Wulf Moon's SUPER SECRETS Workshop & Challenge!

@jadeankh This might be what you're looking for here: https://writersofthefuture.com/forum/writing-craft-talent-technique/experimenting-with-exercises-from-wulfs-super-secrets/

Posted by: @ccrawford

@jadeankh This might be what you're looking for here: https://writersofthefuture.com/forum/writing-craft-talent-technique/experimenting-with-exercises-from-wulfs-super-secrets/

Thanks! You got to that before I did. The thread above is the perfect spot to post any exercises you are working on that you want feedback for. I and others did quite a few KYDs and some dialogue exercises in there and the feedback really helped.

That’s one thing I love about this forum. The positive feedback that shows how to improve in an uplifting manner. Try it out!

@jadeankh Looks like some of the Super Secrets Workshop members have already helped you out, jadeankh. Thanks for understanding! That makes YOU one of the cool kids! 

You don't have to be in the current year's workshop to benefit. I quit counting at a hundred emails and messages from people this thread has helped, some not even from the Forum! Smart practice equals fast growth. Apply what you learn, keep writing, keep sending, and watch your certificate ranks soar, like they have for so many that did the work here and became published writers and Contest winners. Many alumni now have pro careers. We all start from humble beginnings and work our way up. I wrote the Super Secrets to ease the pain by giving you good guidance so that you'd spend less time striking the air, and more time hitting the target. When you hit the target consistently, then it's just repeated effort and fine tuning to narrow in on that bullseye. You'll hit the mark.

The books are coming. The Secrets will be a lot easier to read in a book! I'm launching the Kickstarter at my booth at Salt Lake FanX, September 22nd - 24th. They invited me out, so it seemed the perfect time. And I'm creating a special TOP SECRET release for FanX, which will be available after as well. You guys are going to love it! 

Stay tuned! And I do hope you'll sign up for my monthly newsletter so you can get the latest updates. Great prize giveaways each month as well.

http://thesupersecrets.com

Best of success to you and to all that are striving to improve their craft so that their stories can be published and read.

All the best!

Wulf Moon

Here's a present for all of you! The award-winning 24-hour story I wrote at the Writers of the Future workshop, published in THINGS WITH FEATHERS: STORIES OF HOPE by Third Flatiron. I was hired to do the voice-over. Free to listen, just click the link!

Here's the review in SFCrowsnest: "‘Sophie’s Parisian Stationery & Parfumerie Magnifique’ by Wulf Moon was damn good, too. Machines have killed most humans but one bad guy left, with a shotgun, moseys into Hollywood and attacks the AI run shops and entertainment venues that are still there. All they want is to please customers. An original idea and well-handled."

Come hear what I sweat bullets to write under the gun in Hollywood in twenty-four hours!

Podcasts | Third_Flatiron (thirdflatiron.com)

Time to change my signature again. A SHM, which doesn't surprise me. I knew the moment I submitted that there were things I could have improved. LOL 

Thanks Moon @wulfmoon for your super secrets!!! It's made a difference in my writing for sure. And finally, a visible sign that my writing is improving... HM for my Q2 story. It's a modest step on my ladder, but significant to me.

C’mon, Challenge beasties. We’ve had a few check in with results, and they’re wonderful, but I’m aware there’s many more in this workshop. Fall in and sound off! ?

Beastmaster Moon

HM for me in Qtr 2. Onto the next one! 

I won! Third place with an entry that Jodi called 'a really funny story.' (I may have giggled when I heard that. I made Jodi Lynn Nye laugh!)

Thank you @wulfmoon for your mentorship. You, the Super Secrets, and the Wulf Pack Writing Group are the primary reason I grew from enthusiastic amateur to award-winning author (wow, that title feels strange!). I've told you this but thought I'd share how I got here with our Challenge Beasties:

18 months. That's how long I've been entering Writers of the Future. I found Moon's Super Secrets on the WotF forum after my first entry in March 2021. That story earned an HM, but Moon kindly declined my request to join his annual challenge. Need an SHM or above, buddy.

Oh, really? Challenge accepted. 

I dug into the Super Secrets, read the thread (120 pages at that point), applied myself through smart practice, wrote six KYDs in 30 days, and took Moon's KYD Masterclass. My first published story came out of that Masterclass. 

That paid KYD Masterclass granted me access to the Wulf Pack Writing Group (on Discord separate from the WotF forum), which changed my writing forever. The Writers of the Future is an amazing writing community and I love being part of it. The Wulf Pack is my writing family. Together we are greater than the sum of our parts.

I got another HM then an SHM and joined Moon's Volume 39 annual challenge.

Challenge completed.

I was humbled when Moon asked me to be Keeper of Records.

