Riley Adams's Blog, page 189

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: t he 3rd book in the Memphis Barbeque series will release November 1—Hickory Smoked Barbeque (available now for preorder).

iPads as writing tools for authors – resources: http://bit.ly/nWkfn4 @rogercparker

Facebook security updates – how to make your account more secure: http://bit.ly/pq2Uv0 @eset

5 Things You Should Never Do in Epic Fantasy: http://bit.ly/nVPY4O @AISFPpodcast

Book Promotion: Show, Don't Tell: http://bit.ly/r2ymAc @pitchuniversity

Why 1 writer is betting on the Kindle for self-publishing: http://bit.ly/pH5Zg0 @shurleyhall

The agent's view--the thrilling world of pitching: http://bit.ly/qDhJGq @jennybent

On Writing Well: Repetition: http://bit.ly/qHUNCK

Am I providing enough information for the reader to get into the story immediately? http://bit.ly/pTahge @Janice_Hardy

Stare Down Your Limiting Beliefs: http://bit.ly/qqcLMs @storyfix

Why Writers Should Get Over Pop Music: http://bit.ly/ofe8rf @Porter_Anderson

Publishing--the worst business in the world: http://bit.ly/poXffC @bentarnoff

Publish the Way You Want. Ignore the Dinosaurs: http://bit.ly/rqEGuw @ireadiwrite

On worldbuilding--Vamps with a pulse: http://bit.ly/pf7HqO @kalayna

A writer's thoughts on critique groups: http://bit.ly/oylL42 @AlexSokoloff

Top 20 Free Book Apps of the Week: http://bit.ly/qZvFRD @ebooknewser

Politics in Fantasy: http://bit.ly/pJEAzt @FantasyFaction

Talking mysteries--my interview with @VictoriaMixon: http://bit.ly/oWfZye

How to write fiction--the importance of plot: http://bit.ly/phureI (Guardian--Kate Moss)

Pros and Cons of E-publishing: http://bit.ly/pXWJcl

Short fiction and the subway theory of reading: http://bit.ly/pEqo7y @40kBooks

Should you tie up all the ends when you type 'The End'? http://bit.ly/mWMRHo @DirtyWhiteCandy

6 Prescriptions to Cure the Heartbreak of Being Published: http://bit.ly/pDyN5c @annerallen

All about flash fiction and tips for writing it: http://bit.ly/oOS12s @BTMargins

5 Elements of a Resonant Closing Line: http://bit.ly/mXWt8S @KMWeiland

Do you use superpowers in your story? Tips to keep them from getting stale: http://bit.ly/oULot2

Why 1 writer might stop self-pubbing paperbacks: http://bit.ly/mUxMgs @cathryanhoward

What's wrong with a readable book? http://bit.ly/oBevIU @TorontoStar

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

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

Harness the power of resentment: http://bit.ly/rbNj4T @storyfix

List of Words that Sparkle! Jazz up your Writing/Pitch/Synopsis: http://bit.ly/okByTw @veiledvirtues

Using 'they' for third-person singular: http://bit.ly/pKN2tr @VictoriaMixon

10 Best-Selling Books That Were Originally Rejected: http://bit.ly/qBPxZ4 @flavorpill

6 Ways to Become More Self-Motivated: http://bit.ly/p1ElC3 @aliventures

Why 1 writer believes in fiction: http://bit.ly/rj2kbJ @WriterNancyJane

What late-blooming writers can learn from Edgar Rice Burroughs (creator of Tarzan): http://bit.ly/q5AD2o @Later_Bloomer

The craft of coffeehouse reading: http://bit.ly/pxb1ik @SherryIsaac for @JoanSwan

The Difference between Steampunk & Gaslamp Fantasy: http://bit.ly/pPQXTH @LiaKeyes

Plot points from a pantster: http://bit.ly/qCK5LB

For writing parents--The Guardian's series on reading with kids: http://bit.ly/phrGkt

Governance and the Not-for-profit Publisher: http://bit.ly/pWi6jg @scholarlykitchn

Cover Art Development for a Romance Novel: http://bit.ly/qsddHl @JoanSwan

Story Structure Dos & Don'ts: http://bit.ly/r5e52X @galleycat

Keep scenes dramatic by knowing what to narrate and what to summarize: http://bit.ly/q6aaeA @Edittorrent

Sharpen your story's hook: http://bit.ly/nQ33Vx @storyfix

Preparing to be a published author: http://bit.ly/puERAF @RachelleGardner

Top 5 Reasons You Should Do NaNoWriMo This Year: http://bit.ly/oeXfAP @MuseInks

Top 8 Tactics to Power Your Online Book Launch: http://bit.ly/orfW38 @JFBookman

You Don't Have To Be An Expert To Self Publish On The Kindle: http://bit.ly/rtWRZL @BubbleCow

Google Plus as a Storytelling Platform: http://bit.ly/pTbWuJ @ChrisBrogan

Protecting Yourself From Yucky People (Social Account Security): http://bit.ly/pjTDfy

How to write fiction: MJ Hyland on revising and rewriting (Guardian): http://bit.ly/p5kF1t

Writing advice--Voice: http://bit.ly/nP9KcN @author_sullivan

Why is dystopia so appealing to young adults? (Guardian): http://bit.ly/qCfxtX

6 Things NOT to Put in Your YA Novel: http://bit.ly/rt4nhP @mrsctyler

Why 1 writer hates heists in genre: http://bit.ly/mSb7uD @tordotcom

The Shrinking Orphan Works Problem: http://bit.ly/oJXjId @scholarlykitchn

3 Tips for Consistent Tone: http://bit.ly/opXnGs @writersdigest

The Future of Self-Improvement: Grit Is More Important Than Talent: http://bit.ly/nfR1D8 @jkglei

Why Writers Should Embrace Amazon's Takeover of Publishing (New Republic): http://bit.ly/qJWNqW @ruth_franklin via @PassiveVoiceBlg

Good intentions in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/qUALWr @mkinberg

Moral ambiguity in crime fiction novels: http://bit.ly/n4lvBO @mkinberg

Music inspires and @Porter_Anderson has some atmospheric ideas & a site with free streaming: http://bit.ly/vztOJh

What makes writing mysteries so interesting? My interview with @VictoriaMixon: http://bit.ly/oWfZye

An agent on simultaneous submissions: http://bit.ly/t8avl5 @RachelleGardner

5 Rules About Conjunctive Adverbs: http://bit.ly/sloJXr

Change for writers--how do we know we've changed? http://bit.ly/u2xFsp

10 tips for effective research trips: http://bit.ly/tPzC2e

More than Five Senses: Writing with Visceral Impact: http://bit.ly/v5cB9X @lucymonroe

Writing Tip: Get In Late, Get Out Early: http://bit.ly/uRRGGd @BryanThomasS

Want a satisfying ending for readers? Include resonance in your story: http://bit.ly/snm7aI @VictoriaMixon

Tips for writing a synopsis: http://bit.ly/sFd736 @JaneFriedman

8 tips for slicing through the research jungle: http://bit.ly/seYdu1 @JulieMusil

4 tips for continuing your story's pace during its 2nd act: http://bit.ly/vF9HVk @Mommy_Authors

How to Write Your Bio for a Byline or Query: http://bit.ly/vF5auv @writeitsideways

4 lies the internet tells you about writing: http://bit.ly/vxY34Z @jammer0501

The Non-Transitional Transition: http://bit.ly/tQHyfX @editorrent

Smart ways to use Twitter lists: http://bit.ly/uWWo5d @alexisgrant

Find musical inspiration on Q2--a 24-hour free online stream of contemporary classical music: http://bit.ly/uX8cqp via @Porter_Anderson

