It’s been a hectic (but still fun) year for me. This Fall, my 20th book will be published. I was talking to a friend about this milestone and they asked me a question I hadn’t considered: “Do you ever get burned out?” The question stumped me for a moment. Then, I realized that, no, I don’t get burned out.
My next project is also a bit different than my last, so I get to approach storytelling from a new perspective each time. It’s challenging, but also incredibly rewarding. If you find yourself getting burned out, or even just a little but stuck. Try branching out into new territory. You may find it helps unleash your creativity and boosts your enthusiasm. Not sure where to start? Here area few of my suggestions for reading in some of my favorite genres to give you some mentor text to get you started
Clementine by Sara Pennypacker, illustrated by Marla Frazee
Magic Tree House #7: Sunset of the Sabertooth by Mary Pope Osborne
The Amazing Life of Azaleah Lane by Nikki Shannon Smith, illustrated by Mari Lobo
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin
Murder on the Safari Star by M.G. Leonard and Sam Sedgman
Chester Keene Cracks the Code by Kekla Magoon
School Trip by Jerry Craft
Nimona by Noelle Stevenson
The Bad Guys by Aaron Blabey
Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes
Hate that Cat by Sharon Creech
Alone by Megan E. Freeman
I have a lot of books on my shelves but, lately, these are the ones I’ve been turning to for inspiration in my own writing. Give one or two (or all) of them a try.
Well, that’s all for this month. Happy writing and have a magical month.
Bryan serves on the Board of Directors of the Northern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America and is an Amplify Black Stories Fellow, a joint program presented by the Brown Bookshelf and the Highlights Foundation. Bryan lives in Northern California with his family.