Riley Adams's Blog, page 103
May 28, 2016
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
A weekly roundup of the best writing links from around the web.
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
Thanks to those heroes who sacrificed their lives in military service. I’ll be away tomorrow for Memorial Day but back on the blog on Friday.
Infinite Complexity: On Translating David Foster Wallace into Greek: http://ow.ly/yL9H300z9cf @ScottEsposito @thelithub
Essentials For Self-Publishing Authors: 7 Must-Haves: http://ow.ly/OpXN300ev6p @KifferBrown @IndieAuthorALLI
13 Tips for the Writing Newbie: http://ow.ly/Qiw5300d443 @LZMarieAuthor
How to Use Guest Blogging to Promote Your Book: http://ow.ly/Jtgg300d47M @BethJHayden for @janefriedman
8 Writing Lessons from Hamilton: The Revolution: http://ow.ly/WeXI300d4g1 @robwhart @thelithub
All About Google+ For Writers: http://ow.ly/5BR3300d4aC @111publishing
How to Choose a Blog Topic That’s Pre-Programmed for Success: http://ow.ly/Js20300d46d by Jason Gracia
Planning Your Story: What George Lucas Can Teach You (Not) to Do: http://ow.ly/EXUQ300d42Z @KMWeiland
On Translating Stoner in Japan: http://ow.ly/z4tT300zaYP by Motoyuki Shibata
Why we should be selfish with our time: http://ow.ly/IF0q300evtm @InkyBites
How the writer edits: Julian Barnes’s method: http://ow.ly/SzDN300E76x @FreemanReads @thelithub
Turn your Facebook page into a marketing tool: http://ow.ly/TG82300d3CZ @Bookgal
Writing: When It’s Not Like a Movie: http://ow.ly/kSGJ300d3F0 @joeberhardt
The Art of Paying Attention: http://ow.ly/Opaf300d664 @sarahrcallender
3 Ways That Handwriting With A Pen Positively Affects Your Brain: http://ow.ly/nRqn300euDo by Nancy Olson @Forbes
Who’s buying books? How are they finding them? Data from @Nielsen: http://ow.ly/K2VW300FK01 @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Understanding our writing process: http://ow.ly/xb63300euVm @DianeMacKinnon
10 Amazing Tools For Indie Authors: http://ow.ly/H7jw300evbu @PaulTeagueUK @IndieAuthorALLI
How 1 Writer Failed at Promoting a Novel with Amazon Advertising: http://ow.ly/fC6k300GvjX @ReedsyHQ @eliotpeper
Do Authors Need A Media Kit? http://ow.ly/ONKt300d49S @111publishing
Conference Collisions: Spread Out Publishing Cons: http://ow.ly/7D3j300FJS1 @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Can We Support Women in Publishing Without ‘De-Supporting’ Men?: http://ow.ly/7FQJ300d3NQ @Porter_Anderson
How to Become a Novelist: 10 Top Authors’ Tips: http://ow.ly/toPr300d4eZ @nownovel
10 Can-Do Traits Every Writer Needs: http://ow.ly/w59z300d44Q @LZMarieAuthor
30 Top Book Writing Tips: http://ow.ly/vuIG300d4e6 @nownovel
Pursuing other agents after an offer of representation falls through: http://ow.ly/Svfb300d40r @Janet_Reid
At the GrubStreet Writers of Color Roundtable: http://ow.ly/6yMN300E7x9 by Swati Khurana
What is Literary Fiction? http://ow.ly/acvW300d3hX @VinitaNangia @timesofindia
Paring Down Your Social Media Presence: http://ow.ly/9dRt300F4jw
Why Write Flash Fiction? http://ow.ly/iCMO300d3f9 @PBRWriter
The Benefits of Tracking Your Time: http://ow.ly/twAk300d3jT @RoniLoren
The 6-Month Book: From Concept to First Draft Completion: http://ow.ly/SW6h300eus7 @amiemccracken @IndieAuthorALLI
We Need More Diverse Superheroes: http://ow.ly/ECZB300d33a @DavidWalker1201 by Maurice Boyer @PublishersWkly
Tips to avoid discussing your WIP with others: http://ow.ly/YBTd300d3qQ @lyndacloigman
The 16 Most Misleading Book Covers Of All Time: http://ow.ly/2TeY300EWVm @bustle @CharlotteAhlin
When a Novelist Becomes an Ultramarathoner: http://ow.ly/nlSA300E6TG @ahream @thelithub
Here’s Where Innovative Publishers Need to Focus: http://ow.ly/1JG8300EdO8 @jwikert @bookbusinessmag
Characters whose situations prefigure fates that might await the hero: http://ow.ly/nGPr300c9J0 @CockeyedCaravan
Do Americans Hate Foreign Fiction? http://ow.ly/yrpT300z90R @anjalienjeti @thelithub
7 Bad Excuses for Putting Off Writing: http://ow.ly/ZCQi3009X1q @JerryBJenkins
5 Tips For Writing Cross Genre: http://ow.ly/Oc1Y300d324 @thecreativepenn
How To Write A Book When You Have A Full-Time Job: http://ow.ly/Hasy300d3mV @gregdybec @EliteDaily
What’s your writing persona? http://ow.ly/wDsY300d3tw @LZMarieAuthor
Character Archetypes: “The Wizard of Oz”: http://ow.ly/sJf33009XuL @GoIntoTheStory
Sell More Books with Audible Clips (video): http://ow.ly/X0Xa300aqy3 @MichaelLaRonn
3 Legs of Fiction Writing: http://ow.ly/d3zc3009WTY @Lindasclare
5 Unusual Strategies to Capture Readers: http://ow.ly/Bgss3009XdW @kikolani
5 Ways to Prevent Back Issues for Writers and 8 Exercises to Help: http://ow.ly/33qj300Bwcj @colleen_m_story
Contemporary Innovators of the Short Story: A Reading List: http://ow.ly/O89j3009X9l @Rebecca_Schiff @ElectricLit
High Concept Defined: http://ow.ly/Ys7k3009WX3 @Lindasclare
6 Ways To Tell the Difference Between a Supportive and Toxic Writer: http://ow.ly/DELn3009Xh7 @DCampoamor @WritersDigest
A Translator on the Challenge of Genderless Characters: http://ow.ly/fLek3009b5M @StefHayes1 @TheAtlantic
Greek writers revolutionizing poetry in the age of austerity: http://ow.ly/BO2u3009aW6 @martabausells @elenistefanou
4 Tips To Craft a Killer Novella: http://ow.ly/o6cI3009WRk @EM_Denning
Writing Lessons From Benjamin Franklin: http://ow.ly/9u7G3009XkM @hodgeswriter
5 Ways to Use Dialogue to Spice Up The Middle of Your Novel: http://ow.ly/orRh3009Xx0 @MartinaABoone
20+ Social Media Hacks and Tips From the Pros: http://ow.ly/B8lp3009XYA @LisaDJenkins @SMExaminer
Bolder and Brighter Book Covers: Right Now, It’s All About Yellow: http://ow.ly/ox8d300z7U7 @lucy_feldman @WSJ
How to Save the Cat: http://ow.ly/MFPE3009XV9 @briannehogan @CreativeScreen
Beating Block and Fostering Flow: http://ow.ly/fiP0300eukG @thebookwright @IndieAuthorALLI
The Magic of 20 Minutes: http://ow.ly/AVvI300p3QV @michaelnobbs
Against Neutrality, Capital Letters, and Easy Translation: http://ow.ly/wswz30085xn @dclarkwithane @worldlittoday
Elements of journal plots: http://ow.ly/QKXm30084hN @HeatherJacksonW
The Man Who Made the Novel: http://ow.ly/11oL30085Uc @adellewaldman @NewYorker
12 Steps From Inspiration to Finished Novel: http://ow.ly/YxJF300eucQ @SueJohnson9 @IndieAuthorALLI
Cutting the Fat from Your Story: http://ow.ly/u4n6300871q @RayneHall
Did Melville’s Illicit Romance Float ‘Moby-Dick’? http://ow.ly/YVjI300yZzD @Brenda_Cronin @WSJ
The Beginner’s Guide to Starting a Newsletter and Email List: http://ow.ly/efV330086BM @patflynn
A Writer Hopes to Write Himself Out of Crushing Despair: http://ow.ly/qqbG300z1lA @amzoltai
“Why I Quit Being a Writer”: http://ow.ly/r0PM30086Ul by Jaime Clarke @thelithub
The Ideal Marriage, According to Novels: http://ow.ly/Rmp130085YX @adellewaldman @NewYorker
How (and When) to Develop Multiple Streams of Writing Income: http://ow.ly/anrL30086F7 @aliventures
Elements of gothic fiction: http://ow.ly/f0y330084fa @RobinRWrites
Interview with @mark_haddon on banned books, hate speech and childhood memories: http://ow.ly/Pnf830084sI @danpjsheehan
Why 1 Writer Reads Her Goodreads Reviews: http://ow.ly/lov730086I0 @theladygreer
How To Use Audio as an Author For Book Sales and Marketing: http://ow.ly/5fTl30086mH @thecreativepenn
Curation in a world with too many things to read: http://ow.ly/muUx300woeL @MarkPiesing with Michael Baskhar @pubperspectives
How to Find and Inspire Your Super Fans: http://ow.ly/C5zM300eu0i @Bookgal @IndieAuthorALLI
In the UK, A ‘Settling Down Rather Than a Reversal’ of Digital Reading: http://ow.ly/pQcj300wnRD @Porter_Anderson @benedictepage
The most common words in poetry: http://ow.ly/rYBg300wiZh by Joanne Jeffries and Julian Yanover @My_poetic_side
The Power of Sitting Still: http://ow.ly/WUhB300p3Ib @michaelnobbs
If You’re a Writer You May be an Empath: http://ow.ly/Hvza300uSCc @p2p_editor
Plots with closed settings: http://ow.ly/JRI73006jZN @RobinRWrites
Creating Your Main Character: http://ow.ly/5A193006kjj from The Writing Hole
Disorganized? How One Freelance Writer Uses Trello to Track Her Ideas: http://ow.ly/77N83006koM @decorcione
Turning your FB page into a marketing tool: http://ow.ly/zOna3006klb @Bookgal
What Children’s Publishers Want: http://ow.ly/uKUX3006k3o by Jill Roman Lord
