Riley Adams's Blog, page 37
September 26, 2021
Pros and Cons of Outlining
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I still think of myself as a very reluctant outliner. It's definitely my least-favorite part of the creative process. Brainstorming is fun, drafting is fun. Even editing can be very satisfying. But outlining? Not so much for me.
I started out as a pantser, making up my mysteries as I went along. I was, actually, pretty good at this. Then, one day, I ran right into a huge plot hole just a week or two before my deadline for Penguin. That was the last un-outlined book I've ever written.
I don't think outlining is an either/or proposition. I think there's room for a little middle ground. Even if you don't have a plan for your entire book, you could create a mini-outline for your next writing session…just a sentence or two giving you some direction when you pick up your project again.
Here are my thoughts on the pros and cons of the outlining process, as I see them.
Pros of OutliningI write faster. Soo much faster. That's because I don't even have to mull things over when I open my laptop: I just write whatever my outline tells me to write that day.
I don't have plot holes. My plot works because I've already tested it through a full outline.
I'm able to jump from series to series without having a hard time working on a series I haven't written in for months because everything is laid out for me.
Because I have a roadmap, I don't worry about the book very much as I'm writing it. I know the book will be finished and that everything in the story will work.
I get my covers done for the next book several months before I even begin drafting the story. After penning an outline, I write the back cover copy and the book designer goes off that.
After any sort of a break (like the one I took last December), it makes it much easier to dive back into the story.
Cons of OutliningTime. It takes me about a week to fill out an outline for a project. My outline includes all the parts of a mystery, but also the subplots and what's happening to the secondary characters in the story.
For several books after I started outlining, I felt that my writing was a little flat or a little stilted, which had to be fixed in subsequent drafts. After getting better at following an outline, these problems disappeared.
Writing short. When I started following an outline, my writing got tighter and my books became shorter. Sometimes I do have to add more words in second drafts.
Less fun? I still really enjoy writing, but I do miss the days when I'd just make things up as I went along.
I've decided that outlining works better for me, despite the drawbacks. But I'm wondering what your writing process is like. Do you write the story organically, or do you outline?
Pros and Cons of Outlining:
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September 25, 2021
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 61,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.
Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.
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September 19, 2021
Adding A+ Content to Your Amazon Book Pages
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I do a good deal of shopping on Amazon and have found that items having the enhanced product description section (a photo and text collage) seem somehow more appealing. A lot of items in my order history have those enhanced product descriptions (what Amazon calls ‘A+ Content). Like the yard shoes below:
So of course I was interested when I learned that Amazon is now extending A+ Content to indie authors. In fact, I've already added it to my book pages there.
The process is easy enough, even for someone with little design ability. This is how I approached it:
First:Read the guidelines…Amazon's dos and don'ts. They do have quite a few of them. One big takeaway is that you can't use customer reviews in your content, but you can use editorial reviews from well-known publications or people (if you have a blurb from a public figure, for instance).
To make the process easier:Make a list of your books' ASINs. I had mine separated by series.
Get the image requirements for the various modules and create your content on a service like Canva.
And, again, make sure you understand the guidelines first. Otherwise, your content will be rejected.
Look at examples from authors' book pages. I've listed some later in this post.
Creating A+ Content:Sign into your KDP dashboard.
Click on the marketing tab.
Scroll down to A+ Content and choose a marketplace (I've started out with the US, although I need to extend my reach now)
Click “Manage A+ Content”
Click the blue “Start Creating A+ Content” button in the top-right
Name your content (I did it by series since some of my modules were different for different series) and “Add Module”
Choose the modules, or templates, that you want to use and upload your images to them.
Then click the blue “Apply ASINs” in the top-right.
Fortunately, for those of us with 18 books in a series, you can add more than one ASIN at a time. Unfortunately, the ASIN upload process seemed both slow and glitchy. Sometimes I had to save the draft, go back to the previous page, and then try again. When it works, you select which books you want the A+ Content for.
Click the blue “Review and Submit” button in the top-right.
It took about 3 business days for Amazon to approve my first application but only a day for them to approve my application for 2 other series.
Examples:Amazon listed author detail page examples here.
My newsletter from Reedsy showed a couple of examples…from a romance writer and a suspense writer:
I decided to feature a few interview questions and some reviews I had from publications. I tweaked the content between series, but you can get the idea from this:
I have to admit that, in terms of promo-related activities, this one didn't take too long and was oddly satisfying by the end.
Have you set up A+ Content on your book pages? Any tips that I've missed listing here?
Tips for setting up A+ Content for your books' Amazon pages:
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September 18, 2021
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 61,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.
Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.
