The Write Focus

3:2 / Resolve to Be a Writer

This week's episode of The Write Focus starts the year with intention.

• Set Priorities 1:25
• The Writing Life 2:15
• Writing Resolutions 2:40
• Writing Goals ~ 6 Stages of Writing 3:38
• Writing Biz Goals 7:00
• Promo Goals 8:45
• Project Schedule onto the Calendar 10:00
• SMART Goals 11:10
• Next Up 13:10
• Inspiration / Pearl Buck 13:28

This episode runs close to 15 minutes (14:51).

Welcome to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools. The New Year starts with the challenge to be a write. We ended 2021 with a manuscript, written during the fall writing challenge. Now we turn that manuscript into a document we can publish.

That’s our focus here: writing and the knowledge to solve any writing-related issues. We’re for newbies who want to become writing pros and veterans who are returning to writing after years away.

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus!

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

3:1 / Freebie Story Start / ”Godriana‘s Font” by Remi Black

January 1 falls outside the parameters by offering a freebie. 

We have as a special freebie the Introduction to "Godriana's Font" by Remi Black, part of the Fae Mark'd World series.

Dark Fae care nothing for human wants and desires.

Sharp-clawed monsters view humans as prey.

How can the mentor Lilias build noblesse oblige in an insouciant Fae?

Click here for the episode. Story Start @ 1:35

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus!

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  .

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps. You can make a difference.)

2:76 / Gifts for Writers / Fall Writing Challenge

Welcome to the Gifts for Writers episode of The Write Focus.

What are the best gifts for writers? Mont Blanc pens? No, too personal. Bookcases? No, impossible to wrap. Cute and quaint desk supplies? No, too practical. An inspirational plaque? No, too consumerism. Maybe a pedometer to make them health-conscious? No, stop nagging.

The Focus offers the three best categories of gifts for writers; it’s up to you the gift-giver to determine the specific gift.

These may be impossible to wrap and shove under the Christmas tree, but the writer will thank you for months on end.

• 01:18 = We start with the November Novel Writing Challenge check-in.
• 05:12 = Gratitude Giveaway
• 06:05 = Picking Gifts for Writers
• 08:35 = A Gift that Touches the Heart
• 10:11 = A Gift that Inspires the Soul
• 11:00 = A Gift that Motivates the Brain
• 12:43 = Next Week & Inspiration

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus!

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  . 

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps.)

2:75 /5 Writing Crimes to Avoid / November Writing Challenge

Welcome to The Write Focus, a weekly podcast for writers, whether newbies, veterans, or 'tweenies.

Wrapping up our Miscellany for the November Writing Challenge, our focus this week is 5 Writing Crimes to Avoid.

1^st, we check in on the November Writing Challenge.

2^nd, we celebrate our 75^th episode for 2021. That 75 episodes by the last of November comes from our weekly podcast as well as the daily April Podcast Challenge. Look for another podcast challenge in 2022, maybe in April or maybe the Dog Days of August Podcast Challenge.

3rd, we have a Gratitude Giveaway. Listen to the podcast for the rules and guidelines.

5 Writing Crimes to Avoid

• Signaling :: 4:54
• Window Dressing :: 6:39
• Boring Details :: 8:40
• Lack of Continuity :: 10:21
• Head-Hopping :: 12:03

Next Week & Inspiration :: 15:43

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus.

Our focus is productivity, process, craft, and tools. October is Preptober for November’s National Novel Writing Month, known commonly as NaNoWriMo. December will focus on Gifts for Writers.

Launching into 2022, we'll briefly talk about planning then focus on the steps needed to turn November’s rough draft into a publishable work.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  . 

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps.)

2:74 / November Writing Challenge part 3 /3 Films Every Writer Should Study

What's a quick way for writers to study the elements of story? No, it's not reading and discussing novels. It's studying film! Yes, movies!

First in this episode, we check-in with the November Writing Challenge.

Topics in this episode include A] why do we study through films, B] what are the elements of story to study, and C] how do we know which films to study.

Films to choose ~ any that are popular, either in book or film for, but hopefully in both forms ~

* We recommend Jane Austen's Persuasion, with Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, better at presenting interior character stresses and desires.

• The dance
• characters we love to hate
• the motif of travel

*Our second recommendation is Last of the Mohicans, with Daniel Day Lewis.

• conflict with Magua, with his goals, motivations, and desires revealed scene by scene
• the foil to Nathaniel
• Redemption of a character

*Our third recommendation is 13th Warrior, a flawed film that still manages to teach lessons for writers.

• the importance of a logical progression of events
• the story arc of Stranger in a Strange Land
• mentors
• theme of Deception

Finally, we give the nuts and bolts of how to study films.

From now to December 5, write winkbooks@aol.com. The first five listeners to respond will receive a free planner: the Think/Pro planner for writers. It helps with daily word count and project planning. We need your name and mailing address. We won't collect any of your information. The planner is our gift to you, part of our anniversary celebration, Thanksgiving celebration, and Christmas gifting!

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  . 

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps.)

2:73 / November Writing Challenge pt 2 / 3 Essential Tools for Writers

What are the 3 essential tools for writers? No, it's not sticky notes ~ although I couldn't live without them. It's not writing software ~ although many people swear by their favorite software and hardware. The 3 Essential Tools are not the usual suspects. They are, however, like Mighty Mouse because they come to "save the day" and our writing business.