Writing Short Stories or Articles with a Fantastical Twist: http://bit.ly/vQh71l

A Checklist for Eliminating Unnecessary Prose: http://bit.ly/vif7US @CherylRWrites

A Small Press Implodes: The Inside Story of Aspen Mountain Press: http://bit.ly/rSwc9q @VictoriaStrauss

Tips for good plot flow: http://bit.ly/uyznf0 @jamesagard

The Amazon Question: Blind Faith vs. Reality: http://bit.ly/uCMKXw @behlerpublish

Sometimes writers stand in their own way: http://bit.ly/t9INEH

How to Get Guest Posts on Big Name Blogs: http://bit.ly/rsrIo4 @OllinMorales

Tips for successful blogging for writers: http://bit.ly/tWYUka @Blogussion

The Agent-Author Relationship Is A Team Affair: http://bit.ly/sul656 @greyhausagency

Royalty Reporting Systems – Garbage In/Garbage Out: http://bit.ly/sErO24 @PassiveVoiceBlg

Take a Break from Blogging without Losing Your Audience: http://bit.ly/rwwjdj @JeffGoins

How to Plot Your Writing Time During the Month of November: http://bit.ly/vZ0eHK @plotwhisperer

Commas…To Avoid Confusion: http://bit.ly/tP0Faz @FantasyFaction

Author Blogging 101: 11 Reasons Your Blog Isn't Working: http://bit.ly/uKE0cj @JFBookman

Several options for designing ebook covers: http://bit.ly/rxdQc7 @PYOEbooks

How to Be Creative When You Are Busy: http://bit.ly/uJETnO @write_practice

A Strategy for Introducing Your Hero: http://bit.ly/t9prf7 @storyfix

106 Excuses That Prevent You From Ever Becoming Great: http://bit.ly/s9rVIH @ChrisBrogan

An agent recommends that novelists stop branding themselves: http://bit.ly/vqZwPg @RachelleGardner

5 Tips for Styling Numbers: http://bit.ly/ulULqo

Tips for improving your story: http://bit.ly/vUncmT @StoryMeBad @TheCreativePenn

Some Tough Love for Authors on Rights: http://bit.ly/svlLKI @scholarlykitchn

Why 1 writer is now selling his books primarily on Amazon and not his website: http://bit.ly/vzUKfv @rule17

Literary references in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/vGKNKb @mkinberg

The Dark Side of Metrics–Writer Friend or Ticket to Crazy Town? http://bit.ly/t0C6MZ @KristenLambTX

The end--wrapping up your stories: http://bit.ly/vnEMKM @FantasyFaction

3 Tips for Writing Paranormals: http://bit.ly/ua74dg @RoniLoren

How Digital Became the Self-Publishing Beacon of Hope for Comics: http://bit.ly/svbQbw @WesleyCGreen

The timing of payments from different self-pub venues: http://bit.ly/tqhZHP via @PassiveVoiceBlg

3 Tips for Writing When the Words Won't Come: http://bit.ly/tBZr2W @keligwyn

12 fiction writing checklists: http://bit.ly/vpe6ZZ

How to write tight prose: http://bit.ly/vaTDiH @LynnetteLabelle

The Dilemma of Coaching Yourself: http://bit.ly/sbQi4p @jkglei

Turn Your Novel into a Literary Destination: http://bit.ly/un92TS @catewoods

How To Make People Fall In Love With Grammar: An Interview With Grammar Girl: http://bit.ly/rrTgtw @OllinMorales

An Experiment in Serial Fiction and Self-Publication: http://bit.ly/trata2 @selfpubreview

Stuck? Borrow Techniques from Popular Authors: http://bit.ly/tWszzL @ProcrastWriter

5 things you need to know about Kindle Format 8 (KF8), Amazon's new ebook format: http://bit.ly/v4Q6Ta @rule17

How to Make a Book Trailer with Your Phone: http://bit.ly/tMQ6kX @GalleyCat

NaNo Prep: Planning Your Novel: http://bit.ly/ucQqQm @Janice_Hardy

Strive to make *every* novel a thriller with quality : http://bit.ly/vziY5U @NakedEditor @JHansenWrites

How To Use Your Blog To Sell Your Self Published Book: http://bit.ly/sZtDEh @BubbleCow

Opening for a Distinct Purpose and a Specific Reader: http://bit.ly/vuz8fu

Content as Commodity — Price Elasticity and New Business Models: http://bit.ly/sPSfDa @scholarlykitchn

WordPress Plug-Ins: The Bare Essentials: http://bit.ly/uxrqdF @JaneFriedman

The latest installment of @GeneLempp 's series on archaeology, mythology & human history artifacts to design stories: http://bit.ly/vokZOM

Indie Publishing's Impact on Independent Publishing: http://bit.ly/sP3ZCP @selfpubreview

17 Twitter Marketing Tips From the Pros: http://bit.ly/sSG9Nr @smexaminer

Serialization: A Timely Return for the Digital Age? http://bit.ly/tLX3e2 @thedavidwwright

5 Biggest Mistakes Writers Make About Lawyers: http://bit.ly/vlG6Vm @DearAuthor

e-Book Cover File Size Specifications: http://bit.ly/u6ow9s @JFBookman

Publishing debates--should we take sides? http://bit.ly/s8xbiN @JamiGold

Tips for writing climaxes: http://bit.ly/rK6OZn @lisagailgreen

An Insiders Look At What Books Are Selling: http://bit.ly/voVE9K

Author Blogging 101: Presenting Your Content: http://bit.ly/vFHBJf @JFBookman

Characters and instant conflict: http://bit.ly/t1yD24 @LauraPauling

Why Every Writer Needs As Much Editing As Possible: http://bit.ly/sWbRdz @JodyHedlund

Is an 80% ebook world for straight text really in sight? http://bit.ly/v8Sx8D @MikeShatzkin

Is Self-Publishing Giving People A Misconception Of Publishing? http://bit.ly/rOla6v @greyhausagency

A few tools to help you escape the emotional cycle of writing: http://bit.ly/ttjWiz @write_practice

Using Social Networking to Promote Your Event: http://bit.ly/sZNW30

Catch up with this week's publishing buzz--platforms, metrics, & Amazon--with @Porter_Anderson for @JaneFriedman: http://bit.ly/ukWOuF

Best Articles This Week for Writers 10/28/11: http://bit.ly/vcjt09 @4kidlit

E-book pricing – dart, meet bull's eye: http://bit.ly/v0iBXU @behlerpublish

Creativity Tweets of the Week – 10/28/11: http://bit.ly/uVk0mp @on_creativity

How To Keep Yourself Grounded When Writing Away From Home: http://bit.ly/ruRkpC @ollinmorales

Self-Published Authors Have Great Power, But Are They Taking Responsibility? http://bit.ly/tT1EHz @JaneFriedman

Copyright Is People: http://bit.ly/sfEBnh @michaelcapobian @VictoriaStrauss

Are Successful Writers Just Lucky? http://bit.ly/vpDJdn @KristenLambTX

How to Write a Year's Worth of Posts in 30 Days: http://bit.ly/rZjTPG @kellykingman

Chris Van Allsburg on Picture Book Writing: http://bit.ly/th3FNA @GalleyCat

The complete and unabridged guide to GoodReads for authors: http://bit.ly/skO9kJ @novelpublicity via @PassiveVoiceBlg

How to Carve a Library Lion in Your Halloween Pumpkin: http://bit.ly/rCRKdZ @GalleyCat

Films and Books about Writing and Writers

I was really enjoying Masterpiece Mystery Sunday night.

