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Opinions, please!

In the mood for some school-based, middle-grade fantasy? Do you like relatable characters who get themselves in heaps of trouble? Action and adventure? Suspense and surprises?

My third novel, How I Broke My School, is now available and I’d love to know what you think of it.

After all, I’m writing for you.

For Amazon’s book description and Amazon customer reviews, select this link.

If you’re interested, contact me at dianeowens@allwritewithme.com to receive the free ebook for reviewers. I’m looking for and would welcome reviews and opinions from teachers, parents, and kids of all ages. If you’re under 13, please ask your parents to contact me.

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announcements, Book reviews, books, children's books, ebook giveaway, ebooks, middle grade books, my books

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Benson’s Got Bling!

Benson Bling SW When you write a story, you’re never going to see it the same way a reader would. Because you’ve spent so much time thinking about it, writing it and revising it, it becomes impossible to separate the story that exists in your mind from the one that exists on the page.

And that’s why reviews, and other people’s opinions, are so important. That’s how you find out what worked and what didn’t.

Which is why I’m over here, still doing my happy dance, after No Ordinary Lizard received a 5 Star Review from Readers Favorite. (Click on the link if you’d like to read it.)

I wanted readers to fall in love with Benson, the lizard (and star) of this story, but I honestly didn’t know if anyone would. So yes, it feels awesome that Benson’s earned himself some shiny bling.

But. This is just one person’s opinion. What I really want to know, what I really care about, is what you think.

So I’ve made the ebook free at all major retailers and priced the paperback edition as low as Amazon allows. All I ask is that you give me your honest opinion by posting your review on Amazon.

Thanks for reading. Thanks for reviewing. I’ll be over at Amazon, ready to read your opinion as soon as it comes in. Yes, it does matter that much. After all, I wrote this story for you.

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announcements, book recommendations, Book reviews, books, children's books, ebook giveaway, ebooks, middle grade books, writing, young writers

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Comments

Many of you have left comments and questions under the Share Your Writing page. It makes sense because that’s what most users have questions about. However, I think all those comments might be confusing to new users. So I’m trying something new. From now on, if you have a comment or question about the site or posting, I’ll copy and paste it here on the home page.

So here goes. Mikaela posted this question earlier today:

I’ve been thinking, I’d like to focus my attention to two or three stories at the most, instead of turning every idea into a story that I never finish. I feel overwhelmed at all the stories I’ve started, and I know that I probably won’t finish them all. So do you think I could remove Annavava, twilight hero (both versions) and Eagle? I know that’s a lot but I don’t think I’ll be working on those stories anymore, or at least for a while.

It’s no problem removing stories from the site. Just make sure you have a copy of your own before you ask me to. You might change your mind and feel like working on them again someday.

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announcements, Explanations, Site updates, submitting

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Writing Contest

From now until December 30, 2014, The Young Voices Foundation is accepting short stories from students in grades K-12 for their writing contest, Young Voices of America Tell Their Stories. You can write any type of story you want but the story can’t be longer than 10,000 words. Follow this link to enter and make sure you read all the rules.

Thanks, Mikaela, for sharing this contest with us. Good luck to everyone who enters!

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announcements, contests

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Introducing Writing Rubrics for 6th Grade, Too

Not just for 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades anymore! The site now includes kid-friendly writing rubrics and checklists for 6th grade. Based on the Common Core Standards. Free. Easy to use. Complete. Get yours here.

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announcements, Site updates

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Group Poetry and an Idea for All Write with Me’s Birthday Celebration

Neve has risen to the challenge and continued the group poem, Unicorn, with two awesome verses. Follow the link to see how she did it.

Awhile ago, Elsy asked for suggestions on how we might celebrate the site’s birthday, which is February 4. Mikaela responded by suggesting a writing contest. I’d like to know how everyone feels about this idea. Feel free to comment below.

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announcements, contests, Group projects, poetry, Share your work, Your writing

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New Addition to Group Projects

Mikeala came up with a fantastic idea for Group Projects: working together to write poetry. Someone would write the first verse, then someone else would write the second verse and so on. She’s done this with her friends and I think it sounds like a lot of fun.

So I’ve added a new section called Group Projects~Poems. You’ll find it listed over there on the right – keep scrolling down!

To get started, select this link: Instructions. You’ll find some topics you could write about, but don’t feel like you’re limited to these topics – you can start a poem about anything you wish, as often as you’d like. Just remember that if you’re starting a new poem, give it a title so I can list your poem under the Group Projects~Poems section for others to discover, read and continue.

Thanks for the suggestion, Mikeala – I love it!

