Riley Adams's Blog, page 66

February 10, 2019

5 Mistakes to Watch Out For When Editing Your Blog Posts

by Laura Smith, @lsmith335

Editing Is Crucial

Let’s face it, even a good first draft can look like a hot mess when it’s first read. Every decent English teacher I’ve ever had has marked up my rough draft with a red pen and then said, “good job.” But we’re not in English class anymore, and we have to take the red pen to our work ourselves. That means catching everything from basic typos to cutting entire sections that don’t flow with the rest of the piece. It also means throwing away some basic knowledge that I learned in school and adapting to the age of writing online.

I have to admit, this was the most self-aware piece I’ve ever written. I had to make sure I was following my own advice as I was giving it. After all, what’s the point of offering advice if you’re not going to follow it yourself? Below are five of the major elements that I review when I’m editing my blog articles.

1. Long and Wordy Sentences and Paragraphs

Reading on a screen is much different from reading from a piece of paper. Forget everything your elementary school teachers taught you about writing paragraphs. If you can make your point in two sentences, move onto the next paragraph.

Help your readers out by breaking up your paragraphs into shorter pieces. A quick scroll through the article will cause them to notice the length right away. They’re more likely to read three paragraphs that are each three sentences long than one paragraph that is nine sentences long. It’s like cutting a peanut butter and jelly sandwich into fourths rather than in half to make a kid believe that they’re eating a smaller amount of food.

Also, vary your sentence length. Can you split a long sentence into two shorter ones? Are you over-explaining something that the reader already understands? Can you provide a specific example rather than rephrase what you just said? Read your work aloud to make sure you can say the sentence in one breath. If not, your own voice will tell you where you need to pause.

2. Trying To Cram In A Good Point That Doesn’t Fit With The Rest Of The Article

Notice when you’re veering off-topic. When we’re drafting a piece, we tend to write down everything that comes to mind, and that’s good. But you have to be willing to cut anything and everything if you need to. This might be because of word length limits or the fact that the point has nothing to do with the rest of the paragraph or article.

In one recent piece that I wrote, I was describing the things that writers do to distract themselves from writing. I started naming specific tasks and chores, like changing light bulbs or taking old clothes to the Goodwill. It felt like a lighthearted and relatable point. However, not only did it take up a crucial chunk of my limited word count, but it was redundant and kept the reader from getting to the point of that section, which was to take time to organize your files. So, I shortened the paragraph to one sentence and got to the actual point of the section much faster.

If a stray sentence or paragraph fits better in another part of the article, move it. Otherwise, save it for a different article, or delete it all together. Even a solid point can distract from the focus of the piece and make the article look choppy and disorganized to a reader.

3. Using a Bad Title

Titles are hard for me. Whether it’s the title of a book, an article, or a section of a piece, I stress over whether the title is too generic to capture a reader’s attention or too obscure to let the reader know what the article is about. Luckily, there are free tools to help with this, at least when writing blogs and articles.

One such tool is the Headline Analyzer. Here, you type in the rough title that you have come up with and the category of the piece, and the site will tell you how “good” it is. You want to aim for a 25% effectiveness or higher. You can then tweak words and placement, and run it through again to compare with your last score. Here is the link to the site: https://www.aminstitute.com/headline/

4. A Rushed or Boring Introduction and Conclusion

When I blog, I like to write a meaningful introduction and conclusion to most of my pieces, even if those are the parts that a lot of readers like to skip. Still, my formal training taught me to summarize and reiterate your points at the beginning and end of your essays so if a reader does take a look at it, it has to be gripping.

Start with a personal story, ask a question, or tell a joke, depending on the topic. Don’t ramble on. Get to your list or the meat of your article fast. Keep it short so that readers don’t feel the need to scroll past the beginning or stop at the conclusion. Don’t think of these sections as something to get through. Use them to put your own personal flair on the piece.

5. Inconsistencies in Formatting and Word Choice

You have to pick a format and stick with it. Don’t put some important words in bold and others in Italics. Don’t start numbering sections and bulleting others. Don’t start with a quote at the beginning of some of your sections and then stop halfway through. Don’t use jargon that you haven’t explained or examples that are confusing or take too long to describe.

If you’re reviewing a movie, don’t start calling a character by their nickname without explaining that it is their nickname the first time you use it or providing the names of actors who played certain characters but not others. Make sure that you are using the right format for the titles of novels, short stories, songs, movies, TV shows, etc. Don’t assume you are a master of English mechanics. Look up anything that you’re not sure of on trustworthy sites.

When you’re looking up pictures, make sure they fit in with the topic of the piece. Don’t try to make it work with a creative caption. Use high quality images so that readers know what they’re looking at and don’t think there’s something wrong with their screen.

Conclusion

Using these five editing tips are going to lower your chances of kicking yourself when you find an error or weakness in your piece after it is published. It’s devastating to find imperfections in your perfect work, and you most likely will, but at least they will be small blemishes, not giant warts. So, take your red pen and start marking up that page before you hit publish!

Laura Smith is the self-published author of three middle grade books, a volunteer editor for LitPick (a student book review website), and a blogger for HubPages. When she isn’t writing, she’s shopping, drawing, working on projects around her house, and spending time with her family.

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Published on February 10, 2019 21:02

February 9, 2019

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 48,000 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.

News

I had a couple of really fun interviews last week. One with Ellen Jacobson (where we discussed character v. plot (and also cookies and penguins!) and another at the Maltese Tiger blog where we discussed making progress on a story during tough writing days.

There’s also a new podcast I’ve discovered that should be fun for True Crime and mystery lovers. We Never Solved Anything features Kay and Tay as they explore a new unsolved mystery every week.

