Riley Adams's Blog, page 187

Twitterific

by @elizabethscraig

Below are the writing-related links I tweeted last week.
The Writer's Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links searchable. Sign up for the free monthly WKB newsletter for the web's best links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1 .
Recent news: the 3rd book in the Memphis Barbeque series released November 1—Hickory Smoked Barbeque.

Ghostwriting: Does It Matter If You Don't Get The Credit? http://bit.ly/uuDUp4 @shurleyhall

Why Bloggers Should Be Stalkable: http://bit.ly/w3aPqu @charissaweaks

5 Ways to Stay Motivated While Writing a Novel: http://bit.ly/sU8JHo @nathanbransford

Speaker Tips for Authors: http://bit.ly/uuMjxN @sparrowgrp for @Bookgal

50 Quick, Dirty, and Cheap Ways to Improve Your Social Media Presence: http://bit.ly/vkKGT2 @smartwoman

11 Ways to Improve your Writing: http://bit.ly/urCf6G @soulofaword

Correct use of commas: http://bit.ly/ueQbTn @FantasyFaction

Smashwords to Start Accepting More eBook Formats in 2012: http://bit.ly/vDWdyU @ebooknewser

10 SEO Optimizations That Make A Difference: http://bit.ly/vndJXO @danny_cooper for @seanplatt

Chekhov's Gag Tropes for Brainstorming Humor: http://bit.ly/sipyH7

Twitterific--my week in tweets: http://bit.ly/umy50a

1 indie author's October sales report and analysis: http://bit.ly/s9btQK @DavidGaughran via @PassiveVoiceBlg

Getting the most from your Facebook fan page: http://bit.ly/vCI1Pn @curiosityquills

How to Write a Cover Letter That Is Both Modest and Confident: http://bit.ly/vAuqeE

7 things to remember when writing for young adults: http://bit.ly/u5AE7Q

How to Download Ebooks onto an Ereader from Project Gutenberg: http://bit.ly/u4svFI @PassiveVoiceBlg

10 reasons why pursuing your creative work is actually highly productive: http://bit.ly/rN3ggk @justinemusk

Keys to self-pub success: http://bit.ly/vvQ0r8 @TweetTheBook

How to Query a Book Review Blogger: http://bit.ly/sdG0xK @AnneRAllen

Do Readers See Your Characters the Way You Want Them To? http://bit.ly/vcZXW9 @KMWeiland

Tips for readings and signings: http://bit.ly/ukyK1A @marthawells1

Tips for book promo from @Janice_Hardy: http://bit.ly/vWmqeZ

10 resources for educating yourself on contracts: http://bit.ly/sgKpvL @/BryanThomasS

Structure-Getting Primal & Staying Simple: http://bit.ly/tTSmmt @KristenLambTX

5 Mistakes Writers Make When It Comes to Virtual Book Tours: http://bit.ly/rG9Cdv

6 Strategies To Help Get Your Family On Board With Your Passion: http://bit.ly/ugDLpz @OllinMorales

Barnes & Noble Introduces $249 Nook Tablet; Calls Kindle Fire 'Deficient' : http://bit.ly/vpOaJ7 @laurahazardowen

Writing memoirs – meeting the burden of marketability: http://bit.ly/tmgyKD @behlerpublish

10 Steps to Writing Mindfully for Your Blog: http://bit.ly/ugO8af @SeanMMadden

HarperCollins to pay $200 mil for Thomas Nelson: http://bit.ly/vsqqtv @GalleyCat #publishing

The Art of Performance = Not Wasting Your Audience's Time: http://bit.ly/tO8f3u @kameronhurley

Why moving on to our next book is a good tactic: http://bit.ly/teKMJM

Inspiration vs Perspiration in Writing: http://bit.ly/tUjH0P @FaeRowen

1 agent's concerns with NaNo: http://bit.ly/sSNsol @greyhausagency

5 writers with great Twitter bios: http://bit.ly/sSh8g7 @MarianSchembari

Download Seven Free Writing eBooks from @WritersDigest: http://bit.ly/urhVI8 @galleycat

The Challenges of Editing an Anthology: http://bit.ly/vrQCXk @Colin_Barnes

What 1 writer has learned about improving plot: http://bit.ly/sW0wzD @@Kathy_Crowley

Konrath releases his ebook v. print sales numbers: http://bit.ly/tcwV2O @jakonrath

Author Blogging 101: The Blogging Mindset: http://bit.ly/s9h6L9 @JFBookman

YA writers--a reminder of the many 1sts that kids face: http://bit.ly/u3MMrK @CherylRWrites

Tips for Using a Plot Board to Plot: http://bit.ly/vowoU6

An agent on Amazon Kindle Owners' Lending Library: http://bit.ly/w3wdrA @RachelleGardner

Why story beats character: http://bit.ly/vjYugd @jammer0501

Create, Publish, Market, and Sell Your Own E-Book: http://bit.ly/rzIjJS @TheCreativePenn

How to hire the right website designer: http://bit.ly/rC8gq1 @JaneFriedman

The Nook tablet's target audience: http://bit.ly/ujV9kj @laurahazardowen

Fantasy stories in a non-fantasy world: http://bit.ly/ugLGTo @DirtyWhiteCandy

Using Character to Fuel Momentum: http://bit.ly/tkF6Px @VictoriaMixon for @jan_ohara

