Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 117
June 14, 2015
Working My Way Toward the Novel
by Patricia Abbott , @Pattinaseabbott
I wrote approximately 100 stories and a handful of poems before it seemed time to try my hand at a novel. And it turned out to be so terribly hard that I wrote another 25 stories while I dithered about just how to do it. How do you write an novel? I read books, articles, blogs, listened to podcasts, trying to find my way inside this world.
I listened to people in my writing groups and in classes when they told me how this or that story was ripe for development into a novel.
Yes, I said, but truthfully I never really saw the potential novel in most of those stories. They seemed complete, finished. I had said all I wanted to say in about 5000 words. By then, I’d exhausted the subject and was bored with the characters. Ready to move on. Those characters just had this one thing to do and they did it with only a few other people looking on. Those stories all took place over a short period of time–or at least the best ones did.
Look, I told my writing group, Alice Munro and Ray Carver only write short stories. Lots of writers do their best work in their shorts: Charles Baxter, William Trevor, John Cheever, Mary Lavin, and on and on.
But secretly, I wanted to try a novel. I was tired of coming up with a new idea every month. Tired of the restrictions a short story imposes. Ready for a challenge even if it went bust. I wanted to stretch both my brain and the length and cast I had to work with.
So I wrote a novel that I thought was pretty good and sent it along to an editor who specializes in crime novels. He very kindly wrote back and said he’d read fifty pages and no one had died. People die in crime novels. Had I thought of writing another kind of novel? I decided to try again. This time I would begin with a murder. I’m no fool, right? CONCRETE ANGEL begins with a murder. If I’d sent it to him though, it would still have let that editor down because the novel is more about the people who commit crimes than the crimes themselves. It may be categorized as crime fiction but more of the domestic suspense variety.
If getting the rules of the genre in place was one problem, making the canvas larger was very difficult too. And there is the crux of novel v. short stories. I needed more characters, more scenes, more locales, more conversations, more description. In writing shorts I’d learned to be succinct, to tell the story as tightly as possible. A novel has more breathing room–but filling it with words worth reading was a challenge.
Since the story is about a mother and daughter though, I could certainly add a husband, or perhaps two. I could have grandparents in the story. How about a doctor and a lawyer? Although most of these people are largely peripheral to the action, they do bring depth and their presence can add to our understanding of the protagonist. They function as people to talk to, to have lunch with, to argue with. They can cause trouble. Each character allowed me to add nuance, to add intensity.
I think I still have a lot to learn about writing a novel and probably about writing stories too. I hope I have the time to improve.
Thanks so much for listening to me babble on here. I am still working this out myself.
Patricia Abbott is the author of CONCRETE ANGEL (Polis Books) and the forthcoming SHOT IN DETROIT. She is also the author of more than 150 short stories, two ebooks (MONKEY JUSTICE and HOME INVASION (Snubnose Press) and won a Derringer for her flash story, “My Hero.”