Business / Miscellaneous

Freelance: 20 Ways to Generate Article Ideas in 20 Minutes or Fewer: @mridukhullar @WritersDigest
Business Musings: The Current State of Disruption (Planning for 2019) : @KristineRusch
Outsourcing self-publishing tasks: @JyotsnaR @IndieAuthorALLI
Book vs. Film: “Bird Box”: @ChrisShultz_ @LitReactor
How Developmental Editing Improves Your Writing: @WritingForward

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

The Selfies Award Announces Its First Self-Published Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Wellcome Book Prize Announces Its 10th Anniversary Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @wellcomebkprize
AAP’s 2019 Professional and Scholarly Conference: ‘Mission Critical’: @Porter_Anderson @bgreene
“How I Helped Create a Successful Online Summit for 600 Writers”: @DanBlank

Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting

How to Define and Achieve Your Creative Goals (Podcast): @DanBlank
How to Set Writing Goals the Right Way: @EmmanuelNataf @ReedsyHQ
How to Make and Accomplish Goals: by Diane Tibert

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

How to Use Kindle’s New Custom Font Feature: @thDigitalReader
Classic SF Works Set on Thrilling Space Habitats: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom
How To Find Time To Read More Books In 2019: @inkyelbows
New Year, New Queue: Taming that TBR: @AnnieNeugebauer
A Children’s Fiction Author Shares Her 2019 Reading Resolutions: @alexthepink
MAP: 100 Iconic Love Stories From Around the World: from Global English Editing

Creativity and Inspiration / Perfectionism

Writing and Perfection – Is There Such a Thing? @KarenCV

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing

Why You Should Write Daily—Even if You Hate Writing: @KathyEdens1 @ProWritingAid
Writing More: 3 Essential Strategies To Write Your Book: @angee

Creativity and Inspiration / Success

7 things published writers do differently: @NathanielTower
5 Tips for Success from an Indie Author: @ceilingsmasher

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

Are You On a Route Suited for Multiple Writing Projects? @RosanneBane
Pursue Your Contentment — and Your Chaos: @ThereseWalsh @WriterUnboxed
Your Skills May Need Time to Catch Up to Your Vision: by Bucket Siler
Can Parenthood Be the Artist’s Best Tool? @NemoAuthor @lithub
Seeking Truth in Fiction: @kcraftwriter @WriterUnboxed
Your No. 1 Secret Weapon: Writing Communities: @katrinschumann @JaneFriedman
Learning How And When To Take Advice: @reynagentin @WomenWriters
Writing: Does an Indie Author Ever Really Retire? @DebbieYoungBN @IndieAuthorALLI
The importance of patience for writers: @AnnieNeugebauer @WriterUnboxed
Gaining Confidence Through Experience as a Writer:
Rest for Success and Why Busy is Seriously Overrated: @KristenLambTX
Five Ways To Become A Happier Writer: by Mark Alpert @killzoneauthors

Genres / Fantasy

Seven Things Writers Get Wrong About Language: @Young_E_H @mythcreants

Genres / Historical

Crafting the Victorian Novel: Podcast Interview with @_DavidMorrell:

Genres / Mystery

Crime Writing: Burglary vs. Robbery: @LeeLofland
Getting Drawn Unexpectedly Into Murder as an Element in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg
Why Small Towns Are So Perfect for Crime Fiction: @sarablaedel @CrimeReads
My Influences, Writing Routine, and Writing Tips in my Interview with @themaltesetiger:
The Year in Sherlockiana: @LyndsayFaye @CrimeReads
Tips on Writing a Domestic Thriller: @JordanDane @killzoneauthors
How a Drug-Addicted Art Critic Created the Perfect Sleuth for the Jazz Age: by John Loughery @CrimeReads
Why Regency England Is the Perfect Setting for Mystery: by Catherine Lloyd @CrimeReads
Unusual Inheritances as an Element in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg

Genres / Poetry

‘Keats is dead…’: How young women are changing the rules of poetry: @DonnaLFerguson @GuardianBooks

Genres / Romance

Guide To Writing Faded Love: @writingandsuch

Genres / Science Fiction

Six Means of SF Transportation You Should Probably Avoid: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom

Genres / Screenwriting

Translating Sherlock Holmes to the Screen Is No Longer Elementary: @JeffYorkWriter @CreativeScreen
Screenwriting: When Good Scripts Go Bad: @BittrScrptReadr

Genres / Young Adult

Resources For Writing Young Adult Fiction: @writingandsuch

Promo / Blogging

How Can Guest Posts Improve Your Book Marketing? by Rebecca Langley @standoutbooks

Promo / Connecting with Readers

Analyze Your Audience: @davidfarland

Promo / Miscellaneous

How to Calendarize Your Book Marketing Approach: @proflangley @WritersDigest

Promo / Platforms

5 Reasons Your Brand as a Writer is More Important than Your Book: @MikeLoomis @WritetoDone

Promo / Social Media Tips

The Ultimate Guide to Social Media for Writers 2019: @DaveChesson

Promo / Websites

Building an Author Website: The First Step to Publishing: @joebunting

Publishing / Miscellaneous

5 Ways to Write Your Most Urgent (and Publishable) Work According to Lit Mag Editors: by Rachel Thompson @DIYMFA
What does a copywriter do? The B2B content marketing guide [2019]: @wearearticulate
‘Cyberwar’ Wins AAP’s RR Hawkins Award: Kathleen Hall Jamieson Sounds Chilling Alarm for Publishers: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
How Long Will Your Book Be? @davidfarland
Stieg Larsson Investigation Bestseller Acquired by Amazon Crossing: @Porter_Anderson

Publishing / News / International Publishing

Industry Notes: London Book Fair’s 2019 Trailblazers; GLLI’s First YA Translation: @Porter_Anderson
The German Book Market in 2018, and a Look Ahead to 2019: @HannahSJohnson @pubperspectives
Czech Book Sales Rise Amid Ongoing Industry Consolidation: @JaroslawAdamows @pubperspectives
Taipei International Book Exhibition 2019: Take ‘Time for Reading’: @Porter_Anderson
Translator Susan Bernofsky Wins Ulfers Prize; Georgina Moore Joins Midas PR: @Porter_Anderson

Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing

Five Commandments of the Independent Author Story: by J. Thorn @StoryGrid

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Rejections

100 Rejections: Achievement Unlocked: @Aeryn_Rudel

Publishing / Process / Author Assistants

What is an Author Assistant and Do You Need One? @JennyBravoBooks

Publishing / Process / Book Design

Book Cover Design for Your Author Brand: Name Placement: @DaveChesson @BookWorksNYC

Publishing / Process / Contracts

The Book Contract ‘Red Line’: @SophieMasson1 @WriterUnboxed

Publishing / Process / Translation

London Book Fair Names Singapore’s Jeremy Tiang ‘Literary Translator of the Fair’ : @JeremyTiang @Porter_Anderson

Writing Craft / Beginnings

Tips for Introducing Characters: @writingandsuch

Writing Craft / Characters / Arc

The Six Stages of Your Hero’s Character Arc: @LiveWriteThrive

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

Occupation Thesaurus Entry: Yoga Instructor: @AngelaAckerman

Writing Craft / Conflict

Story Grid: How to Create Conflict by Discovering Your Character’s Objects of Desire: @DavidHSafford @write_practice

Writing Craft / Dialogue

Dialogue: The Number One Mistake Newbie Writers Make: @manzanitafire

Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film

The Annotation Project: A Wrinkle in Time: @CockeyedCaravan
What Mister Rogers Taught Us About Storytelling: @Repino1 @tordotcom
7 Ways Kurt Vonnegut Poisoned Readers’ Minds with Humanity: @DustinGrinnell @WritersDigest

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

Writing Within Limitations: @writing_tips

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting

The “B” Story Rides to the Rescue of the “A” Story : @SPressfield
5 Tips on Writing Strong Plot Twists: by Savannah Cordova @ReedsyHQ

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats

Gremlins Beat Sheet: @DonRoff @savethecat

Writing Craft / Revision

When You’re Ready to Revise, What to Focus on First: @writeabook
Editing – Proof Listening With Word’s Read Aloud Feature: @authorterryo
“How I Learned to Enjoy Rewriting in 2018”: @BeingTheWriter @womenonwriting

Writing Craft / Scenes

Questions to Consider When Plotting a Scene: @CSLakin @JaneFriedman

Writing Craft / Settings and Description

Tips to Improve Story Description When Using Adjectives: @ZoeMMcCarthy

Writing Craft / Subtext

Subtext for Writers: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelson

Writing Craft / Tropes

Character Type: Advocate: @GoIntoTheStory

Writing Craft / Voice

Defining Your Unique Writing Style & Voice: @kristen_kieffer

Writing Craft / World-Building

10 Tips for Unique, Creative World-Building: @_HannahHeath @phoenix_fiction

Writing Tools / Apps

18 Microsoft Word Tips and Tricks for Mac and PC: @TCKPublishing
How to Use Track Changes in Word: @editoreditorial

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on February 09, 2019 21:04

February 7, 2019

Gaining Confidence Through Experience

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I have a lot of sympathy for writers who get great ideas for other projects (known as SNI…Shiny New Ideas) while working on a book. When you’re in the daily slog of writing a novel, it’s very tempting to jump ship and start working on a new book that seems more like a sure thing.

But it worries me when I read blog posts by writers who are having trouble finishing any of the books they’re working on. There’s a lot to be said for finishing a project. That’s because, after you’ve finished one, you know you can do it. You know that, no matter what kind of shape that manuscript is in, you have the ability to work your way all the way through to The End.

There are other benefits to having lots of experience writing (whether on one book or multiple books). It gives you confidence when you face a problem with your story. I know that, with probably every other book I write, there’s going to be some point when I run into an issue. It could be a plot hole or a character that seems flat or any number of other problems.

But, when I run into an issue, I always feel so much calmer when I realize: I’ve been here before. I don’t think there’s a problem that I haven’t encountered at this point. And it keeps me from getting stressed to know that I’ve handled other roadblocks that have sprung up and turned out a decent book afterward.

Life is sort of like that, too. With years comes experience and the experiences…good and bad…help us to know how to handle problems when they pop up.

Establishing a writing habit and finishing projects are two ways of gaining this experience as writers. You’ll just need to find out what works best for you: writing in the morning? At lunch? In the evening? At home? At the library or coffeehouse? At work during a break? Then make sure the goals you set (as I’ve mentioned before) are reasonable and something that you can easily meet. It doesn’t help to set goals that make us discouraged.

For more tips for setting up a writing habit and for finishing a book see:

12 Tips to Get Unstuck and Finish Writing Your Book by Lorna Faith

How to Develop a Rock-Solid Writing Habit by Daphne Gray-Grant

5 Hacks to Create a Good Writing Habit by Joe Bunting

It’s a nice bonus that a writing habit leads, not only to a finished book, but to more experience to handle future projects (frequently in less time).

Have you run into roadblocks with your books that you’ve realized you can work through? Do you ever have trouble finishing a book?

Gaining Confidence Through Experience:
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Published on February 07, 2019 21:01

February 3, 2019

What is an Author Assistant and Do You Need One?

by Jenny Bravo, @JennyBravoBooks

We are in the age of the author. With the rise of self-publishing and hybrid publishing, authors are pumping out books more than ever. We live in a content-based world with readers who are always wanting more, more, more. Not only do authors need to write more, but now, they need to maintain author platforms, keep updated on social media, and dive into advertising.

How can one person possibly manage all of this work? The answer is that they shouldn’t.

What is an Author Assistant?

You may have heard of a virtual assistant within the online business world. These are people that business owners can hire by the hour or on a retainer that can accomplish the time-consuming tasks that are necessary but draining.

An Author Assistant is essentially a specialized virtual assistant. With an Author Assistant by your side, you can concentrate on your writing, while your assistant can tackle your other tasks.

What can an Author Assistant do for you?

While it varies depending on the assistant, here are a few tasks that are commonly available to authors:

Email management and outreach
Advanced Reader Copy management
Social Media assistance
Book tour assistance
Beta Reader coordination
Blog writing and management

There are two types of assistant work. If you are an author who has a strategy and simply needs a point person to make these tasks happen, you will most likely find a more inexpensive rate. If you are an author in need of a more hands-on approach, you will need an Author Assistant who is a strategist and can be a more integral member of your team.

