Guest posts Archives

A Girl and Her Goggles: Tips for Writing Steampunk

July 7, 2016
Student Contributor
Guest posts, Push Your Imagination, World building, Writing Tips and Tools
7 Comments

By Sarah Noé, Guest Contributor It might sound like I had all the pieces in place, all the gears turning, for a happy steampunk writing career. However, the sub-genre still held some surprises for me—surprises I want to impart to you. I hope by sharing them that steampunk will appear more accessible if you, too, have an interest in writing it.

Get to Know Mrs. S.!

What role do you play in the OYAN community? What kinds of responsibilities do you have? First of all, I'm a graphic designer. All of the materials available for purchase – workbooks, textbooks, DVD covers, logos, etc. – are designed by me. I am also responsible for the creative aspects (layout and design) of our websites.

What I Learn from Theater about Writing Characters

May 5, 2016
Student Contributor
Guest posts, Help with Characters, Push Your Imagination
2 Comments

By Irie Odessa Browning, Guest Contributor I love to act, but I’m a writer, too. One of the reasons I love acting is how it helps me develop my writing, mostly in the area of character development.

When Words Stop Coming

April 21, 2016
Student Contributor
Guest posts, Push Your Imagination, Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life
2 Comments

By Sarah Noe, Guest Contributor At the beginning of last summer, the words stopped coming. I couldn’t understand it. I loved my characters, but they came out on the page flat. My prose was clunky. The theme, which I cared about, wasn’t strong enough to hold up the struggling plot. I was devastated.

Holding On to Story as a College Writer

February 24, 2016
Student Contributor
Culture, Guest posts, Stuck? Discouraged?, The Writing Life
0 Comments

Brynn Fitzsimmons, Guest Contributor: Studying writing in college has repeatedly made me question whether I love writing enough to finish—or even like writing anymore at all. I want to share why I’ve had such a difficult time and how to avoid the discouragement I faced.