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STORYSTORM 2018 Day 29: Jane Yolen Cultivates the Wild Idea

January 29, 2018 10:20 am

by Jane Yolen

I could go on a metaphoric streak about ideas, talking about stalking the shy idea, cultivating the wild idea, setting traps… etc. …

But honestly, ideas are thick on the ground. They are everywhere. If you’re a writer, just take a walk outside and ideas will come to you at once.

Take my hand. Here we are crossing from my house, over a set of stone steps, walking down to my daughter’s house. It is evening. There are sun-activated lights.

I think: fairy lights. What if a child going over a stone walkway to her grandmother’s house, fantasizes a story about fairies guiding her to their queen. Or perhaps fireflies are out. The child in the picture suddenly begins to see that lights are not just random, but patterned. She grows into a famous scientist studying fireflies. Or perhaps the child is lost and the lights call her home. Or. . .

See—the single idea of a child walking in the evening and lights—sun-activtated, or firefly or fairy lights—I already have the beginnings of three different stories from one idea.

And if the same story was written by, say—Patricia Polacco, Dan Santat, or me—you would get three very different stories indeed.

So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.

A dinosaur in a human setting. It could be HOW DO DINOSAURS DAY GOODNIGHT, DINOSAUR BOB AND HIS ADVENTURES WITH THE FAMILY LAZARDO, or DINOSAURS LOVE UNDERPANTS.

How do I know this? Well, after 366 books (#s 365 and 366 are being published March 6 of this year) I think I can say reliably that those ideas are everywhere. But if you are not alert to them, you will probably be stomping on them every time you put your feet over the side of the bed. (And what kind of monster is under your bed anyway?)

So being alert is a start.

But another important part is—take time. Time out or time in. Time for yourself, and time to just quietly keep your eyes sharp.

I call those days I am not writing, “gathering days”. When I am walking outside, I am always aware that I am breathing in stories. When I read a newspaper or book or story or poem by someone else, I find stories there as well.

When I sit in a train or a plane, and listen in in on conversations of strangers—gossip is also a story starter. You learn about individual voices by eavesdropping.

Patricia MacLachlan regularly uses things her grandchildren have said as story starters.

My COMMANDER TOAD books began when my son Adam was bright and brave since he was afraid of going up the stairs for bed which meant going down the long dark hall to his room.

Maurice Sendak has said that WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE came about because of at family parties his aunts and uncles leaning over and pinching his cheeks when he was a very small and saying, “You are so cute, I am going to eat you up!”

OWL MOON was a story I saw played out in my own family as my husband took our children out owling.

Oh—and when editor Bonnie Verberg called me up and said, “My son Robbie is three years old. He hates to go to bed and he loves dinosaurs. Can you do anything for him? And HOW DO DINOSAURS SAY GOODNIGHT was born. Robbie is now graduated from NYU. I like to think I had a little bit to do with that!

Yep, ideas everywhere.

So don’t ask where do you get your ideas. Ask yourself: “What can I do with all the ideas I have?”

And then go out there and cultivate that wild idea.

Jane Yolen, often called “the Hans Christian Andersen of America,” is celebrating her 365th published book in 2018. Her works, which range from very young rhymed picture books to novels for adults and every genre in between, have won an assortment of awards including two Nebulas, a World Fantasy Award, a Caldecott, the Golden Kite, three Mythopoeic awards, two Christopher Medals, the Jewish Book Award, the Kerlan Award, and the Catholic Library’s Regina Medal, as well as six honorary doctorates. She lives in Massachusetts in the winter and Scotland in the summer. She writes every day. Follow her on Twitter @janeyolen #Yolen365 or on Facebook and visit her website: JaneYolen.com.

Also see Jane’s previous Storystorm post about how a haunting photograph of the “angel” apartment building in Paris prompted a new picture book. 

Jane is giving away a signed copy of OWL MOON.

Leave ONE COMMENT on this blog post to enter. You are eligible to win if you are a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below. Prizes will be given away at the conclusion of the event.

Good luck!

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Posted by Tara Lazar

Categories: STORYSTORM 2018

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541 Responses to “STORYSTORM 2018 Day 29: Jane Yolen Cultivates the Wild Idea”

  1. Thank you, Jane, for reminding us that ideas are everywhere, especially within our own family. 🙂

    By gayleckrause on January 29, 2018 at 10:25 am

  2. And here I thought I was cheating by basically filling my idea box with all the ridiculous things my kids say!

    By Celeste on January 29, 2018 at 10:26 am

  3. Oh Jane, I loved taking your virtual hand along that journey! Thank you for your motivational post. And more importantly, thank you for all you have done to advance literature. You are a true inspiration!

    By Meli Glickman on January 29, 2018 at 10:27 am

  4. A beautifully written post. Thank you Jane.

    By lmconnors on January 29, 2018 at 10:28 am

  5. Great thoughts! Ideas are everywhere!

    By Kim Erickson on January 29, 2018 at 10:28 am

  6. I enjoyed hearing about the ideas that sparked your story development. I love that you focused on how the same idea can be interpreted so many different ways by different people so the important element is what you do with the story. Thanks for the post!

    By Kim Batti on January 29, 2018 at 10:28 am

  7. Gulp.

    By Shell leDrew on January 29, 2018 at 10:29 am

  8. It’s wonderful to learn how your ideas went on to become published stories! Thank you for sharing, Jane.

    By Alyssa Sinnen on January 29, 2018 at 10:29 am

  9. “breathing in stories”… I like that!

    By Ryan Roberts on January 29, 2018 at 10:30 am

  10. I love Owl Moon, Jane! And your post is truth all the way through. I found an idea that turned into a picture book this month, and your wonderful book was whispering to it from the back of my head. It’s called Moon Chase. It’s one of my favorite manuscripts so far!! Thank you

    By Laurel Abell on January 29, 2018 at 10:30 am

  11. Ms. Yolen, you never fail to inspire me! I just wrote down another Storystorm idea 🙂

    By junesmalls on January 29, 2018 at 10:31 am

  12. Gathering Days – what a beautiful title for a yet to be written book! And I love the way you underline how each of us tells a story differently, so there’s no need to be concerned about overlapping stories/subjects.
    Thank you,
    Jenna Feldman

    By Jenna Feldman on January 29, 2018 at 10:31 am

  13. Thank you for contributing to the collective good. I love that your daughter lives so near to you.

    By loriannlevyholm on January 29, 2018 at 10:31 am

  14. This is so inspirational! Thank you! I am similing because I also refer to gleaning ideas as I go about my life as “gathering.” And when writing them out, I’m, “cultivating.”

    By Jessica on January 29, 2018 at 10:31 am

  15. I have my basket ready for the “gathering days.”

    By Lori Dubbin on January 29, 2018 at 10:31 am

  16. I don’t think there is a problem with finding ideas, it’s just making them good ideas that is a little tricky 😂 thank you for the inspiration and post!

    By Brittanny Handiboe on January 29, 2018 at 10:33 am

  17. Thank you for your specific example on our walk with you and seeing the lights. Loved that! I always enjoy where the seed came from for books – thanks for sharing those as well. These very concrete examples help me tremendously! Thanks!

    By Tracy Hora on January 29, 2018 at 10:33 am

  18. “Breathing in stories” is a great expression. Now if I could only breathe them back out as published books the circle would be complete. Your success is inspiring. I am not jealous at all…. Aargh!

    By Genevieve Petrillo on January 29, 2018 at 10:33 am

  19. I’ll always see the days I don’t write now as “gathering days.” What an image! Thank you for a lovely post.

    By Juliana Jones on January 29, 2018 at 10:33 am

  20. Jane Yolen is a national treasure.

    By nancy armo on January 29, 2018 at 10:34 am

  21. Thank you for the wonderful advice!

    By Krista Maxwell on January 29, 2018 at 10:34 am

  22. Beautifully said, that elusive thing called time should be our best friend…not our enemy!

    By michelemeleen on January 29, 2018 at 10:34 am

  23. Be alert as ideas are everywhere! You are so awesome! Thank you for sharing with us.

    By sherilyncook on January 29, 2018 at 10:35 am

  24. I love your idea of “gathering days!”

    By Mary York on January 29, 2018 at 10:35 am

  25. Thank you for the pep talk I desperately needed to cultivate all my wild ideas, Jane!

    By Chad Allen Wonsik on January 29, 2018 at 10:35 am

  26. I like how you call them “gathering days.” Brings to mind so many satisfying images of gathering: kids, books, party supplies in wagons, baskets, and buckets. Thanks for that lovely term.

    By Mary Worley on January 29, 2018 at 10:35 am

  27. Dear Jane, thank you for your generosity in guiding and inspiring the rest of us and for giving us a book a day for a year. Now I’m going to try not to trample those ideas that are lying thick on the ground!

    By jheitman22 on January 29, 2018 at 10:35 am

  28. Thank you for the advice!

    By Janice Woods on January 29, 2018 at 10:36 am

  29. A testament to keeping imagination lit with eyes, ears and curiosity always wide open. Thanks for a great post, Jane!

    By Suzanne LaLiberte Lewis on January 29, 2018 at 10:37 am

  30. Great post. Ideas are definitely everywhere.

    By storyfairy on January 29, 2018 at 10:37 am

  31. What an inspiration you and your stories are. Thank you for sharing today.

    By Stephanie G. on January 29, 2018 at 10:38 am

  32. Isn’t it marvelous to think of all the stories swirling around us at any moment? It’s magical, really. Thanks for bringing that concept to our attention 🙂

    By Stephanie on January 29, 2018 at 10:38 am

  33. I agree, ideas are everywhere. I just need to look and listen. I need to remember no idea is too wild. I never know where even a wild idea can take me.

    By Jane Serpa on January 29, 2018 at 10:39 am

  34. I’m still processing that you’ve published 366 books… that’s amazing! I actually stopped and wrote down two different ideas as I read your post. This was fantastic, and you are so right. If we keep our eyes open, ideas will never run dry.

    By shannonstocker on January 29, 2018 at 10:39 am

  35. Jane, thank you for a lovely post. You are an inspiration.❤️

    By Janie Reinart on January 29, 2018 at 10:39 am

  36. You make it look easy, Jane. Thanks for the tips!

    By Lori Alexander on January 29, 2018 at 10:39 am

  37. An awesome, inspiring post. I love the term “gathering days”. Thank you, Jane.

    By MD Knabb on January 29, 2018 at 10:40 am

  38. That’s amazing, Jane, the number of books you have written! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about writing and how to spark ideas! It’s much appreciated!

    By paulajbecker on January 29, 2018 at 10:40 am

  39. Excelente points! Thank you Jane Yolen for your wonderful books.

    By Maritza M. Mejia on January 29, 2018 at 10:40 am

  40. Jane, Thank you for a fantastic post–a “master class” in idea generation. I try to soak up ideas from nature with every woods walk, beach stroll, etc. Perhaps I try too consciously because my “creativity gene” doesn’t seem to spark quite as frequently or brightly as yours apparently does! I’ve been a fan your work–and enjoyed taking your Kid Lit class–ever since my college days in NoHo. Congratulations on #s 365 and 366!

    By Lucretia Schafroth on January 29, 2018 at 10:40 am

  41. I am a long-time fan! I often remind myself to “fill the creative well” as you have encouraged. Thank you for sharing!

    By Debbi Michiko Florence on January 29, 2018 at 10:41 am

  42. I’m a big Jane Yolen fan! This is great advice!

    By Kristen Donohue on January 29, 2018 at 10:41 am

  43. So simple. Gathering days!

    By Sally Spratt 🎉🍾🎇 (@SallySpratt) on January 29, 2018 at 10:44 am

  44. So, Lady Jane, you’re an eavesdropper, huh? I also love hearing snippets of conversations.

    By Barbara Senenman on January 29, 2018 at 10:44 am

  45. I love the idea of “gathering days”.

    By lindaschueler on January 29, 2018 at 10:44 am

  46. Thanks Jane! Today will be my gathering day: )

    By Polly Renner on January 29, 2018 at 10:46 am

  47. Beautiful thoughts, imagery and idea gathering. Thank you for this post.

    By Aimee on January 29, 2018 at 10:47 am

  48. Thank you for this and for the beautiful books you’ve brought into the world. OWL MOON is one of my favorites – my former colleagues and I used it to teach 4th graders about similes and metaphors. And the dinosaur board books were always a staple in high demand in our 2s and 3s preschool classes (and in my house as well).