Short story writer @Pattinaseabbott 's challenges when writing a novel:
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The post Working My Way Toward the Novel appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
June 13, 2015
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 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
Tips for Novelizing True Events: http://ow.ly/NOfdX @kcraftwriter
Creating a Scene Outline for Your Novel: http://ow.ly/NOeWF @JodieRennerEd
The exploitation of writers: publishing contracts: http://ow.ly/Oh7o2 @Porter_Anderson @AuthorsGuild
Sources of Public Domain Lyrics: http://ow.ly/NOfDN @HelenSedwick
5 Ranged Weapons That Can Replace Bows: http://ow.ly/NOf3W @mythcreants by Mike Hernandez
How to Avoid Head-Hopping: http://ow.ly/NOeRT @JodieRennerEd
Will a Blog Tour Work for Your Book? http://ow.ly/NOfXf @KarenBerner
Redesigning Book Covers: http://ow.ly/NOfPo @thebookdesignr
5 Compelling Reasons Why You Should Share Your Writing: http://ow.ly/NOeDr @DeanElphick
Different Types of Reviewers: Do They All Matter? http://ow.ly/NOfHr @bookgal
Overcharging Authors for Their Own Books: Buying Author Copies: http://ow.ly/NOfzH @HelenSedwick
30 Social Media Tools For Writers: http://ow.ly/NOfoo @writers_write
How To Create An Antagonist: http://ow.ly/NOeMb @HeatherJacksonW
7 Lessons Writers Can Learn From James Patterson: http://ow.ly/NQqul @AnthonyEhlers
5 Ways to Recover from Writer’s Fatigue: http://ow.ly/NQpYV @LyndaRYoung
What 1 Writer Learned from Rewriting Her Novels: http://ow.ly/NOg1F @mirymom1
Updating Your Ebook After Publication: http://ow.ly/NQpyu @JFBookman
Mixed Martial Arts For Writers: http://ow.ly/NOg7l @RuthHarrisBooks
How Long is a Chapter? http://ow.ly/NQqjl by Heidi M. Thomas
What’s the best way to make sure readers love my characters? http://ow.ly/NKemY @gointothestory A Reactive Protagonist Doesn’t Have to Be a Passive Protagonist: http://ow.ly/NKexU @KMWeiland
Staying in Character: The Convergence of POV and Voice: http://ow.ly/NKejq @robinpatchen
Tips to Keep Tension Taut: http://ow.ly/NKefb @lindasclare
The Most Important Thing A Writer Needs: http://ow.ly/NKeKE @RiteLikeRowling
Thoughts on internal monologue: http://ow.ly/NKeUc @christinekohle1
6 Different Ways to Publish: http://ow.ly/NKePH @bookgal
How big is self-publishing? #FutureChat topic: 11aET/ 4pBST (now) @Porter_Anderson @TheFutureBook
4 Tips to Write a Better Character Portrait: http://ow.ly/NKesD @monicamclark
Script Analysis: “The Imitation Game”: http://ow.ly/NKept @gointothestory
5 tips for blogging a book: http://ow.ly/OdtW7 @NinaAmir
3 Tips for Naming Your Novel: http://ow.ly/NKeXY @Elysia_Regina
Rowling’s Revisions for ‘Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix’ : http://ow.ly/NKeNq @RiteLikeRowling
Increasing Sales on an Old or Flagging Series: http://ow.ly/NKewi @goblinwriter
‘A Year of Men Self-Publishing': #FutureChat recap: http://ow.ly/OduBz @Porter_Anderson @StonehamPress
Epic Female Protagonists Written by Women: http://ow.ly/NGIX3 @Cecily_Kane
4 Signs You Might Be a Book Diva: http://ow.ly/NGIVE @KristiBelcamino
10 Classic Superheroes, Ranked By Their Origin Stories: http://ow.ly/NGJ4L @MrAdamHolmes
4 Survival Tips for Writers Caught in the Waiting Game: http://ow.ly/NGISr @ticewrites
How big is self-publishing? http://ow.ly/OcsDV @PhilipDSJones @Porter_Anderson @HughHowey
3 Unspoken Secrets to Getting Published: http://ow.ly/NGJf0 @PaulAngone
7 Ways Writers Can Rock Wattpad: http://ow.ly/NGJoT @CherylRWrites
Action Tags for Setting and Characterization: http://ow.ly/NGJbz @FrancaPelaccia
7 deadly sins of the writing life: greed: http://ow.ly/NGJln @hippocampusmag
How to Craft Characters Scene by Scene: http://ow.ly/NGJdI @DavidCorbett_CA
Why Accountability Is Essential to Novelists: http://ow.ly/NGITs @writeabook
3 ways scheduling will make you a better blogger: http://ow.ly/NGJgi @veggie_mama @ProBlogger
