When I was young, I was constantly writing something: in a diary, a journal, neighborhood newspapers, etc. I would’ve loved a book that celebrated writing like today’s picture book.
Rebecca Gardyn Levington has visited my blog several times before. She is a children’s book author and poet with a penchant for penning playful picture books and poems. She lives in Summit, New Jersey. You can find out more about Rebecca at her website or follow her on Twitter.
WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW is a picture book that encourages young readers to be writers. It doesn’t matter what it is (a letter, a poem, a song, etc.) or where it is written. A jaunty rhyme scheme tells readers to have fun and jot down the words (any words) that spark their heart. This book will encourage reluctant writers, as well as those already thinking they’re the next RL Stine.
Welcome back Rebecca!
Me: I love this ode to writing! It’s sure to inspire many young writers, as well as be used in many classrooms. What gave you the idea?
Rebecca: I was one of those kids who wrote all the time — stories, essays, poems, plays, letters. In fact, I’ve been writing in a journal since I was around eight years old. But so many of my friends thought writing was “boring.” Now, as a parent, I am constantly hearing the same thing from my own kids. They tell me they “hate” writing. And yet, I would find my older son frantically typing scripts for his sports podcast or articles about the NFL for his fictional newspaper. Or I’d find my younger son curled up on the sofa, scribbling made-up inspirational quotes into a notebook or writing long letters to a cross-country pen pal. It got me thinking: when kids say that they “hate” writing, maybe what they’re really saying is that they “hate” being told what, when, where, why, or how to write.
I promise, I’m not throwing teachers under the bus. I completely understand that teachers must adhere to certain curriculum guidelines and they are required to assign certain types of writing to their students. And all of that is SO important because it gives kids an introduction to different forms and a writing foundation they will need moving forward. My hope, however, is that teachers will use this book in their classrooms to remind those students who may be struggling or who seem disengaged with writing that, just because they don’t particularly LOVE the specific assignment doesn’t mean that ALL writing is “boring” or that they aren’t “good” at writing. I hope teachers and parents will encourage kids to experiment and find ways of writing that feel “right” to them.
I believe that writing is like reading. If you think reading isn’t fun, it just means you haven’t found the right book. If you think writing isn’t fun, it just means you haven’t found the type of writing that’s fun for YOU!
Me: Your rhyming text is deceptively simple. How many revisions did this magnificent manuscript take? (Please tell me it wasn’t a simple draft done in one setting!)
Rebecca: You are too kind. Thank you! It looks like the original draft was written in Sept 2020 (and several lines from that original did make it to the final version!). I see 12 other drafts saved in my computer between then and February 2022. The book ultimately received an offer on that last version from Capstone in August of 2022.
Me: The illustrations by Andrea Boatta are gorgeous. So many wonderful textures and an amazingly soft color palette. Were there any illustration surprises for you? Any favorites?
Rebecca: I agree that the illustrations for this book are absolutely stunning! I love all the color Andrea used and the diverse cast of characters she incorporated into all the scenes. Showing a huge range of kids from different backgrounds, cultures and abilities was something that was very important to me.
My favorite spread is the second in the book, with the text: “Here’s a tip for how to start: Think of things that spark your heart.” I just feel like the scene is so dreamy and inviting with the clouds and stars and mountains. And the fact that this spread is cloaked in all different shades of purple (my favorite color) is icing on the cake. Oh, and I love how the little girl is using a pen as a walking stick!
Me: Once again, this book has back matter. There are some great writing tips to help young writers get started. I’m reminded ever so slightly of your book BRAINSTORM in this regard. Why is helping young readers to become interesting in writing a passion of your’s?
Rebecca: Thanks! I love including back matter in my books. Teachers tell me they love having a activities that go along with the book (by the way, for anyone interested, there is a downloadable worksheet with the WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW back matter on my website here. And there is a full Teacher’s Guide and activities for BRAINSTORM! on my website here.)
And yes, when I drafted WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW, I did think of it a bit like a companion for BRAINSTORM! and I do hope that teachers will use the books together in their classrooms when discussing various parts of the writing process.
In terms of why I am passionate about this topic… well, I’d say first check out my answer to question #1! 🙂 Also, I mentioned above that I was around eight when I started writing in a journal, but that was also around the time that my parents announced their divorce. Writing helped me manage all the complicated feelings I was grappling with at that time, and in many ways that journal became my best fried. I feel like writing can be such a great tool for processing emotions and for creative expression and I hate the idea of kids giving up on it completely just because they don’t connect with one particular type or way of writing.
Me: What is one thing that surprised you in writing this story?
Rebecca: How easily the poem flowed out of me! (I know, don’t hate me! But 12 drafts isn’t a lot for me – most of my stories have more like 20-30 revisions.)
Me: I think you have at least 3 books coming out this year and 2 more in 2026. Can you tell us about any of them?
Rebecca: Thanks for asking! Actually, I have FIVE books coming out this year, TWO in 2026, and another one in 2027 (so far! I know, pinch me!) and they are ALL in rhyme (so anyone who tells you that rhyming books don’t sell doesn’t know what they’re talking about!).
My next book to come out, on April 15th, is I WILL ALWAYS BE… from HarperCollins, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell. (By the way, this was the 2nd book I sold, but for various publishing reasons will be my 6th to come out!). It is an inspirational picture book that encourages kids to celebrate their passions — whether or not they ever make it to Broadway or the big leagues. For fans of I Am Enough and Remarkably You, I WILL ALWAYS BE… reminds young artists and athletes, bakers and ballerinas, inventors and investigators, that doing what you love and loving what you do is what really matters.
Then on Aug. 5th, comes FINDING FORGIVENESS, illustrated by Diana Mayo and published by Farrar, Strauss & Giroux. This picture book is about two sisters learning how to forgive each other and themselves after a terrible argument. It is set during Tashlich, a ceremony which takes place on Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year, in which we symbolically throw bits of bread into a body of flowing water as a way of “casting away” our regrets from the year that’s just passed.
Me: I laughed at the page in your story that talks about all the places you can write because I once wrote a picture book in a sudden burst of inspiration on a plane. Where is the strangest place you’ve ever written?
Rebecca: Oh, that’s amazing. I actually have a fear of flying, so there’s no way I’d be able to relax enough into my thoughts to write on a plane. These days most of my drafts are written during personal retreat time at The Highlights Foundation in Milanville, PA. I’m lucky enough that this incredible haven in the woods is a short 2-hour drive from my house, so I try to get there a few times per year. But here’s the “strangest part” part: When I’m at Highlights, I love taking long walks along the scenic country roads that surround the campus, but I purposefully leave behind my phone because I don’t want to be distracted. Of course, without fail, the minute I have nothing to write with, stanzas start popping into my head! So, to answer your question, MANY of my books have actually been written via voice-texts that I send myself on my iWatch while on a walk. By the time I get back to my cabin I might have 30+ text messages from myself. The hard part is piecing together the puzzle afterwards and attempting to figure out what I was trying to say, especially when autocorrect has been “helping.” Lol.
Haha! I can see the method to the madness there, but it seems to be working quite well for you Rebecca! Thank you for stopping by my blog again today.
Dear readers, this book was released on January 1st of this year. If you haven’t had a chance to read it yet, I highly recommend it. If you are a writer, you will be encouraged to do just that. If you know a young reader who is struggling with writing, this just might encourage them as well.