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announcements, Group projects, poetry, Share your work, Site updates, Your writing

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Lots of Great Writing and Our First-Ever Reader Poll!

Go grab something good to drink then hurry and come back. There’s plenty of great fantasy to read and comment on today!

In Chapter Four of Auras, Elsy cranks up the tension by letting us see how horrible the bad guys are.

In Chapter Four of Elsy’s Marked Five, you’ll be thrilled to learn what the title of this story really means.

Neve introduces a dangerous and deadly beast in her fantasy, Flight. She also requested our first-ever reader poll. I’ve included it at the end of her submission. Please take a second to add your vote to this poll. I know she’ll appreciate it!

I love being able to share all these great ongoing stories but remember: If you’re submitting a continuation of an ongoing story, please include the story’s name. We’re getting quite the collection and it really makes it easier on me. Thanks!

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announcements, Share your work, Your writing

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A FANTASTIC Idea and More Mystery, Too!

Elsy suggested a fantastic addition to the site: Polls you create for your own writing submissions. This is an excellent way for you to find out how others feel about your story, submission and/or writing. You can ask readers things like: Who is your favorite character? What is your favorite chapter? What do you think should happen next? For nonfiction, you could ask questions like: What fact did you find most interesting? What new thing did you learn? What else would you like to know about this topic?

I could go on and on, but as the writer, it’s really up to you. You create the poll’s question and the answer choices, then I’ll post the poll at the end of your submission. If it’s an ongoing story, I can post the poll wherever you’d like readers to tell you what they’re thinking.

Then, you can find out how readers are responding by selecting “View Results” at the bottom of your poll whenever and as often as you’d like.

If you’d like to add a poll to your submitted writing, you’ll need to include the following:

One specific question – this will be the title of the poll and what readers respond to
A few answers for readers to choose from – three to five choices would probably be ideal; but again, it’s up to you.

Fun, right? And it’s great information for every writer to have!

Not only did Elsy come up with this great suggestion, she also added to the Mystery Group Project, giving the main character a reason for being down in the basement while continuing the eeriness introduced by Mikaela. You should go read that, then add to the story. After that? I’m looking forward to posting some great polls, so you should get busy on those, too!

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announcements, Group projects, Share your work, Your writing

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We’re Starting a Book Club!

Mikaela asked if she could start a book club here on All Write with Me and I think it’s an excellent idea. Writing inspiration often comes from reading great books. Also, there’s no better way to find out what works (or doesn’t work) than by discussing what you like (or don’t like) about a book and why you liked it (or didn’t) with others.

So, if you’d like to discuss books with other site visitors, go to the new Book Club section. You’ll find it listed over there on the right, below the Group Projects section.

Mikaela would like to start off the club with The Magician’s Nephew by C.S. Lewis. Click on this link to read the book on your computer (it’s free).

If you’d like to discuss a different book, just let me know and I’ll add it to the list under the Book Club section.

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announcements, Book reviews, Site updates

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World-wide Celebration of E-books

Thousands of authors, publishers and retailers are offering free and discounted e-books to spread the joy of e-reading – including me.

From March 2 through March 8 you can buy e-book editions of Swept Up and No Ordinary Lizard for half the regular price. You can read these books on your computer, phone, tablet or any e-reading device you have for $1.50. And you can download the books to as many devices as you’d like.

To get yours, ask your parents if it’s okay. Then, have them select this link and enter REW50 into the coupon code box.

I hope you enjoy the books and I’d love to hear what you think of them!

Category:

announcements, my books, No Ordinary Lizard, Swept Up

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Kid-friendly Writing Rubrics

Introducing kid-friendly writing rubrics and checklists based on the Common Core Standards. For 3rd, 4th and 5th grades. Right here, right now.

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announcements, Site updates

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It’s Teacher Appreciation Week

If you can read this, go thank the teacher who taught you how. Go on. I’ll wait.

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announcements

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Encourage a Young Writer Day

One more week until my favorite holiday – Encourage a Young Writer Day is next Wednesday, April 10.

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announcements

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Image

Teachers: Fulfilling the Common Core Just Got Easier

Leap into the Common Core
with No Ordinary Lizard

These free writing guides fulfill all 10 writing standards in the Common Core by combining examples and activities generated from the middle-grade novel No Ordinary Lizard with the instruction and opportunities available here at All Write with Me.

Inside the Guides

Thought-provoking questions to facilitate opinion writing
Research topics to generate informative writing
Examples from the book No Ordinary Lizard to foster narrative writing
A list of standards addressed by each activity
Links to relevant instructional pages on allwritewithme.com

From the Book

Research topics in science, biology, mythology, history, oceanography, space and more
Character relationships, character growth, core themes
A variety of narrative techniques to emulate

Download your free writing guide
and start fulfilling the Common Core writing standards today!