How Layers Can Deepen Your Story’s Impact: http://ow.ly/NGIRs @kcraftwriter
Fixing the First Page: A Critique: http://ow.ly/NCZE2 @ava_jae
7 Things That Will Destroy You as a Writer: http://ow.ly/NCZo8 @wendypmiller
How Penniless Writers Can Indie Publish: http://ow.ly/NCZj1 @JulieMusil
How to Get More Reviews and Blurbs For Your Book: http://ow.ly/NCZNe @booklaunchdemon
How to Find a Literary Agent for Your Book: http://ow.ly/NCZxo @JaneFriedman
How to be an Introvert: Attending Live Events: http://ow.ly/NCZfq @amytschubert
Tips for better dialogue: http://ow.ly/NCZAr @LindaYezak
Advice For Young Writers and Illustrators: http://ow.ly/NCZsu @smilingotis via @inkyelbows
How to Overcome Social Anxiety When You Work From Home: http://ow.ly/NCZkX @AKWhitney
Cut From Fiction What Doesn’t Fit: http://ow.ly/NCZJm @noveleditor
Shame and Your Writing Career: http://ow.ly/NCZG8 @DanBlank
The case for physical books: http://ow.ly/NCZ1U @npbooks by Robert Fulford
3 Tips For Writers Who Eavesdrop: http://ow.ly/NABhk @MiaJouBotha
How to Stop Haters from Infiltrating Your Blog: http://ow.ly/NABM4 by Christopher Jan Benitez for @blogherald
Use Google+ to Increase Blog Traffic: http://ow.ly/NAC5T @socialmedia2day by Christopher Jan Benitez
7 Deadly Sins of the Writing Life: Sloth: http://ow.ly/NAB3I by Cheryl Wilder @HungerMtn
5 Reasons Becoming a Parent Makes You a Better Writer: http://ow.ly/NABmQ @WriterAbroad
Debunking the Discovery Problem: http://ow.ly/NAAOr @jwikert @passivevoiceblg
51 Websites for Romance Writers: http://ow.ly/NABUg @nownovel
7 Setting Basics That Can Bring a Story to Life: http://ow.ly/NABYr @jodyhedlund
7 Deadly Sins of the Writing Life: Pride: http://ow.ly/NAB8j @HungerMtn by Cheryl Wilder @SuzFarrellSmith
A review on comma rules: http://ow.ly/NACfa by Melissa Gilbert
7 Digital Marketing Skills Every Professional Needs : http://ow.ly/NABzi @Big_Bri @ProBlogger
#MusicForWriters: John Supko and ‘Rest’ for Musicians, Human and Otherwise: http://ow.ly/O4ccU @Porter_Anderson @supko
Prewriting Writing Rituals That Prep Us for Writing Success: http://ow.ly/Nz1TJ @writersrelief
Breaking the 10,000-Word-Day Barrier and Composing a Rough Draft in 2 Weeks: http://ow.ly/Nz1zj @goblinwriter
How to Write a Story a Week: A Day-by-Day Guide: http://ow.ly/Nz18Q @EmilyWenstrom
Writing Groups: How To Write a Constructive Critique: http://ow.ly/Nz2N3 @MandyCorine
Creative Hunger and the Magnanimity of Artists: http://ow.ly/Nz2ym by John Walters
Want to Reach Readers Who Aren’t Your Fellow Writers? Try WattPad: http://ow.ly/Nz1Q0 @CherylRWrites
No Zombies Allowed (in Christian Fiction): http://ow.ly/Nz2rw @cerebralgrump
When to Discard the 3-Act Story Structure http://ow.ly/Nz1vM @epbure
7 Tips for Metadata Magic for Self-Publishers: http://ow.ly/Nz1L3 @BookWorksBetty
Types of Plot Sheets: http://ow.ly/Nz1p8 @larin20
What is an Anti-Creative Mindset? http://ow.ly/Nz2hE @ArtistThink
Audio Books for Indie Authors: http://ow.ly/O0UDB @alexjcavanaugh
Writing a Chapter or Scene in Scrivener’s Text Editor: http://ow.ly/Nz2ls @shesnovel
Why romance novelists are the rock stars of the literary world: http://ow.ly/Nz29F @EmmaRoseTeitel @macleansmag @passivevoiceblg
Fantasy Shorts: Types and Where to Locate: http://ow.ly/Nu75c @VickyThinks
Does Listening to an Audiobook Count As Reading? http://ow.ly/Nu5Bv @lawz_m
Focusing Your Idea: http://ow.ly/Nu5vb @bob_mayer
Lessons in Failure and Writing a Novel: http://ow.ly/Nu4TF @mpnye @Missouri_Review
How to Make Time to Write: http://ow.ly/Nu466 @ninaamir
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June 11, 2015
How to Plan Your Blogged Book
By Nina Amir, @NinaAmir
I know few writers who feel they have enough time to work on their books. Most tell me they want to be more effective and productive because they need to promote their books as well as write them. That’s why I developed the blog-a-book strategy. It allows you to write, publish and promote a book all at the same time.
