Finding Success by Tapping Into the Fun Zone
The roller rink was alive with energy, filled with people of all ages ready to have fun! Tommy noticed the fearless attitude of the kids on the floor. They zipped around without a care, their confidence building with every glide. “Who cares if I fall? I’m just gonna go for it!” That mindset seemed to be their secret weapon. With that sense of fearless fun, they spun faster dancing to ABBA, carving figure eights like tiny, disco-inspired Olympians. (And yes, they were wearing knee pads—safety first, my friends!)
This experience got me thinking about writing. When we write, we need that same fearless fun. That sense of “who cares—I’m just gonna go for it” unleashes creativity and lets ideas flow naturally. Writing becomes a joyful dance instead of a struggle.
Writing for kids 101
Mark Twain famously said: There is no such thing as a new idea.
While our ideas feel unique, they’re shaped by our interactions with the world. These interactions make our creative experiences both deeply personal and universally shared.
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This truth leads us to an important realization: an original idea doesn’t matter.
So the question is… What does this idea mean to you?
Why I Meditate: The Illogical Logic to Something Quite Logical, When You Think About It
Meditation is a journey from external activity to inner silence—and back and forth and back again. This “back and forth” is completely natural, as we’re human beings with human minds (not to mention if we went directly from activity to full-stop silence, well, we’d be dead). Meditation isn’t a static activity. It’s a dynamic practice that brings us face-to-face with our truest selves—a practice of simply being.
Tools I Can’t Live Without as a Children’s Author
As a writer of children’s stories , my essential tools aren’t found at an office supply store or in the latest journaling app. Sure, pen and paper are part of the job, but what I rely on to spark my creativity are the experiences that fill my soul—those little joys I get out of belting a song in the shower, the thrill of auditioning, or the magic of watching a story come alive on stage.
A Children’s Author’s Mission and What That Really Means
A children’s author’s mission is simple yet profound: to create a connection. It’s much more than just telling a story. Sure, children’s books spark imagination, open the door to reading, encourage cultural awareness, and share important life lessons. But how does that happen?
Unlocking Your Creativity by Activating Theta
Theta is where the magic happens. It’s the reason we get those great ideas when we’re not thinking – like when we're about to fall asleep or taking a shower. Theta is the brainwave state where our thoughts slow down, making room for creativity to flow. The magical zone of uninhibited imagination and unexpected ideas.
Magic Lessons: How to Find Magic When Writing for Kids
Children’s books inspire magic. That’s why we read them well into our old age. Just like a warm cup of cocoa or a feel-good movie, we cling to the simple elegance of a picture book because of the effortless magic they present no matter how old we may be. As a children’s writer, asking for magic over and over again is a big ask, but that’s the job. So how do you do it?
The Art of Self Editing: Making Space for Better Ideas
When you find yourself stuck in a rut, that’s your signal to shift. Trust your gut—it’s trying to tell you something: this isn’t working—do something else.
The Books the Raised Me
A picture book is a treasure. It’s the beginning of a lifelong relationship that only gets better with age. As I sat down to contemplate which 20 of the many picture books impacted my upbringing, I was confronted with the agony of choosing. In the end, for the purposes of this blog, there was no rhyme or reason to my selection of these 20 books, as I couldn’t rightfully decide. I just had to go with my gut, letting you in on the childhood of an American kid who grew up in New York City in the early '90s.