Riley Adams's Blog, page 46
October 17, 2020
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 57,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
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. Congratulations to Mike Fleming for having Hiveword and the WKB listed in Writer's Digest's best writing advice websites for 2020!
Business / Miscellaneous
Ask Better Questions and Get Better Answers to Grow Your Craft and Career: @jessicastrawser @CareerAuthors
Don’t Do Business with Incompetents: @PassiveVoiceBlg
Should You Use a Book Doctor? @cathychall @womenonwriting
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Frankfurter Buchmesse Online: Publishing Perspectives Talks 2020: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
‘Brazilian Publishers’ Brings Creativity and Content to Frankfurt: @HannahSJohnson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
Bärbel Becker Selects Events at the Frankfurt Book Fair 2020: @HannahSJohnson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
At Frankfurter Buchmesse: A Unique Year in Publishing and Copyright: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_Fair
Frankfurter Buchmesse Opening News Conference: 4,400 Participants: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_Fair
Convention Etiquette: @PhilAthans
BIEF's Stance on the Digital Frankfurt: Wait and See: @oliviasnaije @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
Taiwan and Transmedia at The Arts+: Moving Stories on All Channels: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Frankfurt Events: Riky Stock's Agent Webinar Picks: @HannahSJohnson @pubperspectives @Book_Fair
Managing a remote writers' room: @MadelineAshby
Frankfurter Buchmesse Draws 148,000 Users from 183 Countries: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
Conferences and Events / NaNoWriMo
11 Essential Steps to Prepare for NaNoWriMo: @PSHoffmanAuthor
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
Resources for Writers in Need of Inspiration: @mike54martin
Are Should Statements Ruining Your Creativity? @katekrake
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Five SF Books That Would Make Great Musicals: @jamesdnicoll
Crime Fiction: Books That Link Generations: @MargotKinberg
Five Pocket-Sized Paperbacks and the Art of Sneaky Reading: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom
7 Books That Take Women's Bodies Seriously: @theshrutster @ElectricLit
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
4 things to learn from the daily rituals of great writers: by Anna Giulia Novero @beprolifiko
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly
What's Slowing You Down As You Write?
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
The Vital Importance of a Writing Community: @johnpwriter
Four Painful Truths About Writing and Publishing a Book: @laurenlogi @WomenWriters
Setting Your Story Amid a Pandemic: @FoxPrintEd
Staying Positive In Uncertain Times: @brendaAchapman
How to write the difficult second novel. And why it’s difficult: @Roz_Morris
Nancy Cramer: 89-Year-Old Author Makes History by Writing History: @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLI
How to improve your writing — and your life: @pubcoach
Writers at Risk for the Fall Twindemic—How to Avoid It: @colleen_m_story
Why You Need “White Space” in Your Daily Routine: @jkglei
7 Writing Maxims and What to Do with Them: @LaraEdits
Resources Teachers Can Share With Families: Increase Writing Volume and Stamina at Home for Students: @BethMooreSchool
Genres / Fantasy
How Do I Introduce Alternative World Aspects? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Guide to Writing Fantasy: @writingandsuch
Special Items to Consider Using in Fantasy: by C.S. Boyack @StoryEmpire
Genres / Memoir
5 Books To Propel Your Memoir Writing: by Gretchen Eberhart Cherington @DIYMFA
Genres / Mystery
Crime Writing: Deadly Poisons: @DPLyleMD @CriminalMischi2
Crime Fiction Books Offering a Chance to Learn Something New: @MargotKinberg
The 5 Pillars Of Thrillers: by Oliver Fox @Writers_Write
Crime Writing: How To Speak Cop: @GarryRodgers1 @killzoneauthors
Genres / Non-Fiction
How To Write Narrative Non-Fiction: @hh_matt @thecreativepenn
Genres / Picture Books
The Birth of a Picture Book: Author, Illustrator and Editor/Art Director Discussion: @kathytemean
Tips for Selling Children’s Books: by Brian Jud @Bowker
Genres / Science Fiction
Beyond Rome: Infrastructure in Ancient Civilizations: @DanKoboldt
Genres / Screenwriting
Screenwriting: Connect Care Commit: The Silence of the Lambs: @CockeyedCaravan
Screenwriting Secrets in Thelma and Louise: @scriptsleuth
Genres / Short Stories
13 Ways of Looking at Flash Fiction: @grantfaulkner @lithub
Promo / Ads
Getting the Most from Amazon Advertising: @IndieAuthorALLI
Promo / Blogging
Pondering Time Zones: Publishing Blog Posts: @Dwallacepeach
Build your Travel Blog Community with Blog Commenting: @BirdsOAFpress
Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting
How to Make Book “Sales Copy” Feel Like a Simple Conversation: by Stephanie Chandler @NonfictionAssoc
Promo / Book Reviews
Amazon Book Reviews: How To Get Book Reviews on Amazon For Free: by Patrick McNulty @SelfPublishing7
Promo / Miscellaneous
Survey results on Writer Promo Activities: @WordDreams
Promote your book with a roundup article: @sandrabeckwith
Promo / Social Media Tips
5 Basic Rules of Social Media: @CaballoFrances
Promo / Websites
Two ways to create an effective author website: @DanBlank
Publishing / Miscellaneous
De Gruyter Launches S2O Model to Bring Open Access to Humanities: @HannahSJohnson @pubperspectives
PEN America, Penguin Random House Partner on ‘Book the Vote': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
A Closer Look at Writer Beware: Writers' Watchdog Group: @victoriastrauss @sfwa
Bernardine Evaristo to UK Publishing: Hire More Diverse People: @HannahSJohnson @pubperspectives
Which Generation Reads The Most? @Lachybe @ProWritingAid
As Frankfurt Week Winds Down: The Rentrée and the Pandemic: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectives @Book_Fair
Publishing Perspectives Talk: ‘Digital Format Adoption and the Pandemic': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / News / International Publishing
Akoss Ofori-Mensah: The Pandemic's Impact on African Publishers: @Porter_Anderson @Bodour @IntPublishers @DubaiCares @pubperspectives
Nitasha Devasar: The Outlook for Educational Publishing in India: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Québec City Publisher Antoine Tanguay and his ‘Cabinet of Curiosities': @HannahSJohnson @pubperspectives
Frankfurt Report: Italian Book Market Narrows Its COVID Losses: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
Canada's Supreme Court Agrees To Hear Copyright Case Appeals: @Porter_Anderson @AccessCopyright @pubperspectives
Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing
How to Publish with KDP: @harmony_kent
Self-Publishing? Avoid These 7 New-Author Traps: @ZaraAltair
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Rejections
10 Things All Writers Must Learn About Rejection: @MegDowell
Publishing / Process / Legalities
Claiming the Royalties You Deserve: by Juli Saitz @AuthorsGuild
How to Fight E-book Piracy: @AuthorsGuild
How to Create and Manage a Pen Name: @elawilliams_ @DIYMFA
Publishing / Process / Translation
Amazon Crossing's Liza Darnton on Translation: ‘Wildly, Unabashedly Interested': @Porter_Anderson @LizaDarnton@pubperspectives
Writing Craft / Characters / Arc
Characters First, Plot Second? @Weifarer
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
