Russell F. Hirsch
Descriptive Language that Sparkles
Kill your darlings! Get to the point! Plot over prose! How many times have you heard advice about simplifying your writing for middle...
top of page
Russell F. Hirsch
- Oct 11
- 1 min
SIWC - Simply Inspiring Writers' Conference
We all know the feeling of finding our tribe. Whether we were kids discovering new friends on the playground, teens navigating a new...
0 views0 comments
Russell F. Hirsch
- Sep 27
Middle Grade Fantasy Word Counts – Part 2
Last post, I dove into an investigation of Middle Grade fantasy word counts using a random selection of novels from my own shelf. The...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Sep 13
Middle Grade Fantasy Word Counts – Part 1
If you’re an over-writer like me, you probably agonize over word counts. If you’re an under-writer, you probably also agonize over word...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 30
Imagine that! Opening and Closing Images
Great books begin with great openings. It’s our first taste of a story that will excite, move, and enthrall us. And endings are just as...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Aug 2
Setting the Scene
We’ve all heard of writers grappling with the blank white page. But sometimes, writers leave readers grappling with a frustrating...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jul 18
Exposition 101 – SPELL SWEEPER
Today, we continue to unravel that most dreaded of all fantasy writing phenomena… EXPOSITION! Oh, so messy… Writers know that getting...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jun 21
How Gordon Korman uses 6 POVs!?!
With 100 published books (and counting!) Gordon Korman has delighted generations of readers with his signature blend of humor, adventure,...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jul 9, 2019
REVIEW: The Oddmire by William Ritter
Come with me and delve into the deep, dark woods of William Ritter‘s magical middle grade fantasy, The Oddmire, Book I: Changeling....
Russell F. Hirsch
- Apr 26, 2019
REVIEW: Seventh Grade vs. the Galaxy by Joshua S. Levy
This week, Storythreads takes to the stars with a review of Joshua S. Levy‘s funny, fast-paced middle grade sci-fi adventure, Seventh...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Mar 8, 2019
Podcast: Adapting Narnia
I rejoin Caitlin from the Words in Living Color podcast blog to chat about The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe–in its book form and as...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Feb 6, 2019
REVIEW: Harper and the Fire Star by Cerrie Burnell
Today, it’s my pleasure to shine a light on Harper and the Fire Star, a charming middle grade fantasy and the fourth book in Cerrie...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Nov 24, 2018
A Dastardly Plot by Christopher Healy (Guest Review for The Book Wars)
Twelve-year-old Molly Pepper and her mother Cassandra Pepper have inventions that could change the world! Except the World’s Fair won’t...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Nov 18, 2018
The YAK Speaks: Messy Rough Drafts
The YAK features articles devoted to Education, Writing, Children’s Literature, and Speech Arts. It is published by The Bolton Academy of...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Oct 28, 2018
Horror for Kids – with booktuber Emily of Page Turns
Happy Hallow-week! With leaves falling, fireworks flaring, and pumpkins grinning, I’m very excited to welcome booktuber Emily of Page...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Oct 15, 2018
BLOG TOUR: The Flight of Swans by Sarah McGuire
Six years of silence. Magic as dark as black swan feathers. Sacrifice, struggle, and the interweaving of worlds. Today Storythreads hosts...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Oct 4, 2018
Adapting Books for Stage & Screen – with Caitlin Boyle
Today, I’m thrilled to present an interview with Caitlin Boyle, an expert on children’s book adaptations for stage and screen! You can...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Sep 21, 2018
Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel José Older (Guest Review for The Book Wars)
The Civil War meets dinosaurs in Daniel José Older’s new Middle Grade novel, Dactyl Hill Squad. You heard that right. Civil War +...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jul 10, 2018
Canadian Corner: J. Fitzgerald McCurdy
As a kid growing up in the Harry Potter generation, I devoured fantasy novels—and since a new HP book only landed on the shelf every two...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jul 1, 2018
Canadian Corner: William Pasnak
Happy Canada Day! This July, I highlight underrated Canadian fantasy novels for kids, especially those from decades past that still stand...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Jun 17, 2018
Graced with Epic-ness: Kristin Cashore’s Series Structure
In this post, I finish my examination of Kristin Cashore’s excellent Graceling Realms series. (Part one here!) The title of the post may...
Russell F. Hirsch
- Mar 12, 2018
The YAK speaks! Diversity in kidlit
I recently had the opportunity to contribute some articles and book reviews to The YAK, a magazine devoted to Education, Writing,...
bottom of page