Business / MiscellaneousFrom Self-Published Book To A Life-Changing Health Movement: @gin_stephens @thecreativepennSteer Your Writing Career: @FinishedPages @womenonwriting10 Quick Tips For Your Writer’s Resumé: @Bang2writeDo You Need A CRM Software As A Freelance Writer? @ashleygainerAudiobooks: Your Guide to the Fastest Growing Format: @ReedsyHQSelf-publishing News: Mailchimp Sold for $12billion: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIBooktok: how TikTok and Gen Z re-invented the book club: by Alex Bryson @PulsarPlatformWhat to Do When You’re Approached by an Overseas Publisher: @IndieAuthorALLIBook Contracts: Let’s Talk Money: @kate_mckean @CatapultStoryConferences and Events / Miscellaneous37th IBBY International Congress Held in Moscow and Online: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesJerusalem Book Forum Extends Birger Fellowship Deadline: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe UK’s Booker Prize for Fiction Names Its 2021 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson | Anuk Arudpragasam, Damon Galgut, @TriciaLockwood, @thesailorsgirl , Richard Powers, and @MaggieShipstead |@TheBookerPrizes @pubperspectivesUS National Book Awards 2021 Longlist: Translated Literature: @Porter_Anderson @nationalbook @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / First NovelsAdvice for Beginning Writers: by Amy Wilson @GoodStoryCoCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers7 Books to Generate Sad Serotonin: @eraustinauthor @ElectricLit7 Coming-of-Age Mysteries That Capture The Oddness of the Moment in Question: by Rachel Donohue @CrimeReadsGrim, Run-Down Towns in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg12 Books That Break the Rules of Point of View: by Sophie Stein @ElectricLitCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingHow To Develop Habit Hop-Ons: @10minnovelistCreating a Writing Routine…And Sticking With the Game Plan: @slawriter89Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life13 Authors Redefining the Novel Without Being Obnoxious About It: @helpfulsnowman @LitReactor3 Things You Should Know Before You Publish Your Book: @losapalaInundated with Writing Advice: @AuthorSATThe Long and Winding Road of Writing a Novel: @KMazerov @WomenWritersInvestments and Returns in the Writing Life: @theljsharks @DIYMFAHow Agatha Christie Helped Popularize Surfing—Yes, Surfing: by Jim Kempton @CrimeReadsThe Importance of Persistence in a Writer’s Life: @GoIntoTheStory10 Tips to Stack Your Writing Mind’s Positivity Deck: by Bryan E. Robinson @KillerNashvilleTransitioning from nonfiction to fiction: @ReadAlessandra with Michael Paul HurdGenres / FantasyFantasy Inspired by Greek Mythology: @Emily_R_King @DIYMFAHow to Create Fantasy Villains: @Kellie_Doherty @FantasyFactionGenres / HorrorHow to Avoid Clichés When Writing Horror: @HorrorTreeGenres / MiscellaneousConsiderations When Choosing Your Niche Genre: @LiveWriteThriveThe Facts About Writing and Publishing in Multiple Genres: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitGenres / MysteryDisappearances and Searches as Elements in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Short StoriesHow to Turn Your Short Story into a Book: by Savannah Cordova @ReedsyHQ @shaylaleeraquelPromo / MiscellaneousEvery Author’s Four-Letter Word: #Mktg: @JanSikes3How to Create a Book Trailer with Book Brush – with Corey Alderin: @SelfPubFormHow to Build an ARC Review Team for your Book Launch: @DaveChesson @annerallenPromo / NewslettersWhat to Put in Your Author Newsletter: @inkbitspixelsPublishing / MiscellaneousStandard Book Sizes in Publishing: Which Should You Choose? @DaveChessonSaga Egmont Partners with the UK’s Muswell and Violet Gaze Presses: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesHow Marginalized Authors Are Transforming Gothic Fiction: @KalynnBayron @tordotcomTips for Growing a Wattpad Audience: @dkparsonswriter @SelfPubFormPublishing / News / International PublishingBook Aid International: Back to School Reading for 290,883: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_AidSurvey: Canadians Say They’re Reading More Diverse Books: @Porter_Anderson | @pubperspectivesAudiobooks in Russia: Storytel and LitRes Cite Rising Interest: by Eugene Gerden @pubperspectivesGermany Honors Its ‘Most Beautiful Regional Book': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesBeijing International Book Fair Now Open, After COVID-19 Delay: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCanada's Kids Can Press Opens a ‘Black Write' Incubator with Nelvana: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSourcebooks’ International Rights and Sales: A Booster from Bloom Books: @Porter_Anderson @Sourcebooks @pubperspectivesRights Roundup: Quick Sales for a Vietnamese Conservationist and Her Sun Bear: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingInspirational Indie Author Interview. Phil Simon: The Future of Indie Publishing Is All About Collaboration: @Howard_Lovy @philsimon @IndieAuthorALLIPublishing / Process / Legalities“Why and How I Got My Rights Back from HarperCollins”: @annabdavid @JaneFriedmanPublishing / Process / Services to AvoidAdelaide Books: A Watchdog Advisory: @JohnDoppler @IndieAuthorALLIWriting Craft / Characters / ArcFour Easy Ways to Choose the Most Impactful Character Arc for Your Story: by Jodi Clark @KingdomPenMagArchetypal Character Arcs: How to Use Archetypal Character Arcs in Your Stories: @KMWeilandWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentHow to Create Characters Your Reader Cares About: @PeggySueWells @EdieMelsonCharacter Motivation: Tips And Tricks: @KMAllan_writerWriting Craft / Common MistakesShowing vs. Telling: @TheRyanLanzFive Fiction Faux Pas: @AndreaMerrellWriting Craft / Dialogue3 Quick Fixes for Your Dialogue: @jessicastrawser @CareerAuthorsMastering the Art of of Writing Dialogue: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmGreat Scene: “Double Indemnity”: @GoIntoTheStorySix Twists That Hurt the Story: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsPage One: “Pleasantville” (1998): @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “Prometheus” (2012): @GoIntoTheStoryGreat Scene: “Fight Club”: @GoIntoTheStoryScript To Screen: “Up”: @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “Saving Private Ryan” (1998): @GoIntoTheStoryCan you edit like Jane Austen? @pubcoachWriting Craft / Literary DevicesWhat's Story Tone? @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / MiscellaneousGetting Specific With Details: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsWhat is Plot Armor? @cyallowitz5 Story Structures to Use in Your Writing: @themaltesetigerPhysical Journeys in Fiction: @SophieMasson1 @WriterUnboxedWriting believable scenes in your novel: @ReadAlessandraAccents: A How (not) To: @FionaQuinnBooksTackling Subplots: @writingandsuchWriting Our Country: @DavidCorbett_CA @WriterUnboxedFive Simple Ways to Make Your Prose Easier to Read: by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsWriting Craft / PacingOn Pacing: Faster than the Speed of Thought: @DonMaass @WriterUnboxedWriting Craft / POVCan I Conceal Information in a First-Person Viewpoint? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarWhich Is Correct: Everyday or Every Day? @mindofkyleam @ProWritingAidWriting Craft / RevisionNext Steps for Rewriting Your Novel: @LindasclareWriting Craft / Revisions / Critiques6 types of story feedback and what to do with each: by Michael BjorkBeta Readers, It’s About the Book – Not You: @mrsgiannoccaro @TheRyanLanzWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionHow Much Detail Do You Need In A Novel? @MiaJouBotha @Writers_WriteFood sensuality in fiction: @DevonEllington @TheWriterMagWriting Craft / SynopsesThe Dreaded Synopsis: A Few Tips: by Mandy Miller @RMFWritersWriting Craft / World-BuildingStory World Concepts: @KiingoCreativeUncategorizedFind Your Topic, Not Your Voice: @CatBaabMuguira @JaneFriedman
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September 12, 2021
5 Story Structures to Use in Your Writing
by John Kerr, @themaltesetiger
Let's talk about regrets. We all have them, right? For me, it was not realizing how important structure was to my writing life. I used to start stories or essays at random. Sometimes I'd type them out on my phone, sometimes I'd grab my laptop. I would save every document in a different place. Sometimes I'd write in the morning, sometimes I would write at night.
Do you know what that got me?
A bunch of unfinished writing projects!
But then I found a structure- get up every day at 5 am, write and edit for one to two hours, have specific daily goals, then go to work. That structure is what grew my blog, the Art of Narrative, from a few hundred monthly visitors to a few thousand. And, trust me, a good structure will transform your writing life as well. You just have to find one!
But, structure isn't just about finding time to write. A helpful story structure can unlock the mysteries of story-telling. Structures get you from a vague story idea to a completed narrative with engaging characters and an exciting plot.
Rather than creating cookie-cutter narratives, story structure will give you the freedom to be creative. A story structure will guide the decisions you make about your plot, characters, and theme. And, a good structure will unleash your creative potential!
Lucky for all of us, there are plenty of story structures to choose from! So, let's talk about five structures you can use to write your next story!
The Hero's JourneyIf you're just starting out on your writer's journey, then the hero's journey is probably your best option when it comes to story structure.
Why do I say that? Because the hero's journey is one of the more detailed structures out there. That's why most Hollywood blockbusters follow the hero's journey structure pretty closely. The hero's journey is a well-worn and successful story design.
Your tale will have an engaging plot and a solid character arc for your protagonist by following the hero's journey. That's why I used this structure when I wrote my book, The Story Writing Workbook, designed to help beginning writers complete their first story!
Let's break down the hero's journey a bit. I'm not going to talk about the entire structure because it's twelve stages, and that's a whole article on its own. I have a blog post covering the journey in full if you're interested over at the artofnarrative.com. But, here's a quick rundown:
hero is presented in their everyday world 
inciting event calls the hero to act hero is fearful and refuses to act hero meets mentor hero leaves home hero is tested/ makes friends & enemies hero makes plans plans fail/ hero loses something important hero gains something valuable her recovers from loss hero sacrifices/ triumphs hero returns home victorious
Obviously, there's a lot more to it than that. In fact, In my workbook, I spend an entire chapter on each stage. But, as great as the hero's journey is, it's not the only way to tell a story. There are even genre-specific structures like the one we'll talk about next.
Monster in a HouseScreenwriter, and author of Save the Cat, Blake Snyder, coined the phrase Monster in the House to describe a typical structure of many horror films and stories. This structure is broken down into three essential points.
A monster: a character that is evil and possesses other-worldly strength or power.The House: an enclosed space that traps the characters with the beast.A sin: an action by one or more characters that brought the Monster into the House.Now, let's look at a practical example of the Monster in the House structure through the lens of the 1979 classic horror film, Alien.
The Monster- a ferocious and bloodthirsty alien, born on a mysterious planet.
The House- the Nostromo, a commercial space vessel and her seven-member crew on a deep-space journey, far from Earth.
The Sin- Ash, a secret android, programmed by the Corporate owners of the Nostromo to bring the alien back to Earth.
The Monster in the House is a beautiful structure if your goal is to build tension, convey a theme, and scare the pants off your reader.
Cinderella StoryThis is just one of several structures made famous by author Kurt Vonnegut. The Cinderella Story is one of eight structures that Vonnegut called the “shapes of stories.” If you'd like to learn about all eight, here is a clip of Vonnegut describing each of them. But, we'll only discuss this one because Vonnegut described the Cinderella story as the most popular story shape in Western culture.
Here's how the Cinderella Story operates according to Vonnegut:
(By the way, you probably already guessed this structure is based on the classic fairy tale of the same name.)
The character starts at their lowest possible point. Something terrible has happened to them that they've never recovered from.
Ex. Cinderella suffers her mother's death, and her father marries a terrible woman with three equally awful daughters.
The character experiences incremental good fortune that lifts them from their low station.
Ex. Cinderella meets a fairy godmother who gives her a dress, makeup, and a carriage to travel to the royal ball. At the ball, she dances with the handsome prince.