How to gain perspective on your work: http://bit.ly/tS61KE @writersdigest

A Pulitzer-winning biographer with 6 writing lessons: http://bit.ly/vXImSq @michellerafter

Good Writing Habits & Motivation: http://bit.ly/u1MVXg

Authors can't skimp on cover design or editing: http://bit.ly/vXc8Nd @novelpublicity

A Better Way Of Managing Your Author Website: http://bit.ly/sbc3GE

How to Recognize and Recover When You've Started Believing Your Own PR: http://bit.ly/se97vU @lizstrauss

8 rules for developing a good plot: http://bit.ly/vMsmih

5 Ways to Take the Ickiness Out of Marketing Our Books: http://bit.ly/uh2Grd @JodyHedlund

1 writer explains how his focus and motivation: http://bit.ly/tsthsH @RobertSharenow for @Janice_Hardy

Using The 12 Stages of Physical Intimacy To Build Tension In Your Novel: http://bit.ly/sIfqiI @JHansenWrites

Best self-publishing sites: http://bit.ly/v5Hdex @rule17

Tips for marketing your novel from @Janice_Hardy for @AngelaAckerman: http://bit.ly/vDSsqo

Using triggers in our writing: http://bit.ly/ssAr9W @authorterryo

Publishing in literary journals--an endangered rite of passage: http://bit.ly/vKtr90

A Love Affair...With Index Cards: http://bit.ly/vdFbfw @JulieMusil

True "do-it-yourself" publishing success stories will probably become rare? http://bit.ly/rQKY8o @PassiveVoiceBlg

An agent with "Submissions 101": http://bit.ly/uUun06 @BookEndsJessica

Be a More Confident Writer: 5 Choices That Might Be Hurting Instead of Helping: http://bit.ly/siaqvS @AnnieNeugebauer

10 phrases freelancers hate to hear: http://bit.ly/vmB4lD @michellerafter

How movie money works: http://bit.ly/sre3qG #screenwriting

10 Intensifiers You Should Really, Absolutely Avoid: http://bit.ly/vyks5u

Attaining the impossible: http://bit.ly/tF0MiB @HP4Writers

Indie publishing is professional suicide? Authors respond: http://bit.ly/tPfDkc @PassiveVoiceBlg

Kobo Acquired by Japan's Rakuten for $315 Million: http://bit.ly/sPbZ0q @GalleyCat #publishing

Tips for writing dialogue: http://bit.ly/slMVWY

How To Succeed At Screenwriting… By Really Trying, Part 2: Watch Movies: http://bit.ly/tgA5qr

Thoughts on what pages authors should sign books: http://bit.ly/t1lQ0p

Magic Bullet: The WISE Screenwriting Method: http://bit.ly/t0peDn @scriptmag

8 Ways Writers Cause Trouble: http://bit.ly/toSt3s @dollycas

The Creation of an Agent's TBR Pile: http://bit.ly/t4Am91 @SaraMegibow

10 tips for getting published: http://bit.ly/tVrENb @nicolamorgan

1 writer's experiment with Facebook ads: http://bit.ly/satEYq @LizzyFord2010

Tips from a self-pub success story: http://bit.ly/rVDxoG @JFBookman

3 Essential Guidelines for NaNoWriMo: http://bit.ly/uUSaMT @VictoriaMixon

When to Modify Your Name Due to SEO Concerns: http://bit.ly/sVMZM3 @JaneFriedman

7 More Fixes for Dangling Modifiers: http://bit.ly/rp1Fyi

Ebook as artifact: http://bit.ly/u8DKvI @camillelaguire

Crime fiction writers: 1 way to write sleuths that readers identify with: http://bit.ly/s8AaRA @Mkinberg

Creepy houses in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/s7NEhw @mkinberg

Save The Bookstore Day: http://bit.ly/uJUa4L @NicholeBernier

Why indie authors need to produce professional products: http://bit.ly/szDyls @joebeernink via @p2p_editor

The Brit Writers Awards: Questions and Threats: http://bit.ly/ue4dYg @VictoriaStrauss

The Art of Receiving Criticism: http://bit.ly/ttk36a @storyfix

Understanding Advances And Royalties: http://bit.ly/ssHVBy @HeatherMcCorkle

Social media--1 size doesn't fit all: http://bit.ly/vdXKWP @KristenLambTX

The Secret to Writing While Driving: http://bit.ly/rq1iDn @christi_craig

5 Things To Consider When Turning Real Life into Fiction: http://bit.ly/rvkVlX @ProcrastWriter

Thanks to @AngelaAckerman & @beccapuglisi for making me a hero! http://bit.ly/vOG89f . Ck out their sidebar resource for writers.

