By Margaret Lea Sydney Dunlap is speaking at our April 13th meeting (Tracy Gee Community Center and online both). She will talk about “Middle Grade Musts: Highlighting Elements That Will Make Your Story Shine.” Below is my email interview with Sydney. Also, check out her website at sydneydunlap.com . 1) Tell us about your writing journey. My grandmother gave me a journal when I was eight, and it sat empty for a while. Then one day I wrote a poem in it, followed by a little story, and I gradually discovered that I loved writing. That eventually led to creative writing electives in high school and college and some writing courses at the grad level for continuing ed credits while I taught elementary school. I also joined SCBWI (all the way back in the early 2000s) and had a lot of fun getting involved with my local chapter, the Mid-Atlantic region, taking part in a writer’s group, attending craft-focused writing workshops/retreats, and serving as our conference co-chair for sev...
Interviews with those in the publishing industry and short writing tips