The character loses all of that good fortune in a single moment and drops to almost their lowest point.
Ex. The clock strikes midnight, and the fairy godmother's magic disappears. Cinderella returns to her every day, terrible, life but she'll remember the night of the ball forever.
The character regains all of their good fortune and lives happily ever after.
Ex. The prince finds Cinderella, the glass slipper fits, and they are married.
That might be the most popular story structure in Western culture, but let's talk about a form from Eastern culture.
The Four-Act StoryThe Four-Act structure is usually described as originating in Japan or Korea. Although the structure's history stretches far into the past, it is used to this day in many manga and anime stories.
Now, as a person who has lived in the U.S. their entire life, I can't completely describe the four-act structure to you. The truth is, I lack the cultural context needed to be considered an expert. I will break down the four parts of this structure, but please watch this video to better understand the four-part story structure.
The 4 Part Structure
Step 1: set up your story
Step 2: expand on your premise and develop characters
Step 3: introduce a twist that completely upends your premise
Step 4: conclude your story; resolution and conflict aren't required though
Dramatic StructureThis is the one we all learned about in school. The dramatic structure breaks down into five acts; think of any Shakespeare play you read in high school. Here are the five acts of dramatic structure:
Exposition: this is setup, where the audience gets to know characters, settings, and a hint of the coming conflict.
Rising Action: the story starts to pick up here. Characters encounter conflicts that slowly increase the tension of the story and lead to the climax.
Climax: the story's turning point and the highest point of tension in the narrative.
Denouement: closes all its arcs, and the conflict is resolved.
Those are just a few of the countless story structures that are out there for the budding writer to use. I encourage you to find the structure that fits your style and one that you are comfortable using.
Or, if you're brave enough, you can write with no structure at all! That's totally fine. What's most important is that you sit down and write just about every freaking day!
Good luck with your next story!
About the author:
Hi! I'm John Kerr, and I'm a writer and a teacher. You can find most of my work over at my blog, The Art of Narrative, where I write instructional posts on fiction, poetry, and non-fiction prose. Recently I launched my first ebook, The Story Writing Workbook. The Story Writing Workbook is a step-by-step guide designed to help writers craft their stories.
You can follow me on Twitter @themaltesetiger,
Or sign up for my newsletter, and get a free chapter download of my workbook!
I've also just launched the Art of Narrative Podcast, and I would love for you to check it out!
5 Story Structures to Use in Your Writing (by @themaltesetiger ):
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September 11, 2021
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 61,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.
Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.
Business / MiscellaneousBefore Narrating a Novel: Audiobook Production Tips: @tara_k_ross @A3writersCopy Editing: The Complete Guide: @DaveChessonLine Editing: Definition and Examples: @DaveChessonSelf-publishing News: Salman Rushdie Turns to Substack: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIQR Code Generator for Authors: @DaveChessonInteractive Storytelling Opportunities for Authors, With Amy Stapleton: @chatables @IndieAuthorALLIConferences and Events / MiscellaneousWarsaw Book Fair Returns in Physical Rendition, September 9 to 12: @jaroslawadamows @pubperspectivesBritish Academy Book Prize Announces Its 2021 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @BritishAcademy_ @pubperspectivesThis Week's Reykjavík International Literary Festival : ‘Cozy Venues': @Porter_Anderson @LitRvk @pubperspectivesThe UK's International Booker Prize Announces a New Juror: @Porter_Anderson @VivGroskop @pubperspectivesIndustry Notes: A Digital Charles Clark Memorial Lecture: September 29: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSusanna Clarke Is Named Winner of the 2021 Women’s Prize for Fiction: @Porter_Anderson @WomensPrize @BloomsburyBooks @CubaPictures @TheCBG @pubperspectivesNonfiction: The UK’s £50,000 Baillie Gifford Prize 2021 Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @BGPrize @praddenkeefe @_TharikHussain @calflyn @Arifa_Akbar Harald Jähner @pubperspectivesNancy Pearl Is National Book Foundation’s 2021 Literarian Award Recipient: @Porter_Anderson | @Nancy_Pearl @nationalbook @pubperspectivesConferences and Events / NaNoWriMoHow to Win Nano with a 40-Hour Work Week: @HelloImbea @NaNoWriMoCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersExamples of Characters Being “Pushed Too Far” in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergFamous Fashion Designers as Elements in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergFive Great Movies Based on Patricia Highsmith Books (That Aren't the Ripley Adaptations): @TTafelski @CrimeReads6 Stories That Find Drama in Utopian Settings: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's Block4 Copywriting Templates That Will Help You Beat Writer’s Block: @NicoleJBianchiProcrastination vs. Real Writing Crisis: How to Tell the Difference: @colleen_m_story @onestop4writersCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing QuicklyStrange Methods: Michael Moorcock's 3-Day Novel: @TheLincolnCreativity and Inspiration / Writing Life4 Reasons to Wait Before Moving On With Your Manuscript: @KathrynR47 @TheRyanLanzWhich writers have the best tombstone inscriptions? @prepartynap @lithubNoticing Small Details as a Writer: by Robin Moyer @wvancampFive Ways to Unlock Memories When Writing from