This past month, I participated in an Instagram challenge (36daysoftype) where we created one letter of the alphabet each day. I’ve wanted to draw the alphabet for a few years now, but haven’t known what kind of a theme I’d want to have, so I kept procrastinating. Then an Instagram friend Monica asked if sheContinue reading “Anything But Common”
Category Archives: writing
A story about a little robot
A few months ago I participated in an Instagram illustration challenge #bkspinocchio and I enjoyed it so much I drew a few extra images and put it in a wordless picture book just for myself. It’s sold on Amazon now, but it’s not a standard picture book layout since I just wanted the drawings gathered in aContinue reading “A story about a little robot”
How to Be a Star
My middle grade novel, Taffy Nackman’s Guide on How to be a Star, is now live on Amazon! This story started out in my imagination years ago with a quirky twelve-year-old girl’s voice saying something like: “Just so you know, I’m not a star. I’ve never even met any real famous people in my entireContinue reading “How to Be a Star”
I created a book cover!
I met Jill Campbell at the Writing and Illustrating for Young Readers conference several years ago, and we kept in touch over Instagram (she was one of my first big cheerleaders as I started my illustration Instagram page). She reached out to me a few months ago, asking if I’d be willing to be braveContinue reading “I created a book cover!”
Mindfulness Picture Books
I’ve been thinking a lot over the past decade about how to be more mindful in my life. Of where my food and belongings come from, of what I put into and onto my body, of what and who I surround myself with. When Stefanie Hohl asked me to write a guest blog post forContinue reading “Mindfulness Picture Books”
A Pocket Full of Art
If there’s a blank space on a paper, I’ll probably doodle on it. I’ve never considered myself an artist, but have always been moved by other people’s art work, and in the past I liked to draw. I even took a few art classes in college (oil painting seemed like a good idea in theory,Continue reading “A Pocket Full of Art”
The Hidden Power of Emotional Needs
Last time we talked about what the character wants (which is a tangible goal that appears to be obtainable – something like, you want to be popular). Today we’ll unravel the power of a character’s needs (something intangible/emotional – such as, you need to find people who truly love you for who you are). MostContinue reading “The Hidden Power of Emotional Needs”
The Secret Desires of Characters
I plot. All the time. Just for fun. I have a digital folder full of plots, many of which I’ll probably never use. Several of my writer friends tell me I’m crazy. They’d rather go to the dentist to get a cavity filled than plot their next novel. But planning out a skeleton of aContinue reading “The Secret Desires of Characters”
My Self Publishing Journey
I’ve been studying the craft of writing for about fifteen years (with several years off in the middle of that), taking classes, reading books, and participating in critique groups. I have sent manuscripts out to agents or editors now and then, and received great feedback, with praise such as, “I’m going to kick myself forContinue reading “My Self Publishing Journey”
Gaylene Wilson 