Riley Adams's Blog, page 170

Jump Back Into Your Story

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

It happens to all of us.

If life hasn’t hijacked your writing schedule, then you’ve either been very lucky or else you haven’t been writing for very long.

Writing first thing in the day helps with this—but it’s not a sure-fire fix, either.

The important thing is not to let our falling behind completely shut us down.

I’m probably about 8 or 9 pages behind right now on my current project after a wild last week. I wrote every day, but I couldn’t make my daily goal.  What I’ll be doing this week:

Jumping back into our story:

Consider limited Re-reading: The worst part is losing the story thread.  I’ll usually read the last couple of pages and just forge ahead.  If I poke around too long in past pages, I start getting my editor hat on. For me, that kills the creative process.  But every writer is different.  And this is harder to do if you’re way behind.

Timer:  I’ll write as quickly as I can for 10 minutes.  I won’t worry about if it’s something that’s going to need to be cut later.  The important thing is making process on the story…mentally, that’s important.  The next day, the writing will be more focused.

Lists: At the very least, sit down and make a list for options for your next scene, options for your character’s development, options for the next big conflict. Get your mind back into the story again.

Silence your inner critic:  It’s not doing us any good.

Don’t try to catch up:  It’s not fun to meet your daily goal and then write more than that to satisfy your catch-up goal.  If I’m not close to a deadline (and right now I’m not), then I’m going to forget about those 8 or 9 pages I’m behind on.  Each day is an opportunity to meet that day’s goal. 

The important thing is to pick up our story again.  It might be that the only way of doing that means taking a small notebook on the go to jot down story notes.  I’m doing that today when I take my kids to their dentist appointment.  Just figure out a way to fit it in.

How do you jump back into your story after a break?

Image: Flickr: Hamad AL-Mohannna

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 .

Have a great week!

Science Fiction Is Here, It's Just Not Evenly Distributed: http://bit.ly/MBZfUA @timmaughan @worldsf

Goal, Motivation, and Conflict: http://bit.ly/RtIVub @stdennard

Market the author or market the book? http://bit.ly/RtJ2pB @nicolamorgan

Writing from the discomfort zone: http://bit.ly/RtJG6h @writerunboxed

Tips for avoiding passive voice construction: http://bit.ly/R7hSVG @LauraHoward78

Plan a D.I.Y. Writing Fellowship: http://bit.ly/RtKiJ8 @grubwriters

The Possessive Apostrophe: http://bit.ly/RtKs3e @mesummerbooks

5 Things You Shouldn't Say To The Librarian Who Is Also A Writer: http://bit.ly/RtKwA9 @mistymassey

The joys of private writing: http://bit.ly/RtKJmU @MarkCN @UKTor

The importance of reading to writers: http://bit.ly/RtKWq9 @jodyhedlund

5 ways writers can minimize essential writing tasks: http://bit.ly/RtLe0c

A post on using 99 Designs to find a cover artist: http://bit.ly/P29BPC @woodwardkaren

Tips to Prevent and Overcome Writers Block: http://bit.ly/P29Hqv

Plot and Story Structure – More Lessons from ThrillerFest: http://bit.ly/P29R1k @DiyMfa

A Facebook Optimization Tip: http://bit.ly/P29YcZ @authormedia

Women Writers in the Republic of Congo: http://bit.ly/P2amZh @womenwriters @Victoria_Writes

Hacking Creativity: http://bit.ly/P2aPKS

Publisher as bully: http://bit.ly/N6Dwo6 @Porter_Anderson @philipdsjones @doctorow

Setting as character: http://bit.ly/P2aWWP @fantasyfaction

5 Secrets to Help You Stay Busy AND Sane as a Writer: http://bit.ly/P2b9sY @NickThacker

How to Promote Your Book with Social Media: http://bit.ly/P2brQK @womenwriters @ZimblerMiller

What readers want in a heroine: http://bit.ly/P2bH2e @wordforteens

What if your inciting incident is a coincidence? http://bit.ly/P2bYC5 @glencstrathy

Is Kickstarter a viable tool for writers? http://bit.ly/P2cvE8 @litreactor @robwhart

3 Easy Tricks for Better Dialogue: http://bit.ly/NtU3D3 @tiffanyreisz @janice_hardy

It's not all about the writing--skills that modern writers need: http://bit.ly/RI0XKK

Promoting Your Book Starts with Your Query: http://bit.ly/RI1eNT @4YaLit

Weave subplots around your main plot: http://bit.ly/RI1lc0

Big follower numbers don't necessarily equal big sales: http://bit.ly/MZ3xXC @courtneymilan @adrienehill @Porter_Anderson

1 writer talks about the biggest mistake of her career: http://bit.ly/RI1OLv

4 tips for writing a book that will hold teens' attention: http://bit.ly/RI22lF @sarahmussi

Why 1 blogger stopped using Feedburner: http://bit.ly/RI250R @janefriedman

Loyalty as a theme in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/PoK2sc @mkinberg

Do agents represent freelancers? http://bit.ly/RI29Ob @writersdigest

Is Omniscient POV Dying? http://bit.ly/RI2dxk @MarcyKennedy

How To Write For The Promotional Items Industry: http://bit.ly/RI3ftp @karencv

Who vs. that: http://bit.ly/RI3jJs

Can sympathy purchasing save bookstores?Should it? http://bit.ly/MZWNrl @Porter_Anderson @sarahrcallender@Victoria_Noe

10 Reasons Authors Should Format Old Novels as eBooks: http://bit.ly/RI3nJe @AdriennedeWolfe

Pre-release marketing key to promo success: http://bit.ly/RI3qom @duolit

How To Get Great Photos For Your Blog Without Breaking Copyright Laws: http://bit.ly/RI3u7E @KristinNador

Social isn't a magic bullet, but it can sell books: http://bit.ly/RI3ynS @thefuturebook @thecreativepenn

Tips for getting your Facebook page noticed: http://bit.ly/RI3DYT

11 tips for writing a book: http://bit.ly/RI3DYT @NYTimes @colsonwhitehead

4 ways to plan surprises in your novel: http://bit.ly/RI43OZ @donmaass

Don't Forget the Dialogue: http://bit.ly/RI47yc @kmweiland

The hybrid career of a popular author: http://bit.ly/Np8OKB @cjlyonswriter @thecreativepenn

Make-or-Break Verbs: http://nyti.ms/Np938A @sinandsyntax

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

Publishers don't realize they already have social media expertise: http://bit.ly/N9kihs @dennisyu @porter_anderson

Finding the right place to set your story: http://bit.ly/Np9Rua @KayKeppler

How One Editor Learned to Edit Herself: http://bit.ly/Np9Zde @emilywenstrom @janice_hardy

Varieties of Female Villains: http://bit.ly/NpatzX @LBardugo

Learning Writing Skills from the film Hancock: http://bit.ly/NpavI3

A Myth Studies Reading List for Fantasy Writers: http://bit.ly/NpaOCG @LBGale

How To Use A Camera To Bring Your Fiction Into Focus: http://bit.ly/NpaVhN @fuelyourwriting

The fantasy feminist: http://bit.ly/Npbd8m @fantasyfaction

What's Life Really Like as a Published Author? http://bit.ly/NpbrvZ @JodyHedlund

Tips for faster writing: http://bit.ly/NpbA2G @sinandsyntax

5 Ways to Boost Creativity: http://bit.ly/N5abLX @manon_eileen

Create a Freelance Writing Resume: http://bit.ly/QRP1op

Tips for pitching book bloggers: http://bit.ly/QRPd76 @YAHighway

Save Your Creative Life In One Hour Or Less--Back Up Your Work: http://bit.ly/QRPerL

