Monthly Meeting: July 2026 – Lindsey Lane

At July’s Monthly Meeting, Author Lindsey Lane presented “Writing by Mosaic.” Through writing workshops and retreats, Lindsey teaches her Mosaic Method to help writers unearth the soft data points that make for a rich, emotionally engaging story, which is what all readers want.

Lindsey is author of picture book SNUGGLE MOUNTAIN (Clarion, 2003), and young adult novel EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN (Farrar Straus Giroux Books for Young Readers, 2014). She has also authored award-winning plays, including THE MIRACLE OF WASHING DISHES and DOGTAILS, and was a Features journalist at the Austin Chronicle and the Austin American Statesman. Her short stories, poems, and essays have appeared in Hunger Mountain, Ocotillo Review and other journals. Lindsey graduated from Hampshire College with a BA in Theatre Arts-Playwriting and from Vermont College of Fine Arts with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She is a mentor and teacher to many other writers through her private classes, the Writers League of Texas, Austin SCBWI, and as an adjunct professor of Children’s Literature at Austin Community College.

MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

Notes on the Mosaic Method:

• In developing the Mosaic Method, Lindsey was inspired by an exhibit of American artist Jack Whitten’s large-scale slab paintings, composed of tiny bits of colored glass, rock, and ceramic. Lindsey was struck by how these luminescent fragments informed the whole mosaic, similar to how character and scene details can inform a whole story.
• After Lindsey studies a writer’s synopsis, she then conducts a phone interview with that writer about their manuscript, prior to their attending her workshop. Interview questions may ask about why a particular story was selected to tell, what the point of view is, settings, key scenes, and characters, etc.
• At the workshop, Lindsey gives personalized prompts to each writer based on the synopsis and interview, which help keep the writer writing and tracking a work in progress. The prompts aid the writing process.
• Each writer also receives a personal letter from Lindsey which includes her advice specific to the writer’s project.

Tips from the Mosaic Method:

• Like artists, writers need to get close to their work, then step back to see the whole picture.
• Use both hard and soft data points to make a story come alive. For example, when the emotional heart of a character connects with a hard data point, this enriches a story–and becomes a “mosaic piece.” 
• Allow different “pieces” you’ve written to “reflect light and color on each other.”
• In your writing, draw upon your own experiences, pearls of wisdom, and what you’ve learned from teachers or mentors.
• Incorporate the five senses into your writing.
• Integrate the subtleties of non-verbal subtext into your stories. For example, a character may be saying something in the dialogue of a story, yet the body language of that character belies what’s being said.

Caveats:

• While the Mosaic Method works well for most kidlit, it has not yet been applied to the Picture Book category.

• There are not necessarily any right or wrong answers in writing; explore and have fun!