Riley Adams's Blog, page 79
February 17, 2018
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 45,000 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
Brazilian Ebook Market in 2017: Trends and Predictions: @publishdrive
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Opening the 32nd International Publishers Congress: ‘Shout About What We Do’: @michielams @Porter_Anderson
Four Speakers’ Talking Points: Ahead of the IPA Congress in New Delhi : @Porter_Anderson @Bodour
Wales’ All-Hay-Festival’s Fellow Named for 2018-2019: @Porter_Anderson
New York’s Festival Neue Literatur 2018 Theme: ‘Insider | Outsider’: @Porter_Anderson
Creativity and Inspiration / First Novels
5 Tips for a Successful Debut Novel: @slipperywhisper @careerauthors
Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting
How to Set and Keep Your Writing Resolutions: @BJoycePatterson
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
You are a Writer(Choose Yourself): @lornafaith
Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation
7 Ways to Boost Your Writing Willpower: @colleen_m_story
Harness Your Creative Momentum: @DIYMFA
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
How Not Writing Can Help Your Writing: by Diane Laney Fitzpatrick
Organizing Your Emotions For The New Year (So You Can Write More!) : @10MinNovelists
How To Create Space And Time For Writing: @StephMorrill
Ideas for New Writing Challenges for 2018: @WilsonTheWriter
The Daily Writing Routines of 20 Famous Authors (Infographic): by Sierra Delarosa
How to get back into writing after a break: @pubcoach
Making Progress on Tough Writing Days:
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block
5 Tips To Eliminate Writer’s Block Forever: @angee
Creativity and Inspiration / Success
The 3 Fastest Ways to Improve Your Writing in 2018: @Wordstrumpet
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
How to Create a Healthy Working Environment Anywhere: by Phil Stamper-Halpin @penguinrandom
All Wounds Matter: Writing Better Stories: @KristenLambTX
Writers Need to be Amphibious: @jamesscottbell
Writing and the Fear of Failure: @ClaireFayers
3 Ways to Improve Your Writing Life: @kirsticall @WritersRumpus
Tips to Help You Concentrate While Writing: @MegDowell
The Writing Effect: How Writing Well Improves Your Life and Vice Versa: @LisaTener
5 Ways to Boost Your Mood Right Before Writing: @colleen_m_story
Genres / Fantasy
Creating a Fantasy Race: by Aaron Miles @FantasyFaction
Genres / Humor
5 Lessons on Writing Humor: @ChrisvonHalle
Genres / Mystery
Crime Writing: Cops: Fight Fair, Or Fight To Win? @LeeLofland
The aftereffects of gossip as an element in crime fiction: @mkinberg
Crime fiction: lying to protect a friend who’s a suspect: @mkinberg
Genres / Picture Books
Writing or illustrating a picture book? A free Picture Book Creation Resource (including templates): @inkyelbows
5 tips for writing children’s books: by Margaret Meacham @TheWriterMag
Genres / Romance
Romance Publishers Who Accept Unsolicited Manuscripts – 2018: @BrynDonovan
3 Ways To Write A Better Sex Scene: by Robert Wood @standoutbooks
Genres / Short Stories
5 lessons learned about writing flash fiction: @JJ_Burry
Promo / Ads
How to Increase the ROI of Your BookBub Ads (+ a BookBub Fast Pass): @DianaUrban @WriterUnboxed
Promo / Blogging
How to Create a Bullet Journal for Blogging: @suzie81blog
Why Should Fiction Writers Blog? @annerallen
5 Tips for Picking a Blog Topic People Will Actually Read: @NathanielTower
Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting
Why Characterization Matters in Back Cover Copy: @AndreaWriterlea
Promo / Book Reviews
The 5 Worst Kinds of Amazon Reviews: @BrynDonovan
How to Jumpstart Book Reviews for Self-Published Books: @Wogahn
Promo / Miscellaneous
5 ways to use audio for book marketing and reader engagement: @LouiseHarnby
Promo / Pricing
5 Ways That Playing with Pricing Can Sell More Books: @Bookgal
Promo / Social Media Tips
Facebook Algorithm Updates and How to Survive Them: @kikimojo
Tips for the New Goodreads Giveaways: @ChrisDMcMullen
How to get kicked out of a Facebook group: @sandrabeckwith
Promo / Speaking
Broaden Your Speaking-Platform Potential with These 10 Tips: by Heather Brown @penguinrandom
Promo / Websites
WordPress for Authors – How & Why: @rachelmccollin @IndieAuthorALLI
An important tool for author websites: @KathySteinemann
Publishing / Miscellaneous
Publishing, Online Business And Tech Trends For Authors In 2018: @thecreativepenn
Newbery and Caldecott Medals Lead American Library Association’s 2018 Youth Media Awards: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / News / International Publishing
The Prix Voltaire 2018 Is Formally Awarded to Gui Minhai in New Delhi (Currently Detained in China): @Porter_Anderson @angelagui_ @pubperspectives
A publisher who disappeared in China this year is awarded the Prix Voltaire. His daughter, @angelagui_ , on the freedom to publish: @Porter_Anderson
The UK’s Book Aid International Opens ‘New Worlds Through Books’ Campaign: @Porter_Anderson
As IPA Congress Closes in India, Norway’s Lillehammer Is Named 2020 Venue: @Porter_Anderson @michielams
The Netherlands’ Sweek Adds a Spanish-Language Contest: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Wattpad Studios Aims at Hollywood With a Pilot: ‘Cupid’s Match’: @Porter_Anderson @wattpad
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing
Why Working With Small Traditional Publishers Can Be Beneficial: @KristineRusch
“How My Editor Became My Agent”: @NatalieIAguirre @LindaWJackson @ElizBewley
8 Submission Strategies That Get Results: @manzanitafire
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches
Creating the Perfect Elevator Pitch: @jennienash
Publishing / Process / Contracts
5 Book Contract Terms Authors Should Know: by Dana Isaacson @CareerAuthors
Publishing / Process / Translation
What Gets Lost in Translation Gets Transformed: by Jianan Qian @The_Millions
Writing Craft / Beginnings
Masterful Narrative Scenes: @LiveWriteThrive
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Character Sheets: The Good, The Bad, and the Messy: from Lesya at Tropes are Tools
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
Are You Writing Your Hero Into the Dreaded Cliche’ Corner? @LeeLofland
Give Your Hero a Hero Speech: @SPressfield
Writing Craft / Conflict
Story is Conflict: @WritingForward
Writing Craft / Dialogue
Writing Movement and Action in Dialogue: 6 Tips: @nownovel
Writing Craft / Diversity
Native American Representation, Characterization: by Mod Lesya at Writing With Color
Who Gets to Write About Gentrification? @zafatista @lithub
Writing Craft / Endings
7 Ways End Your Novel: by Kris Noel
