www.aimeeteague.com

 You will find new projects, thoughts on writing and inspiration, and a little more about me. Feel free to browse my art gallery, as well. 

Back in the Game at Teague's Toolbox!

Friends, I must apologize for being away so long! From career changes (Special Education to Section 504 Coordinator) to a move (suburb neighborhood to 11 acres on the outskirts of Austin), it's time to get back in the swing here at Teague's Toolbox!

I HAVE been busy making fun products for my store on Teachers Pay Teachers, at the other Teague's Toolbox. If you're interested in some teaching FREEBIES, you'll find such tools as blank graphic organizers, quizzes, posters, and mini lessons. Other products include name plates and few resources for teaching dyslexia (flashcards, cursive house). 

Enjoy the FREEBIES! More to come... on both Teague's Toolbox-es!

https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Store/Teagues-Toolbox

Plotting Devin with The Plot Whisperer's Workbook, with a twist

Plotting with help from The Plot Whisperer

If you're one of those character driven writers, such as myself, plotting your story is like plucking your own feathers. With a little help from The Plot Whisperer, aka Martha Alderson, and her Plot Whisperer's Workbook, I moved my plot to a larger canvas, craft paper. To represent different ideas, such as action sequences, I chose a specific color post-it. For Devin's emotional development, hearts! Being the visual learner that I am, this method worked wonders in revealing holes, weak spots, or just to tie your sub plots together. Right away, I noticed a thing or two to wrap up one of my sub plots using my visual. Next to the hearts, I added 'Obstacles' and 'Stands to Lose,' as part of the story-evaluation in the workbook. Add another color for your antagonist(s) and voila! Will definitely try this method for future outlinings of plots! Thank you, Plot Whisperer, for your inspiration and the many great videos in your series. Those are helpful, as well!

Why Devin?

You know the kid that just doesn’t fit? He's short tempered, a little odd, a little awkward, clumsy, undeveloped, and just hard to like? What does he want more than anything? To be liked. Devin from my book, Devin and His Shape-Shifting Sister, is that kid.

But there’s more to him than even he knows. He just needs a little acceptance. The best way to accept someone is to get inside their head and see the world from their point of view.  We’re all wired our unique way but sadly, many adults (even teachers) don’t understand why all children can’t be normal the first time, even after two or three tries. Some kids, like Devin, take several tries to get it right.  He’s just wired a little differently.

But, the reality is, the world isn’t designed for kids like Devin who need a little extra time, a few more pushes to think normally. People aren’t wired to accept a kid who questions everything and complies only when he fully understands. And not many work places are going to allow employees to follow the chain of command when the employee is up to it.

The people leading these children have the responsibility to understand them, provide a safe place for them to grow, and guide these children toward being able to function in a society that will expect them to get it the first time or two.

These children will have an easier life if they can figure out the worldly system and mold them self to fit. However, we can teach something to all children that make both lives better, the empathizer and the one needing it.

I hope my book can plant even a small seed of empathy, as well as provide at least a tiny hint of enlightenment in children like Devin that says, “My happiness begins with me taking the first step," and, "acceptance in this world starts with my acceptance of others, first.”

Puzzle Revelations for Summer Writing

Nothing beats these hot, southern, carefree days of summer, my best days for writing in between sippy cups, Nick Jr., laundry, and exercise. Nothing to complain about here. While I'm not much of a schedule-follower, I keep my writing tools (laptop mostly), notebooks, improving-the-craft books, and Youtube close by.  When Toot and Puddle ends, I get to work. When my littlest one isn't putting on her own talent show on the ottoman, I get to work. After 25 jumping jacks, you get it.

This morning's agenda included a Disney Princess puzzle with my three-year-old, not the baby kind, either, but rather a 300-piece, you-have-to-concentrate-and-think-a-little kind, and I realize this is unproductive to my story I should be working on, but priceless to my child. Even though I enjoy her and puzzles, there's so much on my conveyor belt just waiting to fall in the next box to be sent along to the next thing, and hopefully eventually to packaging.

But, as I'm teaching my little one a good strategy for puzzle-doing, putting the borders together first, and sorting colors and like-designs into flat piles where they will go in the puzzle,  I can't help but think of it in light of writing a good book.