That's because the episode of Case Histories featured a writer with a big role. And the screenwriters for the episode had clearly been having fun—writing in winks for other writers.

At one part of the show, the writer (portrayed as extremely insecure and hesitant) is a visitor in a hospital. The nurse frowns at him and tells him he looks familiar.

"I'm a writer," he says, looking anxious.

The nurse studies him. "I've always wondered about writers," she says, "Where do you get your ideas from?"

I'm sure all the writers watching the show were laughing…and that no one else thought it was even supposed to be funny. :)

It reminded me that I've enjoyed reading books about writers and watching films about writers, too. Sometimes it's just nice to watch something written just for you.

I don't have a great memory for titles of movies and books, although I remember enjoying Stranger than Fiction (although it's sort of a disturbing movie for a writer to watch) and reading Misery (decidedly troubling!) Oh, and that great moment in The Shining where we see what the writer has been busily typing for so long.

I found some lists online of books and films that featured writers:

Films About Writers or Writing:

14 Great Movies About Writers

20 Greatest Movies About Writers

Films About Writers

Novels about Writers or Writing:

6 Memorable Books About Writers Writing

Ten Terrific Novels About Writers, Writing, and the Writing Life

Novels about writers

40 Books about Writers and Writing (for children)

Have you read books or watched movies about writers? What have you enjoyed?

Playing Fair with Resonance—by Victoria Mixon

by Victoria Mixon @VictoriaMixon

I'm reading an Ellery Queen today, after a whole pile of other pulp mysteries, and I've also started re-reading Hillary Waugh's Guide to Mystery & Mystery Writing. Waugh was one of the great American mystery authors of the twentieth century (he died only a couple of years ago), and he dissected the mystery genre with great insight and intelligence.

One of the things he discusses is a crucial aspect that was missing from some (but not all) of Edgar Allan Poe's seminal works, from which the entire Western mystery genre sprang, "The Murders in the Rue Morgue," "The Mystery of Marie Roget," "The Purloined Letter," "Gold Bug," and "Thou Art The Man":

Fair Play.

But what is Fair Play?

Fair Play is letting the reader know what's going on. Even more than that, Fair Play is planting the clue to the solution early—preferably on one of the first pages.

Now, the general understanding of Fair Play is that we have to do it to keep the reader's loyalty. If we don't Play Fair, the reader gets mad at us and goes away. Birdcages throughout the ages have been papered with books by writers who ignored the Rule of Fair Play.

But Fair Play has an even more important job than that. After all, writers get away with all kinds of crap with their readers, and if they're good enough writers the readers take it, pay for it, and keep coming back for more. No. Fair Play is based on something even closer to the reader's heart than fairness, and that is. . .

Having a good time.

As an Australian friend of mine discovered when he visited me years ago in downtown San Francisco, a grand adventure, whether real or fictional, is all about having a good time.

Whatever else goes on in our story, our reader wants to enjoy the experience of reading it.

Of course, people's ideas of enjoyment vary widely, and readers in general tend to enjoy a lot more of being ejected from their chairs, dragged around, thrown against the walls, and smacked silly than you'd ever believe.

But, more than anything else, readers enjoy resonance.

That's when they get to the end of the story and find there, unexpectedly and yet inevitably, the beginning of it. That clue the writer planted on the early pages.

Putting our reader inside a brass gong and giving it a good, hearty clang.

Readers love this! It's possibly the single most important reason for the popularity of mysteries throughout the past 150 years. A devastating event. And the key to that event.

Give the reader a whiff of something tantalizing, lead them a merry chase in all the wrong directions, and then smack them in the face with the whole tantalizing pie.

It's that wonderful, visceral sense of familiarity, that whisper in the back of the mind: this ending was inevitable. It's the seductive implication that, if they'd just paid close enough attention (and they will the next time they read it, they promise themself!) they could have figured the ending out before we showed it to them. It's that magical authorial sleight-of-hand, creating a positive emotional response in the reader by what we've left out as much as what we've put in.

Planting a clue to the Climax in a story's Hook is the simplest, most powerful fiction technique I know.

It makes the story a relentless progression always forward toward a Climax both unexpected and inevitable, a living, breathing thing in the reader's hands, the story of an ending that appears to have been manifested out of thin air by sheer genius.

Thanks so much to Victoria for guest posting today and for sharing with us an excerpt from her insightful writers' resource, The Art & Craft of Fiction: A Practitioner's Manual.

Victoria Mixon [image error] has been a writer and editor for thirty years and is the creator A. Victoria Mixon, Editor, voted one of WritetoDone's Top 10 Blogs for Writers. She is the author of The Art & Craft of F iction: A Practitioner's Manual and the recently-released The Art & Craft of Story: 2nd Practitioner's Manual , as well as co-author of Children and the Internet: A Zen Guide for Parents and Educators , published by Prentice Hall, for which she is listed in the Who's Who of America. She spends a lot of time tracking clues on Google and Twitter.

A Streaming (Screaming) Resource for Mystery Writers—by Porter Anderson

by Porter Anderson, @Porter_Anderson

Appointment With Death is Agatha Christie's travelogue-gone-wrong, set in the "rose red city of Petra." And some years ago, when I directed Christie's 1945 stage adaptation of it, I reached for Vivaldi.

I wanted some big, noisy, precisely orchestrated suspense to get my big, noisy, endlessly patient actors into an opening tableaux. And by setting this whole thing in the swamp-gassy gloom of a weird hotel lobby, I could also show off the smart elevator our designers had rigged up for the stage.

So I used the first movement of the Winter concerto from Vivaldi's Four Seasons. Sounds like the kind of blizzard that gets Mayor Bloomberg into trouble. Worked like a charm. We managed to get the "detestable" Mrs. Boynton into her seat right on the button of that string-section snowstorm every time. Image: Flickr, National Library NZ

But how I wish I'd had Q2 Music then. Because I'd have used something far more atmospheric, closer to the exotic locale. Petra, an ancient city carved from rock in Jordan, has little to do with Vivaldi's Europe. And I'd also like something less bombastic, more intimately sinister.

Something like composer Dohee Lee's "HonBiBaekSan (The Ritual of White Mountain)." After a very eerie, quiet start, she uses a beautiful woman's vocalise, throbbing percussion, queasy glissandi and electronically generated tones oozing through the air. Every sound, like Christie's characters, a suspect. If you don't see the audio file from Q2 here to click on, just go to this page at Q2 Music and scroll down to Dohee Lee's name. That's the amplified quartet Ethel playing it, in a live performance.

Q2 Music is a completely free, 24-hour online stream of "contemporary classical" music. And don't be scared off by either word. WQXR, the major classical-music NPR affiliate in New York, created Q2 just over two years ago, to stream the work of living composers, taking advantage of the Internet to tap into a global audience that Salieri might gladly have murdered Mozart to get.

For my money, it's the best friend a writer who enjoys music could have. And one characteristic of a lot of today's best composers' work is that they're fearless about sonic "colors," the use of instrumentation to create those nerve-scraping effects associated (a bit too simplistically but not without reason) with avant-garde work.

For mystery writers? Heaven.