    By Red said what? on January 29, 2018 at 10:47 am

  49. Lovely post! Thank you Jane! Congrats on 366! Such a remarkable accomplishment.

    By stiefelchana on January 29, 2018 at 10:48 am

  50. Jane,
    Love seeing how one moment in time becomes three different story scenarios. Thanks for the post.

    By Deborah Allmand on January 29, 2018 at 10:49 am

  51. Jane makes it all sound so effortless…

    By poppywrote on January 29, 2018 at 10:49 am

  52. I love the idea of “gathering time”. Thanks for the great post!

    By Cotton Wright on January 29, 2018 at 10:50 am

  53. Thank you Jane for posting on Storystorm. What a treat to read how your stories come to you. They are everywhere. Owl Moon inspires me to be a better writer. The illustrations are so beautiful. They work so well with your story.

    By illustratorm on January 29, 2018 at 10:51 am

  54. Jane Yolen—‘nuff said!

    By supermario6 on January 29, 2018 at 10:53 am

  55. “It’s not the idea, but what you do with it.” Brilliant! Thank you!

    By Patricia Alcaro on January 29, 2018 at 10:53 am

  56. Thank you so much! I’m always amazed at the generosity of writers and artists in sharing their perspective and encouraging others. This post is such a great reminder to be awake and open to ideas at every moment.

    By Deborah McGarvey on January 29, 2018 at 10:53 am

  57. Thank you, Jane, for being such an inspiration. Ideas are often waiting for us to find them.

    By judyrubin13 on January 29, 2018 at 10:55 am

  58. “Ideas are thick on the ground” – so true! It’s like watching snow pile into drifts. But the trick is wrestling them into stories before they melt away. Thank you, Jane, for inspiring us to cultivate our ideas and grow them into stories!

    By Claire Wrenn Bobrow on January 29, 2018 at 10:56 am

  59. Jane is our story queen and our idea queen. Congrats on 365 and 366 books! Love this line, “So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.”

    By kathalsey on January 29, 2018 at 10:56 am

  60. I love hearing the inspiration behind some of your wonderful books, Jane!

    By Laura Purdie Salas on January 29, 2018 at 10:57 am

  61. Thank you, Jane Yolen! You are such an inspiration.

    By ktfrawley11gmailcom on January 29, 2018 at 10:57 am

  62. Wow! What an inspirational post. I like a daily dose of Jane Yolen. I get ideas a revel in her writing too. Thank you for today.

    By Linda Mitchell on January 29, 2018 at 10:57 am

  63. What expert inspiration about ideas and asking what we can now do with all these ideas. Thanks, Jane!!

    By Val McCammon on January 29, 2018 at 10:58 am

  64. I love the cover of Owl Moon. I am sure the story is a wonderful

    By Carolyn Rohrbaugh on January 29, 2018 at 10:59 am

  65. Gathering ideas are sooo much fun! Thanks for your words of wisdom.

    By Kathy j brown on January 29, 2018 at 10:59 am

  66. Thanks, Jane. Always with words of wisdom.

    By Marianne Kuzujanakis on January 29, 2018 at 11:00 am

  67. We’re all having “gathering days” together! Thank you, Jane! She is so amazing!

    By Connie Colon on January 29, 2018 at 11:00 am

  68. Another fantastic Storystorm post. Thanks, Jane! Now to figure out how to keep my 30-year-old daughter from stealing my autographed copy of Owl Moon when I win it! Its a family favorite that was read and re-read countless times!

    By fspoesy on January 29, 2018 at 11:01 am

  69. Great post, Jane. I love “gathering days.” If you don’t have a basket, take a bucket!

    By Garnett Natasha on January 29, 2018 at 11:02 am

  70. You’re an all-around inspiration, Jane! Thank you. I aspire to take my gathered ideas and turn them into special books and poems like you have. I look forward to checking out #365 and #366 (and many more!).

    By Robin Brett Wechsler on January 29, 2018 at 11:04 am

  71. Thank you, Jane. Congrats on number 365!

    By Brianna Zamborsky on January 29, 2018 at 11:04 am

  72. Now I know what to call those days when I think rather than write: gathering days. Thank you, Jane!

    By Paulette Sharkey on January 29, 2018 at 11:08 am

  73. Thank you for sharing your wisdom! When I saw your name, I knew it was going to be good. Congratulations on #365 and #366! Thank you for all you’ve done for writers and readers everywhere!

    By Debbie Austin on January 29, 2018 at 11:08 am

  74. Thank you Jane! Stories are in the everyday. Life is full of wonder. We need to catch it and keep it in papyrus boxes. ~Vicki

    By willowwrites on January 29, 2018 at 11:11 am

  75. Love your books and your positive attitude! My teachers used to accuse me of “wool gathering” — an expression that never made much sense– but now I can legitimately be “story gathering”! Thanks!

    By Carolyne Ruck on January 29, 2018 at 11:12 am

  76. Thanks, that was a great post. I love all your books and have read and recommended them countless times as a children’s bookseller. I hope you never stop writimg.

    By Mary Ann Cortez on January 29, 2018 at 11:14 am

  77. What an inspirational post to help us all to keep struggling with our ideas.

    By June Sengpiehl on January 29, 2018 at 11:15 am

  78. LOVE everything Jane Yolen writes! Thank you SO MUCH for this post – and your legacy! A book for every day of the year! Love it.

    By Joanne Sher on January 29, 2018 at 11:16 am

  79. Hi Jane, thanks for this amazing post and reminding us “it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.” 🙂

    By Joana Pastro on January 29, 2018 at 11:16 am

  80. Owl Moon is one of my all time favorites!

    By Katie Giorgio on January 29, 2018 at 11:16 am

  81. I not only enjoy seeing your ideas but what you do with them. Write on!

    By Lynne Marie on January 29, 2018 at 11:17 am

  82. What a treat to hear your words! It’s so exciting to hear your advice. I have loved reading your books to my children and just to myself.

    By Sharon Nix Jones on January 29, 2018 at 11:17 am

  83. You are amazing! Thank you for the inspiration!

    By Candace Spizzirri on January 29, 2018 at 11:17 am

  84. Your voice has been such a joyful part of our family – I read Commander Toad growing up and read it (and many other Jane Yolen books and poems) with my children now. Thank you!!

    By Cedar Pruitt on January 29, 2018 at 11:19 am

  85. Jane – you have turned on a light bulb for me this morning. My MC has to be a dino!! I am headed off to do re-write 1,000,001 🙂

    By writeknit on January 29, 2018 at 11:20 am

  86. Great post, Jane – thank you!

    By Jen Bagan on January 29, 2018 at 11:22 am

  87. Gathering Days. Jot them down and play with them. Thank you for this great post.

    By .CAROLE CALLADINE on January 29, 2018 at 11:23 am

  88. Thank you so much for this fun, inspirational post, Jane! Congrats on 365 amazing books!

    By jessica shaw on January 29, 2018 at 11:24 am

  89. “Breathing in stories”, interesting and inspiring – thanks Jane.

    By rimna on January 29, 2018 at 11:25 am

  90. Another inspiring post! I love how you show the different directions one idea can take. We just need to take the time to “cultivate” them.

    By pathaap on January 29, 2018 at 11:26 am

  91. Owl Moon, one of my all time favorites! Thanks for sharing your “gathering” technique. I agree, ideas are everywhere – it’s what we do with them. Congrats on your amazing success!

    By Danielle Dufayet on January 29, 2018 at 11:27 am

  92. I loved your suggestions–an idea popped into my head while reading! Now to develop it!

    By Paula Young on January 29, 2018 at 11:27 am

  93. Thank you for sharing your advice. I love your “idea gathering.”

    By Kimberly Hutmacher on January 29, 2018 at 11:29 am

  94. Thank you for the encouraging words, Jane!

    By Doreen E. Lepore on January 29, 2018 at 11:29 am

  95. Jane, thank you for this wonderful advice. When you stay alert around little boys, ideas are rampant!

    By Krista Harrington on January 29, 2018 at 11:29 am

  96. I’d love to be a mouse in your critique group. Thanks for all your wisdom and your delicious books!

    By Louann Mattes Brown on January 29, 2018 at 11:30 am

  97. So inspiring! Quantity PLUS extraordinary quality.

    By Rita Goldner on January 29, 2018 at 11:31 am

  98. As you are in my top tier of writers, I especially enjoyed your post. Owl Moon was a very special story time read with my third graders every year. Such good thoughts here, love “gathering days.” And I checked out your website and found lots of good stuff! It was exciting to meet you at the Red Balloon Bookstore in St. Paul, MN a few years ago.
    Thank you.

    By Carleen M. Tjader on January 29, 2018 at 11:34 am

  99. I guess we’re idea farmers. Thanks so much for your brilliance and beautiful words, Jane. You are a treasure!

    By Andria Rosenbaum on January 29, 2018 at 11:35 am

  100. Thank you, Jane, for the encouragement.

    By Jane Hawkins on January 29, 2018 at 11:35 am

  101. Thank you, Jane, for helping us remember to slow down and breathe in stories. I love the idea of Gathering Days. No time is ever wasted if we have our eyes open!

    By jessicadunnagan on January 29, 2018 at 11:36 am

  102. I’m such a big fan of yours! How do Dinosaurs say Goodnight has been and still is one of our best reads in my family! The book is practically falling apart, we’ve read it so many times! You are an inspiration, for sure!

    By Krissy on January 29, 2018 at 11:36 am

  103. So much insight and inspiration. Thank you Jane! What a wonderful post to start my writing today. And thank you, Tara for bringing her to us.

    By curryelizabeth on January 29, 2018 at 11:38 am

  104. So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.

    Simply Brilliant………

    By matthewlasley on January 29, 2018 at 11:40 am

  105. I love the idea of “Gathering Days.”

    By Earl @ The Chronicles Of A Children's Book Writer on January 29, 2018 at 11:41 am

  106. Great advice from the Queen of ideas herself!

    By jenabenton on January 29, 2018 at 11:41 am

  107. Thank you for a wonderful post. It’s an eye opener to how we can limit ourselves.

    By Kimberly Marcus on January 29, 2018 at 11:43 am

  108. Jane – going on my walk to see which ideas I’ll meet today – thank you for this rich, inspiring post!!

    By Susan Macartney on January 29, 2018 at 11:45 am

  109. Gathering Days–now my wanderings have a name. What a wonderful idea! I’ve never met a Jane Yolen book that I didn’t love. Thanks for the inspiration.

    By Linda Staszak on January 29, 2018 at 11:46 am

  110. Wow! What an accomplishment! 365 books! Now…I think I will try to do the “work I was meant to do.” Thanks for the advice, Jane!!

    By Leigh on January 29, 2018 at 11:47 am

  111. I love this advice! And of course, Jane!

    By Lori Taylor on January 29, 2018 at 11:47 am

  112. I so love Jane! Thanks for this interview and advice.

    By Lori Taylor on January 29, 2018 at 11:49 am

  113. What a treat this was! Thank you for your wise words, Jane. And thank you, Tara, for a great month of inspiration!

    By Jamie Nanfara on January 29, 2018 at 11:49 am

  114. LOVE this post, Jane.

    By kirsticall on January 29, 2018 at 11:51 am

  115. Thank you Jane for such lovely inspiration!

    By McCourt Thomas on January 29, 2018 at 11:52 am

  116. Thank you Jane! I love how writers can look at the same idea and have so many different spins on it. You are inspirational!

    By Rhonda Whitaker on January 29, 2018 at 11:52 am

  117. Sigh… I love Jane Yolen.

    By Michelle O'Hara Levin on January 29, 2018 at 11:54 am

  118. WOW! I really AM a writer! I see stories everywhere! I thought there was something horribly wrong with me! Whew! What a relief!! Thank you, Jane! Thank you, thank you! Happy storming!! Or should I say, gathering?? 🙂

    By Rene` Diane Aube on January 29, 2018 at 11:54 am

  119. Wonderful reminders as I set out to walk my lab along our East Bay Bikepath in RI. Owl Moon speaks to me, Perhaps I can remember to simplify since usually my ideas are very complicated.

    By Dede Carlsten on January 29, 2018 at 11:54 am

  120. Love the idea of breathing in stories! Thanks Jane for such an inspiring post.

    By bevbaird on January 29, 2018 at 11:55 am

  121. How wonderful! Thank you, Jane!

    By Leslie Santamaria on January 29, 2018 at 11:56 am

  122. Jane, Thank you for the inspiration! I love your thoughts on “gathering days” and “breathing in stories.” Your books are a gift to children’s literature!

