Bullet Journals for Writers
Life has gotten really full. There are emails to answer, phone calls to make, and have you signed the kids up for summer camp yet? Enter the bullet journal. It’s basically a notebook into which you pour all of your appointments, tasks, plans, goals, lists, musings, and memories. And once you have it written down, you’ve captured it. That little thing that you’re afraid you’ll … Continue reading Bullet Journals for Writers
The Radius of Us
Marie Marquardt is the author of two YA novels. Her first, Dream Things True, is a gorgeous coming-of-age story that gives voice to the undocumented immigrant experience. On the jacket, author Jennifer Mathieu describes the story as one that will “forever change the way you view those who live their lives in the shadows” and I have to agree—Marie’s stories should be required reading for … Continue reading The Radius of Us
Craft Intensive: Building Backstory
As a couple of my fellow Pennies can tell you, I love to do a deep dive on characters’ feelings and motivations. In fact, one of my favorite things to do while writing and critiquing is to explore and uncover why the characters act the way they do. I’m also a firm believer in that old adage that the easiest way to know what someone is … Continue reading Craft Intensive: Building Backstory
Four on 400: January Feedback
Thank you to all the brave souls who entered this month’s Four on 400 contest! Sharing your writing takes courage, and we appreciate your enthusiasm for our contest. Below, we’ve posted the first 400 words from this month’s winner, along with feedback from at least four of our members. We also encourage our readers to share their (constructive) suggestions and encouragement in the comments section below. AMBASSADOR OF … Continue reading Four on 400: January Feedback
Shout out for Stephanie Garber’s CARAVAL
Caraval is the story of Scarlett, a girl who is desperate to escape her violent and controlling father and to take her younger sister, Donatella, with her. Scarlet hopes marriage to a man she’s never met, a marriage arranged by her father, will save them. Donatella doesn’t believe it will, so she persuades a handsome sailor to transport them off their island home and to Caraval, a … Continue reading Shout out for Stephanie Garber’s CARAVAL
Creating Your Brand
Welcome to “Creating Your Brand,” the first in a three-part series on basic marketing for authors. BRANDING If you are like me, a complete novice in the area of promoting yourself, this is the place for you. In 2016, I made it a priority to learn all I could about this subject. I had one-on-one brainstorming session with a published author and marketing specialist, attended workshops with … Continue reading Creating Your Brand
A Book to Pull in Reluctant Readers: Neal Shusterman’s SCYTHE
Normally, I don’t write reviews for books by established authors. Scythe was published in November 22nd, 2016 and already has 1,994 reviews on Goodreads, so my 1,995th is not going to have a big impact on Shusterman’s sales. But as a mom with one bookworm and one reluctant reader, I am always on the lookout for books that will pull in a tween/teen boy. This is … Continue reading A Book to Pull in Reluctant Readers: Neal Shusterman’s SCYTHE
Find Mentors after Pitch Wars?
If Pitch Wars 2017 seems too far away or too selective for you, you can always try out other mentorship programs available online. Some are free and some come with a fee. I have listed both below. But first…. What should you expect from a mentor? A mentor is a professional who is ahead of the game and understands the industry better than you. By … Continue reading Find Mentors after Pitch Wars?
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
Our January #FourOn400 KidLit Writing Contest Window is OPEN!
Q: What is Four on 400? A monthly contest that provides ONE LUCKY MG or YA WRITER with feedback on their opening 400 WORDS! As part of our ongoing mission to support writers, we’ll give a MG or YA writer feedback on their work from four of The Winged Pen’s contributors. Q: Sounds exciting! How do I enter? To enter, simply comment at the bottom of this post! At … Continue reading Our January #FourOn400 KidLit Writing Contest Window is OPEN!
NEW for 2017: A Brand-New #KidLit Writing Contest!!!
We’re energized and ready to embrace the challenges and rewards of the New Year and are committed to bringing you more exciting content in 2017. We’ve been busy behind the scenes working on a few improvements, and we’re ready to share the first of those with you now! OUR FACEBOOK PAGE! We now have a Facebook page where we’ll post extra content similar to what … Continue reading NEW for 2017: A Brand-New #KidLit Writing Contest!!!
#KidLitforAleppo
News Flash! Check out #KidLitforAleppo on Twitter today. Many prizes are available for those who donate to organizations supporting Aleppo/Syria. We’re giving away query/first chapter critiques today on Twitter. Check out Dana Levy’s post here! Please share the news! Continue reading #KidLitforAleppo