Worksheet #1 – Getting to Know You

On Day 1 of each online class, I ask members to share a bit of information about themselves and their work in progress (WIP).  These are ice-breaker questions to get you thinking about your WIP and your writing life.

1. What is a log line for your WIP? (one sentence description that includes title, genre, word count, character, setting, plot)
2. How would you answer the question, “What do you write?”
3. Apart from the writing you do for publication, do you journal, write morning pages, keep a diary, keep a pen pal, any other habitual personal writing?
4. Do you write more for plot than character, or vice versa, or neither/both? Would you answer the same regarding your personal reading?
5. What titles would you use as comps for your WIP? Be sure they’ve been published in the last 5 years, unless it is a retelling. (My novel is a contemporary retelling of Rebecca.)
6. What do you love most about being a writer?
7. What is the biggest challenge?
8. Are their any other writers in your family?
9. Do family and friends in your life (all, some, none) know that you write? Does anyone act as a first or beta reader for you?
10. What recent novel/book did you love?
11. What classic novel/book is your favorite?
12. Do you belong to any writing communities or organizations? What do you gain from your membership and participation?

Please note: All worksheets posted are my original work and intellectual property. I ask that you share the links on social media, and you are welcome to share the worksheets with your critique groups and writing friends with credit given. That being said, these worksheets—despite being posted on the Internet—may not be copied, distributed, or published as anyone’s work but mine. In short: sharing is good, plagiarism is bad.

 

 

 

In my homeland of Louisiana, Fat Tuesday is the traditional day to eat, party, and parade before the 40 days of quiet living ahead. I don’t practice Lent anymore, and I live pretty quietly all year ‘round, but old habits die hard. Today, I’ll eat some of the King Cake mailed to me by my mother, and tomorrow I’ll wake up as I do every day and do a writing sprint first thing in the morning. Laissez le writer’s life rouler.

For the past few years, I’ve morphed my cradle Catholicism’s Lent habit into a blog project called 40 Days of _____. I have reviewed a book by a woman each day, asked 3 questions a day, and submitted one of my stories a day. This year, after much deliberation, I’ve selected worksheets as the blog project. After years and years of teaching online and face to face workshops, I have put together enough worksheets that, if printed, could wallpaper a house. Okay, a tiny house, but still a house.

40 Days of Worksheets begins tomorrow (Wednesday). Each day, I’ll post a worksheet on some writing topic: character, plot, inspiration, structure, creativity, mystery writing, etc. It will be scattershot—you won’t do in depth work on any one topic, but you can do a little bit of work on many topics. Not all worksheets may be helpful to you. Not all may apply to your work in progress. Some will be short—a single question. Some may ask you to do a day’s work. You can put as much work into the worksheets as you need or want. This is free, optional, and intended to help. Maybe you’ll even have fun.

Unlike my classes, I won’t be providing daily feedback. I’ll post each morning and go, so you’re on your own to complete the worksheets. You are welcome to provide feedback to me in comments.

Tomorrow we begin. Saddle up, and eat your King Cakes now if you’ve got ‘em.

Ramona

Please note: All of the worksheets posted are my original work and intellectual property. I ask that you share the links on social media, and you are welcome to share the worksheets with your critique groups and writing friends with credit given. That being said, these worksheets—despite being posted on the Internet—may not be copied, distributed, or published as anyone’s work but mine. In short: sharing is good, plagiarism is bad.