One Way to Write About a Millennial Protagonist? Don't Settle on a Single Form. @emjaneunsworth @lithub
5 Questions To Ask Your Characters: @10minnovelist
8 Basic Lies Our Fiction Characters Believe: @AneMulligan @EdieMelson
Mourning in Fiction: Accessing the Shadows: @cyallowitz
Traveling Beyond The Hero's Journey: by Laurie Schnebly Campbell
How To Develop Strong Characters Children Will Relate To: @RachaelCooper22 @Writers_Write
How To Make Your Next Villain A Coward: @10minnovelist
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
Gaps in Your Writing: @JillWilliamson
Avoid Embarrassing Submission Mistakes: @holly_schindler
Writing Craft / Dialogue
How to Use Snappy Zingers to Write Effective Dialogue: by J. D. Edwin
Writing Craft / Literary Devices
Tips for Figurative Speech: by Deborah Lyn Stanley
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Assertive Writing: @apexjason @apexmag
Becoming a Sensitive, Responsible Fiction Writer: @LiveWriteThrive
Taking Stock with a Writing Self-Evaluation: @danieldelill @FloridaWriters1
4 Reasons to Ditch “There Is” and the Like in Stories: @ZoeMMcCarthy
Looking Back at the First Act: @christinadelay
Writing Craft / POV
Third person omniscient vs. limited vs. head jumping: @NathanBransford
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining
Working with an Outline: @winonakent @mike54martin
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
Why Structures Like The Hero’s Journey Don’t Work: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research
Take A Long View on Research: by John Gilstrap @killzoneauthors
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
Place as Character: by Niki Kantzios @FloridaWriters1
Uncategorized
Editing Your First Draft: From Garbage to Greatness: by Katie Pavel @ProWritingAid Katie Pavel
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
October 11, 2020
What’s Slowing You Down As You Write? Part I
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
To me, there are two different types of ‘writing slow.' There's writing slow when you're word-crafting and being very deliberative with your writing. And then there's the other kind of ‘writing slow': slow writing because we're hung up on something. It's the second kind that I'm addressing today: the frustrating feeling of not getting far in a writing session because something was holding you back.
I've come up with a list of common things that can hold writers back and some solutions for getting around them. I'll post the rest of them next week.
Being a slow starter: Is it tough for you to get started writing again the next day? If you're routine-driven, it may help to write at the same time and place every day (for me, it's become almost muscle memory).
You could also try Hemingway's trick of stopping each day's writing session in the middle of a sentence.
Another way I push past daily resistance to getting back into the story is by ending each day's session with a mini outline for the next day. It's very short: just a quick note as to where I left off with the story (this helps prevent re-reading and being pulled into editing mode) and a quick note saying what I plan on covering during the next writing session (sleuth talks to suspect Dan. Dan says he was at work during the murder. Mentions he overheard an argument between victim and another suspect, Gina).
A difficult scene: Sometimes there might be scenes we're just not in the right frame of mind to write, for whatever reason. It could be something as basic as wanting an important scene to be written perfectly. It could be something more complex, like we're not in the right mood to write a humorous scene or feel too upbeat to write a tragic scene.
One way to handle this is to simply skip the scene. Put some sort of marker in there, like ##, so that you can find the spot later on and go back to it. Then just pick up with the next scene in the story.
Slowing down to add setting or character description: This was a common roadblock for me when I was writing . . . until I started leaving this information out during the first draft. Otherwise, I'd spend a lot of time either trying to craft a unique character description for a recurring series character, or I'd end up sitting there trying to figure out how I wanted to describe a particular setting.
I leave out the troublesome descriptions from the first draft and then create a second document after that draft is finally done. On the new document, I brainstorm all of the character and setting descriptions for the story and, while I'm reading through and proofing, weave the descriptions in. That way, I'm in a descriptive mindset and can get a lot more done, much more quickly.
Not being sure what to write next in the story: We all get to that point in a story. Sometimes it's a major plot point (especially if you haven't already outlined the book). Sometimes it's just trying to figure out a subplot or even a transition in the story.
I recommend either skipping through to the next scene you're sure of or opening up a fresh document and brainstorming as many possible next steps in the story as you can possibly come up with. When you're brainstorming, be sure not to hold back: the ideas can be as random or ridiculous as you dream up.
What kinds of things slow you down when you write? How do you address them?
Tips for Common Issues that Slow Writers Down:
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The post What’s Slowing You Down As You Write? Part I appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
October 10, 2020
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 57,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
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 / Miscellaneous
How To Reboot A Flagging Author Career: @mbcollings @thecreativepenn
Freelance Writing: How to Use Skeleton Outlines to Write Faster: @KissMyBiz
Self-publishing News: Literary Prizes Still Not Open to Indies: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLI
International Insights: Subscription Models: @thenewpubstd @IndieAuthorALLI
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Weltempfang: Issue-Driven Content Scheduled for Frankfurter Buchmesse: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
Asian-American Identity: Gold House Book Club Opens This Month: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Canada's Scotiabank Giller Prize Names Its 2020 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @GillerPrize @shanimootoo @EmilyMandel @pubperspectives
Madrid's Feria del Libro 2020 Is Underway in a Digital Rendition: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Bernardine Evaristo To Open Frankfurt Conference ‘Publishing Insights' Track: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
US National Book Awards: Announcing the 2020 Shortlisted Finalists: @Porter_Anderson @nationalbook @anthony_cody @NatalieGDiaz @ClaudioSaunt @jennshapland
Mapping the New Normal: Palestine Writes Literature Festival will be online in December: @thenewpubstd
Frankfurter Buchmesse Announces WIPO Partnership on Intellectual Property: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
Frankfurter Buchmesse's The Arts+ Names 2020 Film Award Winners: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_Fair
‘Aldus Up' at Frankfurt: Preparing for the Relaunch of Trade Fairs: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair
Conferences and Events / NaNoWriMo
Why Writers Should Consider NaNoWriMo in 2020: @AngelaAckerman
It’s Time to Start Planning #NaNoWriMo: by Mae Clair @StoryEmpire
Has Coronavirus Changed NaNoWriMo? @JennyHansenCA
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
James Baldwin’s Advice on Writing: @brainpicker
