Riley Adams's Blog, page 140

My Process for Approaching Large Revisions

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I received an email last week from a writer who is feeling a little overwhelmed by the revision process and asked if I’d written any posts that helped to sort of sort through revision in an organized way.

And my first reaction was, besides completely understanding why anyone would feel overwhelmed, was: “Oh sure, I’ve got gobs of blog posts like that.”  But…no.  Although I talk a lot about my need for revision and stuff I’ve had to fix in the past, and the fact that I don’t edit while I draft–I had no posts at all about how I organize and approach revision.  So I’ll correct that now.  And, looking at my process below, I’m thinking that one reason I might not have outlined this before is because it so closely resembles my process for writing a book that maybe I thought I’d repeat myself.

This is a process for someone who really, really needs a process or has become frozen because there is so much to do and she doesn’t know where to start.  It could work for someone with really limited time and a demanding day job.  Or someone who has tried other methods without success.

First off:

Brainstorm a list for your revision.

This may be a humdinger of a list, but work on it a little every day. Maybe you already have a list of notes to yourself about manuscript problems…this is a good time to organize the bits into a master list.

Everything goes on the list.  The stuff you worried about in your book.  The feedback you got from your editor/beta reader/critique group.  It’s a master list.

Brainstorm all the global problems you recognize in your book. You might know immediately what these are. If you can’t put your finger on them, think about lack of conflict, whether the protagonist is taking charge or observing, character development, character growth, flat dialogue, and character goals/motivation.

Brainstorm all the smaller mistakes you want to watch for.  Be thinking about things like: repeated words (echoes), continuity errors (character’s hair color/outfit changes in same scene), POV problems, pacing (some scenes too rushed? some scenes too slow?) too many adjectives or adverbs, dialogue tag issues, varied sentence structure, bumpy scene transitions, etc.  Weak word choice–sometimes I’ll double-check that I’ve used words like felt, very, look, started to, think, really, put in a smart way.

Brainstorm all the additions you want to make to the manuscript.  These might be chapter breaks, descriptions, setting description, added scenes that add conflict or develop character, etc.

Brainstorm all the deletions you know you want to make to the manuscript.  These might be instances of backstory, dull dialogue, or meandering scenes that don’t further the story.

Then: break headings on your list into smaller tasks of things to do/address.  See how many tasks you can break each area down into.  So maybe you received some beta reader/editor/crit group feedback: Help make main character more sympathetic and likeable.  You could change that to add in a pet-the-dog/save the cat moment near book’s beginning.

Martin seems too flat as a character could have a few to-dos:  Brainstorm Martin’s backstory and what he fears most/wants most.   List why Martin is important to the protagonist and ways to make him more so.  How does Martin grow during the story?

Some of these things are going to take only a few minutes (word searches for frequently repeated words or potential problem words).  Some will take longer (continuity errors, POV, etc.).  If you’ve broken down some of your bigger tasks into much smaller, manageable to-dos, though, you’ll have bits you can accomplish even in small amounts of time.

After you finish with your list, work on it as you have time.  If you’re forgetful like I am, carefully mark off each item when you’ve finished. Mark on your document where you left off, if you’re working on a read-through. I use Word’s Track Changes or Comments feature.

Continuity errors seem to take the longest amount of time for me to catch because I usually have to jot down notes about what day of the week the story is on, a character’s eye color (can prevent this if I make a style sheet as I write the book!), etc.  Read through the book for continuity errors (notepad beside us),  POV, and transition problems.

If you come across additional problems as you go, add them to your to-do list, also breaking them down into smaller tasks.

Double-check yourself.  Check your list again.

Do a final read-through to make sure all your deletions, additions, and word changes make sense.

Call yourself done and reward yourself somehow.  Maybe by starting on that next book that was tempting you the whole time you were plodding through your revision?

I’ll add here that now, although I still do need a list to help me keep track of changes I need to make, I don’t *have* to make one as extensive as the one above…now it’s more rote because I’ve done it so many times.  This is more if you have a heckuva revision on your hands, feel overwhelmed, or need to apply some real organization to your project to help stay on track and motivated.

There are so  many ways to approach a big revision.  What are some of your tips?

Image: MorgueFile: jppi

The post My Process for Approaching Large Revisions appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Have a great week!

The Two Main Characters – A Writer’s Worksheet: http://dld.bz/dfKNE @amandaonwriting

5 Ways Authors Can Recycle Their Discarded Material: http://ow.ly/sJaFZ @vgrefer

Sing with Your Inner Voice (& Write It All Down). ~ Caroline Brown http://ow.ly/sJaYV @elephantjournal

Fiction writing: When you might want to use passive construction | Into Another World http://ow.ly/sJb3d

Sarcasm in narration: http://dld.bz/dfKK5 @rfwriters

7 Ways to Overcome Writer’s Block: http://dld.bz/dfQta @KenneyMyers

First Be a Storyteller: http://dld.bz/dfKN3 @jamesscottbell

Writers Are People That Stop And Start:  http://ow.ly/sJbe6 @thoughtcatalog

Blood-Red Pencil: Audio Editing http://ow.ly/sJbh7 @authorterryo

Foundations of fantasy–Beowulf: http://dld.bz/dfKK9 @RyanHowse

To kickstart inspiration: a plot bank with over 2300 entries: http://dld.bz/dfKKu

Tips for Better Blog Posts for Writers:  http://ow.ly/sJbjX @CaballoFrances

When studying your character, don’t think about heroism or gender…think about fear:  http://dld.bz/dfKNk @bang2write

Tips for better dialogue: http://dld.bz/dfKMP @rfwriters

Finding your readers online: Award-winning authors speak up: http://dld.bz/dfKJ4 @jimhbs

Writers, we are doing it backwards: http://dld.bz/df8EZ @speechwriterguy

Inspiration and motivation from a slaughterhouse: http://dld.bz/dfV85 @Screenwriter12

Self-Published Authors should always own their own set of ISBNs:  http://ow.ly/sL8DA @oceanviewpress

Launch etiquette–must you buy the book? http://dld.bz/dfTUS @KerryGans

Free Research and Development for Authors http://ow.ly/sJbnz @byondpapr

Getting published–a flowchart: http://dld.bz/dfTVb @rfwriters

How Much Can Hybrid Authors Make? http://bit.ly/1eJ1JPJ @steenaholmes

Historical fiction: 10 Rules for Rewriting History http://ow.ly/sJbIw @writerunboxed

An ergonomic tip for writers: http://dld.bz/dfQtt @MartinaABoone

How to use lists to write: http://ow.ly/sJbQc @MSaintGermain

Fantasy Flash Fiction–5 Common Mistakes :  http://ow.ly/sJc9c @FaithBoughan

12 Tips To Improve Your Writing In A Hurry:  http://ow.ly/sJcfe @AnneWayman

How to Successfully Kill a Character: The Checklist:  http://dld.bz/dfTVq @KMWeiland

The Power of Polarizing Through Your Writing: http://dld.bz/dfV8c @menwithpens

Combat in fantasy–10 tips: http://dld.bz/de75M @fantasy_faction

Don’t Start Something New in 2014 (Finish Something Old): http://dld.bz/dfTWC @Jordanrosenfeld