Your Life: @eLizMarcus @DIYMFADo You Read Your Reviews on Amazon? @hopeclarkHow to be an Everyday Star: Lessons From 4 Famous Authors: @RuthHarrisBooks5 Times It’s Okay to Write Just for Fun: @colleen_m_story @TheIWSGThe Pulp Writer’s Mindset: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsThe Conscious Writer: Taking Back Your Creative Power: @LisaPoissoBecoming a Writer: Calibrating the Work Against the Pleasure: by Pam Valois @WomenWritersStory and the Question of Self-Identity: @GoIntoTheStoryA Story Journal Experiment: @AnneJanzerImportant Rules for Writing — Or Not? @Peter_Rey_6 Things to Avoid When Creating a Writing Habit: @radekpazdera @shaylaleeraquelTales of marginalia: @austinkleonThe Golden Years of Writing: by Linda LaneGenres / Middle-GradeChapter Book Legend Debbie Dadey: @DebbieDadey @Write4KidsGenres / MiscellaneousTips On Writing Travel Memoirs That Every Writer Should Know: by Manas Patil @TheRyanLanzGenres / MysteryHandling High Profile Cases in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergCrime Fiction: What Makes The Suburbs So Terrifying? by Aggie Blum Thompson @CrimeReadsUncertainty as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Picture BooksStory or Illustrations, Which Comes First? @KarenCVPromo / Book ReviewsHow To Write A Good Book Review – The Amazon Review: from Self-Publishing ReviewPromo / Miscellaneous6 Tips for Your Social Media Book Marketing Plan: @BookgalUnique Author Branding and Content Ideas Using September Observances: @BookgalPromo / NewslettersHow to Get More Email Subscribers: @RobynRostePromo / Social Media TipsThe rise of BookTok: meet the teen influencers pushing books up the charts: @alisonflood @GuardianBooksPublishing / MiscellaneousAhead of COP26: Elsevier Joins the 2040 Climate Pledge: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesRights Roundup: Thrillers by Women, and Garden Travels: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesExact Editions Partners with IPA and Save the Children on a COP26 Showcase: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @IntPublishersHow to Create and Publish an Audiobook with ACX: @claytonnoblit @WrittenWordMAmazon Popularity Effect: How Amazon Treats Book Discoverability: @DaveChessonInclusivity in Indie Publishing: A Guide for Authors: @IndieAuthorALLIUniversity Presses Review the ‘Books for Understanding' Prompted by 9/11: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingGermany’s First Half of 2021: Ebook Dynamics, and Libraries: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSouth Korea-Based Webtoon Announces a DC Comics Partnership: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe 2021 Ottaway: India’s Seagull Books Founder Naveen Kishore: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingHow much does it cost to self-publish? That depends: @Roz_MorrisPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying10 Mistakes Authors Make When Receiving an Offer of Representation: @BookEndsJessicaHow to Write a Query Letter: 3 Paragraphs That Hook a Literary Agent: by Abigail Perry @StoryGrid @write_practicePublishing / Process / ISBNsWhat Is An ISBN? 11 Facts For Self-Publishing Authors: @DaveChessonPublishing / Process / Legalities5 Tips for Authors When Negotiating their Author Agreements: @PerryLiterary @annerallenWriting Craft / BeginningsHow To Introduce a Character in a Novel: by Katie Khan @thenovelryWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsSeven Ways to Add Complexity to Your Villain: by Jodi Clark @KingdomPenMagDeveloping Your Villain: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentRelationship Thesaurus Entry: Nanny and Child: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writersExploring a Character’s Past Wound: by Tasha SeegmillerTips on Character Consistency: @writingandsuchWriting Craft / Common MistakesThe Number One Way to Alienate Your Readers: @ZenaDellLowe @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / DialogueHow to Write Dialogue (for Introverts): @StoryGridHow to Write Dialogue Accurately: @JodieRennerEdWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmLessons From Three Bad Fight Scenes: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsGreat Scene: “Broadcast News”: @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “Ordinary People” (1980): @GoIntoTheStoryGreat Scene: “Star Wars: Episode V: @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” (2012): @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / Literary DevicesThe Stimulation of Similes: @Shutta @FloridaWriters1Writing Craft / MiscellaneousImprove the Clarity of Your Writing: by Hayley Milliman @ProWritingAid @DIYMFAHow To Engage The Reader: @writingandsuchHow to Write Good Fiction: 4 Foundational Skills and How to Build Them: @JDEdwinAuthorBad Things and Good Characters: by Marilynn ByerlyUnderstanding Horses: Chasing Cows and Other Pursuits: @dancinghorse @tordotcomSkip the boring parts: @austinkleonWriting Craft / PacingWriting the Somehow: Pacing and Characters’ Changes: @LindasclareWriting Craft / POVFirst vs Third Person Point of View: What Makes Sense for Your Story? by Nicole Harms @BryanJCollinsWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingPlot Archetypes: @KiingoCreativeThe Pixar Storytelling Formula: An Inside Look: @mrisqueNonviolence and the Hero’s Duel: @GErtsgaard @sfwaWorking with a Three-Act Structure: @MorganHzlwoodWriting Craft / Word Crafting8 Words for Walking that have Surprising Origins: @GrammarGirlWriting Tools / Apps9 Reasons Scrivener Will Save Your Novel: @KathrynR47Writing Tools / ResourcesUseful Writing Resources: @writingandsuch
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September 4, 2021
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 61,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.
Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.
In observance of Labor Day, I won't be posting here tomorrow. See you next Sunday with another Twitterific!