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Supporting the Right to Read: @MargotKinberg
8 Children's Mystery Novels That Are Enjoyable for All Ages: @TarynSouders @CrimeReads
The Literature of Elder Care is Often About Shifting Power Dynamics: @ellynalem @lithub
9 Classic Gothic Books From the 20th Century: @silviamg @ElectricLit
Top 10 cousins in fiction: @judecook_ @GuardianBooks
SF or Fantasy? — Six Works That Defy Easy Classification: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom
Crime Fiction: When Characters Misremember: @MargotKinberg
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
Rise and Write Writing Sprint 8am ET: @chloecomplains
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
“6 Misconceptions I Had About the Writing Craft”: @shaelinbishop
Procrastination is About Fear: @BethBarany
Everyday Activities that Definitely Count as Writing: @BillFerris @WriterUnboxed
Using Poetry to Revitalize: 5-Minute Refresh: The Door that Opens: @tspoetry
12 Reminders for Writers Who Feel Like They Have Nothing Valuable to Say: @MegDowell
How to Not Strangle People Who Are More Successful Than You: @DaniellaNLevy @TheRyanLanz
“How Studying Psychology Has Influenced My Writing”: @Lauren_C_North @WomenWriters
A New Way To View A Blank Page: by Jeanine DeHoney @womenonwriting
How To Love Your Local Library: @10minnovelist
The Best and Worst Book Furniture: @helpfulsnowman @LitReactor
A Writer’s Learning Curve: @nancyjcohen @killzoneauthors
Writing as a series of lenses: @NathanBransford
If You’re Already Dreading Winter, Here Are Some Small Ways to Prepare Now: @the_rewm @VICE
Fiction in the Time of Plague: by Dave King @WriterUnboxed
Navigating Changes to our Work Environment: @sl_penner @WriterUnboxed
How to Start Writing Again When You Haven't in a While: @sarahstypos @write_practice
Writing Difficult Times – A Few Options: @aprildavila
“Reframing My Writing: Doing it For Me, Not An Audience”: @KarisRogerson @LitReactor
Genres / Fantasy
Six Consequences of Poorly Thought-Out Magic Systems: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Genres / Historical
Historical Fiction and Its Subgenres: by Pamela Taylor @DIYMFA
Genres / Horror
Horror Writing Prompts: @Peter_Rey_
10 Novels Based on Folk Horror: @Jo_Furniss @CrimeReads
Genres / Miscellaneous
How to Publish a Cookbook in 6 Easy-As-Pie Steps: @ReedsyHQ
Genres / Mystery
Putting the Thrill in Thriller Stories: @AJHumpage
Crime Fiction: Characters Who Believe the Worst of Others: @MargotKinberg
Crime Writing: Paint Your Protagonist With a Realistic Brush: @LeeLofland
Genres / Non-Fiction
How to Write a Thesis Statement in 4 Steps: @themaltesetiger
Genres / Poetry
How to Publish a Poetry Chapbook: @shaelinbishop @ReedsyHQ
12 Poetic Forms You Should Try: @shaelinbishop @ReedsyHQ
Using Instagram Poetry to Grow Your Audience: @OrnaRoss @IndieAuthorALLI
Genres / Screenwriting
Screenwriting: Connect Care Commit: The Shining: @CockeyedCaravan
Genres / Young Adult
The Difference Between YA and Adult Books: @jennamoreci
Promo / Blogging
How (and Why) to Increase Your Blog's Speed: by Tom Meitner @ProWritingAid
Behind the Scenes of a Blog Tour: @justreadtours @SKRViLL
Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting
How to Write a Great Author Bio: @apexjason @apexmag
Promo / Book Reviews
Writing a Book Review: @JoanHallWrites @StoryEmpire
Reviewing Reviewers: by Jacob Pitts @Weifarer
Promo / Miscellaneous
Free Book Marketing Tactics from @hanque99 :
Promo / Newsletters
Building Your Author Email Newsletter List: @itshelendarling @DIYMFA
Promo / Platforms
Author Platform Basics: by Jason Evans @RMFWriters
Promo / Social Media Tips
6 Tips for Social Media Time Management: @EdieMelson @SouthrnWritrMag
Promo / Websites
The 8 Best WordPress Blog Themes for Page Builders (2020): by Dianna Gunn
How to Find the Right Background Images for Your Author Website: @ThDigitalReader
How to Safely Choose Colors for An Author Website: @inkbitspixels
Publishing / Miscellaneous
Traditional Publishing Enjoys Its Best Sales in a Decade—Despite Supply Chain Problems: @JaneFriedman
How to Publish a Book: Your 3 Options: @caklugofficial @LiveWriteThrive
Teaching High School Writers What It Means to Be Published: @nickripatrazone @lithub
Publishing / News / International Publishing
Publishers in the Baltics: Differing Expectations for a Pandemic Recovery: by Eugene Gerden @pubperspectives
Vietnamese Publishing House Co-Founder Arrested Ahead of Frankfurt Appearance: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Scribd Launches First International Ad Campaign on Méxican Anniversary: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Nielsen Book Releases Australian Audiobook Consumer Research: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing
What Publishers Want: @MelodieCampbell @mike54martin
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Rejections
12 Tips for Writers Struggling to Rebound After Rejection: @MegDowell
Publishing / Process / Book Design
Book cover redesigns: A pro offers 7 before and after examples: @AlexandervonNes @sandrabeckwith
The Ultimate Guide to The Perfect Book Cover for Indie Authors: @IndieAuthorALLI
Writing Craft / Beginnings
Story Beginnings: Starting in the Right Place: by T.L. Bodine
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
50 Character Goals (With Character Motivation): @BrynDonovan
Writing Characters with Empathy: @Lindasclare
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
Show vs. Tell: Clearing Up the Mystery: by Jan Drexler @SKRViLL
Be very careful with dreams and hallucinations in novels: @NathanBransford
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
Story Openings: 10 Lessons from Hits of the 2000s: @nownovel
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
How to Write a Personal Narrative: Steps and Examples: @jenxuewrites @ProWritingAid
Charting a Fictional Timeline: by Dana Isaacson @CareerAuthors
Every Novel Needs a Village: @TashaSeegmiller
“Why I Actually Prefer Stories With Prologues”: @VaughnRoycroft @WriterUnboxed
5 Exercises for Honing Your Story Instincts: @KMWeiland
Writing Craft / POV
What is an omniscient narrative point of view? @LouiseHarnby
Point of View Options: by Leslie Watts @StoryGrid
4 Ways To Make Limited Third Person Into Deep POV: @LisaHallWilson
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining
Outlining Your Novel And Filling The Creative Well: @KMWeiland @thecreativepenn
Prompts for Outlining: @writingandsuch
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept
5 Simple Steps To Avoid A Half-Baked Idea: @Bang2write
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
4 Grammar Myths You Can Ignore: by Joslyn Chase @write_practice
Writing Craft / Revision
Tools for Revision: @WriteNowCoach
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
Sometimes Writers Aren’t Actually Looking for Feedback: @MegDowell
Writing Tools / Apps
Scrilys Writing App Review: @MichaelLaRonn
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
October 4, 2020
Free Book Marketing Tactics
by Hank Quense, @hanque99
Are you a first-time author trying to market your just published book? Book marketing is like getting trapped in swampland without a map. You really need a guide. This article will provide some guidance. It covers a series of rather basic marketing tasks to get you started. One great thing about these tactics? They are all free. They only require your time and energy.
Amazon Author Page
Once your book is available for sale or pre-order on Amazon, you can start an Author Page. You’ll find Author Central at: https://authorcentral.amazon.com/ gp/home.
