Riley Adams's Blog, page 169

Twitterific

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific is a compilation of all the writing links I shared the previous week.

The links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 18,000 free articles on writing-related topics. Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly writing tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook. Try “My WKB”--a way for you to list and sort articles, view your read articles, and see your search history. Read more about it here: http://bit.ly/S9thqS . The free My WKB page is here: http://bit.ly/PV8Ueb .

Have a great week!

Real Time in Fiction: http://bit.ly/PL3ak9 @authorterryo

Disgrace: End of the Lehrer Line ([plagiarism scandal): http://bit.ly/PLj91A @Porter_Anderson @cgseife @evanatwired @juliemmoos

A useful resource for describing settings, emotions, shapes, textures, and more: http://bit.ly/eIGRMO @AngelaAckerman

1 writer lists benefits of a self-pubbed writer retaining an agent: http://bit.ly/PQ1Jnw @hughhowey

Why 1 writer rarely rates or reviews books online: http://bit.ly/PQ2pZU @juliecross1980

6 Ways to Pull off Dual Timelines in Your Novel: http://bit.ly/NmLOrU @KMWeiland

LendInk, Author Activism, and the Need for Critical Thinking: http://bit.ly/PQ2BZh @victoriastrauss

The Killer One-Two Punch that Launches Dramatic Tension in Your Story: http://bit.ly/Rq4msk @storyfix

Quick Tips for the Writing Freelancer: http://bit.ly/PQ2GMv @howtowriteshop

4 Free Photo Editing Tools: http://bit.ly/Rq4vw7 @authormedia

Should we all be blogging less frequently? http://bit.ly/PQ2LzH @michaelhyatt

Things Readers Need To Know When Meeting An Author: http://bit.ly/PQ2PQ0 @juliecross1980

1 writer's list of 10 things needed in a writer's life: http://bit.ly/Rq51tT

Why Obstacles May Be a Writer's Best Friends: http://bit.ly/RvZHJG

Showing, Telling, and Hooking the Reader: http://bit.ly/R1mzw5 @Janice_Hardy

Avoid sprawling sentences: http://bit.ly/RvZN3T

5 Ways Freelance Writers Benefit from Blogging: http://bit.ly/R1mPem @KrissyBrady

Style vs content? Novelists should approach their art with an eye to what the story asks: http://bit.ly/Rw0LgG @guardianbooks

How Should an Author Respond When a Student Complains About His Book? http://bit.ly/R1pvbU @CassandraNeace

251 Movies About Writers & The Writing Life: http://bit.ly/Rw0Oc9 @thewritermama

What if an agent is ready to say I do, and you can't? http://bit.ly/R1pG6Z

Why Character And Plot Are Inseparable: http://bit.ly/Rw0VEA @jammer0501

Why promoting can be good for creative writing: http://bit.ly/R1pZPp @joebunting

10 Practical, Everyday Money Saving Tips For (Starving) Writers: http://bit.ly/RUgNTV @BryanThomasS

Google Analytics for Authors: http://bit.ly/PQ5r0b @TracyRAtkins @JFbookman @Porter_Anderson

Right-Brain / Left-Brain - Which Controls Your Writing? http://bit.ly/OhZtlZ @Shirl_Corder

What SF Writers In 1987 Thought The World Of 2012 Would Look Like: http://bit.ly/Qh5rpz @GFRobot

13 simple tips for a better blog: http://bit.ly/Oi14rW @rachellegardner

Calculate Your Average Sentence Length: http://bit.ly/Qh6RR6 @writing_tips

AP Stylebook moves faster than Merriam-Webster as linguistic authority: http://bit.ly/Oi1rTt

How to write a bad review: http://bit.ly/Qh7f25 @salon

Types of fraudulent reviews and their effect: http://bit.ly/PLkrtw @Porter_Anderson @Suw @jane_l @jeremyduns

We're all storytellers: http://bit.ly/Oi1Nt4 @JFBookman

A site where writers can upload their scripts to hear and see it performed by computer actors: https://readthrough.com/

Self-publishing--all about independence: http://bit.ly/Qh7KZR @JAKonrath

What 1 blogger learned from his Pinterest experiment: http://bit.ly/Qh7REE @problogger

How To Get Your Book Reviewed: A Practical Lesson: http://bit.ly/Oi2rXu @cathryanhoward

1 writer reports on leaving KDP Select: http://bit.ly/Qh82zW @mlouisalocke

Hybrid Fantasy: http://bit.ly/Oi2HG3 @fantasyfaction

Pacing For Power: http://bit.ly/Qh8gXM @JodieRennerEd

Add Muscle to Your Fiction With Unity and Contrast: http://bit.ly/Oi2Rx3 @KMWeiland

How To Sell Books With Social Media: http://bit.ly/Oi36bx @thecreativepenn

When and How to Tell, Not Show: http://bit.ly/Qh8w9d

What kind of convention/conference is right for you? http://bit.ly/Oi3hUj @thejordache

A Successful Indie Author Gives Tips for Introverts: http://bit.ly/Qh91jN @livewritethrive

Sue Grafton and the Self-Publishing Blowback: http://bit.ly/Qh9imx @jamesscottbell

5 Reasons Why Writers Should Read At Least One HP Lovecraft Story: http://bit.ly/Oi4mv9 @thisishorror

Are Paper Books Sacrosanct? http://bit.ly/Qh9thU @dearauthor

Screenwriting--Character On The Screen: http://bit.ly/Oi4wml @GITS

Dressing--and undressing--your characters: http://bit.ly/Qh9FgU @RuthHarrisBooks

Is there such a thing as a national literature? http://bit.ly/Oi4X06 @guardianbooks

Great Character, Part 2: Juno MacGuff ("Juno"): http://bit.ly/Qh9YbB @GITS

Later Bloomer Alex Haley: College Dropout to Pulitzer Prizewinner: http://bit.ly/Oi5cbj @DebraEve

You Can't Teach Someone to Write (Except You Can): http://bit.ly/QiayWC @BooksAreMyBFs

5 Keys to Getting the Most Out of Your Book Marketing: http://bit.ly/QiaFBy @nickthacker

Amish fiction: Put a bonnet on it: http://bit.ly/PFlRFU @salon

Using Humor To Understand Creativity: http://bit.ly/PFlYkF @creativitypost

Unpacking Criticism: http://bit.ly/Qib2MC @AimeeLSalter

Got Writer's Block? You just need to care less: http://bit.ly/PFm8J0 @howtowriteshop

Should Self-Published Authors Use Author Solutions? http://bit.ly/PFmfnU @galleycat

12 Most Engaging Presenter Behaviors to Keep Your Audience Awake: http://bit.ly/QibgTR @12most

Guides for Using Inner Conflict That Make Sense: http://bit.ly/PFmoHZ @Janice_Hardy

4 Tips to Avoid Having Your Short Story Rejected by a Literary Magazine: http://bit.ly/QibHxk @joebunting

How can you tell if you're really meant to be a writer? http://bit.ly/PFmI9w @krissybrady