Basic Writing : From Pre-Writing to Editing: http://bit.ly/NjjsVl

Tips for writing great sentences: http://bit.ly/NjjvAj

Learning the craft takes time--enjoy the process: http://bit.ly/NjjE6I @livewritethrive

Omniscient POV: http://bit.ly/NjjLiL

LendInk--legit e-lending, not a pirate site: http://bit.ly/N6Dwo6 @Porter_Anderson @markcoker @mathewi

Tips for writing book reviews: http://bit.ly/NjjSLb

Crafting effective heroes: http://bit.ly/NjjZqj @storyfix

Tips for writing subtext: http://bit.ly/NjkbWw

7 Ways to Use Brain Science to Hook Readers: http://bit.ly/NjkiRP @LisaCron

Prequels, Sequels, Novellas...The Ebook Deluge: http://bit.ly/NjkqAO

3 Ways to Mess with Genre: http://bit.ly/NjktfT @LBGale

Why Great Ideas Get Rejected: http://bit.ly/Njkv7x @LDRLB

In The E-Book World, Are Book Covers A Dying Art? http://n.pr/Njkz7n @nprbooks

The Most Trying Part of Living a Good Story: http://bit.ly/NjkAbr @jeffgoins

3 Steps to Making Friends & Enemies at Writers Conferences: http://bit.ly/NjkQap @victoriamixon

Elements of Fantasy – Frogs: http://bit.ly/NjkSis @fantasyfaction

Using KDP Select as a marketing tool: http://bit.ly/NjlFzO @copyblogger @jeffgoins

An overlooked essential skill for writers: http://bit.ly/NjmtF0 @Tsuchigari

Writing Tip: Hurt 'Em: http://bit.ly/NjmA3w @threekingsbooks

Form rejections: http://bit.ly/NjmBEo @janelebak

5 Keys to Writing Success: http://bit.ly/NjmFUJ @KristenLambTX

7 Benefits Of An Author Collective: http://bit.ly/NjmIjs @thecreativepenn

An agent on rejections and rude agents: http://bit.ly/NjmOaN @breeogden

The Dearth-of-Epic-Endings Epidemic: http://bit.ly/Njn0a3 @aimeelsalter

You only get one start – make the most of it: http://bit.ly/Njn89A @jaelmchenry

How to Choose a POV Character: http://bit.ly/Njna0U @ava_jae

The Self-Contained Narrator: http://bit.ly/Njne0X

Big follower numbers don't necessarily equal big sales: http://bit.ly/MZ3xXC @courtneymilan @adrienehill @Porter_Anderson

Private Inspiration Boards (Alternatives to Pinterest): http://bit.ly/Njni0r @roniloren

Establishing tone: http://bit.ly/NjnpsV @mooderino

10 lit devices and where to find them in SF: http://bit.ly/NjqqJY @annaleen

Killing Your Sales One Shot at a Time: http://bit.ly/NjquJw @deanwesleysmith

Infographic of Edgar Allan Poe's grisly death scenes: http://bit.ly/Njr9ur @guardianbooks

What 1 writer won't do to sell more books: http://bit.ly/Njrcqm @nicolamorgan

10 best end-of-world novels: http://bit.ly/Njrr4s @flavorpill

8 Romantic Readings from Contemporary Literature: http://bit.ly/NjrBcm @bookriot

68 Queries In 60 Minutes: http://bit.ly/NjrGg6

The internet is not a neighborhood in need of door-to-door salesmen: http://bit.ly/NjrLQO @SeananMcGuire

What's With Writers and Late Blooming? http://bit.ly/NjrNYQ @debraeve

How To Make Your Own Book Trailers: http://bit.ly/NjrPA6 @bubblecow

Storyboarding 101: http://bit.ly/NjrQE6

Does the Future of Publishing Need More Imagination? http://bit.ly/NjrWeR @jeffvandermeer

Putting the "Social" Back in Social Media: http://bit.ly/OTAUvk @jodyhedlund

5 Ways to Build a Pinterest Following With Facebook: http://bit.ly/OTAXap @smexaminer

The New Publishing Paradigm: What Value Do Publishers Add? http://bit.ly/OTAXXW @jamigold

Goodreads v. LibraryThing: http://bit.ly/OTB4Tj @deadwhiteguys

Mental Health Series for Writers: Panic Attacks: http://bit.ly/OTBcCn @kristinnador

Audition Your Cast of Characters: http://bit.ly/OTBb1j @juliemusil

Are you writing a dystopian? A checklist: http://bit.ly/QXaP23 @sarahlapolla

A look at NetGalley for reviews: http://bit.ly/QXb64V @jhansenwrites

Tone in fiction: http://bit.ly/QXbh05 @theresastevens

Chapter titles? http://bit.ly/QXbtfO @juliettewade

Which vs. That: http://bit.ly/QXbznA @writersdigest

5 ways to increase productivity: http://bit.ly/QXbNLw @manon_eileen

Jack London's Advice on Honing Your Creative Craft: http://bit.ly/OzEV7Y @mcd_owell

5 Scenes Every Romance Novel Needs: http://bit.ly/NFkRiT @howtowriteshop

Science Fiction Is Here, It's Just Not Evenly Distributed: http://bit.ly/MBZfUA @timmaughan @worldsf

5 Tips For Making a Living as a Writer: http://bit.ly/OOGNMU @rachellegardner

The villain's journey: http://bit.ly/NXVK0y @diymfa

11 tips for writing a book: http://bit.ly/RI3DYT @NYTimes @colsonwhitehead

How One Editor Learned to Edit Herself: http://bit.ly/Np9Zde @emilywenstrom @janice_hardy

What 1 writer won't do to sell more books: http://bit.ly/Njrcqm @nicolamorgan

Publishers don't realize they already have social media expertise: http://bit.ly/N9kihs @dennisyu @porter_anderson

The Dearth-of-Epic-Endings Epidemic: http://bit.ly/Njn0a3 @aimeelsalter

11 top authors with their tips for writing a great novel: http://on.wsj.com/r0BTJR @wsj

Can readers trust online book reviews? http://bit.ly/OoqGo5 @ninabadzin

What's Uplifting About Depressing Fiction? http://bit.ly/OoqMMv @btmargins

When Mainstream Publishers Do SFF: http://bit.ly/OoqTrc @jdiddyesquire

How to survive the creative life: http://bit.ly/OoqZ2f @chuckwendig {lang}

Tips for collaborative writing: http://bit.ly/Oor5GU @MsAnnAguirre

10 reasons writers get writer's block: http://bit.ly/Oorj0K @JulieBMack

Mirror scenes and weak writing: http://bit.ly/OorrgX

The Girlfriend's Guide to Being a Debut Author: http://bit.ly/OoryJ9

Being male is not a prerequisite for hard SF: http://bit.ly/OorzNo @guardianbooks

Author FAQs (tips for answering wannabe writer questions): http://bit.ly/OorCZD

12 Non-Negotiable Elements of Force in Writing: http://bit.ly/OorJEn @writing_tips

Are You Hitting a Bulls Eye With Your Target Audience? http://bit.ly/OorNUJ @melissaknorris

Point of View in Genre Fiction: http://bit.ly/OorPvR

The epidemic of niceness in online book culture: http://slate.me/OorZ6j @silvermanjacob

3 reasons more people should focus on their writing: http://bit.ly/Oos6Pg @nickthacker

Passive Voice and Writers

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Today I’m over at Laura Howard’s Finding Bliss blog. I’m going to be talking about passive voice—a tricky subject and one that’s frequently misunderstood by writers. Hope you’ll pop over!

Keeping Our Books Current—Or At Least Not Dating Them

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

One of the hazards of reading so many blogs is that I find out about a lot of fantastic-sounding books. I have a lot of to-be-read books on my Kindle and an even longer list of books that I plan to read.

