Do you have a "I've Got Your Story Straight Storyteller" in your life? This is the person who has YOUR whole life figured out. She will tell you what you should do, how you should feel and what everything you say, think and feel means. You may hear something like this from this storyteller, "If you would just do ___________, you would be so much happier."

Need to improve kids' writing skills? Students all make similar errors when they write. Here are the seven advanced techniques authors use to make stories powerful. Share this quick writing quiz to see which skills your kids use. Also free worksheet and free parent newsletter with more tips and activities. Terrific for gifted students and the home school curriculum to make learning writing easier.

There are many ways to form a story in your mind, but I have developed a unique approach that almost writes the story for you. Keeping in mind that every story must have plot, conflict, and resolution (not necessarily in that order) – I build the conflict first, then the resolution, and then the lead in.

Many writers will tell you that they are great at research. They can spend up to six months prior to putting pen to paper – yet few actually bother to study the market they’re writing for.

Home school or mainstream, gifted or not, kids all make similar writing errors over and over again. Breaking the complex process of writing into chunks makes helping kids with their writing more effective - and far more fun too. Here are two chunks for you to try for suspenseful writing and showing character. Then follow the link for a free story starters worksheet and parent newsletter.

Learn how to help your aging parents write an ethical will to be passed on to the following generations. Read about the experiences of others in the Sandwich Generation and get started by following these four suggestions.

April 26th was a happy day for James and I. It was confirmed that we were pregnant. We immediately knew what his name was. James just KNEW the baby was a boy!

The phrase is well worn, ‘Everyone has one book in them.’ Countless New Year resolutions fail because aspiring novelists fail to put pen to paper and too many conversations that start, “How’s that book you’ve been planning to write,” end in, “I haven’t got round to it yet.

I grew up in a small town located in south Florida. During certain months, it seemed as if it would rain for weeks at a time. After awhile, I grew used to the rainy seasons and learnt how to deal with them. I was an individual who really enjoyed the outdoors. The truth is that I liked sports of all types. I liked football, soccer, tennis, basketball, climbing trees and running.

When you’re considering writing a new story, just where do you get your ideas from? I have met many published authors and read interviews with countless more. Most of them confirm that this is the question that they get asked more than any other.