14 Free Alternatives To Microsoft Word: http://bit.ly/QibQRp @bubblecow

Ghostwriting: Content Rewriting: http://bit.ly/PFmQpx @karencv

Worried about being influenced by other writers of your genre? http://bit.ly/Qic8I5 @SarahAHoyt

Hey, Author, About My $4 Coffee: http://bit.ly/PFn6Vr @Liz_Mc2

Style vs content? Understanding what your story asks: http://bit.ly/PFndAv @guardianbooks

Ebooks and the Personal Library: http://bit.ly/QicAWE @scholarlykitchn

Can Fiction Ignore History? http://bit.ly/PFnxzb @2bwriters

When's the Best Time to Send Email to Your List? http://bit.ly/QicPkG @copyblogger

When to stop fine tuning: http://bit.ly/QicONG @lisagailgreen

The Best Backup Solution? http://bit.ly/PQ1vNd @lifehackorg

Tips for collaborative writing: http://bit.ly/Oq81HY @indie_jane

Writing Conventions and How to Survive: http://bit.ly/Pm7cxO @traciewelser

6 Ways to Pull off Dual Timelines in Your Novel: http://bit.ly/NmLOrU @KMWeiland

Examining your writing dream: http://bit.ly/PFqY93

DBW lets us look at ebook bestsellers by price (resulting in revelations): http://bit.ly/QigLBX @mikeshatzkin

Good Story Requires Incomplete Exposition: http://bit.ly/QigZco @mooderino

What 1 Writer Learned About Blogging from 1st Graders: http://bit.ly/PFrBzx @JudyLeeDunn

4 Questions To Ask Yourself When Writing Scenes: http://bit.ly/PFrLXz @writersdigest

How To Be A Writer: http://bit.ly/QihGT1 @woodwardkaren

Tips for creating a book proposal: http://bit.ly/QiBndi

Commas before quotes: http://bit.ly/PFKYZ6

25 ways to generate better online book sales: http://bit.ly/PFMsCL @thefuturebook

Beware of burnout: http://bit.ly/QiCHgd @jodyhedlund

5 Reasons Your Opening Scene is Like a Blind Date: http://bit.ly/PFMCtK @4YALit

6 Deadly Don'ts (and Dos) for Dealing with Editors: http://bit.ly/QiCV76 @susanjmorris

5 Tips for Writing Historical Fiction: http://bit.ly/PFMWJ8 @drgillham

When writing, make the story choice that best fits your character: http://bit.ly/Qj7ARO

Racism, Revealing Eden and STGRB: http://bit.ly/PGf3I0 @fozmeadows

5 Pairs of Prepositional Idioms: http://bit.ly/Qj85ve @writing_tips

Keep getting rejected? Work on your craft: http://bit.ly/Q09tmK @novelrocket

Social Media Suicide: http://bit.ly/Q09BCK @MJRose

Not Who You Think They Are: A Character-Building Exercise: http://bit.ly/UrnTwP @YAHighway

What's Your Log Line? http://bit.ly/Uro0s9 @luannschindler

Character Personalities as Story Forces: http://bit.ly/Q09KpN @juliettewade

Subjects and Predicates: Breaking Down Sentences: http://bit.ly/Uro9vz @write_practice

Tweak the opening or re-write it? http://bit.ly/Q09LKA @juliemusil

How to create a media list to promote your new book: http://bit.ly/Uropuu @sandrabeckwith

Combining Emotional Journeys and External Plots: http://bit.ly/Uror5M @jamigold

2 Deadly Sins of Memoir Writing: http://bit.ly/UroBde @serendipitylit

12 Most Essential SEO Factors Bloggers Don't Know: http://bit.ly/Q0a3kH @12most

Self-Publishing Basics: Where To Upload Your eBook (Besides Amazon): http://bit.ly/Q0awDo @goblinwriter

Tips for Query Letters, Synopses, and Samples: http://bit.ly/Q0azyR @erikaholt

The Death of the Literary Recluse: http://bit.ly/UrpYsy @robwhart

Word Counts in a Magazine Query? http://bit.ly/Q0aZ8C @BrianKlems

9 Wonder Woman Villains (That Explain Why Nobody Talks About Wonder Woman's Villains): http://bit.ly/Urq8jr @i09

Add Muscle to Your Fiction With Unity and Contrast: http://bit.ly/Oi2Rx3 @KMWeiland

Writing for the long haul: http://bit.ly/Q0bbor

On writers being kind to each other: http://bit.ly/Q0RBIy @writeangleblog

How to Get More (and Better) Press: http://bit.ly/Onq4y5 @DanaSitar

A simple rule of plotting: http://bit.ly/Q0RHjx

Character as the most important element of your action scene: http://bit.ly/OnqpAQ

3 Really Good Self-Publishing Ideas and 5 Hilariously Bad Ones: http://bit.ly/Q0ROLT @JFBookman

Writers should welcome a future where readers remix our books: http://bit.ly/OnqFj6 @guardianbooks

The importance of patience for writers: http://bit.ly/Q0RVa8 @rachellegardner

Viewpoint characters who drop into the story too late: http://bit.ly/Ony1mP @p2p_editor

The New World of Publishing: The Myths Are Still Strong: http://bit.ly/OnyaXj @deanwesleysmith

YA's Hottest New Trend: Mermaids: http://bit.ly/Onyk0O @i09

The billion dollar question--what is journalism for? http://bit.ly/Q0VOvL @paidcontent @mathewi

We've oversold the virtues of subjectivity: http://bit.ly/OnyF3I @dearauthor

Writing Styles: Is technology changing the way we write? http://bit.ly/Q0VZqR @khyiahangel

Are You What You Tweet? http://bit.ly/OnziKw @authorems

How to Determine Your Author Fee: http://bit.ly/Q0WcdI @JoSVolpe

The power of original description: http://bit.ly/Q0WgKA

Text and Images -- The Perfect Combination: http://bit.ly/OnzHga @karencv

How to Use Foreshadowing to Jazz up Slow Scenes: http://bit.ly/PL1VBm @KMWeiland

Ill-fitting subplots? http://bit.ly/P2LAuT

A Quick Reminder About Motivation: http://bit.ly/PL24EY @kid_lit

Writing about relationships--good and bad relationship traits: http://bit.ly/PL2cV2 @jeanniecampbell

Overtelling, Overshowing, Overselling: http://bit.ly/PL2kUr @janelebak

Making a five year plan for our writing: http://bit.ly/PL2wTR @susankayequinn

Set up Your Story in the First Paragraphs: http://bit.ly/P2MGqo @JodieRennerEd

Write Like an Architect: Description by Design: http://bit.ly/PL2XNY @slwrites

The Terms of Success—Guest Post by Diane Lefer

by Diane Lefer

I think it was Muriel Rukeyser who said offer your work to publishers. A writer must never submit. Never never never submit. And oh! I know the righteous anger of the disrespected author! Do I complain? Oh yes, guilty as charged. But some years back, with two collections of literary short stories in print, I was invited to teach a class and give the keynote address at a writers conference. Time to reap the rewards!