    By Sue Gagliardi on January 29, 2018 at 11:57 am

  123. I don’t think I could be more in awe this morning! THE Jane Yolan is on Storystorm!

    By Juliana Lee on January 29, 2018 at 12:00 pm

  124. Oh how I love Owl Moon. My family would treasure a signed copy. Thanks for the reminder to take ‘gathering days.’

    By Abigail Marble on January 29, 2018 at 12:03 pm

  125. Thank you Jane, for this wonderful advice. I’ve been able to gather a few ideas from Storystorm. Now, the next step will be to DO something with those ideas.

    By Paula Puckett on January 29, 2018 at 12:05 pm

  126. I’m going out to find those wild ideas!

    By julielacombeauthor on January 29, 2018 at 12:05 pm

  127. I love that Jane Yolen is always so generous! She reminds us that all stories start with something, and that something can be found all around us.

    By Sherry Howard on January 29, 2018 at 12:06 pm

  128. Very inspirational!

    By sandrasalsbury on January 29, 2018 at 12:06 pm

  129. Jane, thank you for this – and for all of your contributions to literature for children and adults. I love the thought that the same idea can have so many renditions, depending on the writer.

    By tiffanydickinson on January 29, 2018 at 12:07 pm

  130. Jane, thank you for sharing your ideas! “It’s not the idea itself but what you do with it”

    By KASteed on January 29, 2018 at 12:08 pm

  131. Thank you for this lovely metaphor of cultivating ideas…I’m all about gardens lately so I see all the seeds.

    By Jen on January 29, 2018 at 12:10 pm

  132. In awe. Quite simply head-over-heels enamoured/inspired/obsessed/enthralled by every word written by Jane ❤

    By Shirin Shamsi on January 29, 2018 at 12:11 pm

  133. Thank you Jane for your Post! I will keep my ears and eyes sharp and and look for ideas!

    By vijikc on January 29, 2018 at 12:12 pm

  134. Thank you for posting for us all!!

    By christinerodenbour on January 29, 2018 at 12:13 pm

  135. Great post!

    By bluelily17 on January 29, 2018 at 12:14 pm

  136. This is so incredibly inspirational, and just what I needed to read. Thank you!

    By Becky B on January 29, 2018 at 12:14 pm

  137. Thank you, again! I’m looking forward to #365!

    By Lisa Billa on January 29, 2018 at 12:15 pm

  138. Always words of wisdom. Thank you!

    By Kathy Mazurowski on January 29, 2018 at 12:16 pm

  139. Reblogged this on Author Becky Benishek and commented:
    Drop everything and read this post by Jane Yolen. I feel more inspired and creatively-powerful than I did just a few moments before reading it.

    Takeaways:
    “Ideas are thick on the ground. They are everywhere.”
    “It’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.”
    “Take time. Time out or time in. Time for yourself, and time to just quietly keep your eyes sharp.”

    By Becky B on January 29, 2018 at 12:17 pm

  140. Inspiring! Thank you.

    By susankorchak on January 29, 2018 at 12:20 pm

  141. I love the term “gathering days” for those days when we can’t/aren’t writing. Yet we’re still processing & being proactive. Thank you, Ms Yolen!

    By yangmommy on January 29, 2018 at 12:20 pm

  142. Looks such a magical looking picture book, an adventure in the snow and the moonlight. I agree that all our experiences with young children can be a source of ideas and lots of other things as well. But seeing them through can be tough.

    By Ros Garrick on January 29, 2018 at 12:20 pm

  143. Owl Moon is one of my favorite books. Beautifully written. I am inspired every time I read it.

    By shirley301 on January 29, 2018 at 12:21 pm

  144. Thanks for the great inspiration from one of my absolute favorite people! And thank you too for the chance to win such a wonderful book. Jane, my children adored Owl Moon from the
    moment I read it to them in Ethiopia! ❤️❤️❤️

    By Beth Gallagher on January 29, 2018 at 12:23 pm

  145. Good words. Thank you so much for sharing.

    By Gayle Veitenheimer on January 29, 2018 at 12:23 pm

  146. I see the ideas everywhere…learning to craft a story is the hard part. Thanks for sharing your wisdom with us.

    By Nadine Gamble on January 29, 2018 at 12:25 pm

  147. Can’t wait to cultivate some of my wild ideas! Thank you for your advice, Jane!

    By Rebecca Colby on January 29, 2018 at 12:25 pm

  148. Going ‘gathering’!

    By Candy on January 29, 2018 at 12:29 pm

  149. Jane thank you so much for your post. Ideas are truly everywhere and we have to learn to just be aware😀

    By Anna Levin on January 29, 2018 at 12:30 pm

  150. We did evolve into hunter gatherer for food so time to use that innate skill to trap and grow ideas? Have I taken the metaphor too far again?

    By Joan Longstaff on January 29, 2018 at 12:33 pm

  151. The first thing that struck me was how lucky you are to have your daughter close by! I really am trying to stay more alert – I just feel my brain being pulled in so many different directions! Thank you for your sage advice.

    By Colleen O Murphy on January 29, 2018 at 12:34 pm

  152. Thank you for sharing your expertise on using your imagination and gathering ideas wherever you find them. I hope I can cultivate this skill in my life!

    By Debbie Day (@debbiedayauthor) on January 29, 2018 at 12:41 pm

  153. This post eased my mind. I’m so happy to hear that “gathering days” are part of your process, Jane. I sometimes feel guilty when I’m not writing, but it’s true that my mind is always gathering ideas. Thank you for this sage advice, Jane.

    By Gabi Snyder on January 29, 2018 at 12:42 pm

  154. OMG, Jane, 366 books! That’s a book a day for a year, in leap year. Thirty-six+ books a year for 10 years. Six+ books a month for five years. No matter how you do the math, if you can find time for “gathering days” anybody can! Thanks for sharing that.

    By Barb Ostapina on January 29, 2018 at 12:43 pm

  155. I feel I just had a chat with my hero. Thanks for visiting, Jane. Your encouragement resonates with my busy brain.

    By Deslie English on January 29, 2018 at 12:44 pm

  156. Gathering and cultivating – A Writer’s Life. Title for your autobiography? 😉

    By Angela De Groot on January 29, 2018 at 12:48 pm

  157. I love the image of ideas so thick you can’t help but trip over them. I do worry about squishing them flat, when wearing boots and not paying particular attention to where you place your feet.

    By Sue Heavenrich on January 29, 2018 at 12:49 pm

  158. I think I’ve been stomping on too many ideas! I will now look before stepping out of bed!

    By Lynn Alpert on January 29, 2018 at 12:50 pm

  159. Jane, you are amazing!! I love this post, and I am inspired by your way of looking for story ideas everywhere. Thank you!!

    By tiemdow on January 29, 2018 at 12:51 pm

  160. Thank you Jane – great advice. I am a huge fan – thank you for sharing with us.

    By MaryLee Flannigan on January 29, 2018 at 12:53 pm

  161. Thank you, Jane. I love the idea of “gathering days” and thank you for the reminder that ideas are everywhere!

    By Martin Segal on January 29, 2018 at 12:57 pm

  162. Jane, “Master Yoda”, thanks for lighting the way!! Love, love, love your books!❤️

    By Lucy Staugler on January 29, 2018 at 1:02 pm

  163. Thank you for sharing. I got an idea reading it.

    By Kassy Keppol on January 29, 2018 at 1:03 pm

  164. Thank you for the encouragement! It is all about perspective!

    By Lindsay Maeve on January 29, 2018 at 1:03 pm

  165. Thank you for permission to take time for gathering days.

    By Dawn Prochovnic on January 29, 2018 at 1:07 pm

  166. Thank you, Jane, for helping me focus. I can get so scatterbrained, too busy in my brain, and need direction sometimes to get on track again.

    By Lynn on January 29, 2018 at 1:10 pm

  167. I agree that what we decide to do with all of the ideas we gather is what we all have to think about. Thanks for the post!

    By Alice Carty Fulgione on January 29, 2018 at 1:14 pm

  168. Thank you Jane… now off to craft some stories…

    By aidantalkin on January 29, 2018 at 1:17 pm

  169. My granddaughter, Lily, just read me a stack of your “How Do Dinosaurs” books last week. We both enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing and for inspiring our children. Blessings!

    By Kathleen Wilcox on January 29, 2018 at 1:17 pm

  170. Thank you so much. Very inspiring!

    By sarita f on January 29, 2018 at 1:19 pm

  171. Thank you, thank you, thank you, Jane. I shall be following your stellar example as I cultivate those wild ideas, or coax some shy ones out from where they’re hiding.

    By Beth Stilborn on January 29, 2018 at 1:22 pm

  172. Your wonderful post is inspiring. Creating several stories from one idea is what I’m going to work on today. Thank you, Jane for all of your books. What a wonderful gift you have given to readers!

    By Pamela Harrison on January 29, 2018 at 1:23 pm

  173. Wow! This was fantastic. Thank you, Jane, for sharing your wisdom!

    By Maria Oka on January 29, 2018 at 1:24 pm

  174. Hi, Jane! Thank you for being a mentor. Time to exhale words through my fingertips.

    By ManjuBeth on January 29, 2018 at 1:26 pm

  175. very inspiring!

    By Rita Antoinette Borg on January 29, 2018 at 1:32 pm

  176. Thank you for sharing!

    By Shelley on January 29, 2018 at 1:34 pm

  177. Jane Yolen in the house! Thanks for your wonderful post. I still read Owl Moon and the “how do dinosaurs” books to my boys. And sometimes I just sit down with one of your books when there’s no kids around and read them. Thank you for sharing your stories with us all.

    By Nancy Vona on January 29, 2018 at 1:34 pm

  178. I completely agree that ideas are everywhere! I just wish I had more time to go out and gather them all…lol…

    Great post!

    Donna L Martin

    By Donna L Martin on January 29, 2018 at 1:35 pm

  179. I’ll take your hand and walk with you anytime, Jane Yolen. Thank you for this post.

    By mona861 on January 29, 2018 at 1:35 pm

  180. I love this approach. I’ll have to watch where I step at all times!! Thank you!

    By karammitchell on January 29, 2018 at 1:36 pm

  181. Great post! And thanks for the wonderful stories: my kids and I have enjoyed many of your books!

    By maryshorgan on January 29, 2018 at 1:36 pm

  182. When I read Owl Moon to students, we first listen to various owl calls, in my darkened library, with our eyes closed, wrapped up in their winter coats and mittens. My inner city kiddos love that lesson. Thank you for this wonderful post about how to use ideas. A little secret…I am on the committee for the PA Young Reader’s Choice Award. We just put Thunder Underground on our list for 2018-2019. Love that poetry book!

    By Nadine Poper on January 29, 2018 at 1:41 pm

  183. Thank you, Jane, for reminding me that ideas are everywhere if I take the nine to notice but it’s not just the idea that matteres – it’s what I do with it. Ideas need nourishment just like people, puppies and petunias.

    By Laurie Swindler on January 29, 2018 at 1:42 pm

  184. I love reading Jane Yolen’s work. Especially the fantasy novels. Good stuff!

    By Cheryl Kula on January 29, 2018 at 1:48 pm

  185. Thnaks for the advice and for so many beautiful and wonderful stories!

    By rosecappelli on January 29, 2018 at 1:50 pm

  186. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

    By Carolyn Currier on January 29, 2018 at 1:52 pm

  187. “Time for yourself, and time to just quietly keep your eyes sharp.” I frequently forget to take time for myself. Thank you, Jane, for the reminder. Your examples and tips have given me new inspiration for 2018.

    By chardixon47 on January 29, 2018 at 1:52 pm

  188. Thank you for this lovely post and for all your lovely books, Jane.

    By marlainawrites on January 29, 2018 at 1:55 pm

  189. Thanks Jane! Being attuned to what is already there and running with it sounds like a solid plan.

    By Jen Bailey on January 29, 2018 at 1:56 pm

  190. What a great inspiration you are, Jane Yolen! God bless you.

    By Zoraida on January 29, 2018 at 2:00 pm

  191. Gathering days. I love that. (Although I tend to have too many of those). 🙂

    By Mary Jo Wagner on January 29, 2018 at 2:00 pm

  192. Yes! I feel that way. More ideas than would fit in an 18 wheeler. Or was that an 18 wheeler full of carrots. Or ….the carrot that was purple….or the purple horse that wanted to fly…..or the fly that wished it was a lightening bug…….