How to Make the Magic in Your Story Magical: http://ow.ly/RPNb3006kpY @RidethePen
5 of the Most Creative Monsters: http://ow.ly/VYo73006kcQ @GarthJennings
Happy ending plots: http://ow.ly/lq2w3006jUf @HeatherJacksonW
4 Mistakes to Avoid When Using Mailchimp: http://ow.ly/bxDe3006kgy @sacha_black
5 Tips For Indie Book Promotion: http://ow.ly/7vZQ3006kxX @HelenScheuerer
The Multiple Personalities of Omniscient 3rd Person: Spotlight on “Head-Hopper” : http://ow.ly/HNJO3006kCW by Tina L. Jens @BlackGateDotCom
A digital content strategist on archiving projects for major magazines: http://ow.ly/26BD300uftD @erinlcox @pubperspectives @MattDellinger
5 Illogical Design Choices in Spaceships: http://ow.ly/kvWZ30057st by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
What it Takes to Run a Small Press: ‘A Lot of Lonely Labor’: http://ow.ly/CRho300ub13 @DennisAbrams2 @pubperspectives
Tips for local book marketing: http://ow.ly/IawO300etTa @DebbieYoungBN @IndieAuthorALLI
Building Your Facebook Fan Page: http://ow.ly/aPdT3002aRs @JAHuss
Stroll your way to a more satisfying creative life: http://ow.ly/fT7I300p3Cg @michaelnobbs
Inbox Zero: A Tried and True Secret (video): http://ow.ly/NiNi3002btk @Schmittastic
Setting as a Vehicle for Conflict: http://ow.ly/q9dA300ty1G @beccapuglisi
Writers share their personal turning points and best book promo advice: http://ow.ly/LH0Q300u6QD @SpunkOnAStick @DancingLemurPre
How cultures can impact crime fiction: http://ow.ly/IYD9300u6n7 @mkinberg
Top 100 Short Story Ideas: http://ow.ly/zOK53002bne @joebunting
5 Tips on Turning Pro for Writers from Steven Pressfield: http://ow.ly/WOKg30057kp @lornafaith
Jane Austen’s Ivory Cage: http://ow.ly/97Hr30056pP @MikitaBrottman @TheAmScho
How to Promote a Memoir: http://ow.ly/XqsI300skZU @sorenarded @ReedsyHQ
Virginia Woolf on how affection for an author is based on more than their stories: http://ow.ly/4Tz6300562V @voguemagazine
The 5 Most Common Mistakes I See in Beginners’ Manuscripts: http://ow.ly/sSvW3002bq0 @JerryBJenkins
How to become a children’s book illustrator: 7 secrets for success: http://ow.ly/b4Pg300p5rc @2dscumptious @publishingtalk
How To Use Audio as an Author For Book Sales and Marketing: http://ow.ly/GcTo3002aUU @thecreativepenn
How to Deal With an Unending Shift in Priorities: http://ow.ly/sc3E3002aHC @monicaleonelle
A Non-Designer’s Guide to Creating Engaging Images for Social Media: http://ow.ly/CbkK3002bkc @RoyBoss @buffer
How to Launch a Book: http://ow.ly/mBYS30029Sx @JAHuss
Entire Originality Workshop Now On YouTube: http://ow.ly/q6XE30029YH @DeanWesleySmith
Book Plot vs. Character Arc and How To Reconcile the Two: http://ow.ly/r2lG3002a1u @monicaleonelle
15 Ways to Boost Your Social Media Marketing in Under an Hour: http://ow.ly/jrgd3002abG @Ashread_ @buffer
A Description Mistake to Avoid: http://ow.ly/nQmY30029Pr @JerryBJenkins
The top writing links of last week are on Twitterific:
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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
May 26, 2016
Paring Down Your Social Media Presence
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Do you have a social media presence that is gathering cobwebs and making it hard for you to sleep at night? Okay, maybe you’re not losing sleep over it, but it’s on your mind or somehow making you feel guilty?
Here is a terrific website that takes you directly to the page you need to delete your presence on that particular platform: http://justdelete.me/ . The site bills itself as “A directory of direct links to delete your account from web services.”
I set up, with the best intentions, a Facebook profile for a pen name in 2009 or early 2010. I can say now that it was a tremendous mistake. I already knew that I didn’t enjoy spending time on Facebook (I had a personal profile on the site). Plus, I soon set up a page for myself on Facebook under my real name. I simply couldn’t keep up with several Facebook profiles on top of maintaining a presence on Twitter, my blog, Goodreads, LinkedIn, and Google Plus, among other places.
Because I was so rarely on the pen name Facebook profile, I missed a lot. Readers would write on my wall, asking about upcoming releases. They’d message me. I was getting so many notifications from Facebook on the three profiles that many times these important communications from readers would get lost in the shuffle.
I’d sign in every couple of months to find that I had 20 or more friend requests or messages. Since I’m someone who usually stays on top of communications from readers, this stressed me out.
And yet! I continued to hang onto the account. That’s mainly because I felt my author page on Facebook was more for writers than for readers.
I finally, a week ago, sat down and really considered the issue. Of course people were trying to communicate with me on that neglected profile. That’s because I wasn’t trying to shift them somewhere else. I realized the profile had been a continual problem from the start and it needed to be deleted.
There was a real sense of relief after I received this hardly earth-shattering revelation. I immediately logged into the account, winced at all the missed friend requests, etc., and asked readers to like my page or follow me on Instagram (which I’m developing as a place where I can interact with readers). I had a good response to this request and, several days later, I took steps to delete the account.
Specifically for Facebook:
From Facebook:
To deactivate your account:
Click the account menu at the top right of any Facebook page.
Select Settings.
Click Security in the left column.
Choose Deactivate your account then follow the steps to confirm.
Or, to delete (again, from Facebook):
“If you do not think you will use Facebook again and would like your account deleted, we can take care of this for you. Keep in mind that you will not be able to reactivate your account or retrieve any of the content or information you have added.
If you would still like your account deleted, click “Delete My Account”.”
Do you have a neglected social media platform that makes you feel guilty? How thin are you stretched online?
Reduce stress by paring down your social media presence:
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The post Paring Down Your Social Media Presence appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
May 22, 2016
Setting as a Vehicle for Conflict
by Becca Puglisi, @BeccaPuglisi
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying that a good book should have conflict in every scene. This is wise advice, since well-written conflict begets tension for our characters, which can be passed on to readers, who will sense a rise in energy as they feel that nervous, jittery sensation signaling them that something is going on. We all want readers to have that heightened awareness and interest when they’re reading our stories, and a good way to bring that about is through conflict.
While the most obvious source of conflict is an antagonist who opposes our hero and his goal, it’s simply not reasonable (or sensible) to drag him into every chapter. As a result, we have to find other struggles that make sense for each scene. It may not seem like the most intuitive choice, but I’d like to propose that the setting is one of the handiest sources of conflict, for a number of reasons. First, every scene has a setting, so it’s already built into your story. And with the sources of conflict inherently included in each location, there’s no need to fabricate them—no lengthy set-up involved to put these difficulties into your protagonist’s path. If you’re wondering what sources of conflict I’m referring to, consider the following:
Physical Roadblocks
This kind of conflict is great because it’s so literal. Washed-out roads, a blizzard, the parade that shuts down half a city’s streets—all these obstacles keep the protagonist from getting where he physically needs to be. And roadblocks like these are easily incorporated into a variety of settings. Keep in mind, too, that literal obstructions don’t have to be large and impressive to be effective. A locked door or a small but loud dog can provide the resistance necessary to make things difficult for your character.