Take prize-winning composer Ken Ueno's terrifying "(X)igágáí " Again, if you don't see the audio clip from Q2 Music to click on, just go to this page at Q2 Music and scroll down to Ueno's name. This recording is from a live performance by the delightfully named ensemble Alarm Will Sound.

After one of those big piano-scary chords at the open, hear that white sound, a little like wind? Partly created by tearing paper slowly. And if you make it two-thirds of the way through, you'll hear what sounds like the sort of wind chimes a killer might just hit on an airless night when he was making his escape into the darkness. Waking up the household. To find the piano-crash shock of another body in the parlor, you know.

But, hey, I've spooked you with loud noises and scraped your nails over enough blackboards. I should give something more mellifluous, right? Still unsettling—after all, we're getting ready for Hickory Smoked Homicide here, Ms. Craig's next one (as Riley Adams).

How about a little ghostly piano work, something like that lonely ditty the victim might have been playing when you-know-what happened to her? Try Valentin Silvestro's "Bagatellen," here in an excerpt at Q2.

And in fact, let me offer you not only some fine piano work, but also the kind of spine-tingling little electronic edge that few composers do better than Missy Mazzoli. This is called "Orizzonte" for piano and tape. You can read about her as well as hear it, on her Q2 Music introduction page.

Like a car alarm left squealing after that murderous attack in the parking lot, isn't it? Goes right through you like those sounds always do.

Needless to say, as time goes by it's not as easy to match modern-day mystery to old-timey music. And if you're like me and you find the work of composers and musicians helps you to explore your own creativity, I can recommend Q2 Music and its diverse composers without any back-alley dodges or ducks around the double bass.

As long as you're sitting at your computer, give its speakers a workout. What streams in to your workspace might just hold enough clues to your latest goose-bumper that you'll head to the playlist to see whocomposedit.

-----

Porter Anderson —whose Writing on the Ether appears at JaneFriedman.com on Thursdays—has issued a matching grant to Q2 Music listeners who donate during the autumn pledge drive through Wednesday. You do NOT have to pledge a penny. This is not a pitch. Porter's much more interested in bringing together new music with new writings. If you do feel interested in contributing to the work of this unique NPR affiliate (an online streaming service of WNYC/WQXR in New York), each $1 you donate will be matched with $1 from Porter, up to a total of $5,000, at Q2Music.org . And Porter would love to thank you. Drop him a line on Twitter .

More on the first photo:
Boethius, De musica, f.43v, (211 x 144 mm), 12th century, Alexander Turnbull Library, MSR-05. This is a manuscript about the theory of music. It was copied probably in England at Christ Church, Canterbury, in the second quarter of the twelfth century. Its main focus is the mathematical basis of music, and the beautifully-drawn diagrams with their graceful arches illustrate the mathematical ratios which produce the various intervals in the musical scale. Sometimes these diagrams take on animal forms such as here.
-p.

Talking Mysteries with Victoria Mixon

Hope y'all can join me today at Victoria Mixon's blog. Victoria interviewed me on the subject of mysteries—which writers I've found inspiring, what techniques I'd love to try, my favorite mystery writing resources, and what qualities mysteries share with other genre fiction.

While you're there, poke around a little on Victoria's blog. She's got some fantastic posts for writers there. Check out these posts, for instance: 4 Tricks for Improving Your Fiction in One Day, 3 Tricks for Ratcheting Tension in One Day, and 8 Ways Your Story Needs to be Tweaked.

I'm looking forward to Victoria posting here on Wednesday. And tomorrow, I'll have a guest post from the always-fascinating Porter Anderson.

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: Progressive Dinner Deadly is a Myrtle Clover mystery, available for $2.99 on Kindle and Nook. The 3rd book in the Memphis Barbeque series will release November 1—Hickory Smoked Barbeque (available now for preorder).

Things Science Fiction Film Has Ruined for John Scalzi: http://bit.ly/n1IpZh

3 pitfalls for freelance writers: http://bit.ly/q0EF27 @MarlaBeck

Dos and don'ts for the climax of your book: http://bit.ly/pJHev5 @AimeeLSalter

With social media, communication should go both ways: http://bit.ly/ni6kZ3 @propagandahouse

"Price Pulsing": the Benefits of Dynamic Pricing on Amazon: http://bit.ly/oloUiP @craftycmc

Scheduling Time To Write: http://bit.ly/nGQc7L @Ribeezie

Amanda Hocking on her epublishing success--& how the books get overlooked: http://bit.ly/pq0K4c @amanda_hocking

Not sure how to get started writing fiction? A writer with tips (Guardian): http://bit.ly/qsNVgP

The Purpose of Blogging for Novelists: http://bit.ly/nzFlwg @JodyHedlund

How Writers Can Conquer Uncertainty: http://bit.ly/oP1ldG @TiceWrites

Editing your novel: Notes from the frontline: http://bit.ly/r7xdf8 @novelmatters

Some WordPress Plugins Worth Using: http://bit.ly/otV3zz @CuriosityQuills

Going Back to College to Sell Your Book: http://bit.ly/oQ4nsg @hopeclark

Is Your Second Line as Good as Your First? Making the Most of Your Paragraphs: http://bit.ly/oX2rR9 @Janice_Hardy

32 Ways to Tweak Your Blog This Afternoon: http://bit.ly/mUyBYe @MarianSchembari

Better Writing through Cheap Technology ( tools): http://bit.ly/qmka1i

Hitting the Wall: 5 Ways to Get Inspired: http://bit.ly/nKKUfX @writeitsideways

An agent on how long you can delay deciding on an offer: http://bit.ly/mOtPDU @BookEndsJessica

Narrative Structure Cheat Sheet: http://bit.ly/nfnw0j @AlexSokoloff

How to Kiss Writing Jitters Goodbye: http://bit.ly/qg4SKv @jodyhedlund

An agent on author marketing and platform: http://bit.ly/oJ0ny9 @RachelleGardner

Don't Confuse 'Quirks' With 'Characterization': http://bit.ly/nlQLmq @storyfix

3 Things You Need to Know About the New Publishing Industry: http://bit.ly/mRCn4o @victoriamixon

An agent explains what she looks for in a manuscript: http://bit.ly/onkJoj @Kid_Lit

50 Redundant Phrases to Avoid: http://bit.ly/r7sl3P

If writers were to adopt Wall St. practices: http://bit.ly/nC3Kq3 @BTMargins

PUBLICATION: 9 Lessons for the Road: http://bit.ly/oYm4jv @jhansenwrites

Publication: 9 Lessons for the Road: http://bit.ly/oYm4jv @jhansenwrites

1 writer's 4 step process after receiving edit requests: http://bit.ly/pF61H4 @keligwyn

Try the snowflake method for writing a novel: http://bit.ly/qNmDbN @bubblecow

Structure–Introducing the Opposition: http://bit.ly/o1zsv6 @KristenLambTX

Is a no from 1 agent a no from the entire agency? An agent explains: http://bit.ly/qyQ0rO @literaticat

3 Blunders That Can Kill Your Author Platform: http://bit.ly/nXNzIY @kristenlambtx

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

Writing A Financial Thriller: http://bit.ly/qWH9Wt @TheCreativePenn

5 mistakes mystery writers make regarding law: http://bit.ly/nrqrE1 @junglereds

Are You Worried Your Ideas or Work Will Be Stolen? http://bit.ly/ngCdCy @JaneFriedman