I’m a very fast reader, but I’m wondering if my list of books can possibly be read in a year or two—if I stop putting new books on it.

Right now, I’m reading a book that mystery writer Margot Kinberg recommended back in February of last year. :)

The book is Josephine Tey’s The Man in the Queue, which was first published in 1929. It’s been a very interesting and enjoyable read so far.

I loved the feeling of being taken back in time with this book. It opens with a line of people waiting to enter a popular show that has a very Vaudeville feel to it.

The police investigation that’s portrayed is, of course, completely different from our modern day methods. There aren’t any police cars—they’re walking or taking the train as they work the case.

This is the enjoyable part of reading a book set in a different time—being transported back in a time machine. This is what I’m expecting and enjoying most about reading a book that launched in 1929. It’s the same enjoyment I get from watching a costume drama at the movies or even from watching black and white films from the 1950s.

It’s a little different when something brings me to a full-stop in a book or movie. That’s when I’m taken out of the experience and am trying to figure out what’s going on.

With Tey’s book, it was a term she used to describe the murder victim: Levantine.

At first, I tried my usual tricks to figure out the word—looked at the context, etc. Then I just skipped over it, hoping I wasn’t missing something important to do with the mystery.

But darned if she didn’t repeat that word over and over again in the next few pages, referred to the victim as a Levantine. Then I remembered that my Kindle had a handy dictionary so I right-clicked on the word and the definition came up.

Le·van·tine CHIEFLY ARCHAIC adj. of or trading to the Levant: the Levantine coast. ■ n. a person who lives in or comes from the Levant.

(2010-04-01). The New Oxford American Dictionary (Kindle Locations 470127-470142). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

I hope I’m not the only one who doesn’t know where the Levant is/was. I had to look that up, too:

Le·vant ARCHAIC the eastern part of the Mediterranean with its islands and neighboring countries. <ORIGIN> late 15th cent.: from French, literally "rising,” present participle of lever "to lift” used as a noun in the sense "point of sunrise, east.”

(2010-04-01). The New Oxford American Dictionary (Kindle Locations 470088-470099). Oxford University Press. Kindle Edition.

So---an archaic reference. Definitely something I’d want to avoid having in my own books! All the books I’ve written are available as ebooks. To me, this means that they’re going to be around for a long time and potentially read by people after I’m long dead. With any luck.

Of course, we’ve always had the ability to read very old books. But now, digital books provide an even greater chance that our books will be read far into the future. They’re going to be more easily available.

It would be impossible (nearly impossible—I’ve tried) to write a book relevant to modern life without including any modern devices. But naturally, mentioning modern devices dates the books. And I’m writing for today’s reader, primarily.

Old references to technology, to me, date the books in a charming, period-piece way. As long as the references aren’t huge stumbling blocks.

What I am trying to do, though, is construct my sentences so that a reader could get the experience of living in the early 21st century, but hopefully not be completely confused by what they’re reading. And still make sure I’m not irritating today’s readers by over-explaining anything.

I’ve used the word Twitter in one of my books, but I’m thinking in future I might skip references to a particular platform. Because although Twitter is a strong pop-culture reference right now, who knows what will happen to it in the future.

I’m trying to avoid slang and pop culture references that seem micro-trendy.

I’m making sure that there’s enough context around any technology mentions so that a reader could figure out the type of technology I’m talking about. Without annoying modern day readers.

Basically, I’m just trying to make sure there’s nothing in the books that will ever stop a reader completely cold.

I’ve recently heard, on email loops I’m a member of, of some authors who uploaded their backlist to Amazon and edited their books when they did—removing dated references from past decades.

There’s definitely some charm in reading books set in the past, so I didn’t think the authors necessarily had to update their books. But—I did make a couple of changes to Dyeing Shame when I self-published it from backlist. Just a couple of things that jumped out at me as dated when I was reading through the book that I’d originally written in 2002ish.

I really hesitated recently when I structured a murder mystery around a postal carrier as a victim (for a book for Penguin that’s coming out next year.) With all the troubles for the US Postal Service, I wondered if I were dating my book before it even released.

But then I decided that would be a reference that would date the book in a pleasant way instead of a confusing one. My editor seemed to agree with me.

How much has the shift to digital (and the longevity of books) changed the way you write modern-day references into your novels?

Image: Daniel Moyle

It’s All in the Details

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

A friend of mine has a party each summer. Each summer she tells me, “Now, Elizabeth. I know you don’t like parties, but I’m counting on you to come!”

Each year, I forget this party is imminent and when she reminds me about it (always, always in person), I’m sure I look completely stricken before I say, “Of course! I’m looking forward to it.”

The thing about this party is that I usually only know a few people there. This isn’t a big deal because I’m actually more comfortable with strangers—except for the fact that every single year I’m somehow introduced by the people I do know at the party as “their author friend” to the other guests.

Y’all know what I mean. Terrifying. I usually down my fair share of wine at this gathering.

Each year I also forget that everyone else in the world (excepting, perhaps, other writers), enjoys parties. Each year when I visit my friend in the days before the party, she’ll say something like, “What dish are you bringing to the party?” or “What are you wearing to the party?” or “What do you think if we do such-and-such at the party?”

And again I’ll give her this completely startled look. Sometimes I will even have already forgotten about the upcoming party (it would be on my calendar--but not in my head.) I won’t have given a thought what to bring to the party or what I’d wear. Each year it makes her laugh.

Each year I'll go to the party (I went last week, actually.) I'll visit with everyone, then leave fairly early with great relief. Without my serving dish.

Yes, I’m really a difficult person to be friends with. :)

There are details, while I’m writing, that are just not particularly important to me. A lot of them have to do with the things I mentioned above.

Setting, clothing descriptions, character descriptions, and dialogue tags come to mind. Details. Even as a reader, I tend to skip over them. I had some description. I had some tags. But obviously, I didn't have enough.

At first, when I was writing, it took repeated notes from my different editors to point out the problem. Subconsciously, I must have thought that if it didn’t matter to me, it didn’t matter to the reader. And, really, it went deeper than that. These characters and places were so colorful and animated in my head--I think I forgot that others couldn't see them too.

I’d find notes in Track Changes on the first few books from editors (different publishers, different series): Elizabeth, who is talking here? or Elizabeth, how old is this character? or Can you tell us a little more about what this store looks like? I can’t picture it. or This would be a great opportunity to tell what everyone is eating at the party.

Eventually, I realized I was getting the same notes a lot. Although writing description and other details slows me down while I’m writing (because I do labor over it—it’s not natural for me), I now layer in my details after I’m done with the first draft of the book. That way, everyone’s happy.

Because of course readers want that kind of information! Most people do. But it took my editors to point that out to me.

The point I’m making with this post is a couple of different things. First of all, we could all do with beta readers and editors to help point out what we’re blind to in our own book.

Also, if there are things that take extra effort from us—things that we have to take special care to write well—then layering in the text after the first draft can be a good way to accomplish that goal.

Have you ever found holes like this in your story—or had someone else point them out? Do you enjoy reading or writing details and description?

Image—Flickr Abdallah™'s photostream

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 .

Have a great week!