10 tips for writing romance: http://dld.bz/dfTUX @amberrisme

10 Authors Who Wrote for the Silver Screen: http://ow.ly/sJcAk @pastemagazine

18 Signs You’re A Writer At Heart:  http://ow.ly/sJcnQ @thoughtcatalog

Should you self-publish? 6 key questions:  http://ow.ly/sJcCh @MSaintGermain

Tips on How to Read Your Novel:  http://ow.ly/sJcEa @MSaintGermain

5 Things Writing Has Taught 1 Writer About Love: http://ow.ly/sJcki @AlwaysIncluded

How 1 Writer Plans to Write His Best Screenplay Ever: Make His 1st Feature Film: http://ow.ly/sL6Ut @bartondeepwood @nofilmschool

How 1 Writer Plans to Write His Best Screenplay Ever: Make His 1st Feature Film: http://ow.ly/sL6Ut @bartondeepwood @nofilmschool

How 1 Writer Plans to Write His Best Screenplay Ever: Make His 1st Feature Film: http://ow.ly/sL6Ut @bartondeepwood @nofilmschool

Characteristics of the ‘Bad Guy’ Antagonist: http://dld.bz/df8De @rfwriters

How authors can reclaim the rights to their back catalog titles http://ow.ly/sJvOs @Bookbaby

5 Things YA Parents Say (But 1 Writer’s Parents Never Did): http://dld.bz/dfKNv @EmilyCaseysMuse

How to speak publisher: F is for Foreign rights: http://dld.bz/df2dM @annerooney

I have sucked. I currently suck. I will suck. (Or the life of a writer): http://dld.bz/df2d2 @rebeccaberto

Goodreads’ live or die decision to be purchased by Amazon: http://ow.ly/sJw0V @michaelwhite1

Tips for writing something you’ve never experienced: http://dld.bz/df8At @rfwriters

Self editing basics: http://dld.bz/dfDmb @rebeccatdickson

Twitter etiquette: http://bit.ly/1eUlVQZ @jemifraser

Overused Words To Avoid: http://dld.bz/df8AZ @thewritermama

Vulnerable Characters: http://dld.bz/dfG7v @JeanOram

Finding New Readers with a Multi-Author Ebook Bundle: http://bit.ly/1diyxfZ @goblinwriter

The awkward art of book trailers: http://nyr.kr/J8FxEy @rachelarons @pageturner

Plot structure–wow moments: http://bit.ly/1bgfTt1 @camillelaguire

Old methods of reader discoverability–and why they no longer work: http://bit.ly/1mmauVA @kristinerusch

A Beat Sheet For Scrivener: http://bit.ly/1dGCr6V    @woodwardkaren

Why Everyone Should Read More Science Fiction: http://huff.to/1bt4Ye3 @huffpost

Putting the Weird in Weird Western: http://dld.bz/dfV8u @gemmafiles @qqwill

Stop being embarrassed about fan fiction: http://bit.ly/1fJRH6d @dailydot

8 tips for better keynote addresses: http://bit.ly/1ceR9Te @paulsloane

How to set writing goals for 2014: http://bit.ly/1gYaVVp @LeahMcClellan

The 10 Biggest Mistakes People Make in Setting Goals: http://bit.ly/1e6pkK1 @michaelhyatt

How to develop your writer’s voice: http://bit.ly/1afAE9Z @writeabook

An agent’s opinion of self-publishing: http://bit.ly/1azH3u4 @Janet_Reid

Thoughts on pacing stories: http://bit.ly/1afBi7p @TiffanyReisz

How to make your romance novel feel real: http://dld.bz/dfDmA @nownovel

Why 1 Writer is Shutting Down His Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/1fJWMve @RobBiesenbach

Learning to Write – a writer’s journey in How To books:  http://ow.ly/sL6tS @candygourlay

How to Outwit Second Novel Syndrome: http://dld.bz/df8Fx @Lisa_Alber

5 Ways to Untangle Plot :  http://ow.ly/sN69X @Awesome_Dawn

Character Secrets and Contradictions: http://nyti.ms/1azcTnS @nytimes

How To Become A Master Of Creativity – Attitude: http://linkd.in/1dKfAH4 @ConsumGoodsClub

5 Easy Ways To Make Writing A Habit: http://dld.bz/dfDmf @losapala

How Much Does Author Platform Impact Sales? http://bit.ly/1chcM5z @janefriedman

Using Index Cards To Outline A Novel: http://dld.bz/dfDmz @woodwardkaren

Traveling To Research Historical Novels: http://dld.bz/dfDnf @WriteHistNovels

Do Authors Need Publishers? http://bit.ly/1cG1dze @LynneCantwell

Jane Austen on Creative Integrity: http://bit.ly/1dmaZHD @brainpicker

Crowdfunded Anthologies: Concerns For Writers: http://dld.bz/dfG73 @victoriastrauss

Self-Pubbed Books vs. Literary Awards: A Logistical Problem? http://bit.ly/1fJW80H @shaunduke

A play by play of 1 author’s free ebook giveaway: http://bit.ly/19D3CQx @SPressfield

Comparing a scene as written and as shot: http://dld.bz/dfDmt @johnaugust

5 Ways to be a Smart, Gutsy Writer -  http://ow.ly/sKTLh @ainegreaney @womenwriters

Do Novelists Need A Book Proposal? http://bit.ly/1jeIW1N @terrywhalin @flawritersconf

Understanding Tolkien: Why His Landscapes Work: http://dld.bz/dfDkW @mharoldpage

Screenwriting site–Loglines R Us: http://bit.ly/1azbI7J @DouglasKing4 @scriptmag

Elements of a good scene–a checklist: http://dld.bz/dfG7j @Writers_Write

8 Screenwriting Clichés to Avoid: http://dld.bz/df9s4 @screencrafting

6 Ways To debunk The Talent Myth:  http://ow.ly/sKUl6 @raindance

Creating Active Characters:  http://ow.ly/sL8NB @WritersRumpus

Book Pricing (Discoverability)  http://ow.ly/sJaAV @kristinerusch

4 Reasons Why Our Entertainment Is Getting More and More Sex Soaked: http://ow.ly/sKYk3 @passivevoiceblg

3 tools that’ll make the submissions process easier for writers: http://dld.bz/dfA97 @chrisrobley

Writers reviewing writers: http://ow.ly/sL98j @hutchingsjulie

How to Kill Your Main Character http://ow.ly/sLbCR @RhiannonPaille @mythicscribes

Is one good  Amazon review worse than no reviews? http://ow.ly/sL9xe

7 Mistakes Indie Authors Make with Their Covers: http://ow.ly/sLbCZ @GabrielleSaraP

Will Traditional Publishing Ever Become Author-Focused? | Eric Lorenzen http://ow.ly/sLbD8

Novel endings–don’t rush: http://bit.ly/KgHj7y @lindasclare

Beta readers–the magic elves of the publishing world: http://ow.ly/sLbDc @nzstelter

Lit Fic Mags for Spec Fic Writers: 5 Markets to Consider : http://dld.bz/dfV8g @sfwa

