29. Using children’s stories to inspire your writing w/ Maria Secoy

As parents, we tend to read a lot of children’s stories. In fact, for many years, those were the only types of books I had time to read. I wish I had known then that children’s stories actually provide writers, of all genres, with simpler means for observing writing techniques. 

Joining today’s conversation is Maria Secoy, a writing coach, romance author, and former middle school English teacher. 

In this episode, Maria explains what questions writers can ask themselves, and their children, to expand their understanding of what makes a story. She even walks you through how Finding Nemo perfectly exemplifies the plot structure of the classic hero’s journey. 

Tune in to find out how writing enables Maria to better handle her hormonal teenager’s behavior and how your teens can continue to inspire your writing. 

Topics discussed in this episode: 

• Maria’s journey from teacher to author
• Gaining the language to express ourselves
• How children’s stories can teach us all universal writing techniques
• A walk through of the hero’s journey plot structure via Finding Nemo
• How to study plot, voice, dialogue, cause and effect, etc., using children’s stories
• The power of fan-fic practice
• Our kids as storytellers 
• How teens shift to telling nonfiction stories
• Using writing to deal with hormonal teens
• How to gain loyal fans via a reader magnet
• How our teens can exemplify “show, don’t tell”
• Defining queer vs MM romance 

About Maria: 

Maria Secoy has a BA in English and an MEd in Secondary English. She wrote and published her first romance novel in 2022 and her second in 2023. 

After hearing stories of editors gone wrong, flopped cover designs, marketing struggles, and anxiety over the entire self-publication process, she launched All Write Well to meet all the self-publishing needs of literary romance writers.

Get her books:

• Alongside Lucy: https://www.amazon.com/Alongside-Lucy-Trail-Adventure-Adventures-ebook/dp/B09WKYLVVZ 
• Gloria’s Gumption: https://www.amazon.com/Glorias-Gumption-Maria-Secoy/dp/B0BRH2F7WZ/ 

Connect with Maria:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msecoywriter 
• Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/msecoywriter 
• Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/awwromance 
• All Write Well (self-publishing support services): https://allwritewell.com/ 

Books/movies discussed during the show: 

• Robin Hood (1973)
• Finding Nemo (2003)
• Return of the Jedi (1983)
• David series by David Shannon  
• Slacker by Gordon Korman 
• The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton 
• Cinder by Marissa Meyer
• Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins
• Author Tau Bauer
• Erie Elementary series by Jack Chabert
• The Maze Runner series by James Dashner

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