After you log in with your password, you can add your bio and other information to the page. One of the great features of the Author Page is you can add a wealth of information about the book that you couldn’t do when you uploaded it to Kindle.
Web page or blog site
As a new author, you have to face the fact your book is published in the 21st century. Readers search for and find books by using the internet. The implication of the last statement is that you and your book need a website.
The simplest way to establish a web presence is to use a program like WordPress or Blogger or Weebly.
So what do you do with a website once you have it up and running? You use it to pimp your book. There should be a dedicated page for the book and it should be easy to find. Don’t make a visitor search for the book page.
Initially that page should have a picture of the cover, your book blurb, and buy links. You can also put your short synopsis on it.
Use your blog to write blog posts. The blog posts can be about anything: your grandkids, writing anecdotes, vacation plans and pictures. The important thing is to issue blog posts periodically so that people will build up an interest in the blog and revisit it.
Goodreads book page
Goodreads is a place for readers and authors to interact. You can find it by using this link: https://www.goodreads.com.
The great thing about the readers on this site is that many of them write book reviews. Once you have your account set up, start using it by joining the author program. This will enable you to establish an author page with a bio, book listings and other information. You’ll find the author program here: https:// www.goodreads.com/author/program
Social Media accounts
You need to open and use a few social media accounts. At the least, these should include a Facebook page, a Twitter account, another one on LinkedIn and perhaps Instagram or other sites.
Book Blurbs
Many new authors consider a book blurb to be a short synopsis. This is a mistake. Book blurbs and a short synopsis are two different animals and they have different purposes. The purpose of the book blurb is to grab the attention of a potential reader. Once you have her attention by means of a great pitch line as the opening sentence, you need to follow that up with a few more sentences that tell her what’s different about your book and what’s in it for her.
For more on book blurb construction, you can read my article:
https://medium.com/@hanque99/book-blurbs-a-marketing-opportunity-46d6586ee44b
Sig files
Email signatures (usually called sig files) are a free way to publicize your book every time you send out an email. Think about how many times a day that happens!
Sig files are those links you see beneath the name of the person who sent you the email. Here is what yours could look like:
Your name
Title of your book
Location of your website
The last two lines would be linked to a webpage, the first to a book buying page like Amazon, the second to your blog page. Sig files are easy to implement and only take a few minutes.
How you do that will depend on the mail program you use. They are all different.
Goodreads Reviews
One great feature about Goodreads is that there are millions of readers on it, and those readers love to get free books to read and review. There are a number of groups that actively seek authors looking for reviews.
One such group is called Advanced Copies for Review & Book Giveaways. Here is a link to it: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/58575-advanced-copies-for-review-book-giveaways. A second group is: Authors and Reviewers: https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/103713-authors-reviewer. There are more such groups on Goodreads, but these are the two that I have used to get book reviews
Booksprout Reviews
This is a free review site. https://booksprout.co.
Once you have an account, you can upload your book and request reviews. You can do this before or after the book is launched. The site will allow up to twenty readers to request a copy. That doesn’t mean to imply your book will get that many requests. You may only receive a handful of requests and not all of the them will post a review. Still, you’ll probably get a few reviews. A neat feature of this site is that the reviews won’t just show up on Amazon. They will also appear on Goodreads and other book sellers such as Barnes & Noble.
The above material is based on the content in my new book, Book Marketing Fundamentals. The book is available in ebook and paperback editions and can be purchased from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iStores, Kobo and other web book sellers.
For more valuable information on fiction writing, publishing and marketing, visit the Writers & Authors Resource Center: http://hankquense.org/wp/writers-and-authors-resource-center/
Hank Quense writes satirical fantasy and sci-fi. Early in his writing career,
he was strongly influenced by two authors: Douglas Adams and his
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Joseph Heller’s Catch-22. Happily, Hank
has never quite recovered from those experiences.
He lives with his wife in northern New Jersey, a mere 20 miles from
Manhattan, the center of the galaxy (according to those who live in
Manhattan). They have two daughters and five grandchildren all of whom
live nearby.
Author @Hanque99 With Free Book Marketing Tactics:
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The post Free Book Marketing Tactics appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
October 3, 2020
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 57,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
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 / Miscellaneous
Learning The Writer's Timeline: @CindyDevoted @EdieMelson
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Sweden’s Gothenburg Book Fair pulls in 373,000 virtual visitors in prime time and still has 3 months of viewing to come – the digital book fair is here to stay: @thenewpubstd
Asian Festival of Children's Content 2020: A COVID-Aware Edition: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
UK: Gaiman, Atwood Headline Society of Authors Fundraiser Lineup: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
ALTA Names Its 2020 National Translation Awards Shortlists: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
The Arts+ Names Frankfurter Buchmesse Film Award Shortlists: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
South Africa's SA Book Awards Honor Author Trevor Noah: @Porter_Anderson @Trevornoah @pubperspectives
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Top Five Books About Transitions: @JEPurrazzi
11 Famous Books That Have Proven Impossible to Film: @j_m_wood @mental_floss
Crime Fiction: Misidentified Bodies: @MargotKinberg
5 Fantasy Novels Driven by Traumatic Family Bonds: @jifueko @tordotcom
Words Revived, Adapted and Coined by J.R.R. Tolkien: @UselessEty
Crime Fiction: Being Adaptable to Changing Circumstances: @MargotKinberg
20 Must-Read Happy Literary Fiction Books: by Laura Sackton @BookRiot
7 Novels About Studying Abroad: by Rashi Rohatgi @ElectricLit
7 Love Triangles to Sweep You Off Your Feet and Whisk You Away: by Daniela Ramras @BookTrib
Crime Fiction: When Families Open Their Homes to a Youth: @MargotKinberg
Creativity and Inspiration / Success
How To Write A Bestseller: @SuzyKQuinn @thecreativepenn
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
How Changing Your Environment Can Help Your Novel: @NaNoWriMo
Saying “No” with Grace: @jkglei
Help for highly sensitive writers: How do you stand your ground if you feel pushed around by other people’s feelings? @ritukaushal2
How to Stop Judging Your Own Writing So Harshly: @MegDowell
12 Reasons Writing Doesn’t Feel Worth It Right Now (Even Though It Is): @MegDowell
Organization…for Our Creativity and Our Career: @JamiGold
Here's how to deal with criticism of your writing: @pubcoach
Why I Write: 23 Fascinating Quotes from Famous Authors: @A_WritersStudio
Develop Awareness to Harness Writer's Intuition: @LauraHighcove @DIYMFA
7 Tips to Practice Focusing Your Writer’s Eye: @EdieMelson
Terrified About Writing Your Novel? Excellent! @randysusanmeyer @WriterUnboxed