Now I did realize if a writers conference was having me as their keynote speaker, it couldn’t be the #1 conference in the world. And while they would cover my airfare and hotel, no, they couldn’t pay me. But of course I said yes. I got up at 3:00 AM to make my flight (with no food), and was met at the gate when I landed. So far, so good. I collected my luggage. My battered old suitcase had fallen apart in transit, everything was spilling out, and my guide set off at a trot in front of me while I tried to swipe underwear off the floor and hold the sides of the suitcase together with everything I hadn't lost along the way inside it. When I was dropped me off at a beautiful hotel outside of town. I thanked my guide and said I’d see her in the morning. “Oh, no,” she said with what seemed like true horror. “I would never attend the conference.”

Inside the hotel, people welcomed me and explained they were having a reception at 7:00 - freshen up and come on down. The reception which lasted till 11:00 p.m. was me paying for my own drink and no food. An elderly woman told me at great length about a trigonometry problem she couldn’t solve. Finally, I said how wonderful it was she was back in school. Oh, no, she said, this happened many many years ago. Next thing I knew I was awakened in my room at 4:30 AM by horror movie thumps down the hall which turned out to be the Wall Street Journal hitting each door.

At last it was late enough to head downstairs and try to rustle up a cup of coffee. (No coffee-maker in my room) But before I got my fix, this guy comes over and says he’s supposed to introduce me and then follows me around telling me all the problems in his marriage. The printed program had contradictory times and places for my class, so people didn’t know what time or where to go. A handful trickled in. My introducer spoke about himself--luckily, not about his marriage--for about 15 minutes after which he announced, “And now! Diane Leffler!” (which is close, but no cigar, when it comes to my name).

OK, I realize I’m not being generous in spirit. But really, after a woman told us all about her ex-husband’s suicide, he actually slapped his thigh and started telling suicide jokes. (Till then, I didn’t know there was such a genre.)

I didn't give up. Really. I really tried really hard to get people to explore the emotions of their characters.

“I can’t do that,” said one woman, “All of my characters are dogs.”

“Don’t your dogs have personalities?”

“Oh, no,” she said. “They’ve all passed away.”

I was ready to pass away from hunger. A kindly woman took me out to a corridor and explained we don’t really need to eat. It’s possible to get all the nutrients you need from the air. She led me in a bout of breathing exercises but I was still hungry.

At last, the luncheon banquet and my keynote address. I didn’t get to eat because I was at the podium, talking. Just as well. From what I could see, the other participants were served a sandwich of questionable tri-color (white, brown, and green) luncheon meat rather like what I consumed during a stay after a protest demonstration at the 77th Street holding cell in SouthCentral where another prisoner led us in singing the score to the Sound of Music.

My stomach growled, but inside my head those voices rang, raised in song, to remind me: The writing itself-- the freedom to express myself as I want and in the best way that I can--is surely one of My Favorite Things.

Diane Lefer's most recent book, Nobody Wakes Up Pretty (Rainstorm Press, 2012) features a New York City neighborhood in the process of gentrification and the web that connects organized crime families of different ethnicities with a missing Haitian girl, a midtown law firm, and a famous Japanese monkey. She is also the author of California Transit, a short-story collection that received the Mary McCarthy Prize, and the co-author with Colombian exile and torture survivor Hector Aristizábal of the nonfiction book, The Blessing Next to the Wound, named by Amnesty International as recommended reading during Banned Books Week.

5 Low Cost Ways to Market Your Mystery By Kathryn Jones

by Kathryn Jones, @kakido

Strange but true. You may find that writing your mystery novel is easier than marketing it afterwards. Besides that fact that there are many things to do--you just don't have the money to spend on high priced marketing, but still want your book to get out there.

And you want to sell more than 10 copies.

What should you do first?

Get those reviews.

At least a month or two before your book is released, gather up reviewers who are interested in reviewing your book. Reviewers can be found by the bucketfuls online, through books sites, author sites, and review sites, but don't take just anyone who says they can review your book. Make sure that the reviewer is interested in your book by sending them a query with the details of your book: I have included a synopsis (the sort that would be on the back cover), my book's title, when my book will be released and by what publisher, and any other information the reviewer needs to make a decision. Once I hear from the reviewer I send my book. Many will take a Kindle or pdf version of my book, which saves time and money.

Make up Some Postcards.

Postcards with your book on one side and your synopsis and contact information on the other is a great way to market your book when you're away from home. It's easy to hand the card to a stranger and say a few quick words about your book, and the process is a lot less intimidating than trying to talk about your book without a prop. Postcards are inexpensive and are great to use at book signings too!

Share Your Love of Writing.

If you haven't already, begin your own blog. Make it about writing. What have you learned? What helps can you give others? Offer to guest blog for others and be willing to do interviews. Many blog owners are interested in doing interviews and the process is simple. Query the blog owner and ask to be interviewed. If they like what they see they'll send you a list of questions that you fill out and return to them. Be a speaker at a writer's workshop or conference or create your own experience and invite writers or readers to attend.

Offer Free Books.

Readers love FREE and you can get more readers than ever by offering your book on Kindle free during the first week your book comes out. You may also consider offering a print or Kindle version of your book to a lucky winner. Many blogs offer these contests.

Do a Video Trailer.

Yes, there are many companies that will offer to do a trailer for you but usually at a pretty hefty price. Do your own through animoto.com or voicethread.com. Come up with ways to share your work through places like Pinterest and YouTube. See two of my videos here:

http://animoto.com/play/1x8Q0qPqzDGlhYfzRCRN1w

http://animoto.com/play/I9LJrEQbI3XO1Tenm3EYow

Marketing may appear a bit "scary" to you, at least at first, but you don't need to be afraid to get out there and market your book. While some of your marketing will require you to speak up and be heard, the best news is that much of your promoting can still be done online--where most of your readers shop.

Kathryn has been a published writer since 1987. She has published various newspaper stories, magazine articles, essays and short stories for teens and adults. She is the author of: “A River of Stones,” a young adult fiction novel dealing with divorce published in 2002, and “Conquering your Goliaths—A Parable of the Five Stones,” a Christian novel published in January of 2012. One of her newest creations, a “Conquering your Goliaths—Guidebook,” was published in February of 2012. “Scrambled,” published in September 2012, is her first cozy mystery. Read her first chapter here: http://www.ariverofstones.com/scrambled.html

Kathryn graduated from the University of Utah with a B.S. in Mass Communication and a minor in Creative Writing. Her studies included work in creative writing, public relations and journalism. Recently, she has opened the doors to Idea Creations Press, a publishing services company that caters to writers and their writing, publishing and marketing needs.

Thinking Ahead—the Next Generation of Writers and Readers

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I was driving one of the interminable carpools that I drive on a daily basis during the school year. This was a middle school one and there’s a new member in it. The girl was sitting in the front seat with me (my daughter still being too light to sit in the front seat with the airbag), and I tried to make conversation with her on the way to the school. The only problems with this are that I’m horrible at small-talk and I’m even worse making small-talk with pre-teens.

We made desultory conversation for a few minutes, mine of the stilted grownup variety. Then I asked hesitantly, “What do you like to do in your spare time after school?” Then I quickly added, in case she didn’t like to really do anything, “Or do you just like to chill out?”

