Everyone enjoys a great love story -- and writing romance novels can be just as much fun as reading them! With this type of fiction, authors create an uplifting story that ends happily for the characters that readers have grown to love. Here's how to put together a fun read that shows the chemistry of the two characters and leads them toward their eventual happiness. 1. Know That Characters Come First A good romance novel is all about the two main characters. Their relationship is what the n

Writing and storytelling are great skills to teach your children. Parents and teachers alike can instill the love of storytelling in children to enhance their language skills, encourage reading, and stir their imagination. The trick, though, is to understand the roadblocks that kids may face and the storytelling techniques that help them overcome these issues. Common Roadblocks Fear of public speaking: This fear is common in adults and children alike. If you can get children comfortable

Algebra word problems may not be pleasant, but skills in algebra are needed for so many different things in life. Learning algebra helps you develop critical thinking skills, including those related to logic, problem-solving, patterns, and reasoning.  That’s not to say that becoming an expert algebra word problem solver is easy! In fact, it takes a lot of practice to get the hang of these puzzles.  To solve algebra word problems - which are simply just longer-form questions that requ

Actors, your voice is one of the most powerful tools you have to make a character come to life. Next time you're getting into a character, use these tips from Baltimore, MD acting teacher Larry P. for improving your stage presence... Remember when your mother used to remind you to “use your indoor voice”? You have all sorts of indoor voices, and in order to best portray any character and improve your stage presence, be it in an audition, a rehearsal, or a production, you have to decide w

When you're given a writing assignment - but not a topic - deciding what to write about can be a challenge. Here, teacher Matthew H. shares a few unique writing topics to consider...    Virtually all students eventually will be required to write an essay on some literary piece they read in class or for homework. Normally, you will be expected to answer a specific question the teacher has posed to provoke a thoughtful response. However, sometimes you will be given the option to writ

No matter what you're learning, your personality plays a big role! Everyone learns differently, and the strategies that work for one person may not work for another -- and that's OK! Whether you're learning a new language or even picking up a new hobby, it's smart to keep your learning style in mind. That way, you're setting yourself up for success from the start! So, what is your learning style? Take the quiz below to find out:

Interested in learning how to write a haiku? In this article, you'll learn about the rich history of haiku poems, and get to take a stab at writing your own. The haiku form style actually originated from tanka, a short poem with a 5-7-5-7-7 syllable rhythm. Tanka was originally practiced by Japanese noblemen and Buddhist priests. During the 9th-12th centuries, writing tanka became a game called "renga," where one person wrote the first three lines of the poem and another person wrote the n

The Graduate Management Admission Test, better known as the GMAT, is a computer-based standardized test that is typically required for admission into graduate management programs (such as an MBA) at colleges and universities across the United States. This test is not a measure of intelligence or business skills. Instead, it assesses skills that are considered to be vital to success in business management, including analytical writing, problem-solving abilities, data sufficiency, logic, and criti

So you're studying for a test and you come across the equation x^2 + bx = c. What do you do? How do you solve it? It can seem daunting, but with a few simple steps, you can easily solve any quadratic equation.  Algebraic equations can look pretty puzzling, especially if you don't consider yourself a math person or if it has been a long time since you worked one out for yourself. If you're struggling with quadratic equations, or need a quick review, we put this

Writing your college admissions essay can feel intimidating. How do you relay your life story and impress the admissions board in so few words? Check out the sample essay excerpts below, written by New York teacher Jasmine B., and her tips for writing your own winning essay: Writing a college entrance essay? Here are a few helpful hints, along with examples from my very own entrance essay for The Juilliard School. I applied for, and am currently a part of, the Drama Division. LET THEM