Do you need an Author Assistant?

Imagine what your week would look like if you could spend three more hours writing. Think of the author-related tasks that eat into your writing time. Do you feel bogged down with research? Do you lose time to book launches and still feel like you could have accomplished more?

Whether you are a beginning author or a seasoned author, an Author Assistant will be an asset for you. Often, Author Assistant services are flexible. If you only need a few hours a week, that is available to you. As you grow to trust your assistant and want to work more with them, you will be able to increase your hours or move to a retainer rate.

How do Author Assistants charge for their services?

Again, this depends on the assistant. However, there are a few structures that are fairly standard.

An hourly rate is typically what you will see when researching assistants. This is a clear cut way for you to determine how your money will be spent and for the assistant to provide you with a clear report of how they spent those hours.

A package rate is for specific services. For instance, you may see a blog tour management package, which breaks down specifically what you will receive for that service and eliminates the time tracking component.

A retainer rate is for assistants and authors who have typically worked together for a few months. This is a set monthly price that allows the assistant to be more available to the author for a larger sum.

You may wonder if there is a more preferable rate structure. I believe an author and an Author Assistant should start with an hourly rate to determine exactly how much work needs to be done and how much time it will take. I see the first month as a trial, getting-to-know-you month that allows the relationship to form. Package rates are much easier to project going forward.

Where can you find an Author Assistant?

There are a number of places to find assistants! Join a Facebook group with other authors and find who they utilize. You can also search in job boards and freelance sites such as Fiverr. Even posting your own search on social media will allow others to suggest assistants for you.

The important thing to remember is that you do not have to do everything alone. For an affordable price, you can work with an assistant who will save you time and allow you to focus on what you really care about… writing!

Jenny Bravo writes books about strong women who don’t have it all together. She shares self-publishing and writing advice on her website, Jenny Bravo Books. Jenny serves other authors as an Author Assistant and is passionate about book marketing and social media techniques. Find out more about her Author Assistant services here.

What kinds of writing-related business would you rather outsource to someone else? Have any questions for Jenny? And…I’m visiting Ellen Jacobson’s blog today. :) Feel free to pop by to say hi!

What Author Assistants Do and How to Find One by @JennyBravoBooks :
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Published on February 03, 2019 21:01

February 2, 2019

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Business / Miscellaneous

Writing to market – Why It can backfire: @Peter_Rey_
Why & How to Build a Book Project Plan: by John Wagner-Stafford of @IngeniumBooks @IndieAuthorALLI

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

Nayef Al-Rodhan Prize 2019 Opens at India’s Jaipur Festival: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Bart van Es’ Biography ‘The Cut Out Girl’ Named Costa Book of the Year: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Reactions as Man Booker Prize Loses Sponsorship from Man Group: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Wales’ International Dylan Thomas Prize Announces Its 2019 Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @dylanthomprize
‘Canada Reads’ 2019 Names Its Books and Their Celebrity Defenders: @Porter_Anderson @StandUpAli
London Book Fair 2019 Charity: BAFTA Kids Roadshow With Place2Be: @Porter_Anderson @BAFTA @Place2Be
British Book Awards Program Names More Than 65 Judges for 2019: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives

Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting

How to Plan Your Novels for 2019: @KathyEdens1 @ProWritingAid
A Goal-Checking Trick for Plotting Your Novel: @Janice_Hardy
Easy Steps to Succeed in Book Writing Plan: by Kristen Ford @WritetoDone
February is Good for 28-day Challenges: @austinkleon

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration

Don’t discard. Keep all your pieces in play. @austinkleon
Writing and the Subconscious: Summoning Your Muse: @RuthHarrisBooks

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Quotes

Five Lessons from Legendary Writers: @DaveChesson

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

5 Groundbreaking Urban Fantasies With Unusual Settings: @mercedeslackey @tordotcom
7 Books That Helped 1 Writer Survive 2018: @gaileyfrey @tordotcom
Five Classic SF Novels of Anthropogenic Climate Change: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom
What Does Immersing Yourself in a Book Do To Your Brain? @MaryanneWolf_ @lithub
7 Anthologies to Broaden Your Perspective: @bookbento @jrc2666
Writing and the Creative Life: Why Your Brain Loves Good Storytelling: @GoIntoTheStory
8 Modern Classics Of Rural Noir: by Keith Scribner @CrimeReads
Tips for Starting a Book Club: @MaddieDayAuthor

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing

Finding Time to Write: @DeannaCabinian

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

Time to Schedule Your Writing Life Tune-up: @annkroeker
How to Practise Mindfulness in Your Writing: by Lisa Ferland @IndieAuthorALLI
How to Create a Playlist on YouTube to Listen to When Writing: @lidywilks
Tales from an Idea Hoarder: @FinishedPages @womenonwriting
Did Hemingway say “write drunk, edit sober”? Nope—he preferred writing sober: @JessZafarris @WritersDigest
10 Tips to Help You Build a Writing Tribe: @_HannahHeath
Do We Actually Know What Shakespeare Looked Like? by James Hunt @mental_floss
7 Ways to Take Advantage of the Bullet Journal Method: by Alvin Ward @mental_floss
Morality and the Modern Writer: @ClareLangleyH @killzoneauthors
A Slow and Steady Writing Pace Leads to Published Books:
Should You Write What You Know? @TheRyanLanz
Want to Write Your Life Story But Don’t Care to publish? Consider Legacy Writing: @writingthrulife

Genres / Miscellaneous

Secrets of the War Genre: by Rachelle Ramirez @StoryGrid

Genres / Mystery

Technology as a Generational Disruptor in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg
Crime Writing: Details About a Cop’s Life to Make Your Novel More Realistic: @LeeLofland
The Delicate Art of Creating Misleading Crime Scenes in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg

Genres / Non-Fiction

Does Your Biography for Young People Have a Character Through-Line? @mbrockenbrough @scbwi
How Writers Use Curiosity, Creativity, and Craft to Write Good Nonfiction: @dhemley @NinaAmir

Genres / Screenwriting

5 Things Obi-Wan Kenobi Should Have Told Luke Skywalker (Instead of LIES): @use_theforce_em @tordotcom
Screenwriting: Anatomy of a Scene: Adding Layers in ‘All The President’s Men’: @swankmotron @scriptmag
How Much Creative Risk Should Screenwriters Take? by Alexander Robb @CreativeScreen
Script To Screen: “Lost In Translation”: @GoIntoTheStory
Great Scene: “Magnolia”: @GoIntoTheStory

Promo / Blogging

7 Ways To Make Your Blog Shine: @evy_mann
Is the New WordPress Format Stressing You Out? @Julie_Glover

Promo / Book Reviews

Running a Book Review Blog: @redhead5318 @jimchines

Promo / Book Signings and Launch parties

An Author Reports on Lessons Learned from a Recent Book Tour: https://t.co/6FL8IErBh1 and @BobEckstein @WritersDigest

Promo / Connecting with Readers

5 Tips for Collecting New Readers and Connections: @KatyKauffman28 @EdieMelson
Identifying Your Ideal Reader (Podcast): @valerie_francis @timgrahl

Promo / Crowdfunding

How to Crowdfund Your Writing With Patreon: @LucyASnyder @WritersDigest

Promo / Metadata

How to Choose Amazon Categories to Increase Your Sales: @TCKPublishing

Promo / Miscellaneous

Why Recommending (other) Books is an A-Game Book Promotion Strategy for 2019: @Bookgal
What Authors Should Know About MS Sway: @WordDreams

Promo / Platforms

Promoting Yourself as an Author: @metcalfwriter

Promo / Podcasts

How to be a Better Podcast Guest: @thDigitalReader

Publishing / Miscellaneous

Crafting an Anthology from Beginning to End (Podcast): @carodonahue @DIYMFA
Here are the Biggest Fiction Bestsellers of the Last 100 Years: @knownemily @lithub
Top Ten Reasons to be in an Anthology: @TheIWSG @AlexJCavanaugh
Creating Large Print Books: @Ellen__Jacobson
Industry Notes: NetGalley Advanced’ Publishers; ALTA Prize Submissions: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Five Tips to Promote Yourself as a Newbie Freelance Writer: by Abhishek Talreja @hopeclark

Publishing / News / Amazon

New Amazon Crossing Kids: Translating Picture Books Into English: @Porter_Anderson @KelseySkea @AmazonPub

Publishing / News / Data

Scholastic’s New ‘Kids & Family Reading’ Report: Reading Aloud Is Up: @Porter_Anderson @pamallyn

Publishing / News / International Publishing

Russian Booksellers Say Online Retail Competition Is Gaining Fast: by Eugene Gerden @pubperspectives
Issues and Debate at India’s 2019 Jaipur Bookmark Program: Freedom to Publish: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying

The Querying Process Tool Kit: @Scott_Thought

Publishing / Process / Book Design

5 Tips to Improve Your Next Novel Cover: @jkcheney

Publishing / Process / Formatting

Paperback Formatting for Beginners: by Nils Ödlund @mythicscribes

Publishing / Process / Legalities

Knowing Right and Wrong — Copyright: by David Kudler @JFbookman

Publishing / Process / Translation

American Library Association: ‘Fox on the Swing’ Wins the Batchelder Award for Translation: @Porter_Anderson

Writing Craft / Beginnings

Five Essentials for an Opening Scene: by Rachel Meyer @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Characters / Arc

Do all Protagonists need a character arc? @GoIntoTheStory

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

150+ Useful Character Quirks (Plus a Few Clichés to Avoid): @ReedsyHQ
Fight, Flight, or Freeze? Psyche 101 for Writers: @beccapuglisi

Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion

Infusing Emotion into Fiction: @charissaweaks

Writing Craft / Dialogue

9 Tension-Building Elements For Character Dialogue: @beccapuglisi

Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film

Racing the Wind with The Black Stallion: by Judith Tarr @tordotcom

Writing Craft / Literary Devices

How to Develop Your Novel’s Theme: @Janice_Hardy
Introduction to Metaphors: How To Use Metaphors Correctly: @TCKPublishing

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

Story Grid Genre: What You Need to Know Write Better Stories: @DavidHSafford @write_practice
Five Dualities That Can Replace Good and Evil: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting

Complex Story? Use a Crime Wall: @ATwistofNoir @JamiGold
1,462 Basic Plot Types: @writing_tips

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research

Research: Advanced Life Support for Writers: @DanKoboldt

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats

The Princess Bride Beat Sheet: @NaomiBeaty

Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar

Grammar Purity is One Big Ponzi Scheme: @GrammarUnder @lithub
‘Stationery’ Versus ‘Stationary’: @GrammarGirl

Writing Craft / Revision

Tips for Revising Your Novel: @SnowflakeGuy
How to Self-Edit a Manuscript for Language: @JeriWB
How to Edit Your Character: @tishmartin1416

Writing Craft / Scenes

How To Structure a Scene: @themaltesetiger

Writing Craft / Tropes

Character Type: Martyr: @GoIntoTheStory

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Published on February 02, 2019 21:04

January 31, 2019

Slow and Steady Wins the Race

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

One cool thing about blogging for over ten years is that a lot of the posts form a sort of unexpected diary. I was glancing over some older posts and came across this one from 2010. My son and daughter would have been 13 and 9 when I wrote it. I spoke of our bike ride on a nearby greenway and how we were biking so erratically (my daughter was still on a little kid bike) that a jogger kept passing us over and over again. He was going slow and steady and despite our occasional bursts of speed, kept overtaking us.

I made the observation that this was how my writing life worked. I didn’t go fast enough to get burned out but I didn’t go slow enough to get overwhelmed with the length of the project.