“I like writing,” she said.

And I lit up. It’s funny how you have an instant connection with other writers, no matter the age, no matter the genre.

I keep hearing stories and reading articles about how the next generation has so much competing for their attention—that books are going to lose out. There have also been a few angst-ridden posts on how teens write poorly…that the texting culture has taken over.

In my admittedly unscientific observations, however, I see a lot of reading going on. But a lot of what I’m seeing just isn’t in a traditional format (print books and magazines). It’s happening on smartphones and iPads and Kindle Fires.

As far as I can tell, teens today write a heck of a lot more than the teens I knew back in the 80s. (I’m talking about general, non-creative writing). In the 80s, all the kids I knew spent hours on the phone. Now kids are all texting each other. Yes, it’s in shorthand. But they’re expressing their thoughts and feelings in words. When was the last time that happened in a conversational way since the development of the telephone? So they have an intimate connection with words (these days more through texting than email, as far as I can tell.)

I also continue running into kids who write. They usually come right out and tell me they’re writers, knowing that I’m a writer, myself. When I talk at the schools, there’s always at least one kid who comes up afterward to talk to me more about writing.

The books as we know them will probably change. The genres might change too, following the trends of the day. The important thing is the product—the story itself, and not the packaging. And the most important thing will still be readers. And these readers are still reading--despite the many sophisticated alternatives available to them.

That’s it for my observations, but I’m interested in hearing yours. What’s your outlook on the future of reading and writing for the next generation?

And Happy Labor Day to my friends in the States. :)

(Image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/kusamakura/ )

Twitterific

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific is a compilation of all the writing links I shared the previous week.

The links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming ) which has over 17,000 free articles on writing-related topics. Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly writing tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook .

I have a link of my own this week—I was surprised by a Washington Post mention. A pleasant surprise in a few ways, since the Post doesn’t usually focus on cozy mysteries. And it gave me some more books to put on my TBR list. :)

Have a great week!

Using a tickler file to organize your blog posts: http://bit.ly/Q3N9YP @CamilleLaGuire

States’ eBook Pricing Settlement: $69 Million: http://bit.ly/Rq8uZy @Porter_Anderson @paidContent @andyvuong

A look at the role of sycophants in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/Q6JSIm @mkinberg

5 Ways to Spot a Trustworthy Amazon Review: http://bit.ly/SMhVbx @janetboyer

A free directory of ebook pros--for covers, editing, formatting, & more: http://tinyurl.com/3mxg5zt

The Highly Sensitive Person and the Writer: http://bit.ly/PHm4Zn @HP4Writers

5 Women Writers Tougher Than Hemingway: http://bit.ly/PHm8Zn @bookriot

Ebook Best-Sellers: Where Are the 'Indies'? http://bit.ly/OaYQNm @MikeShatzkin @Porter_Anderson @sarahw

20 Strategies For Tackling That "Bottomless Pit" of Writing: http://bit.ly/P9svs9

Selling Flash Fiction Via E-Mail—Successfully: http://bit.ly/P9sGDJ @janefriedman

Working the writing network: http://bit.ly/PHmDmb @SouthrnWritrMag

Conference Networking--All About the People: http://bit.ly/PHmIpK

1 writer's look back on a year of self-pubbing: http://bit.ly/P9tAAj @livewritethrive

Amazon Is No Wal-Mart...Yet: http://onforb.es/PHn5kn @forbes

World's top-earning authors: http://onforb.es/PHn6EN @forbes

The 5 Elements of Writing Travel Articles: http://bit.ly/P9uywb @writersdigest

Social Media Networking: Be an Active Participant: http://bit.ly/QAcl5z

Genre blending with romantic elements: http://bit.ly/QAdyKc

More uses for your RSS feed: http://bit.ly/QAdDgW @Susan_Silver

8 Ways to Write Without Ever Touching the Keyboard: http://bit.ly/QAdQAw @4YALit

Types of fan fiction: http://bit.ly/QAecHn @guardianbooks

8 Tips for Using Facebook Scheduled Posts: http://bit.ly/QAeheb @smexaminer

Questions to Ask (& Strengthen) Your Minor Characters: http://bit.ly/QAemhW @writersdigest @brianaklems

How libraries are handling publishing's turmoil: http://bit.ly/Rq9Qn3 @franksesno @JDGsaid @Porter_Anderson

What to Do When Your Book Isn't Selling: http://bit.ly/QAeRJ8 @authormedia

Writing comics--sequential art pages, cover, char. designs: http://bit.ly/OfoM7i @79semifinalist

Can you begin with dialogue? http://bit.ly/RkvbCm @juliettewade

Tips for better blog commenting: http://bit.ly/OfoQny @JudyLeeDunn

Networking for Authors: 5 Survival Tips: http://bit.ly/Rkvj4V @diymfa

8 Tips for Promoting Your Book Online: http://bit.ly/OfoZHz @rachellegardner

The influence of MR James on the horror genre: http://bit.ly/Pw7bee @ThisIsHorror

Transition as metaphor: http://bit.ly/Pw1FZc @cdrosales

Get creative on demand: http://bit.ly/Pw1hd2 @diymfa

Writing the Book You Were Meant to Write: http://bit.ly/RkwhOs @writersdigest

5 Cases of Too Few or Too Many Hyphens: http://bit.ly/OfqUfd @writing_tips

How Not to Launch a Book: http://bit.ly/Rkwmlt @janetboyer

Ensure vs. Insure: http://bit.ly/RkwyBd @brianklems

On Sucking it Up and Celebrating What Matters: http://bit.ly/RRhEF0 @TaliaVance

Tips For Using Facebook: http://bit.ly/RRhJbC

1 writer reports in on a year of ebook sales: http://bit.ly/RRhOfx @WilliamKing9

Ordinary Characters Can Be Extraordinary : http://bit.ly/RRhZaE @livewritethrive

Research to Make Historical Fiction Come to Life: http://bit.ly/RRi91M @novelrocket

Show visceral reactions first: http://bit.ly/OiqYMV @JodieRennerEd

Selling Your Words: What To Do When Editors Pay Late: http://bit.ly/OiqZAo @ thewritermama

Google Analytics for Authors: http://bit.ly/PQ5r0b @TracyRAtkins @JFbookman @Porter_Anderson

The Road to an Agent: http://bit.ly/Oir3QI @ AdriennGiordano

Why Self-Published Books Look Self-Published: http://bit.ly/Oir6vJ @jfbookman

To rid yourself of perfectionism, try deliberately making mistakes: http://bit.ly/Oir7Qc

Recipe for a Delicious Sequel: http://bit.ly/OirbPZ @ TrudiCanavan

5 tips for writing historical fiction: http://bit.ly/Oiriv9

SAMPLE PAGES Q & A: http://bit.ly/Oirp9O @writeangleblog @catewoods

Formatting Dialogue: A Quick And Dirty Guide: http://bit.ly/OirqL9 @bubblecow

Top tips for writing a strong female hero: http://bit.ly/OirvhI @ Moira_Young

Build a Better Author Bio for Twitter: http://bit.ly/Oirz13 @janefriedman

"Science Fiction" and Literature – or Thoughts on Delany and the Plurality of Interprative Processes: http://bit.ly/OirB92 @KgElfland2ndCuz