Writing Craft / Literary Devices
Can You Write to a Theme? @SeptCFawkes
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Chronicling a Non-Chronological Story: Writing a Dual Timeline Novel: @juliecardalt @WriterUnboxed
Insider and Outsider Viewpoints: @magpiemareth @mythicscribes
Thinking About Audience (with some classroom applications): @sshubitz
How To Write An Evergreen Book That Never Stops Selling: @FredBobJohn @standoutbooks
How to Write an Action Scene: @WriteToSell
Writing Craft / POV
Wrestling with Tense and Point of View: @jan_ohara @WriterUnboxed
Writing Deep POV: @Lindasclare
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining
Outlining and Organizing Master Post: @plotlinehotline
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
Plotting a Novel: The Big Picture vs. Single Scenes: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research
Eating Disorders: Anorexia Nervosa: @SloanTamar
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
3 Cases of Tense Errors: @writing_tips
3 Examples of Incorrect Use of Semicolons: @writing_tips
Writing Craft / Revision
How to Use a Word Cloud to Edit Your Draft: @lidywilks
An example of editing for pace: by Dave King @WriterUnboxed
3 Convincing Reasons to Read Out Loud During Revision: @the_writing_pal
5 Novel Editing Mistakes That Will Make You Pull out Your Hair: @RidethePen
Writing Craft / Special Needs
10 Literary Magazines Curated By and For People with Disabilities: @the_anamaria
Writing Craft / Voice
3 Creative Tricks to Find Your Character’s Voice: @Jffelkins
Writing Tools / Apps
Using Google Keep to Record Ideas:
Uncategorized
15 Wonderfully Wise Quotes From Judy Blume on Her 80th Birthday: by Caitlin Schneider @mentalfloss
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.
February 15, 2018
Making Progress on Tough Writing Days
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I read an interesting article by James Preston titled “How to Get to Carnegie Hall. ” Preston used an old joke as the basis of the piece: A tourist asks a resident how to get to Carnegie Hall and the resident replies “Practice, practice, practice.”
Preston goes on to list exercises that help him write on uninspired days, including writing letters from the protagonist’s POV, and writing a paragraph about your character’s life before the time your story starts.
Sometimes a project seems so big and so overwhelming that it feels as though we must have equal parts inspiration to face it. But this isn’t really true. I’m usually uninspired when I sit down to my manuscript every day. Inspiration usually only hits about five minutes into my story, when I become immersed in the story world. I know what I do every day at 5:30 in the morning, however: I write. It’s practically muscle memory at this point.
But some days start out chaotic (fortunately, these days are few and far between for me now) and we can’t write on our schedule: inspired or uninspired. Kids can be sick, animals can be sick, we can be sick there are family emergencies, etc. For those days, there’s nothing wrong in skipping writing altogether.
But if you’re worried that you’re going to mess up your writing habit from taking a break, there are things that we can do to make progress on our stories (practice, practice, practice), even on the toughest days.
Writer Jael McHenry mentioned in her post “Write Some Days” for Writer Unboxed, that she lets her story percolate on tough writing days:
“Working out plot and character elements, and turning them over and over to consider all the possible ramifications and permutations, is better done without access to a keyboard.”
What I do on tough writing days is a sort of focused brainstorming. When even brainstorming can seem too tough, focused brainstorming, in the form of making lists, can be an easy and productive way of working. Top 10 ways for my protagonist to change during the story, 10 details of my story’s main setting, 10 possible endings for my book.
More on my method here in my post from 2010.
One important note: if you do skip a day or two or three of writing, don’t try to catch up. It’s incredibly demotivating. Just jump right in wherever you are in your manuscript and make that day’s goal. Pick up where you left off.
What are your thoughts about taking breaks from your story? Is it easy for you to hop back in? How do you make progress on your book on the toughest writing days?
Tips for making progress on our books during the toughest days:
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February 11, 2018
Using Google Keep
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
If you’re like me, sometimes you can get ideas at the most inconvenient times. Like sitting at an intersection, waiting for a light to turn green. Or in the produce section of the grocery store. And I have to write these ideas down. I may think that I can remember them, but I never do unless they’re recorded somehow.
Many times I’ve resorted to scribbling things on the backs of receipts but now I’m taking a more high-tech approach. Of course, you could use an app like Evernote: which I do…but not for ideas. Evernote has a few too many bells and whistles for me to use it for something like a quick note. I do keep all of my recipes there (handy when in the grocery store and trying to remember ingredients), the best writing articles that I want to refer back to, and even records of the Christmas or birthday gifts I’ve given family members in a particular year (and their sizes, etc.)
But for ideas I want something a bit more basic. And you really can’t get much more basic than Google Keep. It’s a free app for your phone and it’s, to me at least, very intuitive.
I have a shortcut for the app saved to my phone’s home page and when I have an idea, I click to open. Then I click the microphone icon and speak into it since I’m very slow when I type on my phone (I’m very speedy on a laptop keyboard, but have never mastered the tiny “keys” on the phone).
After you’ve created your note, you can share it, either with someone else or even with yourself, if you want it emailed as a reminder. You can also get a reminder that your note exists by clicking the ‘reminder’ icon (which is a finger with a string tied around it). When you click the reminder icon, you can choose the day and time to remind yourself. You can even collaborate with someone else on the note.
If it’s more important than your other ideas, you can click the tack icon to pin it to the top of your notes.
And really…that’s basically all it does. No bells and whistles on this model, but clean functionality from Google.
How do you record ideas that you have on the go?