Business / MiscellaneousHow to use IngramSpark for Pre-Orders with Amazon KDP Print: @WogahnWant to Work from Home? Consider Freelance Writing: @RobynRosteSelf-publishing News: Publishers File Lawsuit against Audible in Audiblegate latest: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIThe Ultimate Guide to Rights Reversion: @IndieAuthorALLIInterview: Adam Croft on IngramSpark and Amazon KDP Print Problems for Indie Authors: @JohnDoppler @IndieAuthorALLIAcronyms for Writers: by Kurt Schumacher @RMFWritersBusiness Musings: Putting All Your Eggs in One Basket: Amazon Edition: @KristineRuschConferences and Events / MiscellaneousAuma Obama To Give the German Book Trade Peace Prize Lecture: @Porter_Anderson @AumaObama @pubperspectivesIndonesia’s Jaktent Festival Prepares Its Second Year of Programming: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFrankfurter Buchmesse Outlines Trade Programming for October’s Events: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectivesBeijing International Book Fair Confirms New Dates: September 14 to 18: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesShortlist Named for the 2021 Accessible Books Consortium Award: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Careers in Writing and Day Jobs5 Tips for Balancing Writing and Your Full-Time Job: @kateallenwrites @DIYMFACreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersThe Scottish Anthropologist Who Inspired Dracula: @LaurieRKing @CrimeReadsThe Horror of Humanity: Gormenghast: The Horror of Tradition: @EnigmaticElegy @GNutsofHorror11 Modern Fantasies Based in Classic Mythology: by Carly Silver @tordotcom5 of the Best Apps for Taking Notes While Reading: @BryanJCollinsCozy Mystery Series Featuring Crime-Fighting Pets: @laurascottbooks @CrimeReadsA Tool for Building a More Diverse Home Book Collection for Children: @LEEandLOWWhy Reading Short Stories Is the Best Thing You Can Do for Your Writing: by Savannah Cordova @ReedsyHQFive Classic SF Stories About Lost Home Worlds: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomCrime Fiction: Police Partnerships with “Regular Guys” vs. Intellectuals: @MargotKinbergCreativity and Inspiration / MiscellaneousHow Web Content Writing Will Make You a Far Better Writer: @GarryRodgers1 @killzoneauthorsCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's Block4 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Start Writing Today: @be_writCreativity and Inspiration / Writing Life“Learning to Write My Truth as a Deaf Queer Writer”: @rosshowalter @CatapultStoryThings To Listen To When You’re Working: @writingandsuchCreativity Doesn't Have to be Hard: @losapalaFocus on the Ship, Not the Wake: @AnneJanzerBalancing Your Writing Career and Other Ambitions: by Beau Peters @theindiepubmagWhen You’re Always Going to Be the Second-Most Famous Writer in Your Marriage: @NealFAllen @lithubFeatured Writer on Wellness: Diane Bator: @bator_l @colleen_m_storyLessons in Teaching: When Your Student’s a Better Writer Than You Are: @ElyssaFriedland @lithubOn Managing Multiple Projects: by Bonnie RandallRituals to Help Conquer the Blank Page: @SWytovich @LitReactorOn Not Letting Ambition Take Over: @kristanhoffman @WriterUnboxedWriting and the Creative Life: What to do when you feel out of touch with your creative energy: @GoIntoTheStoryCultivating the Fearless Writer, On and Off the Page: @thomashenrypope @WriterUnboxedWant to Improve Your Writing? Stop Keeping Yourself Small: @losapalaYou Know More Than You Think: @reynagentin @WomenWritersMoving on To a New Book: @BookEndsJessicaLearning to Write About Your Own Children: by Wayne Miller @lithubGenres / FantasyBuilding a Fantasy Army — Recruitment & Logistics: by Toni Šušnjar @mythicscribesGenres / HorrorFive Icelandic Creatures Perfect for Horror: @VillimeyS @HorrorDNAHorror Writing: The Horrors Of Life: @jgreenewrites @HorrorTree3 Writing Tips From Famous Horror Authors: by Frank Hamilton @HorrorTreeGenres / MysteryHow Much Blood do You Need in a Crime Novel? @MiaJouBotha @Writers_WriteThe 30 Best Diner Scenes in Crime Movies, Ranked: @oldrutigliano @CrimeReadsUnreliable Narrators in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Non-FictionWhat Nonfiction Writers Should Learn—Or Unlearn—to Write Good Fiction: @PaulaSMunier @CareerAuthorsGenres / Picture BooksPodcast: Shakirah Bourne on Infusing a Manuscript with Magic and Authenticity: @shakirahwrites @Write4KidsGenres / PoetryDiscovering Ekphrasis Poetry: @thatpluckygirl@DIYMFAGenres / ScreenwritingThe Business of Screenwriting: Everything You Wanted to Know About Specs: Creating Buzz: @GoIntoTheStoryGenres / Short Stories25 Short Story Ideas: @BrynDonovanTips for Ending a Short Story: by Sara Kopeczky @TheRyanLanzPromo / BloggingHow to Monetize your Blog without Sacrificing Integrity: @BirdsOAFpress @NinaAmir5 Tips For Writing Guest Posts That Get Published: by Nicholas Rubright @Writers_WritePromo / Book Descriptions and CopywritingSome Unconventional Advice About How to Write the D*mn Blurb: @RuthHarrisBooksPromo / Book ReviewsHow to Get More Book Reviews: @SusanNealYoga @EdieMelsonPromo / MiscellaneousWhat Is Identity Marketing? @helpfulsnowman @LitReactorGood marketing connects with a reader’s emotions: @DanBlank5 Questions to Ask Ourselves Before Marketing: @SouthrnAuthrSerUpdating Your Book Marketing Plan for Holiday Sales: @BookgalPromo / WebsitesHow to Create a Sales-Boosting Author Website: @kristen_kiefferThe Ultimate SEO Strategy for Writers: How to Increase Search Rankings and Get Noticed: by Jake Hughes @KimberleyGrabasHow To Improve Website Accessibility: @LisaEBetz @A3writersPublishing / News / DataNPD Books on the US Print Market : ‘Next Month Will Be Telling': @Porter_Anderson @npdgroup @pubperspectivesNPD BookScan: Mystery Solved on US Thriller Sales’ Lag? @Porter_Anderson @PublishScotland @npdgroupPublishing / News / International PublishingUK’s Publishers Association: 64 Percent of Book Revenue at Stake in Copyright Question: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFrance’s