When I’ve spoken in front of groups, I’m frequently asked how many books a year I write. My answer is 3 1/2 (when I first started writing it was far fewer than that…the majority of my books have been written in the last 5 years). They always think this sounds impressive until I tell them that my goal each day is 3 pages. It’s funny how it sounds much less-impressive when you break it down.

I think the danger of writing a lot of books can be, depending on the writer, the burnout that can follow. I’ve been burned out before, even writing at my pace, and it wasn’t fun. I felt like I was just going through the motions.

One reason I enjoy this slower, steadier pace is because I’m a fan of breaking down everything from writing to promo to cleaning out a project into smaller tasks. I stay motivated when I have a string of small successes every day and when I meet my smaller, reasonable goals.

There are a lot of writers that are meeting really impressive word count goals every day and are able to maintain it for years. I can understand their reasoning: they know that they will likely make more money if they publish more books. My income at this point is pretty steady…an amount that I can count on. But it took me a long while to get here.

The important thing is to find your pace. Only you know how much is going on in your life at one time. Make sure that whatever goals you set for yourself are attainable and make you comfortable. When I had a toddler in the house, my goal was 1 page a day (written during Elmo’s World on repeat). Don’t let anyone think that you’re writing too fast or too slow. And, if your circumstances change (you have more time or less time), then be sure to adjust your goals accordingly.

For more about setting writing goals, see this post by Janice Hardy.

What is your natural writing pace like? What types of goals are you setting for this year?

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Published on January 31, 2019 21:02

January 27, 2019

Fight, Flight, or Freeze? Psyche 101 for Writers

by Becca Puglisi, @beccapuglisi

Fight or flight.

I think we’ve all heard this phrase. It refers to the way each person is hard-wired to respond to real or perceived danger. Psychologists have recently added another option, giving us three ways we might respond to threats: we fight back, we flee, or we freeze up. This happens in life-or-death situations, but it also occurs on a smaller scale whenever we feel endangered:

At the mall, when you see someone who mistreated you in the past
At work, when the boss criticizes your work
At a party, when a friendly conversation takes an uncomfortable turn
At school, when you hear an ugly rumor someone has started about you

So whether the situation is potentially fatal or just a little threatening, you’re going to respond in one of those three ways. What does that look like? Here are few possibilities that cover a range of intensity:

Fight Responses

Confronting the offending party

Invading their personal space

Verbally or physically attacking the person

Seeking revenge

Flight Responses

Subtly changing the subject during a conversation

Avoiding certain people, places, or topics

Literally fleeing—moving away from the source of one’s discomfort

Laughing it off; acting like there is no threat

Freeze Responses

Not answering when one is addressed

Stumbling to a halt

Feeling paralyzed, as if one is physically unable to move

Squeezing the eyes shut and going still

This is obviously just a sampling; more responses can be found for specific emotions in the Second Edition of The Emotion Thesaurus.

Because this is how we react to real or perceived danger as human beings, it’s important to know which way are characters will lean. Figuring out their fight, flight, or freeze tendency early on can help in a number of ways.

It Provides Characterization

While every character’s specific response to threats is going to be unique, they will each have a general tendency toward one of the three Fs. We need to know these tendencies so we can write our cast members consistently. This is especially important for main characters—protagonists, villains, love interests, etc.—because they’ll have more screen time; more things will be happening to them, providing more opportunities for reactions.

So before you start writing, ask yourself: Is this character more likely to fight, flee, or freeze in a threatening situation? When that scenario arises in the story, you’ll know their general kind of response. Then you can individualize the reaction to fit your character.

It Can Serve Your Story

Threatening scenarios—even small-scale ones—are tension builders, so hopefully you’ll include many of them in your story. But sometimes you’re looking for a certain kind of response: you need someone to run away or do nothing (avoiding the problem and allowing it to worsen) or go on the attack (causing more problems and making things more difficult).

If you’ve done your research and it’s time to start writing scenes, you can then conduct a casting call: use the characters who will serve your story best in that moment. If a scene needs conflict but your protagonist tends to shy away from trouble, team them up with a friend, co-worker, or rival who is impulsive or thrives on confrontation. If you don’t want to kill the tension by resolving a problem too quickly, pair a fighter with someone who’s reluctant to face conflict.

Each scene needs different things. The more you know about your characters beforehand, the better equipped you‘ll be to figure out who should be involved in various parts of the story.

It Provides a Clue to Hidden Emotion

Let’s face it: none of us are 100% honest. We temper our words to accommodate the people around us. We hide our true opinions. We only show “safe” emotions—the ones that don’t make us feel vulnerable in the moment. This leads to us often hiding what we really feel.

Characters should do the same. When they feel threatened or vulnerable, they’ll try to hide that by conveying a false emotion.

Writing hidden emotion can be tricky because you have to show the false emotion to the rest of the cast while revealing the real emotion to the reader. There are a number of ways to effectively get this information across, and one of them is through the fight-flight-or-freeze response. Consider the following example from The Emotional Wound Thesaurus:

Sara poured sugar in her coffee and stirred, the clink of the spoon melodic against the cozy murmur of voices from neighboring tables. Sunlit, with a breeze coming off the water, the outdoor café was so peaceful this time of day—before the high school kids took it over.

“I like this place,” Mom said, blowing on her tea. “It reminds me of where I used to go as a girl.”

Sara smiled and leaned back, the wooden seat slats warming her skin. “The place with the éclairs?”

“Mmmm. That’s the one.” Mom took a sip, then her eyebrows shot up. “Oh, a friend of yours showed up at Mass on Sunday. Annemarie? Marybeth?” She shook her head. “Something with two names.”

Sara jerked, dousing her hand in hot coffee. She set the cup down with a clatter and shrugged. Don’t know who you mean.

“My memory these days—I swear.” Mom sighed. “She said you worked together last summer during your internship.”

Sara met her mother’s gaze, which showed curiosity instead of the horror that would be there if she knew the truth.

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” Sara grabbed the check. “’I’ll get this. Hey, how’s your yoga class going?”