4 Ways to Add Caffeine to Your Story: http://bit.ly/rkfQJn @JodyHedlund

Self-editing checklist--word choices: http://bit.ly/oryEcj @SarahForgrave

4 Steps For Organizing Plot Ideas Into a Novel: http://bit.ly/qLAo3I @JodyHedlund @jhansenwrites

11 elements of a great proposal: http://bit.ly/rseor8

10 Power Tips for Critique Groups: http://bit.ly/o05DhQ @jhansenwrites

Don't overdo the literary devices: http://bit.ly/riRd7A

Breaking Down Authorial Voice: http://bit.ly/pljbft @TaliaVance

7 Tips for Landing Corporate Writing Jobs: http://bit.ly/pgI5aB @fuelyourwriting

An agent warns against info dumps: http://bit.ly/mYhmwa @greyhausagency

Time management--the essence of with children: http://bit.ly/nHbYXA @Mommy_Authors

Ideas for beating writer's block: http://bit.ly/qEBvBf @LynnetteLabelle

Get More Out of Google+: http://bit.ly/qn4Ymw

Foreshadowing your story's climax: http://bit.ly/nfFEmD @KMWeiland

10 tips for writers' conferences: http://bit.ly/p9gxtX @bookviewcafe

Long Live The Introvert! Why Being "Anti-Social" Is Also A Skill: http://bit.ly/o3tSCh @lisa_rivero

1 writer's obsession with ellipses: http://bit.ly/qM8GOQ @FantasyFaction

Literary Names: Do Characters Name Themselves? http://bit.ly/ohcxMD @joannelessner

Tips for surviving a pitch: http://bit.ly/ojbtZm @deejadams

Beyond Jane Austen: The Real Regency Romance: http://bit.ly/oFBb7i

Literary Agency Sells 520 Books In One Deal, Raising Questions: http://bit.ly/oJdWK3 @DavidGaughran

Social networking for writers: http://bit.ly/oLC0A8 @AshKrafton

Tightening Your Narrative Focus: http://bit.ly/ovsAyW @Janice_Hardy

10 Terms for the Common People: http://bit.ly/poSqix

How Amazon Makes Money From The Kindle: http://read.bi/qiyJOb @biresearch

10 Surefire Ways to Overcome Blogging Procrastination: http://bit.ly/n0WLwy @problogger

Nanowrimo: Elements of Act One: http://bit.ly/pxadiG @AlexSokoloff

Killing the Mystique: Can You Know Too Much About Your Favorite Authors? http://bit.ly/n1LpZz @RoniLoren

Numbers Are Our Friend–Writers and the Wild World of Metrics: http://bit.ly/oQUnKD @KristenLambTX

Writing Lessons From The Late Great Stephen J Cannell (Creator of The Rockford Files): http://bit.ly/oZRqSj @Jhansenwrites

How to make your own book trailer for free: http://bit.ly/o7xXVb @junglereds

When Landing an Agent Lands You Nowhere: http://bit.ly/o9sRwG @AnneRAllen

Movie Story Type--Chase: http://bit.ly/pgGriW

Are You Talking to Yourself or To Your Computer? (Voice Recognition Technology): http://bit.ly/n7HL4V @PassiveVoiceBlg

Writing for children? 10 Real-World Stresses Faced by Kids: http://bit.ly/qnGVEo @CherylRWrites

One Key to a Writer's Success: Find Your Community: http://bit.ly/n7y90L @ChristiCraig

A flooded book market?Agent/publishers?Author metrics? @Porter_Anderson sorts publishing news/views for @JaneFriedman: http://bit.ly/r4TjXx

The Setting for Your Story: http://bit.ly/pL50As @chrisbrogan

6 Ways to Reconnect with Your Work-In-Progress: http://bit.ly/ncba0h @writeitsideways

The Insanity Behind the Pressure to Have "Numbers": http://bit.ly/pk8pDY @JamiGold

Getting rejections? An agent reminds us that our writing may not be all that good: http://bit.ly/q3zg5I @greyhausagency

Don't Avoid Painful Writing: http://bit.ly/mUa55v @JeffGoins

Help with sketching out your characters: http://bit.ly/r7PjBB @Jodie_R_Editing

True Confessions of a Multi-Published Author: http://bit.ly/q6y1Iw @YAHighway

Tips for writing a killer thriller: http://bit.ly/qQpyp4 , http://bit.ly/oYjbks , http://bit.ly/ojsnn2 @Jodie_R_Editing

Uncertainty: Turning Fear And Doubt Into Fuel For Brilliance: http://bit.ly/r1QXUG @TheCreativePenn

All eReading apps are not created equal: http://bit.ly/nxIkcE @bsquaredinoz

Do writers need to worry about SEO? http://bit.ly/plZJnV @emacphe

Authors to Get Sales Data Online From 3 Big Publishers (NY Times): http://nyti.ms/nlhr4e

7 Classes of Phrases: http://bit.ly/pGiFVP

Freelancers: Make an Editor Love You By Offering Solutions, Not Problems: http://bit.ly/nUsLl5 @lformichelli

The Business of Screenwriting: Trailer Moments, Set Pieces and Bits Of Business (BOBs): http://bit.ly/qenzRC

The Picasso Guide to Becoming a Social Media Legend: http://bit.ly/roBoUR @copyblogger

5 ways to banish drama from your scenes: http://bit.ly/pKY3f8 @jammer0501

What you can learn from the Universal Story: http://bit.ly/oeKed3 @plotwhisperer

Tips for love triangles: http://bit.ly/ru1gBc @Sarafurlong

Struggling with your NaNo concept? Some tips: http://bit.ly/n91uyR @StoryFix

Setting the Scene for a Productive Day: http://bit.ly/r2VQBR @the99percent

Why 1 writer fired his cover designer: http://bit.ly/qSOp12 @Rule17

The "Oh No!" Chapter Ending: http://bit.ly/qN1FQk @BookEmDonna

An editor reminds us of the importance of character flaws: http://bit.ly/pt3nYw @TheresaStevens

Why Researching Articles to Death Is A Waste of Time: http://bit.ly/nN6IS3 @zen_habits

Tips for using metaphors & similes: http://bit.ly/qF25rF @authorterryo

Tips for keeping your POV consistent: http://bit.ly/nUfsVw @authorterryo

Why crime fiction writers would make good sleuths: http://bit.ly/q4PabQ @mkinberg

Best Articles This Week for Writers 10/21/11: http://bit.ly/qw2vSd @4kidlit

Encouragement for Aspiring Writers: http://bit.ly/oHHnhN @JosyHedlund

Do all YAs have to be in first person? http://bit.ly/q9tmDH

Tips for writing deep POV: http://bit.ly/pnQa6Q @camytang

Does your novel use each of the five senses? http://bit.ly/qBaK83

The Worst That Can Happen Isn't Always Best for the Story: http://bit.ly/pFhxc6 @Janice_Hardy

Digging Deep to Find the Voice: http://bit.ly/ppC8oZ @BretBallou

5 tips from an editor: http://bit.ly/pJGo6O

On ordering author copies: http://bit.ly/pHhIhS @LAGilman

Vanity Press vs Self Publishing vs Print Publishing: http://bit.ly/pPoqch @marshacanham

A series on global drug trafficking: http://bit.ly/oenAyk http://bit.ly/q6s2dP http://bit.ly/o2PorE http://bit.ly/rkRJQA @manon_eileen

2 steps for battling procrastination: http://bit.ly/pK1hyh @JaneFriedman

Writing Superstitions and Rituals: http://bit.ly/mYR800 @catewoods

10 Dos and Don'ts for When Someone Else Has Already Written (and Published) Your Novel: http://bit.ly/onouSa @mesummerbooks