Mirrors to a Painful Past
Everyone has baggage—including our characters, if we’ve done our job well in the backstory department. While every location has conflict, there should be some settings that are especially problematic for your protagonist. Forcing him to revisit one of these places at a pivotal point in your story can act as a trigger, heightening his emotions and encouraging a bigger, more dramatic response.
Consider John Rambo, from the movie First Blood. Being arrested on a technicality by a prejudicial sheriff wouldn’t be a pleasant experience for anyone, but most people could navigate the situation and bring it to a resolution. For Rambo, being locked up brings to mind his time as a POW. When he’s taunted by a group of officers and threatened with a straight razor—the same item used to torture him in Vietnam—he flips out. His current situation directly mirrors a traumatic experience from the past, and he reacts violently, setting in motion a series of events that can’t be undone or made right.
If you know your character’s past, you’ll know which settings can act as emotional triggers. To ramp up the conflict and tension in an important scene, have your protagonist revisit one of those places.
Peripheral Troublemakers
While the antagonist should be the Biggest Baddie in your story, there are plenty of other rabble-rousers that can make things difficult for your hero, and you don’t have to go far afield to find them. You usually don’t have to look past the people who naturally inhabit your setting.
Let’s take a fitness center, for instance—not exactly the most combative location. But there are so many people naturally found here who could provide conflict: inexperienced guests, demanding trainers, overzealous managers pushing memberships, competitive guests with huge egos, ‘roid-raging bodybuilders…the list goes on and on.
The truth is that every setting has its own built-in cast of troublemakers. So when it comes time to write a scene, ask yourself: what does my hero want to achieve here? Consider what kind of characters might get in his way, then pick a setting where those people abound, and voilà: instant conflict.
Family Dysfunction
It’s sad to say, but in real life, it’s not the strangers and acquaintances that cause us the most heartache and drama. Usually, it’s our family members. Because of our history with them, tension easily builds before they’ve even done anything. They’re great at pushing our buttons, and their constant proximity makes us more sensitive to their quirks and jabs.
If you’re looking to add some tension to a scene, set it in a location where certain family members are likely to turn up: the backyard, a child’s birthday party, the shopping mall, or at church. Then sit back and watch the sparks fly.
The beauty of using a setting to provide conflict is that you can approach it from a number of ways. One method is to choose a setting based on the conflict needs of your scene. With this approach, the location is flexible; it can be any of a number of places. As you plan out your scene, decide what brand of conflict is necessary and choose a locale that contains that kind of trouble. Alternatively, if you already have a place in mind for a given scene, look for naturally occurring sources of conflict within that setting and use them to ramp up the tension. Either way, the location you choose can provide a ton of realistic conflict for your story.
As you can see, the setting is an incredibly versatile tool that can do more than simply set the stage. Turn your lazy locale into a multitasking one by using it to ramp up the tension in every scene.
Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and its sequels, including The Rural Setting Thesaurus and The Urban Setting Thesaurus, which will be available for purchase in June. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with 
others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library filled with description and brainstorming tools to help writers elevate their storytelling. You can find Becca online at both of these spots, as well as on Facebook and Twitter.
Setting as a vehicle for conflict by @BeccaPuglisi
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The post Setting as a Vehicle for Conflict appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
May 21, 2016
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
A weekly roundup of the best writing links from around the web.
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
How To Cheat on Your Writing Without Getting Caught: http://ow.ly/3vaw3001hfg @Wordstrumpet
6 Ways to Make Your Writing More Cinematic: http://ow.ly/nzMW3001hly by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Giving Your Protagonist Tough Choices: http://ow.ly/kDr63001her @ceciliaedits
Distribute More Books In More Territories: http://ow.ly/CiBf300etHh @publishdrive @IndieAuthorALLI
How to Worldbuild a Good Sandbox: 4 Rules from the 40K Universe: http://ow.ly/EGJ03001hfN @mharoldpage
How to Embrace Imperfection as a Writer http://ow.ly/uulF3001hcv @powellwriter
How to End a Chapter: http://ow.ly/w8h43001hhS @jennienash
How to Tell the Difference Between a Scene and a Chapter: http://ow.ly/uxAY3001hj3 @jennienash
Unsung Heroes of the Poetry World: http://ow.ly/6pH3300rdqq @clangswell @thelithub
Tips to Help You Write What You Know: http://ow.ly/SN1Q3001hkL @CSLakin
How to Write Dialogue that Hooks Readers: http://ow.ly/tehp3001h9M @nownovel
4 Writing Secrets Blatantly Stolen From Taylor Swift: http://ow.ly/1mYE3001hmF @Chris_Kokoski
Why We Must Write Introverted Characters: http://ow.ly/2QuC3001hjL @livequiet
How Author Associations Help Your Self-Publishing Career: http://ow.ly/UUhL300etLz @kimbookless @OrnaRoss
Worldbuilding: The Nihilistic Architect and the Negligent Gardener: http://ow.ly/8roq3001hgP @ngfclark @FantasyFaction
Mastering Your Author Persona: http://ow.ly/dWSq3002a7W @Rachel_Aaron
Respect the Power of the Teenage Girl as a Writer: http://ow.ly/Z5cZ300rd3w @robinwasserman @imjasondiamond @thelithub
Writing Believable Action Scenes: http://ow.ly/Qx553000AwC @NakedEditor
5 Books Where Assassins Are the Good Guys: http://ow.ly/o52Z3000Axx @muirwoodwheeler
Reconstruct Your Criticism: Worksheet to Assess Feedback: http://ow.ly/JVwA3000Azg @EvaDeverell
Writing the Fool Triumphant: http://ow.ly/dFWT3000ABW @HeatherJacksonW
Dissecting Books: Reading as a Writer: http://ow.ly/NbAY3000ADR @MarcyKennedy
.@JessicaSaenger: Germany’s @boev backs Constitutional Court complaint (on Copyright): http://ow.ly/nFJW300p2T0 @Porter_Anderson
A Writer Learns to See Through Photography: http://ow.ly/NyS83000Ab4 @swan_tower @tordotcom
Quick tips for writing a book review, even if you’re not a reviewer: http://ow.ly/Q8kG300qE9j @rxena77
Managing a day job while writing 40 books and building a story universe platform with @jonguent: http://ow.ly/IOIA300qDy6 @Hiveword
10 Tips on Navigating Twitter as an Indie Writer: http://ow.ly/QPK83000Amq @FlynnGrayWriter
.@Nielsen Data on the US Book Market: http://ow.ly/zEHl300p2qo @Porter_Anderson @kemptonm @pubperspectives
3 Tips for Writing Character Change: http://ow.ly/s7FO3000Akv @HeatherJacksonW
10 Thriller Story Ideas: http://ow.ly/i9GP3000Aab @RuthanneReid
9 Rookie Errors to Avoid When Plotting Your Novel: http://ow.ly/miaK300oTUF @Roz_Morris @IndieAuthorALLI
Social media: hate or love it? The pros and cons for writers: http://ow.ly/dPZ8300p58c @EmilyBenet @publishingtalk
Stereotypes Surrounding Epilepsy in the Entertainment Industry: http://ow.ly/4nuBZj @LJKelley1
3 Cautions For Adding Research Into Stories http://ow.ly/4nuALK @JodyHedlund
How to Get Readers Hooked: http://ow.ly/NOX83000Ap9 @MorganMandel
Final Fixes for Your Novel: http://ow.ly/Iblv3000AqW @AnthonyEhlers
The Law of Writing Good Bad Guys: http://ow.ly/hvOS3000AiV @LeeLofland
Great literary gardens: from ‘Hamlet’ to ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover: http://ow.ly/juBI3000xqF @FT by Caroline Thorpe