How to Use Google Keep to Record Ideas:
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February 10, 2018
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 45,000 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.
I’m spotlighting another conference for writers this week: the 2nd Annual Write This Way Indie Author Fest in Dallas, Texas. The event is free to the public and free participating authors. The goal is to inspire literacy, as well as provide a platform for authors to be of service to the community. The Future Author Contest encourages young writers ages 12 and older to write the book they have dreamed of writing.
Business / Miscellaneous
6 Tips to Hiring a Freelance Editor: @KarenCV
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
The International Publishers Association in India: Issues in a Hot-Button World: @Porter_Anderson @michielams
Viewpoints From the Children’s Books Salon: Trends, Concerns, and Publishing Pride: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @EvyTillman
Creativity and Inspiration / First Novels
How to Write a Book in 2018 (A Step-by-Step Guide for New Writers): @BryanJCollins
Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting
Lose the Guilt: You Don’t Have to Write Every Day: @RuthanneReid
1 Writer Assesses Her 2017 Goals and Makes New Ones for 2018: @AuthorSAT
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
Writing is Writing, From ‘Seinfeld’ To Historical Fiction: by Lawrence H. Levy @SignatureReads
A Good Walk May be The Best Writing Exercise: by Scott McCormick @BookBaby
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Slow: Meandering Reader Ahead: @Julie_Glover
So You Want to Read Sword and Planet Fiction: Here’s Where to Start: @mattstaggs @unboundworlds
Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation
How to Use The Force to Write Your Novel: @SnowflakeGuy
How to Overcome Inner Challenges to Become a Successful Writer: @Daniel_Chidiac
Why You Should Name Your Artistic Nemesis: @AnnieNeugebauer @LitReactor
Creativity and Inspiration / Perfectionism
Why Fear of Imperfection Should Not Hold Up Publication: @DixieCarlton @IndieAuthorALLI
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
Writing and the Creative Life: Boundaries of Space, Boundaries of Time: @GoIntoTheStory
Writing five minutes a day for a year equals a book: @AlexSokoloff
10 Ways to Find More Time to Write: @WritersCoach
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
The Writers’ Journey: Newbie to Mastery: @KristenLambTX
How to Boost Focus & Productivity with a Writing Space Makeover: @colleen_m_story
3 Simple Ways to Overcome the Challenges of Working from Home: @JustKimClark
Do Audiobooks Count As Reading? @JamesTateHill
At What Age Should a Writer Stop Writing? @GainesSteven @booktrib
Don’t Let Your Dream Die With You: @deborahdeetales
Write Everything: @SRaffelock @storyfix
10 Incredible Writing Superpowers: @robertleebrewer @WritersDigest
Things You Should Never Say To A Writer On A First Date (comic): @inkyelbows
Why Should You Journal? @laina_turner
Genres / Fantasy
How to Avoid the Dark Lord Cliché: @AuthorCoH
Genres / Memoir
Transforming an Essay Collection into a Memoir: @ChelseyDrysdale @brevitymag
Genres / Miscellaneous
How Writers Can Become Songwriters: @MellaNation @hopeclark
Genres / Mystery
Tips for Writing Killer Suspense: @WomenWriters @GayYellen
Genres / Non-Fiction
Writing Nonfiction vs. Writing Articles and Can Good Writing Be Taught? @votergirl @TheWriterMag
Genres / Poetry
Components of Your Poetry Chapbook: @wvancamp
Genres / Science Fiction
Distance Legal Systems in Sci-fi: @DanKoboldt
Adventure Awaits: A Brief History of Space Opera: @HairEverywhere_
Genres / Screenwriting
The 10 Best Pairings in the History of Film and Pop Culture: @JonDLand @BookTrib
25 Mistakes That Send Your Screenplay To The Trash: @Bang2write
Promo / Ads
Mastering Amazon Ads: @ExtremelyAvg @thecreativepenn
Promo / Blogging
Bring Social Media to Your Blog with Embedded Posts: @CaballoFrances
Promo / Connecting with Readers
How to Find Your 1,000 True Fans and Make a Living as an Artist: @TCKPublishing @JeffGoins
What to remember when you’re discouraged about connecting with readers: @DanBlank
5 Easy Ways to Upgrade Your Reader Engagement: @Bookgal
Promo / Miscellaneous
Best Book Marketing Advice for Authors: The Best of 2017: @JaneFriedman
Is December Good for Releasing the 12th Book in a Series? A Workaround: via @elizabethscraig
Understanding ‘Also Boughts’: @DavidGaughran
5 Tips on When and Where to Promote Your Book: @tmccauley_nyc @LitReactor
Promo / Newsletters
Newsletters and Discoverability: @KristineRusch
Promo / Platforms
Author Platform Cheat Sheet: @LillianJaine
Promo / Pricing
How to Price Your EBook for More Consistent Sales: @Bookgal
Promo / Social Media Tips
How to Set Up Facebook Groups for Pages: @thekristihines
7 Ways Instagram helps authors find readers: @LakotaGrace
Creating a Social Media Calendar: @10MinNovelists
Promo / Websites
Five Useful Elements for Your Website:
Publishing / Miscellaneous
Agent Laurie McLean’s Publishing Predictions for 2018: @agentsavant @annerallen
“How is the political climate in the US affecting the sales of socially relevant books?” @Porter_Anderson @_secondstory
Publishing Wide: Selling Ebooks And Print Books Direct From Your Author Website: @thecreativepenn
The Audie Awards Finalists Are Announced, Amid Louder Competition for Audiobook Rights: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / News / International Publishing
Interview With James Chao, Director, Taipei International Book Exhibition @Porter_Anderson
Industry Notes: In France, Arab Comics; In the US, Scholastic’s Nonfiction: @Porter_Anderson
Man Booker Prize for Fiction Pressured to “Reimpose a ‘Ban on American Writers’” @Porter_Anderson @ManBookerPrize
Italian Publishers and Frankfurter Buchmesse: Frankfurt Fellows Event: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing
If, When, and How to Respond to Emails from Editors: @NathanielTower
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches
How To Pitch A Series: @LH_Writes @WomenWriters
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying
Submitting Your Novel: Key Tips for Success: @nownovel @rockingbooks
How to Stand Out in the Slush Pile 101: @SeptCFawkes
Publishing / Process / Formatting
Understanding Your Print Book Formatting Options: @MarcyKennedy
Publishing / Process / Legalities
Copyright Infringement By the Internet Archive (and What You Can Do About It): @victoriastrauss
3 quick thoughts about copyright: @austinkleon
Writing Craft / Beginnings
10 Easy Ways to Improve Your First Chapter Right Now: @repokempt
Writing Craft / Characters / Antagonists
Keep Your Villain Coming at the Hero from all Directions: @SPressfield