    Thanks for the post! Loved it.

    By julia dworschack on January 29, 2018 at 2:02 pm

  193. Thanks for the freedom to ‘gather.’

    By Louise Aamodt on January 29, 2018 at 2:03 pm

  194. Thank you Jane for the post, I will look for more ideas every time I walk out the door.

    By denitajohnson on January 29, 2018 at 2:08 pm

  195. Thanks, Jane, for taking the time to inspire us, and give us a gentle nudge to use the bounty of ideas that surround us!

    By Jennifer Broedel (@JBroedelAuthor) on January 29, 2018 at 2:09 pm

  196. I love the image you spin of ideas everywhere beneath our feet, and the idea that we must step cautiously to avoid crushing them. Thank you, Jane! I can’t wait to learn from you in person in NYC.

    By gingermeurer on January 29, 2018 at 2:09 pm

  197. “gathering days”…I love that 🙂

    By Sara A on January 29, 2018 at 2:10 pm

  198. Good advice from a master storyteller and just genuinely fabulous person. I will adjust my idea antenna in hopes of a better reception.

    By Sherri Jones Rivers on January 29, 2018 at 2:12 pm

  199. Thank you for the post Jane.
    I am a big fan of you deverse work. But Owl Moon is my favorite. 🙂 so quiet and lovely

    🙂

    By Peg e. Monley on January 29, 2018 at 2:13 pm

  200. Thank you, Jane. Your inspiration is infectious! Soon, I’ll be walking out the door.

    By Anne Bromley on January 29, 2018 at 2:14 pm

  201. Fabulous. No shortage of ideas. I’m breathing them in right now. Thanks!

    By Marlene Farrell on January 29, 2018 at 2:14 pm

  202. Thank you, Jane! I like your name “gathering days.” I may not sit and put pen to paper everyday, but all my days are gathering days!

    By Heather Pierce Stigall on January 29, 2018 at 2:14 pm

  203. Thank you Jane Yolen for this beautiful post today. Owl Moon is one of my favorite books so I have my fingers crossed. I’d love to read it to a class of kindergartens who don’t know about it yet.

    By Mary Jane Muir on January 29, 2018 at 2:20 pm

  204. Jane, I can’t imagine not taking seriously–or to heart–ANYthing you have to say about writing 🙂 Thank you!

    By writersideup on January 29, 2018 at 2:21 pm

  205. Thanks Jane for sharing this inspiring post. I will mine those nuggets of my kids quips.

    By theresenagi on January 29, 2018 at 2:22 pm

  206. Loved reading Owl Moon with my children. A poem with pictures.

    By chandagriese on January 29, 2018 at 2:28 pm

  207. Great post, Jane!! Thank you for giving us permission to goon… I love “gathering days” when I am talking a walk through the woods, sitting in a hayfield, or puttering around in my garden. I also love the idea of “breathing in stories,” it’s what comes after that is the difficult part… the weeding and sorting, the revising and discarding.

    By saputnam on January 29, 2018 at 2:29 pm

  208. I love Owl Moon! Thank you for telling us how to gather our ideas.

    By Janet Smart on January 29, 2018 at 2:30 pm

  209. Gathering days…now there’s an idea for a story. Thank you.
    I teach preschool. Your picturebooks make a teachers job easier. I love them.

    By kiwijenny on January 29, 2018 at 2:32 pm

  210. Wow 366 stories!! Jane, you are an inspiration to us all!
    Thank you for this post.

    By megcason1 on January 29, 2018 at 2:33 pm

  211. Ditto to 366 stories. You, Jane Yolen, are such an inspiration to us all. Congratulations on making so many children (and adults) smile.

    By debobrienbookscom on January 29, 2018 at 2:43 pm

  212. Our ‘gathering days’, as you so nicely describe them, for Storystorm are down to the wire. You summed up the post in a nutshell by getting right to the heart of it: It’s not just the ideas you gather, but what you do with them that matters. Thanks a bunch, Jane. And congrats on #365 & #366! Cheers.

    By Jean Richardson on January 29, 2018 at 2:44 pm

  213. So hard to talk about the post and not just gush about you, Jane Yolen. (I was a fan ever since DRAGON’S BLOOD was on public television back in the 80s.)

    But, seriously, I love the way you describe how a single event could lead to multiple ideas.

    By Teresa Traver on January 29, 2018 at 2:50 pm

  214. Thanks for this post. 365 books? Wow, that’s amazing! Congratulations on figuring out how to turn your ideas into publishable stories, Jane. Do you still get rejected, or is your work mostly commissioned now?

    By Poupette Smith on January 29, 2018 at 2:52 pm

  215. Alertness is key. Thanks for sharing.

    By nrompella on January 29, 2018 at 2:54 pm

  216. Jane, you are an inspiration to us all!

    By Carol Gordon Ekster on January 29, 2018 at 2:55 pm

  217. Thank you, Jane. Gathering days are important. Great post.

    By Ellen Pridmore on January 29, 2018 at 2:57 pm

  218. Thank you for reminding us that ideas are everywhere, and that the same idea in the hands of three different writers will become three different stories! Thank you for your encouragement!

    By denarose on January 29, 2018 at 3:02 pm

  219. Jane Yolen – A Picture Book Nerd’s Goddess – thanks for the great post!

    By wyszguy on January 29, 2018 at 3:05 pm

  220. Thank you for your wonderful post, Jane. OWL MOON is one of my all-time favorite picture books because I was that little girl, too. My father would take me out in the cold, Maine woods under a full moon, only we would wear snowshoes most of the time.

    I love how you took a real life situation and turned it into a gorgeous, timeless picture book — and you’ve done that over and over.

    Thank you for being such a beacon, and for participating in Storystorm!

    By Rebekah Lowell on January 29, 2018 at 3:14 pm

  221. I like the imagery of ideas laying “thick upon the ground.”
    And that image alone has sparked ideas to use. Thank you, Ms. Yolen.

    By erineball on January 29, 2018 at 3:16 pm

  222. You’re right. I haven’t asked enough questions. Running with that today, Jane Yolen; and thank you for OWL MOON, your inspiration, and 365 books, “one for each day of the year.” You’re amazing.

    By Pam Miller on January 29, 2018 at 3:17 pm

  223. I love your “cooking” example for a PB. Take one spark, separate into three ideas, add three distinct authors, and “bake.” When ready, turn out three (or more) picture books. It’s easy to see why you have 366 published PBs & millions of poems. Thank you so much for this post and all your do for the writing community.

    By Maria Marshall on January 29, 2018 at 3:24 pm

  224. Thank you Jane Yolen! I imagine your children and friends children had an inspirational, creatively charged childhood growing up in your house!

    By wendymyersart on January 29, 2018 at 3:29 pm

  225. Thank you for the inspiring post!

    By Ann Cronin Romano on January 29, 2018 at 3:31 pm

  226. What an inspiration!
    I agree completely. Ideas are everywhere. What we do with them though is a different thing altogether.

    By Erika Repaska on January 29, 2018 at 3:32 pm

  227. Yes, I’m writing Jane’s words down: “What can I do with all the ideas I have?” Thank you Jane!!

    By Darlene Koppel on January 29, 2018 at 3:33 pm

  228. So interesting to hear the stories behind the stories! Thanks for sharing.

    By Susan Johnston on January 29, 2018 at 3:33 pm

  229. Thank you Jane Yolen! Your children must have had an inspirational and creatively charged childhood growing up in your home!

    By wendymyersart on January 29, 2018 at 3:34 pm

  230. What to do with ideas is indeed the crux of it. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

    By laura516 on January 29, 2018 at 3:40 pm

  231. Brilliant! Thank you Jane!

    By Shaye Wardrop on January 29, 2018 at 3:41 pm

  232. jane,
    i hear from you every day and I love your poems. I’d love a copy of Owl Moon!

    By setwiggs on January 29, 2018 at 3:43 pm

  233. Poetically put.

    By Johnell DeWitt on January 29, 2018 at 3:44 pm

  234. I love the idea of “gathering days”. I need to let myself take more of those!
    Thank you for your post.

    By Anne Appert on January 29, 2018 at 3:44 pm

  235. Love this post Ms. Jane. Here’s hoping I will see you and Heidi again sometime in the future :0)

    By authoraileenstewart on January 29, 2018 at 3:49 pm

  236. Wonderful, inspiring advice. Thank you!

    By Guyla Greenly on January 29, 2018 at 3:59 pm

  237. I’ve never heard the thinking time described better.
    Gathering days. Magical!

    By Laura rackham on January 29, 2018 at 4:00 pm

  238. congrats! Thanks for the blog post.

    By kimgjolly on January 29, 2018 at 4:01 pm

  239. Thank you for writing this post, and everything else!

    By L. Michelle Quraishi on January 29, 2018 at 4:02 pm

  240. Thanks, Jane. I am such a fan.

    By triciacandy on January 29, 2018 at 4:04 pm

  241. Thanks for the words of inspiration, and the guided tour of your thought process.

    By Serge Smagarinsky on January 29, 2018 at 4:04 pm

  242. Beautiful words of wisdom! Thanks for the encouragement and inspiration!

    By Lindsay Robinson on January 29, 2018 at 4:06 pm

  243. I loved this post. Great ideas for observing the world and making the most of what you feel, see, hear, smell around you.

    By Danielle Hammelef on January 29, 2018 at 4:07 pm

  244. I keep your “Take Joy” front and center of my craft books on writing because I love your attitude about life and writing. You are a rock, and a centering presence to all children’s writers. Thank you Jane for sharing your “gatherings” today on Storystorm!

    By Michelle Mullen on January 29, 2018 at 4:09 pm

  245. Jane, you hit the mark and my heart when you talk of gathering days and breathing in stories. I too feel like this, like a baleen whale with my mouth wide out sifting the gems of the stories from the sea of life. Thank you.

    By mcdonaldrae on January 29, 2018 at 4:11 pm

  246. Gather them up, sow them, reap them, nurture them, watch them grow.

    By Stephen S. Martin on January 29, 2018 at 4:19 pm

  247. Just fabulous to read this and know all the ideas are out there for the taking! And writing of course!

    By Colleen Dabney on January 29, 2018 at 4:20 pm

  248. Wow! 365 books! Such a stellar accomplishment from the inimitable Jane Yolen. Thank you for your wise advice and encouragement. Ideas are ripe for the picking.

    By F. G. M. Kalavritinos on January 29, 2018 at 4:22 pm

  249. Thanks, I will have to eavesdrop on other people’s conversation a little more now!

    By Joan Swanson on January 29, 2018 at 4:28 pm

  250. Thank you so much for this post. And for naming days when we’re not physically writing–I love “gathering days’!

    By ammwrite3 on January 29, 2018 at 4:29 pm

  251. Inspiring, as always! You were the first one I heard use BIC–“Butt in Chair”–and I’ve never forgotten that. Such good advice. I especially liked the point you made in this post about how the several people can take the same idea and create such different stories. When I see books with ideas similar to some of mine I tend to write mine off as already done by someone else. I won’t do that anymore, but let the story evolve out of MY voice, experience, and perspective. Thank you! Susan Swan

    By writingcygnet on January 29, 2018 at 4:30 pm

  252. I love how you got How Do Dinosaurs say Goodnight.

    By Michele Helsel on January 29, 2018 at 4:30 pm

  253. I love this! Thank you Jane. So many fab ways to gather ideas. And I love the term gathering days.

    By Kaye Baillie on January 29, 2018 at 4:31 pm

  254. Thank you for the assurance we can find ideas out there if we are looking and open to receiving them from what we see and hear i the world and on planes and trains. I love your book Take Joy and the other pbs I own of your ideas.

    By Sheri Radovich on January 29, 2018 at 4:33 pm

  255. Love your post Jane, and your books! Thank you for the tips.

    By Michelle Howell on January 29, 2018 at 4:33 pm

  256. Thanks for inspiring us!

    By Carol Gwin Nelson on January 29, 2018 at 4:36 pm

  257. Thank you for a great post Jane! And, congratulations on your 366th book! What an accomplishment. I am going to take a break to breathe and hope that I too can inhale a few publishable ideas!

    By Jennifer B Bower on January 29, 2018 at 4:43 pm

  258. Thanks Jane. I’ve recently read several of your children’s stories. You are an inspiration.

    By Lorraine Bonzelet on January 29, 2018 at 4:44 pm

  259. There is so much about this post that I love. “It’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters. ” “Be alert!” “Take time!” “Gathering days.” Thank you, Jane!

