September 09th, 2026

We are thrilled to have children's book author Ashley Franklin on our blog today! Read her essay below about the characters in her upcoming picture book, Our Favorite Day of the Week. 

We Listen and Don’t Judge: Taking Writing Cues from Characters
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By Ashley Franklin

I write for kids with big hearts, big imaginations, and even bigger emotions. These qualities are reflected in the characters that I write. Like most authors, I find great joy in seeing young readers connect with the characters I create. It’s truly an emotional experience.

When approached with the task of finishing the Our Favorite series, the biggest emotion I felt was fear. I was afraid of not doing these characters justice. I was also afraid of letting down an audience who was already fond of these characters. Still, one of my biggest fears was letting down the original author of the series. 

My first major writing goal when starting Our Favorite Day of the Week was to get out of my own head and into the characters’ heads. I spent a lot of time reading (and rereading) Our Favorite Day of the Year. I examined the text and images when trying to discern specific ways in which the characters engaged with each other and any patterns in speech or mannerisms. Luckily, Musa and his friends were chatty enough for me to explore their personalities more. 

Remember that viral internet trend that was going around—We listen and don’t judge? That’s what I did. Essentially, all I had to do was listen to the characters. They were already doing the heavy lifting. I just had to ask the right questions based on my observations from the first book and listen:

• Your friends from school seem special to you. What do you find special about them?
• Which friend has the biggest personality?
• How do your quiet friends show joy?
• Do you have a special interest?
• What things do you like to do with your family?

Combining this information with input from the editor and the way I usually craft my original characters (like Tameika, Xavier, and Kamal) helped me to honor the spirit of Our Favorite Day of the Year. I was able to write Musa and his friends from the simple act of listening, and that same act of listening is present in the story.

In Our Favorite Day of the Week, Musa holds space for his classmates to express their range of emotions, from frustration to joy, and he does so without judgment. In fact, each classmate listens as their friends share which day of the week is their favorite and why. Even the quirkiest of days is listened to with respect and without judgment.

So even when writer’s block rears its ugly head or I’m unsure of which direction to go, I now know that I won’t have to stay stuck long. All I have to do is listen to my characters. It’s my hope that readers enjoy listening to Musa and his friends as well.

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Ashley Franklin is the author of Not Quite Snow White; “Creative Fixes” from the anthology Once Upon an Eid; “Situationally Broke” from the anthology What We Didn’t Expect; Better Together, Cinderella; The Masjid Kamal Loves; and more. Ashley received her master’s degree in English literature from the University of Delaware. She is an adjunct college instructor and proud mom. Ashley currently resides in Arkansas with her family.