Here we see signs of a flight response. When Sara’s mom mentions the girl from her past, Sara immediately goes on high alert. She doesn’t show this; overtly, she acts as if nothing has changed. So how do we know she’s upset? She gives the barest reaction possible: a shrug. No verbal reply at all. You can almost hear Sara silently begging her mom to let it go. When she doesn’t, Sara’s flight response escalates in the form of her wrapping up their outing and changing the subject.

There are other clues that Sara is hiding her emotion, such as the initial involuntary jerk, the clarity of her thoughts, and the overall change in mood (from a calm, casual lunch date to one charged with tension). When you combine her flight response with these other signals, it becomes clear that she’s not being forthright.

As you can see, the fight-flight-or-freeze response is rooted in real-life behavior, and knowing which tendency is most likely for our characters can add a sense of realism and authenticity to our writing. So let me encourage you to take the time to figure this out, and you’ll reap the benefits in stronger characterization, well-balanced scenes, and deeper, more layered emotional responses.

Which tendencies do you see with your current cast? A mix is typically a good idea, adding variety and allowing you to plug each character into different scenes to achieve the best result.

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and author of bestselling books for writers—including her latest publication: a second edition of The Emotion Thesaurus, an updated and expanded version of the original volume. Her books are available in multiple languages, are sourced by US universities, and are used by novelists, screenwriters, editors, and psychologists around the world. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online library created to help writers elevate their storytelling.

Fight or Flight Responses for Characterization (by @BeccaPuglisi ):
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Published on January 27, 2019 21:01

January 26, 2019

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Business / Miscellaneous

The Editor Behind the Curtain: Inside the Publishing Process: @AlexanderField @WritersDigest
Writing for Audiobook: by Juliet Marillier @WriterUnboxed
Lessons Learned from Having Sold 1000 Books: @NatRusso
Will your novel sell? @lisapoisso
How to Make the Most of Multiple Writing Projects: @RosanneBane

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

London Book Fair Announces Programming for March’s Book and Screen Week: @Porter_Anderson @Lucy_Worsley @TheYoungOscar @james_runcie
Bookselling Without Borders and Tišma Prize Open for Submissions: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
UK’s Society of Authors Announces Seven Translation Prize Shortlists: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
London Book Fair’s Quantum Conference Plans Film and Television Focus: @Porter_Anderson @stephenpub @raffers
The UK’s Bestselling 2018 Authors Feted at London’s ‘Nielsen Honors’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
CONTEC Mexico Conference: Book Sales, Distribution, Innovation: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Istanbul International Literary Festival 2019 Opens Applications for Fellows: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Rights Roundup: On the Run-Up to Guest of Honor Norway at Frankfurter Buchmesse: @Porter_Anderson

Conferences and Events / NaNoWriMo

A Non-Snarky Guide to Getting Your NaNoWriMo Draft into Shape: @AnnieNeugebauer @LitReactor

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January 24, 2019

A Few Tools for Focusing

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I thought I’d share a few tools that I’ve recently come across that might help writers stay focused and motivated.

First off is a free timer. I’ve mentioned here many times (including here and here) how helpful I find timers for nearly every task that I do. It somehow helps to get through a task when you know that it will be over quickly. It can also help me stay on track because I won’t allow myself to be distracted by anything else until the timer goes off. I’m a particular fan of the Pomodoro Technique (see more about it on the creator’s site here) , so when I found this free timer that aligns with the approach, I was excited to use it. The timer is also customizable.

Next off is a new twist on an old idea. It’s called a to-don’t list. I first found out about it when reading this article from Emily Price on Lifehacker. The idea is to stay focused by no allowing yourself to be distracted by your usual suspects…looking at Facebook or checking emails or Twitter, for example. You could use this in correlation with a timer, knowing that when the timer goes off, you can reward yourself on your break by checking in online.

The third is a tool that I haven’t tried myself (I’m more of a solo writer and not a gamer), but which I found interesting. It’s called 4 the Words and it’s set up like a game for reaching word counts. You win points for meeting writing challenges involving word counts. A caveat that it’s $4 a month, but there is a 30 day free trial where you could see if it’s helpful.

For a free year-long challenge, check out author and illustrator Debbie Ohi’s Daily Words Challenge. You can even collect badges. :) And it’s much more gently-paced than NaNoWriMo because you can set your own goals.

For other lists of tools to help with focusing, writing, or editing your work, see these posts:

67 Top Tools for Writers and Bloggers by Mary Jaksch of Write to Done

Top 10 Online Tools for Writers by Ali Hale of Daily Writing Tips

What helps you stay focused on your writing?

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Published on January 24, 2019 21:02

January 20, 2019

Your “Easy As Pie” Guide to Subplots + Giveaway (Part 3 of 3)

by H.R. D’Costa, @scribesworld

Oh, no.

You just took a look at your outline or draft.

It’s definitely too short.

Or, in a different scenario, it’s long enough.

But, unfortunately, it’s rather bland. It lacks texture and variety.

Who are you gonna call to fix it?

Not the Ghostbusters.

Not a developmental editor. (Save that for a more dire writing emergency.)

Because, you see, you can fix this easily on your own.

All you need to do is to weave a subplot (or two) alongside your main plot.

Your page count will expand, and at the same time, your story will become more textured.

This three-part series on subplots will help you get there. Here’s a quick overview:

In Part 1, we covered 5 uses for subplots. (Definitely read this if you’re struggling to come up with content for your subplot.)
In Part 2, we covered how to structure your subplot—plus the golden rule to follow regarding subplots.
In Part 3, we’ll cover how to weave subplots into your story as well as conduct a subplot “safety check.” (You’re reading Part 3 right now.)

Note: These subplot tips have been adapted from my writing guide Sparkling Story Drafts, which will help you write cleaner rough drafts, reduce your revision time, and get a crazy-good story onto the marketplace—faster. To learn how you could win a paperback copy, see the end of this post.

