by Amelia Loken | Oct 10, 2026 | Writing
At a recent writing conference, an aspiring author asked literary agent, Heidi Gordon, about current market trends. After giving the initial caveats, she answered: “Everyone loves mash-ups right now.” She rattled off some intentionally ridiculous...
by Amelia Loken | Oct 3, 2026 | Writing Conferences
There is a distinct flavor of euphoria that belongs exclusively to the final afternoon of a writing conference. Your notebook is packed with game-changing insights, your chest is buzzing with that kinetic fission of hope, and your heart is full after days of hugging...
by Amelia Loken | Sep 27, 2026 | Writing Craft
When I first picked up Story Genius by Lisa Cron, I was in the middle of an intense season of studying story structure. My critique group and I were learning to think like engineers, dissecting manuscripts with terms like Midpoint, First Plot Point, and character arc....
by Amelia Loken | Sep 20, 2026 | Writing Conferences
Writing conferences are expensive. Not just financially. They demand time, energy, travel, planning, accessibility advocacy, and often a complicated reshuffling of responsibilities at home. In my recent post, I explored those invisible costs and the barriers many...
by Amelia Loken | Sep 11, 2026 | Writing Craft
For my first five years as a writer, I focused almost entirely on mastering the craft of prose. After joining SCBWI, I was invited into a critique group made up of an eclectic mix of picture book creators, middle grade authors, and YA novelists. The mentors in that...