How and why 1 writer changed his book's title: http://bit.ly/v6IF4c @AuthorGuy

Create Visibility Before Getting Published: http://bit.ly/uD3IV5 @KarenCV for @spunkonastick

5 levels of slush pile manuscripts: http://bit.ly/sp0VLv @camillelaguire

5 Mistakes Virtual Book Tour Mistakes: http://bit.ly/tJjPKM @Working_Writer

Tips for organizing information: http://bit.ly/tfWY2D @CherylRWrites

How to Keep Writing When the Honeymoon is Over: http://bit.ly/vrEOxk @JodyHedlund

Indie pub drama, Amazon's library, book piracy, con-confusion. Great wrap-up by @Porter_Anderson for @JaneFriedman : http://bit.ly/uAI8PI

An agent on the stages of an edit: http://bit.ly/tNgtf3 @BookEndsJessica

8 Press Kit Elements for Your Author Website: http://bit.ly/suQt8H @sandrabeckwith for @FriesenPress

The trouble of calling ourselves writers: http://bit.ly/smxWxs @writeitsideways

Keeping your writing interesting to keep yourself engaged: http://bit.ly/uLjmXW @originalimpulse for @fuelyourwriting

How to speak publisher - D is for Design: http://bit.ly/uDYwLM @annerooney

Great covers--tips from 4 design pros: http://bit.ly/sTxzoa

'Every Book is a Leap of Faith': Int'l Lit. Publishing: http://bit.ly/tXkBKs @pubperspectives #publishing

The different types of plotting writers: http://bit.ly/s2tNo6 @C_Herringshaw

Author platform--it's not about you: http://bit.ly/sDkqyC @JFBookman

Book Bloggers: The New Publishing Gatekeepers: http://bit.ly/sjNc0M @jenniecoughlin

Faking It – acting like you know what you're doing: http://bit.ly/sosm0N @behlerpublish

A Get Out of Jail Free Card for Some Authors: http://bit.ly/uPwXGN @PassiveVoiceBlg

What Makes a Story Feel Unrealistic? http://bit.ly/uGLflu @JamiGold

Survey of Low Fantasy Subgenres: http://bit.ly/sygKZp @FantasyFaction

When Characters Betray Other Characters: http://bit.ly/vR4glj @janice_hardy

Tips for using a storyboard for revision: http://bit.ly/vYUQHU @joanswan

When, in your drafts, to add the details of your worldbuilding: http://bit.ly/rAGXtw @HP4Writers

Examples of description used in novel openings: http://bit.ly/v0c0yL @KarenMusings

How to feel miserable as a writer: http://bit.ly/viq2Sm @JamesScottBell

Writing Adult Vs. YA Titles, one author's experience: http://bit.ly/uNvBaB @LeannaRenee

Build a questions list to keep writing fresh: http://bit.ly/sKbq2U

Song structure and plot (what novelists can learn from songwriters): http://bit.ly/s3LVVW @JLeaLopez

Best articles for writers--11/11/11: http://bit.ly/uLsMkN @4KidLit

3 tips for giving readings: http://bit.ly/vOxXJB

10 Phrases to Purge From Your Speech & : http://bit.ly/rLsacn @nancyragno for @JaneFriedman

15 Tips for Writing a Murder Mystery: http://bit.ly/ua2ran @JHansenWrites

Write the beginning last: http://bit.ly/vsAL1E @elanaj

Indie v. traditional. Choose according to your project: http://bit.ly/vYNVu6 @LAGilman

Character v. trait: http://bit.ly/tSoOgo @TheresaStevens

Myth-Busting About Uncertainty: http://bit.ly/upfaaq @Later_Bloomer

Backstory: A Lesser Known Reason Not to Dump it Upfront: http://bit.ly/tHOUah @jeanniecampbell

1 writer admits to not being totally present with her family: http://bit.ly/rFfssC @tessgerritsen

15 Words for Household Rooms, and Their Synonyms: http://bit.ly/sTuyOY

How to Be a Better Parent AND a Better Writer: http://bit.ly/svLRxY @write_practice

Why Would You Ever Want to Outsource Your Voice? http://bit.ly/vBYbRN @chrisbrogan

Juxtaposition of relationships: http://bit.ly/rvgdQC @RavenRequiem13

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

Introducing Writer Beware's Small Presses Page: http://bit.ly/tiaTKk @VictoriaStrauss

Why 1 writer has been happy with his decision to self-pub: http://bit.ly/vC4SzI @DavidGaughran for @jakonrath

YouTube Video Marketing Tips for Authors: http://bit.ly/sM2MA8 @curiosityquills

4 Ways to Fix a Stalled Story: http://bit.ly/vIHz3U @Janice_Hardy

Why an author's early works are usually most original: http://bit.ly/rYFCxr

Tips for writing book proposals: http://bit.ly/rUJ2qK

An interesting interview with Stephen King: http://nyti.ms/v3lENZ (NY Times): @errolmorris

10 point website checkup: http://bit.ly/vU1x7m @Bookgal for @KarenCV

Hook your reader from the start: http://bit.ly/vUkcnv @HowToWriteShop

Generating Story: Develop The 6 Core Parts, Start Anywhere: http://bit.ly/tFL0LZ @authorjohnbrown

How The Kindle Fire Will Attack The iPad: Newsstand: http://rww.to/vPJx6Q @JonMwords

How to Write Fast and Well: http://bit.ly/v4hp1J @gatekeeperspost

5 Great Websites for Thriller Writers: http://bit.ly/tYPj8X @worddreams

The Art And Craft Of Story With @VictoriaMixon for @TheCreativePenn: http://bit.ly/rT1D2l