Using details for setting - insider details and audience details: http://bit.ly/M6j2A5 @juliettewade

Comparing pitches and queries: http://bit.ly/OLX44O

Help for Burnt Out Bloggers: http://bit.ly/OLX5FS @writeitsideways

Tips for producing podcasts/other interviews with multiple guests: http://bit.ly/RD1HAF @Porter_Anderson @philipdsjones @samatlounge

An agent on publishing uncertainties: http://bit.ly/M6EYLj @rachellegardner

Tips for Dealing With Rejection + Other Success Strategies: http://bit.ly/M6FdGh @janefriedman

What's your motif? http://bit.ly/M6Fd95 @livewritethrive

On writing diversity: http://bit.ly/M6Fj0q @sjaejones

Marketing and writing--the balance between strategy and creativity: http://bit.ly/M6FnNL @thecreativepenn @turndog_million

5 Everyday Life Ways to Spark Article Ideas: http://bit.ly/M6FusO @JulieBMack

Disable Comments for a Better Blog? http://bit.ly/M6Fw3W @problogger

15 word games: http://bit.ly/M6FzN1 @writing_tips

The mechanics behind some ebooks' success: http://bit.ly/M6G2yT @laurahazardowen @Porter_Anderson

Birdhouse-like Mini Libraries: http://bit.ly/PN70Mf @pubperspectives

Why Your Hero Needs a Yappy Sidekick: http://bit.ly/N2VEyz @KMWeiland

Afterward vs. Afterword: http://bit.ly/O9pwi4 @write_practice

Revising with Anticipation: http://bit.ly/Pq7DXA @4YALit @marissaburt

Is Your Character Stagnating? http://bit.ly/Pq7HGx @KMWeiland

3 Book Marketing FAILs and Lessons Learned: http://bit.ly/Pq7P9g @duolit

Should you stop writing? http://bit.ly/Pq83wU @ronvitale

The Courage To Launch: http://bit.ly/Pq8jfk @originalimpulse @ollinmorales

Writing Creative Non-Fiction: http://bit.ly/Pq8nMe @TimHillegonds @janice_hardy

Is Your Writing Any Good? 7 Ways to Tell: http://bit.ly/Pq8uYa

20 Tips for Writing Strong Heroines: http://bit.ly/QyCvfo @adriennedewolfe

Do Books Need A Beta Version? Analytics For Books Pave The Way: http://bit.ly/QyCzvT @fastcompany

Lightning Source Best for Self-Publishers? http://bit.ly/QyCZCt @bengalley

Ways to make money that go beyond ebook sales: http://bit.ly/QyDn3D @goblinwriter

Why Boredom Is Good for Your Creativity: http://bit.ly/QyDqfU @markmcguinness

How Batman Can Teach You To Be a Better Writer: http://bit.ly/QyDtbx @fuelyourwriting

How To Harness Your Creative Temperament and Stay Sane, Married and Sober: http://bit.ly/QyDyMr @kristinnador

A History of Sisters in Fiction: http://bit.ly/QyDxYS @theatlantic

How and Why to Guest Post: http://bit.ly/MkrJlE @karencv

Building an Online Platform: http://bit.ly/Q8E1zc @TheLitCoach

7 Free and Legal Places to Find Photos: http://bit.ly/QBM4dD @marcykennedy

The New World of Publishing: Fear: http://bit.ly/OoKxCl @deanwesleysmith

Pros and cons of POD: http://bit.ly/OkBbsW

Finding writing quotations on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/MFotCQ

Preparing the perfect pitch: http://bit.ly/LRrEWr @writerashley

An agent and author discuss the romance genre: http://bit.ly/NgC2YG @RoniLoren @SaraMegibow @janice_hardy

All about medical writing: http://bit.ly/ONoseS @womenonwriting

How a Traditional Publisher Could Harm a Writer's Career: http://bit.ly/MFp5bH @passivevoiceblg

5 lessons from a book tour newbie: http://bit.ly/RmiEPU @jamigold

Writers--be careful what you pay for: http://bit.ly/OcZdYu @nicolamorgan

5 Ways to Keep Your Writing Submissions Organized: http://bit.ly/NsWpB8 @krissybrady

How to Know When to Go to a Writing Conference: http://bit.ly/OSYMxq @jodyhedlund

How to create and maintain narrative interest: http://bit.ly/PXCaRc @jammer0501

Research Guides For Every Subject: http://bit.ly/OMLseb @litreactor

The 7-Step Write a Book Fast Program: http://zenhabits.net/write/ @zen_habits

Jack London's Advice on Honing Your Creative Craft: http://bit.ly/OzEV7Y @mcd_owell

25 Helpful Websites for Writers: http://bit.ly/OB4Mz5 @JulieBMack

30 Dr. Seuss quotations: http://bit.ly/LLzlNT

When authors apply a signature touch to a crime fiction novel: http://bit.ly/PSKMEA @mkinberg

Tips for perfecting your pitch: http://bit.ly/LU71sy @behlerpublish

Too old to debut? http://bit.ly/QWEl7m @nicolamorgan

The Discard Pile. Or, Learning by Doing: http://bit.ly/QWEAiL

How to Control a Media Interview: http://bit.ly/QWEWpJ @writersdigest

6 tips for increasing ebook sales: http://bit.ly/QWFgEI @woodwardkaren

Structure--why it might be the missing element to make your writing sing: http://bit.ly/QWGMGW

A series on POV: http://bit.ly/RAI3kG , http://bit.ly/RAI6g5 , http://bit.ly/RAI6g7 @noveleditor

The Development and Popularity of "Gritty Fantasy": http://bit.ly/MXkC8C @The_Idlewilder

Handy hyphenation chart: http://bit.ly/MXkFBx @livewritethrive

Take Your Author Website to the Next Level: http://bit.ly/MXkING @writersdigest

When you have too many 'looks' in your manuscript: http://bit.ly/MXkSEM @janice_hardy

How 1 writer (who says she has less talent than her peers) had a successful trad. publishing career: http://bit.ly/ODfbdG @threekingsbooks

The villain's journey: http://bit.ly/NXVK0y @diymfa

Snappy Answers To Awkward Questions About Characters: http://bit.ly/NXVQVW @EeleenLee

Printing up your book for submission purposes? http://bit.ly/NXVXkb @behlerpublish

Writers...Weathering the Transition – Keeping the Faith: http://bit.ly/NXW8Mj @passivevoiceblg

Writing the skeptic: http://bit.ly/NXWbHY @glencstrathy

Why Readers Pirate eBooks: http://bit.ly/NXWhzj @jasonboog

A Blog Series that Look at Great Characters: Marge Gunderson ("Fargo"): http://bit.ly/NXWB13

How Being Lazy Can Fuel Your Writing: http://bit.ly/NXWEtR @krissybrady

10 Recent Science Fiction Books That Are About Big Ideas: http://bit.ly/NXWJxL @io9

In Praise of Ripening: http://bit.ly/NXWPFr

Understanding Screenwriting: Snow White and the Huntsman, Brave, Bernie, and more: http://bit.ly/NXWUZS @House_Next_Door

Lightning Source Best for Self-Publishers? http://bit.ly/QyCZCt @bengalley

An agent on publishing uncertainties: http://bit.ly/M6EYLj @rachellegardner

Help for screenwriters--resources on drama: http://bit.ly/RncJZb

A Small-Budget Advertising Experiment: http://bit.ly/RncQE9 @DeeDeTarsio

7 Prompt Websites to Fill Your Creative Writing Well: http://bit.ly/PDQIAV @KrissyBrady

Tips for writing action scenes: http://bit.ly/Rnd8uD @thomasaknight

Creating Flawed but Enjoyable Characters: http://bit.ly/PDQSZ4 @yahighway

20 Synonyms for "Type": http://bit.ly/RndotQ

5 Reasons to Write Your Scenes in Order (and 3 Not to): http://bit.ly/NcFCGJ @KMWeiland

How Indie Authors Can Work With Trade Publishers: http://bit.ly/NcFIOt @ornaross

The Use of Drugs In Fantasy: http://bit.ly/NcFNSz @BenGalley

The Principle of Fair Use and Image Usage for Bloggers: http://bit.ly/NcFUNO @jane_l