Doubling Down on DRM: http://bit.ly/RRj02m @doctorow

25 things you should know about metaphor: http://bit.ly/OirJpe @chuckwendig {lang}

Persisting through rejections: http://natpo.st/OirNoS @NPBooks @rjellory

The Importance of Voice In Your Author Platform: http://bit.ly/RRkJoh @danblank

Why Writers Should Watch Anime: http://bit.ly/OityCw @manon_eileen

Stealing the Fire of The Gods: http://bit.ly/RnMNNR @SarahAHoyt

Can You Define Your Character in One Word? http://bit.ly/OitPoS @KMWeiland

How to Write Better: 7 Instant Fixes: http://bit.ly/RRliyx

What Sort of Writer Are You? http://bit.ly/OitZg5 @janetedwardssf

Why Having Too Many Ideas Is As Bad As Not Having Enough: http://bit.ly/RRlv4M @fuelyourfiction

How to Write a Novella: http://bit.ly/RRlDkJ @jamesscottbell

How to Read Your Writing Objectively: http://bit.ly/OiuBCq @ava_jae

Putting Together a Collection of Shorts: http://bit.ly/RnNfvl @SophieMasson1

10 Steps to Deconstructing a Novel: http://bit.ly/OiuOW6 @howtowriteshop

11 Ways to Prepare for NaNoWriMo: http://bit.ly/RnNl6q @PYOEbooks

10 Body Language Tricks for Deeper Characterization: http://bit.ly/Oiv07U @fictionnotes

5 TIPS on World Building from Scratch: http://bit.ly/RnNuqm @JordanDane

Keeping Up With Cover Specs: http://bit.ly/OivgUm @authorems

2 ways to hook readers: http://bit.ly/PHlEST

Digital Self-Publishing Checklist: http://bit.ly/PHlGtX @LoriDevoti

5 Things You Might Not Know About Amazon: http://bit.ly/PMzLGv @mediabistro

Pinterest: 10 Tips for Authors: http://bit.ly/RoIzp9 @nickdaws

An Author Platform Built on SPAM is Doomed to Fall: http://bit.ly/PMzR11 @kristenlambTX

10 Children's Books That Are (still) Frightening To Adults: http://bit.ly/PMA0BD @litreactor

Progressive Tenses: http://bit.ly/RoIP7s @theresastevens

Amazon and bogus reviews (can respect be bought?): http://bit.ly/Rq7XXB @jane_l @Suw @samatlounge @Porter_Anderson

3 myths about Amazon: http://bit.ly/RoIUbp @beth_barany

Publishing Is Broken, We're Drowning In Indie Books - And That's A Good Thing: http://onforb.es/RoJ0zL @forbes @dvinjamuri

Overcoming "Voice Anxiety" : http://bit.ly/PMAckb @litreactor

5 tips for hiring a blog designer: http://bit.ly/RoJrtM @huffman_jean

A Tale of Two Royalty Statements: http://bit.ly/RoNq9K @kristinerusch

Self-Publishing on a Budget: http://bit.ly/PMEJ6d

6 Reasons Why Everything in Publishing Takes So Long: http://bit.ly/RoNvui @chavelaque

10 Practical, Everyday Money Saving Tips For (Starving) Writers: http://bit.ly/RUgNTV @BryanThomasS

How to Rein In an Out-of-Control Story: http://bit.ly/OpkeLG @jodyhedlund

10 Relaxation Techniques & Stress Relievers for Writers: http://bit.ly/RUgUik @JordanDane

20 irrefutable theories of book cover design: http://bit.ly/RUh35h @guardianbooks

What You Can Learn About Yourself By Writing Every Day: http://bit.ly/RUhaxI @fuelyourwriting

The Principles of Possessives: http://bit.ly/RUhrRa @writing_tips

The Order Of The Storyteller: http://bit.ly/RUhwVe @SarahAHoyt

Day jobs can benefit our writing: http://bit.ly/Opl7Um @RayRhamey

1 writer lists the places she finds ideas for her writing: http://bit.ly/RUhSev @SouthrnWritrMag

A Quick and Dirty Way to Optimize Your Productivity: http://bit.ly/RUhXP9 @lifehackorg

Separating Productivity from Fear: http://bit.ly/Pm26Sf

On science writing: http://bit.ly/RUqEZT @notscientific

Using The Fantastic To Create A Harsh Wonder: http://bit.ly/Pm2sZe @sfsignal

The Business of Screenwriting: Chilled white whine: http://bit.ly/RUqVMs @GITS

12 Most Successful Ways to Take On a Huge Goal: http://bit.ly/Pm3qVe @12Most

A review of Scrivener: http://bit.ly/Pm6II7

Tips for getting published in a magazine: http://bit.ly/RUtM8f @bubblecow

How One Self-Published Author Landed A Movie Deal: http://bit.ly/Pm755B @thecreativepenn

Conquering Your Fear of the Semi-Colon: http://bit.ly/RUtRIV @theresastevens

Writing Conventions and How to Survive: http://bit.ly/Pm7cxO @traciewelser

5 Key Qualities of the High-Value Writer: http://bit.ly/RUu137 @jhansenwrites

Selling a script, but holding on to the characters: http://bit.ly/Pm7vss @johnaugust

3 Do-at-Your-Desk Exercises to Avoid Becoming Chair Shaped: http://bit.ly/RUufHm @problogger

The almost-kiss: http://bit.ly/Pm7LaW

The Revival of the Serial: http://bit.ly/Pm7WTC @jane_l

12 Magical Items and the Real Life Gadgets that Resemble Them: http://bit.ly/RUuxxQ @i09

On Writing Emotion: http://bit.ly/Pm8fxW

No, You Don't Have a Tribe: http://bit.ly/RUuCBS @danblank

In praise of ordinary romantic heroines: http://bit.ly/Pm8yJa @heroesnhearts

Details Can Make or Break Your Writing: http://bit.ly/RUuMJe

Bullet lists in a feature article? http://bit.ly/Pm8VTX @michellerafter

How Paperbacks Transformed the Way Americans Read: http://bit.ly/RUv4js @mental_floss

Where Do Sentences Come From? http://nyti.ms/NW71Pj @NYTimes

ABCs of Attending a Conference: http://bit.ly/Oq7x4E @Janice_Hardy

The Importance of Substantive Editing: http://bit.ly/Oq7HZZ @scholarlykitchn

What Star Trek Can Teach Us About Great Writing: http://bit.ly/Oq7PbW @kristenlambTX