Writers Steal Your Life and Use it For Fiction: http://ow.ly/WDdp300mvGT @thelithub @aboutrichard
6 Tips to Help You Finish Your Book: http://ow.ly/4nuCbo @KMWeiland
Getting Your Novel to the Finish Line: http://ow.ly/4nuCeX @Janice_Hardy
Tweaks to make our books visible on Google: http://ow.ly/PnLb300oRAk
.@SalmanRushdie on Poetry, Being a Reader, and Going to the Movies: http://ow.ly/oZ54300mmGE @holdengraber @thelithub
15 Tips for Writing Poetry: http://ow.ly/4nuC4H @WordDreams
How to Turn an Idea into a Story: http://ow.ly/4nuClk @DelilahSDawson
Organizing Your Hard Drive: http://ow.ly/4nuBgM @AngelaQuarles
Concept vs. Premise: The Inherent Opportunity in Understanding the Difference: http://ow.ly/4nuCuc @storyfix
12 Ways Not to Write a Mystery Novel: http://ow.ly/v8gR300mv5B by Jacqueline Diamond for @annerallen
Freelancing to pay the Bills: http://ow.ly/G8eI300etwp @jlynchauthor @IndieAuthorALLI
Charles Dickens and the Linguistic Art of the Minor Character: http://ow.ly/4nsadm by Chi Luu @JSTOR_Daily
International Transmedia: StoryDrive in Beijing: http://ow.ly/awRl300jUfV @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Digital Printing and What it Means for Publishing: http://ow.ly/mJGv300mlMK @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Working Without Distractions in Scrivener: http://ow.ly/4nuB9Y @Gwen_Hernandez
Write Better Stories, Faster: http://ow.ly/iZK7300cxkF @sterling_stone @IndieAuthorALLI
Pronoun services for the selfpubbed author: http://ow.ly/4nuBR5 @JohnDoppler
How to Use a Plot Planner: http://ow.ly/4nuChJ @plotwhisperer for @JaneFriedman
Are You A Creator Or A Consumer? http://ow.ly/4nuAQC @InkyBites
Writers, The Loneliest Artists of All: http://ow.ly/4nsaYo @readandbreathe @thelithub
Men Have Book Clubs, Too: http://ow.ly/4nsaGP by Jennifer Miller @nytimesbooks
Crafting a Killer Opening: 4 Writing Contest Finalists Share Their Tips: http://ow.ly/4ns91H @Ava_Jae @MartinaABoone
A storytelling experiment closes 9-1 if @craigmodcan archive the project: http://ow.ly/gbK7300jT6y @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Stephen King: What We Can’t Say Enough: http://ow.ly/4ns9oE @JonathanJanz
Reach Readers While Looking After Yourself (video): http://ow.ly/QvRF300esUB @DanBlank @IndieAuthorALLI
On the Quest to Write in a 3rd Language: http://ow.ly/4ns9FD @LakhousAmara @thelithub
What Comes Before Part 3: A Whole Lotta Character: http://ow.ly/4ns8Vc @mileconnors
Get In Front Of Influencers: How To Spread The Word About Your Book: (video) http://ow.ly/nSQV300esGS @WhereWritersWin
Best Handguns for Fictional Detectives: http://ow.ly/4npgRV @benjaminsobieck
Surviving Hard Knocks U.: A Writer’s Guide: http://ow.ly/4npgDr @RuthHarrisBooks
The upcoming Frankfurt Book Fair: 3 points of interest: http://ow.ly/Jq8I300jRLb @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Putting Words in your Mouth: The Whimsical Language of Food: http://ow.ly/4nsaTz by Chi Luu @JSTOR_Daily
Updating an old book, one author discovers 25 years ago is ancient history: http://ow.ly/4ns8z5 by Johanna Hurwitz
The Shape of Horror to Come: http://ow.ly/4ns97I by Nathan DeCorte @The_Minaret
Use the right word to breathe life into your stories: http://ow.ly/4ns8QZ @RayneHall
Developing Themes In Your Stories: Symbolism: http://ow.ly/4ns9xF @SaraL_Writer
How to Write for Teens Without Sounding Like an Adult Writing for Teens: http://ow.ly/4ns9ti @KurtDinan
10 Ways To Make Your Story Good: http://ow.ly/4ns8Jj @10minnovelist
Use your distributor to market your books: http://bit.ly/IAF-BEA-DW http://ow.ly/zYqf300cxgI @IndieAuthorALLI @danwoodok @Draft2Digital
Writing business: steps to take in case of our demise or disability: http://ow.ly/4npgH1 @Diana_Hurwitz
The Exemplary Narcissism of Snoopy: http://ow.ly/YAwl300hjrK @TheAtlantic by Sarah Boxer
Tips for dealing with writing conference overwhelm: http://ow.ly/4npgkn @CaraLopezLee
5 tips for a better author bio: http://ow.ly/2SpS300cs0L @bryancohenbooks @IndieAuthorALLI
10 Great Novels of Exile and Dislocation: http://ow.ly/4nmDhh @patricia_engel @ElectricLit
Novel? Screenplay? Comic? How to Choose the Right Medium For Your Story: http://ow.ly/4nmD3e @kpsmartypants @thelithub
The Eternal Loneliness of the Writer: http://ow.ly/4nmCRl by Adam Haslett @thelithub
Why A Poet Stopped Submitting To Lit Mags and Publishes to Wattpad: http://ow.ly/4nmsV1 @MariahEWilson
How to Make Boring Story Parts Exciting: http://ow.ly/4nph2i @RidethePen
Using Family Photos, Letters and Stories in a Book: Legal Ramifications: http://ow.ly/4nphqL @HelenSedwick
Adding an emotional stance for characters: http://ow.ly/4nph8K @Kid_Lit
Crime Fiction Writing: On the Job With New York Crime-Scene Cleaners: http://ow.ly/4npgVR @TheAtlantic @sairakh
Tips for writing a blind character: http://ow.ly/4nphkz @snarkbat @ChuckWendig
Writing What You Really Think Will Make You a Better Writer: http://ow.ly/4nphdh by Deena Nataf @WritetoDone
The IPA, the Arab World, and ‘Building Dialogue’: http://ow.ly/zhS5300eBBc @Porter_Anderson @Bodour
The Point When Everything Changes: http://ow.ly/4nmuN4 @stdennard
Why You Should Theme Your World: http://ow.ly/4nmtgD by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Why is text-to-speech only an afterthought? http://ow.ly/LbWm300csw6 @jwikert
Tech Tools and Promo Tips for Writers: http://ow.ly/Ci3e300eBqy
Simple Tricks to Unstick Your Plot: Where Is Everyone? http://ow.ly/4nmv05 @stdennard
This year’s BEA: light attendance, ‘hard truths’ on publishing: http://ow.ly/9kAQ300eB3G @Porter_Anderson @jakonrath
6 Crucial Steps before you launch your #indieauthor book: http://ow.ly/w8ne300crWz @IndieAuthorALLI @bublishme
Blurb writing formula: http://ow.ly/4njAaM @VictoriaMixon
6 Ways to Ruin Your Book Marketing Campaign: http://ow.ly/4njA5z @selfpubreview
The Myth of the Average Reader: http://ow.ly/4njCc4 @cathyyardley
Emotion Takes Time: http://ow.ly/w3ZA300eAWm @p2p_editor
Teaching Writing with Mentor Texts: Reading Like a Writer: http://ow.ly/4nmtre @BethMooreSchool
The Art of Captivating First Lines: http://ow.ly/4nmtVc @AJHumpage
How To Lead Readers to a Satisfying Ending: http://ow.ly/4nmtB2 by Margo Dill
Writing Better Villains: http://ow.ly/4nmtKZ by Vincent Langford @mythicscribes
4 Publisher Responses and Author Reactions: http://ow.ly/4nmtZf by Sarah Tipton @YAtopia_blog
Writing a Novel Within a Novel: http://ow.ly/4nmt4u @YonaMcDonough
Grow Your Author Business with a Learning Plan (video): http://ow.ly/ySbr300aqbB @MichaelLaRonn
Download the Ultimate Free Collection of Book Marketing Examples: http://ow.ly/4njCuy @DianaUrban
Writers staying in touch with their readers: http://ow.ly/4njAjL @stephenwoodfin
Africa Has Always Been Sci-Fi: http://ow.ly/4njCf7 @snamwali
How to Use Surprise to Build Suspense: http://ow.ly/4njAhX @janekcleland
Disability in Kid Lit: Scoliosis in Books: What’s Missing? http://ow.ly/4njAcK by Emma Yeo
Crime Fiction Writers: Buried Alive: Escaping a Grave: http://ow.ly/vsVl300cwYh @SueColetta1
Copywriting is creative writing: http://ow.ly/GhT3300crPO @bryancohenbooks @IndieAuthorALLI
Ghost-writers and their soul projects: http://ow.ly/hgpZ300d63h @Roz_Morris
Going From Being a Fan Fic Writer to a Published Author Before Turning 18: http://ow.ly/LJLs3009V7A @singsongash
Tips for Torturing Characters: http://ow.ly/4njAmd by James R. Preston
What it means being an African author on Amazon: http://ow.ly/cxWb300csoi @DaWitKop
The top writing links of last week are on Twitterific:
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May 19, 2016
Making Our Books Visible on Google
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Today I give you what is likely an incredibly boring post on something I know very little about. But, because I think it’s important, I’m trying to learn more about it and also share my kernel of knowledge on the subject with you. With that disclaimer, let’s move on. :)
Much is said by industry observers about the problem of visibility for writers. After all, the number of books is growing and it’s harder for readers to find us.
