Wulf Moon's SUPER SECRETS Workshop & Challenge!

Posted by: @glenda-thompson

↑

Excellent prompt. Addictions make a great story.

Thanks, Glenda! And welcome to the WotF Forum!💜

Posted by: @michellejdiaz

↑

Thanks, Moon! I can spin something off this for sure.

I’m certain you can, Michelle. You have the skills! Cheers!

 Speaking of Michelle Diaz!

Michelle Diaz has been a member of this Super Secrets of Writing Workshop for about three years. She's taken my masterclasses at LTUE for the last two years, and she's a member of the WotF Forum. I should mention first that she's a teenager, a senior in high school this year. Since joining us, she's received numerous honors in the WotF Contest, the highest being a WotF Finalist last year. She was awarded the Youth Scholarship by the Superstars Writing Seminar--easily valued at $1,000. She received the Golden Key honor for a story in their Western Region this year in the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards--their highest regional award! And last week Michelle was announced as one of three finalists in the Worldcon 2025 Short Story Youth Contest--a world class honor! While we hope she earns a win in the final judging, Michelle will always be a winner to us!

Congratulations, Michelle Diaz!

While I take my hat off to all of the WotF and IotF winners this year at the gala, I would be remiss if I did not mention two successful followers of the Super Secrets of Writing that won Writers of the Future, Volume 41. Congratulations to Robert "Fred" Lowell and Sandra Skalski! Three cheers to your success!

Here's the post I made to my Facebook page before the award ceremony:

Tonight, April 10th, 2025 is the Writers and Illustrators of the Future Vol. 41 award ceremony, streamed LIVE at writersofthefuture dot com. Two of my Patreon members (seen above) will be there, stepping up to that glamorous stage to receive their trophies and give their acceptance speeches: Robert “Fred” Lowell, and Sandra Skalski! The Wulf Pack Writers group is gathering in our Discord Wulf Den in a watch party to cheer them on, but we hope you’ll do the same from home tonight. It’s an incredible red carpet event with all the glamour of Hollywood. In fact, some of us call it “The Oscars of science fiction and fantasy.” When you tune in online, you’ll see why!

Fred joined the Wulf Pack Writers group a few years ago after attending the masterclasses I teach at the LTUE Seminar in Provo, Utah. He joined the annual Super Secrets Workshop and Challenge and faithfully practiced the primary exercise the group works in to advance, the KYD: Kill Your Darlings Exercise. I’m happy to say Fred was published this year in LTUE’s annual anthology–I got a signed copy from him there–and now he’s following it up with his contest win and publication in the bestselling anthology, WRITERS OF THE FUTURE VOL. 41. Way to go, Fred! YOU HAVE LIFTOFF!

While we’ll be celebrating the achievement of all of these writers and illustrators, another writer we’ll be especially cheering for is Sandra Skalski. She’s a friend from Twitter that saw my posts when I launched my HOW TO WRITE A HOWLING GOOD STORY Kickstarter and got my Illustrated workbook and Howling book before the public release. When I launched my Patreon page, she joined there as well and remains a valued member. And then last year, I saw her name on the quarterly Q1 Writers of the Future winners’ list, and lo and behold, Sandra had won First Place! I wrote to congratulate her, and this is what Sandra wrote back. Don’t worry, I asked for permission and Sandra said: “Feel free to share my thoughts. Your books truly helped me, and I refer to them often.” Here’s Sandra:

Hi Wulf

Thank you for your good wishes. And thank you especially for your wonderful books. I can’t tell you how many times I was stuck on a story and I opened one of your books and figured out the problem. I think focusing on heart’s desire was key for me. You’ve helped so many of us with your time and generosity. You rock!

I hope you’re at the workshop next year. I would love to meet you.

Thanks,

Sandy

Well, life has kept me from attending the event this year, but thanks to the live-stream, it won’t keep me from cheering both of these emerging writers on as they take the stage to celebrate their wonderful victories. Thousands enter this contest every quarter from around the world, and it truly is the greatest talent search contest for speculative fiction writers. Huge congratulations to Robert “Fred” Lowell, and Sandra Skalski! And hats off to all of tonight's winners! You worked hard for this achievement!

It's Monday, and that means it's time for your Monday KYD Writing Prompt!

Forgive me, I'm working on my Super-Duper Moongirl novel this week, so I must be brief. But I haven't forgotten I owe you a Kill Your Darlings writing prompt! Here it is:

rage against the machine

Beastmaster Moon

@wulfmoon Congratulations to Michelle.  In addition to being an amazing author, Michelle is a fantastic hand at web design and sports a magnificent work ethic. I sense fantabulous things to come from Michelle.  Watch out, World, here she comes!

@wulfmoon Thanks Moon! The Super Secrets help me win for Volume 41 and will help many of the Wulf Pack do the same! Excelsior!

Posted by: @wehlingfl

↑

@wulfmoon Thanks Moon! The Super Secrets help me win for Volume 41 and will help many of the Wulf Pack do the same! Excelsior!

We are super-duper proud of you, Fred! We first met at LTUE and I noted your dedication to learning all you could in my masterclasses taught there. You joined the writing group I founded here immediately, and you put your nose to the grindstone and did the work I assigned the annual workshop members without complaint. I also appreciated your humility in recognizing there were things you needed to master, like my Magic Sword principle, which you were working on in the very story that became your WotF winner! 

Writers of the Future will put a spotlight on you and your career like no other organization. We can’t wait to see what the future holds for you! Well done, Fred! And might I add, that was an excellent acceptance speech! Great eye contact with your audience, no notes, lots of heartfelt sincerity. Truly wonderful example for all here planning to stand on that stage to watch and study.

All the beast!

Wulf Moon 

@wulfmoon Thanks yet again, Moon. I'm *still* working on the Magic Sword thing...

@wulfmoon Thank you, Moon! 😊 I certainly couldn't have come this far with you and the Wulf Pack to help guide my writing journey. We rise as one!

Posted by: @glenda-thompson

↑

@wulfmoon Congratulations to Michelle.  In addition to being an amazing author, Michelle is a fantastic hand at web design and sports a magnificent work ethic. I sense fantabulous things to come from Michelle.  Watch out, World, here she comes!

Aw, thank you, Glenda! You were an absolute joy to work with. 😊 

It's Monday, and that means it's time for your Monday KYD Writing Prompt!

Forgive me, I'm working on my Super-Duper Moongirl novel this week (again!), so I must be brief. But I haven't forgotten I owe you a Kill Your Darlings writing prompt! Here it is:

war dance

Have at it!

If you'd like a bonus prompt with tips, I wrote a one this week that's not behind the paywall on my Patreon site. Yeah, FREE! Check it out.

All the beast!

Beastmaster Moon

It's Monday, and that means it's time for your Monday KYD Writing Prompt!

Here's a trope that has yielded big payoffs for some writers and producers:

salvaging starships

Remember: show the editors and judges something they haven't seen before. If you can turn a trope on its head and give readers unexpected thrills (think Alien and the sequel, Aliens), your story will rise in estimation. Maybe all the way to the top of the Writers of the Future Contest! 

Keep those first readers and judges on the edge of their seats! Surprise them and keep ratcheting up the tension at every turn! Boring stories get tossed, but so do melodramatic stories (oh waily, waily, waily!). Find that perfect balance that feeds the soul as it feeds out adrenaline!

Beastmaster Moon