I’ve never really been one for writing prompts. Like everyone else, I am busy, and so have always felt the writing time I had needed to be as productive as humanly possible. If I wasn’t adding to my word count, I was wasting time. It will probably come as no surprise to those of you who have been writing for a while that I got … Continue reading Why You Need to Try Writing Prompts
I am not a morning person. At least, I didn’t use to be. But I need a daily writing routine and morning is the best time for me to do it. A lot of writers participate in #5amwritersclub on Twitter. I’m taking baby steps toward that, but to be honest, I think I need to start my own #6amwritersclub because, well, mornings. Bleh. I started … Continue reading Creating a Daily Writing Routine
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
Writing Historical Fiction, or, Notes from a Time Traveler For years I was haunted by a dream of a young woman walking through long grass. I couldn’t see her face, but I could hear her breathing hard, because she wore a corset and the hem of her brocade dress was damp and heavy. She carried a letter in her hand as she made her way … Continue reading Writing Historical Fiction, or, Notes from a Time Traveler
Can the right clothes inspire writers? In a word, yes. My Winged Pen fellow, Michelle Leonard, pointed me to this article about how clothes affect our performance. Get your red sneakers now before there’s a run on them! So what do productive writers wear? Lucky socks? Writer’s baseball cap? NaNoWrimo Winner t-shirt? I once had a beloved writing sweater with a monk-like cowl with pom-pom … Continue reading Up Your Game with the Write Fashions from THE WINGED PEN
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
Fellow writers! Worried your opening lines are going to make your reader feel like this? Or worse yet, like this? When it comes to hooking an agent or editor, the stakes are even higher. At a recent SCBWI (Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators) conference Stacey Barney (Senior Editor at Penguin/Putnam) said she knows on the first page if she’s going to sign a … Continue reading Welcome to 8 on Eight!
What makes a writer a writer? I’ve heard, and I’m sure you have too, the mantra that if you write, you’re a writer. That’s true, so far as it goes. The work doesn’t do itself. You can have Pulitzer-prize-winning, banned bestsellers coming out your ears, but if they stay there (between your ears) then they’re not going to do anyone much good. The story must meet the … Continue reading The Road to Writer
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