One way that we might be able to give our books a push is in searches. This can mean making our SEO better on Amazon by tweaking keywords and BISAC. This may also mean tweaking our sites and individual book pages so that Google can make our book stand out in a search.
This means, in a nutshell, structured data markup. This means inserting code/metadata on our site that helps Google understand and organize information to deliver rich results for searches.
Or, if that all sounded like gobbledy-gook (which it sort of did to me and I wrote the sentence), then basically, to deliver something that looks like this when searching for my title Pretty is as Pretty Dies:
So a reader, when searching for this book title, gets this closeup of my book in their sidebar. It shows them the cover, my name, gives them the opportunity to preview it, gives a description, publication year, and even links to reviews. Basically, it gives them a really nice (rich) search result.
To find out more information on this, read on Google:
A gallery of structured data that produces rich results (of different types…from recipes to products, reviews, and even events).
If you click on one of the types of results on the gallery page, Google shows you the metadata you’ll fill in.
Google’s introduction to structured data.
Let’s go back now to what I did, specifically, to make that result show up. Because this was a traditionally published book and the first in a series that I now self-publish, I started with this book. I included reviews from Foreword and Kirkus, but it looks to me you could do this with any type of review.
I used a schema creator site to make it easier on me. The site creates a review schema for you. You can also do this for any product/book: http://schema-creator.org/product.php or http://www.microdatagenerator.com/pro... .
After you’ve received code back, you can test it with Google to make sure it looks accurate .
You paste in the code you were given and it shows you what it will look like:
Then you need to put it on the page. Sometimes I can stick code on a page and it doesn’t show up. This did show up, so I had to find a way to put it on the page without it seeming out of place (could one put this in their header or footer? I didn’t experiment for that long). I pulled up the individual book page, put the page in text composing mode instead of visual composition mode, and pasted the code in. You can see the result of that here.
I gave Google a little time and it came back with a terrific search result (clearly on Google, not Yahoo search or other engines. But Google is, currently, the big dog).
When I haven’t set up a book page that way, a search for one of my titles comes back like an ordinary search result.
I think, eventually, if our books get enough sales and traffic, Google indexes us anyway. Like this book of mine:
But you’ll notice that, unlike the example above, it doesn’t have a preview or reviews. That’s because I haven’t had the time to set up the schema for the book.
Or this result. This is a regular search result for my more-recent release, Murder on Opening Night. No rich result. In fact, it even suggests someone else’s book:
This is all I can say and, sadly, all I really know on this topic. My next steps are to read up more when I can and add this code to all of my book pages for optimal results on Google.
Do you use a schema on your website? Do you, hopefully, know a lot more about this topic and can share with us? :)
Tweaks to make our books visible on Google:
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May 15, 2016
Tech Tools and Promo Tips
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Here are a few updates on what I’ve found helpful or interesting lately in the promo and writing worlds.
For the writer who has multiple releases a year, a Coming Soon page on your website. This was suggested to me by a reader who was having a hard time keeping up. The important thing with this page is to keep it updated since it’s not one of the pages we’re on very often.
A nice link to add to the Coming Soon page (along with other pages on our site) is a link to our Amazon Author Central page with instructions to follow us there. I just put a simple: ” Follow me on Amazon for release updates” up.
I struggle with design issues and use design too often to just continually outsource it to a real designer. I’m getting by now with Canva for Twitter and blog headers/backgrounds, but I’ve recently discovered Designfeed.io. Although I’ve gotten very handy with Canva, so far I’ve found Designfeed a bit quicker, at least in terms of throwing images up on the blog. It has a feature where it matches your headline text to Creative Commons images, which is a timesaver. Again, my design skills are limited and I’m sure you could do better, but today’s and yesterday’s posts demonstrate my dabbling with it (for only about 5 minutes). It’s free and in beta. Might be worth playing around with (not sure if there will be a pay version once it moves from beta).
Pirating my content, I’ll be honest, hasn’t even been much of a concern of mine. Many pirate sites are dummy set-ups to get the unsuspecting reader’s info without delivering the goods. Plus, I just don’t think the majority of my readers are out there trying to beat the system. However, I know many, many writers are concerned about pirating. There is an interesting way to dispense with unauthorized use of your content with a free tool called Blasty. Like Designfeed.io, it’s also in beta and currently free. I heard about it from a mention in Jane Friedman’s excellent Electric Speed newsletter full of digital media tools and resources (view her archives here for a wealth of info and to see whether her newsletter might be right for you). With Blasty, you register with the site, they verify you are the owner of the content, and then they alert you to illegal copies. With one click, you can eliminate them (although monitoring this could be a real time suck.)
Indie writers with audiobooks through ACX will be familiar with the complimentary Audible download codes that they provide in their effort to get more readers to give audiobooks a go. It took me a while to get to the point where I actually knew the best way to use these. I’ve found that my last newsletter campaign to readers has worked really well so far. It, luckily, corresponded with a new release so the newsletter had details about the book launch, a couple of recipes (standard fare for my list), a plea to follow me on Instagram (more on that below), and an invitation to enter a giveaway for one of the 25 free downloads. I set up a special page on my website, linked to the address in my newsletter, put up the audiobook’s back cover copy and cover, and then embedded a Rafflecopter giveaway (I use the free version). So far I’m at 60ish entries. You can ask your readers to share a link to a giveaway or follow you on social media for extra points, etc. Anyway, a nice way to use those codes.
As I mentioned above, I started an Instagram because I felt I needed a really dedicated place online where I specifically hung out with readers. My platform is very writer-centric since that’s my comfort zone. When I set up the Instagram account, it automatically connected to my personal Facebook account (which made me really peeved since this was not supposed to be a personal Instagram account). Since my followers there were getting really lopsided with non-readers, I asked my newsletter readers to follow my new account on Instagram…”since my teenage children feel sorry for me.” Which is absolutely the truth…my 19 year old was liking pictures out of pity and finally called me on the phone from college to ask me what I was trying to do on Instagram. Luckily, my plea worked and my reader numbers have greatly improved. I think, hopefully, this will become a more organic process from here with Instagram’s algorithms suggesting my page to others.
I had my newsletter in draft form on MailChimp for several days so that I could be more thoughtful about what material I included in it. I rarely send newsletters and wanted to ensure that I used this device wisely when I did.
And that’s all I’ve got for now! What have you been working with or found helpful lately?
