​Roller Coaster Questions—Small to Large
By Susan Marlene
 
A well-placed question is a powerful thing. It puts motion into our motivation, a rudder that directs our goals—and sweeps our readers into emotional page turning—well past their bed times. Questions add interest, stir creativity, and slip our minds into problem solving thinking sessions. How important have questions been to you during your writing experience?
Let’s consider several levels of the writing process, from planning what to write and how one makes their reader’s journey as interesting as possible. No matter the goal—to teach or entertain or a mixture of both, I believe that we will view questions with different lenses from here on in. Let’s be intentional with our questions—let’s go!
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Questions for planning what to write and where to post or sell them:

• How much time do I have to complete a project? (Article, short story, blog post or full-size book?) The time you have may change each year or season—it’s always smart to refresh planning project goals. (Plus, time is in reality short. Our lives speed quickly by so what is the BEST use of time to honor the Lord with our years, months, days, minutes?) 😊
• Even if my plan is to write novels, how would writing shorter works help me? (Earning money while I wait to write the BIG project series…possibly increasing my skills. Show that I can meet a deadline. Begin to grow my Tribe?
• What way can I improve my commitment to write? (Examples: 1/2 hour each day? Choose to write a certain amount each week, such as a chapter or just a few paragraphs? How many pages?)
• When is the best time that you have time to write?
• How can I inspire myself to write my best?

The DANGEROUS sort:

• Why don’t I write like so-in-so?
• Why am I not making a lot of money?
• Can you think of more destructive questions for writers to avoid?

What kind of questions glue our readers to our pages?

• Stirring the reader’s curious questioning without actually writing a question on the page…
• Leaving the end of a chapter without answering the why or how or will the character be okay—or a mirid of other questions (unfinished decisions or happenings)
• What type of questions are inherent to your genre? (Nonfiction and fiction?)
• What keeps you reading your genre favorites?

To Market To Market?

• Who wants what you write? Have you jotted that reader’s interests and linked those with your marketing plan?
• Again—what do you have time to do and what are you interested in using for your marketing platform. (If you chose something you dislike it will drain you of productive time and energy and joy.)
• What is the new marking reach that you think of and have never plunged into or allowed yourself time to pursue?

 
 
 
 

PENS OF PRAISE
CHRISTIAN WRITERS GROUP
April 20, 2021— Jitsi Meeting
Tuesday 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
 
 
“Roller Coaster Questions—Small to Large”
Susan Marlene will present techniques for using questions while encouraging everyone’s participation. I invite you to sharpen your writing skills along with us by using intentional and loaded questions from the smallest to the most powerful. (For planning and writing your work in progress.)
 
PROMPT: What you hiding there? Write this like a gangster to his victim! Use your personal interests and research skills in this writing offering for a page of poetry, devotion, short story, or magazine article to share at our Pens JITSI MEETING! 
 
Jitsi Meeting:
 
I’ll send the link to our Pens of Praise email list. Thank you, Susan Fink, for sharing this alternative to Zoom. All we have to do is click on the link in the Pens of Praise email. You will be asked your name. (I’ll put Susan Marlene for my name request, but you can put your first name. We have two Sues in our group. 😊) 
 
For others interested in attending our meeting, please email Susan Marlene at susanmarlenewrites@gmail.com a day before the meeting in order to be included in this Jitsi meet.
 
                       Reader inspired by excellent take-away = return reader!
                     We are a safe place to share, and Pens Meetings are free.
 
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact Becky McLafferty @ rebeccamclafferty@gmail.com or
Susan Marlene@ susanmarlenewrites@gmail.com