How to Style Compounds After the Noun: http://bit.ly/t2vWqY

3 Hidden Benefits of a Controversial Guest Post: http://bit.ly/rZMzMT @webtrafficcafe

5 Ways to Make More Time to Read: http://bit.ly/tHUZBh @robertbruce76 for @michaelhyatt

Writing for Middle Grades: Voice: http://bit.ly/tMlaeX @magicalwords

1 writer's lessons learned after 20,000 tweets: http://bit.ly/vPVqqn @JeffGoins

Treating characters as if they were real: http://bit.ly/tkIWeM

The subconscious shelf: http://nyti.ms/tWWeMV (NY Times)

The Pleasures and Perils of Rereading: http://bit.ly/sdCOT9 @RealLiveCritic

Speed bumps on the road to publication: http://bit.ly/ryOtVd

5 features to help you grow your ghostwriting business: http://bit.ly/vMuZXI & http://bit.ly/ttqyzU @KarenCV

How Independent Bookstores Sell E-Books: http://bit.ly/vvBDvy @laurahazardowen

Romance in fantasy: http://bit.ly/tOSTb0 @FantasyFaction

15 Tips for Writing Mysteries

Hi everyone! Today I'm over at the Writers in the Storm blog with tips for writing mysteries. If you've ever thought about writing one, or if you're a mystery reader, I hope you'll slide by.

Also, I want to thank Angela Ackerman and Becca Puglisi for featuring me as one of their Writing Heroes on The Bookshelf Muse blog. It's a huge honor for me, since I really respect the resource they've established for writers there— fantastic writers' thesauruses. Look in their sidebar to check out their thesaurus for character traits, emotions, settings, symbolism, weather, and more. They've opened up a giveaway for one of their wonderful critiques, which I'll be passing along to a reader very soon.

I also wanted to thank Sharon Galligar Chance at Sharon's Garden of Book Reviews for her kind review of Hickory Smoked Homicide.

Thanks!

How And Why I Changed My Book's Title—by Marc Vun Kannon

@AuthorGuy -- Authorguy's Blog

What a difference a Date makes.

When I first started my latest novel (the latest one to be released, not my WIP) I was standing in a book store, looking at the spine of a book with the title Blood Moon. I say 'started' here because just looking at this title gave me the idea for a novel in which a werewolf attack occurs on the Moon. The story as originally envisaged in that flashbulb moment, that 'Aha' moment for which all of us writers live, was supposed to be a mystery, with a hideous monster in the middle of it.

When I started actually writing the story, the title was (you guessed it) 'Blood Moon'. Hey, why not, can't copyright titles, right? Well, no, you can't, which is not always a good thing. We want our books to stand out, don't we? We want people to find our books, don't we? Well, have you ever tried googling the title 'Blood Moon'? There are lots of books with that name. It's really rather shocking. I hope the authors had better names for their books, but it's amazing that so many publishers couldn't be bothered to check! I suppose there might be title generators or SEO algorithms that recommend titles with Blood and Moon in them, but if you want that book to shine don't hide it under a bushel of other books with the same name.

When I was in the middle of writing my story, I grew dissatisfied with the title. It seemed rather ordinary to me, and more important, it didn't actually tell me anything about the book. Worse, what it did tell me was wrong! You see, Blood Moon didn't stay a mystery very long. I think I was in chapter two somewhere when I realized that I had no aptitude for writing mysteries. Or Horror. I'm a character-based novelist, and I usually discover the plot as I'm following my characters around. Blood Moon is a great title for a mystery (or a paranormal, or a romance, or a...) but it's not a great title for whatever this story was shaping up to be.

Sometimes we authors realize it ourselves, and change the title to something more useful. Sometimes we don't, and it falls to the editors and even marketing people to say that our book just doesn't feel like a 'Blood Moon' sort of book, and then where are we? The title influences the book as we're writing it, at least it does for me. As Blood Moon moved farther away from anything mystery-like, the name became more of a straitjacket. So I went on the web, googling the phrase 'Blood Moon' to see if there were any useful alternatives. It turns out there are. Blood Moon is an actual name, the name of a particular full moon, one of the 13 that occur throughout the year. It never occurred to me that people would name them but they do. (Possible series idea there.)

One of those names was 'St. Martin's Moon'. So I thought, 'Hey, sounds like a cool title', but it was much more than that. St. Martin is the patron saint of many things, including beggars, innkeepers, and geese. More important, St. Martin's Moon is the full moon in the sky shortly after Halloween. And here's me, writing a werewolf novel.

And just like that (well, not really, nothing about this book was 'just like that') the book got a bit of a makeover.
Some details got a whole new significance. Because of the title, the time and place of events suddenly shifted. It's Halloween, and I discovered Joseph Marquand, my MC, hates Halloween. Why? Well, let's find out.
Some details were added. Because of the title, I noticed a church sign one day and worked it into the story. Minor, I'll admit, but good for flavor if nothing else.
When I got around to writing the end (I'm very linear) I found that the whole ending had been changed. I discovered Joseph Marquand didn't like psychics either, but that's for next book.
Even the genre was different, and I don't say that lightly. I didn't just change the genre from mystery to paranormal romance, although for a long time that's what I thought I'd done. I ended up inventing a new genre, because the story morphed to fit the title.