    By Susan Schade on January 29, 2018 at 4:47 pm

  260. What an honour to have you share some of your process with us here at Storystorm. Thank you Jane Yolen

    By Artelle Lenthall on January 29, 2018 at 4:48 pm

  261. I like the idea of “gathering days.” Thanks!

    By Darcee Freier on January 29, 2018 at 4:55 pm

  262. “Gathering days” – what a beautiful phrase!

    By Melanie Ellsworth on January 29, 2018 at 4:55 pm

  263. Wonderful post! I agree, ideas are everywhere if we remember to watch and listen for them.

    By anniebailey7 on January 29, 2018 at 4:56 pm

  264. What a fabulous, inspiring post! Thank you, Jane Yolen.

    By Angela Kunkel 📚 (@rahrahread) on January 29, 2018 at 4:57 pm

  265. Love this post, Jane. I really like your terms “gathering days” and “breathing in stories” while you walk outside. Thank you!

    By Tina Cho on January 29, 2018 at 4:58 pm

  266. Jane thank you so much…go for a walk😄

    By Li’vee Rehfield on January 29, 2018 at 5:07 pm

  267. Congratulations, Jane, on book #365! Thanks for delving into where to find ideas, and how to build on them.

    By Debra Daugherty on January 29, 2018 at 5:09 pm

  268. Congratulations on 366 books–one for every day of the year, plus leap year!

    By Sara Matson on January 29, 2018 at 5:14 pm

  269. Thank you for your inspiration today. And congratulations on your new releases! One for every day of the year, whether it is a 365 day year or a leap year.

    By Lu Fiskin-Ross on January 29, 2018 at 5:18 pm

  270. Congratulations, Jane! You are an inspiration!

    By Christine Blaisdell on January 29, 2018 at 5:24 pm

  271. I really want to know what owling is? I’ve never been.

    By kateperidot on January 29, 2018 at 5:25 pm

  272. So true, it’s what we do with our ideas that counts!!

    By marty on January 29, 2018 at 5:35 pm

  273. I misread one of the sentences you wrote, and that gave me an idea!

    By Jenna W on January 29, 2018 at 5:38 pm

  274. Thank you for reaching out your hand and showing us the fairy lights. ❤

    By Diana Calio on January 29, 2018 at 5:43 pm

  275. It’s true I have a ton of ideas, but I’m not so sure I have the discipline to cultivate them. Dear Jane Yolen, please write a blog post about discipline. 🙂

    By Cathy C. Hall on January 29, 2018 at 5:44 pm

  276. Watch and listen—and write them down! Thank you for the reminder.

    By Stephan Stuecklin on January 29, 2018 at 5:46 pm

  277. Thank you Jane for sharing your thoughts and ideas….always very good!! Also, congratulations on your success….and for sharing your gorgeous words and visions with all of us!
    (I also love receiving your poems..They give me the daily inspiration I need!)

    By anitajjones on January 29, 2018 at 5:48 pm

  278. Thank you so much for sharing your wisdom! Listening and being open to cultivating the ideas around is imperative.

    By karinlarson on January 29, 2018 at 5:50 pm

  279. Love the idea of “gathering days” that is very useful. I have been gathering a little too long with one of my manuscripts though…

    And OWL MOON is one of my very favorite books!! I already own a copy, but I’d LOVE a signed one.. Thank you, Jane 🙂

    By mariagianferrari on January 29, 2018 at 5:53 pm

  280. Thank you Jane. I now need the tutorial on what to do with the idea…I know, write!

    By Nancy Ferguson on January 29, 2018 at 6:02 pm

  281. “Gathering days” is such a perfect description of living a creative life even on days when you’re not at the screen. I love this.

    By rgstones on January 29, 2018 at 6:03 pm

  282. You are just wonderful and it shows in all of your writings. I wish you more books to come. God bless.

    By aliciaminor on January 29, 2018 at 6:15 pm

  283. Thank you, Jane. This perspective is so powerful.

    By David McMullin on January 29, 2018 at 6:17 pm

  284. I love me some gathering days! Thank you for the encouragement.

    By Michelle Sumovich on January 29, 2018 at 6:19 pm

  285. I think the best ideas come on walks. Thank you for your books and may you continue to have many more idea gathering walks.

    By claireannette1land on January 29, 2018 at 6:24 pm

  286. I have been reading Jane Yolen to my girls for 12 years. Absolutely love her stories and her advice!

    By terrabee on January 29, 2018 at 6:32 pm

  287. *

    By JEN Garrett on January 29, 2018 at 6:34 pm

    1. Ahh! WordPress tricked me again! What I wanted to say was my son was vying for my attention while I’m reading this blog post – and there was Idea #29! Yep, ideas are EVERYWHERE.

      By JEN Garrett on January 29, 2018 at 6:36 pm

  288. Stop reading posts and start spinning stories from your ideas. What a wise advice from a legendary children’s author.

    Thanks for the gentle reminder!

    By Meena on January 29, 2018 at 6:34 pm

  289. Gathering days! I like that, Jane. Aren’t we writers lucky? What other folks may poo-poo as wool-gathering, we writers see as time well spent in gathering ideas.

    By LeeAnn Rizzuti on January 29, 2018 at 6:37 pm

  290. Jane, thank you for notion of the expansion of one idea depending on who writes the story. I’ve been lovng your stories for decades. Thanks.

    By Cassie Bentley on January 29, 2018 at 6:40 pm

  291. I am now going to officially start “gathering days.” Thank you for years of inspiration, Jane.

    By Amy Harding on January 29, 2018 at 6:43 pm

  292. I am so excited for you, Jane! 365 books come March of 2018! Congratulations to you! I’m one of many who have heard you speak at conferences, combed over your books, and tried to heed your advice. I love the ‘thick with ideas’ notion because the ideas come readily. It’s cultivating them that requires the butt in the chair and a willingness to rewrite, reconfigure and reconsider. The three rees instead of the three Rs! Thanks for sharing so much of yourself to so many writers. We never tire of you, Jane!

    By M Lapointe Malchik (@imartytweet) on January 29, 2018 at 6:54 pm

  293. Thank you Jane.Your wisdom never wanes. Owl Moon is still one of my favorites.

    By Kathy Cornell Berman on January 29, 2018 at 6:55 pm

  294. Thanks for the fun walk and the gathering tips!

    By Buffy Silverman on January 29, 2018 at 6:57 pm

  295. Thank you for this post! You have inspired me to remember that I’m “breathing in stories” as I go about my day. Owl Moon is one of my favorite books.

    By Tina Barbour on January 29, 2018 at 7:01 pm

  296. Perfect post as we are winding down Story Storm 2018!
    Thank you, Jane Yolen!

    By seschipper on January 29, 2018 at 7:07 pm

  297. Thank you for your books and advice. I would love to have an autographed copy of Owl Moon to add to my collection.

    By Amy on January 29, 2018 at 7:07 pm

  298. Yes, lovely ways to collect those eggs, I mean ideas! (Little Red, a neighborhood chicken, has just made her daily visit to my patio…I can sense a story coming). Thanks!

    By Angie on January 29, 2018 at 7:14 pm

  299. Always wonderful to hear advice from one of the greats!

    By Beth Schneider on January 29, 2018 at 7:14 pm

  300. Great point that ideas become different depending on who’s doing the creating. Thank you!

    By Susan Halko on January 29, 2018 at 7:15 pm

  301. Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

    By Vasilia Graboski on January 29, 2018 at 7:20 pm

  302. Love this: “So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.” Thanks for another great post!

    By Amanda Sincavage on January 29, 2018 at 7:26 pm

  303. So inspirational 😊

    By Shanah salter on January 29, 2018 at 7:27 pm

  304. Thank you. A wonderful post with great reminders about how stories are all around us if we just look!

    By Wendi Silvano on January 29, 2018 at 7:29 pm

  305. Such wonderful advice, as always, Jane. Thank you for sharing your idea generation and usage wisdom!

    By ptnozell on January 29, 2018 at 7:30 pm

  306. Thank you for the reminder that ideas are everywhere! My whole family loves your books, and Owl Moon is a particular favorite.

    By Denise Wilson on January 29, 2018 at 7:31 pm

  307. Inspirational!

    By Lori Mozdzierz on January 29, 2018 at 7:44 pm

  308. Wise words of wisdom from the one and only–Jane Yolen. Best wishes with the release of your 365th and 366th books.

    Suzy Leopold

    By Prairie Garden Girl on January 29, 2018 at 7:46 pm

  309. One of my favorite posts of Storystorm! Thank you Jane Yolen! For this, for all you do for the kid-lit community, and most especially for all your books.

    By kjerstenhayes on January 29, 2018 at 7:50 pm

  310. Thank you! Truly, ideas are everywhere. But I sense that I have to keep a child inside my head at all times to be able to see those ideas. It’s silly to say I’m working at finding that place of play… but that’s what storystorm is helping me do.

    By Marie Sanderson on January 29, 2018 at 7:50 pm

  311. Enjoyed your post and walking always brings out an idea to write about to me.

    By Jenifer McNamara on January 29, 2018 at 7:56 pm

  312. Thank you for the words of wisdom!

    By singebinge on January 29, 2018 at 8:00 pm

  313. Thanks for the gentle reminder, Jane, that ideas are everywhere. And i love the idea of “time out” and “time in.”

    By Kirsten W. Larson on January 29, 2018 at 8:06 pm

  314. Thanks for reminding me to take time to smell the roses and cultivate my ideas!

    By rindabeach on January 29, 2018 at 8:08 pm

  315. 365 books. I should a book a day. Sounds like another challenge. 🙂

    By Peter on January 29, 2018 at 8:09 pm

  316. Thank you for the many years of inspiration, Jane!

    By C.L. Murphy on January 29, 2018 at 8:19 pm

  317. I will remember your words of wisdom, especially this: So don’t ask where do you get your ideas. Ask yourself: “What can I do with all the ideas I have?” Great advice.

    By Cathy Breisacher on January 29, 2018 at 8:20 pm

  318. Thank you for the reminders to take time out for me and to cultivate seeing ideas everywhere. I enjoyed listening to your presentation in Rochester a year and a half ago about the family business.

    By Author Yvona Fast on January 29, 2018 at 8:21 pm

  319. I’m enjoying your post. Thank you.

    By Dianne on January 29, 2018 at 8:32 pm

  320. You are an inspiration! Can’t wait to learn from you in person at the NYC conference this weekend!

    By RebeccaTheWriter on January 29, 2018 at 8:33 pm

  321. Oh boy, if anybody knows about story ideas it’s you, Jane Yolen. Thanks for sharing and inspiring.

    By Jim Chaize on January 29, 2018 at 8:37 pm

  322. Thank you so much, Jane. I will start “gathering days” . . . and then “gardening days” to plant all those ideas from my basket and see how I can make them grow. Maybe if I take a flashlight and plant some under a shining Owl Moon it will help.

    By sharonkdal on January 29, 2018 at 8:39 pm

  323. Jane is a master idea catcher! Some of us need a little more practice. 😄

    By Teresa Robeson on January 29, 2018 at 8:44 pm

  324. Thank you for the wonderful post Jane! Owl moon is one of my all time favorites!

    By Ashley Pierson on January 29, 2018 at 8:47 pm

  325. Jane, you are amazing! And, always, always inspiring. Congratulations on #365 and #366!

    By Patricia Toht on January 29, 2018 at 9:11 pm

  326. Thank you for a great post!

    By Debra Shumaker on January 29, 2018 at 9:14 pm

  327. Love to hear that ideas are everywhere, I believe this to be true. Bless you for putting pen to paper … real wonder in that.

    By Lori McElrath Eslick on January 29, 2018 at 9:15 pm

  328. Hi Jane!

    After reading a paper copy of Owl Moon to my students during the early 90’s, after meeting you in Texas, I gently tucked it among other literary treasures on my bookshelf, where it waited patiently until I was in need of a mentor text for my first children’s book! And then…magic happened!

    Thank you for the inspiration!

    Then, I had the pleasure of meeting you a second time, and celebrating your birthday with you, 12 x 12 members, and Julie Hedlund, in NYC a few years ago.

    You’ve inspired me, literally, for decades!

    Love your writing!!

    I really hope I get to see you again someday!!!

    By deniseaengle on January 29, 2018 at 9:23 pm

  329. Your passion and writing talent show through in this post – thanks!

    By Denise Benavides on January 29, 2018 at 9:30 pm

  330. Jane, your words, like your books, are golden. “Gathering days” and “breathing in stories.” Even your post has poetry in it. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.