Discoverability–what works: http://ow.ly/sLbDg @alexjcavanaugh

Is the midlist, ‘publishing’s experimental laboratory,’ disappearing? http://ow.ly/sL90K @ZeljkaMarosevic

Why 1 writer is crowdfunding his book: http://dld.bz/dfDmG @johnbiggs

Murder 101: 7 Reasons to Kill your Characters |  http://ow.ly/sL9QR @robsmedley86 @fuelyourwriting

Where to Find Beta Readers: http://ow.ly/sLbDq @jamigold

Roadblocks and Why 1 Writer Prefers Blogging to Writing Her Book: http://ow.ly/sLbDt

Yes, Shakespeare used flashbacks and multiple storylines: http://ow.ly/sLbDx @AronsonLinda

On Becoming a (Self) Publisher: (Lessons Learned):  http://ow.ly/sKU95 @NickRuffilo @pubperspectives

The Formative Event Technique Raises Your Story’s Stakes: http://bit.ly/1cEIhBh @marilynhorowitz

50 Attributes of a Great Copywriter: http://bit.ly/18C0UtS @jeffbullas

How to Decide Which Story to Write First:  http://ow.ly/sN4oW @cantrelljason

Writing Filters to Use: The Finer Details Filters:  http://ow.ly/sN3JS @Awesome_Dawn

S Africans slow to adopt e-books:  http://ow.ly/sN3Dc @techcentral

3 tips for writing watertight fantasy, science fiction and time travel stories: http://ow.ly/sN3XF @nailyournovel

Another Twist on Marketing your Book http://ow.ly/sN4Yw @CarsonCanada

Can men write good heroines?  http://ow.ly/sN4Pt @SamanthaEllis27 @guardianbooks

How to get your indie-book in book stores:  http://ow.ly/sN3PY @tamzwrite

A writer’s concerns about using 99 Designs: http://dld.bz/dfDm7 @lkblackburne

10 Writing Tips From Ernest Hemingway:  http://ow.ly/sN43z @boyinthehat

Twitter Rewards Spamming Indie Authors with Trending Terms http://ow.ly/sN48o @Goodereadermike @Goodereader

NA Alley: 5 Tips for Writing Love Scenes http://ow.ly/sN3Vy

Why authors and trad pub don’t reveal authors’ earnings http://ow.ly/sN5ar @LexiRevellian

Hard truths about self-publishing:  http://ow.ly/sN4w9 @NazareaAndrews

9 Keys to Creating an Effective Writing Accountability Group http://ow.ly/sN4E4 @bigstatebiglife

1 writer’s close-call with a disastrous cover: http://dld.bz/dfKJm @nailyournovel

3 reasons writers should be happy about rejection: http://dld.bz/dfDhF @bookbaby

Avoiding Repetition in Stories: http://dld.bz/dfKJC @shalvatzis

Screenwriters | 10 Ways To Make A Good Impression As A Writer http://ow.ly/sJauP @bang2write

Real Life Diagnostics: Will This Opening Draw in the Reader? http://dld.bz/dfQtg @Janice_hardy

“12 Fundamentals Of Writing The Other”" (And The Self):  http://ow.ly/sJajn @djolder”"”

8 Formatting Tips and Shortcuts For Writers: http://dld.bz/dfG7R @joebunting

Online traps for unwary writers and illustrators: http://dld.bz/dfhu9 @nicolamorgan

The Most Likely Person to Read a Book? A College-Educated Black Woman http://ow.ly/sJa4o @pbump

More Americans read books than you think:  http://ow.ly/sJa6C @mims

Best practices for social media posting: http://dld.bz/dfrfj @GuyKawasaki

10 Ways to Create Gut-Gnawing Suspense: http://dld.bz/dfG7W @niniehammon

How to Beat the Self-Pub Stigma and Gain New Readers:  http://ow.ly/sJacV @Wiseink

Banning the Negative Book Review: http://dld.bz/deY7C & @nytimes

5 Writers Who Took Romantic Revenge in Print | Mental Floss http://ow.ly/sJa07

Can you use social media to increase reader loyalty? http://dld.bz/dfKJb @SMisDynamite

How 1 Writer Plans to Write His Best Screenplay Ever: Make His 1st Feature Film: http://ow.ly/sL6Ut @bartondeepwood @nofilmschool

Can Subscription Services Work for Ebooks? http://ow.ly/sJ9TI @LJSellers

How to improve your writing–subplots and subtext: http://dld.bz/dfhuu @storyfix @writersdigest

All about reader conferences for writers: http://dld.bz/dfG7F @authorterryo

How 1 Writer Plans to Write His Best Screenplay Ever: Make His 1st Feature Film: http://ow.ly/sL6Ut @bartondeepwood @nofilmschool

16 Reasons Why Screenwriters and Film-makers Fail: http://dld.bz/dfG7B @raindance

What’s the Future of Bookstores? 25 Influential Authors Weigh In http://ow.ly/sJ9IF @CarmenConnects

Tips for writing the perfect logline and why it’s as important as your screenplay (or book): http://dld.bz/dfkJs @noamkroll

7 things every writer should be able to do in their sleep. http://ow.ly/sJ9DY @MasqCrew

Is good characterization really about change? http://dld.bz/deY6f @bang2write

Creating Friction With Clashing Personalities: http://dld.bz/dfkKq @thecreativepenn @angelaackerman

The joy of literary destruction: Writers who broke all the rules:  http://ow.ly/ @salon

When Reviews Are Negative (Or Worse) http://ow.ly/sJ9uS @rsguthrie

9 Tips on Pinterest for Writers:  http://ow.ly/sJ9qF @LPOBryan

More Americans read books than you think:  http://ow.ly/sJa6C @mims

Why Writers Should Embrace Household Chores | http://ow.ly/sJ9ku @Writethismoment

Writing novice? 6 best pieces of advice from successful authors:  http://ow.ly/sJ96l

More Americans read books than you think:  http://ow.ly/sJa6C @mims

5 Writers Who Took Romantic Revenge in Print | Mental Floss http://ow.ly/sJa07

The bad side of Goodreads’ Reading Challenge | Books | theguardian.com http://ow.ly/sJ912 @guardianbooks

5 Writers Who Took Romantic Revenge in Print | Mental Floss http://ow.ly/sJa07

Why Writers Should Embrace Household Chores | http://ow.ly/sJ9ku @Writethismoment

How to Build a Writing Group by Nathaniel Kressen http://ow.ly/sJ8S5 @Janefriedman

Why Writers Should Embrace Household Chores | http://ow.ly/sJ9ku @Writethismoment

Can’t Take a Research Trip? No Problem: http://dld.bz/cUPSz @carrieturansky

How To Make Your Own Free Book Cover In MS Word: http://dld.bz/cU24H @thecreativepenn

How To Fix A Plot That Feels Lightweight Or Predictable: http://dld.bz/cU24U @raindance

The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Does Mind Mapping Hurt?

by Delia Brendan, @deliabrendan

Years ago, I went to a plotting workshop. The workshop leader described a process involving white poster board and multi-colored sticky notes. She described how each sticky note color corresponded to various plot elements. At the end of the exercise, she showed the group a completed plot map and explained how this process could help you from getting bogged down during drafting.