The Feast of St. Martin is November 11th. St. Martin's Moon is November 10th this year. My wife is planning a party, just because.

Happy Martinmas!

Like many writers, I started when a story came along and decided that I should write it. Don't ask me why. Others followed, until now I'm afraid to go out of the house with a recorder or notebook in my hand. But I show them, I refuse to write the same story twice!

*********************************

8 Ways Writers Cause Trouble

Hi everyone!  Today I'm over at the book blog, Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book.  I've got a guest post explaining why it's dangerous to unleash writers on an unsuspecting public. :)

There's also a giveaway of one copy of Hickory Smoked Homicide.

Hope you'll pop by!

Why Moving On is a Good Tactic

First of all, thanks to Mason Canyon at the Thoughts in Progress blog for her review of my recent release, Hickory Smoked Homicide.  I appreciate it, Mason!

I was talking to another writer the other day and they asked me how I handled the pressure of promo and reviews.  I thought about it for a second, then I said, "I write."

But it wasn't always that way.  After I wrote my first book, I treated it like a child that needed its hand held.  I walked it to kindergarten, I anxiously watched what people said about it. Was it being bullied?   I worried over it.  I was a helicopter parent for the book.

Then I noticed that I kept getting the same advice from the other writers that I knew. "You should write another book."  Some of the writers didn't even realize they were giving advice.  "When's your next book coming out?" they'd ask.  As if that was just the normal approach.  It was, actually, an annoying refrain.

I didn't want to think about the next book.  I wanted to focus on the fact that I'd just written a book! It made my head hurt to think about moving on to another one.  I wanted to just celebrate my accomplishment.

Since I continued to hear the same advice, though, I wrote another book.  I started obsessing over it the same way.  At that time, I was trying to move from a regional press to the big guys.  I wrote queries and synopses and cover letters, and tracked them carefully.  And I wasn't writing.

I discovered that it was very discouraging to get rejections.  That was probably because querying was my sole focus.  The rejections really stung.  I hated going to my mailbox.

And still I continued to hear the refrain.  "So what's your next book about?  What are you writing now?"

Was there no resting on your laurels in this business?  Even after a couple of books? 

That's when it all started clicking for me.  Write, edit, submit, brainstorm, repeat.  That's the cycle.  That's how we get better, that's how we start a writing career, that's how we sustain a writing career--that's it.

That's how rejections and reviews won't sting.  We keep writing. 

If we write a real stinker?  We keep writing, keep improving.  We'll have a better or more successful book the next time.  Or the next.

If all our writing dreams are hanging on one or two books, we'll nurse the dickens out of them. It's so much better, so much healthier, to keep being creative. 

What's your next book about? 

