I love character motivation! When done right, it gives stories depth and texture and makes the characters seem like real people. I also hate character motivation! Sometimes I just want to get my characters from point A to point B in my story without having to worry about why. But if you want to write books with characters that people hate to part with, then … Continue reading Untangling Your Characters
Today I am THRILLED, THRILLED, THRILLED, to tell you about summer school! WHAAAT? Summer school? Yep. Summer school for KidLit writers. I’m proud to say that I’m a third year, so I know my way around. I can tell you what to do if you forget your homework and, even better, how to win prizes. Yep, I won a nice prize pack last summer, a half-dozen lovely books. … Continue reading Summer School is Cool!
When was the last time you wrote just for fun? I have to admit I haven’t for a long time. It’s hard to squeeze writing time in around the rest of life, so when I get it, I feel pressure to be productive: write the next chapter, deepen a character arc, start on revisions. Something needs to get checked off the list. So when I saw that … Continue reading Writing for Fun: Reflections on a Workshop with Jo Knowles
Fellow writers! The 8 on Eight contest window is OPEN! Q: I must have missed the announcement. What is 8 on Eight? A monthly contest that provides one lucky kidlit writer with feedback on their opening eight lines! As part of our ongoing mission to support writers, we’ll give a PB, MG, or YA writer feedback on their work from at least 8 of The Winged Pen’s contributors. … Continue reading The 8 on Eight Contest Window is Open!
When I took a behind-the-scenes poll at The Winged Pen, I wasn’t surprised to find that my writing pals divided themselves almost evenly between plotters (those who plot out their stories before they begin writing) and pantsers (those who write by the seat of their pants with little or no advanced preparation). What I wasn’t prepared for was how many longed to write with the … Continue reading Pantsers vs. Plotters: A Hybrid Approach
Ideas. Ugh. (Drops head on laptop’s keyboard, accidently hits the delete button and erases the 61,000 word WIP) There is a lot of pressure to come up with story ideas. They can’t be just good. They have to be original. Exciting. Sellable. How does a writer do that? I struggled with that issue when I decided to take my writing seriously. How would I ever come … Continue reading Where Do Ideas Come From?
Thank you to all the brave souls who entered this month’s 8 on Eight contest! Opening your work up to feedback takes courage, and we appreciate your enthusiasm. If your name wasn’t drawn from the Triwizard cup this time around, keep an eye out for our next contest window (on May 1st). Below, we’ve posted the first 8 lines from this month’s winner, along with … Continue reading 8 on Eight Contest Feedback!
Fellow writers! The 8 on Eight contest window is OPEN! (Yes, we opened early–because we’re as excited as you are about our FIRST CONTEST!) Q: I must have missed the announcement. What is 8 on Eight? A monthly contest that provides one lucky kidlit writer with feedback on their opening eight lines! As part of our ongoing mission to support writers, we’ll give a PB, MG, or … Continue reading The 8 on Eight Submission Window is Open!
It’s been a long, rainy winter-turned-spring here in the Pacific Northwest. And I’m sick of it. Every day when I bundle up in my increasingly leaky raincoat to walk the dog, I try to remind myself that rain today means a glorious green summer. Three months from now. (Humph.) Yeah, I’m cranky. Which might be why I’ve been so delighted to stumble across two books … Continue reading Rooting for the Bad Guys
If I had a nickel for every time I’ve rewritten the first line in the book I’m currently querying, I could afford to take you out for a fancy dinner and maybe a movie. I’ll admit I’m a bit obsessive in my determination to write the perfect opening. I’ve lost plenty of sleep over it, and unfortunately it’s only the tip of the iceberg in … Continue reading Writing Killer Kid Lit First Lines
…someone says the word DUTY and you giggle like a third grader …you shamelessly wear dragon jewels! …you know more about the books your kids read than they do …you have more in common with kids than their parents …you get a paper cut and bleed coffee/tea …you day dream A LOT …you have creative ways of procrastinating like sock skating …your co-worker is a … Continue reading You know you’re a children’s writer when…
I started knitting when I was in my mid-20’s. My mother is an expert seamstress and had tried to teach me to sew, but it just never took. I couldn’t muster the patience or the exactitude necessary for sewing. (Really, I hated all the ironing. I still don’t iron, unless you count tossing things in the dryer for a few minutes.) By a strange coincidence, … Continue reading What Knitting Taught Me About Writing
