los Angeles, middle grade writing, ocean, personal goals, poetry, writer, writer's angst, writing | 2 Comments