I see my outline with the borders put together, a bit more than an empty shell. I kind of know where things should go in the puzzle, but needs more to get a good picture of what it will look like (without using the cheat-cover). The puzzle holds with the edges locked. I have an idea of what it may look like, but there's no sustenance. Our strategy,  fill a corner at a time while putting bits and pieces together here and there, filling in and celebrating at each fourth.

"We're almost done," Taylor says.

Yes, we still have two-fourths and a few holes here and there.

My eyes go a little crossed after a while as these are small pieces to allow for the 8-puzzles-in-a-box packaging. I step away for a breather and more jumping jacks.

Then, it's back to the beast and we finish, take a picture, and everyone (the two of us) is proud and happy.

I don't want anything short of a complete and beautiful puzzle (and wouldn't be the same without sharing with a child).

Writing Revelations - Character Development Drives Plot

Revelation: The more developed your characters are, the more defined your plot becomes.

A great tip an editor recently gave regarding my middle grade novel had to do with character development. The point stressed came down to knowing my characters inside and out, favorite colors, hobbies, food, as well as dislikes, fears, and pet peeves. You must be able to justify every word.

Instead of outlining an ideal plot and then plugging (forcing) your characters in, begin with your subject and as you get to know him or her, his goals and fears will naturally develop without too much predetermined plot on your part. The characters will drive the plot.

I tried this with Devin from my middle grade novel Devin and His Shape-Shifting Sister, and sure enough, there were small gaps here and there I didn't catch without literally interviewing him. Once I sat down and got more into his mind, my plot pieces starting coming together creating a much more tightly fit story. The most fun revision for me is when I know exactly what I want and what needs nixing. 

Try it! Have fun creating and getting to know your characters without straining too much by forcing plots. Let your characters set the course.

Metacogwriting

Metacognition is thinking about thinking; the ability effective teachers instill in their students.

Metacogwriting is thinking about writing; a made up term by a teacher struggling to prepare for the downhill slope of the school year, yet also in pursuit of becoming a better writer. Anyone who has taught, knows this job doesn't leave your mind, especially at the beginning of second semester in the loom of the tests approaching, or even on holiday break, cooking for your family, cleaning up after them, shopping for groceries on the weekend, you get it. Your students, lessons, ideas, the curriculum, state assessments, are all there lurking in the back of your mind. Then, when you finally sit to write, not because you've worked it into your schedule, but because you need to get away and writing feels oh-so-good, those thoughts drift out of your toolbox like different colored floating feathers, waiting for you to reach out and grab one.

Maybe my answers on how to be a better writer in the midst of chaos are found in changing the way I see my hectic life, morphing that old way of thinking into an appreciation that it is... and therefore has given me the feathers I need to write a good story.

For those of us 'writing on the side' of whatever full-time career or responsibility we have, in pursuit of publishing to the masses, it's a struggle, at least for me, to divide my thoughts among my job, being a mother and wife, and trying to be a serious writer, let alone a new one, trying to learn all that I can about 'writing for real' in the shortest amount of time possible because of that expanding urge to get my destined story 'out,' pay more bills, and use my passion and talent in the best way profitable to myself and family (in all honesty), and that's just scratching the surface, all the while trying to be the best teacher I can, again, separating the two, or three, or four... (this paragraph should symbolize the way I see my life, all one paragraph, chaotic, but hopefully controlled chaos. smiley face)
   
Though, I know all my career moves and personal paths have led to this moment. Instead of trying to separate myself from this, this, and then this, I just need to embrace that I am all these things and allow them to overflow. No more juggling, but painting. I will mix this color with this and see what I get; exactly how my latest middle grade novel came to be, as well as my picture book Bonnie's Box, all from mixing the colors of my life. I was that quirky girl talking to myself in the box. I've seen many Devins who see the world in a different way than I do, and you don't want Mommy Monster to surface, a book I'm afraid to write, but really want to! All, not just from my creativity, but inspired by the hectic paths that have led me to this moment. If we speed through life and divide our thoughts, how will the paintings ever come to be...