Tech Tools and Promo Tips for Writers:
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May 14, 2016
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
Survey: Translated Fiction Outsells English Fiction in the UK: http://ow.ly/6Oi83009TIq @DennisAbrams2 @pubperspectives
How Crutch Words Are Holding Back Your Writing: http://ow.ly/4ni9oi by Ian Chandler @write_practice
Classic adventure plot notes: http://ow.ly/4nia3x @robinrwrites
Writing for Kindle Worlds: the Good and the Ugly: http://ow.ly/ThMW300crl1 @IndieAuthorALLI @tobywneal
5 Elements for Crafting a Compelling Story: http://ow.ly/4nia0n @WillBluntAU
Why Your Business Biography is Killing Sales: http://ow.ly/4ni8Yw @MilesAllen1
Learning from Literary Short Fiction: http://ow.ly/4ni9ji @artofstoriesAB
“Buddy Love” Plot Notes: http://ow.ly/4niaaH @HeatherJacksonW
Book Signings: Best Tips: http://ow.ly/4ni8Wn @MilesAllen1
IDPF’s Con at BEA: ‘Is IDPF on the Way Out?’: http://ow.ly/Q7Bt3009U28 @Porter_Anderson
Are you making these mistakes with your Amazon book description? http://ow.ly/4ni92X @sandrabeckwith
6 Hard Truths Every Writer Should Accept : http://ow.ly/4nia1l @DanaElmendorf
Storyteller’s Rulebook: Give Them a Big Hole to Fill: http://ow.ly/4ni9Yu @CockeyedCaravan
4 Classic Conflict Types: http://ow.ly/4njA3l @Janice_Hardy
The Fine Art of Story Resonance: http://ow.ly/4njCjb @stdennard
Germany’s Inkitt: Using Algorithms to Predict Successful Books: http://ow.ly/QtXt3009UcB @DennisAbrams2 @pubperspectives
Battling Tired Tropes: Hate-at-First-Sight Love Stories: http://ow.ly/4njCr2 @stdennard
Maintaining Passion for a Story: http://ow.ly/4njCoB @stdennard
Know Your Enemy: Procrastination: http://ow.ly/4ni9gQ @artofstoriesAB
“The Hatred of Poetry”: Does Poetry Make Us Human? http://ow.ly/4ni9Il by Ben Lerner @PoetryFound
What Most Antagonists Lack: http://ow.ly/4nhieF by David Ben-Ami
9 Ways to Include Libraries in Your Book Marketing Plan: http://ow.ly/4nhjgP @tspoetry @charityscraig
African Short Stories: Shortlist for 17th Caine Prize Announced: http://ow.ly/dDbx3009TNv @DennisAbrams2 @pubperspectives
Writers Need An Escape Hatch: http://ow.ly/4nhhFP @jayewells
10 Dirty Secrets of Publishing: http://ow.ly/zWY6300crAu @cjlyonswriter @IndieAuthorALLI
More on Wattpad Studios: http://ow.ly/NHXy3009Top @Porter_Anderson @AronIsHere
5 Tips for Writing Book Two: http://ow.ly/4nhhWp @AmyBearce @DIYMFA
Count Words but Make Words Count: http://ow.ly/qmxB3009WYO @Lindasclare
Europe’s ebooks ‘stalling even earlier’ than in the US and UK: http://ow.ly/bU3S3009T6s @Porter_Anderson @wischenbart
Do You Harness Your Day? http://ow.ly/4nhjdf @AngelaQuarles
How Can I Get Help Writing a Book? 7 Tips: http://ow.ly/4nhjqY @nownovel
How a Creative Approach to Book Signings Sells Books: @JanetShawgo @MillCityPress
To Agent or Not To Agent? http://ow.ly/4nhjvg @MistyMassey
What Are Your Characters Not Saying? http://ow.ly/4nhhTQ @Janice_Hardy
5 Strategies for Prolific Reading: http://ow.ly/4nhjCp @gyoung9751
Adding a Theme to Our Book: http://ow.ly/4nhhQz @JillWilliamson
How to Become a Full-Time Writer: http://ow.ly/4nhiYt @joebunting
Improve Your Writing Skills with 5 Storytelling Exercises: http://ow.ly/4nhhLf @MarianSchembari
Writing Dreams and Nightmares: http://ow.ly/4nhhE7 @Ava_Jae
Romance Novels: Why You Need to Go Beyond the Tropes: http://ow.ly/4nesEE @willvanstonejr
In Defense of Grown Men Crying: Writing as Exploration: http://ow.ly/P5h23009bd4 @LeeMartinAuthor @thelithub
The fine art of literary hate mail: http://ow.ly/zr2m30087so @NewRepublic by William Giraldi
Which Publications Pay Freelance Writers (and How Long it Takes to Get Paid): http://ow.ly/YA0p3009dQ1 @manjulamartin
Noir Is Protest Literature: That’s Why It’s Having a Renaissance: http://ow.ly/4neAcT @nicholas_seeley
5 tips for street teams: http://ow.ly/C7be300832X @Danika_Stone
Sidekick Archetypes: http://ow.ly/4nezT2 @kylieday0
What is the theme of all great novels? http://ow.ly/4neAuy @CalebPirtle
The art of the story hinges on orphans: http://ow.ly/78wh30087bw @mikesmariani @Hazlitt
5 Fight-Writing Tactics: http://ow.ly/4nesjZ @blairmacg
Things Daredevil Teaches About Writing: http://ow.ly/4nesXY from She Who Writes Monsters
Shaken but Not Stirred. The Racy Side of Sexpionage: http://ow.ly/4nezFo @BishsBeat
Publishing Exhaustion: http://ow.ly/4nezKT @CEMcKenzie1
Infiltrating Literature’s Secret Societies: http://ow.ly/4neApD @TobiasCarroll @thelithub
Mapping Character: http://ow.ly/4nezOM @AlmitraClay
How to create a memorable character: http://ow.ly/4net2N @Peter_Rey_
Why Are There So Many Novels About Famous Writers? http://ow.ly/4neAk5 @hellermcalpin @thelithub
Foreword Vs. Preface Vs. Introduction: http://ow.ly/4ndKhi @jckunzjr
5 Ways Authors can be Tweeps, not Twits: http://ow.ly/4ndKfx @heatherdgilbert
What to Post on Social Media Plus 38 Examples: http://ow.ly/4ndKcW @CaballoFrances
The Joys (and Perils) of Literary Tourism: http://ow.ly/4ndD7Z @laura_jbarnett @thelithub
5 tips to keep bullying at bay in your blog comments: http://ow.ly/4nbLXt @cksyme
Using Crime Fiction to Present Fully Formed Muslim Characters: http://ow.ly/ehdS3002k6G @AusmaZehanat @GraffMarni @thelithub
10 Pages You Should Include in Your Author Website: http://ow.ly/4nesdy @shelleyhitz
6 Ways to Set Up Scrivener for Writing: http://ow.ly/4nessg @ckmacleodwriter
The Cycle of Action-Reaction in Novel Scenes: http://ow.ly/4nesma @CSLakin
Amazon Themes and Keywords: Optimizing Your Book Page: http://ow.ly/4nerWf @Bookgal
Use KindleSpy for Genre Competitive Analysis: http://ow.ly/4nbKGt @worderella
When you don’t agree with your editor: http://ow.ly/4nbJLx @DeborahJay2
Anton Chekhov: A Post-Modernist Ahead of His Time: http://ow.ly/3wpr3002jvT @thelithub by Peter Constantine
3 Groups of Words or Phrases to Edit in Your Novel: http://ow.ly/CaO430057bk @lornafaith
Why Fiction Needs More Women Scientists: http://ow.ly/rM6930055NF @EileenPollack @thelithub
How Mapping Alice Munro’s Stories Helped One Writer: http://ow.ly/4nbLbH by Elizabeth Poliner @thelithub
“The population of Japan is…a third of the US, but the book market is comparable:” http://ow.ly/PXCO3002fPl Alvin Lu and @Porter_Anderson
Why we love reading to cry: http://ow.ly/4nbLpD by Lindsay Lynch @thelithub
What Level of Editing Do You Need? http://ow.ly/4nbJB4 by Jessica West @K8Tilton
How to Give Your Facebook Page Likes a Quick Spike: http://ow.ly/4nbIgv @cksyme
Mastering Metadata: the Key to Marketing Your Books: http://ow.ly/4nbKKE @carlaking
Building Your Author Mailing List: http://ow.ly/4nbIjv @pbackwriter
To Swear Or Not To Swear in Our Books: http://ow.ly/4nbKDl @RobinStorey1
Turning a feature film script into a novel: http://ow.ly/4nbKQa @Meinertzhagen @ElectricLit
Handling The Pressure Of Being An Indie Author: http://ow.ly/4nbKuc @ShadowChaosFox
Should you convert your Facebook profile to a page? http://ow.ly/4nbJnU @cksyme
Crafting Serial Fiction: http://ow.ly/4nbJsV @mlgardnerbooks
5 Top Snapchat Tips for Marketers: http://ow.ly/4n6ofe @Ashread_
The links I shared last week: http://ow.ly/bVvR3002gxg All the links (30K+ free and searchable) I’ve ever shared: writerskb.com
Why rural lives and literature are in crisis: http://ow.ly/uxaE3002jKn @thelithub by Matthew Neill Null
Why Are Subscription Services Outside the US Succeeding? http://ow.ly/5oN33002fJQ @pubperspectives @Porter_Anderson
Two Body Language Ninja Moves: http://ow.ly/L3OI3003Hod @p2p_editor
5 Comparisons Not To Make For Your Book: http://ow.ly/4n6nId @ChuckSambuchino
How to Price Self-published Books: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself: http://ow.ly/4n6msE @DebbieYoungBN
Garage sales in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/SSOr3002cVT @mkinberg
Is literature a dying animal? http://ow.ly/AHNf3002jVT @GuardianBooks by Edna O’Brien
Pros and Cons of Changing Genres: http://ow.ly/iQFu3002gtJ
What NOT to Say to a Publisher: http://ow.ly/uxJE3002g8m @DancingLemurPre @SpunkOnAStick
A Global Update on ‘the State of Copyright’: http://ow.ly/5rkl3002fhU @MJHealy @Porter_Anderson
What 1 author learned at the London Book Fair: http://ow.ly/4n6n9b @SukhiJutla
Advice on handling criticism: http://ow.ly/aT2S3002cNa @pubcoach
How to be a Good Critique Partner: http://ow.ly/5voU3002c0f @LyndaRYoung @TheIWSG
Writing Motivation Comes From a Sense of Control: http://ow.ly/4n6nPj @Wordstrumpet
Why authors need a mailing list: http://ow.ly/4n6njh @SukhiJutla
Getting to The End: How to Finish a book: http://ow.ly/4n6o3q @KAMcCleary
How an Agent helps 1 Writer Succeed as a Hybrid Author: http://ow.ly/4n6n2d @srjohannes
The Writer’s Guide to Building an Email List: http://ow.ly/4n6nG7 @KimberleyGrabas
A Simple System for Great Character Creation: http://ow.ly/4n6nVz @Rachel_Aaron
Want to Write a Novel? How to Get Started: http://ow.ly/4n6o8c @aliventures
Set Up Your WordPress Blog in Under 15 Minutes: http://ow.ly/4n6nCS @KimberleyGrabas
Top 4 Editing Tricks for Creating a Seamless Narrative: http://ow.ly/4n6nqV @KMWeiland
Creating Tension: Change It Up: http://ow.ly/4n3zoc @ShanDitty
8 Things That Will Derail Your Writing Goals the Fastest: http://ow.ly/4n3ApX @EdieMelson
Motherhood vs. Art: There Is No Wrong Choice: http://ow.ly/bXfS3000xBO @ndianaolde @thelithub
Last week's top writing links are on Twitterific:
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May 11, 2016
Promotions on the Ground
by Danika Stone, @Danika_Stone
If you’re an author, you’ve no doubt heard the term “Street Team”. It’s one of those phrases that gains popularity in an instant and is thrown around with the wink-wink, nudge-nudge sense that you should know what it means.
