Wendy Tokunaga
@wendytokunaga.bsky.social
Writer; Editor; Teacher @ Stanford's Novel Writing Certificate Program; Author of BRENDA BARKER'S NEXT CHAPTER (Blydyn Square Books, Feb 2026), MIDORI BY MOONLIGHT, LOVE IN TRANSLATION and more. MFA from USF. Award-winning cat servant.
WendyTokunaga.com
WendyTokunaga.com
Most first drafts are unsatisfactory and that's the point. Before you can fix something, you have to get something down on the page. Then you can move forward and revise. #writing #writingtips #revision #writingcommunity
December 4, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Most first drafts are unsatisfactory and that's the point. Before you can fix something, you have to get something down on the page. Then you can move forward and revise. #writing #writingtips #revision #writingcommunity
"Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits." — Twyla Tharp
#writing #creativity #quotes #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #creativity #quotes #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
December 4, 2025 at 4:45 PM
"Creativity is a habit, and the best creativity is a result of good work habits." — Twyla Tharp
#writing #creativity #quotes #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #creativity #quotes #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
When Your Friends Won't Let You Into Their Writers' Group: lithub.com/my-friends-w...
#writing #writinggroups #critiquegroups #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #writinggroups #critiquegroups #writinglife #writingcommunity
December 4, 2025 at 4:30 PM
When Your Friends Won't Let You Into Their Writers' Group: lithub.com/my-friends-w...
#writing #writinggroups #critiquegroups #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #writinggroups #critiquegroups #writinglife #writingcommunity
"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral." — Antoine de St. Exupery
#writing #quotes #creativity #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #quotes #creativity #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
December 4, 2025 at 4:15 PM
"A rock pile ceases to be a rock pile the moment a single man contemplates it, bearing within him the image of a cathedral." — Antoine de St. Exupery
#writing #quotes #creativity #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #quotes #creativity #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
The Scoop on Pay-to-Play Book Awards: janefriedman.com/my-brush-wit...
#writing #contests #awards #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #contests #awards #writinglife #writingcommunity
December 4, 2025 at 4:00 PM
The Scoop on Pay-to-Play Book Awards: janefriedman.com/my-brush-wit...
#writing #contests #awards #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #contests #awards #writinglife #writingcommunity
"Have pity on those who are fearful of taking up a pen, or a paintbrush, or an instrument, or a tool because they are afraid that someone has already done so better than they could..." — Paulo Coelho
#writing #writinglife #BrendaBarker #creativity #writingcommunity
#writing #writinglife #BrendaBarker #creativity #writingcommunity
December 3, 2025 at 5:01 PM
"Have pity on those who are fearful of taking up a pen, or a paintbrush, or an instrument, or a tool because they are afraid that someone has already done so better than they could..." — Paulo Coelho
#writing #writinglife #BrendaBarker #creativity #writingcommunity
#writing #writinglife #BrendaBarker #creativity #writingcommunity
It's almost always the best practice to cut from your story the parts you've put in simply because you want to impress your reader. Resist standing on the corner of grandiosity and pretentiousness. #writing #writingtips #editing #writingcommunity
December 3, 2025 at 4:45 PM
It's almost always the best practice to cut from your story the parts you've put in simply because you want to impress your reader. Resist standing on the corner of grandiosity and pretentiousness. #writing #writingtips #editing #writingcommunity
The Case for Shrinking Your Novel: janefriedman.com/the-case-for...
#writing #novels #editing #writingcommunity
#writing #novels #editing #writingcommunity
December 3, 2025 at 4:30 PM
The Case for Shrinking Your Novel: janefriedman.com/the-case-for...
#writing #novels #editing #writingcommunity
#writing #novels #editing #writingcommunity
"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original." — Ken Robinson
#writing #creativity #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #creativity #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
December 3, 2025 at 4:15 PM
"If you're not prepared to be wrong, you'll never come up with anything original." — Ken Robinson
#writing #creativity #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
#writing #creativity #BrendaBarker #writinglife #writingcommunity
Deck Your Draft To Make Your Story Sparkle: writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/deck...
#writing #editing #revision #writingcommunity
#writing #editing #revision #writingcommunity
December 3, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Deck Your Draft To Make Your Story Sparkle: writersinthestormblog.com/2025/12/deck...
#writing #editing #revision #writingcommunity
#writing #editing #revision #writingcommunity
"If there’s ever a problem, I film it and it’s no longer a problem. It’s a film." — Andy Warhol
#writing #writinglife #creativity #film #quotes #writingcommunity
#writing #writinglife #creativity #film #quotes #writingcommunity
December 2, 2025 at 5:06 PM
"If there’s ever a problem, I film it and it’s no longer a problem. It’s a film." — Andy Warhol
#writing #writinglife #creativity #film #quotes #writingcommunity
#writing #writinglife #creativity #film #quotes #writingcommunity
Blank Pages and Blinking Cursors: Why Are Openings So Hard? writerunboxed.com/2025/07/28/b... #writing #writingtips #writingcommunity
December 2, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Blank Pages and Blinking Cursors: Why Are Openings So Hard? writerunboxed.com/2025/07/28/b... #writing #writingtips #writingcommunity
"To create one’s own world in any of the arts takes courage." — Georgia O’Keeffe
#writing #quotes #writinglife #creativity #writingcommunity #BrendaBarker
#writing #quotes #writinglife #creativity #writingcommunity #BrendaBarker
December 2, 2025 at 4:30 PM
"To create one’s own world in any of the arts takes courage." — Georgia O’Keeffe
#writing #quotes #writinglife #creativity #writingcommunity #BrendaBarker
#writing #quotes #writinglife #creativity #writingcommunity #BrendaBarker
Brenda Barker's Next Chapter: "A delightful satire of writers’ conferences, packed with literary hopes, dashed dreams, writers behaving badly, and good pinot." — Michelle Richmond, Author of The Marriage Pact. Pre-order here: www.wendytokunaga.com
#novels #writingcommunity #booksky #publishing
#novels #writingcommunity #booksky #publishing
December 2, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Brenda Barker's Next Chapter: "A delightful satire of writers’ conferences, packed with literary hopes, dashed dreams, writers behaving badly, and good pinot." — Michelle Richmond, Author of The Marriage Pact. Pre-order here: www.wendytokunaga.com
#novels #writingcommunity #booksky #publishing
#novels #writingcommunity #booksky #publishing
Is Getting Published the Hardest it's Ever Been? writerunboxed.com/2025/12/01/i...