10 Truths to Remember If You’re a Writer Feeling Discouraged: @MegDowell
12 Strong Habits of Writers Who Don’t Give Up: @MegDowell
Genres / Fantasy
Make Your Own Book of Spells: How to Use Grimoires and Unholy Scrolls from Ancient Tombs: @TaisTeng
Museums in Science Fiction and Fantasy: @DanKoboldt
Deity as Celebrity — Crafting a Myth Cycle: @EleanorKonik @mythicscribes
Genres / Historical
Guide To Writing Historical Fiction: @writingandsuch
Genres / Memoir
21 Memoir Examples to Inspire Your Own Memoir: @ReedsyHQ
Genres / Miscellaneous
What Stories are in your Travel Guide? @BirdsOAFpress
Genres / Mystery
Crime Writing: How Complacency Kills Cops: @LeeLofland
Voice, Pacing, and Sensitivity: The Art of Writing a 911 Thriller: @RachaelHerron @DIYMFA
Genres / Picture Books
What’s an Illustrator’s Voice? @MiraReisberg
Genres / Science Fiction
Using Plain Language in Speculative Fiction: @JoshuaIsard @LitReactor
Five Science-Fictional Approaches to Healthcare: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom
Genres / Short Stories
Writing an Effective Short Story Introduction: @apexjason @apexmag
Promo / Connecting with Readers
Top 10 Ten Ways To Be There For Your Readers By Way Of '90s Television: @10minnovelist
Promo / Miscellaneous
Building Your Career-Long Marketing Foundation: @JaneFriedman
Promo / Newsletters
The Ultimate Guide to Mailing Lists for Authors: Maintaining a Mailing List: @IndieAuthorALLI
Promo / Social Media Tips
Notes From the Social Media Deportment Department: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthors
How to Manage Your LinkedIn Presence in 10 Minutes a Day: @luanwise @SMExaminer
Tips for a Better Zoom Experience: @DebraEckerling
Promo / Speaking
Speaking Tips for Authors to Switch from Live to Virtual: @YvonneOrtega1 @EdieMelson
How to Get Speaking Engagements to Promote Your Book: @mike54martin
Publishing / Miscellaneous
10 Free Literary Magazines Publishing Outstanding Fiction, Poetry, and Nonfiction: @anitatrimbur @IndieBookView
The Benefits of Being a Small Press Intern: @hedwig5150 @apexmag
Self-publishing News: Book Clubs Go Digital: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLI
Sourcebooks Announces Partnership with PRH's DK for Europe, UK: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Children's Author Kate Woodard Breaks Language Barrier in Brazil: @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLI
How to Support Indie Bookstores Online: @LittleInfinite
Rights Roundup: Coming Soon to a Trading Platform Near You: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / News / International Publishing
Tbilisi Book Fair States Support for Belarus Opposition; PEN America Backs Alexievich: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Words Without Borders in September: ‘Asian Peruvian' Writing: @Porter_Anderson @wwborders @pubperspectives
Germany's Springer Nature Opens a ‘Digital Hub' for Frankfurt: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
Announcing a New ‘Green Book' Consortium: Canada, USA, and UK: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Wiley Partners With Project DeepGreen in Germany on Research Distribution: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing
Creative Self-Publishing — Your Books, Your Way: @OrnaRoss @IndieAuthorALLI
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying
Agent Spotlight: Lauren Bieker Interview and Query Critique Giveaway: @lauren_bieker @NatalieIAguirre
Publishing / Process / Book Design
Book Covers 101: Updating Your Cover: @MelindaVan
How Writers Should Choose Their Pseudonyms: @BookEndsJessica
Writing Craft / Beginnings
WIP Diagnostic: Is This Working? A Closer Look at Developing an Opening Page: @TigerXGlobal
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Intuitive Writing and Character Formation: @WriterChurchill @WomenWriters
Tips for Protagonists and Antagonists in Your Novel: @Margo_L_Dill @womenonwriting
Character Profile Templates (For Scrivener and More): @authorbrittwang
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
The Nutshell Protagonist: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpire
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
3 Mistakes in Tone: @davidfarland
Writing Craft / Conflict
What are examples of conflict? @WritersTable
Writing Craft / Dialogue
Where to place dialogue tags in fiction: @LouiseHarnby
Writing Craft / Diversity
Diversity in Kidlit: Better Isn’t Enough: @bronniesway @DIYMFA
Writing Craft / Drafts
Why You Should Edit That Last Scene Before Moving On: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Endings
How to End a Novel or Screenplay: Picking the Perfect Resolution: @scribesworld
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
The Nine Star Wars Movie Climaxes, Compared: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Deconstruction of Netflix’s Tiny Creatures: @SueColetta1
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Acting Techniques to Deepen Your Writing: @tessaemilyhall @A3writers
Storyteller's Rulebook: Create a False Mystery: @CockeyedCaravan
“How Do I Write Like an Adult?”: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
How to Write the Climax of a Story So It Keeps Readers Up All Night: @scribesworld
Tips for non-linear narratives: @NathanBransford
Universal Truths Can Help Your Readers Relate: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactor
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
The Hero’s Journey: How to Use This Classic Story Structure: @JerryBJenkins
How to Use Mind Mapping for Better Writing: by Tom Beck @WritingCoop
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research
Thoughts on Incorporating Research into Juvenile Fiction: @513sherrye
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept
Anatomy of a Story Idea: @PaulaSMunier @CareerAuthors
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
Whose Writing Feedback Can You Trust? @MegDowell
Writing Craft / Scenes
Critique: 4 Ways to Write Sequel Scenes That Grip Readers: @KMWeiland
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
The Challenge of Creating Powerful Settings: @LiveWriteThrive
Setting the Mood for Your Writing: @dreamstobecome @FloridaWriters1
Writing Tools / Resources
Virtual learning opportunities for writers: @nickimporter @TheWriterMag
Uncategorized
6 Crucial Character Relationships: @LMacNaughton wkb1
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
September 27, 2020
Incorporating Research into Juvenile Fiction
by Sherry Ellis, @513sherrye
Our job as writers is to create believable and entertaining stories for our readers. This is true whether you’re writing for children or adults. Details about the setting — location, time period, and everything that goes with it — are what make the story realistic. Research is part of the process. Writers need a clear picture in their minds to build their imaginary worlds.
The trick is knowing how much information to include without making it seem like an info dump. You might be interested in who the architect of a famous monument is, but more than likely, your reader won’t care. When including facts from your research, ask yourself if it moves the story forward. Does it establish the setting? Does it advance the plot? Does it help explain the actions of your characters? If you’re not sure, put the information into a separate folder and see if there may be a place for it somewhere else in the story. In the case of writing juvenile fiction, topics about the supernatural, or mythical characters may be of interest to the reader. Including them, even if they don’t directly move the plot forward, may be a good idea as long as they somehow relate to the story.
Readers care about characters. Your research should make them as realistic as possible. It’s fine to occasionally include facts and trivia, especially if you’d like young readers to learn something, but they should never take the reader out of the story. When including those things, consider how your characters will react to whatever information you provide.
Research is more for the author. It helps you know the facts so that you can be more of an authority when writing fiction. If it feels real, and it’s entertaining for your intended audience, you’ve done your job.