And now let’s get to today’s tips (served a la mode or not, your choice*)…

3 Approaches to Incorporating Subplots into Your Story

All right. You’ve figured out the content of your subplot.

You’ve also figured out three plot points (or beats) for your subplot. Remember, three is the bare minimum. Your subplot is probably going to require more than that.

Finally, you’ve followed the golden rule regarding subplots: you’ve created an intersection between your subplot and the main plot.

Now that you know how the two connect, what’s left?

Just one more thing: incorporating your subplot into your story. There are different approaches you can take. Here are three that might be helpful for you.

Use color-coded index cards. Basically, you write out all the plot points of your story (main plot + subplots) on index cards (one plot point per card).

But you’ll use different colored cards for your subplot to track its flow. (If you only have white index cards, you can achieve the same effect by marking subplot index cards with sticky notes. Or, you could use a different colored pen to mark the plot points for the subplot.)

I love index cards because they’re tactile and flexible. So this is the method I use. But there are others…

Create a subplot subway map. Here, you map out the beats of your subplot like they’re stops on a subway line. When you do this, the intersection between your subplot and the main plot might look like a major transportation hub!

I learned about this method from Gabriela Pereira of diyMFA.com. For a full explanation that uses The Hunger Games as an example, click here. (A sample subplot map is included.)

Sketch out your subplot on one page. This method comes courtesy of our very own blog host, Elizabeth Spann Craig. Sometimes, she’ll write out a subplot as if it’s “a short story with its own little arcs of plot or character development.”

After that, she’ll splice up the subplot and weave those pieces into her draft. (If you’re a pantser, this approach might work best for you.) For more details, read this.

Pointers on How to Distribute Your Subplot Material

As you’re weaving your subplot into your story (using index cards, etc.), you might wonder how to space out your subplot material.

How long should you focus on the main plot, before taking a break to explore a subplot?

Here are two rules of thumb:

When you’ve lingered so long in your main plot that it’s starting to feel monotonous, that’s a good time to branch out into a subplot.
Cut away to a subplot when doing so increases the tension. (For an example, watch Silence of the Lambs. Study when the film cuts away to the subplot involving the senator’s kidnapped daughter.)

For more tips, read author Elizabeth Sims’s article on this topic. She provides seven options for weaving subplots into the main plot.

Option #1 is the “isolated chunk.” Essentially, you stuff the content of your subplot into a single chunk of your story (perhaps a chapter).

I just wanted to offer a quick word of caution about this option. Now, it can work. Look at the subplot involving Murron that’s compressed into the first act of Braveheart. Also, as Sims observes, the isolated chunk is used to good effect in The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

But if you use this option, you incur a major risk. Your story might feel episodic.

Maybe, like Mark Twain, you’re okay with that. If not, slice your isolated chunk into smaller pieces, and use one of the approaches described above to weave these pieces into your story.

Time for a Subplot “Safety Check”

No matter which approach to incorporation you choose, there are a few things to look out for when you’re reviewing your subplot in your outline or rough draft. Think of this as a subplot “safety check.”

For each of your subplots, ask yourself these three questions:

Does my subplot intersect with the main plot?
Has my subplot taken over the main plot? (Remember the subplot is supposed to be subordinate to the main plot!)
Have I resolved this subplot?

Let’s dwell on that last item for a second. Sometimes, you’ll forget to resolve a subplot because you’ve lost track of your plot threads.

But in other cases, forgetting to resolve a subplot can indicate a deeper problem: you have mixed views on the content of your subplot. For example, your subplot may espouse a theme you might not agree with.

Make sure to address this source of ambivalence before you send your story out into the world.

* * *

There you have it. We’ve reached the end of this “easy as pie” guide to subplots. Now you know what purposes (besides as a stall tactic) subplots can be used for, how to structure your subplot, and how to incorporate it into your story.

To get a 1-page subplot worksheet that’ll help you keep tabs of all of these details (including the subplot “safety check” questions), sign up here.

I hope this guide helps you develop your subplots in such a way that readers will not only devour your story but, having finished it, draw one conclusion…

YUM!

* For the record, I’m all for the a la mode :)

Win a Paperback Copy of Sparkling Story Drafts

Three different opportunities to win—here’s opportunity #3!

For every post in this series, you have a chance to win a paperback copy of Sparkling Story Drafts ($24.99), which will help you write cleaner rough drafts, reduce your revision time, and get a crazy-good story onto the marketplace—faster.

For a chance to win today, answer this question in the comments: Besides subplots, what plotting or craft issue is frustrating you the most right now (e.g. getting your story started, making your protagonist likeable, etc.)?

Elizabeth will randomly select a winner from the comments by Wednesday, January 23.

Note: This giveaway is only open to residents of North America, South America, Europe, and the UK.

Good luck and happy writing!

Author Bio

A graduate of Brown University, H. R. D’Costa (a.k.a. HRD) almost became a lawyer. Twice. But then she realized that although she wanted to be a lawyer, she needed to be a writer. So she dedicated herself to studying films, screenplays, and novels in order to understand why some stories were gripping…while others were easy to walk away from.

Ultimately, she shared her discoveries in eight writing guides, including Sizzling Story Outlines: How to Outline Your Screenplay or Novel, Always Know “What Happens Next,” and Finish Your Rough Draft Without Freaking Out and Story Stakes: Your #1 Writing Skills Strategy to Produce a Page-Turner that Transforms Readers into Raving Fans of Your Screenplay or Novel , which one Amazon reviewer described as “a must-have in your top 10 books on writing.”

For practical, actionable writing tips designed to help you keep readers glued to your pages, visit her website scribemeetsworld.com, which is also home to the Ultimate Story Structure Worksheet (downloaded over 37,000 times by writers from around the world). Get it here.

Lattice-style pie by Dilyara Garifullina; Book with sprig by Florencia Viadana

Index cards by Kevin Wen; Subway map by Ray Weitzenberg; both licensed via CC by 2.0

3 Ways to Weave Subplots Into Your Story from @scribesworld + giveaway:
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Published on January 20, 2019 21:02