    By Sharon on January 29, 2018 at 9:34 pm

  331. Cultivate ideas… Gathering days… such lovely language. Thanks for blazing your trail and sharing your wisdom with us.

    By Jennifer G Prevost on January 29, 2018 at 9:49 pm

  332. I love the idea of breathing in stories. And I think Owl Moon is the perfect example of text and illustration flowing together beautifully. Thank you for all you’ve done for the world of children’s books!

    By deborahholtwilliams on January 29, 2018 at 9:53 pm

  333. “So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.” truth! Thank you for this and for all the beauty your write into the world.

    By wpdrey on January 29, 2018 at 9:56 pm

  334. I love all of your books. I think we (grandkids and I) have read over half of them. My favorite one if Owl Moon. Thank you so much for being part of StoryStorm. Color me–trying to decide what I can do with all these ideas.

    By Sherry Alexander on January 29, 2018 at 10:05 pm

  335. Thank you Jane for your inspiring advice and your shining example of what it means to persevere in the acquisition and lovely expression of ideas in your many books.

    By Marlene Rohr on January 29, 2018 at 10:08 pm

  336. I really enjoyed your post. Thanks for sharing your insights.

    By Steve Schwartz on January 29, 2018 at 10:11 pm

  337. Jane: Thank you for your inspiring words–and all those delicious books!

    By Elizabeth Tracy on January 29, 2018 at 10:14 pm

  338. I love the idea of “gathering days”! Thank you for the wonderful advice and for the many amazing books I’ve shared with my children.

    By annabrookswriter on January 29, 2018 at 10:15 pm

  339. Thank you for sharing your process of finding ideas!

    By Brenda Huante on January 29, 2018 at 10:15 pm

  340. Great post! I often get tons of ideas but end up throwing them away to easily when I think they might not work. I need to look at some of my ideas and stretch my imagination a little further. Thanks Jane!

    By Sherry Fellores on January 29, 2018 at 10:20 pm

  341. Thank you, Jane. You are always an inspiration.

    By Judy Y on January 29, 2018 at 10:21 pm

  342. Thank you for the inspirational post Jane! 🙂

    By heidikyates on January 29, 2018 at 10:29 pm

  343. “Breathe in your stories…” What a beautiful concept! Thanks, Jane!

    By Amanda Davis on January 29, 2018 at 10:37 pm

  344. So true! Today’s idea came from a bathroom break.

    By Pat Miller on January 29, 2018 at 10:38 pm

  345. I’m quite envious of your “fairy” lit stone path to walk as the night settles in! Such fun! Until I have one, I will look for ideas in lots of other places! Thank you for a wonderful post!

    By kimberlyraglandwrites on January 29, 2018 at 10:47 pm

  346. Thanks for sharing! It’s what we do with the idea that makes all the difference.

    By Rick Starkey on January 29, 2018 at 10:47 pm

  347. Thanks so much for this great post! Great things to keep in mind as we come up with ideas and stories!

    By Elizabeth Brown on January 29, 2018 at 10:49 pm

  348. The journey to 366 books starts with just one story. Thank you for sharing your advice!

    By Mary Kate on January 29, 2018 at 10:49 pm

  349. I used to feel guilty if I didn’t write each day. Now I have a new outlook on those days. I’m borrowing “gathering days!”

    Thanks for the great post and for sharing with us today.

    By Maria Bostian on January 29, 2018 at 11:08 pm

  350. “So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.” Thanks for the wonderful post.

    By Sara Gentry on January 29, 2018 at 11:09 pm

  351. There’s no one quite like Jane Yolen. I’m currently reading TAKE JOY and there’s just so much to learn from her!

    By Sensitive and Extraordinary Kids on January 29, 2018 at 11:12 pm

  352. Great post! Thank you!

    By Charlotte Offsay on January 29, 2018 at 11:22 pm

  353. Wonderful as always, Jane. Thank you!

    By Megan Taraszkiewicz on January 29, 2018 at 11:23 pm

  354. Thank you, Jane, for inspiring us with your wisdom and incredible imagination. I love the idea of “gathering days.”

    By suzannepoulterharris on January 29, 2018 at 11:24 pm

  355. Wonderful advice from a master storyteller. Thanks for the great post!

    By Sandy Perlic on January 29, 2018 at 11:25 pm

  356. Lovely post, Jane! Thank you for the walk and wonderful ideas!

    By donnacangelosi on January 29, 2018 at 11:31 pm

  357. Thanks for the advice and inspiration. I also enjoy reading your daily posts on your writing life. Your body of work is amazing!

    By Kristen Browning on January 29, 2018 at 11:31 pm

  358. It’s a good night when it ends with words from you, Jane. Thank you for the many wild ideas you have cultivated!

    By Alexandra Hinrichs on January 29, 2018 at 11:38 pm

  359. Thank you Ms. Nolen for taking the time. For me it’s like ideas are everywhere, it’s just finding the time to write and cultivate them which is the difficult part. Have a beautiful evening.

    By Michele McAvoy on January 29, 2018 at 11:42 pm

    1. And my darn computer autocorrected– Thank you Ms. YOLEN. ugh. Goodnight.

      By Michele McAvoy on January 29, 2018 at 11:44 pm

  360. I will be calling my non-writing days “Gathering Days” from now on. Love it! Thanks for all the inspiration.

    By Bethany Roberts on January 29, 2018 at 11:42 pm

  361. Thank you!

    By annettepimentel on January 29, 2018 at 11:43 pm

  362. This post gave me butterflies in my belly as I started thinking about stomping on ideas on my way to and fro. Thank you for writing such a visual post. I needed to read this tonight as I consider a life choice that I thought might move me away from idea generation.

    By Lori J Laniewski on January 29, 2018 at 11:52 pm

  363. I love how you turned something ordinary into three possibilities.

    By Tiffany Painter on January 29, 2018 at 11:54 pm

  364. I love the idea of “gathering time!”

    By Laurie L Young on January 29, 2018 at 11:55 pm

  365. Ideas add thick on the ground—love that. Thnks Jane!

    By Tasha Hilderman on January 30, 2018 at 12:02 am

  366. Did you know that Jane writes at least one poem every day? And that you can sign up on her mailing list to receive them every day? How marvelous is that! Simply mahvelous – thanks Jane!

    By Ms. Pauline Ts'o on January 30, 2018 at 12:21 am

  367. After 366 books, you certainly know how to gather ideas! Thanks for sharing, Jane.

    By Sandy on January 30, 2018 at 12:26 am

  368. 366 books! One for each day of the year, and then one more!

    By Stephanie on January 30, 2018 at 12:26 am

  369. powerful!

    By Lori Williams on January 30, 2018 at 12:29 am

  370. Always good and convicting things from you, Jane. Thanks.

    By Meghan Burch on January 30, 2018 at 12:39 am

  371. You’re an incredible inspiration, Jane. Thank you for your sage advice.

    By angiecal76 on January 30, 2018 at 12:53 am

  372. THANK YOU for imparting your wisdom, Jane! Yet again, it all comes down to that MOST IMPORTANT kind of all: your “B.I.T.” = Butt in Chair!!!! Now that we have all these GREAT ideas, the real works begins!!!!

    By Natalie Lynn Tanner on January 30, 2018 at 1:03 am

  373. Great thoughts. Thank you for sharing Jane

    By lahewson on January 30, 2018 at 1:06 am

  374. Excellent advice from the one and only Jane Yolen. Thank you!

    By Margaret Greanias on January 30, 2018 at 1:11 am

  375. Oh, the possibilities! Thanks for the encouragement, Jane!

    By Jennifer Hunt on January 30, 2018 at 1:16 am

  376. Hi Jane. You are right we just have to pay attention to find stories.
    You have been special to me ever since you accepted my invitation to speak at Whistling Pines in Rhode Island. You bravely drove over slippery roads to get there. And of course you wowed all of us with your talks, formal and informal. Barbara

    By barbarakeevilparker on January 30, 2018 at 1:28 am

  377. Thanks for taking us on an idea walk with you, Jane. Great post!

    By Sarah Momo Romero on January 30, 2018 at 1:44 am

  378. Wow, congratulations on books 365 and 366, Jane. I love my “gathering days ” – I need to work on the “what can I do with them ” phase 🙂

    By Tracey Brown on January 30, 2018 at 1:58 am

  379. Thank you for opening our eyes to everything around us. I love your books, though I haven’t read all of them. I’ve read enough to know you are a super role model!

    By Gloria on January 30, 2018 at 2:06 am

  380. Wonderful post. Thank you, Jane.

    By Judy Bryan on January 30, 2018 at 2:37 am

  381. Thanks Jane, for helping me feel that uncommon, unpredictable stories are within reach–even as I live a rather common and predictable life. I’ll stay on the lookout for stories, even as I walk the path from my kitchen door along the stone path to my second fridge in my detached garage. I’m sure they’re out there!

    By Heather Kinser on January 30, 2018 at 2:37 am

  382. Giving space for gathering days….so important.

    By Brenda Bokenyi on January 30, 2018 at 3:20 am

  383. My takeaway phrase for today is: So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.

    Thanks, Jane.

    By Linda Hofke on January 30, 2018 at 3:43 am

  384. We just love ‘How Do Dinosaurs Day Goodnight?’ Simply fabulous. Thank you for writing excellent books and for your words of wisdom in this post.

    By Zoe Alicia Gaetjens on January 30, 2018 at 4:49 am

  385. “What YOU do with it” yep, those ideas are running about like raccoons in a dumpster filled with sugar, here, there, everywhere…now where do I go? First, here. Then, there! Then, everywhere! Love “Owl Moon” and so many others of your books, your poetry especially! Thank you!

    By 58chilihed13 on January 30, 2018 at 5:31 am

  386. Thank you so much, Jane, for a post rich in wisdom and inspiration!

    By Ann Martin on January 30, 2018 at 5:37 am

  387. I love “gathering days”…..and need to give myself permission to do them more often. Thanks Jane for the inspiration!

    By michelle gajda on January 30, 2018 at 6:37 am

  388. On the night of this Super Full Moon, it brings tears of love and tenderness to be reminded of the preciousness of Companionship, shared oneness, and family memories. Love and Hugs.

    By Charles O'Dowd on January 30, 2018 at 6:41 am

  389. Thanks for this inspiring post. My kids are the springboard for so many of my ideas!

    By April on January 30, 2018 at 6:42 am

  390. What are you going to do with your ideas? I appreciate the focus of responsibility inherent in this question. Thank you, Jane, for sharing it!

    By Brenda Maier on January 30, 2018 at 7:49 am

  391. A story idea was trying to catch up to Jane Yolen. It followed her through the snowy woods of Massachusetts, on the plane to Scotland and up to the Highlands, waiting for her to notice it… And, as always, she did!

    By 8catpaws on January 30, 2018 at 8:06 am

  392. True, it’s just a matter of how we interpret and play with those ideas staring at us, right in the palm of our hands and the work and the challenge begins…
    God bless.

    By aliciaminor on January 30, 2018 at 8:20 am

  393. Thank you Jane for your post and reminding us that ideas are everywhere. I love the thought of a gathering day I’m definitely going to do that regularly.

    By sharongiltrow on January 30, 2018 at 8:22 am

  394. I love this! “Being silent is a start” very inspiring! Thank you for sharing your wonderful ideas as always!

    By Kelly Vavala on January 30, 2018 at 8:28 am

  395. “Gathering Days” – I love this idea because it turns “not writing” into a positive. It is my new mantra. Thank you.

    By DaNeil Olson on January 30, 2018 at 8:40 am

  396. Wise words from the master herself. Thank you!

    By Bruna De Luca on January 30, 2018 at 8:42 am

  397. Thank you, you are an inspiration!

    By Anita on January 30, 2018 at 9:08 am

  398. Jane, I was just rereading your website last night for writing inspiration. Thanks for giving me even more to chew on this morning.

    By marykatesmithdespres on January 30, 2018 at 9:12 am

  399. Nevermind the full metaphoric streak: I am going to be thinking about stepping on ideas (and tip-toeing around them) for days! Thank you!!