As a visual person, I loved the concept of working from a map. So, I dutifully went out and bought white poster board and enough sticky notes to outfit a corporation. As an organizationally-challenged over thinker, I was soon mired down in details. Was Dr. Venom’s mother from Siberia a blue sticky note because she was related to a bad guy or a green sticky note because she befriends the heroine? No surprise, I never wound up with a plot map and I’m still pulling sticky notes out of sock drawers and couch cushions. 

If I could get my information organized in virtual notebooks, was a free tool that would help me organize my plot too much to hope for?

It turns out it’s not. Now, when I say “mind mapping,” I need you to take a deep breath. It’s a terrible name as it conjures images of being strapped in a chair as electrodes are attached to your temples. It’s not something that one might think would help creativity, but it is invaluable.

“Mind mapping” is not new. It’s just a description of how to organize your thoughts. In terms of the software, a map is nothing more than that huge piece of white poster board we lugged home from the office supply store. Topics and subtopics are the sticky notes.

Let’s look at this in action with the story of Sleeping Beauty. As you dig back in your Disney brain, recall that the story opens with the birth of the King and Queen’s daughter. An evil fairy casts a spell on the child that when a spindle pricks her she’ll die. A good fairy can’t remove the curse, but she alters it. Instead of dying, the princess will fall into a 100-year sleep and be awoken by the kiss of a prince. Fifteen years later, the princess accidentally triggers the curse.

The name of the story is our starting points, my first two topics are the key events: the curse and triggering the curse.

The activities that follow each of those events are subtopics. There’s no right or wrong way to create a map. You start from the point that makes sense to you.

Depending on the software, you can customize the map. If you enjoyed the sticky notes colors, rest assured you can color your topics. Even better, you can change Dr. Venom’s mother from a blue to a green without having to find where you put the green sticky notes. Topics can be rearranged by clicking and dragging. You can also order items across branches with markers or create relationships as you build a chapter structure.

When I was writing the first Matchmaker Pearl romantic mystery, Undercover (2013), I appreciated the ability to open and close branches on the map until I needed them. It helped avoid being overwhelmed by an intricate and complex plot structure.

So, what application should you use? The answer is the one you like. What makes complete sense for me may not for you. You’ll need to try a couple to find the best fit.

Here are a few products to get you started:

XMind—(Windows/Mac) Xmind is very popular. I was amazed at how came in the free version. It’s an application, so you need to spend a few minutes to understand how it works. It is very right-click oriented as you add topics and subtopics.
MindJet Maps—(Windows/Mac/iPad) MindJet is aimed at a professional audience and the computer version price reflects that. However, I discovered that the iPad version is free. That is great news because the iPad app is terrific. It has a streamlined interface, easy to understand, and the tutorial is very helpful without being invasive. You can either save maps to defined storage areas, like Dropbox or Box.com, or email them as PDFs or mind map files.


Coogle—(Web) Coogle is a basic free web application. You can sign in with either Google or Facebook credentials. It has a very clean web interface and can handle basic mapping. This is may be a good place to start, but I’m concerned that this product may be too limited if you have a complex plot.

Before diving in, I have two pieces of advice. First, whenever you’re downloading software make sure to take a few minutes and look at the licensing agreement. It’s not breathtaking reading, but it’s important to understand the parameters and what they do with your data. Second, spend a few minutes with the tutorials. Each product has it’s own nuances and this will save you time.

Delia Brendan was born and raised in Washington state. She graduated from the University of Southern Mississippi with the kind of doctorate that you don’t want when you’re bleeding or trying to determine if that lump “means something.” Her careers have always involved writing, be it technical writing, legal writing, or just your average system down messages. 

A chance meeting of Pearl Waterman in 2012 brought a desire to share her adventures and explain what really happens in Dandelion. She is married to writer Sean Brendan Brown and they live in Olympia with a very gray, fat little beagle named Katie.

The post Does Mind Mapping Hurt? appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Reasons and Methods of Killing Characters—And One Reason Not To

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

There’s an interesting phenomenon when you comb through your RSS reader—even if you have a large number of blogs that you’re following.  Sometimes it’s as if everyone got an idea for a particular blog post at the same time.  This is natural when you’re talking about posts on a topical issue (publishing news) but a little eerie when it happens spontaneously, with nothing prompting it.

So I recently came across and shared or scheduled for sharing, four different posts in a week’s time, that either linked to material on the same topic, or posted on that topic.  So we’ve got “400+ Ways to Kill a Character” from Clever Girl Helps,  “How to Successfully Kill a Character—the Checklist” from K.M. Weiland,  “How to Kill Your Main Character” from Rhiannon Paille, and “Murder 101—7 Reasons to Kill Your Character” from Robert Smedley.

I was blinking from all the killing, and I’m a murder mystery writer.

All of the posts had excellent points, which is why I shared them.  K.M. Weiland also delves into reasons why you shouldn’t kill a character:

Shocking readers just for the sake of shocking them. (Shock value isn’t without its, well, value, but not every author is Alfred Hitchcock and not every story is Psycho.)
Making readers sad just for the sake of making them sad. (An old saw says, “If they cry, they buy.” But readers never appreciate being tortured without good reason.)
Removing an extraneous character. (I know, I know. I just said that was a good reason. But you have to double-check this one. If the character is extraneous, then you better verify he really belongs in this story in the first place.)

Naturally, as a mystery writer, I kill characters all the time.  I’ve done the math.  At a rate of two bodies a book and I’m on my fourteenth book…that’s 28 bodies I’ve got littered out there.  But my readers expect bodies in these books.  They even enjoy trying to figure out who body number two is (body number one is always disclosed on the back cover).  I write a gentler subgenre, so my victims are usually the result of blunt force trauma, falls, or barely-described poisonings, knifings, or gunshot wounds.  Although the 400+ ways of killing characters post was fascinating to me.

But what series readers don’t usually expect is for main characters in the series to die.  They’ve developed relationships with the recurring cast members and I haven’t broken that covenant with them…yet.  Although our discussion the other day of dark story arcs for series made me mull this over a bit.

But there is one element I think we have to consider—what have we either invested in this character in the past or what potential does this character have to be a good investment for our series? Basically:  does this character have star quality?

I have an example, actually.  I’ve mentioned before that I have an editor who likes outlines and I turn in an outline for each book in the series before writing it.  I’d submitted this particular outline (this was probably 3 years or so ago) and she said she loved it—but she really wanted to keep Miss Sissy. In fact she’d particularly liked Miss Sissy the best among the supporting characters.

Miss Sissy, of course, died in the book’s second act—in the outline.  But that’s the nice thing about outlines…they can be changed.  So I brought Miss Sissy back from the dead and picked another victim.  And the editor made a great call—Miss Sissy ended up being the character I hear most about when I get reader emails for that series.

So, my basic point is—if you’ve got a character with potential for reader popularity, you might want to back off from killing that one.  If it’s a series.   Just saying.  It’s hard enough to create new, lifelike characters for a series…why put in all that labor, create a solid, winning character, and then kill her off for the sake of a minor plot twist?  Then we’re back at the drawing board for the next book in the series, trying to create another well-rounded, lifelike character that readers relate to. Now obviously, if a major plot point or story arc depends on the death of a character…this is just something we have to go through with, regardless.