But what if you don’t?
What if this is your first book launch, and you’ve never had to publicize a book before? What if you’re struggling to find your way through the first round of edits – never mind promotions! If that’s you, then here’s your answer: a five-point summary of street teams, and how having one can help YOU sell your book faster and more effectively than you ever thought you could.
They are the author’s “feet on the street” – or in this case – the internet.
A street team is composed of online bloggers / reviewers / social media people who assist in the online launch of a book during the first crucial weeks. Every author needs a voice online if they want their books to be found and your street team creates it.
The usual expectation is that the relationship has benefits for everyone involved. Authors generally include swag, publicity, and connections to their street team members, and in return, these bloggers keep the author’s book in the public eye.
Build your Network:
Having connections to bloggers and reviewers is key, but even if you have a relatively small number of online followers, you can still find a street team. You just need to ask. Find bloggers and ask them. Post to Goodreads and Facebook. Show what you’re offering. When I was creating the street team for Edge of Wild, I posted in all these places. I also listed what the street team members would get in return for their participation and within a few days I had an enthusiastic street team ready to spread the word!
Giveaways give back.
Since my promotions budget was relatively small, I capped my street team at ten people. The costs are not just for the giveaways and your books. It’s also time. You will be writing plenty of posts, as well as organizing.
Some things you might include in your giveaway are…
A signed first edition copy of your book.
A digital ARC.
Bookmarks, postcards and stationary.
Bookbags, clothing items, other swag.
Pens, paperweights, keychains.
Basically whatever fit YOUR book..
Keep your costs reasonable.
If you’re self-publishing, your biggest asset is the book itself. Print a few galleys before the release! Beyond that, most of the items can be made or purchased.
Do not pay for a thousand pens with your book’s name on it. (You’ll regret it.) Go small and special. In my case, I designed and produced my own bookbags and tee-shirts. I also bought a few items from Michael’s, laminated bookmarks at Staples and printed postcards from Moo.
For the love of all that’s good, STAY ORGANIZED.
Nothing will destroy your street team faster than lack of planning. And since the author is in charge, you need to stay organized whether that’s your natural approach to writing or not.
When Edge of Wild’s street team had a full roster, I put together a Google folder to keep everyone’s tasks straight, and then mailed out a “Welcome to the Street Team” email. I encouraged the group to develop their own projects for their blogs. Some wanted guest posts, others reviews, and a few opted for other items. All of these were laid out in the google docs. Organized. Clear. They were all ready to go long before they were needed.
In the end, a street team’s effectiveness is as much about how you make the bloggers feel as much as what you do. A little bit of planning and patience goes a long way. Your street team is your voice, so make it strong.
Danika Stone is an author, artist, and educator who discovered a passion for writing fiction while in the throes of her Masters thesis. A self-declared bibliophile, Danika now writes novels for both adults (Edge of Wild, The Intaglio Series and Ctrl Z) and teens (All the Feels). When not writing, Danika can be found hiking in the Rockies, planning grand adventures, and spending far too much time online. She lives with her husband, three sons, and a houseful of imaginary characters in a windy corner of Alberta, Canada.
Ms. Stone is represented by Morty Mint of Mint Literary Agency.
Websites: http://www.danikastone.com/ and http://www.authordkstone.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Danika_Stone
Blog: http://danikastone.tumblr.com/
Book Release #1: Edge of Wild, Stonehouse, May 1, 2016:
Book Release #2: All the Feels, Macmillan, June 7, 2016
5 Tips for Street Teams by @Danika_Stone:
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The post Promotions on the Ground appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
May 8, 2016
Pros and Cons of Changing Genres
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
About a year ago, I wrote and released a book in a completely different genre than I’ve ever written before. The dystopian novel was something I called ‘cozy zombie’–zombie lit without the gore. The book was what’s known as an ‘attack novel.’ The concept had bugged me for years and I finally broke down and wrote the book.
A year later, I’ve found that the experience of changing genres had its pros and cons.
Pros
Not only was it fun writing something completely different, it was challenging, too. I felt that I grew a lot, as a writer, while working on the book.
I’ve been able to connect with a completely different type of reader by publishing a zombie book. Not only that, but I’ve had different opportunities pop up. BookTrack, the company that matches soundtracks with books (the soundtracks adjust to the reader’s pace) offered to produce the booktrack and put my book up on their platform. Apparently, they need more of this type of content (no offers to produce my cozy mysteries, ha! I guess they know their audience).
Cons
I felt that I couldn’t possibly write the book under my real name because I’m so tied to my branding as a mystery writer. I didn’t want to confuse my readers and field a lot of emails in the process. I decided on a compromise–I used Liz Craig, since my name has a million nicknames. Amazon Author Central happily still connected the name to my profile and even sent out new release emails to my readers when the book came out. So why is this a con? I didn’t still feel I could really promote under a different name—I just didn’t have the time. Liz Craig has no online presence that’s not tied to my own website. Would Liz have done better on her own? Maybe. But her alter ego is just a little pressed.
When Booktrack contacted me about promoting the upcoming Booktrack release, they knew I had a pretty big online footprint. But I had to explain to them that it wasn’t for zombie fiction. My newsletter list, my followers on social media…they were all mystery readers. It’s like starting over.
Something else to consider, although it wasn’t a problem for me–does your freelance design, editing, and formatting team handle your new genre? For design, this might particularly prove a challenge.
Would I write another genre again? For sure. I’ve no doubt that I’m going to branch out again in either a mystery subgenre or a different genre. That book of mine had to be written because the story wouldn’t let me go. But, with any luck, the next time I do something like this I’ll have more time to interact as the pen name.
Have you considered writing other genres?
The post Pros and Cons of Changing Genres appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
May 7, 2016
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine
(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
And Happy Mother’s Day to the mothers out there!