Twitterific

Below are the writing-related links I tweeted last week.
The Writer's Knowledge Base search engine, designed by software engineer and writer Mike Fleming, makes all these links searchable. Sign up for the free monthly WKB newsletter for the web's best links and interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1 .
Recent news: the 3rd book in the Memphis Barbeque series released last Tuesday—Hickory Smoked Barbeque.
5 things to know about NaNoWriMo before you start it: http://bit.ly/tUC4V6 @LTWFblog
Why a 1st Draft is Like a Day at the Farm: http://bit.ly/w1UXEf @JillKemerer
Questions that helped 1 writer during revisions: http://bit.ly/rM2Kt8
A Tortured Path to Writing and Cartooning: http://bit.ly/vXBrHS
When you feel out of place, write: http://bit.ly/rQwrQX @write_practice
Try tracking your circadian cycle to see when you should write: http://bit.ly/rZ7v51 @bookviewcafe
Know the difference between meaningful soc. media interaction & spam: http://bit.ly/rTfCxn @WriteAngleBlog
How often should writers blog? http://bit.ly/tao421 @JodyHedlund
The Secret to Effortless Writing: http://bit.ly/sLKBpv @JeffGoins
Chick Lit vs. Women's Fiction: http://bit.ly/roHjrh @RoniLoren @sierragodfrey
The difference between bad press releases & good publicity requests: http://bit.ly/sTJhYb @JaneFriedman
How to nip procrastination in the bud: http://bit.ly/vNmpZU @workawesome
7 habits of successful writers: http://bit.ly/tus3ic @BTMargins
Adding Suspense To Your Post-Apocoalyptic (or any!) Novel: http://bit.ly/rvzqVM @elanaj
Thanks @druannlove ! Book Giveaway: Hickory Smoked Homicide by Riley Adams aka @elizabethscraig http://wp.me/p3nHH-1w2 /
How to Sell Low-Cost Subscriptions to Short Stories: http://bit.ly/sjN8Hp @JaneFriedman
How to Write Like a Cheesy Halloween Movie: http://bit.ly/uXXZhL @JeffGoins
Plot Building for the Character Driven Writer: http://bit.ly/tiA313 @RoniLoren
Tips for adjusting to critique group changes: http://bit.ly/s6zC0z @PBRWriter
Are Ambiguous Endings Powerful or Frustrating? http://bit.ly/tqVBLH @writeitsideways
What Makes a Good Setting: http://bit.ly/vQ63Nt @Janice_Hardy
There are benefits to letting the door swing shut on gore in our books: http://bit.ly/rC9zTF
Writing fears: http://bit.ly/t1McCs @donnacooner
Scary book writing moments--they happen to us all: http://bit.ly/tHT683
The level of truth in our fiction: http://bit.ly/sasan7 @AmySueNathan
1 writer has changed the prices on her ebooks: http://bit.ly/rOkRAj @SelenaKitt
Words of Writing Wisdom from E.B. White: http://bit.ly/u0KYqY @LindaGray_
The Wall Street Journal To Lauch eBook Best Seller Lists: http://bit.ly/vuXXgg @ebooknewser
Thanks so much, @InkyElbows ! Inkygirl Golden Cupcake Award: Writer's Knowledge Base:http://bit.ly/vp5lzC
Creative Ways To Capture Research Notes: http://bit.ly/uQ1Sjn @DaxMacGregor
The Changing Model of Publishing: http://bit.ly/tTSIXj @greyhausagency
Hunting the wild subplot: http://bit.ly/rKgH81 @sarahahoyt
Beware of Creepy, Lurking Hackers: http://bit.ly/rv950L
10 Demographic Names and Expressions: http://bit.ly/vlijIP
Candid Writing: Break Your Own Heart: http://bit.ly/trS9E5 @BTMargins
Chapter transitions and story drive: http://bit.ly/sHyGIX @JulietteWade
How to Cut the Fat from Your WIP: http://bit.ly/rzrDJO @novelrocket
9 Tips on Opening Lines & Opening Chapters: http://bit.ly/rJjBVp
5 Things Paratrooping Can Teach You About Self-Publishing: http://bit.ly/vhDhPU @TheCreativePenn
When you need to leave your agent: http://bit.ly/uvbaTq @RachelleGardner
Nanowrimo: Elements of Act Two, Part 2: http://bit.ly/rRgott @AlexSokoloff
Nanowrimo: Elements of Act Two, Part 2: http://bit.ly/rRgott @AlexSokoloff
8 Things That Can Push a Group Over to the Dark Side: http://bit.ly/uVNyVi @AnneRAllen
Style Blunders in Fiction: http://bit.ly/t41FUA @DPLyleMD
10 Fear Busters for Writers: http://bit.ly/uMyvMB @KMWeiland
3 Common Comma Conundrums Resolved: http://bit.ly/tCLWb3 @keligwyn
Author Blogging 101: Up With Comments: http://bit.ly/rv6Q0M @JFBookman
How To Get Feedback On Your Novel That Will Actually Help: http://bit.ly/sW8Rtn @BubbleCow
4 Tips for Hiring an Editor: http://bit.ly/tuqZls
How to set up an affiliate account with Barnes & Noble thru LinkShare: http://bit.ly/vU5Uk5 @HowToWriteShop
Learning to Call It "Good Enough" So You Can Grow As a Writer: http://bit.ly/td5h49 @jodycalkins
The heroism of writing: http://bit.ly/slRhiN @BookEmDonna
Bolster Your Creative Output by Activating Your "Red Zone": http://bit.ly/tkje7t @the99percent
NaNo Prep: Planning Your Novel's Ending: http://bit.ly/sAXWko @Janice_Hardy
The key to a synopsis is to forget your book: http://bit.ly/sxZAIs @nicolamorgan
Self-Publishing: A Tale of Two Cities: http://bit.ly/t1Kh6y Wall St. Journal via @PassiveVoiceBlg
Good and bad repetition in our novels: http://bit.ly/vNCYR1 @JHansenWrites
Why 1 writer doesn't use DRM on ebooks: http://bit.ly/ucmYHA @avantman42 via @JFBookman
Macro-Revision: Take It One Piece at a Time: http://bit.ly/tdkDPM @THahnBurkett
NaNoWriMo success tips: http://bit.ly/u77uyI @GoblinWriter
How to write when you aren't in the mood: http://bit.ly/tbnJJS @CherylRWrites
How to Avoid Parenting Your Characters: http://bit.ly/sFtL3l @WritersDigest
Are There More Writers Than Readers? http://bit.ly/uaXTH3 @JodyHedlund
5 Ways Barnes & Noble's New Nook Could Compete With The Kindle Fire: http://bit.ly/vXqrMx @paidContent
Author Finds Flaws In Kindle Auto Pricing: http://bit.ly/rQW6CD @ebooknewser
Websites that review indie authors: http://bit.ly/vMgWTh @dirtywhitecandy
Where do characters come from? 4 places 1 writer finds them: http://bit.ly/sqTT1h @JoanSwan
Thanks, @JoanSwan for hosting me today--& for the comment-to-win giveway: http://bit.ly/sqTT1h
Tips for tight writing: http://bit.ly/v8opCZ @LynnetteLabelle
Tips for Scoring the Book Review, Guest Post or Interview: http://bit.ly/tlO1L5 @KristenLambTX
Is Your Blog Skimable? 6 Easy Fixes to Help Readers Actually Read: http://bit.ly/uwtu3H @MarianSchembari
Quick Way To Improve Your Twitter Profile To Sell More Books: http://bit.ly/rBg0Dw @BubbleCow
Common Grammatical Mishaps: http://bit.ly/v32F3R @danyelleleafty
It's the digital age. But Amazon Publishing hasn't killed print yet. http://bit.ly/txg72U @laurahazardowen