This week's episode begins with a check-in for November's writing challenge. Then it's on to our essential tools.

The 1st is boring and requires you make a new habit as well as no longer consider IT geeks as gods. The key is to remember that our writing projects are Intellectual Property.

The 2nd tool requires Promethean thinking one day of every week ... and sticking to it. We work SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound.

3rd focuses our whole writing business and keeps it front and center. Multi-taskers find this tool essential to keep everything moving toward success ... and to help us pick up the pieces when our writing walls come crashing down.

As always, thanks for listening to The Write Focus.

Show notes and a resource list can be found at www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com. Write to us with questions, comments, and speculations at winkbooks@aol.com.

When you find worth in a podcast episode, please share with your writing friends or write a review. We don't have the ads budget that the big peeps do; we are small beans here.

Have a great writing day!

2:72 / November Writing Challenge, part 1 / 4 Recommended Books for Writers

In this episode: we check in with the November Writing Challenge.

2nd, our main focus: 4 Books Recommended for Every Writer's Reference Shelf

We present the book's purpose and the reasons we recommend it, and how it will change your writing life.

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus.

For comments, questions, and speculations, write to us at winkbooks@aol.com

Resources and links may be found at www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps.)

 

2:71 / PrepToBer part 3 / The Write Focus

It’s the final week for PrepToBer, prepwork and motivation for the National Novel Writing Month, November. Our fall writing challenge.

Prepwork includes Secondary and Tertiary Characters.

Secondaries: The link takes you to the July 28 episode of our summer series on writing craft. https://eden5695.podbean.com/e/258-envisioning-d-discovering-your-novel/?token=380864294b09b5a7ec1144e0b3763e77

For the third-level characters, use this link for August 4: https://eden5695.podbean.com/e/259-envisioning-e-discovering-your-novel/?token=703cd03aab5ae3941a6ae9ed8b906d15

Motivation from M.A. Lee is the final part (2) of “13 Steps for Dancing to be a Writer.”

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools. October is Preptober for November’s National Novel Writing Month, known commonly as NaNoWriMo. December will include the steps needed to turn November’s rough draft into a publishable work.

That’s our focus here: inspirations to keep you writing and knowledge to solve your writing issues along with guidance through the publishing process. We’re for newbies who want to become writing pros and veterans who are returning to writing after years ago.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  . 

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps.)

 

2:70 / PrepToBer part 2 / 13 Steps for Dancing, part 1

This week’s episode continues PrepToBer, the prep work for the National Novel Writing Month in November for the greatest worldwide writing challenge, 50,000 words in 30 days.

October contains the intense prep work because November is writing only.

We have the prep for this week with links to the appropriate episodes from our summer series on the writing craft.

Envisioning B https://eden5695.podbean.com/e/256-envisioning-b-discovering-your-novel/?token=232cf6da3539468700b1568a76bc3602

Envisioning C https://eden5695.podbean.com/e/257-envisioning-c-discovering-your-novel/?token=3cc70d54b1165afed6c89220c8190144

Writing Motivation, to keep you plugging through this month of hard creativity, is part 1 of M.A. Lee’s “13 Steps for Dancing to be a Writer".

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus.

Welcome to the Fall Writing Challenge from The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools. October is Preptober for November’s National Novel Writing Month, known commonly as NaNoWriMo. December will include the steps needed to turn November’s rough draft into a publishable work.

That’s our focus here: inspirations to keep you writing and knowledge to solve your writing issues along with guidance through the publishing process. We’re for newbies who want to become writing pros and veterans who are returning to writing after years ago.

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  . 

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps.)

 

2:69 / PrepToBer I / Fall Writing Challenge

It’s PrepToBer, preparation throughout October for the National Novel Writing Month in November, the biggest writing challenge in the world.

Don’t be left out when all your writing friends are sprinting and tracking words.

October handles all the PrepWork because November is writing only, 1667 words per day to reach the goal of 50,000 drafted words.

What do we do in this week as preparation?

• We need to develop our situation, our primary characters and their conflicts.
• We also need to set the guiding theme that will become our teaser.
• Finally, we need to develop the 7 Major Scenes that every novel needs.

Our work this week will alter a bit—and sometimes greatly as we actually draft the novel. Reference the links below to previous TWF episodes that delve more deeply into this work. The episodes are part of our summer series on craft, Discovering Your Novel.

The majority of this episode offers writing inspiration from Remi Black, entitled “Into the Labyrinth”. It plays with the metaphor of a string unrolled by Theseus when he confronted the minotaur. We writers, of course, are Theseus, the minotaur is our writing projects to conquer, and the strings are our methods to tackle our project.

Welcome to the Fall Writing Challenge from The Write Focus. We focus on productivity, process, craft, and tools. October is Preptober for November’s National Novel Writing Month, known commonly as NaNoWriMo. December will include the steps needed to turn November’s rough draft into a publishable work.

That’s our focus here: inspirations to keep you writing and knowledge to solve your writing issues along with guidance through the publishing process. We’re for newbies who want to become writing pros and veterans who are returning to writing after years ago.

Thanks for listening to The Write Focus!

For more links and resources, visit www.thewritefocus.blogspot.com  . 

Write to us at winkbooks@aol.com.

If you find value in this podcast, please share with your writing friends or write a review. (We’re small beans. We don’t have the advertising budget of the big peeps.)