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Do Your Characters Have the Right Flaws? @Janice_Hardy
How to Use Acting Techniques When Writing a Character’s Emotional Journey: @WarnerLoughlin
How to construct interesting and compelling characters for your stories: @SHalvatzis
Creating fully developed fictional characters (that are not secretly you): @SusanPerabo @TheWriterMag
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
10 Unlikable Literary Heroines That We Love to Hate: @rosmance
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
Making Readers Care About Your Story: @Janice_Hardy
5 Reader Questions to Avoid: by Dawn Field @DIYMFA
Writing Craft / Dialogue
Action Beats: More than Dialogue Tag Surrogates: @KathySteinemann
Writing Craft / Diversity
Literary Color Lines: On Inclusion in Publishing: @lithub
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Tips to Include Pets in Fiction: @SueColetta1
How to write an unreliable narrator: @ArlenePrunkl
How seriously should you take readability statistics? @pubcoach
Should I Use a Prologue for My Book? @MoonlightingWri
When A Character Does Something You Dislike: @AuthorSAT
Writing Craft / POV
Different Kinds of POV Slips and How to Avoid Them: @Ava_Jae
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
3 Cases of Erroneous Use of Colons: @writing_tips
Exclamation Points in Fiction: @NovelEditor
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
5 Reasons You Need an In-Depth Critique: @katiemccoach
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
So You Want To Write About The Cold: @helpfulsnowman
Writing Craft / Tension
Suspense Writing: 5 Hacks to Improve Your Story: @aleshahomans
Writing Craft / Voice
Using Writing Vocabulary to Streamline Voice: @Kid_Lit
Writing Craft / World-Building
Conveying Worldbuilding Without Exposition: 4 Techniques: @DN_Bryn
Writing Tools / Thesauri
Occupation Thesaurus Entry: Therapist (Mental Health): @beccapuglisi
Uncategorized
8 Styles of Music to Listen to While Writing: @danasitar #TopTweets2017
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.
February 8, 2018
Five Useful Elements for Your Website
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Through the years, I’ve run across a lot of author websites. When I see something really useful, I’ll add it to my own. Here are five things that I’ve found worthwhile to add.
A book page for each book
This is important for SEO for your books. If you look up my books on Google, you get ‘rich results’ in the sidebar showing the cover, ratings, publication date, my name, etc. This wasn’t the case until I had a separate page on my site for each title (I also used some schema markup on book WordPress pages to help search engines read my page elements. More on how I did that here).
A coming soon page
A reader in suggested back in 2016 that I should create a ‘coming soon’ page on my site because she kept losing track of my releases and what series was launching a book next. I’ve made sure to keep it updated (which is, of course, the danger of having a page like that).
A nice link to add to the Coming Soon page (along with other pages on our site) is a link to our Amazon Author Central page with instructions to follow us there. I just put a simple: ” Follow me on Amazon for release updates” up.
A newsletter signup
This is a frequent reason that readers visit our website–to find ways to stay updated. The easiest, and best, way to gain subscribers for our newsletter is by listing the signup info several places on our website. The readers who subscribe on our sites are most likely to be our most dedicated readers…and the most important ones to contact when we have releases. You should also have your newsletter signup on your Facebook page, if you have one.
A printable book list/your books listed in order
This was another reader request. At first, I didn’t really see a point to listing them in order because they could all be read out of order. But there are some readers who really, really want to read books in order. You can upload a Word doc or PDF to your site. The important thing, again, is to remember to update it when new books are released.
I’ve made a point, since my books are available in print from both CreateSpace and Ingram, to list the ISBNs for the books so they can be printed and ordered by readers at their local bookstore, if they wish.
Contact information
I’m sure everyone is tired of me harping on this, ha! I must note this about every six months on this site. But the number of blogs and websites that I come across that don’t even have an author’s last name or email address is really amazing. Readers do want to contact us from time to time and so do others–maybe someone would like you to speak at a rotary club meeting or would like to get in touch with you about representing your fiction, etc.. It’s important to provide a way to connect.
Do you have any of these elements on your website? What have you found useful on your own site?
Five Useful Elements for Your Website
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February 4, 2018
Preorders Revisited
Although I wasn’t impressed by my first preorder experiment, I’ve grown to accept preorders as a good way to make sure everything is in perfect order at the retailers on release day. I made changes in my pre-order strategy by including the pre-order on Amazon and by running the pre-order for a shorter period of time.
In December I ran a preorder for a completely different reason: I wanted to delay a release until January, after the holiday busyness had settled down for readers. The book was finished by mid-December, so I decided to try to generate income while I waited for a better launch time.
Of course, I always second-guess myself. Would January really be better for sales than December? January is when everyone’s credit card bills come in. But then I reminded myself that December hasn’t been, for me, a good time to release. Fewer people are buying for themselves in December and they don’t have as much time to read. And I’d hardly be tempting new readers with the 12th book in a series.
I had good results with the preorder this time. I started the pre-order on December 18 and the book released on January 9th. I set it up for preorder on all the different channels I could: KDP, Nook, Kobo, IngramSpark, Amazon, etc.
I set up the print edition on CreateSpace, but let it sit for a while after proofing it and before hitting ‘publish’. I wanted the print edition to be more of a simultaneous release with the digital release (mostly to avoid questions from readers as to why the book was available in print and not in ebook).
Although common advice is to set the preorder price lower than the price at release, I left it at $4.99, which is my usual release price (a pricing experiment at $5.99 on a release day last year did not go well).
