Want to Make More Progress in 2017? Write Down Your Writing Goals

It’s the New Year – new calendars, new notebooks, a new start! I am a New Year junkie. I love the reminders to reflect on the previous year and lay out plans for the year to come. But as a staunch list-maker, I don’t just noodle on my goals for the year, I write them down. At the end of each year, I pull up … Continue reading Want to Make More Progress in 2017? Write Down Your Writing Goals

The Call with Julie Artz

Hi, Julie. I’m so excited that you’ve signed with Jennie Dunham of Dunham Lit and are on your way to publishing success! I think The Call is one of the most desired/feared/nerve-wracking/exciting/elusive steps a writer works toward. You’ve nailed your query and finally garnered some interest, but now what?   She sent me an email. I had received a similar email from her in the spring … Continue reading The Call with Julie Artz

Our Holiday Wish List – Craft Books!

Many of us will spend at least two weeks in December hiding from our children with our nose in a book. At The Winged Pen, our wish lists are full of books that inspire our creativity or deepen our craft. So here’s a peek at the writing books we loved and the books we hope to receive this holiday season. If you have a writer … Continue reading Our Holiday Wish List – Craft Books!

Breaking Through Writer’s Block

Last month, one of my editing clients emailed me a panicked plea for help with writer’s block. And although we’ve talked about this a bit on the blog already (How Do You Tune Out Online “Noise”?, Ideas to Hack Down Writers’ Blocks, 4 Ways Winged Pen Writers Get Words, Perfectionism and Pomodori), it can’t hurt to share the tips I gave my client for breaking through writer’s … Continue reading Breaking Through Writer’s Block

When An Agent Calls

The call. You know exactly which one I’m talking about. It’s the call every unagented writer dreams of. An agent you queried punches in your digits,  gushes over your manuscript, and says how much they would love to represent you. I had that day dream frequently. And I hoped, prayed that it would actually happen some day. Most days my phone was silent. The email, … Continue reading When An Agent Calls

Author Interview – Krystal Sutherland

Gabby: I’m very excited to spend a little time today with Krystal Sutherland, the fabulous debut author of OUR CHEMICAL HEARTS, out now. In addition to writing love stories you want to crawl into, Krystal travels the world being fabulous in fabulous places. Welcome to Winged Pen, Krystal! Krystal: Thank you so much for having me! Gabby: Okay, let’s get to it. Can you tell … Continue reading Author Interview – Krystal Sutherland

Happy NaNoWriMo!

Today marks the beginning of the frenetic bundle of amazingness that is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo). This month, thousands of writers around the globe will try to write a 50,000 word first draft of a new story. With an all-star line-up of NaNoWriMo Pep Talks, and hashtags on Twitter for both writing tips and daily sprints, this month is a great time to start writing … Continue reading Happy NaNoWriMo!

Perfectionism and Pomodori

If you suffer from writer’s block, you’re not alone. Most writers I know have faced that wall many times and surmounted it. Some people find themselves at that wall over and over again. Sometimes this happens because you’re not sure how to move your story forward. Sometimes this happens because you’re terrified of failing. If it’s the latter, you may be a perfectionist. One understanding … Continue reading Perfectionism and Pomodori

4 Ways Winged Pen Writers Get Words

Did you ever wonder why this is The Winged Pen? It’s because this group of writers make the words fly. How do they do it? When you face the dreaded blank page, what helps you start your writing engines? Do you have a daily word-count goal? Read the Winged Pens’ answers in our own words: Laurel Decher: I’ll go first. 🙂 I realized I aim … Continue reading 4 Ways Winged Pen Writers Get Words

Going Dark: How Do You Tune Out Online “Noise”?

After being almost completely disconnected for ten days this summer, I found it a bit jarring once I returned to my normal online-heavy life. I’m deep into drafting at the moment, and all that “noise” has been wreaking havoc with my ability to focus. Hearing about others’ progress, chasing the link to yet another craft article or agent’s wishlist, or just keeping up with the … Continue reading Going Dark: How Do You Tune Out Online “Noise”?

How I had a Productive Summer

Or as I like to say, how I made the most of interrupted time. Think back to June. Was this you? “I have an incredible writing project planned for this summer. I’ll write a first draft. Complete revisions. Write, query, get the book published, and go on a worldwide book tour. All before school starts in September.” Well, that did sound a bit like me … Continue reading How I had a Productive Summer