An agent answers a question about query formatting: http://bit.ly/vnvOul @Kid_Lit
Conflict in romance: http://bit.ly/rWjnE9 @pprmint777
Romantic relationships in fantasy: http://bit.ly/t3CD3P @FantasyFaction
17 tips for writing fiction: http://bit.ly/uv8Mbc
When's the Right Time to Leave Your Big Six Publisher? http://bit.ly/uoqp23 @JaneFriedman
Blind spots that derail writers: http://bit.ly/tRdT4F @bob_mayer
Warning Signs For Large Publishers In August AAP Figures: http://bit.ly/uWp8pb @DavidGaughran
Building conflict in your novel: http://bit.ly/thMkW2 @NovelRocket
35 Troublesome Irregular Verbs: http://bit.ly/uttRh4
How not to end things: http://bit.ly/tFjHA5 @BTMargins
What catches 1 agent's interest in an initial query: http://bit.ly/rU0FeK @greyhausagency
Interesting wrap-up of the Books in Browsers conference: http://bit.ly/uqZlNT @EdNawotka #publishing
Writing A Series: 7 Continuation Issues To Avoid: http://bit.ly/sdTfnE @TheCreativePenn
A writer explains how she organizes her 3 ring writer's notebook: http://bit.ly/uQ2a53 @JulieMusil
NaNoWriMo Tip: Use the Reference Desk: http://bit.ly/ttCe40 @GalleyCat
Keywording 201-- SEO for writers: http://bit.ly/ugQCkc @emacphe
Why 1 writer selectively follows on Twitter (& why she weeds some people out): http://bit.ly/vzfFcU @NinaBadzin
Recording Audiobooks: Tales from the Padded Room: http://bit.ly/s4ctcE
Examples in crime fiction of authors who struggled to find their character's voice: http://bit.ly/rz2hNT @Mkinberg
10 tips for author branding: http://bit.ly/rVPiks @authorterryo
Catch up with this week's #publishing buzz--conferences, transmedia, & Amazon--with @Porter_Anderson for @JaneFriedman: http://bit.ly/tvI3KY
Building Your Web Presence for Authors: SEO Blogging Tips for Fun and Profit: http://bit.ly/soc2Ph @CuriosityQuills
Amazon Lending Library Available To Prime Members: http://bit.ly/rOrGG6 @ebooknewser
The Publishing Biz: Will it Break You? http://bit.ly/ucps7V
Profanity in writing: http://bit.ly/vCxHGz
Your character's actions during dialogue are important to your story: http://bit.ly/rY8BE6 @BryanThomasS
Writing and Editing Skills Critical for Entry-Level Writers: http://bit.ly/uhGxiP
The Digital Dilemma for Picture Book Publishers: http://bit.ly/umBMBz @birtle
Revising Your Novel Part 2: Character Arcs: http://bit.ly/siY7GT @LaurHarrington
How to make a 70% royalty on a 99-cent Kindle ebook: http://bit.ly/sOBHWj @rule17
How do I balance family & writing? Sometimes not very well. :) My interview with @mybookishways today: http://bit.ly/tBHeww
9 tips for writing at home: http://bit.ly/tLqPts
The $0.99 Book Price -- Is it Making or Breaking You? http://bit.ly/vfSFYD @billsonskinner
The Future is Indie: http://bit.ly/v8Rn2c @DavidGaughran
A Writer's Number One Enemy: http://bit.ly/uzeHIN @JodyHedlund
A free directory of ebook pros--for covers, editing, formatting, & more: http://tinyurl.com/3mxg5zt
Tips for writing in deep POV: http://bit.ly/ut64rW
Choosing between independent publishers: http://bit.ly/rAnFg4 @FantasyFaction
Tips for creating your own ebook cover: http://bit.ly/u5ca1s @calistataylor for @WriteAngleBlog
5 Reasons You Should Write Like a Speed Demon: http://bit.ly/w07Ue7 @pubcoach for @FriesenPress
NaNoWriMo tip: Make a Mind Map: http://bit.ly/tq585F @GalleyCat
How to make a button for your blog: http://bit.ly/tAHrfG @alchemyofscrawl
Problems and Opportunities with Kindle's Automatic Pricing: http://bit.ly/uMlT5I @selfpubreview
7 Ways to Fake It at Book Club: http://bit.ly/ueYVEX @bookriot via @PassiveVoiceBlg
How much worldbuilding should you include in your story? http://bit.ly/rAXHov @HP4Writers
The blogging cycle--how do you stay sane? http://bit.ly/tCKs5k @JamiGold
A life in writing--P.D. James (Guardian): http://bit.ly/sN31Yi
Rowling admits she considered killing Ron Weasley (Chicago Tribune): http://trib.in/vQeqge
The ups and downs of snowboarding and writing: http://bit.ly/trcuMe @Kerrie_Flanagan
Meet the Reader: The (Real) Rules of Screenwriting: http://bit.ly/w4oLZd @scriptmag
The New Midlist Writers: http://bit.ly/rM55Eb
Are Social Media Sites the New Slush Pile? http://bit.ly/tTUdw6 @pubperspectives
Tips to help you reverse direction in your story: http://bit.ly/srqlFZ @DonMaass
Different ways to hook your reader: http://bit.ly/vd5j2v @Janice_Hardy
Avoiding Common Ebook Errors: http://bit.ly/u1psxU @PassiveVoiceBlg
For NaNo--Writing Advice From History's Fastest, Most Prolific Authors: http://bit.ly/uxNd8M @TheAtlantic
How to Use Psychometric Testing to Create Believable Characters: http://bit.ly/uliaca
Interesting plot generator to brainstorm with: http://bit.ly/rWAHf5
A variety of tips on the writing craft: http://bit.ly/sofyXW @BTMargins
Crafting a great chapter 1: http://bit.ly/smfvSB
Adding conflict to your story: http://bit.ly/vdZ0dS
How People-Watching Makes You a Better Writer: http://bit.ly/sQySW6 @writeitsideways
Writing prompt resources: http://bit.ly/tB3Y5Q @CherylRWrites
Anonymous Employees Share Thoughts about Working at Amazon: http://bit.ly/t5n3MX @galleycat
Why You Should Tell the Ugly Parts of Your Story: http://bit.ly/uEalqn @JeffGoins
50 Words with the Most Whimsical Prefix: http://bit.ly/u2BKt4
The art of the novel: http://nyti.ms/vHt9AM (NY Times)
Writing--before & after technology & before & after baby: http://bit.ly/v6pz55 @annemazer
Sometimes our stories have seeds of doubt--it's up to us to turn the soil: http://bit.ly/vF3zz2
Top techniques for ebook promo, pricing, & long term sales: http://bit.ly/ss9U0m for @TheCreativePenn
How to Get Great Endorsements that Sell Books: http://bit.ly/rKLcs7 @TonyEldridge
The Benefits of Book Reviewing: http://bit.ly/u4Udxg @lydia_sharp
Tips for developing your writing voice: http://bit.ly/sS52sU @KristenLambTX
Ghostwriting: Does It Matter If You Don't Get The Credit? http://bit.ly/uuDUp4 @shurleyhall
Why Bloggers Should Be Stalkable: http://bit.ly/w3aPqu @charissaweaks
5 Ways to Stay Motivated While Writing a Novel: http://bit.ly/sU8JHo @nathanbransford
Speaker Tips for Authors: http://bit.ly/uuMjxN @sparrowgrp for @Bookgal
50 Quick, Dirty, and Cheap Ways to Improve Your Social Media Presence: http://bit.ly/vkKGT2 @smartwoman
11 Ways to Improve your Writing: http://bit.ly/urCf6G @soulofaword
6 reasons to keep writing: http://bit.ly/unNQLI @woodwardkaren