I did end up having a glitch, and the preorder period gave me time to get it fixed. A lot of my readers prefer print, and the CreateSpace version wasn’t linking on the same product page as the Kindle version (although both were listed in my Amazon Author Central). I was able to contact customer service and have it fixed (in fewer than 10 hours after reaching out to them). It was a relief to have the problem taken care of before the launch.
As usual with a preorder, it was nice having the buy-links ready ahead of time. I put the links up on my website and added them to the newsletter draft I was writing for release day.
For whatever reason (maybe I’m simply wrong about December sales), the preorder sales were triple the number for my second-best performer. But I did do a couple of different things this time. I did some subtle pre-release promo by journaling the book as I wrote it (I’d pinned my journal at the top of my Facebook page). When the book became available for preorder, I pinned a different post, noting that fact.
I was a little worried that the higher than usual preorder sales would mean a dip in ordering at the launch, but that, fortunately wasn’t the case. Release day sales were even higher than the accumulated preorder sales.
Looking back over this post, I’m thinking this is something I’ll repeat again. I frequently have a book that’s ready to publish in December because I write 3 books a year. And I’ll continue with preorders since they afford me the opportunity to get my ducks in a row (via buy-links, fixing glitches, and tweaking my newsletter). Many readers have also told me on Facebook, in comments on previous posts, and via email that they like preorders because they can order the book when it’s on their mind. I think I’ll still keep the preorder period short…a month or less is time enough.
For more on best practices with preorders, check out two posts on the BookBub blog:
17 Ways to Sell Preorder Books by Diana Urban
Should You Make a Book Available for Preorder? 14 Authors Weigh In by Carlyn Robertson
Do you use preorders? How have they worked for you in the past?
Is December Good for Releasing the 12th Book in a Series? A Workaround:
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February 3, 2018
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 43,000 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
Hiring a Virtual Assistant: @ChloeAdlerWrite
11 Simple Steps to Setup Pre-Orders For Your Self-Published eBook on Smashwords: @lornafaith
Why You Should Review Your Writing Year: @DIYMFA
Top Ten Publishing Trends Every Author Needs to Know in 2018: @ricwol
Millennials’ Reading Habits and Why They Matter: by Amy Collins @BookWorksNYC
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
‘Books at Berlinale’ Sets New Record for Book to Film Submissions: @Porter_Anderson
London Book Fair’s ‘Book and Screen Week’ Embraces Women’s Suffrage: @jacksthomas @Porter_Anderson
Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting
10 Writing Resolutions Actually Worth Keeping: @NathanielTower
5 Marketing Initiatives for the New Year: @DebraEckerling
Daily Planner Printable – How to Plan Your Year in Reverse: @kikimojo
Why Publishing a Novel Is Not a New Year’s Resolution: @RosanneBane
How to Start Simple Habits to Reach Your Writing and Self-Publishing Goals: @lornafaith @stevescott1
3 Keys for Setting Writing Goals You Can Actually Stick to in 2018: @emi1y_morgan
A Tip to Help Women Writers Achieve More: @colleen_m_story
Setting Goals for 2018: @debluskin
Owning Your Writing Career in 2018: @sacha_black
The One Technique You Need to Nail Your Writing Goals: @colleen_m_story
The Benefit of Small Goals:
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
It’s Never Too Late to Make a Fresh Start: @NickPWilford @TheIWSG
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
11 of the Best Love Letters in Literature, Both Fictional and Not: @danispencie @ElectricLit
Jane Austen’s Most Widely Mocked Character is Also Her Most Subversive: @rachellouie @lithub
Five Books That Blend Science and Fantasy: @JPatrickBlack
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
The “Perfect Timing” Trap: @cathychall @womenonwriting
Fill Your Life With Intention, Not Reaction: @DanBlank
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly
Writing Quickly Without Sacrificing Quality: @MichaelMoreci
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
How To Be A Healthy Writer: @thecreativepenn @euan_lawson
How to Reconcile the Writing Life and Faith: @KarisRogerson @LitReactor
Why do the best writers have the most emotional intelligence? @pubcoach
10 Famous Book Hoarders: @knownemily
9 Tips for Dealing With Writer’s Burnout: @_HannahHeath
Wellness for Writers: Walking, Sharing Work, Tracking Goals: @colleen_m_story @sandyfussell
8 Ways to Find Author Mentors and Learn From Them: @lornafaith
Why 1 Writer Sends Postcards Every Friday: by Peter Wayne Moe @The_Millions
8 Qualities More Important than Writing Talent: @annerallen
Genres / Dystopian
How to Write Dystopian Fiction: by Georgina Roy @writingtipsoasi
Genres / Fantasy
Should Your Story Use Prophecy? @Stepha_OBrien
Genres / Memoir
3 Important Tips if You’re Planning to Write a Memoir: @LiveWriteThrive
Genres / Miscellaneous
5 Tips for Drawing Comics: @Finsomniac @scottishbktrust
Genres / Mystery
The Cinema as an Element in Crime Fiction: @mkinberg
Mysteries with only a few suspects: @mkinberg
The ‘someone’s trying to kill me’ plot line in crime fiction: @mkinberg
Genres / Non-Fiction
How To Write About Place In Creative Nonfiction: @kayladeanwrites
Genres / Picture Books
How to Find the Right Illustrator for Your Children’s Book: @erikaliodice @WriterUnboxed
How to Write Children’s Picture Books: Place, Paraphernalia, and Plot: @YvBlackwood
Genres / Screenwriting
Screenwriting: Script To Screen: “Clerks”: @GoIntoTheStory
Screenwriting: Script To Screen: “Cool Hand Luke”: @GoIntoTheStory
Promo / Ads
3 Easy Ways to Create Instagram Ads: @thekristihines @smexaminer
Promo / Crowdfunding
How Kickstarter Is Changing Publishing: @ann_oconnell @ElectricLit
Reaching readers if you write in multiple genres – could crowdfunding be the answer? @Roz_Morris @vicdougherty
Promo / Miscellaneous
How to Connect with any Influencer in 3 Sentences: @MikeLoomis
Top 5 Tips Making Teaser Graphics: @JAHuss
10 Ideas for Your Author Platform: @BuildYourBrandA
3 author mistakes that will hold you back in 2018: @sandrabeckwith
Promo / Platforms
Top 5 Tips to Create An Author Logo: @JAHuss
Promo / Pricing
The Price Is Right: 6 Tips to Pricing Your Ebook: by David Kudler @JFbookman