[Good question!]
#writing #writinglife #publishing #writingcommunity
[Good question!]
#writing #writinglife #publishing #writingcommunity
December 2, 2025 at 4:01 PM
Is Getting Published the Hardest it's Ever Been? writerunboxed.com/2025/12/01/i...
[Good question!]
#writing #writinglife #publishing #writingcommunity
[Good question!]
#writing #writinglife #publishing #writingcommunity
Beautiful day for wine tasting at Alfaro Family Vineyards in Corralitos, California.
#writinglife #wine #wineries #writingcommunity
#writinglife #wine #wineries #writingcommunity
November 30, 2025 at 12:42 AM
Beautiful day for wine tasting at Alfaro Family Vineyards in Corralitos, California.
#writinglife #wine #wineries #writingcommunity
#writinglife #wine #wineries #writingcommunity
November 27, 2025 at 4:08 PM
"A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe." — Madeleine L'Engle #amreading #books #quotes #writers #writingcommunity
November 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
"A book, too, can be a star, a living fire to lighten the darkness, leading out into the expanding universe." — Madeleine L'Engle #amreading #books #quotes #writers #writingcommunity
Blank Pages and Blinking Cursors: Why Are Openings So Hard? writerunboxed.com/2025/07/28/b... #writing #writingtips #writingcommunity
November 26, 2025 at 4:45 PM
Blank Pages and Blinking Cursors: Why Are Openings So Hard? writerunboxed.com/2025/07/28/b... #writing #writingtips #writingcommunity
Revising the sentence structure in your scenes can add tension. Consider replacing adverbs and adjectives that bog down the pace. Cut as much flab as you can. Experiment with varying sentence lengths to give the scene more of a punch. #amwriting #writingtips #writingcommunity
November 26, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Revising the sentence structure in your scenes can add tension. Consider replacing adverbs and adjectives that bog down the pace. Cut as much flab as you can. Experiment with varying sentence lengths to give the scene more of a punch. #amwriting #writingtips #writingcommunity
“A scene without conflict is a scene without tension... which is to say, a scene that gives us no reason to read it.” — Chuck Wendig
#writing #writingtips #tension #quotes #writingcommunity
#writing #writingtips #tension #quotes #writingcommunity
November 26, 2025 at 4:15 PM
“A scene without conflict is a scene without tension... which is to say, a scene that gives us no reason to read it.” — Chuck Wendig
#writing #writingtips #tension #quotes #writingcommunity
#writing #writingtips #tension #quotes #writingcommunity
Prologues that Work and Why: janefriedman.com/prologues-th...
#writing #novels #writingtips #prologues #writingcommunity
#writing #novels #writingtips #prologues #writingcommunity
November 26, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Prologues that Work and Why: janefriedman.com/prologues-th...
#writing #novels #writingtips #prologues #writingcommunity
#writing #novels #writingtips #prologues #writingcommunity
After watching the brilliant "Nouvelle Vague" on Netflix, I looked up Jean Seberg and found this lovely photo of her at the 1958 Golden Globes, where she won Best Female Newcomer and was accompanied by her cat Minou.
#Caturday #cats #writing #film #writingcommunity
#Caturday #cats #writing #film #writingcommunity
November 25, 2025 at 5:00 PM
After watching the brilliant "Nouvelle Vague" on Netflix, I looked up Jean Seberg and found this lovely photo of her at the 1958 Golden Globes, where she won Best Female Newcomer and was accompanied by her cat Minou.
#Caturday #cats #writing #film #writingcommunity
#Caturday #cats #writing #film #writingcommunity
“If something inside of you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and it will probably be universal. So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work.” — Anne Lamott
#writing #quotes #emotion #writingcommunity
#writing #quotes #emotion #writingcommunity
November 25, 2025 at 4:45 PM
“If something inside of you is real, we will probably find it interesting, and it will probably be universal. So you must risk placing real emotion at the center of your work.” — Anne Lamott
#writing #quotes #emotion #writingcommunity
#writing #quotes #emotion #writingcommunity
Brenda Barker's Next Chapter Pre-order: tinyurl.com/3yma47m7 "A delightful satire of writers’ conferences, packed with literary hopes, dashed dreams, writers behaving badly, and good pinot." — Michelle Richmond, Author of The Marriage Pact.
#booksky #writingcommunity
#booksky #writingcommunity
November 25, 2025 at 4:30 PM
Brenda Barker's Next Chapter Pre-order: tinyurl.com/3yma47m7 "A delightful satire of writers’ conferences, packed with literary hopes, dashed dreams, writers behaving badly, and good pinot." — Michelle Richmond, Author of The Marriage Pact.
#booksky #writingcommunity
#booksky #writingcommunity