Is "Show, Don't Tell" Overrated? http://bit.ly/NcGj2W @jamesscottbell

The 10 best closing lines of books: http://bit.ly/NcGHhG @guardianbooks

Weird O'Clock: On the Mainstream Success of "Fifty Shades of Grey" : http://bit.ly/NcGRFU @wordforteens

Self-Publishing Audiobooks: Is it Worth it? http://bit.ly/NcHHm7

Plan a Book Launch Party for an Ebook: http://bit.ly/TfNdVS @BookMarketer

Do former journalists make good novelists? http://bit.ly/NcHXBx

What Makes A Mystery Cozy? http://bit.ly/NcI8N9 @NancyMehl

Why You Need to Harness Your Sorrow to Write Well: http://bit.ly/NcIdQS @write_practice

What TV Taught 1 Writer About Writing Epic Fiction: http://bit.ly/OO4qVS @yahighway

How to choose an excerpt to showcase your novel: http://bit.ly/OO4NzN @dirtywhitecandy

A Former Big 6 Editor Gives 5 Tips for Sure-Fire Rejection: http://bit.ly/OO4Uvl @RuthHarrisBooks @annerallen

Professional screenwriters analyze "The Social Network": http://bit.ly/OOzSmU

Which Type of Opening Works Best? http://bit.ly/OOG9iz @Janice_Hardy

Making the most of ideas--dealing with our fear: http://bit.ly/OOGrpE @davidbcoe

5 Tips For Making a Living as a Writer: http://bit.ly/OOGNMU @rachellegardner

How to speak publisher: E is for e-books: http://bit.ly/OOH16M @annerooney

Why Counting Words May Be Hazardous to Your Health: http://bit.ly/OOHfuQ @livewritethrive

Which is Right for You - Lightning Source, CreateSpace, or Both? http://bit.ly/OcfxYw @MorganMandel

5 Scenes Every Romance Novel Needs: http://bit.ly/NFkRiT @howtowriteshop

On the term 'aspiring writer': http://bit.ly/NFl6um @avajae

The importance of sabbaticals for writers: http://bit.ly/NFlCs4 @threekingsbooks

Publishers need to speak their readers' language. Recommendations: http://janefriedman.com/2012/08/09/writing-on-the-ether-50/#3 @Porter_Anderson @DigiBookWorld

3 Misplaced Modifiers: http://bit.ly/NFmahH

Writing to the Market: http://bit.ly/NFmsoX @JustineLavaworm

Writers should create a journey for their readers: http://bit.ly/NFmIEa @TurndogMillionaire

Why Are We Wired for Story? http://bit.ly/NFmU6p @lisacron

5 Simple Steps to Let Your Writing Back In: http://bit.ly/NGDnqV @krissybrady

1 writer's goal--25 words a day: http://bit.ly/NGDymi @Tsuchigari

Are You a Good Writer? http://bit.ly/MtlMIZ @Porter_Anderson @silvermanjacob @JaneFriedman

The perks and pitfalls of signing books: http://bit.ly/NGDG5d @guardianbooks

Reporting Sexual Harassment in SF/F: http://bit.ly/NGDYZZ @jimhines

Common manuscript problems: http://bit.ly/NGEcQx @novelrocket

Differences between rookies and pro writers: http://bit.ly/NGEtD6 @Peter_DeHaan

5 Emotional Stages of a Book Launch: http://bit.ly/NGEFST @roniloren

Publishers need to speak their readers' language. Recommendations: http://bit.ly/MBjYYM @Porter_Anderson @DigiBookWorld

The future of bookstores? http://bit.ly/MBkuGa @Porter_Anderson @peterturner

Dialogue Attribution Tips: http://bit.ly/OO4EMU

Add layers to your plot: http://bit.ly/MBVFK5 @DeeWhiteauthor

Hotels as Escape in Romance Novels: http://bit.ly/MBVU7V @meganf

After The First Draft--Approaching Revision: http://bit.ly/MBWpyX @mooderino

Offsite book events: http://bit.ly/MBWLFH @behlerpublish

Social media isn't the magic bullet for self-epublished authors? http://bit.ly/MBWXVq @passivevoiceblg

Upgrade Your Superlatives: http://bit.ly/MBYLOg @writersdigest

A Writer's Audience: Important or Not? http://bit.ly/MBZqza @susanjmorris

Genre prejudice: http://bit.ly/MBZEGD

Top 10 query mistakes: http://bit.ly/MBZMGc @rachellegardner

Time Management For Writers or How to Herd Cats: http://bit.ly/MC01B8 @SarahAHoyt

Character Mind-Reading: http://bit.ly/MC0HGA

The particular perils of historical fantasy: http://bit.ly/MC0R0D @Gollancz

After the pitch, cover your bases by sending in requested materials: http://bit.ly/RtIP5G

The future of bookstores? http://janefriedman.com/2012/08/09/writing-on-the-ether-50/#2 @Porter_Anderson @peterturner

Crime fiction research--knot analysis and use of luminol by police: http://bit.ly/OLBYkO , http://bit.ly/QeEAaa @clarissadraper

Tips for naming your characters: http://bit.ly/R7UW8o @JodieRennerEd

Why there is no epub bubble, & how to market ebooks responsibly: http://bit.ly/NxhP07 @DavidGaughran

List of 170+ authors who have sold 50,000+ self-published ebooks to date: http://ow.ly/cLGRC via @JaneFriedman

The path to survival for the illustrated book biz? http://bit.ly/OYYsTj @MikeShatzkin

How to put more emotion into your writing: http://bit.ly/QLhLkE @JoannaSlan

Writing for an Audience/ the Marketplace

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I had an interesting email exchange with another writer after Friday’s post ran. She mentioned that she had been at an event recently to talk with new writers and had been surprised by the folks who said they wanted to write but didn’t know what to write about.

I emailed back that I had also been very surprised by hearing this from other new writers. For many writers, the problem is having too many ideas and not being sure which to work on.

But I’ve run into more and more writers who aren’t sure what direction to go in with their writing. They seem almost overwhelmed with the possibilities.

When I’ve run into writers like that, I’ve always tried to figure out what it is that they want. Sometimes they haven’t thought about what they actually want—and they start to.

Some writers will want to write completely for themselves and don’t want to share their work with others. Some will want to write a book that they pour their heart into and hope that it will find readers who love it as much as they do. Some will want to write blockbusters or books with high commercial appeal.

Knowing what you want helps define your direction in this business.

Deciding your publishing direction also ties in with a post from Porter Anderson in an extra edition of his popular Writing on the Ether column for Jane Friedman. The entire column makes for good reading, but the section, in particular, that I found interesting was “Jacob Silverman to Will Self” toward the end of the post.

Here’s a quotation from Porter Anderson’s column, quoting journalist Elizabeth Day’s Guardian article quoting author Will Self (did you follow all that quoting? :) )

“I don’t really write for readers,” Self says …”I think that’s the defining characteristic of being serious as a writer. I mean, I’ve said in the past I write for myself. That’s probably some kind of insane egotism but I actually think that’s the only way to proceed – to write what you think you have to write. I write desperately trying to keep myself amused or engaged in what I’m doing and in the world. And if people like it, great, and if they don’t like it, well, that’s that – what can you do? You can’t go round and hold a gun to their head.”

I think there is a lot of merit in that viewpoint. I wrote for myself for years and found a lot of satisfaction in it. And you’re a writer, even if you never publish a book. I recently read a thought-provoking post by writer Mark Charan Newton for Tor Books on “The Joys of Private Writing.”

But I also think that writing for readers is not only possibly more satisfying than writing for oneself (at least, I’ve found it more so), it can also be a way to develop skills and a readership while you’re waiting to release the book you’ve written for your own benefit (or for art’s sake.) Admittedly-- I’m sometimes pragmatic to a fault…and prone also to look at the dollars and cents side to projects.