Promo / Social Media Tips
5 Tips for Using Twitter: @JAHuss
5 Ways to Boost Your Indie Author Brand with Images: @Bookgal
Why You Need an Author Profile – And Where to Post It: @EricaVerrillo
Use GIFS to Ignite Your Book Marketing: @CaballoFrances
5 Reasons Goodreads is a Book Marketing Staple: @Bookgal
Publishing / Miscellaneous
Rights Roundup: 10 Titles Doing Business at the Beginning of the Year: @Porter_Anderson
5 Ways to Conquer Deadline Anxiety: @SaudiYankee @DIYMFA
Publishing / News / Amazon
KDP Print now offers author copies. Expanded distribution coming. How long left for CreateSpace? @TNPS10
Publishing / News / International Publishing
30 Years of Celebrating Women Authors with the LiBeraturpreis: @HannahSJohnson
Kobo’s New Partnership with Walmart: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @mtamblyn
Selling Publishing Rights Into China: Interview with Jackie Huang @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
China’s Fiction and Nonfiction Bestsellers of 2017: @Porter_Anderson @trajectory
After a reported re-detention in China, Gui Minhai awarded Prix Voltaire (his “whereabouts and condition” unknown: @Porter_Anderson
PEN America Announces Shortlisted Finalists, Flame Tree Opens Imprint: @Porter_Anderson
OpenBook Managing Director Cites 14.55 Percent Growth in Chinese Book Market: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
In South Africa, Jacana Media’s New Imprint Is Investing in Local Fiction: @Porter_Anderson @JacanaMedia
British Book Award Judges Announced as the ‘Nibbies’ Entry Deadline Approaches: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing
7 Ways to Make It Easy for Publishers to Offer You a Book Contract: @ChadRAllen
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying
8 Things You Should Never Do in a Query: @PaulaSMunier
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Rejections
Making peace with rejection: @rxena77
5 Tips to Start Over With A Pen Name: by Lilia Moon
Publishing / Process / Translation
The US National Book Award Goes International With a Translation Prize: @Porter_Anderson
Writing Craft / Beginnings
Real Life Diagnostics: Would You Keep Reading this YA Fantasy? @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
The 2 Secrets to Creating Unforgettable Character: @VictoriaMixon @WritetoDone
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
Five Stories Hurt by Unlikable Protagonists: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
Make the Best Use of James Scott Bell’s Writing Blunders Solutions: @MarshaIngrao @jamesscottbell
4 Reasons Readers Stopped Caring About Your Story: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Dialogue
2 Sentences Your Characters Should Never Say: @Bang2write
Writing Craft / Flashback and Back Story
Expository flashbacks: from Just a Writing Aid
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
5 Lessons Writers Can Learn from The Story of Ferdinand: @Kerrie_Flanagan
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Use a Variety of Sentence Lengths: @writingthrulife
5 Types of Surprises in Our Stories: @SeptCFawkes
Why you shouldn’t mix British and American English in your novel: @LisaPoisso
3 Techniques To Harness A Reader’s Curiosity: @SloanTamar @AngelaAckerman
Writing Craft / POV
5 Tips on Writing Multiple Points of View While Keeping the Reader in Suspense: @TRRaganAuthor @WritersDigest
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
How to Find Obligatory Scenes and Conventions: @valerie_francis
Untangle Plot Problems With This Quick Tip: @sacha_black
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats
“Taken” Beat Sheet: @savethecat @NaomiBeaty
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept
5 Ways to Find New Writing Ideas: by Nicole Pyles @womenonwriting
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
So, What’s The Big Deal With Starting A Sentence With ‘So’? @GeoffNunberg @npr
5 Ways to Minimize Prepositional Phrases: @writing_tips
Writing Craft / Revision
Self-Editing Awkward Sentences: @ZoeMMcCarthy
Writing Craft / Tropes
Reluctant heroes and literary tropes: @Peter_Rey_
Writing Craft / Voice
4 Ways to Develop a Unique Writing Voice: @LauraDavis213 @thewritelife
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
Other Ways to Say “Use”: A Word List for Writers: @KathySteinemann
450+ Ways to Describe Legs: A Word List for Writers: @KathySteinemann
The top writing links from last week are on Twitterific:
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February 1, 2018
The Benefit of Small Goals
by Elizabeth Spann Craig, @elizabethscraig
I read an interesting article recently, “What Setting Small Goals is Costing You,” from author and publisher Michael Hyatt. I think it interested me because it had such a radically-different point of view from mine. But it was onethat gave me food for thought.
In it, he said:
“Setting small, unchallenging goals is one of the five blunders I cover. I call it “sailing too close to shore.” We tend to set small goals because we’re unaware of our own inherent fear of loss. We don’t want to risk much. But there’s a direct correlation between low risk and low achievement. The greatest achievements are waiting on the other side of discomfort.”
He gave a couple of pretty compelling examples to support his position.
I could see where he was coming from. But for me, it’s totally the opposite.
For me, slow and steady wins the race. I’ve had 25 books published, but this has been over nine years. I set small goals that I can easily achieve. These small goals have made it possible for me to build a daily habit of writing and have helped to keep me motivated over the long-haul.
When I was first starting out and seriously writing, I purposefully set my writing goal as low as I could. I had a toddler in the house and a kindergartener. I set a goal of writing for 5-15 minutes a day. In less than a year, I had a book.
Knowing that I could accomplish my goals under challenging circumstances gave me confidence in my ability to push through, just like finishing a project (as opposed to stalling out or starting a completely different manuscript) gave me confidence in following through and trusting my ability to deliver.
But back to Michael Hyatt’s point of view. He does make some good points. For me, though, I think I’ll incorporate them differently. It is important to stretch oneself. But I’d rather that be a weekly extra goal instead of a daily challenging goal. Since I nearly always hit my daily goal, maybe that is an indication that I need to re-evaluate how much I’m expecting of myself.
