I love when authors return to the blog for a second, or in this case a third time! Rebecca Gardyn Levington is back with another sensational book that every classroom teacher will be dying to get their hands on. This time Rebecca is here to share, WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW and inspire all of us to find the perfect place and way to enjoy writing. Keep reading to learn all about this wonderful book and for your chance to win a 30-min Ask Me Anything call or a signed copy of Write Here, Write Now from Rebecca.
AH: Welcome to The Backstory and thank you for joining us and sharing the inspiration behind WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW.
First off, please tell us a little bit about your story.
RL: WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW inspires all kids to find joy in writing, no matter what, where, why, when, or how they write. It encourages reluctant writers to tap into their interests while motivating more prolific students to keep doing what they love. Appealing to readers of books like How To Write a Story by Kate Messner and Write! Write! Write! by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW presents a plethora of ways for kids to play with words while discovering the type of writing that’s “right” for them.
AH: LOVE THIS!!! What an amazing tool you have provided to educators as we work to inspire ALL kids to express themselves creatively. This book will no doubt become a staple in my classroom.
AH: What’s the story behind the story? What was your inspiration? Where did the idea come from?
RL: I was one of those kids who wrote all the time — stories, essays, poems, plays, letters. In fact, I’ve been writing in a journal since I was around eight years old. But so many of my friends thought writing was “boring.” And then I became a parent, and I heard same thing from my own kids. They’d tell me they “hate” writing. And yet, I’d find my older son frantically typing scripts for his sports podcast or articles about the NFL for his fictional newspaper. Or I’d find my younger son curled up on the sofa, scribbling made-up inspirational quotes into a notebook or writing long letters to a cross-country pen pal. It got me thinking: when kids say that they “hate” writing, maybe what they’re really saying is that they “hate” being told what, when, where, why, or how to write.
And so... I wrote WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW because I want to encourage kids like mine not to discount all writing as "boring." I want them to experiment with writing topics they enjoy and to find places, writing methods, and structures that feel comfortable to them. As I tell kids during my school visits, there are SO many ways of being a writer.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not throwing teachers under the bus! I completely understand that teachers must adhere to certain curriculum guidelines and they are required to assign certain types of writing to their students. And all of that is SO important because it gives kids an introduction to different forms and a writing foundation they will need moving forward. My hope, however, is that teachers will use this book in their classrooms to remind those students who may be struggling or who seem disengaged with writing that, just because they don't particularly LOVE the specific assignment doesn't mean that ALL writing is "boring" or that they aren't "good" at writing. I hope teachers and parents will encourage kids to experiment and find ways of writing that feel "right" to them.
I believe that writing is like reading. If you think reading isn't fun, it just means you haven't found the right book. If you think writing isn't fun, it just means you haven't found the type of writing that's fun for YOU!
AH: You hit the nail on the head about how our assignments don't always match the writer and that is the part they often dislike. There are also students with various learning differences that could impact their feelings toward what writing traditionally looks like in a school. Your book is set to inspire both kids and educators to think outside the box and be open to trying various types of writing to see what is the best fit for each child.
AH: How did you approach going from this seed of an idea to what is now WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW? Was it something undeniable you had to write immediately or did you need to sit with this idea and let it grow for a while before it found its way to the page?
RL: I see in my computer that the first draft I wrote of WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW was created during the heart of the pandemic (September 2020). As is the case with most of my picture books, this one started as a poem, a sort of love letter to writing and anthem to encourage kids to pick up their pens. (I see too that the very first line I wrote in that draft “You’re a writer. Did you know?” is still the same in the final book, which is kind of cool!) Below the poem, it looks like I also wrote down a whole list of things a child could write: poem, letter to a friend, play, song, speech, prayer, recipe, movie script, etc….
But then it looks like I set this aside for a bit. The next time I tinkered with this draft wasn’t until April of 2021. During that school year, my two boys were in 4th and 8th grade and, because of the pandemic, they were in “hybrid” school with lessons at home via Zoom three days per week. As such, I had much more insight into their day-to-day school lives and I heard a LOT of complaining about their assignments. The two that really got under my skin: “Writing is SO boring!” and “I HATE writing!” I think my kids’ comments were the impetus for returning to my original draft.
AH: Tracking down the history and transformation of an idea is one of my favorite things to do once one of my books makes it to publication. I love your commentary on how the events in your life at that time may have impacted the direction of the story.
AH: Did WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW undergo any major changes/revisions from the original version? If so, what led you to make these changes?
RL: Looks like I revised the story about a dozen times, but I don’t see any major overhauls. I mostly just added to it, switched around the order of couplets, and tweaked words and phrases.
I do remember making a conscious effort to hit on a huge variety of ways and styles of writing, so I made a lot of “word banks” or lists, with titles like: “WHERE” (ex: at a desk, on the floor, on a napkin at a restaurant, in a car with a lap desk, etc.), “WHAT” (ex: speech, recipe, poem, song, news article, etc.), “WHY” (ex: to apologize, express emotion, share facts/knowledge, tell a story, etc.), “HOW” (ex: keyboard, pen/paper, voice recorder, with a group, etc.). I referenced these lists as I crafted my couplets and tried to incorporate as many as I could into the final text.
AH: This is a great strategy for writers to get all those thoughts brewing before tackling the blank page.
AH: Are there any books/authors that you feel influenced your work?