The Critique Mindset http://bit.ly/oOoLaD @bluemaven

Finishing NaNoWriMo: http://bit.ly/pWBNkb @p2p_editor

3 Characteristics of Successful Modern-Day Press Releases: http://bit.ly/n8YgWL @sarahskerik

7 easy ways to keep dialogue sharp: http://bit.ly/odhyPt @frugalbookpromo

5 Rarely Remembered Rules for Building Your Freelance Brand: http://bit.ly/pjc32M @passivepanda

Movie Story Type: Spoof: http://bit.ly/riHzwJ

Show-Don't-Tell Examples: http://bit.ly/pGFsvu @CherylRWrites

The agent's view--the thrilling world of pitching: http://bit.ly/qDhJGq @jennybent

On Writing Well: Repetition: http://bit.ly/qHUNCK

Am I providing enough information for the reader to get into the story immediately? http://bit.ly/pTahge @Janice_Hardy

Stare Down Your Limiting Beliefs: http://bit.ly/qqcLMs @storyfix

Why Writers Should Get Over Pop Music: http://bit.ly/ofe8rf @Porter_Anderson

Publishing--the worst business in the world: http://bit.ly/poXffC @bentarnoff

How Many Copies Is My Book Selling? Now Authors Have More Answers: http://bit.ly/oMjSbj @laurahazardowen

Amazon, Libraries and Ownership in the Digital Age: http://bit.ly/mR2idY @glecharles

The Importance of Keeping Focused

Lately, I've been getting a lot of really murky emails that I just can't make heads or tails of (none of them from writers).

The emails ramble. Then, when I finally reach the point of the email, it's still not very clear. I'll read it a few more times, then I'll have to reply, asking for clarification. Then they'll email back and sometimes I still don't have the full picture of the school event, the volunteering needed for the band, the snack needs at the church function, etc. So I'll email back again.

It's frustrating, for sure. And it's time-consuming. And it reminded me how important it is to keep focused during our own

There's really no room for rambling in books. Keeping a narrative focus tight is just so important to keep our readers interested. Each scene should have a point—to further the plot or develop or introduce a character, etc.

During first drafts, I definitely go off on tangents. And sometimes I've got scenes that I just love but that don't serve a purpose in the story. During later drafts, I take those scenes out and stick them in a Word file. Sometimes they'll work (or parts of them will work) in different books in the series. Sometimes they just sit in their Word file graveyard. They can be hard to cut, but in the end, the flow is just so much better.

Janice Hardy had a great post this week: Tightening Your Narrative Focus with some helpful examples.

Do you ramble during drafts but tighten it up later? Ever keep your cut scenes in case you'll need them another time?

Starting Over from Scratch

by Elizabeth S. Craig @elizabethscraig

[image error]

I was recently working on revisions when I realized I wasn't 100% happy with a particular scene.

I thought the beginning was 'okay.' But the more I looked at it, the more it really started bothering me.

I tried approaching it from a couple of different directions. I switched one scene with another as a lead-in.

Then I revised a long scene and made it much shorter.

I took out a phone conversation that I realized was unnecessary and instead started the next scene with the person doing the action they'd discussed on the phone.

Some of the sentences seemed longer than needed, so I broke them up into shorter ones, which made them read a lot smoother.

After all these changes, it was much better. But it still wasn't the beginning I knew it could be.

I decided to pretend that I hadn't written the beginning at all—that it didn't exist.

I rewrote the entire first chapter, using a different approach. The nice thing about word processing is that we can easily see which one works better and cut and paste the different beginnings in.

The first beginning had a lot of set-up written in. I incorporated it with humor, but a duck is a duck. It was set-up. And set-up slows down the pace—and is boring.

With the second beginning, I ditched the set-up. Instead I included foreshadowing to let the reader know to keep an eye on a particular character.

I completely removed, in my rewrite, several passages that were unnecessary. For example: I needed to have a particular character at another character's house. In the original beginning, I'd had a whole sequence to set that visit up. Boring.

In the second version, I just opened the scene with the visit and put in a passing reference to it in dialogue, "I'm glad you could come by, Jill, and help me out…"

Looking back at what I did, I'm thinking now that I should just immediately have done a total rewrite of the entire first chapter. Instead I spent a lot of time doing surface work on something that had a deeper problem. Yes, it did read better when I changed scenes around and toyed with my sentence structure. But, for this instance anyway, I got much better results with the radical rewrite.

Update Oct. 2011—I'm actually doing a lot of revision work right now and have again noticed that rewriting a scene can be much better, time-wise, than tinkering with a badly-written scene in twenty different ways. I also tend to get better results. It helps, I think, if I haven't memorized the old scene…and only know the gist of it and what I'm trying to accomplish.

Have you had success with radical rewrites?

Note—this post is part of my Retro Wednesdays that I'm running to help me find extra writing time through the end of the year. This post first ran in December 2009.

Changing Our Routines for Writing and Life

[image error]by Elizabeth S. Craig @elizabethscraig

I'm definitely a creature of habit. I have a morning routine for getting the kids off to school, and if I mess up one part of it, there's a sort of domino effect of screw-ups that happen.

But as life and schedules have gotten more complicated with a busy family life, I've tried to be more flexible and responsive. Sometimes I'll do a better job with that than others. Now I can at least fake being flexible.

With writing, I'm able to squeeze it into miniscule amounts of time at the drop of a hat. This is just a response to a packed schedule (and a schedule that I'm not totally in control of.)

Squeezing writing in is a lot easier if:

You're prepared. You'll need index cards or a small notebook and something to write with.

You know where you left off. And I wouldn't waste time reading what you just wrote…that will burn up your time right there. Just make a quick note at the end of each writing session to remind you where you were.

You can block people and noises out. It takes a little getting used to, but yes, you can make the whole world disappear. After a while, actually, it's tough to bring it back…

You're forgiving of your efforts. If you're squeezing writing time in, then it's not the time to except perfect prose.

Then, there comes a time when you're not squeezing writing in. It's time to put more time into writing.

There are different ways to add writing time to your day (but most of them aren't fun):

Sleep less. I've done this. It's okay, but after a while I start looking like something out of Night of the Living Dead. I write more on the front end of my day…in the morning, instead of at night.

Take vacation time from work or spend a weekend writing. Here I'm luckier because I'm at home. Weekends are my busy times because the family is home.

Spend less time online or engaged in other activities. Set timers for online time, turn off the television, etc.

Right now, trying again to be flexible, I need to write more. I'm editing a book, brainstorming another, beginning one that's due in May, and coming up with a new series premise. And I have a book launching on November 1 (the 3rd book in the Memphis BBQ series—Hickory Smoked Homicide.) I'm sleeping a bit less, but it's looking like I need some more writing time. :)

I'm moving for the next couple of months to a M-W-F-Sun schedule of blogging until I get ahead with the writing I'm working on. And Wednesdays will be a retro-post day. But guest bloggers are more than welcome for Tues/Thurs. spots (or the M-W-F ones, for that matter, too.) If you've read a good book lately and want to share it, I'm opening Saturdays up for that.

Do you ever change your schedule to include more writing? How do you do it?

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: Progressive Dinner Deadly is a Myrtle Clover mystery, available for $2.99 on Kindle and Nook. The 3rd book in the Memphis Barbeque series will release November 1—Hickory Smoked Barbeque (available now for preorder).