Asmodee Slates Book-to-Comics Releases for 2022: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesEmirates Publishers Association Sends Team to Ghana Book Fair: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCopyright: Germany’s Börsenverein Warns Textbook Market Is ‘Shrinking Drastically’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAaliya’s Books Closes Amid Beirut’s Economic and Political Crisis: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingThe Nimble Advantage: Indie Authors in an Era of Accelerating Change: @OrnaRoss @thecreativepennPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingOn Getting Back in Touch With Your Agent From Years Back: @Janet_ReidPublishing / Process / LegalitiesThe (Copyright) Trouble with NFTs: @bfrazjd @JaneFriedmanWriting Craft / BeginningsCharacter Introductions: Introduction Through Dialogue: @GoIntoTheStoryFlog a Pro: Would You Pay to Turn the First Page of this Bestseller? @RayRhamey @WriterUnboxedCharacter Introductions: Introduction Through Dialogue: @GoIntoTheStoryCharacter Introductions: Introduction Through Action: @GoIntoTheStory7 Steps for Writing Your Novel’s Opening Chapter: @thenovelsmithyWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsWriting Good Villains: @writingandsuchWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentWays To Fit Character Development Into Your Story: @writingandsuchWriting Craft / HumorUsing Stand-up to Start Writing Humor: @amymarieayres @DIYMFAWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmPage One: “An Officer and a Gentleman” (1982): @GoIntoTheStoryWhat Anakin Skywalker Can Teach Us About Writing Fallen Heroes: by Sandrina de Klerk @KingdomPenMagWriting Craft / Literary DevicesHow to Use Alliteration to Improve Your Writing: @ZaraAltair @ProWritingAidWriting Craft / MiscellaneousWhat Makes a Killer Plot Twist? by Taylor Adams @CrimeReadsTips On Writing About Mental Illness: @writingandsuchHow to Increase Your Writing Consistency, Productivity, and Performance: @NinaAmirA Willing Suspension of Belief: @writing_tipsHow to Write a Chilling Ghost Story: @writingcookbookEstablish an Information Gap: @kathycowleyHow to Write Any Kind of Relationship With Accuracy and Honesty: @writingcookbookWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / OutliningHow to Write a Story Outline that Works: 9 Steps: by Nicole Harms @BryanJCollinsWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingPlot Development : A Collection of Helpful Links: @writingandsuch
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August 29, 2021
Why Reading Short Stories Is the Best Thing You Can Do for Your Writing
by Savannah Cordova @Reedsy
Whether for a contest, a creative writing class, or simply as an individual exercise, most writers will have tried writing short fiction at one time or another. It’s a popular tactic among those hoping to improve their craft — the idea being that short stories are the perfect canvas for experimentation before a writer moves onto bigger projects.
And while there’s definitely truth to this, I wish that we in the writing world would talk a little less about writing short stories, and much more about reading them. Yes, we’ve all heard that we should read more in order to sharpen our skills, but I believe there are particularly useful lessons to glean from short pieces — and as a judge for a weekly short story contest, I’m happy to share what I’ve learned from poring over so many myself!
Here’s why reading short stories is the best thing you can do for your writing, along with some excellent stories to get you started.
You learn the value of concisionTo begin on a personal note, before I was reading stories all the time, I genuinely believed that the longer and more elaborate the piece, the better. Looking back at my own old stories, this mindset is painfully obvious: every other word is a 50-cent adverb, every description inflated to a paragraph or more. And from the stories I read now, countless other writers have also fallen victim to this fallacy, many of their stories stopping just short of our 3,000-word limit.
In truth, almost every story I read of this length could lose a third, if not half, of its words without losing its essence — and likely become better in the process. Not only does brevity require writers to choose their words carefully, it also encourages omissions (Hemingway-style) and allows readers the much more satisfying experience of putting things together themselves. Plus if you’re submitting to a contest or publication, you can be sure the judge or editor will love you for keeping things short and sweet!
I’m not saying that a good story can’t have beautiful, eloquent language, only that it must be used wisely. Take “mie goreng”, a recent winner of the Reedsy contest: it’s less than 1,500 words, but every last one of them contributes to our understanding of the characters, the setting, and the mouthwatering appeal of the titular dish. The writing is descriptive yet not overwrought, each line telling us something new, and the narration doesn’t go on any longer than it needs to: the ideal balance to strike in a short story.
It hones your sense of substanceOn a separate but related note, reading short stories also seriously hones your BS radar, helping you differentiate between works of substance and works that are just prettily written. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve read that were full of verbose ponderings and metaphors, but ultimately had nothing meaningful to say.
Indeed, the more short stories you read, the more you’ll see it’s impossible to construct a good story without a strong idea to prop it up. However, this needn’t translate into a complex plot — far from it! The best stories I’ve read focus less on events and more on emotions, often taking place just before or after something big has happened, or narrated by someone on the periphery. Substance in a story comes not from events, after all, but from how characters respond to them; nowhere is this clearer than in short fiction.
