Monday Musings: What's Next, Kekla?

image: freedigitalphotos.net/smarnad

If you've been following the blog here, you know that I am only in Miami temporarily. Today is my last day as Writer-in-Residence! This afternoon I am headed back home, which means this is my final post on the MiamiYAWriter blog.

What's next for me? Well, I have lots of writing to do!

For the past year I've been hard at work on a non-fiction book-- I'm going to buckle down and get the manuscript finished so I can turn it in to my publisher at the beginning of the new year. After that, I'll be working on THREE new novels, one right after the other. I'm looking forward to spending the spring with my fingers flying over the keyboard! Writing is hard work, but for me it's also a lot of fun!

I've had a great time in Miami, and I'm so pleased to have been your Writer-in-Residence. Everyone who came to a writing workshop, or stopped by this blog, or waved hello to me in the halls of the library helped make my time here a little more special. Thanks to all of you for making it a wonderful experience!

Remember: If you like the tips and writing prompts and links I've been posting here, you may want to follow me at my WORD Conference blog. I'm not posting every single day over there right now, but I do post regularly and I post things that are similar to what you've seen here. I hope to see you there!

Friday Forum: Did you like this blog?

You know I love to hear your opinions on everything related to books and writing, but now I want your opinion of this blog.

Do you like it? Is there anything you don't like about it? How often have you stopped by? Did you have favorite posts? Favorite topics? Topics you wanted to see more or less of?

Remember: writers always need to be able to look at their work and think about how to revise and make it better. Blogging is part of my work as a writer. I want to know how I'm doing, and I won't be able to figure it all out unless you help me.

What do you think of this blog? Now's your chance to tell it like it is!

WORD Conference

My time in miami is winding down, and so this blog will be ending very soon. I wanted to let you know where you can find me online, if you have enjoyed following my posts here.

My website is the easiest place to find me.

You can also follow my posts on my Facebook fan page.

I tweet (occasionally) as keklamagoon.

And I've really enjoyed blogging tips for young writers this fall, so I will continue to do so at my WORD Conference blog. I started that blog because some author friends and I hope to one day host a teen writing conference, but in the meantime, you can keep getting tips and links from me there.

Wednesday WordPlay: I Always Cry at Endings

Do you know yet how your story ends?

image: freedigitalphotos.net/James Barker

Some writers like to plan and outline and prepare every moment of their story before they actually start writing. Others like to fly by the seat of their pants, just sit down with a notebook and see what happens. There are very successful writers who do it both ways.

Most writing prompts give you something specific to start with. Today, let's mix it up. I'm going to give you three possible endings to a story that doesn't exist yet. Choose one, and work backwards. What happened right before? And right before that? And right before that? Write short scenes in reverse order.


Ending #1: As the ship crashed into the rocks, the girl leaped to safety, just in the nick of time.


Ending #2: He knelt on the sand, grateful to be alive.


Ending #3: They could no longer see land in the distance, not even the palest outline of the country they were leaving behind.

Monday Musings: What have you done in Miami besides write?

view from Key Biscayne lighthouse

Oh, my friends, I am having such a wonderful adventure! It's my first time in Miami, so I am seeing everything I can.

Most weekdays, I worked in my office at the library.

at the office

I hung out at Books and Books in Coral Gables.

I climbed the lighthouse at Key Biscayne.

I went to Key West.


Miami Beach

I biked through the Everglades.

I ate delicious food!

tostones, pollo, empanada and spicy sauce



Gelato wheel of fortune. Possibly the most enticing thing I have ever seen.

I ate ice cream in Miami Beach (and pretty much everywhere else I went!)


There's always time for a strawberry milkshake.

Friday Forum: What do you want to be?

Image: Freedigitalphotos.net/graur codrin

A while back, I told you I didn't know I was going to be a writer when I was younger. When I look back I can see that I always enjoyed writing--I just enjoyed a lot of other things, too.

One of the greatest things about writing is that you don't have to be a full-time, professional author (like me) in order to write. You can have any job or profession that interests you, and still write a lot. In fact, nearly every writer and author you've ever heard of has probably had many other kinds of jobs along the way.

What about you? Is writing just a fun hobby, or is it part of your career goals? What do you want to be when you grow up?

Teen Ink

Here's a site you'll definitely want to know about: TEEN INK.

Teen Ink is "a national teen magazine, book series, and website devoted entirely to teenage writing, art, photos and forums. Students must be age 13-19 to participate, register and/or submit work....We have no staff writers or artists; we depend completely on submissions from teenagers nationwide for our content."

Teen Ink has published work from more than 55,000 teens since 1989. WOW!

Teen Ink is sponsored by The Young Authors Foundation, which "is devoted to helping teens share their own voices, while developing reading, writing, creative and critical-thinking skills. All proceeds from the print magazine, website and Teen Ink books are used exclusively for charitable and educational purposes to further our goals."

What you'll find on site:

• Submission guidelines for sending in your work
• Tons of links to other resources for young writers
• Forums and conversations
• Poems, fiction and art
• Polls and quizzes
• Lots of ways to get involved

Check it out!