Suggests ways to make adults comfortable about the writing process: (1) recognize that adults want more involving lessons; (2) recognize their varied experiences; (3) enable writers to show that experiences will add to understanding of classes; (4) assess writing samples in nonthreatening ways; and (5) indicate that learning to write is a…

Reports results of a short survey of teachers regarding their use in class of books by author Judy Blume, and whether they had experienced controversy surrounding Blume's books. (SR)

In both canonical European American literature and contemporary ethnic American literature, there exists a counterpart to the "inscrutable Oriental" stereotype, the "inscrutable Albino." The albino motif is explored in some ethnic works to demonstrate how the trope functions in each and what this says about the author's world…

Presents an interview with Joseph Williams and Gregory Colomb, English professors, writing teachers, and coauthors of "Style: Toward Clarity and Grace." (SR)

Presents an interview with William Finnegan, staff writer at "The New Yorker." Discusses his travels and his experiences in southern Africa and the writing that grew out of them, his writing about the United States, and his writing process. (SR)

Offers advice from a playwright on how to use a play's stage directions. States that stage directions (1) are one playwriting technique for eliminating unnecessary words, (2) are strong suggestions from the playwright, and (3) often reveal character traits. Discusses script analysis. (PA)

Discusses the controversies about the copyright question by focusing on a case between France and Portugal in the 19th century. (PA)

Focuses on a resource used by author Monteiro Lobato to maintain a dialogue with society, i.e., giving voice to the character Emilia in his children's novels to express his own opinions about the "world order." (PA)

Presents separate interviews with children's authors Bruce Coville and Paul Zelinsky. Suggests that Coville captures the interests and hearts of his readers by offering a different twist on the story and the world. Notes that Zelinsky, under the influence of Maurice Sendak, turned his art major into a career of making picture books. (RS)

Discusses black novelists' use of white lead characters in their novels in the years between 1845 and 1945. Reasons cited include ambition, financial concerns, expansion of readership base, vicarious experiencing, approval of the white literary establishment, quest for universality, freedom of expression, and meeting the challenge. (MMU)

Presents an email interview with playwright and novelist Adam Rapp. Discusses his first three novels, which center on themes of isolation and alienation. Addresses his writing processes and how he develops the characters in his novels and plays. (RS)

Recalls the historical evolution of computer poetry which evolves from experimentation to cultural entity. Places emphasis on the French evolution through its main expressions. Discusses the differences between the viewpoints of A.L.A.M.O. and L.A.I.R.E. (2 groups of writers). (PA)

Discusses historical fiction for children and young adults from a writer's point of view and equates it to a time machine into the past. Considers the books that influenced the writer; larger-than-life characters; story ideas; and research to really know and feel the setting. (LRW)

Describes from an author's point-of-view the new genre of first novels, or chapter books, which are books with fewer pictures and more words than easy-to-reads and are divided into chapters. An annotated bibliography of 21 suggested titles is included. (LRW)

Presents two interviews: one a conversation with illustrator and Caldecott Medal winner Mary Azarian (Illustrator of the 1999 Caldecott Medal book, "Snowflake Bentley"); and a conversation with author Louis Sachar, author of the 1999 Newbery Medal book, "Holes." (SR)