The Wrong & Right Ways to Solicit Book Reviews: http://bit.ly/qq2eIP @JodyHedlund

6 Fear-Busting Writer Tips: http://bit.ly/mSzWka @TiceWrites

Time management for time-strapped writers: http://bit.ly/pIUglg @gretchenroberts @hopeclark

An Agent's Advice for Character Creation and Plotting - Keep It Real: http://bit.ly/qK7nzi @greyhausagency

Pulling yourself out of a funk so you can write: http://bit.ly/r8HuyW @fearofwriting

The Non-Fictional Sense of Wonder (by Sandra Tayler): http://bit.ly/qtaGX4

How to get your book noticed by librarians--or not: http://bit.ly/q2ZFxS @BryanThomasS

When your day disappears--thoughts on reclaiming it: http://bit.ly/oZQVvL @jillkemerer

8 Ways To Be (Artistically) Out Of Step With The Times: http://bit.ly/pgarIY by Brian Hodge

Nail Your NaNoWriMo: How to Plan Your Story: http://bit.ly/pA6t0a @storyfix

Dueling Agent Advice on Writing Blogs: http://bit.ly/oxWeG6 @AnneRAllen

The 80/20 equation for your writing time: http://bit.ly/p57Yn1 @Margo_L_Dill

2 misconceptions of new writers: http://bit.ly/nT9goE @dirtywhitecandy

Amazon's Kindle Fire Will Never Kill the iPad: http://bit.ly/nX3xHA @PassiveVoiceBlg

Enterprise Authors: Rethinking the E-Book Revolution: http://bit.ly/qGwLQJ @selfpubreview

Why and How Your First 12 to 15 Scenes are Different: http://bit.ly/rb4mhu @storyfix

Rethinking Motivation for Character Arc: http://bit.ly/qQha79 @VictoriaMixon

Using Feedback to Better Your Work: http://bit.ly/qJ1UYD @FantasyFaction

4 fears writers face and tips for conquering them: http://bit.ly/p0vrEC @kalayna

The Middle Grade Voice: http://bit.ly/qNJcn5 @KristinHalbrook

Advice on writing poetry: http://bit.ly/obpVAk @write_practice

A Guide to Alienating Editors: http://bit.ly/oSzfZe by Rebecca Coleman

Why You Need to Write Every Day: http://bit.ly/mPUMwv @JeffGoins

Nail Your NaNoWriMo: Take a Hike: http://bit.ly/qzytUE @storyfix

Creativity is connecting things: http://bit.ly/rnT13Q @sierragodfrey

How to Grow Your Twitter Followers: http://bit.ly/nBVvkK @BubbleCow

Learning to Write: The Limitations of Books About Writing: http://bit.ly/oLLkDK by David Coe

The 4-Hour Novel: How to Balance Work, Life, Blogging and Your Passion: http://bit.ly/nC4CXE @OllinMorales

How to Get Started Mind Mapping Your Book (and everything else): http://bit.ly/ogruJM @JFBookman

Tips for writing fight scenes: http://bit.ly/qiVbbQ @FantasyFaction

Journey of a Debut Author: http://bit.ly/oO4WH4 @JoanSwan

Enjoying my interview w/@VictoriaMixon, which runs in 2 weeks.Victoria's latest interview, with @TheCreativePenn: http://tinyurl.com/3vd82n7

A warning to writers about pursuing newer publishers: http://bit.ly/oeNG5c @behlerpublish

Reasons Your Characters Might Not Use Secret Identities: http://bit.ly/o56GIk by B. McKenzie

A rating system for books? http://bit.ly/qSn79E @WriteAngleBlog

Rewriting Part 1: Dealing with Plot: http://bit.ly/rnWy9a @AmySueNathan

Why 1 agent goes to writing conferences: http://bit.ly/mXFP6f @RachelleGardner #pubtip

7 Types of Creative Block (and What to Do About Them): http://bit.ly/qifH5U @the99percent

Psychology Of Writing: 5 States Of Success: http://bit.ly/n4gthW @thecreativepenn

The Changing Face of Book Rights: http://bit.ly/qHyzrQ @pubperspectives

Book Review Blogs with Massive Followers: http://bit.ly/rcygo8 @veiledvirtues

The power of opposites in our story: http://bit.ly/p3aWAM

Everything affects characterization: bit.ly/q5tDPx @p2p_editor

Amazon Launches Sci-Fi & Horror Imprint: http://bit.ly/r4fOSL @GalleyCat

Writers Against Plagiarism: A Call to Action: http://bit.ly/oHVLAn @VictoriaStrauss

When to use quotation marks: http://bit.ly/nsEyFa @write_practice

An analysis of how e-publishing will affect traditional : http://oreil.ly/qurhp6 @JennWebb

If the query isn't working, maybe it's the book: http://bit.ly/ni7Up7 @BookEndsJessica

The Psychology of Attraction: Uncertainty: http://bit.ly/oVBZLw @lkblackburne

10 Ways to Irritate an Editor: http://bit.ly/qi2Byf @CherylRWrites

What the eBook Revolution Means and How Copywriters Can Prosper From It: http://bit.ly/mUi1Yv @SeanPlatt

4 Essential Elements to Writing a Great Blog Post: http://bit.ly/pBbBkC @JeffGoins

Are Writers without Business Sense Doomed? http://bit.ly/oqao9B @JamiGold

Character or Plot or Setting? Building Your Story's Universe: http://bit.ly/nbPb3q @4kidlit

10 Ways to Launch Strong Scenes: http://bit.ly/qFm1oF @WritersDigest

How 1 Writer Uses her MFA To Cultivate Creativity: http://bit.ly/oSwNJr @deborahconnolly

5 Great Bits of Wisdom from a New York Times Bestseller: http://bit.ly/pFmNSZ @susanmallery @jhansenwrites

A screenwriter & director provides insight on becoming a novelist: http://bit.ly/qkFcSE @novelrocket

Book Proposals in the Digital Age: http://bit.ly/q9aOkj @JaneFriedman

Characters that become real: http://bit.ly/p9WzMn

Urban Fantasy versus Paranormal Romance: http://bit.ly/ow3hSm @FantasyFaction

A writer's rant on blogging, platforms, & the pressure on writers: http://bit.ly/pWVb63 @RoniLoren

5 reasons blogging works for writers: http://bit.ly/oLFCj9 @SierraGodfrey

Don't send your book to an agent before it's finished: http://bit.ly/pcA9bz @BubbleCow #pubtip

Make your setting a character: http://bit.ly/pGFKw6 @SusanMeissner

Plurals of proper names: http://bit.ly/nyxmQ3 by Mark Nichol

5 elements that make a story strong: http://bit.ly/ph4dMq @storyfix

Books about self-publishing should have gone through a book designer: http://bit.ly/qeSiQa @JFBookman

Theatrical roots & keeping our readers entertained: http://bit.ly/pJXCiQ @GeneLempp

The Evolving Model of the Entrepreneurial Novelist: http://bit.ly/nNanqx @SeanPlatt for @JaneFriedman

1 author's writing process: http://bit.ly/qy2c1W @MsAnnAguirre

Opposites in crime fiction and how they add to a mystery: http://bit.ly/qwJWST @mkinberg

Ramping up the Tension in our Fiction: http://bit.ly/opIEHx @keligwyn

eBook Library Check Out Up 200%: http://bit.ly/qG3DFA @ebooknewser

A Writer's Guide To A Healthy and Happy Marriage: http://bit.ly/pTVdec @OllinMorales