RL: In terms of this particular story, my mentor texts were other books that celebrate the joys of writing, like How To Write a Story by Kate Messner, illustrated by Mark Siegal, Write! Write! Write! by Amy Ludwig VanDerwater, illustrated by Ryan O’Rourke, Also An Octopus, by Maggie Tokuda-Hall, illustrated by Benji Davies, and The Story of a Story by Deborah Hopkinson, illustrated by Hadley Hooper. Also Lori Degman’s fabulous Just Read, illustrated by Victoria Tentler-Krylov, which is a poetic ode to the joy of reading, was very influential.
Other authors/poets that influence my work in general include Dianne White (Blue on Blue, Green on Green), Linda Ashman (When the Storm Comes), Julie Fogliano (A House That Once Was), Liz Garton Scanlon (All The World), and Lisa Wheeler (Someone Builds The Dream).
AH: Where do you tend to find your inspiration or your sparks for ideas?
RL: I love wordplay so I often use puns and idioms to spark initial ideas. For instance, WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW’s book’s original title was Write On! which came from a t-shirt I own and love (and would also have been a great title -- I can’t remember why I changed it, to be honest). A lot of my ideas come to me in the form of words and phrases which can be interpreted in multiple ways. My book, BRAINSTORM! began in a similar way. I thought to myself: “what would a literal brain storm look like?”
Another thing I do when I’m stuck for ideas is pick a random word from the dictionary. I’ll start jotting random thoughts about its meaning, things I associate with that word, or words that rhyme with it. In fact, many (if not most) of my picture book drafts begin as poems, and many of those poems started with just one word. My book, WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW came from a poem I wrote inspired by the word “surprise” (although, ironically, “surprise” was cut from the final text!).
I also get a ton of ideas from things I did or feelings I felt as a child, or things or feelings that my own kids do or feel. My book, LITTLE DREIDEL LEARNS TO SPIN was inspired by my son’s frustration while learning how to ride his bicycle -- his impatience and desire to do something perfectly immediately, and how he ultimately learned that it takes a lot of practice and perseverance to achieve hard things.
AH: I am very similar to you with my love of wordplay and the inspiration that can come from it. Thanks for sharing those mini backstories for some of your other books!
Do you have any upcoming projects or news you would like to share with us?
RL: I DO! Thanks for asking. In addition to WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW, I have four more books coming out in 2025 (I know, I can’t believe it!). I’ll just mention the next two…
I WILL ALWAYS BE…, illustrated by Rahele Jomepour Bell (HarperCollins, April 15, 2025), is an inspirational rhyming concept picture book that encourages kids to celebrate their passions — whether or not they ever make it to Broadway or the big leagues.
And FINDING FORGIVENESS, illustrated by Diana Mayo (Farrar, Strauss, & Giroux, Aug. 5, 2025), is a story about two sisters making amends after an awful fight, set against the backdrop of Tashlich, a special atonement ceremony that takes place during Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish new year.
AH: WOW!!! Five books in one year? What an accomplishment and also....you're going to be exhausted! I am so happy to hear about your success and I can't wait to celebrate and read each of these new books.
Where can people connect more with you?
RL: I’d love to connect with all your readers! Here’s where you can find me….
Website: www.RebeccaGardynLevington.com – Please sign up for my monthly newsletter, where I share updates, book recommendations, and tips that have helped me as I’ve navigated this writing journey.
Twitter/X: @WriterRebeccaGL
Facebook: @WriterRebeccaGL
Instagram: @RebeccaGardynLevington
BlueSky: @rebeccaglevington.bsky.social
AH: Readers be sure to connect with Rebecca on social media so you don't miss any of her exciting publishing news. And while you are at it please consider supporting her books in any way you can.
This could include:
- ordering from your favorite indie
- marking as want to read on Goodreads
-leaving a review
- making a library request
Rebecca, thank you so much for sharing all about your latest book with us. I loved learning how it came to be and a bit more about your process.
GIVEAWAY!
Rebecca is happy to give away a 30-min Ask Me Anything call or a signed copy of Write Here, Write Now (US-addresses only).
Ways to enter:
1. Comment on social media post about this blog post. Additional entry for tagging friends!
or
2. Leave a comment on this post. Leave a social media tag where I can contact you if you are selected as the winner.
or
3. Post about this interview on social media and tell me in the comments that you did.
Each method earns an extra entry!
ABOUT REBECCA GARDYN LEVINGTON
Rebecca Gardyn Levington is a children’s book author, poet, and journalist with a particular penchant for penning both playful and poignant picture books and poems – primarily in rhyme. She is the author of WHATEVER COMES TOMORROW (winner of a Crystal Kite Honor and Northern Lights Book Award), BRAINSTORM!, AFIKOMAN, WHERE’D YOU GO? A PASSOVER HIDE-AND-SEEK ADVENTURE, LITTLE DREIDEL LEARNS TO SPIN, and WRITE HERE, WRITE NOW with eight additional rhyming picture books forthcoming. Rebecca writes reviews and conducts author interviews monthly for the Picture Book Builders blog. Her award-winning poems and articles have appeared in numerous anthologies, newspapers, and magazines. She lives with her family in Summit, N.J., where she enjoys bouncing on a mini-trampoline, playing Mah Jongg, and eating chocolate-peanut butter ice cream (although not usually at the same time!). Find out more and sign up for Rebecca’s monthly newsletter at www.RebeccaGardynLevington.com.
ABOUT ANDREW HACKET
Andrew Hacket is a writer, second-grade teacher, and father of three. He is also the author of Ollie, the Acorn, and the Mighty Idea, Curlilocks and the Three Hares, and Hope and the Sea. Andrew recognizes that being a kid is hard and he writes to create ways for kids to see themselves in stories and characters, to accept and overcome their insecurities, or to escape for just a little while through the power of their imaginations.
