Master Your Craft

MYC: Setting as a Character

Welcome to this week’s Master Your Craft post! Each Wednesday we’ll discuss prewriting and drafting a new book from the BIG IDEA to QUERYING. Last week, we continued our series on research with Notes from a Time Traveler  This week we are talking about setting, but not just as a background for your character. We’re going to look at setting as a character in itself.We move … Continue reading MYC: Setting as a Character

Writing Historical Fiction, or, Notes from a Time Traveler

Welcome to this week’s Master Your Craft post! Each Wednesday we’ll discuss prewriting and drafting a new book from the BIG IDEA to QUERYING. Last week, we continued our series with an introductory post on research. This week, we’ll share our thoughts on digging into historical research. For years I was haunted by a dream of a young woman walking through long grass. I couldn’t see her face, … Continue reading Writing Historical Fiction, or, Notes from a Time Traveler

MYC: Finding Your Voice

Welcome to this week’s Master Your Craft post! Each Wednesday we’ll discuss prewriting and drafting a new book from the BIG IDEA to QUERYING. Last week, we continued our series on character development with a warning to not let our friends write bad books!! This week we’ll tackle the ever-elusive craft of VOICE! Some of you may ask: Why is voice part of character development? Well, friend, I’m soooo … Continue reading MYC: Finding Your Voice

MYC: Friends Don’t Let Friends Write Bad Books

Welcome to this week’s Master Your Craft post! Each Wednesday we’ll discuss prewriting and drafting a new book from the BIG IDEA to QUERYING. Last week, we continued our series on character development with a Pantser’s Guide to Character Development. This week, we’ll share a method of using a long-form, messy synopsis to get early feedback from your critique partners. Because friends don’t let friends write … Continue reading MYC: Friends Don’t Let Friends Write Bad Books

Master Your Craft

MYC: Developing Supporting Characters

Welcome to this week’s Master Your Craft post! Each Wednesday we’ll  discuss prewriting and drafting a new book from the BIG IDEA to QUERYING. Last week, we covered Developing Main Characters. This week, I’ll discuss Developing Supporting Characters. The Supporting Characters’ Job The purpose of a supporting character is to add depth to the protagonist by helping the reader understand how the main character interacts with others and … Continue reading MYC: Developing Supporting Characters

Master Your Craft

MYC: Build Your Main Character

Welcome to this week’s Master Your Craft post! Each Wednesday we’ll  discuss prewriting and drafting a new book from the Big Idea to Querying. Last week, we covered the Big Idea and using Creativity to help you Create Loglines. This week, I’ll discuss Developing Main Characters. Character development is critical to your story’s success and one of your most important pre-writing activities. You can probably begin … Continue reading MYC: Build Your Main Character

Creativity to the Rescue: Finding BIG Ideas

As a piggyback to last week’s BIG IDEAS post in our Master Your Craft Series, it occurred to me that many of our readers may still be struggling with their concept not being quite BIG enough to commit months or maybe years to writing a story. Or maybe you’ve only got a small nugget of an idea. So what do you do? First let’s break … Continue reading Creativity to the Rescue: Finding BIG Ideas

Master Your Craft

Introducing Master Your Craft: A New Series by the Winged Pen

The last month has been an exciting time here at The Winged Pen as Pennies have been hard at work behind the scenes coming up with a surprise for you. Today, to coincide with Camp NaNo – the virtual writer’s retreat that helps you fit writing into your busy life – we’re excited to launch our new blog series: Master Your Craft with the Winged … Continue reading Introducing Master Your Craft: A New Series by the Winged Pen