More smart practice, attended Moon's Winning Stories Masterclass at Fyrecon-online (Attend Fyrecon! It's amazing!), and I started to find my writer's voice. Humor: described by many as the hardest voice to write well. Unlikely to win WotF.

I got another HM. Not a step back, just a reminder. Write fresh, don't revise and resubmit.

January 2022 was pivotal. DreamForge Magazine accepted my first story. I had my last working day in the Army (meaning my heart committed itself completely to writing, though my mind yelled 'get a real job!'). Jody Lynn Nye (a humorist) became WotF coordinating judge.

I found my voice, my passion. Snarky, funny, heartfelt. I wrote my winner. Moon and the Wulf Pack helped polish it, I submitted, and moved to the next story. That one sold. And the next.

And then, three months and nine days after I hit submit, my phone rang.

Study Wulf Moon's Super Secrets. They work.

I think I posted it in a separate thread, but a HM for me.

SHM for me.

Posted by: @physa

Thanks Moon @wulfmoon for your super secrets!!! It's made a difference in my writing for sure. And finally, a visible sign that my writing is improving... HM for my Q2 story. It's a modest step on my ladder, but significant to me.

It's an AWESOME step, Amy! You worked so hard for this! I know how much you wanted your first HM! And now, you've done it! That's a level-up moment, and you should be proud. We are.

Congratulations!

Beastmaster Moon

Posted by: @wulfmoon

Posted by: @physa

Thanks Moon @wulfmoon for your super secrets!!! It's made a difference in my writing for sure. And finally, a visible sign that my writing is improving... HM for my Q2 story. It's a modest step on my ladder, but significant to me.

It's an AWESOME step, Amy! You worked so hard for this! I know how much you wanted your first HM! And now, you've done it! That's a level-up moment, and you should be proud. We are.

Congratulations!

Beastmaster Moon

Thanks Moon! My next goal will be to get a SHM... But I'll be happy to collect more HMs.  

@physa love seeing that HM in your signature line!!!!  

Posted by: @crlisle

@physa love seeing that HM in your signature line!!!!  

@crlisle thanks so much for your continuing encouragement and for mentoring me! It means a lot! Fingers crossed for your Q3!!!!!

I just had another acceptance! This story went from idea to submitted in three days--a new record for me. Wonderbirds Press, edited by WotF Volume 38 winner Mike Jack Stoumbos, accepted my story "Felix and the Flamingo" for its debut anthology: Murderbirds!

More details when the Kickstarter launches in the next few weeks!

Posted by: @lost_bard

I just had another acceptance! This story went from idea to submitted in three days--a new record for me. Wonderbirds Press, edited by WotF Volume 38 winner Mike Jack Stoumbos, accepted my story "Felix and the Flamingo" for its debut anthology: Murderbirds!

More details when the Kickstarter launches in the next few weeks!

Yay! I made it into the Murderbirds! anthology as well! I debated submitting but had an idea that nagged at my brain and wouldn't take no for an answer. Ended up writing "Blood on the Wing" in two days. Get your stories out there, release your krakens! Excited for this Kickstarter launch!

Posted by: @jennyperrycarr

Posted by: @lost_bard

I just had another acceptance! This story went from idea to submitted in three days--a new record for me. Wonderbirds Press, edited by WotF Volume 38 winner Mike Jack Stoumbos, accepted my story "Felix and the Flamingo" for its debut anthology: Murderbirds!

More details when the Kickstarter launches in the next few weeks!

Yay! I made it into the Murderbirds! anthology as well! I debated submitting but had an idea that nagged at my brain and wouldn't take no for an answer. Ended up writing "Blood on the Wing" in two days. Get your stories out there, release your krakens! Excited for this Kickstarter launch!

I'm glad to share a TOC with you both! "The Fat Guy's Gotta Die!" has been accepted for Murderbirds!

@martin-l-shoemaker Woohoo! This anthology is going to be amazing!

Posted by: @martin-l-shoemaker

I'm glad to share a TOC with you both! "The Fat Guy's Gotta Die!" has been accepted for Murderbirds!

Fantastic!

Posted by: @martin-l-shoemaker

I'm glad to share a TOC with you both! "The Fat Guy's Gotta Die!" has been accepted for Murderbirds!

Congratulations!

Posted by: @jennyperrycarr

Yay! I made it into the Murderbirds! anthology as well! I debated submitting but had an idea that nagged at my brain and wouldn't take no for an answer. Ended up writing "Blood on the Wing" in two days. Get your stories out there, release your krakens! Excited for this Kickstarter launch!

Congratulations to you too! Yay!  

