Lots of writing and parenting-related Simmer Starters today! Enjoy.
Parenting 001 (Kevin DeYoung) – “Does it seem like parenting has gotten more complicated? I mean, as far as I can tell, back in the day parents basically tried to feed their kids, clothe them, and keep them away from explosives. Now our kids have to sleep on their backs (no wait, their tummies; no never mind, their backs), while listening to Baby Mozart surrounded by scenes of Starry, Starry Night. They have to be in piano lessons before they are five and can’t leave the car seat until they’re about five foot six. It’s all so involved. There are so many rules and expectations.”
Dear Students: An Apology From a Teacher (Lizanne Foster, Huffington Post) – Interesting read. Some good things to ponder here. (And reasons to appreciate homeschooling, too!)
Post-partum Depression – What it Is, and Why it’s Okay (Nat Davis) – I don’t think I have postpartum depression, but this is still a comforting article for new moms from my friend Nat. It’s normal to have wild mood swings after having a baby. “These aren’t the things that make you a horrible mom. It’s everything that makes you the mom your kids need – because even those insecurities are born of love, of a desperate need to be everything you can be for these littles that life has entrusted to you.”
Story Combat Realism 7: the Human Organism at the Height of Battle (Travis Perry) – This series is awesome for those of us who write about wars and battles! This was the post that I first read, but check out the others on the blog too.
5 Warning Signs Your Readers Won’t Read Your Sequel (Christine Frazier) – This post looks at some popular series to show why readers continue to read them, and some things that make readers not want to read more.
Crafting Creatures (Kat Heckenbach) – “Real-world animals have characteristics suited to their environments, diets, and interactions with other living things. Those factors, as well as many more than I could fit into a blog post, need to be considered when crafting your fictional creatures.”
I love to hear your thoughts!