I could name a hundred examples here, but two especially good ones are “Autumn Rain” and “Moira’s Day Off”, a couple more contest winners that demonstrate how many ways there are to achieve narrative substance. The first is a poignant series of vignettes about the narrator’s brother, poetically interwoven with other aspects of her life. The second is a lighthearted bit of low sci-fi about a woman whose decision-making AI is out for repair. You could hardly imagine two more different plots, and yet both effectively tap into the thoughts and feelings of their characters, creating compelling personal narratives that also touch on universal themes.
You see how wildly different styles can succeedWhile not everyone shares my former (again, woefully misguided) belief about elaborate writing, we all have our preconceived notions about which writing style is “best.” Ironically, this is often to the detriment of our work; we end up locking ourselves in creative boxes, trying to be “literary” rather than letting the words come naturally.
As a result, one of the most liberating things about reading tons of short stories is having these preconceptions broken down. Because, as a regular short story reader, you’ll not only see a wide range of plots, but also of styles — from Rooneyan sparseness to Nabokovian floridity. And you’ll soon find it’s not about the style itself so much as how well it’s applied.
To invoke another couple of disparate examples, this time in terms of style, let’s look at “On the Origin of Shadows” and “The Men and the Lake”. The first is firmly on the Nabokovian side, with an ornate extended metaphor about a house as a human body (“The hall like intestines, dark and humid… The bathroom like a liver, maroon and old-fashioned, an old bonsai fig ruling over the windowsill.”) and plenty more evocative language throughout. The second story diverges not only in style, but also in presentation; it’s presented in straightforward free verse rather than paragraphs, and begins with powerful anaphora.
Stylistically speaking, these stories have almost nothing in common, yet both managed to clinch first place in the contest — simply because the authors had mastered their respective styles and didn’t worry about sounding like anyone else. A priceless lesson to learn as a writer!
The less-intimidating form may encourage youI’ll leave you with one last point that might seem self-evident, but is worth spelling out anyway: reading short stories is great for your writing because you realize that you can do this, too! Not that you couldn’t write a novel — for all I know, you already have — but it’s pretty undeniable that a short story of 1,000-,3000 words is easier to write than a book of 50,000+ words.
So if you’re in a writing slump or have never tried your hand at fiction before, a story could be just the thing to get you on (or back on) that creative horse. You can start with a prompt, any prompt, whether it’s a specific statement designed to inspire a story or just something interesting that happened in your day.
And you don’t have to write very much to get it done — or, as we’ve established, to win a contest. As a final example, one of my favorite recent Reedsy winners was “No More Happy Endings”, a meta story about a writer and his daughter that packs a real emotional punch in just 1,100 words. Indeed, when uncertain of a subject, one can always turn to strong emotions; you’ll likely find that you can write more clearly and concisely about them than if you were circling a subject, trying to figure out what you want to say.
But honestly, if you’re able to carve out the time to read short stories, you’re bound to find yourself inspired one way or another — by the prose itself, or the intricacies of the characters, or the sheer manageability of the length. Whether you’re reading as a contest judge or straight from the polished pages of the New Yorker, you’ll certainly gain knowledge and confidence in the form… and with any luck, you’ll be copiously reading and writing in no time.
Savannah Cordova is a writer with Reedsy, a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers. In her spare time, Savannah enjoys reading contemporary fiction and writing short stories.
The post Why Reading Short Stories Is the Best Thing You Can Do for Your Writing appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
August 28, 2021
Twitterific Writing Links
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 61,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.
Have you visited the WKB lately? Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox! Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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August 22, 2021
Regaining Confidence
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I think all of us have a crisis of confidence at some point when we're writing.
Sometimes it's because the writing that day has been slow. Maybe you're having a tough time knowing how to approach an important scene. Or you've finished the important scene but it seems a little flat.
Maybe you've just finished reading a fantastic book or article and feel your writing really suffers in comparison.
Maybe it's because you've come across some negative customer reviews of your books when you're already feeling vulnerable.
It could be because your beta readers or critique group had some negative feedback on a recent chapter or full manuscript and you're facing a lot of revision or aren't sure which advice to follow.
The important thing is not to let the crisis of confidence keep you from moving forward with your story. Here are some ideas for helping to get your mojo back:
Tips for Regaining Confidence in Your WritingKeep any positive reader emails or reviews in a special folder. When you do get some good feedback, be sure to copy-paste it into a folder on your computer that you can review whenever you're feeling a little low. Those can help remind you that your writing has resonated with others.
Keep samples of your writing where your voice and story were really strong. This can also help during those times when you feel like you're not getting a character's voice right or you're stumbling through a passage.
Consider re-reading your story. This is sort of the nuclear option for me because ordinarily re-reading my first draft really messes me up and puts me squarely in edit mode. But it can be a great way to talk yourself off the ledge and realize that your book does have redeeming qualities, just when you feel ready to throw in the towel.
Resist Shiny New Ideas. Sometimes, when our current project isn't going well, a new story concept will occur to us…one that seems a lot easier to write or more of a viable idea than what we're currently slogging through. Go ahead and just file your concept in another file and get back to your story.
Remember you can fix your book later. The first draft is not a completed book. To keep moving forward, remind yourself that you can make the story stronger as soon as you finish your first draft.
There's a whole group dedicated to writers who struggle with their confidence or feel insecure about their writing. Check out Alex J. Cavanaugh's Insecure Writers' Support Group for resources and support.
Do you struggle with crises of confidence as a writer? How do you work through it?
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