How Far Back in Time Could You Go and Still Understand English? http://ow.ly/4n1WTw @scholarlykitchn
How Disaster Movies Creep Into 1 Writer’s Writing: http://ow.ly/4n1X24 @WomenWriters @SamTongeWriter
How to be a Better and Happier Writer: http://ow.ly/4n1X6N @MahinWriter
3 reasons why you should show your work: http://ow.ly/4n1X8Y @austinkleon
On worrying about the scarcity of new ideas: comic from @inkyelbows: http://ow.ly/4n1XeZ
The Literary Spy Novel: 5 Recommendations: http://ow.ly/4n1XmY @paulvidich @ElectricLit
13 Ways Writers are Mistaken for Serial Killers: http://ow.ly/4n1XzP @KristenLambTX
How Indie Authors Can Grow their Following on Twitter: http://ow.ly/4n1XxB by @jessicadavis @theindiepubmag
How to Promote Your Book Without Being Annoying: http://ow.ly/4n1Xq0 @egabbert
Friends as Enemies: http://ow.ly/4n1Yr5 @beccapuglisi
Choosing Your Words Carefully: http://ow.ly/4n1YpR by Ursula Bloom @WomenWriters
First Draft Writing: 7 Tips for Easier Drafting: http://ow.ly/4n1XlL @nownovel
Everything You Need to Know About 3rd-Person POV: http://ow.ly/4n1YrP @KMWeiland
Done is Better Than Perfect When It Comes to First Drafts: http://ow.ly/4n1Yar @hwrightwriter
Group Blogging: Humanize Your Blog to Drive Engagement: http://ow.ly/4n1Xto @kikolani
An agent on novels with shorter than usual word count: http://ow.ly/4n1Yg7 @Janet_Reid
A common problem with dialogue: http://ow.ly/4n1Yul @storyfix
US-Based Copyright Clearance Center Buys UK’s Ixxus: http://ow.ly/4nuD3r @Porter_Anderson @steveodart
Writing Building Blocks: Paragraph Breaks & Voice: http://ow.ly/4n1YkG @JamiGold
. @ThatKevinSmith on Screenwriting: http://ow.ly/4n3zTA and http://ow.ly/4n3zWj @steveryfle
4 Types of Character Flaws: http://ow.ly/4n3zyy @AngelaAckerman
Lessons From @jamesscottbell : Characters That Jump Off The Page: http://ow.ly/4n3zAi @AngelaAckerman
Poets: Use Your Skills to Nab Freelance Writing Jobs: http://ow.ly/4n3zvR @Carolynesutra
Subsidiary Rights: http://ow.ly/4n3zrY @SusanSpann
6 Books on Writing Science Fiction Compared: http://ow.ly/4n1WQy by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Harvard Book Store Partners with Canada’s Shelfie: http://ow.ly/4nuCRH @Porter_Anderson @getshelfie
The Anatomy of a Print-Only Deal: http://ow.ly/4nuyg5 @KatyRegnery
Success: –what exactly is it? http://ow.ly/4n1exn @dianapfrancis
Using Close-Ups in Your Scenes to Get Personal: http://ow.ly/4n1ess @CSLakin
Writing fight scenes: knocking someone out without serious injury: http://ow.ly/4n1eyl from How to Fight Write
Writing Time And Place: http://ow.ly/4n1etn @AnthonyEhlers
Making Money: Anthologies: http://ow.ly/4n1evS @johnhartness
A Modern Literary Glossary: Definitions for Our Ever-Changing Reading World: http://ow.ly/4n1emg by Jacob Lambert
10 Russian Literary Heroines to Know: http://ow.ly/4nsa1N @gmerades @thelithub
5 Ways to Use LinkedIn Publisher for Business: http://ow.ly/4n1eea @LinkedInExpert
Creating Promotional Copy That Works: Tag Lines http://ow.ly/4n1eci @MarcyKennedy
Your Basic Author Media Kit: http://ow.ly/4n1e8r @Sarah_Nicolas
How Any Author Can Update Their Book Data on BookBub: http://ow.ly/4n1e5a @DianaUrban
How to Write Better using our Multiple Intelligences: http://ow.ly/4mYFgM @hunteremkay
7 Ways To Finish Your Story: http://ow.ly/4mYCrt @Yeomanis
Writing Lessons From The Masters: http://ow.ly/4mYCoY @jamesscottbell
Goodreads Introduces Kindle Ebook Giveaways Beta Program (U.S.): http://ow.ly/4nshbb @goodreads @suzanneskyvara
Spam, Spam, Spam Spam: Inkitt and the Grand Novel Contest: http://ow.ly/4nsbJn @victoriastrauss
The Winners of the Best Translated Book Awards (BTBA): http://ow.ly/4nsbxk @The_Millions
Engineering a Fiction Series: http://ow.ly/4mYCuZ @ashkrafton
The book proposal: better late than lousy: http://ow.ly/4mYCiM @dglm
What Kind of Day Job Should a Writer Have? http://ow.ly/4n1bLj @dana_cann @thelithub
An agent on having more than one agent: http://ow.ly/4mYCfE @Janet_Reid
Love is Boring and Hard to Write About, And Yet… http://ow.ly/4ns9OW @lydia_millet @thelithub
Using Preorders to Boost New Release Book Sales: http://ow.ly/4mYAcc @melissafmiller
How to Attract Media Coverage for Your Book Launch: http://ow.ly/4mYAgk @LisaLondon3
Creating Easy Branded Images for Your Blog and Social Media: http://ow.ly/4mYzua @kikimojo
Revisiting your book marketing strategies: http://ow.ly/4nq7tf by Deborah Nam-Krane
How to Find Great Content Your Readers Will Love: http://ow.ly/4mYzxU @CaballoFrances
11 Tips to help you build your online community: http://ow.ly/4mYA6E @catmichaelsBook for @annerallen
5 reasons listening to audiobooks can improve our writing: http://ow.ly/4mYAB6 @JasonMHough
A New Platform for Serialized Work: Tapas Media: http://ow.ly/4mYArR @JaneFriedman
Querying: when you realize the error AFTER you hit send: http://ow.ly/4mYAmH @Janet_Reid
Build an Audience for Your Novel by Figuring Out Who Your Audience Is: http://ow.ly/4mYzUO @FauziaBurke
Share your talent instead of wasting it: http://ow.ly/4mYAv2 @juliemusil
Posing like a man in author photos: http://ow.ly/4mYzGT @AFilipacchi @nytimes
10 Things Authors Get Wrong When Writing About the Military: http://ow.ly/4npgw9 @benjaminsobieck
3 Steps to Reinvigorating Your Writing: http://ow.ly/4npgpJ @chicklitgurrl
Tap the Psychology of Conflict: http://ow.ly/4mQN1t @JanalynVoigt
Crime Writers: 20 Survival Tips for Real and Fictional Officers: http://ow.ly/4mV0wp @LeeLofland
Dialogue Words: 100 Alternatives: http://ow.ly/4mUXuG @nownovel
Launching Your Book (Without Losing Your Mind): http://ow.ly/4mV0HV @GailZMartin
Colombian Cyclists: Bringing books and readers together: http://ow.ly/4nmCr6 @lagunalibros @adamcritchley @pubperspectives
How to Write Teen Girl Characters: http://ow.ly/4mUYG0 @missnoraz @thelithub
Protagonists: Superman Syndrome: http://ow.ly/4nmqU3 @p2p_editor
AP Will No Longer Capitalize ‘Internet’ and ‘Web’: http://ow.ly/4nmvC0 @APStylebook @GrammarGirl
The new fiction of solitude: http://ow.ly/4mUXMy by Nicholas Dames @TheAtlantic
Outlining With Scrivener: http://ow.ly/4mUXls @Figures
The importance of theme, or, the Controlling Idea: http://ow.ly/4mUXwl by Shawn Coyne
5 Ways Perfectionism Attacks Your Creativity: http://ow.ly/4mV00h @emily_tjaden
7 things to avoid when you write for children: http://ow.ly/4mUZCp @MiaJouBotha
4 Famous Writers Whose Prose Was Crap: http://ow.ly/4mUYeS @cathinnorway
8 Time-Tested Personality Traits of the Best Poets and Writers: http://ow.ly/4mUXXA by Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen
Writing Head Trauma: Can A Blow To the Head Cause Unconsciousness and Amnesia? http://ow.ly/4nml8m @DPLyleMD
Inner Conflict in Fiction: http://ow.ly/4mQMXy @JanalynVoigt
Why Literature Needs Psychology: http://ow.ly/4nkJVq @jenniferrenu @thelithub
Why You Should Write on Medium: http://ow.ly/4nkRRL @joshspilker
International Identifiers: All About ISNI With Laura Dawson: http://ow.ly/4nhlfG @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
How a CharacterÂ’’s Choice of Clothing Benefits the Story: http://ow.ly/4mTgh6 from It’s a Writer Thing
The Serious Lack of Diversity in Book Publishing: http://ow.ly/4mTgIM @ilanaslightly @broadly
16 Books About Madness: http://ow.ly/4mTe4N @chris_shultz81
How 1 Author Writes History: http://ow.ly/4mTgwZ @nealbascomb @thelithub
Crime writers: anatomy of an evidence room: http://ow.ly/4mTdVW @LeslieBudewitz
9 Myths of Being a Published Author: http://ow.ly/4mTdK2 @bclaypolewhite
Copywriting: A Critical Skill for Every Writer: http://ow.ly/4mTdZA @terrywhalin
How Billy Joel Taught 1 Writer To Write: http://ow.ly/4nkJ0X @bwoodauthor @thelithub
6 Tips for Better Loglines: http://ow.ly/4mTgne @dougeboch
The benefit of being a hybrid author: http://ow.ly/4mTecl @michellecox33
7 Tips for Better Pitches: http://ow.ly/4mTdGW @dougeboch
7 Ways To Overcome Destructive Self-Criticism: http://ow.ly/4mTdTX @colleen_m_story
The Speechwriter’s Checklist: http://ow.ly/4mTdPx @Writers_Write
Talking Heads (Top 10 Dialogue Writing Mistakes): http://ow.ly/4mQMU4 @JanalynVoigt
When characters make plans, how should you reveal them to your readers? http://ow.ly/4nifl3 @lkblackburne
Types of Conflict in Literature: http://ow.ly/4mQMOD @JanalynVoigt
5 Mistakes Self Published Authors Make in 2016: http://ow.ly/4mQJNy @LPOBryan
9 Ways to Stunt Our Writing Growth: http://ow.ly/4niac9 @EdieMelson
Is Your Use of Social Media Marketing Efficient? http://ow.ly/4mQJHy @wendygarfinkle
The links I shared last week: http://ow.ly/4niI6y .All the links I’ve ever shared (30K+, free and searchable): writerskb.com
Crime Writers: Eyewitness Testimony: Test Your Observation Skills: http://ow.ly/4ni940 @SueColetta1
5 Common Writing Fears and How to Overcome Them: http://ow.ly/4mQJBo @JanalynVoigt
The top writing links of last week are on Twitterific:
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