Tips for collaborative writing: http://bit.ly/Oq81HY @indie_jane

Scenes: The Building Blocks of Your Story: http://bit.ly/Oq8k5M @KMWeiland

Copyright Is Not a Verb: http://bit.ly/NW7BNc @JaneFriedman

Great Character: Juno MacGuff ("Juno"): http://bit.ly/NW7S2G @GITS

How (Not) to Write Dialogue: http://bit.ly/Oq9dv0 @ava_jae

Managing Your Email Flow with POP & IMAP: http://bit.ly/Oq9gXU @authorems

Tips for Making Your Story Bigger: http://bit.ly/NW841G @threekingsbooks

The Quality of Self-Published Books: http://bit.ly/Oq9FcL @erinlausten

Setting–Adding Dimension to Your Fiction: http://bit.ly/NW8jKl @kristenlambtx

20 Words for Laugh: http://bit.ly/PPZYGG @writing_tips

Editing for character: http://bit.ly/PQ07Kp

Bad opening lines: http://bit.ly/RpZLqm @pubperspectives

Egyptian writers have temporarily given up on fiction: http://bit.ly/Rq0gkc @guardianbooks

How to Fit Blogging Into Your Busy Schedule: http://bit.ly/Rq0w2F @nickthacker

4 Reasons to Write Short Stories: http://bit.ly/Rq0B6v @joebunting

Building Your Production Capacity: http://bit.ly/PQ13OT @susankayequinn

The Best Backup Solution? http://bit.ly/PQ1vNd @lifehackorg

A 3-Step Way to Handle the Pain of Rejection by John Yeoman

by John Yeoman, @Yeomanis

How do you tell a mother her baby is ugly?

You don’t. You can't. Agents can't, either. We drop off our favourite child at their office, with love in our hearts, and wait for the compliments. When they don’t arrive, we cry: “But every limb is perfect! Count the fingers. And oh, that cute little dimple at both ends!”

Still, no sale.

Every new writer goes through that period of outrage. “He spat on my baby!” Agents know it. It’s why the better ones phrase their rejection slips with care: “It doesn’t suit our needs. But do pass it around. Someone else is sure to love it!” Nice agents scribble a personal footnote: “Don’t lose heart. Remember, Gone With the Wind was rejected 38 times.” Bad ones don’t reply at all.

None of it helps, does it? We inspect our ms, lying forlorn in its bassinet. We count its fingers. All there! We dress it up in a pretty new blurb. And we send it out again.

Same result. How can we ever tell ourselves: “There’s something wrong with my baby?” But we must.

The day we do it is the day we turn professional.

Here are three tested steps to becoming a pro author:

1. Get an independent critique.

Sure, the nice opinions of our friends and writing group can keep us motivated. A thoughtful buddy can also spot our most embarrassing mistakes. “Why is your character called Jim in chapter one and Jed in chapter two?”

But friends give dangerous advice at the editing stage because they don’t know what to look for. “I don’t like your hero.” “Why?” “He reminds me of my uncle Bill.” It doesn’t help...

Have your ms professionally copy edited!

It will cost around $8 (£5) per thousand words and, if you choose an experienced editor, it’s an investment. Your ms will be fine-tuned or, better still, mangled. Perversely, that’s good news.

Otherwise, how would you have known that your opening passage, the one you laboured on for weeks, has all the appeal of a stagnant ditch? Or that your protagonist (modelled on yourself) is as lovable as the south end of a pig?

It’s better to hear the cruel truth “your story sucks, it needs a total rewrite” than to waste more time and heartache sending it out again. That said, copy editors are not ghost writers. They’ll only rarely give you creative solutions. A rewrite is your problem.

2. Cut your losses.

If you hear “the story is 90% okay, just do these things”, do them. And resubmit your ms. If any agent was courteous enough to make comments on your first draft, send that good person your new draft saying “Thank you! I have totally reworked the ms in line with your suggestions.” Conscience alone should induce them to read it.

But if you’re faced with a total rewrite, ask yourself: “Am I really in love with this story? So much so that I’ll devote another year to it? And another?” A novel is not a marriage. If it’s not working, dump it. Start the next one. It will be a lot better. You’ve learned the errors to avoid, and acquired a whole new mindset of craft skills unconsciously, while editing your last novel.

3. Smack yourself on the side of the head.

Walk away from the past. Abandon your favourite plot themes, the characters you fell in love with, the settings you know too well. Haul them back into your new novel and you’ll just be stomping over the same territory. It didn’t work the first time. Why should it now?

Smack yourself on the side of the head.

Find an outrageously new theme, fresh characters, a different place and time. Of course, you can stay with the same genre if you’re truly in love with chick lit, sci-fi, historical romance, or whatever. Just approach it from a radically different angle.

And why not experiment with a hybrid genre?

If you’re familiar with the tricks of the noir detective novel they’ll work well in a sci-fi story. (See the fascinating result in China Mieville’s The City & The City.) A chick-lit story set in ancient Rome might work well too, and never mind the anachronisms. (Marilyn Todd did that with her brilliant I, Claudia novels.)

Give your new craft skills a fresh landscape to play in.

That 3-step plan should get you through the slump of rejection. Every author has been there and some mid-list authors still succumb to it, when they fail to earn out their advance. Yet the successful ones have picked themselves up and gone that route above, time and again, to the best seller lists. Just remember, Gone With the Wind really was rejected 38 times...

Dr John Yeoman, PhD Creative Writing, judges the Writers’ Village story competition and is a tutor in creative writing at a UK university. He has been a successful commercial author for 42 years. A wealth of further ideas for writing fiction that sells can be found in his free 14-part story course at:

http://www.writers-village.org/seminars

Dr John Yeoman has 42 years experience as a commercial author, newspaper editor and one-time chairman of a major PR consultancy. He has published eight books of humour, some of them intended to be humorous.

Blog image: Jon McGovern, Flickr

Dusting Ourselves Off after Set-Backs

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

The other mothers at the stables assured me that the day would come (probably sooner than later) when my daughter was going to come flying off her horse.

Naturally, I assumed it would be later. :)

So when I picked up my daughter at horse camp a few weeks ago and saw that she was completely covered from head to toe in red clay (which is what passes for soil in many parts of the Deep South), I knew she’d been thrown.

The camp counselors were full of hurried explanations about a bucking horse and a stirrup that came off and the horse’s general disposition and youth. I listened a little, but mostly looked my daughter over. She was beaming. “I’m fine!” she said.

Well, apparently she hadn’t really been fine at first. There was a time when she’d lost the reins and clutched the horse’s mane in terror trying to hang on for dear life before flying off onto her head. Toby apparently hadn’t wanted to jump, and he hadn’t.

The counselor let her catch her breath and dust herself off. She’d also let the bucking horse gallop around the ring a few times to calm himself down. Then the counselor had my daughter climb back on the horse….not to jump, but to remind the horse that she was in charge. She also wanted to ensure that my daughter wouldn’t be scared to get on a horse again.

My daughter made up with Toby and even chose to ride the horse during her birthday party a week later.

Although I can’t say I was excited about her getting back on a horse that was misbehaving, I think it’s a smart way to deal with being thrown. It’s also a good policy for writers to adopt.

Situations where we might fall off the horse:

Querying

Getting rejected by agents.

Getting back on the horse:

Increasing scope of our queries (keeping them targeted.)

Rewriting our query.

Considering direct submission to publishers (carefully targeted).

Exploring self-publishing.

Writing another book.

Reviews (by readers, bloggers, professional reviewers)
Receiving poor reviews for our book.
Getting back on the horse:

Taking an analytical view of the reviews to see if there’s anything we can improve for our next book.

