Step one. Fill in the Blanks... make your own unique list... Tomorrow I will share step two... Comment DONE when you have your list. STEP ONE: Fill in the blanks: 1. Adjective 2. Adjective 3. Noun 4. Place 5. Verb (ending in -ing) 6. Verb 7. Emotion 8. Famous author 9. Object 10. Adjective 11. Animal 12. Verb (past tense) 13. Type of food 14. Profession 15. Adjective 16. Noun 17. Verb 18. Something you shout dramatically 19. Color 20. Abstract idea (like courage, chaos, curiosity, etc.) OK... STEP TWO 2️⃣ - On holiday last month, I got my daughter something that became the center of many days... MADLIBS. - So you are going to take your list of words from yesterday. - Add them to the story below... - BONUS POINTS if you share a video of you reading the new story. Now Read Your Story Yesterday I sat down in a (1. adjective) café in (4. place) determined to finally write my (2. adjective) book. I opened my laptop, stared at the blinking cursor, and began (5. verb -ing) like a true literary genius. Suddenly, a (3. noun) appeared beside me and whispered, “You must (6. verb) if you want readers to feel (7. emotion).” Naturally, I assumed this was advice from the spirit of (8. famous author). Inspired, I grabbed my (9. object) and began drafting a (10. adjective) masterpiece about a (11. animal) who (12. verb past tense) across the world in search of the perfect (13. food). Halfway through chapter one, a mysterious (14. profession) appeared and said my writing had the power to change (15. adjective) (16. noun) forever. I immediately decided to (17. verb) my manuscript to every publisher on earth. Just before pressing send, I stood up and shouted: “(18. dramatic phrase)!” The room went silent. A (19. color) light shone through the window, and in that moment I realized the true power of writing was not fame or fortune… It was (20. abstract idea). And also possibly the (13. food). PART THREE We are moving into PRODUCTION... Your madlib is not a book... USE AI to make a COVER mock-up of your story: (Use your preferred AI or experiment with a new one)

This is from a book my grandfather gave me before he died. I used to share this with my high school students when I was a teacher. [Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation by Lynne Truss] Since we are digging in this week, I wanted to share it here. I love this. What comes up for you when you read these two letters?

Wednesday, March 18th @ 1pm - 2pm eastern 📆 MARK YOUR CALENDAR https://meet.google.com/rcy-qsrn-joj POST YOUR QUESTIONS IN THE COMMENTS> 👇 The publishing world can feel opaque—even for experienced authors. Understanding how agents think, how submissions work, and how to position your book can dramatically change your publishing path. We’re excited to welcome Rose Friel Conway as our next Industry Expert Guest. Rose is a literary agent and the founder of Foreword Literary Consulting, with over 12 years of experience. She helps authors navigate traditional, hybrid, and self-publishing with clarity and strategy. Her career began with an internship at Simon & Schuster, and she later worked across agency and hybrid publishing before launching her consulting practice to support authors directly. As of 2026, Rose is also representing adult and select young adult commercial fiction as a literary agent with Confluence Literary Agency, while continuing to consult with nonfiction authors on proposals, queries, and publishing strategy. In this session, we’ll discuss: • How literary agents evaluate submissions • What makes a strong query or proposal • Traditional vs hybrid vs indie publishing pathways • Mistakes authors make when approaching agents • How to position your book for the right publishing path If you're writing a book to grow your impact, this is a conversation you won’t want to miss. Comment below or register to join us for free access to this special Industry Expert session. Industry Expert-Special Guest Wednesday, March 18th @ 1pm - 2pm eastern 📆 MARK YOUR CALENDAR *check your local time.

Thanks to Kimberly Bunker for joining us & sharing her knowledge and time with us. Ghostwriter Kimberly Bunker discussed collaborative creative processes, the application of discerning feedback, and the author’s ultimate authority over the work. Creative Collaboration Benefits Bunker shared that the most satisfying part of collaboration is watching ideas sharpen and clean up, a process that can elevate the work beyond what a writer can achieve in solitude. Writers must recognize that creative work requires a “village” of support, similar to raising a child, to come to life. Addressing Collaboration Pitfalls The primary pitfall in collaboration is allowing too many voices to dilute the original vision, which can lead to a “Frankenstein of a book.” Effective collaboration requires the author to possess a clear self-vision and the skill of discernment to filter feedback, taking only what is helpful. Ghostwriting and Editorial Methods Bunker described their customized services, including developmental editing, which utilizes neutral, observational feedback and deep questioning about character and theme, focusing on the author’s intention. Ghostwriting is approached with detachment, similar to surrogacy, as the writer sees it as applying a craft rather than creating their own identity. Connect with Kimberly on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-bunker-mfa/ https://kimberlybunker.com/ IF YOU WANT TO ASK Kimberly a question, 👇please add a comment below👇 See the full replay, notes, visuals, and so much more in the CLASSROOM- INDUSTRY EXPERT RESOURCES

Just having some fun with editing and thinking about the function and purpose of punctuation. Watch out ... more to come!