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Rate Your Story
Kidlit Craft, Community, Feedback and Opportunity.

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Pre-Researching: The Key to Quickly Landing on Marketable NF Ideas
By Mary Boone I have a favorite running shirt that says: If it was easy, everyone would do it. True about marathoning – and true about...

rateyourstoryweb
May 11, 20213 min read


Meet DIANA MURRAY, May Guest Guru
[From November 2020 - Pro Newsletter] RATE YOUR STORY: Welcome, Diana! As you are, notably, one who defies the idea that writing in rhyme...

rateyourstoryweb
May 8, 202111 min read


Top Three Tips for Revision
by Rosie J. Pova Somewhere along my 16-year journey as a writer, I've learned to love revision. I've learned to embrace it and trust it...

rateyourstoryweb
Mar 1, 20213 min read


Amalia Hoffman's Monsterpiece
by Amalia Hoffman My Monsterpiece by Amalia Hoffman Coming up March 2, 2021 Yeehoo Press My inspiration for My Monsterpiece was the many...

rateyourstoryweb
Feb 5, 20213 min read


THE BEAUTY AND THE BEAST OF BACKSTORY by Lauren Kerstein
Backstory is a tricky creature. While we need to know the backstory of our characters in order to write a resonant, enticing story, we...

rateyourstoryweb
Dec 30, 20204 min read


Feedback Response Styles with RYS Judge and Author Katie Frawley
Part of being a writer is seeking out feedback on our work. That’s why we’re all here at Rate Your Story, right? We know how valuable...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 30, 20203 min read


BENEFITS OF JOINING A DEBUT GROUP
Tips from The Soaring '20s Debut Group The Soaring ‘20s is a group of authors and illustrators debuting picture books in 2020 (and in...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20203 min read


Sparking Girls’ Interest in STEM: Biographies of Women Scientists by Marta Magellan
Getting girls interested in STEM is becoming an important goal of educators and many parents. One of the best ways for parents and...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20203 min read


LESSONS LEARNED FROM READING AND WRITING HOLIDAY BOOKS by Lynne Marie
Even as a child, I collected Halloween and Christmas picture books, among them, THE WITCH stories by Norman Bridwell and CLEM THE CLUMSY...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20205 min read


*Contest News* Announcing the winners!
Each year the Annual RYS Awesome Openers Writing Contest grows, and this year was certainly no exception. Our judges have spent weeks...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20201 min read


The Backstory of A Crowded Farmhouse Folktale
The Backstory: After sending countless stories to one editor, and getting rejected, I asked her, "What would you like to see from me in...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20205 min read


LAYERING YOUR MANUSCRIPT
So… you want to write a manuscript that’s as strong as can be? You want your manuscript to fight the good fight in today’s competitive...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20202 min read


2020 RYS WRITING CONTEST
We're excited to announce the 2020 Annual Rate Your Story Awesome Openers Writing Contest will be open for submissions starting August...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20202 min read


WRITING ADVICE FOR QUARANTINE AND BEYOND!
The Soaring ‘20s is a group of authors and illustrators who have come together to support each other as we debut picture books in 2020...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20205 min read


AN AUTHOR'S JOURNEY
I’ve taken many leaps throughout my career, confident that at the right moment, the net will appear. I started my career as a radio news...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20205 min read


THE STORY BEHIND THE STORY
As a child, I was one of Mister Rogers’ television neighbors. He was a companion and a storyteller. He made a point to illuminate the...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20203 min read


THE JOURNEY
Enter the Rafflecopter above for your chance to win a copy of Rebecca's debut, After The Rain. *Winner must be located in the US. On June...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20206 min read


FINDING HOPE + Critique Giveaway!
When I first signed up to write this blog post six months ago, I was expecting I’d write about something totally different. I thought I’d...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20204 min read


MAKE TIME FOR RHYME
I grew up with nursery rhymes, and although many see them as outdated, they are helpful for language acquisition and encourage children’s...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20203 min read


Beautiful Shades of Brown
When you’re sitting alone with a piece of paper or a computer screen, writing can seem like a solitary business. But while the act of...

rateyourstoryweb
Nov 18, 20204 min read
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