But let’s face it. Some days just stink from start to finish. The kids are sick, the dog needs to go to the vet, you thought there was chicken in the freezer, but there wasn’t. I think on days like those, it’s best to still hit our usual goal, maintain our habit, and not feel disappointed in our performance.
What kinds of goals do you set? Do you stretch yourself or set small, attainable goals?
The benefits of small, attainable goals:
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January 28, 2018
Rep Days for Writers
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I read an interesting article by writer Victoria Griffin called “Writing Gains are Made on Rep Days.”
Griffin explains rep days for weightlifters:
“For lifters, rep days mean loading light weights on the bar and repping it out until you’re entirely sick of whatever exercise you’re doing…For example, hip contact is important to a good snatch. I’ll spend days doing nothing but hip contact drills until I’m black and blue. It’s not fun, and it’s not glamorous. But guess what? Next time I do snatches, my form is better and I lift heavier weight.”
She then makes the writing analogy:
“For writerly folk, rep days may be big word count days. Or they may be those days when we just don’t want to do it. For whatever reason, we don’t feel like writing, but we sit down and do it anyway. Writing on those days strengthens our writing “muscles” so that on the days we do feel like writing, when the words are flowing, we’re able to write more and better than we would have otherwise.”
I liked what Griffin was saying. I agree with her that there is a sort of ‘writing muscle’ that atrophies when we don’t work it out enough. It’s always harder to jump back into a story after taking a long break…the characters aren’t as familiar to us, we have to get reacquainted with the story world, and it’s easier to make continuity errors.
I’ll take it a step farther and say that it gives a tremendous boost to our overall confidence as writers to write on those days when we have to push ourselves through it. I know that most days out of the week, I’m not feeling inspired as I sit down to write. As I go, I get more into my story and into the flow of writing. I show up. I’m not one of those who says writers have to write every single day, but it sure helps if you can write for most of them.
Writer Teresa Frohock put this well in her post “Writing When You’re Uninspired“:
“By forcing myself to write, even when I don’t feel like it, I build on the self-discipline that I will need to get me through those deadlines when I must write.”
If we know we can tackle our project on the toughest days, it can give us the motivation to power through most days. Also, having a string of successful days of working in a row can help us to build confidence in our ability to keep making progress on a story. Writer Karen Woodward’s post, “How to Write Everyday: Jerry Seinfeld and the Chain Method,” explains how we can gain motivation by marking off writing days on our calendar.
While I don’t feel like it’s necessary to write every day (I’ll miss a day several days out of the month, if not more), I do feel it can help to write most days–and that there’s a special benefit to pushing forward with our writing on some of the more challenging days, if possible.
What if you have gone a while without writing, but you want to pick it up again? Read this helpful article by Daphne Gray-Grant, “How to Get Back Into Writing After a Break.”
Do you write on the tough days? What keeps you motivated, as a writer?
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January 27, 2018
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 43,000 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.
I’m spotlighting an upcoming conference for mystery writers (wish I could make it, but I have a conflict). SleuthFest 2018 will take place in Boca Raton, Florida, on March 1-4 at the Embassy Suites. It’s an intensive four-day conference featuring writing workshops, social events, and pitch sessions. The conference includes four tracks of workshops, presentations, and panels on the craft of writing, business, traditional and self-publishing, marketing, and forensics. In addition, top literary agents and editors will be available to hear pitches from aspiring writers, offer troubleshooting sessions, and manuscript critiques. Speakers include Andrew Gross, Hallie Ephron, and Hank Phillippi Ryan. To Register: www.sleuthfest.com.
Business / Miscellaneous
Reverse Engineer Your Editorial Calendar: @annkroeker
Image and Backup Your Computer: @WordDreams
Business / Taxes
6 Ways Writers Can Prepare for Tax Season: by Kristen Pope @thewritelife
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Censorship in the Arab World: Debating Its Impact at a Conference in Tunisia: @Porter_Anderson
On Piracy and the Myth of ‘Free Content’ : @Porter_Anderson @JoseBorghino
Creativity and Inspiration / First Novels
A Book Launch Plan for First-Time Authors Without an Online Presence: @JaneFriedman
Top 5 Tips Launch Your First Book: @JAHuss
Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting
What Setting Small Goals Is Costing You: @MichaelHyatt
8 common mistakes to avoid when setting your 2018 goals: @beprolifiko
5 rules for setting a writing goal you’ll stick to: @beprolifiko
2 Questions Every Writer Should Ask (Instead of Writing Resolutions): @weems503 @write_practice
3 Steps to Complete Your Writing Goals in the New Year: @hodgeswriter
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
3 Rules For Creating Art That Matters: @StephMorrill
Ways to write every day even when your muse is off shopping: @SurfCityJames
3 Common Writing Problems and How to Solve Them: @kikimojo
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
10 Books on Technology Run Amok: @KEITH_RICE1 @SignatureReads
The Favorite Literary Work of Every Country Visualized on a World Map: @tedmills @openculture by BackForward24
7 Curiouser and Curiouser Retellings of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland: @tordotcom @nataliezutter
Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation
What’s on Your Writer’s ‘I Did It List’ for 2017? @LisaRomeo
3 Creativity Tips To Help You To Write A Book: @angee
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly
3 Ways Writers can Overcome Procrastination: @lornafaith
Creativity and Inspiration / Success
Roz Morris, Self-publishing Success Story: @Roz_Morris @IndieAuthorALLI
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
Literary Holidays You Should Add To Your Calendar: by Natalee Cruz @ElectricLit