How can we know which characters instantly resonate with readers?  If you don’t have an editor…it may help to get one (I maintain a free database that has many freelance editors listed).  Otherwise, beta readers are also very helpful—good betas are discerning and honest readers who can provide you with constructive feedback.  There have also, in another feat of synchronicity, been a couple of solid recent posts on betas: “Beta Readers: The Magic Elves of the Publishing World” by Nillu Nasser Stelter and “Where to Find Beta Readers” by Jami Gold.

Have you ever killed a main character?  How and why did you do it? When might you avoid killing off one?

Image: MorgueFile: Penywise

The post Reasons and Methods of Killing Characters—And One Reason Not To appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

3 Common Reasons We May Not Feel Motivated to Write

by Bridget McNulty , @nownovel 

No matter how badly you want to write, you may find yourself feeling unmotivated. However, by figuring out why you are unmotivated, you can overcome that inertia and get back to putting words down on paper regularly.

One of the most common reasons you may be unmotivated is due to fear. Fear might be telling you that your writing will never be good enough. Fear might be suggesting that you compare your first drafts to the published output of longtime professional writers and wonder why you are not magically producing work that is just as good on the first try. There are a few ways to manage this fear. One way is simply to realize that most first drafts are not very good and that no one starts out as a brilliant writer. One psychological trick involves giving your worries and negative thoughts space and a time limit. Five minutes to vent about all your worst fears may be all that is needed. Finally, keep in mind that most writers are not fearless either, but they keep writing in the face of that fear.

Being too busy can leave you unmotivated as well, and many people do have genuinely busy lives between jobs, volunteer work and taking care of family. If you find that having too much to do is leaving you unmotivated to write, you have a few options. Can you cut any activities from your schedule? Perhaps you can get take-out a couple of nights per week or persuade a family member to take over cooking duties. Another option is to get up half an hour earlier or stay up half an hour later at night. Early mornings before anyone else is awake can be best. Finally, you can look for spaces in the day where you might have time to write including breaks at work, lunch breaks, commutes or even while waiting in line.

Unfortunately, being busy can also mean being tired, and this can be another impediment to writing motivation. It’s hard to be creative when you are exhausted. As with being too busy, try to cut out an activity. If this isn’t possible, look at your nutrition and even your exercise. Eating better and getting a little exercise can give you the energy boost you need.

What are some things that interfere with your writing motivation, and how do you defeat them in order to get that motivation back?

 

Bridget McNulty is the founder of Now Novel. Now Novel is an easy to use online novel writing course with a helpful creative writing blog .You can find Now Novel on Twitter @nownovel 

The post 3 Common Reasons We May Not Feel Motivated to Write appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Have a great week!

A free directory of cover designers, formatters, freelance editors, and more: http://bit.ly/nolbXq

How Morals and Basic Needs Influence a Character’s Positive Traits: http://dld.bz/dfFAQ @BeccaPuglisi

Tips for querying a self-pubbed novel: http://dld.bz/dftSX @Janet_Reid

99 clichés in epic fantasy: http://dld.bz/dftTx

3 Ways to Write Great Supporting Characters: http://dld.bz/dftTW

Do writers need a website? http://dld.bz/dfwKA

How Much Money Is In the Self-Publishing Game? http://dld.bz/dfwKM @jamesscottbell

7 Steps To Road Testing Your Concept: http://dld.bz/dfwKV @bang2write

The 10 Rules of Surveillance Dystopia Stories: http://dld.bz/dfwKY @io9

Teaching writing: shared writing: http://dld.bz/dfwNU @BethMooreTCRWP

A Look at Pacing and Tension on the Opening Page: http://dld.bz/dfwPb @Janice_Hardy

Building a Multi-Layer Table of Contents in MS Word: http://dld.bz/dfwPq

Freelancers–How to Boost Your Sagging Motivation for Writing: http://dld.bz/dfxuT @ticewrites

When Writers Receive Conflicting Advice: http://dld.bz/dfx3v

Rewriting–a checklist for authors: http://dld.bz/dfx5n @Writers_Write

World building–maps: http://dld.bz/dfx5C @rfwriters

A secret to writing the dreaded synopsis: http://dld.bz/dfx5W @annerallen

Tips for Writing Your Novel Like a Song: http://dld.bz/df2da @jawardwrites

I have sucked. I currently suck. I will suck. (Or the life of a writer): http://dld.bz/df2d2 @rebeccaberto

16 ways to get jazzed up about writing again: http://dld.bz/df2d4 @LauraPepWu

Burn Bright and Be Patient: http://dld.bz/df2dF @susankayequinn

How to speak publisher: F is for Foreign rights: http://dld.bz/df2dM @annerooney

10 tips to grow your email list: http://dld.bz/df2eb @jeffbullas

Screenwriting: Classic 80s Movie: “Working Girl”: http://dld.bz/df2eh @gointothestory

The Dutch-Elm Disease of Creative Minds: http://dld.bz/df4ZC @mrkocnnll

The Main Character in Their Own Lives: Does Diversity Make YA SF/F Better? http://dld.bz/df5ah @tansyrr @tordotcom

Does a Blog With Multiple Contributing Authors Dilute Your “Brand?” http://dld.bz/df5a5 @Jenpens2

The Duality of Character Traits–Why We Need the Good, the Bad and Even the Ugly: http://dld.bz/df5a7 @kristenlambtx @BeccaPuglisi

How to make action sequences pop: http://dld.bz/df5aY

Your story’s hero needs to take action: http://dld.bz/df5bm @storyfix

Break the Rules for Style: http://dld.bz/df5bs @Jen_328 @WriteDivas

7 things most writers fear: http://dld.bz/df5bB @SylviaNey

A mantra for writers–do the work: http://dld.bz/df8Ag @NinaBadzin

Tips for writing something you’ve never experienced: http://dld.bz/df8At @rfwriters

Don’t Be Too Quick To Shut Down That Author Blog: http://dld.bz/df8A2 @indieauthor

How to write faster: http://dld.bz/df8AM @goodinaroom

Overused Words To Avoid: http://dld.bz/df8AZ @thewritermama

The Beginner’s Guide to Planning and Writing a Memoir: http://dld.bz/df8Bj @thewritelife

20 + Free Resources to Create a Simple Ebook: http://dld.bz/de3y5 @lifehackorg

Characteristics of the “Bad Guy” Antagonist: http://dld.bz/df8De @rfwriters

Will Your Novel Be a Best Seller? Ask An Algorithm: http://dld.bz/df8DM @gizmodo

7 Simple Edits That Make Your Writing More Powerful: http://dld.bz/df8DX @jonmorrow

Writers, we are doing it backwards: http://dld.bz/df8EZ @speechwriterguy

A trad.published author’s apology to self-pubbed authors: http://dld.bz/df8Fq @nataliewhipple

How to Outwit Second Novel Syndrome: http://dld.bz/df8Fx @Lisa_Alber

Who cares what others will think? Write the story you want to write: http://dld.bz/df8F6 @BadRedheadMedia

