1. Done right, world building draws the reader into your story. Done wrong, it grinds your manuscript to a screeching halt. What do I mean by done right? I mean giving the readers… Continue reading Writing Fantasy: It’s a Whole New World
Know any budding graphic novelists or writers? SHARE YOUR SMILE is exactly the book to put in their hands. Telgemeier breaks the creation process down into easily understood chunks from inspiration to finished drawings. She takes you through the research and drawing process, using her popular graphic novels SMILE, SISTERS, DRAMA, and GHOSTS as examples. SHARE YOUR SMILE is filled with writing prompts and exercises, giving … Continue reading Featured: Graphic Novel SHARE YOUR SMILE
Those of you who have read this blog for any length of time know how enthusiastic we are about critique partners. While polishing my work-in-progress recently, I was reminded of how much wisdom my own CPs have to share. I was finishing the revisions on my manuscript when I realized that my main character spends a lot of time being afraid in the story. A … Continue reading Writing Emotions: Our Favorite Tips
It’s March and some of us are working hard to get words on the page before summer comes (or school gets out.) I asked my fellow Winged Pen writers to describe a favorite writing technique or a trusty stand-by that they use regularly. Sketch. Use a “marker” for the parts you don’t know. Get whatever you’ve got onto the page and use [add tech here] … Continue reading 7 Simple Trustworthy Tricks for to Keep Your Draft Moving Smoothly
Writers need self-care, too! Check out our Winged Pen tips. Continue reading Self-Care for Writers
We’ve all heard that writers are introverts. Maybe it’s because we spend so much time working alone, or because we’re always in our heads thinking, developing, and writing stories. Some writers know how to get out of their own minds and socialize when at conferences. Others do not. I fall into the DO NOT category. But let me explain. Not only am I constantly writing … Continue reading Tales From an Introvert: My Experience at the SCBWI Winter Conference 2019
Hello! Today I’m helping authors Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi launch their new book, The Emotion Thesaurus (Second Edition)! You might know about The Emotion Thesaurus and even have it on your shelf. But chances are, you may not have known a second edition was in the works. Becca and Angela decided to keep it a surprise and only recently announced the book was releasing! So not only … Continue reading Book Release! Emotion Thesaurus Second Edition
I’ve asked myself this question AT LEAST thirty times. I’ve listened to my friends recount their incredible MFA experiences. I’ve dreamily reviewed the MFA program websites and calculated the expenses. I even started an application for an MFA program at least once or twice. But then I revert to my lingering question: Instead of investing all that time and money, should I spend my time … Continue reading Should You Get an MFA in Creative Writing?
Have you ever held onto a secret you’ve been dying to share, and then finally…you can? For the last few weeks I’ve been helping Angela and Becca at Writers Helping Writers keep a BIG secret…what the next book in their thesaurus series will be. It might seem strange to not tell one’s readers what book you’re planning to release…unless you happen to write books on Show, … Continue reading Big News: New Thesaurus Revealed!
Do you believe in ghosts?
Do you love ghost stories?
Do you want to write ghost stories?
If you answered yes to these questions, then I dare you to visit the historic and haunted city of Charleston, South Carolina and ponder the ghostly stories inhabiting the shadowy corners of your mind. Continue reading Ghosts, Haunts, and Haints: A Paranormal Writing Weekend
I prioritize reading diversely, but I’ve had issues with finding a consistent way to track my reading. I’ve tried using a bullet journal, but my handwriting is not pretty. After a couple of entries in my journal, I’m discouraged. My best approach so far has been to make shelves for the different types of diverse books on my Goodreads account and try to keep track … Continue reading Using a Booklog to Improve Your Reading Diversity!
I find myself, to my surprise, writing a novel in verse. Though I have written poetry in the past, novels in verse always seemed mysterious to me, almost as much so as the work of those sorcerer illustrators. How does one write a story, with narrative, out of a poem? How do you even begin a novel in verse? Eking out one poem feels like … Continue reading The Two Pieces of Advice that Made Writing A Verse Novel Seem Possible