I’ve found some reward, in other words, in being paid for writing.

So, from that viewpoint, I’m going to suggest points to mull over as you’re exploring your direction and book ideas. These are, obviously, intended for writers who are interested in pursuing publishing—not those who’d like to write completely for themselves.

What if you know you have an interest in writing, but you’re not sure what to write? Here are some points it might be helpful to consider:

Your own interests, as a reader: What do you naturally lean toward when writing or reading? Which genre? What do you think you’d most enjoy writing? We have to spend a long time with a book—we need to enjoy the process and pour that love of writing into the book. Which story would you enjoy telling the most?

Analytics of the genre: In that genre, what are some of the factors that make it a good read? Humor, action, strong characters, magical powers, three murder victims, etc.? As a reader, what do you enjoy most about the genre?

Market saturation: Is there an area or subgenre that is currently saturated? Or does it seem like the readers are avidly buying the books as fast as they are written, even if it IS saturated? (Vampires and zombies come to mind.)

Book length: What is the length of most of these books? Have you got an idea that you can develop into that length? Is your idea too broad and can’t fit into one book? Book length, of course, is also going through a change with the digital trend—but you still want to shoot for the right ballpark. Editing a trilogy out of a single book can be a bear.

What are publishers of this genre looking for currently? If you’re going traditional, who represents and publishes this genre? Go online and see what kinds of things they might be asking for on their submissions page.

If you have many ideas, which should you work on?

Protagonist: Which protagonist can carry my story better? Which is better-developed? Does one have more opportunity for internal conflict? Does one have ample growth potential?

Characters: Which project has secondary characters that are more appealing? Which create depth for my protagonist by interacting with him/her? Which may be a villain that readers will love to hate?

Plot: Which storyline can I easily picture? Which one has more conflict and more depth?

Time: Is there a story that requires more research than another? How much time do I have for the project? How long would I, ideally, prefer to spend on a single project?

Market: Which story will appeal to a greater number of readers? Which has more of a hook to sell to a publisher? Or…which has the better hook for a direct-to-reader/self pubbed book?

Series potential: This may be genre-book specific---but is there a story that lends itself to more than one novel?

There’s a really fine balance here between being calculating and embracing an idea because we love it and because we want to write it to personally satisfy our own creative need. We can always choose to write the “book of our heart” as I’ve heard it called and have faith that others will love it as much as we do.

The business-oriented side of me thinks that it might be helpful to write something that we think has commercial appeal and that we’re excited about writing (don’t write something in a genre you don’t enjoy, just because you think it will sell—if you hate the book, or hate the genre, that disdain is going to show) and then release the book of our heart later, after we’ve developed readership. In traditional publishing, if the book of your heart tanks, it sure is hard to find another gig. Although having a traditionally published book tank might offer the perfect opportunity to move our next book into the self-pub realm.

Again, y’all, this is all in the for-what-it’s-worth category. And…another important thing to remember is that we shouldn’t have our whole writing career riding on one book. The fear of failure has got to be a huge factor in this writer hesitation when choosing an idea. The important thing about failure is dusting ourselves off, learning what it was that we did poorly, and writing another—better—book. Better because we failed or didn’t meet our own expectations. It’s killed me when a couple of great writers that I know have completely given up writing when their books didn’t do as well as they hoped. We’ve got to keep on going.

Now I’m interested in hearing your ideas. If you publish your work, how do you balance art and commercialism? How much do you focus on audience when you write? How do you decide what to write?

How to Put More Emotion into Your Writing—Guest Post By Joanna Campbell Slan

by Joanna Slan, @JoannaSlan

New York Times bestselling author Debbie Macomber has said, “If you don’t cry while you’re writing it, the reader won’t cry while she’s reading it.”

Easier said than done.

Putting emotion into your manuscript takes practice. The act of writing typically starts in the left hemisphere, that part of our brain given to sequencing. Otherwise, what we write would be a jumble of words. However, when arranged logically, words become sentences, sentences make up scenes, and scenes build action. At the peak of several scenes, we reach a climax. But that highpoint doesn’t mean much to the reader unless it evokes intense emotion. For that we need the right hemisphere, the section of the brain where emotions are perceived.

Let’s take a real life example, the mass shooting in a movie theatre in Aurora, Colorado. The facts by themselves have great impact. With them in hand, we understand logically what happened. But when we learn about the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings of the people involved, our emotions become fully engaged. Only then can we recognize the full impact of the tragedy.

Most of us have a side of the brain that we favor. We resist switching from one side of our brain to the other because switching takes energy. But as writers that’s exactly what we need to do! Because to offer our readers an engaging experience, we must appeal to both of their hemispheres—and we can only do that by using both of ours.

Writing with Both Sides of Your Brain

To overcome your natural resistance, break the process into two steps, a left brain pass and a right brain pass. First lay down the narrative track, the logical sequence of events, using the left side of the brain. This should cover the basics, the who, what, when, where, why, and how. Once your narrative is in place, commit to a second pass, using the right side of your brain.

When working with the right side of your brain, pay particular attention to these areas:

1. Sensory information—What are your characters smelling, seeing, hearing, tasting, and touching? With your mind’s eye, “look” for color, pattern, texture, flavors, scents, and distinct images, because that is how we process sensory input. When readers experience the world the way your character does, they will find your book more enjoyable.

To activate your senses, consider doing on-site research. To get the details right in my new mystery, DEATH OF A SCHOOLGIRL, I visited a carriage museum. There I spent time examining the sorts of conveyances used in 1820. After running my hand over the horsehair seats, touching the wood-rimmed wheels, and sniffing the old leather, I used what I learned to write a scene where my protagonist, Jane Eyre Rochester, travels by coach to London.

2. Specifics—Choose detail over generalities. It’s not a dog. It’s a pit bull. Or an Irish wolfhound. Or a Corgi. See how the image changed in your mind as the words went from general to specific? Whenever possible, exchange any vague reference for its exact counterpart.

3. Strong verbs—Vivid verbs add clarity. Try to eliminate any variation of “to be.” That includes was, is, be, been, and so on. (For a terrific refresher course on reducing your use of the “to be” verb construction, go to http://www.uoflife.com/wc/creative/be.htm)

During your second pass, imagine yourself in the role of your characters. Ask yourself, “What would I be feeling if this was happening to me?” Don’t be afraid to act out the scene, because that will help you get the physical reactions right. Once while writing a woodland scene in a Kiki Lowenstein book, I reached to my mouth to pluck out a stray twig that wasn’t there. Readers often tell me how realistic that scene is

I’m not surprised. If it’s real to me, I know that it’ll be real to my readers.

***

Joanna Campbell Slan has taught writing to corporate executives and at Illinois State University. She’s the author of the Kiki Lowenstein Mystery Series, which includes PAPER, SCISSORS, DEATH, the Agatha-Award finalist for best first novel. Her newest mystery series debuts with DEATH OF A SCHOOLGIRL (Berkley Trade/August 7), the first book in The Jane Eyre Chronicles, featuring Jane Eyre as an amateur sleuth. Visit Joanna at www.JoannaSlan.com

What’s in a Name? Naming Your Characters—Guest Post by Jodie Renner

by Jodie Renner, freelance editor, @ JodieRennerEd

Have you ever read a book where the name of the main character was jarring to you, seemed inappropriate, or just wrong?

Or have you mixed up two characters because their names were similar? Or said “Who’s that?” because suddenly the author started using a character’s nickname or first name, when previously all you knew was their last name? What you choose to name your characters can be the difference between annoying/confusing your readers and having the story flow naturally, with all the little details falling into place to make a seamless, believable story world.