35 Perfect Examples of the Art of the Short Story: http://dld.bz/df8F7 @flavorwire

14 Great Books About To Become Movies: http://dld.bz/df8FA @cinemablend

Creativity In The Face Of Depression: http://dld.bz/df8Gr @HutchingsJulie

50 better ways to say “looks/seems like”: http://dld.bz/df8G5

Smashwords’ Mark Coker: Authors Should Focus on Quality Writing: http://dld.bz/df9mU @STTBooks

How to Save Local Bookstores in 2 Easy Steps: http://dld.bz/df9mW @SnarkyNomad

Why Writers Write About Writing: http://dld.bz/df9na @briaeliza

10 Tips on Self-Publishing: http://dld.bz/df9nf

20 Accounts All Screenwriters Should Follow on Instagram: http://dld.bz/df9qB @screencrafting

How Readers Can Find Your Book: http://dld.bz/df9qX @111publishing

Cash vs. Cache: Why Self-Publishing Pays Better: http://dld.bz/df9rh @contently

6 Best WordPress Plugins for Amazon Associates: http://dld.bz/df9rq

Tips for publishing and marketing your ebook on Amazon: http://dld.bz/df9ry @ProLifeMastery

Writers and rum: http://dld.bz/df9rz @NewYorker @adamgopnik

2014: Increased Competition Between Traditional Publishers and Indie Authors: http://dld.bz/df9rC @passivevoiceblg

1 midlist writer’s 2013 income: http://dld.bz/df9rH @jimchines

Option clauses in book contracts: http://dld.bz/df9rS @busyguru

4 things a good query does: http://dld.bz/df9sb @KourHei

8 Screenwriting Clichés to Avoid: http://dld.bz/df9s4 @screencrafting

The Role of the Rights Department in Publishing: http://dld.bz/df9sE @tordotcom

The Long Tradition of Hating Your Own Work: http://dld.bz/dfA9p @99u

Where Do Character Strengths Come From? http://dld.bz/dfA9t @beccapuglisi

Lessons in character development: parental influences: http://dld.bz/dfA9w @onewildword

The Amateur’s Guide to a Professional Book Package: http://dld.bz/dfA92 @diymfa @melindavan

3 tools that’ll make the submissions process easier for writers: http://dld.bz/dfA97 @chrisrobley

Lit Fic Mags for Spec Fic Writers: Is it Literary?  http://dld.bz/dfA9B @sfwa @spitkitten

How to Make a Fantasy World Map: http://dld.bz/dfAAr @tordotcom

Script To Screen: “Wag the Dog”: http://dld.bz/dfABT @gointothestory

Tips for writing your novel faster: http://dld.bz/dfABV @EmilyBenet

Editors Respond Far Better to Positive: http://dld.bz/dfACa @behlerpublish

12 Ways To Be More Focused And Get More Things Done Quickly: http://dld.bz/dfACd @Higher_Boy

On Letting Your Characters Go: http://dld.bz/dfACe @ava_jae

3 Ways the Magic of Dr. Seuss Can Help You Create Unforgettable Copy: http://dld.bz/dfACn @copyblogger

5 writing and reading myths debunked (sort of): http://dld.bz/dfACK @BookPassTime

How to write your book’s first draft like a professional: http://dld.bz/dfDgU @bookbaby

Special Needs in Strange Worlds: Quick Fixes Usually Aren’t: http://dld.bz/dfDha @sfsignal

10 Authors and Publishers to Follow on Instagram: http://dld.bz/dfDhf @heidenkind @bookriot

It’s OK to hate your book: http://dld.bz/dfDhg @johnhartness

Writing vs. publishing (or: “No more half-measures, Walter”): http://dld.bz/dfDhC @chuckwendig

3 reasons writers should be happy about rejection: http://dld.bz/dfDhF @bookbaby

Understanding Tolkien: Why His Landscapes Work: http://dld.bz/dfDkW @mharoldpage

Self editing basics: http://dld.bz/dfDmb @rebeccatdickson

5 Easy Ways To Make Writing A Habit: http://dld.bz/dfDmf @losapala

Comparing a scene as written and as shot: http://dld.bz/dfDmt @johnaugust

Using Index Cards To Outline A Novel: http://dld.bz/dfDmz @woodwardkaren

A writer’s concerns about using 99 Designs: http://dld.bz/dfDm7 @lkblackburne

How Morals and Basic Needs Influence a Character’s Positive Traits: http://dld.bz/dfFAQ @BeccaPuglisi

Book Contests for Indie Authors: http://dld.bz/dfGGJ @JodieRennerEd

Plans to improve the BEA con: http://dld.bz/dfWCf @Porter_Anderson @StevenRosato ##BEA14

The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Writing Books Faster—Without Compromising Quality

By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

These days, it seems as though everyone is talking about writing faster.  And there’s definitely a link between the number of books we have available for sale and sales rank…if our books are good.

But that’s the problem.  How do we ensure quality while turning out books as fast as we can?

I could write more or faster than I do now.  But I don’t want to risk compromising my writing.

Instead, I’ve worked on ways to streamline and fine-tune my process to make the most of the writing time I have.  And I’ve become more organized to provide more opportunities to write.

Here are the four big ways I’ve gotten more done with the time that I’ve got (and added a few more minutes, to boot):

1:  By using a mini-outline.  A mini-outline, as I’ve mentioned before, is useful for a couple of different reasons.  One, it keeps me from having to re-read what I wrote the day before, which is time-consuming—I always end writing sessions with a short sentences explaining where I left off. For another, they succinctly tell me what I plan to write that day so I’m not trying to figure out the direction of my story.  I keep these brief and specific and designed for that day’s writing.

2: Thinking about my story before opening up the laptop (priming the pump).  I write first thing in the morning, so I start thinking about my writing plan as I’m getting up, pouring my coffee, and letting the dog out.  It prevents those minutes of staring blankly at a computer screen and helps me get my thoughts in order and get in the writing mode.

3: Outlining the next story in a series when finishing up a book in the same series (described in this post).  This is for everyone who writes multiple series…it’s a real time saver.  Outline the next story in the series as soon as you finish a book in the series and before making the leap to writing a different series.

4: Making my non-writing life more streamlined. Finding other ways to cut corners during my day.  Hello, crockpot.  (A few recipes that are pretty steadily in my rotation with the slow cooker: potato soup, hamburgers, creamy chicken, and easy shredded chicken). Instead of having to run last minute errands, I put everything I need to do each day on my Google calendar—and set Google to email me each morning at 5 a.m. with a daily agenda.  Using a free timer to help me keep track of the time I spend online checking email or Twitter.

5: Making the most of spare time by using it to write.  Even the unexpected bits of small time that accumulate in a day.  I use lists to help me make progress on my manuscript when I get an extra 5-15 minutes.  I upload my manuscript to Google Drive or SkyDrive to make sure I have my book with me at all times (this also functions well as a backup, since it’s on a cloud).

Are you trying to increase output without sacrificing quality?  How are you going about it?

The post Writing Books Faster—Without Compromising Quality appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Best Practices for Self-Publishers

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Today I’m guest-posting at the Insecure Writer’s Support Group blog with seven best practices for self-publishing success.

The Insecure Writer’s Support Group was founded by writer Alex J. Cavanaugh to support and encourage writers and to provide resources for everything from the writing craft to marketing a book.