3rd Grade Lizard Writing Guide

4th Grade Lizard Writing Guide

5th Grade Lizard Writing Guide

Tip:
If you use Adobe Reader XI to view and save a copy of the writing guide, you can customize your guide by adding your own notes and highlighting your selections. These notes and selections can be removed/updated every year to adjust to the changing needs of your classroom.

Free downloads of Adobe Reader XI are available here.

These guides were developed by the author, Diane Owens, in collaboration with certified teachers Nancy Barth and Alyce McConaghy.

Written

on February 22, 2013

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Teachers: Fulfill all 10 Common Core Writing Standards

Free and easy to use, these Writing Guides fulfill every writing standard within the Common Core State Standards.

Grade-specific guides developed for 3rd, 4th and 5th grades.

Coming soon!

Written

on February 19, 2013

It’s time to celebrate I Love to Write Day!

If you’re looking for something to do on I Love to Write Day, you’ve come to the right place. There’s plenty of writing tips and plenty of space to show off your writing.

If you have any questions about the site or about writing, please leave a comment. I’ll answer, I promise.

Happy writing!…

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announcements

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I Love to Write Day – the world’s largest party for writers!

On November 15, 28,000 schools across the country will be celebrating I Love to Write Day.

There’s more. Libraries, book stores, community centers, authors, and anyone else who wants to will drop everything else and join in. Writing, talking about writing, encouraging others to write, and enjoying what’s been written. It’s been going on every November 15 for the past ten years.

It all began in 2002, when author John Riddell had a brainstorm. He was driving his daughter to a writer’s conference when it occurred to him that the world needed “a special day when everyone can write something.”

Anything. Or everything. John says, “Write a poem, a love letter, a greeting card, an essay, a short story, start a novel, finish a novel. The possibilities are endless.”

Free books

Does your teacher or school have a fun event planned? Publishers are donating books to schools that come up with creative ways to celebrate. A panel of authors will choose their favorite events. Free books will be shipped to the schools they choose. To enter, share the details of your event by emailing John at ilovetowriteday@ilovetowriteday.org.

How?

Need some examples of how to celebrate? Here are two of my favorites: Students in South Carolina went to local nursing homes and helped the residents write their life stories. Fifth graders in Millville, New Jersey wrote letters to their state governor. A few days later he made I Love to Write Day an officially celebrated day in New Jersey. There are more examples and ideas available at ilovetowriteday.org.

Happy writing!

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announcements

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Introducing my new book – available now!

If you had a secret pet who was smart enough to write you messages, how far would you go to protect him?

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announcements, my books, No Ordinary Lizard

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On vacation!

I’m heading out for Key West tomorrow (June 7) . Feel free to keep submitting your stories and writing samples while I’m gone. I’ll post submissions to the site as soon as I come back, around June 20.

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announcements

Welcome Elizabeth & Kaden

I’m happy to welcome two new writers to All Write with Me – Elizabeth B., 7th grade, and her brother Kaden B., age 10.

Elizabeth submitted Champions in Friendship, a great story about the value of friends, and Dolphins, an oral report filled with fascinating facts on these intelligent creatures.

Kaden submitted a well-written poem about changing weather, Rainbow.

Follow the links to read their submissions. Then feel free to welcome them to the site by leaving them a comment.

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announcements, Share your work, Welcome, Your writing

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Encourage a Young Writer Day

Ah, it’s finally here – April 10, Encourage a Young Writer Day, my favorite holiday!

I’m so glad you’re here. Take a look around and explore, explore, explore. If you have any questions, please let me know!

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announcements

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Encourage a Young Writer Day

If you’re looking for something to do on Encourage a Young Writer Day on Tuesday, April 10th, you’ve come to the right place!

Teachers and parents, make sure to check out the Educators Page at facebook.com/allwritewithme too. (It’s got a brand-new look.)

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announcements

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FRE*E for a week

From March 4-10, you can download my middle-grade book, Swept Up, at no cost. At all.

When I heard about this event, I had to participate because I love e-reading and I hope you do, too! To get your free e-book, go here then enter RE100 into the coupon code box which will appear after you select “add to cart”.

Oh, and when you finish reading the book, I’d love to hear what you think of it. Thanks and happy reading!

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announcements, ebook giveaway, Swept Up

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empowering young writers online

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One more week until my favorite holiday – Encourage a Young Writer Day is next Wednesday, April 10.

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Free books

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If you had a secret pet who was smart enough to write you messages, how far would you go to protect him?

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