The 2025 Slice of Life teachers comes towards its end, and I’m thinking about how to maintain this writing practice. I did pretty well last year, slicing almost every Tuesday until the fall.
Ana and I are texting about how we can get in the habit of writing more. We have been dreaming up our podcast for a couple years already. We might start with a Monday mini-lesson that explores slicing craft moves to encourage our colleagues to keep at it. Short. 10 minutes or less. Just like the mini-lessons we plan for our students.
I tell her how excited I am for the time that will open up for me after the school year ends. Can I make it a habit to write every day? Creatively write? Not just journal or blog, but really write?
I dream of writing a middle grade novel.
Maybe if I write that dream here, text it to Ana, publish it to my blog, it will light a fire underneath me to take the steps to get there. Maybe.
I dream of writing a middle grade novel that could lend itself to the joys of read aloud or book clubs. That kids see and hear themselves in.
Whew. Big dreams.
“Fiction intimidates me so much,” I text Ana. “Especially long form.”
“Liz would say, ‘set a date with writing and stick to it,’” she replies. “Avoid seeing the length, just start somewhere.”
She then suggests I get a new notebook solely for that idea that I “can’t get my hands off of.” (You don’t need to tell me twice to get a new notebook, my stationery-loving heart sings!)
She then reminds me of the writing advice I took notes on from Kelly Yang.
See, a few weeks ago, the social scientists group watched a video from Kelly Yang for schools about her newest book, Finally Heard, which some of them are reading in their book club (I originally thought of it for read aloud, but decided against it). In the video, Kelly Yang shares some of the brain science behind what makes our devices and these apps so fun and addictive, and she does so in an engaging and hilarious way. At the end, she spends 5 minutes sharing her tips for writing.
“Do we want to keep watching?” I asked the group.
A few mumbled no, but others nodded eagerly.
“Wait, I want to see,” E said. She was accepted to an arts middle school for creative writing.
I pressed play, pen at the ready to take notes. As I listened and jotted, I realized Kelly wasn’t just sharing tips for writing in general, she was sharing tips for writing a story. A long form story.
One of my favorite pieces of her advice is how she always writes an outline, but likes to see it as a “trail map.” When you go hiking, you might take the trail suggested, or you might find another way—maybe an easier way, or a more direct way, or a more interesting way. But you at least have that map there to guide you, in case you get lost.
“Did she say she starts with a character?” Ana asks.
I text her the picture of my notes along with the word: “Emotion!”
“Does it ring a bell for you?”
It does.
We end our conversation by setting a writing date for next Saturday, at a cute bookstore café.
I have a new notebook to buy.
Writing With Abandon 
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