Posted by: @martin-l-shoemaker

Posted by: @jennyperrycarr

Posted by: @lost_bard

I just had another acceptance! This story went from idea to submitted in three days--a new record for me. Wonderbirds Press, edited by WotF Volume 38 winner Mike Jack Stoumbos, accepted my story "Felix and the Flamingo" for its debut anthology: Murderbirds!

More details when the Kickstarter launches in the next few weeks!

Yay! I made it into the Murderbirds! anthology as well! I debated submitting but had an idea that nagged at my brain and wouldn't take no for an answer. Ended up writing "Blood on the Wing" in two days. Get your stories out there, release your krakens! Excited for this Kickstarter launch!

I'm glad to share a TOC with you both! "The Fat Guy's Gotta Die!" has been accepted for Murderbirds!

And with me, no awkward third wheel! "Forget-Me-Not and Morning Dew" has also been accepted for the anthology.

Wow, look at all you murderous avians go!

Congrats to all with your acceptances  

@physa 

I did notice that, Amy. Really glad for you!
I'll bet it felt good putting that HM in your signature. 

That makes four of us. My story "His Glowing Feathers" made it into the Murderbirds anthology ? 

Posted by: @scott_m_sands

@physa 

I did notice that, Amy. Really glad for you!
I'll bet it felt good putting that HM in your signature. 

Yes, yes it did. Obtaining HM has been a long in coming dream of mine. Thanks so much! Keeping my fingers crossed for my Q3 which I feel is a stronger piece (and your critique on that one was very helpful). Still working my way through what will be my Q4 piece. I've spent more of my time on a digital art piece for IOTF Q4 than I have on writing the past week or so. Need to get back into the writing groove...

Congratulations to all the Super Secret Challenge Members! Your list of honors this month are amazing!

Writers of the Future, 2^nd Quarter, Volume 39:

Winner-3^rd Place: @lost_bard

Silver Honorable Mention: @empressed

Silver Honorable Mention: @linardos

Silver Honorable Mention: @scribblesatdusk

Honorable Mention: @scott_m_sands

Honorable Mention: @jarrodkwilliams

Honorable Mention: @physa

Honorable Mention: @jennyperrycarr

But that’s not all. @wulfmoon challenged these challenge beasties privately for a short-notice writing requirement to fill the Murderbirds! Anthology edited by Writers of the Future winner (Volume 38) Mike Jack Stoumbos.

The challenge beasties met that call. Many wrote, critiqued, polished, and submitted fresh stories within as little as three days. Others already had stories that fit the call perfectly--stories crafted through careful application of the Super Secrets—and submitted within hours of the call.

These four challenge beasties were accepted:

@linardos with “His Glowing Feathers”

@jennyperrycarr with “Blood on the Wing”

@scribblesatdusk with “Forget-Me-Not and Morning Dew”

@lost_bard with “Felix and the Flamingo”

But wait…that’s still not all.

In the past two weeks, these hard-working challenge beasties have also reported more acceptances at professional markets. Not all have posted those publicly, so I will not steal their thunder. But watch closely. Their stories are coming soon!

@lost_bard Thank you for posting all of this, Keeper of Records! The WotF Q2 results for this Year 4 Super Secrets Workshop group are nothing short of amazing! It shows how diligent work based on solid principles pays off! For Q2, four Honorable Mentions, three Silver HMs, and one Finalist that became a winner in Writers of the Future? From one tiny writing group? Many of these certificates and the award in Q2 represent a level up moment for the writer! The proof is in the pudding, year after year. You Challenge Beasties in the Super Secrets Workshop ROCK!

Of course, we must give special commendation to our Keeper of Records, Lost Bard or David Hankins, who took THIRD PLACE IN WRITERS OF THE FUTURE Q2 VOL. 39! CONGRATULATIONS, DAVID! YOU DID IT, AND IN RECORD TIME! SEE YOU IN HOLLYWOOD!

Additional commendations go out to those that took up my private crazy challenge to write stories in three days to submit to the Murderbirds anthology short-term additional call! Four of you were accepted in an anthology filled with prestigious winners from Writers of the Future, including four prior alumni from this Super Secrets Workshop! But you guys only had three days to get the job done! See how meeting the challenge requirements of this workshop have paid off? I'm sorry I couldn't lead the charge this time--I had a workshop to teach--but I'm happy all of you grabbed the bull by the horns and got the job done. WELL DONE!

There's still two quarters to go in results in WotF Vol. 39 from you Year 4 Challenge Beasties! We've had many winners since I started this workshop, but David is our first for this challenge year. But judging by these results from when you were barely a half year in, we can expect more good news to come in Q3 and Q4! 

Keep up the fantastic work! You are agents of your own destiny!

Keep riding that wave!

Beastmaster Moon

And here's your Monday prompt!

KILLER WAVE!

Broaden your minds. There are all kinds of waves, doesn't have to be by water. Have at it!