Working on our next book.

Reminding ourselves why we’re writing to begin with.

Sales

Sales fail to meet our expectations or our publisher’s.
Getting back on the horse:

Working on the next book.

Considering a pen name if querying other traditional publishers.

It’s interesting to me how many remedies come down to working on our next book. I know how exhausting that can seem when you’ve poured so much time and effort into finishing, revising, querying, and promoting a book. But really, it’s the only way to improve and have a better chance at success in this business. And it’s the only way not to feel overly-invested in one book.

How do you dust yourself off after a set-back?

Bowling for Blurbs by Douglas Corleone

by Douglas Corleone, @douglascorleone

One of the toughest parts of being a new novelist is requesting blurbs from established authors. You’re not only asking an author to take eight to ten hours out of their busy schedule to read your manuscript, you’re asking them to endorse you and your book – you’re asking them to put their good name on the line to help you and your career.

I was so put off by the idea of asking established authors for blurbs that I waited until my third novel to do it, and even then I asked someone I already considered a close friend. He read my book and provided a terrific quote, one that ends with: “Corleone is as good as it gets.” Although my third novel Last Lawyer Standing has only been out a few days, his kind and generous words have already generated sales and provided me several new loyal readers who raced out to purchase my first two novels and enjoyed them enough to write to me and tell me so.

Next spring I’ll be launching a new series of international thrillers, and this time around I wasn’t so shy. Thanks largely to the single blurb placed on the cover of Last Lawyer Standing, I had the courage to ask several A-List thriller writers to give my bound manuscript a read. Five of my favorite authors agreed to read my book, and I’m now anxiously awaiting their verdicts.

Bottom line is: blurbs from popular authors do work. Most blurbs are sincere, and after awhile, as a reader, you recognize those authors who are sincere and those who will put their name on any book that’s tossed in front of them. The authors I chose are all part of the former group, and for that reason I’ll truly be bowled over to have their names on the front and back of my dust jacket when my first “big book” is released next year.

Douglas Corleone is the author of three crime novels published by St. Martin's Minotaur. His debut novel One Man's Paradise was nominated for the 2010 Shamus Award for Best First Novel. A former New York City defense attorney, Doug now lives in the Hawaiian Islands, where he is currently at work on his next novel. You can visit him online at www.douglascorleone.com.
Author Photo--Jennifer Crites

Twitterific

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific is a compilation of all the writing links I shared the previous week.

The links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming ) which has over 17,000 free articles on writing-related topics. Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly writing tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook .

Thanks for coming by everyone! It’s nice to be back after my days away from the blog last week. And thanks so much for all the nice comments. Have a great week!

The Possible Cost of Segregating Stories by Gender: http://bit.ly/Ooswp0 @btmargins

Tips for writer's conferences: http://bit.ly/R8Z8oN @novelrocket

Using LinkedIn to Find Readers: http://bit.ly/R8ZawZ

Getting past perfectionism with free writing: http://bit.ly/R8ZdsM @karenschrav

Writing Third Person Omniscient: http://bit.ly/R8ZfRo

Guide to social media scheduling: http://bit.ly/R8Zhsy @lifehackorg

The step outline: http://bit.ly/SC45nu

What is an agent's/editor's responsibility to a querying writer? http://bit.ly/NM8zHp @Porter_Anderson @jurgenwolff

Color coded revision: http://bit.ly/SC4dn5 @ava_jae

Fifty Shades of Grey matter: the psychology of sexual arousal: http://bit.ly/SC4mqp @garwboy

What's not to like about 'like'? http://bit.ly/SC4qqp

Improve Your Character Instantly: Just Add a Ghost: http://bit.ly/SC4xSR @KMWeiland

Psychology Q&A: Schizophrenia & Police Work? http://bit.ly/SC4Flj @CMKaufman

Taking Responsibility as a Writer: http://bit.ly/SC4Lt5 @ginarosati

6 Laws for Becoming a Career Author: http://bit.ly/SC4O84 @duolit

Tips for social media automation: http://bit.ly/SC4TIV @nickthacker

5 Things to Track on Google Analytics: http://bit.ly/SC4Z3u @karencv

Getting to the Core of Your Characters: http://bit.ly/SC57zY @livewritethrive

7 secrets about editors every freelance writer should know: http://bit.ly/SC5g6p @MichelleRafter

Renew Your Love Affair with Pinterest: http://bit.ly/Pw15uB @kristenlambtx

Get creative on demand: http://bit.ly/Pw1hd2 @diymfa

The Philosophical Roots of Science Fiction: http://bit.ly/Pw1sVY @charliejane

Transition as metaphor: http://bit.ly/Pw1FZc @cdrosales

POV in genre fic: http://bit.ly/Pw2mSb @sfsignal

Contract deal-breakers--the agent clause: http://bit.ly/Pw60eS @KristineRusch

How POV Works: http://bit.ly/Pw6r9d @KgElfland2ndCuz

What Killed the Thriller Writer: Your Attention Span: http://bit.ly/Pw6OjR @mrichtel

The influence of MR James on the horror genre: http://bit.ly/Pw7bee @ThisIsHorror

Sales--don't shoot yourself in the foot (5 tips): http://bit.ly/Pw7zte @deanwesleysmith

The Point of Process Porn: http://bit.ly/Pw7Jku @JustineLavaworm

8 Ways Haiku Helps Fiction Writers: http://bit.ly/Pw7R3n

Tips for beginners on getting published: http://bit.ly/Pw81rt @howtowriteshop

100 Best-Ever Teen Novels: http://n.pr/Pw86vo @nprbooks

Pros and Cons of Small Presses: http://bit.ly/Pw88mM @JessicaKnauss

Ebook Best-Sellers: Where Are the ‘Indies’? http://bit.ly/OaYQNm @MikeShatzkin @Porter_Anderson @sarahw

Create a Writing Schedule that Fits Your Life: http://bit.ly/Pw8c69 @authorems

Don't lose faith in yourself--strive to do what you love: http://bit.ly/Pw9HkS @jodyhedlund

The Importance of Rising Tension in Your Story: http://bit.ly/Pw9Jci

Go ahead, tell people about your book: http://bit.ly/Pw9Sg6

How to Legally Use Your Own Photos on Your Blog: http://bit.ly/Pwa0fu @MarcyKennedy @MelindaVan

Indie Writers: 10 Things Not To Do: http://bit.ly/TQkgjv @woodwardkaren

Bookstores vs. Amazon – A Publisher's View: http://bit.ly/TQko2G @behlerpublish

Author platform tips from NYT bestseller Rebecca Skloot: http://bit.ly/TQkrLE @danblank

Electronically Autograph Books: http://bit.ly/TQkCqp @adriennedewolfe

Should Writers Rethink Butt-In-Chair Mentality? http://bit.ly/TQkLdu @writeitsideways

Synopsis Writing - 101: http://bit.ly/TQkOWE

Tips for making your own business cards: http://bit.ly/TQkVBv @JillKemerer

The Right Way and Wrong Way to Let Your Mind Wander: http://bit.ly/TQpifV @i09

The Waiting Game: Analyzing the Library Hold List: http://bit.ly/TQpnAa @kimthedork

