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2019 Contest Winners
We'd like to thank everyone who participated in the fourth annual Rate Your Story Awesome Openers Writing Contest. Our judges have spent...
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BACK TO SCHOOL
Long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away (it really does feel like another galaxy), I was given a writing assignment in my eighth grade...
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Better Get Your Meter Right or You'll Look Like a Neophyte
Rhyme. Everyone says, “Don’t do it.” “No one will buy it.” “No one will rep it.” And yet many writers are lured in by soothing rhythm of...
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Time for a Q&A with Author Lynne Marie!
Lynne Marie is the author of Hedgehog Goes to Kindergarten - illustrated by Anne Kennedy (Scholastic, 2011), Hedgehog's 100th Day of...
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A Special Interview with Agent Adria Goetz!
It's August and we're officially kicking off our annual Awesome Openers Writing Contest! A portion of the proceeds is going to benefit...
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REFRAMING THE IDEA OF "GIRL BOOKS", "BOY BOOKS", AND GENDER EXPECTATIONS
When you first announce a pregnancy or a new birth, the first question most people ask: “Is it a boy or a girl?” This seemingly innocuous...
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HAVING AN AUTHENTIC WRITING JOURNEY
Everyone’s writing journey is unique. For many of us, publication is the end goal. Still, there are many ways to reach it. I think it’s...
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ALL HANDS ON DECK!
TIPS & TRICKS FOR ASSEMBLING YOUR OWN #BOOKCREW This Spring I debuted two new books, both with briny, beachy, boaty themes. LUCY LOVES...
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Word By Word
Like many people who write I was first an insatiable reader. This hunger for stories led me to study French literature in college. Right...
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Starting Your Own Critique Group
While RYS members have many opportunities to get excellent writing advice at a reasonable cost, there’s another path to consider when...