Hope you’ll pop over and visit.

The post Best Practices for Self-Publishers appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

How Morals and Basic Needs Influence a Character’s Positive Traits

by Becca Puglisi, @BeccaPuglisi

 Since Angela Ackerman and I wrote our last book, The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Attributes, I’ve been thinking a lot about personality traits and how they’re formed. Flaws are incredibly important for a character to have—and, let’s be honest: they’re really interesting to read about. But one of the main reasons we fall in love with characters is because we want them to succeed, to achieve their goals and overcome their flaws; this is where the positive attributes come in. The fact is, every character needs both positive and negative traits, and these traits need to be chosen thoughtfully.

When it’s time to create your character and figure out what his traits will be, you should take into account many factors that influence their development: genetics, upbringing and caregivers, past wounds, environment, peers—all of these things absolutely cause certain traits to organically emerge for a character. (For more information on how these factors influence trait development, please see this post on the topic.) Today, I’d like to zero in on what I believe are the two biggest influencers on trait formation: morality and basic needs.

Morality

Every character—protagonist, villain, sidekick, mentor, etc.—lives by a moral code. His beliefs about right and wrong are deeply embedded in his psyche and will influence his decisions, day-to-day actions, the way he treats people, how he spends his free time—they will impact every area of his life, including his personality. A character will only embrace traits that in some way align with his moral beliefs. Because of this, it’s crucial that we know what our characters believe and value in order to figure out which qualities will define him.

Take, for example, Zack Mayo from An Officer and a Gentleman. Mayo’s morality is largely derived from a traumatic childhood event: finding his mother’s body after she killed herself. Mayo’s father took him in but made it clear that taking responsibility for an impressionable boy wasn’t going to put a crimp in his affinity for drugs and prostitutes.

Fast forward a decade, and Mayo’s moral code has been formed from this sad crucible: look out for yourself because no one else will. Many of his defining traits stem directly from this belief. He’s independent, opportunistic, persistent, apathetic, emotionally withdrawn, and selfish. It would have made no sense for someone with Mayo’s moral code to embrace selflessness or loyalty, because to embody these traits, he’d have to go against his most important belief.

This is why its crucial to know your character’s backstory. All those factors I mentioned earlier? Put those puzzle pieces together to figure out what your character now values, what he believes about right and wrong. Once you know his moral code, you’ll know which traits he’ll embody and which ones he’ll disdain. His defining traits will be pretty much fixed because to reject them, he’d have to reject what he most believes in.

Basic Needs

But sometimes, as authors, a drastic shift in morality is exactly what we want for our characters. This kind of change doesn’t occur easily, but it can happen under the right circumstances. This is where basic needs come into play.

According to psychologist Abraham Maslow, individuals are driven by needs that fall into five categories:

Physiological: the need to secure one’s biological and physiological needs

Safety and Security: the need to keep oneself and one’s loved ones safe

Love and Belonging: the need to form meaningful connections with others

Esteem and Recognition: the need to increase one’s sense of esteem

Self-Actualization: the need to realize one’s full potential and achieve personal fulfillment

The first level is the most important; if a character’s physiological need isn’t being met, he’ll do whatever it takes to meet that need. Once it’s met, the next level becomes the most crucial. And so on.

If you’re crafting a story and you discover that you need one of your characters to undergo a major moral shift, simply take away one of his basic needs. An awesome example of this is the movie Prisoners. Hugh Jackman’s character is a responsible citizen — morally upright and a family man. But then his daughter goes missing (i.e., his need for safety and security is no longer being met). He’s certain he knows who abducted her, but the police won’t do anything about it. He tries everything he can think of to get his daughter back while working within the confines of his moral beliefs. When those ideas run out, he begins wrestling with the options that don’t coincide with his moral code. Desperate to regain his former equilibrium where all of his needs were being met, his morality shifts. He abducts his daughter’s suspected kidnapper and tortures him in an effort to learn of her whereabouts. His basic belief that all human beings are deserving of dignity and respect has changed—and so have his traits. Respect has turned to cruelty. Centeredness gives way to fanaticism. And all of this can be traced back to one need that is no longer being met.

We’re cruel taskmasters, we authors. But it’s through difficulty that true character emerges, and if we want our protagonists to grow, we have to provide growth opportunities. Know your character’s moral code and choose suitable traits. If you need your character to make a big change, threaten one of his basic needs. Then sit back and watch the metamorphosis begin.

Thank you, Elizabeth, for inviting me to post at your blog today. As a special thanks for the warm welcome, I’d like to give away a PDF copy of my book, The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Attributes. Just leave a comment to enter for a chance to win. The giveaway runs through January 14th, after which time I’ll pick a winner. Best of luck!

Becca Puglisi is the co-creator of The Bookshelf Muse, an award winning online resource for writers. She has also authored a number of nonfiction resource books for writers, including The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Emotion; The Positive Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Attributes; and The Negative Trait Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Flaws. A member of SCBWI, she leads workshops at regional conferences, teaches webinars through WANA International, and can be found online at her Writers Helping Writers website.

The post How Morals and Basic Needs Influence a Character’s Positive Traits appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 23,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

Have a great week!

Crafting an effective opening: http://dld.bz/deSwa

10 Commandments for Interview Sources: http://dld.bz/deSwe @urbanmusewriter

12 Reasons Why Breaking Bad Would’ve Made An Incredible Novel: http://dld.bz/deSwk @LukeLeeOfficial

Writing a confession without cliché: http://dld.bz/deSyv

25 Websites To Click If You Are In Publishing: http://dld.bz/deSyy

How to keep rejection letters in perspective: http://dld.bz/deApn @KarenCV

Why 1 writer has chosen self-pub (which he calls ‘team pub’):  http://dld.bz/cQDNy @daniel_baylis

Why Writers Must Self-Publish Their Books: http://dld.bz/deY53 @jfbookman

Writing About Emotions… or Why You Have to Go Through Stuff: http://dld.bz/deY5B @kathleenpopa

7 Mistakes Authors Make Online: http://dld.bz/deY5Q @EdieMelson

Advantages of e-readers for older adults: http://dld.bz/deY5R @annerallen

10 Common Elements Of Award Winning Screenplays: http://dld.bz/deY5U @elliot_grove

How Writing a Book Proposal Can Boost Your Sales: http://dld.bz/deY5Y @flawritersconf @AllyMachate

Is Blogging Really Necessary? http://dld.bz/deY6c @writerplatform

3 Rules of Character: http://dld.bz/deY6d @shalvatzis

Is good characterization really about change? http://dld.bz/deY6f @bang2write

How to write down story ideas so you can remember why they were brilliant: http://dld.bz/deY6m @nailyournovel

1 writer’s note to her pre-published self: http://dld.bz/deY63 @deborahcoonts

Author brands – Why Consistency is Worth Paying For: http://dld.bz/deY6A @ollyrhodes @RomanceUni

Resolving the Amazon Keyword Issue: http://dld.bz/deY7m @bookgal

Banning the Negative Book Review: http://dld.bz/deY7C& @nytimes

Do you find your genre, or does it find you? http://dld.bz/deY7K @ventgalleries

How to Turn Down or Leave a Freelance Writing Gig Tactfully: http://dld.bz/deY7N @freelancewj