Tips on Marketing Your Novel: http://bit.ly/nm35cJ @Natalie_Lakosil

Writers who refuse to be taught: http://bit.ly/neCKwE @pegeditors

10 tips for writers: http://bit.ly/omy5SX @LynnetteLabelle

Surviving the Slushpile ...as a dyslexic: http://bit.ly/qjYqh2

How to read a book contract--litigation: http://bit.ly/mVog33 @PassiveVoiceBlg

10 writing lessons from Annie Proulx: http://bit.ly/pa8gZX @michellerafter

3 reasons to pull the plug on your novel: http://bit.ly/onsXve Marcus Brotherton for @RachelleGardner

On backlists, the future of footnotes, & ebook errors: http://bit.ly/oGl0Eo @Porter_Anderson for @JaneFriedman

20 More Smothered Verbs Set Free: http://bit.ly/nUWViJ by Mark Nichol

Beat sheets for your NaNoWriMo novel: http://bit.ly/nh6xMC @storyfix

9 tools for character development: http://bit.ly/pPoErm @BryanThomasS

The new world of publishing--cash flow: http://bit.ly/pJFGze @DeanWesleySmith

The power of commenting: http://bit.ly/nDeBdv @Blogussion

How to survey your readers: http://bit.ly/qSEeer @Rule17

3 tips for a good relationship with your editor: http://bit.ly/qnHQsl

Recycle your blog: http://bit.ly/o8B1We @chrisbrogan

On 1st and 2nd drafts: http://bit.ly/mY65uE @VictoriaMixon

Write your characters larger than life & they'll seem just right on the page: http://bit.ly/n3Qqiv @SarahAHoyt

What It Takes to Pull Off a Great Launch: http://bit.ly/ou5P7b @alexisgrant

Channeling your inner Word Wizard: http://bit.ly/nPuOjq @behlerpublish

Using symbolism in our writing (with Harry Potter used as an example): http://bit.ly/r8MEvA @HP4Writers

Alerts: Lobster Press and Dailey Swan Publishing: http://bit.ly/oNEVl8 @VictoriaStrauss

NaNoWriMo: The Right Rite of Passage for Writers: http://bit.ly/r9Jb4o @GeorgeAngus

How to Write Like a Professional: http://bit.ly/nK0uAJ @aliventures

Building Your Web Presence for Authors: Creating Effective Landing Pages: http://bit.ly/o7jDjy @LizzyFord2010

An agent urges writers to show confidence during the query process: http://bit.ly/mR8pmZ @BookEndsJessica

Is Amazon the Sauron of Publishing? http://bit.ly/r0gwKU by Michael A. Stackpole via @PassiveVoiceBlg

Why journalists should avoid analyzing word clouds: http://bit.ly/q9WVpo @harrisj

Making Sense of Digital Books for Kids: http://bit.ly/oFVh2E @ddonahoo

Alternatives for Getting Your Screenwriting Projects Off the Ground: http://bit.ly/rjxBIC @scriptmag

Lessons from the car dealership: http://bit.ly/qaVuJh

Tell, don't show! http://bit.ly/q14Ytg @bbeaulieu

On paid book blog tours: http://bit.ly/rpIjFh @BlurbIsAVerb

NaNoWriMo tip--surrender to the process: http://bit.ly/n6A6qU @Storyfix

Trying to Promote Your Work? Maybe It's Time To Go Back To School: http://bit.ly/pQku1S @darrenpillsbury

3 Questions Every Creative Person Must Ask: http://bit.ly/qKwZId @JaneFriedman

Yes, writers can crush it on Kindle this Christmas: http://bit.ly/oFnECH @SeanPlatt for @thecreativepenn

A critiqued synopsis: http://bit.ly/oPZ38m @nicolamorgan #pubtip

Why sweet romances aren't boring: http://bit.ly/pq6LED @JodyHedlund for @RoniLoren

Starting A New Book: Why Some Things We Never Learn: http://bit.ly/pzdIss @BTMargins

Keeping too much realism out of crime fiction: http://bit.ly/q37SYa @mkinberg

Best Articles This Week for Writers 10/14/11: http://bit.ly/nPwwSi @4kidlit

10 Ways Your Friends Can Help You Sell More Books: http://bit.ly/opEUTe @bdunc1

After 5 books, 1 author still questions calling himself a writer: http://bit.ly/nnBAmW by Rick Gekoski

Wake up early to write: http://bit.ly/pclZ9p @SimonCLarter

A life in : Terry Pratchett: http://bit.ly/qUT2ef @alisonflood

Screenwriting--write it funny or they'll cut it: http://bit.ly/qw6DLO @scriptmag #screenwriting

Putting the A in YA: http://bit.ly/pbfmQx @sarahlapolla

Why "branding" won't save the creative class: http://bit.ly/niA1BD @salon

How to write fiction: Geoff Dyer on freedom: http://bit.ly/ptv3zm

Three Parts to Every Story: Endings: http://bit.ly/ojcFXr @fuelyourwriting

Writing through doubt: http://bit.ly/phNPl7 @carleenbrice

Writing Rules vs. Rules of Thumb: http://bit.ly/nHKUax @thomasroche

Perfecting your YA voice: http://bit.ly/pjnqMC @ingridsundberg

Secrets in Your Story and Why You Should Keep Them Until The Very End: http://bit.ly/oQc2CR @OllinMorales

Should writers learn fiction writing techniques or dive into writing? http://bit.ly/oKDkmk @JodyHedlund

The rewards of journaling our lives: http://bit.ly/pusUdG @literarymama

"Something a composer 'says' in music can help me 'hear' what I need for a chapter."@Porter_Anderson http://bit.ly/qLaSlS via @VictoriaMixon

Why 1 writer is happy with her small press publishers: http://bit.ly/pCSwWy @MarilynMeredith

Tool time: Using Dropbox to back up your work: http://bit.ly/qV9lUl @caxdj

An agent states that voice *can* change (especially when needed, to suit publisher needs): http://bit.ly/qqjSyy @greyhausagency

How to speak publisher - C is for Copy editor: http://bit.ly/nkFgvQ @annerooney

On National Novel Writing Month: http://bit.ly/qfu2ix by Mark Nichol

Is Your Book a Hobby or a Business? Thinking like an entrepreneur: http://bit.ly/nUbgyT @BookMarketer

Should You Write When You're Tired? http://bit.ly/oKutef @boonieschick

The political possibilities of SF: http://bit.ly/p3h36q by Damien Walter

How the National Book Awards made themselves irrelevant: http://bit.ly/ncVBv5 @magiciansbook

8 Expert Tips for Building Effective Email Lists: http://bit.ly/pKB5kn

Why teens should read adult fiction: http://bit.ly/nNkiJq by Brian McGreevy @Salon

Writing, Editing and The Cliffs of Despair: http://bit.ly/rbi8d5 @msforster

7 things 1 writer has learned so far: http://bit.ly/o3ak25 @samrvamos

Making Your "Sing" Like the Beatles: http://bit.ly/nJNd0z @JeffGoins

Addiction in Historical Romance: http://bit.ly/nIVEhf @unzadi

Is the Booker Prize really being dumbed down? http://tgr.ph/n9pcU2 @alainmas

6 ways for our blog to work for us behind the scenes: http://bit.ly/qwt9VD @KarenGowen

Barnes & Noble Assumes Control of Borders' Web Presence: http://bit.ly/pR3BoZ @galleycat

Adult Hardcover Sales Rose 33% in July, But That Didn't Help the Year Much: http://bit.ly/oQMut2 @PassiveVoiceBlg