Author @513sherrye With Tips For Incorporating Research Into a Story:
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Sherry Ellis’ MC Book Tour for her latest release, BUBBA AND SQUIRT’S
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◊ Genre: Juvenile Fiction
◊ Publisher: Dancing Lemur Press (Sept. 7, 2020)
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◊ ISBN-13: 978-1939844705
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Thanks for stopping by
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Photo on VisualHunt.com
The post Incorporating Research into Juvenile Fiction appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
September 26, 2020
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 57,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
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 / Miscellaneous
How to Network Effectively During Lockdown: @dkparsonswriter @SelfPubForm
There's no excuse for not knowing where your book fits in the market: @NathanBransford
7 Tips to Co-Authoring Without Violence: @cyallowitz
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Canada's Cundill History Prize Shortlist: 10 Instead of Eight This Year: @Porter_Anderson @CundillPrize @pubperspectives
Guest of Honor Canada Announces Frankfurt Digital Events: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_Fair
Creativity and Inspiration / First Novels
Why Not Everyone Who Wants to Write a Novel Will Follow Through: @MegDowell
Become an Author – 5 Basic Tips: @KarenCV
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
What Novelists Can Learn from Webtoons: @AuthorSAT
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Psychological Suspense With an Absence of Violence and Gore: @MargotKinberg
Stephen King Is Quietly Enthralled By “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”: @BrennaEhrlich @CrimeReads
6 Horror Short Stories That Haunt Us: @nicolemhill @TorNightfire
Five SF/F Stories That Make You Wish For a Sequel: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom
The Brontë Sisters: How Emily, Charlotte & Anne Changed The World: by Mel Sherwood @HistoryExtra
7 Books About Being Young and Messy in New York: @gregmania @ElectricLit
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
How Do We Go On Writing Our Little Fictions When Outside The World Is On Fire? @chris_shultz81 @LitReactor
Pros and Cons of Being a Pro Writer: by Tom Meitner @ProWritingAid
Five tips for working from home from a pro by @DeannaCabinian: @MelissaOnline
10 Tips for Writing With a Busy Schedule: by Josalyn McAllister @NaNoWriMo
33 Favorite Pieces of Advice for Life: @RyanHoliday
“What the Irish and British Writing Communities Mean To Me”: @Damo_Dangerman @TheIWSG
Writing With the Door Shut: Keeping First Drafts Private:
Navigating (and Writing in) a Corona-Colored World: @Janice_Hardy
“Three Lessons Skyrim Taught Me About Living With PTSD”: @ashleyblooms @tordotcom
How To Give Back To Your Readers: @EldredBird
Eleven Signs It's Time To Share Your Work: @10minnovelist
“A Letter To Myself As A Younger Writer”: by Jeanine DeHoney
Write Another Book: @RachelleGardner
How to Overcome the Fear Every Writer Has of Repeating Themselves: @ADDerWORLD
Genres / Fantasy
The 4 Pillars Of Fantasy: by Oliver Fox @Writers_Write
Genres / Mystery
Plan Your Mystery with Plottr: @ZaraAltair
Putting the Thrill in Thriller Stories: @AJHumpage
Crime Writing: Tactical Communication: The Difference Between Fiction and Reality: @MickiBrowning @WomenWriters
Dangerous Walks in the Woods in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg
How to Write an International Thriller: @damyantig @CareerAuthors
Old Social Customs as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg
Genres / Non-Fiction
5 Selfishly Great And Satisfying Reasons To Write A Nonfiction Book: @jckunzjr
Genres / Romance
20 Mistakes To Avoid in ‘Enemies To Lovers': @writingandsuch
Genres / Short Stories
Writing Flash Fiction: Serve Neat, With a Twist: @mareasie @apexmag
Genres / Western
The Bloody New Nostalgia of Splatter Westerns: @AmongTheZombies @tordotcom
Promo / Ads
Book Brush: Make Quick, Professional Book Ads: by Arielle Haughee @FloridaWriters1
Promo / Blogging
48 Creative Geniuses Who Use Blogging to Promote Their Art: @LeRegalla @smartbloggerhq
Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting
Three Items Writers Hate to Write: by Mae Clair @StoryEmpire
Promo / Book Reviews
The Book Review Dilemma: How to Get Readers to Review Your Book: @Authors_Market
Promo / Book Signings and Launch parties
Marathons, Sprints, and Pounces: 3-Tiered Approach to Book Launches: by Barbara Linn Probst @JaneFriedman
Promo / Miscellaneous
How to Keep Consistent Book Sales Over Time: @kikimojo
Ten Local Resources That Could Help You Sell Books: @10minnovelist
Promo / Social Media Tips
A Different Approach to Social Media: @ph_solomon @StoryEmpire
Publishing / Miscellaneous
25 Cookbook Publishers Who Can Serve Up Your Recipes: @ReedsyHQ
PRH Opens ‘The Conversation' To ‘Sustain Antiracist Engagement': @Porter_Anderson @PRHDigital @pubperspectives
Collective Pictures Picks Up Wattpad's ‘Float' by Kate Marchant for Film: @Porter_Anderson @wattpad @pubperspectives
NPD Book Cites a ‘Switching of Gears' in the US Market: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Rights Roundup: Getting Over ‘Virtual' and Down to Business: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / News / International Publishing
Audiobooks: Audible, Podimo Join Storytel in Unlimited Subscriptions in Spain: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
China Bestsellers in August: Nobel Winner Mo Yan Hits the Charts: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
International Insights: Global Book Distributors — Apple, Google Play and Nook: @thenewpubstd @IndieAuthorALLI
SDG Book Club for Young Readers: A Portuguese-Language Expansion: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
In Brussels, the Federation of European Publishers' New Leadership: @Porter_Anderson @RudyVanschoonbe @FEP_EU @pubperspectives
Amazon International Markets Explained: @DaveChesson
Publishing Perspectives Offers a Live Update on Translation From the Arab World on Monday: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing
How to Publish with KDP: @HarmonyKent @StoryEmpire
Draft2Digital Review: @ReedsyHQ
Publishing / Process / Contracts
Book Contract Components: @mike54martin
Publishing / Process / Legalities
How to Do Honest and Legal Giveaways as an Author: @ChrysFey @JaneFriedman
Publishing / Process / Translation
World KidLit: Translation Rights and Challenges in Children's Books: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectives
Writing Craft / Beginnings
How to Write A Powerful Opening Line For Your Novel: @LexicalForge @CareerAuthors
Writing Craft / Characters / Antagonists
How Do I Foreshadow That a Character Is Really a Villain? by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Do a Best Day and Worst Day For Your Characters: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthors
The Essential 3 M's of Character Setup: @LiveWriteThrive
Writing Craft / Flashback and Back Story
How to Spot an “Info-dump”: by Bucket Siler
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
The Umbrella Academy Is a Show About Growing Beyond Familial Abuse: @use_theforce_em @tordotcom
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
The Elements of a Solid Novel, Plus Steps to Take Before You Even Start Writing: @ogdensnutgone
Emergent Voices: @Porter_Anderson @WriterUnboxed
12 Tips To Write Tight: by Debbie Burke @annerallen
Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make Writing Relationships: @Bang2write
Creating Atmosphere in Fiction: @EmyliaHall @thenovelry
Writing Craft / POV
What is a second-person narrative point of view? @LouiseHarnby
Guide to Writing: From Multiple Points of View @writingandsuch
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
How to Write a Plot Twist: @shaelinbishop
10 step guide to planning your novel: @JenKerslake @cbcreative
Plot Twist? @mtjohnson51 @A3writers
Plotting for Pantsers: @MindyObenhaus
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research
Writing Research: Firehouse Slang: by John Gilstrap @killzoneauthors
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats
High Noon Beat Sheet: by Naomi Beaty @savethecat
Writing Craft / Revision
Edit For Your Reader: An Exercise and Checklist: @BethBarany @JFbookman
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
Process Writing Critiques Effectively: @LoriAnnFreeland
The Writer's Guide to Beta Readers: How to Deal With Beta Reader Feedback: @sarahstypos @write_practice
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
Description Makeover: Creating Magical Atmosphere: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Writing Craft / Subtext
7 Techniques for Using Subtext to Supercharge Your Scenes: by Joslyn Chase @write_practice
Writing Craft / World-Building
How to Do World-Building Research: by Bucket Siler
Writing Tools / Apps
Free Tools Any Author Can Use: @SarahBolme
3 Apps That Help Novelists Brainstorm: @schreiltalk @WriteToSell
3 Apps for Writers to Boost Productivity: @schreiltalk @WriteToSell
Writing Tools / Miscellaneous
Writing Hacks: Keyboard Shortcuts: @SueColetta1 @killzoneauthors
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
September 20, 2020
Writing With the Door Shut
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I came across an interesting post by writer Meg Dowell, Writing With the Door Closed. She called herself a closed-door writer for her first draft (she has a different approach for the following drafts). She says:
For as long as I can remember, I’ve been a “closed-door” writer. Not that I’ve always written with the door physically closed — though I often do — but that I’ve always made it a point to work alone. I’ve never consulted others, I’ve never asked a friend what they thought about my story as I was writing it. I just went into my space, closed the door, and started writing.