Two Resources for Writers

Just a quick post today to serve as a heads-up to my recent crop of new blog and Twitter followers  (and many thanks for the follow) that there are a couple of resources for writers that I help curate.  My regular readers might want to dodge out of this post now, since this is old news for you!

One of them is the Ebook Services Directory.  If you're a writer interested in epublishing, please check it out.  It's a free listing of ebook cover designers, freelance editors, formatters, conversion specialists, ghost writers, and other folks who can help you to either publish your ebook or market it.   I'm using it, myself, and have found that there are a range of prices and services available. 

The other is the Writer's Knowledge Base search engine that software engineer Mike Fleming designed.  We just hit the 12,000 link milestone this week.  I comb my Google Reader for helpful posts, tweet the posts, and the links feed automatically into the WKB.  The search engine is free and is full of helpful posts on any writing or writing-promo topic that you can think of.  My favorite thing about the WKB is that writers provided the content.  These are working writers, aspiring authors—folks who know what they're writing about.   I use the WKB every day. 

The Writer's Knowledge Base also has a monthly newsletter that features top content of the past month and an interview with one of the top content providers.  Back issues are archived on the site.  Last month, it was Elspeth Antonelli  and Terry Odell was featured in September.  The newsletter is free and you can sign up here for it.

Okay, that's it!  Hope everyone has a great weekend!  Any fun plans?

Interview and Post on Distractions

[image error]Hi y'all.  Today I'm over at Kristin Centorcelli's My Bookish Ways book blog for a quick interview.

It's also my day to blog at A Good Blog is Hard to Find. Do you have trouble writing at home? I've got some tips to help you deal with the distractions. :)

Where Do Characters Come From?

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Hi everyone! Today, a day after the launch of Hickory Smoked Homicide, I'm at Joan Swan's blog . I'm talking a little about where characters come from and how I've come across some of mine. 

Hope you'll come by and share how you've found some of your characters. :)

Good and Bad Repetition

I'm over at Jenny Hansen's More Cowbell blog today, talking a little about good and bad repetition in our books. Hope you'll pop by and join me. :)

Today is my release day for Hickory Smoked Homicide! It's the 3rd book in the Memphis Barbeque series. I'm excited to see it on the shelves!

[image error]I'm so excited, also, to be the recipient of Inkygirl, Debbie Ohi's, Golden Cupcake Award for the Writer's Knowledge Base. Kudos to Mike Fleming for being the mastermind!

I've also got an interview up at Ebook Reader Buzz . It's a busy day!