    By hmmmmm on January 30, 2018 at 9:28 am

  400. All of your advice resonates, and I’m especially drawn to the notion of a gathering day. Thank you!

    By Jennifer Phillips on January 30, 2018 at 9:35 am

  401. Love this: “…it’s not the idea by itself, it’s what you do with it that matters.”

    By Julie Pepper on January 30, 2018 at 9:36 am

  402. My gathering time is the walk in the dark with my dogs. Only the light from my headlamp in the early morning so I hear all the sounds blurred once the world wakes up. Thank you for your post and congratulations on 365 and 366!

    By Megan Whitaker on January 30, 2018 at 9:53 am

  403. I think the ‘gathering days’ are so important and I jotted down a few stories when I visited the Scottish Highlands last year. Fingers crossed that I can use my ‘gatherings’ successfully. Thank you for your inspirational post.

    By Jay Reece on January 30, 2018 at 10:07 am

  404. I had to check out that link about the stone angel. Very interesting! And thank you for sharing to go where the muse leads.

    By wfedan on January 30, 2018 at 10:30 am

  405. Wow!! Congratulations on so many books!! You’re truly an inspiration. Thank you for this great post! 😀

    By Laurie Bouck on January 30, 2018 at 10:38 am

  406. Jane you are so prolific. I just loved this post. 366 books! WOW. Congratulations. Thanks for reminding us that the ideas are all around us, it’s up to us to grab them, and write them.

    By jeanjames926 on January 30, 2018 at 10:40 am

  407. Thank you, Jane, for being an amazing example of perseverance and for showing us it is possible to live our lives doing what we love! You are an inspiration. 🙂

    By amshahen1 on January 30, 2018 at 10:53 am

  408. Always an inspiration, thanks so much!

    By Daryl Gottier on January 30, 2018 at 11:04 am

  409. I love this line: “So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.” I’ll be going into February with your advice in mind, asking myself what I can do with these ideas. Thank you, Jane!

    By Delfina Salimbene on January 30, 2018 at 11:27 am

  410. Jane Yolen, thank you for the post and Congratulations on #366 in March! That is unbelievable and yet here you are having done that. I find it all inspiring. I love what you’ve shared here about ideas and especially to not go about it squashing them. I think I see idea guts on my very shoes and I am going to tread lightly going forward. You are a gift. Thanks for sharing! -Robin

    By Robin Bailey on January 30, 2018 at 11:38 am

  411. I love this post! 366 books??!! Wow! I knew you were amazing, but that’s is mind blowing.

    By laurazarrin on January 30, 2018 at 11:49 am

  412. Love your books and loved to teach and read aloud with them when I was a primary teacher. THANK YOU.
    Being alert and time to just quietly keep your eyes sharp. And get those ideas working. Love this advice.

    By Laura Hancock on January 30, 2018 at 12:04 pm

  413. If we’re learning from the best, I can’t think of a better person to learn from. Thank you for sharing, Jane and Tara. I have one “gathered” two days ago that is shouting at me to finish the other project I’m working on and get to it!

    By Wendy on January 30, 2018 at 12:05 pm

  414. Yes, ideas are all around. What we do with them, how we grow them into stories must also be a focus for writers. Thank you for sharing the great advice!

    By Judy Sobanski (@jkspburg) on January 30, 2018 at 12:09 pm

  415. I didn’t realize the number of books published was so high! Congratulations and thank you for the post!

    By Sandi Lawson on January 30, 2018 at 12:47 pm

  416. I will go walk around outside today!

    By Jennifer Laughlin on January 30, 2018 at 12:54 pm

  417. Take time – for sure! I’m glad I took the time to read this post because it gave me a new idea. Thank you!

    By Carrie Finison on January 30, 2018 at 1:20 pm

  418. We must breathe in the ideas because they are everywhere. OK, I’m ready. Bring them on.

    By Christine M Irvin on January 30, 2018 at 1:44 pm

  419. So inspiring! Thank you for sharing your story and great advice. Congrats on your success!

    By Sylvia Mary Grech on January 30, 2018 at 1:51 pm

  420. One of the inspirational notecards pinned to my writing space bulletin board says, “Make time for gathering days, per Jane Yolen.” It’s from several years ago, when I first heard your suggestion, and I’ve had many gathering days since. Thank you for all the inspiration you’ve given over the years, including this fantastic post. And congratulations on publishing books #365 and #366!

    By Susie Sawyer on January 30, 2018 at 2:20 pm

  421. 365!!! <- Life goal.

    By angie9091 on January 30, 2018 at 2:20 pm

  422. Aunts and uncles pinching cheeks, yes! An idea is sparked, thank you for your insights!

    By Michelle Kashinsky on January 30, 2018 at 2:22 pm

  423. I love the idea of looking at one idea from many differrent angles, thanks for sharing!

    By Jeanine Fondacaro Brown on January 30, 2018 at 2:42 pm

  424. So much to love here! “Gathering” ideas. It’s not the ideas, it’s what you do with them. Wonderful advice.

    By Carolyn on January 30, 2018 at 2:47 pm

  425. Jane is so right. BE AWARE. Ideas are thick on the ground.

    By Kathy Doherty on January 30, 2018 at 3:07 pm

  426. I love your gathering idea! Thank you for that. We use Owl Moon in my classroom every year. We use it for so many different teaching points- language, questioning the list goes on and on. How I would LOVE to have a signed copy from one of the greatest authors of all time!!

    By Annemarie Guertin on January 30, 2018 at 3:19 pm

  427. Such incredibly wise words. I am good at ideas but it does take the next level to flesh it out and start a draft and see where it goes.

    By Debbie Zapata on January 30, 2018 at 3:52 pm

  428. What more can I say? Jane Yolen is amazing!

    By Cathy Ogren on January 30, 2018 at 4:00 pm

  429. Ideas are definitely everywhere-thanks for the inspiration!

    By Leslie Colin Tribble on January 30, 2018 at 4:02 pm

  430. I will be watching where I put my feet the next time I step out of bed!

    By Janet Halfmann on January 30, 2018 at 4:21 pm

  431. I knew you had a lot of books, but didnt know it was that many. That is amazing, and inspirational. 🙂

    By Mirka Hokkanen on January 30, 2018 at 4:40 pm

  432. So inspiring! Thanks!

    By marianallanos on January 30, 2018 at 4:47 pm

  433. I love the expression ‘breathing in stories’. Thank you for an inspiring post Jane :o)

    By Catherine F on January 30, 2018 at 5:02 pm

  434. I love this advice, thanks Jane Yolen!

    By juliannlaw on January 30, 2018 at 5:03 pm

  435. Great post. Ideas really are everywhere. We just have to be alert and aware. Thanks again.

    By Ashley Bankhead on January 30, 2018 at 5:09 pm

  436. I think you’re right that you need to make time for ideas. In the beginning of January, I did better at this, recently I’ve worried too much about my to-do list. I need to clear my mind so the ideas have space to percolate!

    By Virginia Law Manning on January 30, 2018 at 5:11 pm

  437. I agree ideas are everywhere. Oh my just sitting here thinking and another idea has come to me. Thank you Jane.

    By Diane Tulloch on January 30, 2018 at 5:20 pm

  438. Love the idea of gathering days. Thanks for putting a name to that.

    By @luvthatword on January 30, 2018 at 5:47 pm

  439. Love this line: “So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.” Thanks for the wise words!

    By Linda Chavez on January 30, 2018 at 5:49 pm

  440. Decades ago, I attended an SCBWI conference with you. You are still one of the most inspirational women in my life!

    By Laini Weitz on January 30, 2018 at 6:03 pm

  441. Love these examples, and YOWZA CONGRATS on 366 published books!!!

    By fireurchin on January 30, 2018 at 6:10 pm

  442. Holy moly, that’s a lot of books!! Amazing and inspiring. Thanks for sharing your advice!

    By Heather Thurmeier on January 30, 2018 at 6:18 pm

  443. Wow. 365 books?! Even that is inspiring. Thanks you for this post.

    By Dianne on January 30, 2018 at 6:23 pm

  444. I must find time for a gathering day.

    By Summer Quigley on January 30, 2018 at 6:32 pm

  445. Jane Yolen! Thanks Tara for inviting her. Thank you Jane for sharing your words of encouragement with us. Most of all thank you for 366 amazing books that make reading an adventure!

    By jacquie sewell on January 30, 2018 at 7:45 pm

  446. I love the term “gathering days.” Thank you for the reminder that story ideas are everywhere.

    By susanzonca on January 30, 2018 at 8:05 pm

  447. Lovely and inspiring post! I love those “fairy lights” every time I see them but I haven’t thought about writing about them. I’ll be working on training my brain to take note.

    By Andrea Mack on January 30, 2018 at 8:11 pm

  448. Ideas are everywhere. Learning to be be open and alert to them is very important. Thank you

    By Marge Gower on January 30, 2018 at 8:26 pm

  449. Oh my goodness – as a child if I saw the name Jane Yolen on any book in the library or book fair, it was an automatic YES. I must have read Briar Rose five or six times a year. What a privilege to now be inspired by and hear advice from you! Thank you for sharing so much with us.

    By Amanda Herron on January 30, 2018 at 8:41 pm

  450. Ideas are thick on the ground. I love that! Thank you for a wonderful post, Jane.

    By Becky Scharnhorst on January 30, 2018 at 8:49 pm

  451. Thank you…for your words of wisdom, your books and your inspiration!

    By ingridboydston on January 30, 2018 at 9:18 pm

  452. Love Jan Yolen books!! (I can’t believe there are 365 of them!) Another inspiring post! 🙂

    By blbachmann on January 30, 2018 at 9:19 pm

  453. I so want a story set in Elmer’s in Ashfield. Not quite tripping over ideas yet, though. At least, not for PBs. Working on it! Thanks, again, for the inspiration, Jane.

    By carolmunrojww on January 30, 2018 at 9:24 pm

  454. Love this–it’s exactly what I feel on days when I remember to pay attention–it can be overwhelming how many stories want to be told.

    By Rebekah Hoeft on January 30, 2018 at 9:28 pm

  455. It’s true, ideas are everywhere. Thanks for the inspiration and congrats on your 365th book!

    By Carolyn Kraft on January 30, 2018 at 9:51 pm

  456. Jane, you are one of my favorites. Thank you for all you have shared with us!

    By Trine Grillo on January 30, 2018 at 10:23 pm

  457. Jane, thank you for your story and examples of how you gathered and used information around you to coax story ideas out of everyday life. I especially noted a short, but powerful sentence in your biography, “She writes every day.” The habits of those we admire are full of valuable information. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and your practices with all of us.

    By writeremmcbride on January 30, 2018 at 10:36 pm

  458. You are always a great source of inspiration. Thanks for being there for us.

    By Cheryl Malandrinos on January 30, 2018 at 11:22 pm

  459. I like how you frame downtime from writing as as gathering days. There are so many ideas that thinking time is very necessary.

    By Keila Dawson on January 30, 2018 at 11:38 pm

  460. “Breathing in stories” and “gathering days” while being alert will help me do something with the ideas. Thank you, Jane for your inspirational post. I have enjoyed your books over the years with my children, who are now young adults. Wow, 366 books!! Congratulations!!

    By Naana on January 30, 2018 at 11:59 pm

  461. I loved taking this walk with you, Jane! Thank you!

    By sharischwarz on January 31, 2018 at 12:04 am

  462. Thank you! When I discovered Dinosaurs say goodnight I thought “Jane Yolen is a genius!”

    By tootienienow on January 31, 2018 at 12:25 am

  463. You are the grand master of writer wisdom

    By topangamaria on January 31, 2018 at 12:49 am

  464. Jane, it seems you have trained yourself to look, listen and use all your senses to pick up all that’s going on around you. Thank you for the inspiration. From now on I’ll try to stop, look around me, listen, smell the air and take in what’s around me.