I've been thinking about this, because this is exactly what I do for a first draft. I have a good number of people ask me what I'm currently working on…family members, friends, acquaintances. And, although I know it gives me an opportunity to pitch my work, I never do. I'll just say, “Oh, I'm working on a Myrtle.” Or “I'm on a Southern Quilting mystery now.”
The reason I've always done this is because hearing people's thoughts on an unfinished novel messes me up. It's sort of like telling someone the name you've picked out for your unborn baby. If the name isn't official yet because the baby is in utero, people seem to feel free to say the name reminds them of someone they didn't like in 5th grade. Or to tell you names they've always liked. But if you haven't told anyone the name until the baby is born, they just smile politely and say how cute the baby and the name are.
It's much the same with a story…and frequently, they mean well. But it can make you lose confidence in the manuscript or possibly send you off in another direction that you hadn't planned on going on.
A proviso…there is one time that I can think of where I actively searched out someone's thoughts on a work-in-progress and that was because I was stuck (these are the days before I started outlining) and was right on top of a deadline with Penguin. It was very helpful that time because this person knew a lot about the subplot I was working with (a subplot that tied into the mystery).
Everyone is different and other writers might find it very helpful to share their work as they're writing it…either in a critique group or with friends.
But, if you don't find it helpful, know you're not alone. If you get a lot of questions over the holidays about what you're working on, you could be vague like I am and not feel bad about it: you could say you're working on a mystery, a romance, a science-fiction story. And then leave it at that.
Then, once that first draft is finished, it might feel more comfortable to have folks weigh-in. As Meg Dowell says:
And when that first draft is done and you realize it’s a mess and that you’re going to need some help cleaning it up, go ahead. Turn the knob, let the door swing open, share your struggles. You have something to work with now. You’re going to do this. It’s all going to turn out great. Eventually.
For further reading:
Jami Gold on pros and cons of sharing a work-in-progress.
Caroline Ratajski on why she avoids workshops.
Elspeth Futcher's humorous take on why she doesn't share early drafts.
Do you write your first draft with your door open or shut?
On Keeping a First Draft to Yourself:
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Photo on Visual Hunt
The post Writing With the Door Shut appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
September 19, 2020
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 57,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
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 / Miscellaneous
5 Ways Writers Can Waste Money: @diannmills @EdieMelson
Writers, Pay Yourself First: @msheatherwebb @WriterUnboxed
How to – and how not to – run an online writing community. And publishing, post- Covid: @Litopia @AgentPete @Roz_Morris
The Ultimate Guide to Content Repurposing: @IndieAuthorALLI
Self-publishing News: What Streaming Means for Your Earnings: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLI
How Authors Can Make an Income from 1,000 True Fans: @OrnaRoss @thecreativepenn @IndieAuthorALLI
Six Tips for Compilation Submissions: @KatyKauffman28
5 Important Tips for Vetting Community-Specific Publishers: @JohnDoppler @IndieAuthorALLI
3 Keys to Freelance Editing: Position, Package, and Price: @JaneFriedman
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Sri Lanka’s Colombo International Book Fair bucks the trend and will be in-person from September 18, but at what cost? @thenewpubstd
New Honors for Bibi Bakare-Yusuf in the UK, Walter Mosley in the States: @Porter_Anderson @BibiBakareyusuf @pubperspectives
The UK's Booker Prize for Fiction Announces Its 2020 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @avnidoshi @MaazaMengiste @douglas_stuart @blgtylr @efie41209591 @TheBookerPrizes
The German Book Prize Names Its 2020 Shortlist of Novels: @Porter_Anderson @Buchpreis @pubperspectives
Frankfurter Buchmesse Announces Professional Program Details: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectives
IPA and Frankfurt Schedule Trend-Driven Events at Book Fair: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @IntPublishers
Spain's Liber20 Prizes: Elkar Bookstores, Netflix's ‘El Vecino,' and ZendaLibros: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
The US National Book Awards Program Names Its 2020 Longlists: @Porter_Anderson @nationalbook @Rumaan @britrbennett @BuckarooBZ @MeghaMaj @lydia_millet @Doug_D_Stuart @VanessaVeselka @charles_yu @pubperspectives
Conferences and Events / NaNoWriMo
NaNoWriMo Prep 101 Workshop: @NaNoWriMo
Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting
3 Tips to Help You Reach Your Writing Goal: @jjbear226 @NaNoWriMo
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
All the books mentioned in “Clueless”: @knownemily @lithub
Reading as a Writer: @RachelleGardner
What We Relate To When We Relate to Books: @JoshMalerman @CrimeReads
What 100 Writers Have Been Reading During Quarantine: @knownemily @lithub
Survivalists as Characters In Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg
Five Fantastic Books About Books for the Ultimate Bibliophile: @WF_Writers @BookTrib
9 Books About Being Homesick for A Place That Doesn't Exist Anymore: by Stephanie Soileau @ElectricLit
Seven Reasons Storytellers Should Consume Bad Stories: by Bunny @mythcreants
How reading crime novels improves critical thinking skills: @MargotKinberg
Examples of Agatha Christie's Wit in Her Writing: @MargotKinberg
9 Books Where Women of Color Tell Their Own Stories About Mental Health: @fictionalsejal @ElectricLit
Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation
Time to make fresh tracks: @NathanBransford
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
New Normal, New Writing Habits? by Heather Dyer
Why Write At All? @10minnovelist
Thoughts That Run Through Your Head When You Release A Second Book: @KMAllan_writer
What are your misguided ideas about writers? @pubcoach
“You Can Hide Behind Amazon All You Want, But People Want to Know Who You Are As a Person.”: Evan J. Roberts @DanBlank
How to Stay Focused on Your Manuscript: @MichaelLaRonn
How to Get Your Family On Board With Your Author Career: @dkparsonswriter @SelfPubForm
10 Tips for Eliminating Not-so-Obvious Writing Distractions: @MegDowell
Quarantine Quill: Daily Writing Prompts for Our Pandemic Times: @ParisCritical
How to Write a Timely Novel in a World That Won't Stop Changing: @djpoissant @lithub
“Why I'm a Christian but Not a Christian Author”: @VictoriaGHowell
A Guide for Authors on Recommending Books: @jeffekennedy @sfwa
The Imaginary Things Holding You Back: @MegDowell