The 8 Best Writing Retreats That Won’t Break the Bank: @smbucklin @ElectricLit
On Quitting: @KristineRusch
“What Does Your Husband Think of Your Novel?” @jamiequatro @parisreview
18 Things Highly Creative People Do Differently: @GoIntoTheStory
5 Things About Being a Writer:
Writers: Your Number One Enemy Is Your Ego: @victorialandis1
What to Give Yourself This Year: @KAMcCleary @WriterUnboxed
Genres / Horror
How to build suspense in a story: @Peter_Rey_
Genres / Memoir
Writing a Memoir vs. Novelizing Your Life: @JoanLJackson @WritersDigest
Genres / Miscellaneous
10 Tips for Writing Christian Fantasy: @_HannahHeath
Genres / Mystery
Behind-the-scene influencers as elements in crime fiction: @mkinberg
Genres / Non-Fiction
A Few Reasons to Self-Publish Your Nonfiction Book: @WritersCoach
Genres / Romance
The 3 Golden Rules Of Writing An Amazing Romance: by Paige Duke @standoutbooks
Genres / Short Stories
What Does It Take for a Short Story to Go Viral? @ElectricLit
Promo / Blogging
How to deliver your blog posts automatically via MailChimp: @LouiseHarnby
Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting
Why Even New Writers Need to Prepare an Author Bio: @annerallen
How to Pick a Best-selling Title for Your Book: @BryanJCollins
Promo / Miscellaneous
Presenting Your Book Cover (in a Media Kit): @BuildYourBrandA
Top 5 Tips for Hosting a Giveaway: @BlairBabylon
Tip sheets and advice for creating them: @Bookgal
3 Steps to Increase your Discoverability: by Bryan Oettel @CareerAuthors
How to Tame the Social Media Beast: @cksyme @annerallen
Promo / Social Media Tips
YouTube Boosts the ISNI Identifier: Creators Standing Out From the Crowd: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / Miscellaneous
How Indie Presses Are Elevating the Publishing World: @jbakernyc @RMoralesKearns @lcheuk @ForestAvePress
Does Your Book Pass the “LOOK INSIDE!” Test? @annerallen
Google Play’s Introduction of Audiobooks Amplifies the Format’s Growth: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / News / International Publishing
Forward Prizes for Poetry Open 2018 Submissions, Announce Jury: @Porter_Anderson
Macmillan’s ‘Fire and Fury’: Now More Than 30 Foreign Rights Deals, ‘Fuego y Furia’ on the Way: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Industry Notes: A UNESCO Honor Today in Havana and a Francophone Bookshop in Bucharest: @Porter_Anderson @UNESCO
Children’s Books: International Issues, Trends, and Rights Sales: @Porter_Anderson
In Second Full Week, Macmillan’s ‘Fire and Fury’ Sales Roar to a Bonfire: @Porter_Anderson
Specsavers Bestseller Awards Honor Paula Hawkins, Philip Pullman, Many More: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing
10 Cons Of Self-Publishing: @jckunzjr
10 More Cons Of Self-Publishing: @jckunzjr
Everything You Need To Know About Ebook Publishing Platforms: @TheIWSG @ReedsyHQ
Self-Publishing a Series that Started in Trad-Pub: @joannaslan
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying
An interview with Agent Molly O’Neill: @molly_oneill @NatalieIAguirre
Publishing / Process / Legalities
Why Mickey Mouse’s 1998 copyright extension probably won’t happen again: @PassiveVoiceBlg @binarybits
Writing Craft / Beginnings
10 Tasks of the First Chapter: @Diana_Hurwitz
Writing Craft / Characters / Antagonists
The Villain is Not Always a Person: @SPressfield
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Developing Character Motivation: @LMacNaughton
Five Things Your Characters Need: @WritingForward
How to Lend Each Character Their Unique Voice: @RidethePen
New Novelist: 3 Tips For Creating Great Fictional Characters: @angee
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
Motivating the Reluctant Protagonist: @DavidCorbett_CA @WriterUnboxed
Is Your Protagonist Multidimensional? @KarenCV
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
5 Top Writing Mistakes to Avoid: @AJHumpage
Writing Craft / Conflict
Power Up Your Story with Character Four-Point Opposition: @Michael_Finberg
Writing Craft / Dialogue
Bring Your Dialogue to Life: @kcraftwriter
Writing Craft / Diversity
Five Signs Your Story Is Transphobic: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
Read Like a Writer: Structure: Born to Run Memoir: @writingthrulife
Writing Craft / Literary Devices
Do You Dare To Eat A Peach? Finding the Perfect Metaphor: By PJ Parrish @killzoneauthors
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
The 5 Commandments of Storytelling: @StoryGrid
One Moment That Reveals Everything You Need To Know About A Character: @kathrynelilley @killzoneauthors
Episodic vs. Epic: Go Bigger with Your Writing: @JamiGold
Here’s How To Vary Your Sentence Structure: by Rebecca Langley @standoutbooks
4 Tips on Writing Action Scenes: @Janice_Hardy
Five Insufficient Reasons for Including Bigotry in Your Story: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
5 Tips for Better Sex Scenes: by Lilia Moon @JAHuss
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
When We Try to Sort Writers Into ‘Plotter’ or ‘Pantser’: @Ada_Palmer @tordotcom
Dual Timeline Novels: More Than a Flashback: @cottagelovebook @RomanceUniv
Discover Your Story’s Emotional Core with Story Grid: @AnneHawley @StoryGrid
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
Does someone in your life abuse apostrophes? A handy flowchart to share: by Leigh Anderson @lifehacker
3 Types of Erroneous Use of Dashes: @writing_tips
Writing Craft / Revision
Top 10 Things To Do When You’ve Written A Hot Mess: @10MinNovelists
4 Writing Issues You are Probably Missing When You Self-Edit: @ElleWSilver
Fine-Tuning Sentence Structure: @PStoltey
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
The Power of a Writing Group for Publishing Success: @sharonbially
Writing Craft / Scenes
A Scene Template For New Writers: @jamesscottbell
Writing Craft / Series
Series? Standalone? Companion Novels? (video): @Ava_Jae
Six Tips for Sequels: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Writing Craft / Tension
A Writing Exercise to Help You Raise the Stakes for Your Characters: @Margo_L_Dill @womenonwriting
Writing Craft / Voice
New Ways to Gain Confidence in Your Writing Voice: @colleen_m_story
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
16 Confusing Words and Phrases to Monitor in Writing: @KathySteinemann
Tips for How to Choose the Right Sentences: @KMWeiland
Uncategorized
Ursula K. Le Guin, Acclaimed for Her Fantasy Fiction, Is Dead at 88: by Gerald Jonas @nytimesbooks
The top writing links from last week are on Twitterific:
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