Character motivation sheet: http://dld.bz/deY7Q @yahighway

7 steps to a great WordPress author website: http://dld.bz/deY7T @ollyrhodes

63 Character Emotions to Explore: http://dld.bz/cMCTj @fictionnotes

The search engine for writers: writerskb.com @hiveword

The search engine for writers: writerskb.com @hiveword

How To Create Distinct Characters: An Exercise: http://dld.bz/dfcM2 @woodwardkaren

To name, or not to name? An unusual case involving oppression: http://dld.bz/deMvu @juliettewade

Writing (Not Overwriting) Description: http://dld.bz/dfht6 @scriptmag

How to Stay Focused & Motivated to Get Your Book Done: http://dld.bz/dfhtQ @FutureofInk

10 Google Chrome Extensions That Save Time And Keep You Organized: http://dld.bz/dfhtT @RWW

1 writer’s Wattpad experience: http://dld.bz/dfhuc @TheWritPlatform

How to improve your writing–subplots and subtext: http://dld.bz/dfhuu @storyfix @writersdigest

Online traps for unwary writers and illustrators: http://dld.bz/dfhu9 @nicolamorgan

Freelancers: Free Bookkeeping with Nutcache: Track Your Expenses and Get Paid: http://dld.bz/dfhuM @tutsplus

The Top 5 Char­ac­ter­is­tics of a Great Villain: http://dld.bz/dfhvt @RebeccaZanetti

A 5-Step Strategy for Building a Successful Blog: http://dld.bz/dfhv8 @tglong

Do you need a literary agent? http://dld.bz/dfhwx

What Makes You So Special? The Magic to Selling Books: http://dld.bz/dfhw2 @kristenlambtx

5 tools for building conflict in your novel: http://dld.bz/dfhwH @JamesScottBell @writersdigest

7 ways to add subplots to your novel: http://dld.bz/dfhxA @writersdigest @BrianKlems

How to Master Your Creative Writing Process: http://dld.bz/dfkD5 @WritingForward

6 tips for protecting your images on social networks: http://dld.bz/dfkEj @JessieNuez.

Imaginary Audience: 6 Tips on Envisioning Your Readership: http://dld.bz/dfkEs @_RobbieBlair_

4 Branding Tips for Nonfiction Writers and Authors: http://dld.bz/dfkEu @NinaAmir

How to write a book to film adaptation simultaneously: http://dld.bz/dfkGs @orbitbooks

George R. R. Martin: “There Are 2 Kinds of Writers: Architects and Gardeners”: http://dld.bz/dfkG4 @99u

Tolkien Explains Why There’s No Such Thing as Writing “For Children”: http://dld.bz/dfkHb @brainpicker

Tips for writing the perfect logline and why it’s as important as your screenplay (or book): http://dld.bz/dfkJs @noamkroll

78 free, legal movie script PDF downloads: http://dld.bz/dfkJJ @gointothestory

Creating Friction With Clashing Personalities: http://dld.bz/dfkKq @thecreativepenn @angelaackerman

5 Things Novelists Can Learn From Screenwriters: http://dld.bz/dfkK2 @WritersRelief

10 self-pub tips from a bestselling author: http://dld.bz/dfkKG @spalding_author

Tips for setting up book signings as a self-pubbed writer: http://dld.bz/dfkKK

8 of the Best Genre-Busting Books About Writers and Writing: http://dld.bz/dfkKP @flavorwire

Running into set-backs as a writer? Focus on moving forward: http://dld.bz/dfkKU @hopeclark

The Exotic & Erotic Truth about Women Writers: http://dld.bz/dfkKV @francescabiller @elephantjournal

How to Plan Your 2014 Screenwriting Goals: http://dld.bz/dfkKX @CConradt

7 Biggest Threats to Writing: http://dld.bz/dfp5A @Lyndaryoung

Using Story Beats To Increase Writing Speed: http://dld.bz/dfp5P @DavidGaughran

What’s wrong with (some) modern fantasy: http://dld.bz/dfp6a @mharoldpage

4 truths to help you succeed as a self-pub writer: http://dld.bz/dfp6d

Script writing resources: http://dld.bz/dfp6m @rfwriters

7 Tips to Design an Effective Author Newsletter: http://dld.bz/dfqXb @sierragodfrey

3 Writing Tips Learned From NaNoWriMo: http://dld.bz/dfqXd @Janice_hardy

6 Benefits of Self-Publishing: http://dld.bz/dfrau @WritersEdit

Guide to writing deaf or hard of hearing characters: http://dld.bz/dfra3

Writing Therapy to Overcome Life’s Traumatic Events: http://dld.bz/dfra7 @savfmarie @DIYWriting

“Self” Publishing: It Takes a Team: http://dld.bz/dfraF @ElisabethWeed @writerunboxed

On Immediately Trunking Manuscripts: http://dld.bz/ddUrh @ava_jae

2 Must-Dos to Make Your Book Marketing Infinitely Easier: http://dld.bz/dfreA @writerplatform

An explanation of developmental editing: http://dld.bz/dfreE @katiemccoach

How To Succeed In Screenwriting – The Do List: http://dld.bz/dfreT @scriptmag @LeeZJessup

Best practices for social media posting: http://dld.bz/dfrfj @GuyKawasaki

Get more mileage from your blog posts by pre-cycling: http://dld.bz/dfrf7

7 Stages You Pass To Become a Writer: http://dld.bz/ddUqY @Ani_LifeProb

Plotting – 10 Basic Dos and Don’ts: http://dld.bz/dftRe @amandaonwriting

To cut to the chase use offhand remarks in your writing: http://dld.bz/dftRq @ventgalleries

Creative ways of killing your characters: http://dld.bz/dftRQ

Inconsistent Hyphenation: http://dld.bz/dftRY @writing_tips

Literary fiction has a problem with happy endings: http://dld.bz/dftSc @richardlea

6 Scientist Myths That Books and Movies Love To Perpetuate: http://dld.bz/dftSr @amazingstories0

What Authors Want: http://dld.bz/dftSw

Don’t Call It Fanfic: Writers Rework Their Favorite Stories: http://dld.bz/dftS6 @npr

Branding 101 For Authors: http://dld.bz/dftSF @BadRedheadMedia

Author brands – Why Consistency is Worth Paying For: http://dld.bz/deY6A @ollyrhodes @RomanceUni

Banning the Negative Book Review: http://dld.bz/deY7C & @nytimes

Resolving the Amazon Keyword Issue: http://dld.bz/deY7m @bookgal

63 Character Emotions to Explore: http://dld.bz/cMCTj @fictionnotes

Will the price for books ever seem right again? http://dld.bz/dfx7j @Porter_Anderson @MarkCoker @joshfarrington

10 tips for making the most of your award: http://dld.bz/dfyTZ @DinaSantorelli

7 Lessons Learned from Blogging: http://dld.bz/den3c  @JL_Campbell @AlexJCavanaugh

A preview of the upcoming #DBW14 con: http://dld.bz/df5kT @Porter_Anderson . Live tweets Mon. at 9aET / 2pGMT / 3pCET

The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.