On Writing (And Not Writing) Right Now: @choitotheworld @harlingross @repeller
How to Purge the Thousand Story Ideas Running Around In Your Head: @helpfulsnowman @LitReactor
The 3 Acts of a Writer's Life: How Your Age Affects Your Writing: @KMWeiland
How to Finish Writing Your Book: @Draft2Digital
Promote a Love of Reading: 7 Simple Tips for Teachers and Parents: @HellyDouglas @ProWritingAid
Genres / Fantasy
What Makes Epic Fantasy “Epic”? @use_theforce_em @tordotcom
Genres / Miscellaneous
How Many Words Are in a Novel? Here's a Breakdown of 15 Top Genres: @DaveChesson
Genres / Mystery
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September 13, 2020
The Art of the Constructive Critique
by Lucia Tang @Reedsy
Nothing thickens your skin like a writing career. When it comes to fielding acid-tongue critiques, most of us have strategies for calming down and keeping it all in perspective. But what happens when you’re the person having to give the harsh critique?
Offering feedback on a fellow writer’s work-in-progress is a delicate, often emotionally draining task, as challenging in its own way as architecting a plot twist or capturing an elusive character’s voice. Like plotting, critiquing a manuscript requires big-picture thinking and a bird’s-eye view of the story’s overall goals. And like character development, it’s an exercise in empathy — for the writer, and for the readers who will encounter their work in the future.
Penning a thoughtful critique uses some of the same mental muscles as writing a book review or polishing your own draft. But you have to keep in mind that the work is A) not your own and B) still unfinished.
At the end of the day, the constructive critique is a genre all its own, with conventions to follow and an audience to keep in mind. To learn how to master this subtle, challenging form, I spoke to my colleague Jenn Gott, a six-time indie author whose superhero novel snagged a starred review on Publishers Weekly.
Jenn participates in a regular writing group, as well as a critique partnership with a fellow indie author, so offering — and receiving — constructive criticism is a major part of her writing practice. Here are her tips for offering feedback as clearly, graciously, and helpfully as possible.
1. Read the text on two levels — as a professional, and as a fan
Needless to say, examining the draft of a novel with an eye to improving it feels nothing like indulging in a published beach read. It’s like the difference between a chef tasting a soup mid-simmer to check the salt levels, and a diner luxuriating in that same soup after it’s served up with a spring of garnish. Instead of sinking into the story, you have to study it with some distance — taking note of what works and prodding at what doesn’t.
That said, Gott cautions against taking yourself completely out of the readerly point of view. Part of your function as a critique-giver, after all, is to anticipate what later, less-critical consumers of the story will think. “The more polished the draft is”, Gott notes, “the more easily I get swept up in it and forget to be critical. So that’s part of how I tell how much more work it needs.”
To offer a nuanced, well-balanced critique, try reading the text twice. On the first run-through, allow yourself to respond to it as a reader, paying attention to what piques your interest and what ignites your fannish need to know more. Your second pass is when the proverbial red pen can come out. Reading this way will yield you both positive and critical points to incorporate into your feedback. You can then layer these in a criticism “sandwich”, interpersing your “cons” between “pros” to craft a critique that goes down easy.
2. Focus on the writer’s aims
In addition to getting into future readers’ heads, critiquing a manuscript demands empathy for the writer’s point of view as well.
Offering feedback on a colleague’s work is different from revising your own in one key respect: their voice, sensibilities, and overall goals might not align with your own. And while critiquing gives you an opportunity to help fashion their work into its ultimate shape, you have to be careful not to force it into a copy of your style.
For Gott, the key to offering helpful, empathic feedback is working from a solid understanding of the writer’s aims. “Any time I critique,” she says, “it’s really important for me that I’m not turning their work into my work. You want to make sure that your suggestions are bringing the story closer to the author's vision for it.” Of course, you can’t just assume you get the author’s vision based on what you see on the page — you should ask them directly, giving them an opportunity to articulate what they’re trying to achieve.
But what if they’re trying to achieve something you just can’t wrap your head around — whether they’re promoting a political agenda you don’t agree with, or working with tropes you just can’t see the appeal in? In cases like that, Gott suggests, it might be best to recognize you’ve hit an impasse and pass the work on to someone who’s better positioned to critique it. (It’s good practice, of course, to let the author know why you feel uncomfortable reviewing their work — they may not have a good sense of just whom they’re alienating!)
3. Offer solutions
If you do feel capable of offering a thoughtful, constructive critique, be sure to follow through on it. One thing Gott tends to find frustrating as a recipient of feedback is “drive-by criticism” — cursory notes that aren’t elaborated upon, from a critic who shuts down if you try to ask them questions.
If you don’t want your critique partner to feel like they’ve been left hanging, it’s helpful to make yourself available for a round or two of clarifying Q&A’s. That way, if any part of your feedback is unclear, they don’t have to puzzle it out on their own.
To avoid being bombarded with questions, though, try to offer solutions alongside your criticisms in the first place. If you point out a bit of inconsistent characterization, for instance, work in a comment about how you might expect that character to behave instead. And if you flag a weak verb, list a few more vivid alternatives they might try on for size.
Offering solutions to the problems you pinpoint will make your critiques feel like entry points in a genuinely collaborative relationship — not mean-spirited nitpicking. Even if you never work that manuscript again, you’ll still have helped that writer produce the best work they can. And that’s something both of you can celebrate.
Lucia Tang is a writer with Reedsy , a marketplace that connects self-publishing authors with the world’s best editors, designers, and marketers. Reedsy also provides tools to help authors write and format their books, as well as free courses and webinars on publishing. In Lucia’s spare time, she enjoys drinking cold brew and planning her historical fantasy novel.
Lucia Tang @Reedsy with 3 Tips for Giving Better Critiques:
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