A few years ago, I did a critique of a novel in which the cruel, abusive father was named “Danny” and his eight-year-old abused son was named “John.” I definitely thought “Danny” sounded much more like a nice kid than a nasty adult, and why not give the young boy a more kid-like name, like “Johnny”? Switching the two names would have worked fine, too.

Here are some tips for naming your characters:

- Avoid too-common and too-forgettable names like “Jim,” “John,” “Bill Smith,” or “Bob Jones.”

- Avoid really weird, unusual names that draw attention to themselves — unless it’s for a really weird character!

- Choose a name that fits the character’s personality and role. Don’t name your he-man hero “Harold” or “Wilfred,” or your despicable villain “David” or “Josh” or “Jordan” or “Richard” or “Jason” or “Matt” or any other very popular name. People don’t want a nasty bad guy to have the same name as their brother, boyfriend, husband or son.

- Avoid old-fashioned names for contemporary characters, like “Ebenezer” or “Cuthbert” or “Gertrude” or “Henrietta” or “Josephine.”

- Also, to reflect the actual makeup of North American society, be sure to use some characters and names from other ethnic backgrounds besides Anglo-Saxon.

- If you’re writing historical fiction, research common names for that era and location. Don’t make the mistake of calling your 18th-century heroine, for example, “Taylor” (used only for males in that era).

- Even for contemporary fiction, don’t name your 50- or 60-something male Jordan or Brandon or Justin or Tyler or Kyle, as those names weren’t popular for babies 50 or 60 years ago. There are several websites where you can find the most popular baby names for any given year. Here’s a good one:

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 .

Have a great week!

5 Tips on Writing Actions Scenes: Lessons from Chopsocky: http://bit.ly/QJl3Cn @JCMartin_author @AlexJCavanaugh

For literary inspiration follow @AdviceToWriters. Jon Winokur dispenses writerly wisdom of the ages.

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

Writing—It Doesn’t Have To Be Solo (Or Done In Quiet Places): http://bit.ly/R4rvRM @JoanRylen

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

Re-Versioning, not Retelling: http://bit.ly/N2Ztno @SophieMasson1

Agents and self-publishing: http://bit.ly/PBd5r1 @Porter_Anderson @thecreativepenn @ornaross

Family connections that impact plot in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/MkzacA @mkinberg

A flowchart which will help you decode dystopia: http://bit.ly/N2ZFCZ @ebookfriendly @erin_bowman

Top 10 homes in literature: http://bit.ly/PnIm3X @guardianbooks

Using Visualization to Write Killer Hooks: http://bit.ly/PnLnRI @electricblogger

3 Key Ways to Create Characters That Grip Readers' Hearts: http://bit.ly/PnOBoi @JodyHedlund

7 Tips for Crafting a Believable Fantasy: http://bit.ly/PnOMjA @4YALIT

Appeal to the Senses—and Emotions: http://bit.ly/PnOPMl @JodieRennerEd @janice_hardy

No Story Is Original, But That's Okay: http://bit.ly/PnP5L3 @fuelyourwriting

5 Writing Lessons 1 Writer Learned From Fighting: http://bit.ly/PnQb9S @ajackwriting

Micro Tension: http://bit.ly/PnY2Ea @V_Rossibooks

5 Ways to Go From Blogger to Published Book Author: http://bit.ly/PnYt1j @NinaAmir

Ugly Covers for Great Books: http://bit.ly/PnYPFp @publisherswkly

Two Sides To Every Story. At Least. http://bit.ly/PnZHtv @mooderino

An editor gives a critique of a story's opening pages: http://bit.ly/O0MAvD @theresastevens

Christopher Paolini Interview: http://bit.ly/O0MJ2o @fantasyfaction

5 Tips to Boost Your Writing Productivity: http://bit.ly/O0MWmd @jeanoram

How to Use a Screenwriting Trick to Fix Your Broken Story: http://bit.ly/O0NacS @write_practice

5 Ways Your Brain Sabotages Your Writing... And What To Do About It: http://bit.ly/O0Nicq @kimber_regator

The importance of book bloggers to a book's success: http://bit.ly/O0NFDG @JonathanGunson

Bust 4 Myths to Gain More Writing Time: http://bit.ly/O0QDbm @LyndaRYoung

5 tips to make your synopsis stronger: http://bit.ly/O0QPaJ @C_Herringshaw

Do self-publishers still need to explain why? http://bit.ly/O0QYLl @dirtywhitecandy

A self-pubbed writer on selling foreign rights: http://bit.ly/O0R6dH @indie_jane

Book Promotion: 4 Ways to Provide Value to Your Readers: http://bit.ly/O0Ro49 @beth_barany

How cozy romance sets itself apart: http://bit.ly/O0RBEw

How to Trust Yourself as a Writer: http://bit.ly/O0T8uu @lyndaryoung

International Writers And The U.S. 30% Withholding Tax: Getting It Back: http://bit.ly/O0TQYt @woodwardkaren

Seducing Readers, Publishers and A Spouse at the Same Time: http://bit.ly/O0U2ab @ninaamir @52Betty

How to Get Your Self-Published Books Noticed: http://bit.ly/Py57mt @howtowriteshop

10 Tips For Creating An Audio Book: http://bit.ly/Nop1kI @thecreativepenn

5 tasks for building a platform: http://bit.ly/O0UCoo @emergentpublish

Words that we should consider eliminating in our stories (if there are too many of them): http://bit.ly/O0UO7f @livewritethrive

A Beginner's Guide To Blogging: http://bit.ly/O0UVQb @ollinmorales

Enough Self-Published Rough Drafts! Why The Self-Publishing Industry Needs Standards: http://bit.ly/O0V71S @duolit @GrubStreetReads

Harlequin Lawsuit Offers Valuable Contract Lessons: http://bit.ly/O0Vc5F @authorems

How Self-Publishing has Helped All Writers: http://bit.ly/O0Whdz @kristenlambTX

Want to help books survive? Promote authors yourself: http://bit.ly/O0WjSS @guardianbooks

Police Procedure: Making It Believable: http://bit.ly/O0WtcY @junglereds

External Conflict vs. Internal Conflict: http://bit.ly/PN5864 @glencstrathy

10 Character Cliches: http://bit.ly/PN5olJ @xymarla

A Social Media Survival Guide: http://bit.ly/u6hyMd @rllafevers

Your greatest asset as a writer: http://bit.ly/PN63U4 @soniasimone @Porter_Anderson

How to Tap Into Your Experiences for Writing Inspiration: http://bit.ly/PN6VrY @adoptedreality

Birdhouse-like Mini Libraries: http://bit.ly/PN70Mf @pubperspectives

The importance of a 5-year plan in creating writing goals: http://bit.ly/PN7eTr @bob_brooke

Real Life Can Challenge the Writing Life: http://bit.ly/N2R3fM

No, Kickstarter is Not the #2 Graphic Novel Publisher: http://bit.ly/NtvgU8 @tordotcom

Tips for adapting your book for a screenplay: http://bit.ly/OLOdfN @GrubWriters @jenna_blum

J.R.R. Tolkien's Top 10 Tips for Writers: http://bit.ly/NWucnL @JonathanGunson

Show and tell: Character--http://bit.ly/NLwTKu

Helping Writers De-Stress: Meditation Apps: http://bit.ly/NLwXtG @woodwardkaren

Using a characterization worksheet: http://bit.ly/NLwYxA

Working with freelance editors: http://bit.ly/NLx5cu @SusanSpann

Rejection Letters - How to Keep them from Ending Your Career: http://bit.ly/NLx6gu

Is Your Internalization Working? A Crit of One MS: http://bit.ly/NLx9cf @janice_hardy

