Author Archives: Denise Schurr

Staring at a blank screen or page can evoke a similar response from me, unproductivity. What is the cure for lack of inspiration? For me  it can be different things on different days. Here are a few suggestions to help you work around writer’s block when it strikes.

1. Walk if off

Often times my best ideas come to me when I’m not sitting down to write. Take the dog for walk, go for a run, or hit the gym. The benefits are twofold.

2. Talk it out

Two heads are better than one! If you are a part of a critique group, you can put your creative minds to work and overcome the obstacle. A spouse or trusted friend can provide the same support.

3. Read! Read! Read! 

Take a trip to your favorite bookstore or library and fall into a good book or check out a book on the craft of writing. Browse the web and visit other writing blogs. Hit up the newsstand for something unrelated.

4. Write something else

If you like to journal or keep a diary, write a new entry.  Visit a website for a daily writing prompt. Write the same scene in a different point of view.

5. Change the scenery

Bring your laptop along to a coffee shop, park, or your back porch. Sometimes, seeing new sights, smelling new smells, or tuning your ear to new sounds can help to jump start creativity.

What about you? How do you overcome writer’s block?

It’s been several years since I enjoyed children’s literature as a child. But, no matter how much time passes, I remember the excitement of reading a beloved story from way back in the day.

The first picture book I made my parents read to me night after night was THE MONSTER AT THE END OF THIS BOOK. I don’t know if it was Grover, a favorite character from Sesame Street, that captured me. Or if it was the plot of Grover begging the audience not to read one more page because of the monster at the end. SPOILER ALERT: Little did Grover know, that he was the monster at the end of the book.

If Grover epitomized my early years, HATCHET embodied my reading during middle school. It was Brian Robeson’s survival story that hooked me. I felt like I was watching a movie, a thriller, and I had to know how it ended. I hadn’t read anything like it up to that point. It was my crossover from sweet and fun books to daring middle grade.

My tastes continued to evolve over the years. While I grew up listening to and reading Judy Blume books, I discovered one of my favorites, FOREVER, in high school. The book and Judy spoke to me about love, the love of your life, and break ups. Something, I didn’t have much knowledge about but was anxious to experience.  In a way, reading these stories helped me comprehend things that weren’t in my world.

While I enjoyed these books when I was young, they have stuck with me and I think of them fondly, like a good friend. What about you? What book memories do carry with you from back in the day?

By Denise Schurr

One of my favorite activities at a writing conference is learning about the recently released books. As a teacher, I’m looking for books to add to my classroom library. As a parent I’m looking for books to capture my kids’ interests. As a reader/writer, I’m looking for something inspiring. The last conference I attended, SCBWI Letters and Lines in September 2015, did not disappoint.

I picked up Todd Tuell’s picture book, Ninja, Ninja, Never Stop! I have two pint-sized ninjas at home who I knew would love it! I think they picked up some cool moves after reading. And it’s one I can share with my school kids too. The ninja topic paired with the rhythmic rhyme is a homerun for both sets of kids!

Another treasured find was Sean Ferrell’s picture book, I Don’t Like Koala. While you think you know the whole story, when you get to the end, there is a fun twist. It’s humorous for kids and adults.

And little did I know at the beginning of the school year, when I read The Kissing Hand to my kindergarten class, I would be picking up my very own copy at the conference. Only this one was signed by the very talented illustrator, Ruth E. Harper. When I took it to school my class was in awe. It was inspiring for them to see something autographed from the person who makes stories come to life through illustration.

Finally, I was disappointed when I was unable to pick up my own copy of Tara Dairman’s middle grade novel, All Four Stars because it was all sold out. Lucky for me, one of my critique group member snagged a copy and let me borrow it. Tara has a feel for the flow of a story and I was swept up from the beginning. For the record, that read wasn’t for my school kids or for my own kids, it was a perfect fit for me.

What about you? What is your favorite find from attending conferences?

Clipart by Moini on Creative Commons.

I once laughed at the thought of writing anything but picture books. It was early in my teaching career when I taught first grade and I found myself immersed in them. During my day, I incorporated them into lessons, picked favorites for read alouds, and helped recommend a good story during library times. Finding timeless picture books became like a quest for me.

Naturally, when I sat down to write, the stories I crafted were picture books. The talented authors; Kevin Henke, Jan Brett, Maurice Sendak, Eric Carle, and countless others created stories so rich and lively, it was a joy to read and reread them. How hard could it be to do the same thing?

Unfortunately, I soon found out, you can’t sit down and whip up a children’s book like you would a cake. There is an art to building a character arc, creating relatable characters, and rhythmic dialogue, rhyme, or prose that leaves children begging to hear the story one more time.

While I never gave up on picture books, I decided to try something longer, a chapter book. This stretched beyond what I was familiar with. After spending months drafting my story, I knew I needed help. A writer friend told me about her experience with a writing coach, and I followed in her footsteps.

Working alongside an expert in the field, gave me tools and wisdom I couldn’t gain working alone. When we toiled all the way through my story and finished, I had one more hour of time remaining with her. What can you do with that?

Determined to keep going, I turned to writing a magazine article. Again, I found myself embarking on a new adventure. As it turned out, my coach taught magazine writing. With that one hour of time, she showed me the essentials for writing an eye-catching article.

I submitted my article she coached me through and got a nibble. This sparked an interest in me. I submitted other articles and one day received an email with the response I longed to hear. An editor wanted to acquire my work. Success! And in a place I least expected to find it.

When I first started my writing journey, writing for magazines never crossed my mind. Neither had writing a novel. But never, say never.