Character Questionnaire: How Would Your Character Handle These Situations? http://bit.ly/TQpCv9

Why 1 writer reads all his reviews: http://bit.ly/TQpHio

On being a submissions editor: http://bit.ly/TQpJa2

What Your Favorite YA Series Says About You: http://bit.ly/TQpOus @flavorpill

Never Happier Than When Writing: http://bit.ly/TQq6l8 @passivevoiceblg

Storyboarding – Not Just for Plotting Anymore: http://bit.ly/TQqDDw @joanswan

How Plugins Can Take Your Author Website from Okay to Outstanding: http://bit.ly/OSndBd @jfbookman

Find Your Voice, Find Your Power: http://bit.ly/OSoTdX @RLLaFevers

What writers get from social networking: http://bit.ly/OSp2OC

When to italicize: http://bit.ly/OSp8Wj @livewritethrive

Self Publishing Your Poetry – A Primer: http://bit.ly/OSpkVv @magdalenaball

Fixing broken characters with fusion: http://bit.ly/OSr3tY

How to Journal: 6 Tips to Boost Creativity and Polish Your Writing: http://bit.ly/OSrnJj

5 Common Writer Scams: http://bit.ly/O72Y0R @duolit

Why Use Multiple POVs? http://bit.ly/O738VX @ava_jae

5 must-have creativity apps: http://bit.ly/O75Meq @tannerc

Shameless Self-Promotion vs. Shameful Self-Promotion: http://bit.ly/O76MiL @goblinwriter

8 Easy Ways To Grow Your Social Media Footprint: http://bit.ly/O76XKZ @jhansenwrites

The Most Common Pitch Meeting Mistake (That You Don't Know You're Making): http://bit.ly/O771dz

Keep connected words/phrases together without intervening elements: http://bit.ly/O779Kg

What Every Author Needs To Know About Alt Text: http://bit.ly/O77eO6 @authormedia

Relax while writing: http://bit.ly/O77DzP @howtowriteshop

What to do with Defeat: http://bit.ly/O77HzH @EmilyWenstrom

How Often Should You Blog? http://bit.ly/O77VXE @problogger

The demise of books has been predicted for decades: http://nyti.ms/O78QaB @NYTimes

Religion in Worldbuilding: http://bit.ly/O790i8 @BryanThomasS

When does a DRM become a nightmare? http://bit.ly/O79eG2

Types of plots: http://bit.ly/O79qVA @writing_tips

Proofread for Consistency and Convenience: http://bit.ly/O79wwq

What to do When Your Word Count is Too Low: http://bit.ly/QrFZtu @joebunting

Authors Guild v. Google: http://bit.ly/QrG54A @dearauthor

5 things to do when you're between projects: http://bit.ly/QrGaoO @YAHighway

5 Things Bruce Lee Taught 1 Writer About the Art of Writing: http://bit.ly/QrGiVm @writersdigest

How Much Can You Achieve In 4 Years? http://bit.ly/QrGofB @thecreativepenn

A scientific explanation of Harry Potter's "wizarding gene": http://bit.ly/NmKsO4 @io9

Why 1 writer is self-publishing: http://bit.ly/NmKup2 @litreactor

The motivation to write: http://bit.ly/NmKAgu @beth_barany

Write to the emotion: http://bit.ly/O8L7H4 @sarahahoyt

Pet Peeves of a Professional Editor: http://bit.ly/NmKSE8

Are fan fiction and fan art legal? http://bit.ly/NmKZiP @i09

Thoughts on running a free book promo for a debut author: http://bit.ly/NmLuJO @annerallen

6 Ways to Pull off Dual Timelines in Your Novel: http://bit.ly/NmLOrU @KMWeiland

Make it happen IN the scene: http://bit.ly/NmLZn5 @theresastevens

Be multi-directional to your approaches to setting and character: http://bit.ly/NmMUE7

Getting "too quiet and midlist" as a reason for rejection: http://bit.ly/NmNcuQ @nicolamorgan

Writing Your First Novel: 6 Pieces of Advice: http://bit.ly/NmNkKT @sraichlen

Real vs. fictional settings: http://bit.ly/NmNp18 @junglereds

What is indie publishing? http://bit.ly/NmNulq @passivevoiceblg

The evolution of sexuality in SFF: http://bit.ly/NmNx0z @fantasyfaction

Grounded in a scene? A critique of an opening scene: http://bit.ly/NmNEJB @janice_hardy

Stop, Look, and Listen for Better Book Marketing: http://bit.ly/NmNJgf @writersdigest

5 Types of Modifying Mistakes: http://bit.ly/NmNKAT @writing_tips

What To Do About Cranky Authors: http://bit.ly/NmNPEw @JustineLavaworm

Copyright: Or Creditright? http://bit.ly/OdzRcr @Porter_Anderson @jeffjarvis

What Offer Does Your Author Blog Make? http://bit.ly/PHjyT6 @jfbookman

The Polarisation of Publishing: http://bit.ly/PHjGSB @danielsm1

The Fear of Being Scooped: http://bit.ly/PHjIK3 @davidbcoe

Use of Adjectives and Adverbs: http://bit.ly/PHjMJP

How to Outline a Story: http://bit.ly/PHjO4q @LyndaRYoung

Correcting Problems with Pacing: http://bit.ly/PHjWRt @JulieEshbaugh

The Red Flags of Writing Contests: http://bit.ly/PHl6wt @victoriastrauss

5 Ways to Respect Your Writing: http://bit.ly/PHlaMx @krissybrady

What to Tell Agents While on Submission: http://bit.ly/PHlfjh @Kid_Lit

The Zen of Backstory: http://bit.ly/PHlhHY @ashkrafton

Can Readers Trust Book Reviews Online? http://bit.ly/PHlnzw @NinaBadzin

Ebook Formats: A Quick Guide For Self-Publishers: http://bit.ly/PHlr1W @bubblecow

The Typography of Authority — Do Fonts Affect How People Accept Information? http://bit.ly/PHlwD1 @scholarlykitchn

Amanda Hocking's Unusual Writing Schedule: http://bit.ly/PHlAmg @woodwardkaren

2 ways to hook readers: http://bit.ly/PHlEST

Digital Self-Publishing Checklist: http://bit.ly/PHlGtX @LoriDevoti

Why Something Has to Happen in Your Story: http://bit.ly/PHlI5d @joebunting

Heating back up after a burn out: http://bit.ly/PHlPxt @writerstephanie

Why Writers Should Let Their Manuscripts Cool: http://bit.ly/PHma3b @ava_jae

Copyright: Or Creditright? http://bit.ly/OdzRcr @Porter_Anderson @jeffjarvis

When a Character Lacks Social Skills: http://bit.ly/PHme38 @jeanniecampbell

When Critique Partners Disagree: http://bit.ly/PHmfUy @juliemusil @lisagailgreen

Short Break

I’ll be back on Sunday with Twitterific, but will be on break until then.  I’m suddenly the aunt of twins.  :)