Tips on Writing a Superhero Team: http://bit.ly/NLxcoA

Don't Let Secondary Characters Knock Out Your Muses: http://bit.ly/NLxj3r

Creative Writing: 7 Ways to Get Out of Your Own Way: http://bit.ly/NLxhZb @beth_barany

How to Breathe New Life into Your Writing: the Magic of Metaphor: http://bit.ly/NLxmw0 @joebunting

The Bookless Library: http://bit.ly/NLxrzT @tnr

Your writing process doesn't have to look like anyone else's: http://bit.ly/NLxziV @chuckwendig {lang.}

Are dream sequences in novels always taboo? http://bit.ly/N3jJ9f @dirtywhitecandy

How to Get Your Spouse to Support Your Dream: http://bit.ly/N3jOd1 @jeffgoins

1 writer's experience as a virtual intern and tools for working remotely: http://bit.ly/McvLlU @womenwriters @Victoria_Writes

Surviving a writers' conference with your dreams, sanity, and energy in one piece: http://bit.ly/N3k4ZL

A critique of a manuscript's opening hook: http://bit.ly/N3kajW @janice_hardy

An Easy Alternative to Business Cards: Instant Email: http://tcrn.ch/N3kkYK @techcrunch

The online writing community and places there to connect: http://bit.ly/N3kjE8 @catewoods

Strong Sentences; Concrete Nouns and Verbs: http://bit.ly/Mcw3sW

How to use your 15 minutes with an agent: http://bit.ly/Mcw6oS @nicolamorgan

15 Steps to Create Great Blog Videos: http://bit.ly/Mcw7c8 @jfbookman

7 tips for publicizing and promoting your book: http://bit.ly/Mcw8Nq @ChuckSambuchino

Making the Most of Ideas: http://bit.ly/McwCDh @davidbcoe

Different publishing paths to consider: http://bit.ly/McwEe9 @SouthrnWritrMag

How Much Internalization is Too Much? http://bit.ly/McwIdS @Janice_Hardy

5 Ways to Make Google Your "Assistant Publicist": http://bit.ly/McwHqo @livewritethrive

Put Your Reader in Your POV Character's Skin: http://bit.ly/McwJys @margielawson

Evaluating Ideas for Books: http://bit.ly/QSaWg1 @jillkemerer

How To Market Your Book At Cons: http://bit.ly/QSbanr @BryanThomasS @lkblackburne

Can you afford to be fashionably late to the digital party? http://bit.ly/QSbdQg @jentalty

What to Do When Your Writing's Worst Enemy Is You: http://bit.ly/QSbsuE @krissybrady

Great writers are great rewriters: http://bit.ly/QSbyCn @josephputnam

Get Your Story Across The Finish Line: http://bit.ly/QSbCC7 @fuelyourwriting

Why it's important for every aspiring creator to turn pro: http://bit.ly/QSbSB6 @markmcguinness

3 Reasons to Write About Ghosts: http://bit.ly/QSdw5F @joebunting

5 Mistakes Killing Self-Published Authors: http://bit.ly/QSdAT3 @kristenlambTX

Synthesizing Feedback: http://bit.ly/QSdHy4 @kid_lit

An agent answers questions from writers: http://bit.ly/QSdPNT @breeogden

Make your writing time matter: http://bit.ly/QyyW3k @jessicastrawser

After The First Draft: http://bit.ly/Qyz96t @mooderino

Why 1 writer writes airport books: http://bit.ly/QyzAOf @nickthacker

Promo--Test Your Cross Markets for Effectiveness: http://bit.ly/PXtyd2 @rileymagnus

Pressure your characters with the law — criminal charges aren't the only option: http://bit.ly/PXuOgs

3 Blog Post Headline Fails: http://bit.ly/PXveU0 @JudyLeeDunn

Can Critiques Be Useful Before a Draft Is Complete? http://bit.ly/QyCWkr @BrianKlems

3 steps for writers interested in self-pubbing: http://bit.ly/PXyb6Z @woodwardkaren

Does Facebook Advertising Work? (One Author's Experience): http://bit.ly/PXyjU1 @goblinwriter

The Moment That Makes or Breaks Your Story: http://bit.ly/PXyrmA @storyfix

4 Ways to Improve Plot/Climax in Your Writing: http://bit.ly/PXBFGK

How to create and maintain narrative interest: http://bit.ly/PXCaRc @jammer0501

Writing your novel with baby steps: http://bit.ly/PXCm2R

4 tips for discovering your writing voice: http://bit.ly/T0HgMg @ThreeKingsBooks

Why Your Hero Needs a Yappy Sidekick: http://bit.ly/N2VEyz @KMWeiland

Afterward vs. Afterword: http://bit.ly/O9pwi4 @write_practice

20 Evocative French Words: http://bit.ly/NLxvQb @writing_tips

Salvador Dali's Creative Thinking Technique: http://bit.ly/O9poPI @MichaelMichalko

Ebook sales aren't a zero sum game: http://bit.ly/NtqypC @JAKonrath

4 Ways to Improve Plot/Climax in Your Writing: http://bit.ly/PXBFGK

Writing About Death And Crime Scenes: http://bit.ly/N3k3F8 @thecreativepenn

Writing YA--themes: http://bit.ly/McqJQt @AlexSokoloff

Tips for dealing with writer's block: http://bit.ly/McqSU9 @SouthrnWritrMag

Does Social Media Really Help With Book Success? http://bit.ly/McqXXK @jodyhedlund

Is Your Post Publish Ready? Give it a 24 Hour Test: http://bit.ly/Mcr2uu @WritingH

5 Helpful Writing Prompt & Exercise Books: http://bit.ly/Mcr8m6 @janefriedman

Qualities of a Great Critique Group: http://bit.ly/McrhpD

3 Sentences with Dangling Modifiers: http://bit.ly/McrmcW

How does your publisher make money? http://bit.ly/McrtVI @rachellegardner

Dialogue Tag Misconceptions: http://bit.ly/McrxET @lynettelabelle

From Newbie to Published: 12 Tips: http://bit.ly/McrDMK @jamigold @TiffanyAllee

A Book Launch is an Investment in a Long-Term Career: http://bit.ly/Mcs5dT @danblank @originalimpulse

Religion, Like Sex, Sells E-Books: http://bit.ly/Mcs4H7 @passivevoiceblg

The Unbearable Stiffness of Formal Poetry and Writing for the Page: http://bit.ly/Mcsddw @glecharles

Trimming the fat from your manuscript: http://bit.ly/McszRv @yahighway

Lessons on Character from ThrillerFest: http://bit.ly/McsH3m @diymfa

The physical space of words: http://bit.ly/McsIo0

Writing lessons learned from "Sea": http://bit.ly/McsNI7 @juliemusil

The Lazy Way to Make a Story Sell: http://bit.ly/PAB4GI

Agents recommending paid-for services? http://bit.ly/PAGm4X @nicolamorgan

Agatha Christie's lasting appeal and her secret notebooks: http://bit.ly/PAGXUd @junglereds

Common Pitfalls and Cliches for Superhero Teams: http://bit.ly/PAH4PK

9 Keys to Blogging Success from A-List Bloggers: http://bit.ly/PAHk18 @JFBookman

Tips for writing suspenseful scenes: http://bit.ly/PAHQw1 @writersherry

Is self-pub an e-bubble? Does social media promo really sell books? http://bit.ly/M6bI7B @samatlounge @eoinpurcell @Porter_Anderson

Finding the Unfamiliar Phrase: http://bit.ly/O0N05c

In a market crowded with ebooks, discoverability is a problem: http://bit.ly/PBEE3r @hughmcguire @Porter_Anderson @ljndawson