“When I first starting writing, I would write and rewrite...

“When I first starting writing, I would write and rewrite beginnings over and over and over again, and it stunted my ability to move forward and finish the thing. I was building a perfect staircase that went nowhere. What I had to learn the hard way is that a perfect beginning cannot exist without an ending to answer it.”

—Maggie Tokuda-Hall has an MFA in creative writing from USF, and a strong cake-decorating game. She is the author of the 2017 Parent’s Choice Gold Medal winning picture book, Also an Octopus, illustrated by Benji Davies. The Mermaid, the Witch, and the Sea is her debut young adult novel, which is due out on May 5th, 2020 from Candlewick Press. She lives in Oakland, California with her husband, son, and dog.

Are you better at writing beginnings or endings? Let Maggie know, and/or thank her for her #CampCarePackage!

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Background quote photo by tangi bertin on Unsplash.