    By betlw on January 31, 2018 at 12:59 am

  465. I’m inspired. I can’t wait to go for a walk tomorrow and breathe in stories. Thanks!

    By Jud Ward on January 31, 2018 at 1:00 am

  466. Thank you for reminding me to look and listen. I am reading your book Take Joy. I love it!

    By slowsly on January 31, 2018 at 1:13 am

  467. Like so many here, you are one of my heroes — thanks for sharing your fertile, idea-filled mind with us,

    By Shauna Woodall on January 31, 2018 at 2:00 am

  468. Thanks, Jane! Fantastic and fabulously simple, the genius!

    By Rani Iyer (@iyerani) on January 31, 2018 at 2:17 am

  469. Jane, you are my FAVORITE! I love that you’ve published 366 books, yet I remember you saying something in the last year or two that struck me… you were at a conference and few circumstances occurred that led you to FEEL like a real author. Or something to that effect. (sorry if I’m botching the memory). In any case, I walked away thinking, “If Jane still doesn’t DAILY feel like she’s “arrived” then it’s perfectly okay that I don’t either, and probably never wil.” And that gave me permission to just enjoy the journey. THANK YOU then and thank you now and CONGRATS on 366 books. That’s a book a day on leap year 😀

    By Marcy Pusey on January 31, 2018 at 5:06 am

  470. Thank you, Jane. This was invaluable in so many ways.

    By The World Is My Cuttlefish on January 31, 2018 at 6:21 am

  471. Thank you, Jane. A great reminder to simply be present in each moment.

    By Lynne on January 31, 2018 at 7:19 am

  472. Thanks! Aware (alert’s close cousin) was my word for 2017. I love your term gathering days.

    By Jen Kraar on January 31, 2018 at 7:33 am

  473. Wonderful post, Jane Yolen. I feel the same way – ideas are everywhere! Thank you for reminding me to stay on top of it and continue cultivating.

    By Erin Prichett on January 31, 2018 at 9:12 am

  474. 366 books! That’s impressive! Thank you for the inspiring post. My two year old son loves to read How do Dinosaurs Say Hapy Birthday.

    By Kristin Wauson on January 31, 2018 at 10:03 am

  475. Thank you so much for this post, Jane. You are an inspiration.

    By Christine Evans on January 31, 2018 at 10:17 am

  476. Jane, congratulations on all of your success. Thanks for helping make my “day job” fun – my students love it when I read your books in class. My favorite is Owl Moon!

    By Kylie Burns kysblog1 on January 31, 2018 at 10:17 am

  477. Gathering days. I love this! Thank you.

    By Andrew Lefebvre on January 31, 2018 at 10:22 am

  478. I enjoyed your post.Thanks for all the great advice, Jane.

    By kmajor2013 on January 31, 2018 at 11:00 am

  479. Dear Jane – you are one of my writing heros! I have always loved your books and your poetry and it is great to hear your voice in Storystorm. Good reminders about stories being everywhere and any time.

    By Vicki Wilke on January 31, 2018 at 11:12 am

  480. Thank you Jane! Wonderful reminder to keep ourselves open and engaged with everything!

    By Janet Aljunaidi on January 31, 2018 at 11:29 am

  481. “So it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.”–Amen!

    By Carrie Fannin on January 31, 2018 at 11:34 am

  482. I love the idea of Gathering days! It reminds me of an essay I just read by Ursula K LeGuin where she talks about the bag as a symbol and a way of life – very inspiring! Thank you!

    By Lauren Soloy on January 31, 2018 at 11:49 am

  483. I’ve been called a daydreamer all my life…but they were wrong. I’m a gatherer. Thank you Ms. Yolen.

    By Judy VanSlyke on January 31, 2018 at 12:48 pm

  484. Thank you. T

    By tanjabauerle on January 31, 2018 at 12:57 pm

  485. Ideas everywhere, wherever I dream.

    Thanks Jane Yolen.

    By Damon Dean, SevenAcreSky on January 31, 2018 at 1:32 pm

  486. Gathering Days! I love it!! Thank you Jane!!

    By Sarah Maynard (@SarahDMaynard) on January 31, 2018 at 1:44 pm

  487. Thank you Jane! I love, “Take time. Time out or time in.” What an inspiring post!

    By Melissa Stoller on January 31, 2018 at 1:49 pm

  488. Wonderful! I love your way of thinking! Thank you for sharing!

    By sjctenney on January 31, 2018 at 2:24 pm

  489. Jane,
    What an honor! Thank you for your words of wisdom in lieu of idea-gathering🌟

    By Monica Stoltzfus on January 31, 2018 at 2:29 pm

  490. Bring your unique voice to the table strewn with ideas. Yes. Thank you!

    By Jilanne Hoffmann on January 31, 2018 at 2:33 pm

  491. Thank you, what a great post.

    By Nicole Turner on January 31, 2018 at 4:36 pm

  492. Ideas are everywhere! I love it and Owl Moon’ thanks for the inspiration! 😊

    By Cortney Benvenuto on January 31, 2018 at 4:36 pm

  493. I love “Gathering Days”! Thanks for the wonderful post.

    By Monica Chessmore on January 31, 2018 at 4:59 pm

  494. Instead of thinking, “This is the day I’m stuck running errands,” I’ll start thinking, “This is a gathering day!” That’s sure to make it more fun. Thanks for sharing how you gathered some of your ideas.

    By Jacqueline Adams on January 31, 2018 at 5:07 pm

  495. Solid advice! Thanks so much for sharing.

    By kirstenbockblog on January 31, 2018 at 5:11 pm

  496. I love the idea of gathering ideas in seemingly mundane tasks/places, thank you for a wonderful post!

    By Hannah Tuohy (@hannahlollman) on January 31, 2018 at 5:13 pm

  497. Good point. What’s important is not the idea but the expression of the idea.

    By Lyn Miller-Lachmann on January 31, 2018 at 5:34 pm

  498. I never realized how many ideas there are if you’re just open to them and in the right mindset.

    By Cindy Montoya on January 31, 2018 at 5:38 pm

  499. Thank you for the lovely post!

    By Anna Smith on January 31, 2018 at 5:53 pm

  500. Thank you, Jane!

    By Midge Ballou Smith on January 31, 2018 at 6:23 pm

  501. Thanks for the great post. I love the concept of gathering days!

    By Cinzia V. on January 31, 2018 at 6:36 pm

  502. Thank you for this post, Jane. I was so delighted to meet you at an SCBW (no “I” back then!) retreat in Wisconsin… so many years ago that I believe you were at book #100 or so then. 🙂 Your words then, since, & now continue to inspire me.

    By Bronte Colbert on January 31, 2018 at 6:38 pm

  503. I love this glimpse into your thinking! My boys and I love your books! Thank you for both.

    By Christine Fleming McIsaac on January 31, 2018 at 6:39 pm

  504. Congratulations, Jane, on #Yolen365. What a milestone–read a different Jane Yolen book every day for a year! A huge thank you to both you and Heidi for all the energy, wisdom, and inspiration you share with the kitlit world. Loved your post. What fun examples to show how one idea can generate many different stories–dinos rule! You truly have a gift for turning your gathering days into magic for all of us.

    By Joannie Duris on January 31, 2018 at 6:52 pm

  505. You are always such an inspiration, Jane!

    I’m off to find my 60th StoryStorm 2018 idea, then can’t wait to dive back into them and find all the gems.

    By Mindy Alyse Weiss on January 31, 2018 at 7:21 pm

  506. I liked your statement that “it’s not the idea by itself, but what you do with it that matters.” Thank you, Jane.

    By DB Cote on January 31, 2018 at 7:54 pm

  507. Thank you! Inspiring!

    By Maria J Cuesta on January 31, 2018 at 8:17 pm

  508. Oh, I loved hearing the story of how you came up with HOW DINOSAURS SAY GOODNIGHT! It even gave me a couple story ideas when I combined some things that kids hate with some things they love. 🙂

    By Sheri Dillard on January 31, 2018 at 8:25 pm

  509. As always Jane gives sage advice. Thank you.

    By Helen Lysicatos on January 31, 2018 at 8:50 pm

  510. Thank you, Jane, for the idea of gathering days, and for the many wonderful books you have written!

    By Linda J Thomas on January 31, 2018 at 9:18 pm

  511. Thank you, Jane, for reminding us that ideas are everywhere. Also congratulations on books #365 & 366, that is fantastic and amazing.

    By Doris k Stone on January 31, 2018 at 9:47 pm

  512. I will be alert and take time. Good advice!

    By Susan Tuggy on January 31, 2018 at 10:26 pm

  513. Thank you for the inspiration, and for avoiding overused metaphors!

    By Tara Tegard on January 31, 2018 at 11:52 pm

  514. I love you when you do a post…I love you when you are the host..of workshops far and workshops near…I love you, love you, everywhere. Thank you, Jane…I learn so much, just from watching how you operate.

    By viviankirkfield on February 1, 2018 at 12:18 am

  515. Thank you, Jane! I’ve always loved your BIC motto, and your beautiful stories 🙂

    By saritarich on February 1, 2018 at 12:20 am

  516. Thank you so much, Jane. You are truly an inspiration!!

    By Alexia Andoni on February 1, 2018 at 12:59 am

  517. I love Owl Moon! I just looked at my copy on Sunday. Though my copy is not signed.

    Thank you for sharing your wisdom!

    By Terri Sabol on February 1, 2018 at 2:13 am

  518. #366? Now that’s something! My first encounter with you was (I think this is the title) 12 Impossible Things before Breakfast. Not a PB, but neither was the one about the golem (B.U.G.). Elsie’s Bird – a favorite. You are the definition of prolific and this post gives hints about why. THANK YOU!

    By sunwalker2013 on February 1, 2018 at 3:14 am

  519. Thank you Jane Nolan for all your lovely heartfelt work.
    Blessings

    By Deb Bartsch on February 1, 2018 at 8:48 am

  520. Thank you for your inspirational post. This is a fantastic reminder that ideas are all around us- we just have to keep ALL of our senses open!

    By Nat Keller on February 1, 2018 at 9:01 am

  521. I love the idea of “Gathering Days”. Congratulations on book #366! Thank you for your encouraging and inspirational post. I’m fueled for the day!

    By maryzychowicz on February 1, 2018 at 9:01 am

  522. Thank you, Jane. Love reading everything you write.

    By Lisa Freund on February 1, 2018 at 10:20 am

  523. I shall take the term “gathering days” and store it in my heart forever.

    By Lauri Meyers on February 1, 2018 at 10:26 am

  524. Thanks for the great idea of “gathering days.”

    By CindyC on February 1, 2018 at 10:31 am

  525. Thanks for your I sight into the subject of gathering ideas. Congratulations on having your 365th and 366th books published this year.

    By Cathy Biggerstaff on February 1, 2018 at 3:24 pm

  526. Oh yes! I love having story ideas when I’m out and about and see something a little odd and start to wonder what if. I stopped to write down my own idea while I was reading your post. Thank you, Jane. 🙂

    By Debbie Meyer on February 1, 2018 at 3:48 pm

  527. Beautiful post, thank you!

    By Melanie Lucero on February 1, 2018 at 5:42 pm

  528. Jane, I have been going back over my notes and I reread yours and I have written down a new idea from your imagination on the lights. I love that so many of you can see something so small and make it so real and big. Thank you for your insight.

    By Cheryl T. on February 1, 2018 at 7:33 pm

  529. So lucky am I-got to read this super-helpful post, and hear you speak at Ringling in the same ten-day period, plus I volunteer at a Titke One VPK school and we read ‘How Dinasaours Say I Love You on my day this week!
    Thank you, Ms. Jane!

    By Gail Hedrick on February 1, 2018 at 10:31 pm

  530. Jane – you are amazing and never fail to inspire! ❤

    By Shelly Hawley-Yan on February 2, 2018 at 12:15 am

  531. Beautiful post. I love the idea that “ideas are thick on the ground.”

    By Allison Alley on February 2, 2018 at 1:53 am

  532. Congratulations on publishing 365 stories! It is impressive that you have won recognition from both the Jewish faith and the Catholic faith! You truly are an inspiration! Thank you for sharing your insights!

    By Geralyn Underwood on February 2, 2018 at 5:53 pm

  533. IDEAS IDEAS IDEAS!!!!! That is not the problem.. The problem lies in the writing and presentation of the story with just the right words. You, Jane have the gift of doing just that. Thank you for all your wonderful books!! 🙂

    By Karen Lawler on February 2, 2018 at 6:36 pm

  534. I love the metaphor of ideas being thick on the ground. Thanks, Jane!

    By Carrie Tillotson on February 3, 2018 at 11:59 am

  535. I find snippets of ideas but I often get stuck on how to use them for a story. It’s the molding that is challenging.

    By Priya Gopal on February 3, 2018 at 11:48 pm

  536. Thank you for posting.

    By Rachelle on February 4, 2018 at 8:12 am

  537. You are such an inspiration! Thank you for your beautiful post.

    By Susanne Whitehouse on February 4, 2018 at 3:37 pm

  538. Thank you. I’ll get my son to build a couple idea traps…what to bait them with…

    By Heather Hatch on February 5, 2018 at 12:06 am

  539. Love your idea of “gathering days.” Thank you for sharing.

    By Janet Frenck Sheets on February 5, 2018 at 4:04 pm

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