A sprint is a timed exercise for writers, usually used to get lots of words onto the page. Today, six of our Winged Pen members give their 7 best sprinting tips. Let it fly! Laurel Decher: Chris Fox’s 5,000 Words Per Hour reminded me that it isn’t always about getting more words or the right voice. I made myself a doodle: 1. I want to … Continue reading A Winged Pen Round-Up: 7 Best Tips for Writing Sprints
During this morning’s writing session I was reflecting on how long I’ve been at this writing gig. Not in a bad way. Strictly the facts. I’ve written five middle grade novels now. It’s impressive to me when others in the arts share their struggles WITHOUT some big news to share at the end. Just the challenging points in the middle with no “but-now-I’ve-made-it” caveat. So … Continue reading My Writing Life to Date: Stay-at-Home Dad & Words
Welcome to this week’s Master Your Craft post! Each Wednesday we’ll discuss writing a new book from the BIG IDEA to QUERYING. Last year, we walked you through every step from getting the big idea through polishing your finished novel. This week, we tackle one of the most frequently asked questions in the history of the known world in your critique group and beyond: Is your manuscript query-ready? … Continue reading MYC – Six Steps to a Query-Ready Manuscript
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 talked about the Power of Metaphor. This week, we’ll discuss writing “other” characters. What is writing “Other”? It simply means writing characters that are not like yourself. Some writers are terrified to try this. If you’ve ever witnessed arguments about … Continue reading MYC: Writing “Other” with Sensitivity
Revising a novel is a form of bookkeeping. So many moving parts!! How do you keep from losing your mind? Never fear, writer friends! The Winged Pen is here! Ta daaaa! Give your revision Wings: Download the Tame Your Revision Infographic here. INVENTORY Make a scene list. Timeline Map of Major Scenes Draw, Doodle, Diagram, Index Card, Cut up Manuscript, Synopsis, Query Letter, Colored Markers. … Continue reading Tame Your Revision: 7 Tips to Finish Your Novel Before Your Battery Dies
Rebecca: The Emotion Thesaurus has had its own special place on my writing desk for so long, I had to look on Goodreads to see when I’d first read it. January 1, 2014. I’ve been using it for a while. When I first started using the book, it opened my eyes to conveying emotions through actions. Well, okay, I used the easy ones all the time. … Continue reading Write Believable Heroes, Villains, and Emotions with The Positive/Negative Trait Thesauri and The Emotion Thesaurus