As you intentionally publish the first draft of your book post by post on your blog, you effectively build a readership for that work. You develop a group of loyal fans ready and willing to purchase the final edition when you release it in print or digital version.
If you’d like to work smarter, not longer and harder, and write a book on your blog—or as you blog, follow these basic steps to plan out your nonfiction or fiction blogged book.
Your Blog-a-Book Plan
Once you have the topic or storyline for your book, it’s time to determine the contents of your book. In the initial stages of blogging a book, this is not that much different than planning a book you write the “normal” way.
1. Brainstorm your book’s content.
Begin with a brainstorming activity. Allow yourself to consider all the possible content or story lines your book could include. You can do this with a mind map. If you prefer, use an outline. Novelists and memoirists often like a timeline for this exercise.
Think about all the subjects, research, characters, facts, scenes, turning points, life events, etc., you might want to include. Produce a brain dump of ideas.
2. Create a table of contents.
When you are done brainstorming the subjects and stories that you will include in your manuscript, organize that content into a table of contents. Give your book structure by turning the mish-mash of ideas into chapters that flow from one to the next logically.
To do this, you need to create your novel’s story line or determine the best sequence for the information that will comprise your nonfiction book. Find the major life events to include in your memoir.
3. Plan Your Posts
Next, break down the content you have planned for each chapter of your book into post-sized bits. Publish each one of your chapters on your blog in 300-700-word pieces—blog posts. To make this easier, create a blog plan. Turn what normally would be many long chapters (each one several thousand words in length) into numerous short posts.
If you write nonfiction, think of each blog post as a subtopic or a subheading in your chapter. Create 15 to 20 subheadings (or posts) per chapter. To adequately address some of these subtopics, you might need to write more than one post. Note these additional posts in your plan, possibly even with a blog post title.
When you finish, your blog-a-book plan might look like this:
If you write fiction, plan out the scenes in each chapter and break them into post-sized bits. You also might use longer bits of dialogue or description as individual posts. Each one of these small parts of your chapter gets turned into a blog post. (Sometimes your posts will be longer to accommodate a whole scene.)
I’m not a novelist, but to give you an idea of how your blog-a-book plan might look, here’s an example of one chapter with some of the details planned out as posts.
4. Create a blogging schedule.
Once you complete your plan, create a blog schedule. Decide how many days per week you will blog your book and stick to it. The more often you blog, the faster you gain readers. You also get your book written faster.
It’s better to publish shorter posts more often (especially when trying to build platform). Don’t publish 2,000-word posts once every two weeks. (Remember, you are not serializing your book.) Overly long and infrequent blog posting doesn’t attract readers and makes the book writing process feel harder. Plus, it will take longer. Blog your book in too short a period and you won’t attract many readers either.
To figure out how long it will take you to blog your book, determine the length of your book. Then divide this number by your average post length, for example, 500 words.
If you publish three posts per week, each one about 500 words long, and you write a 10,000+ e-book in seven weeks. Or publish 100 posts, each one about 500 words long, and you produce a 50,000-word manuscript. Publish posts three times per week, and you finish that manuscript in 34 weeks.
Publish more posts more often to finish your book faster. Or increase the length of your posts to complete in record time.
Final Tip
Before you plan your blogged book content and schedule, be sure your idea is marketable. I suggest going through the basic steps of evaluating an idea prior to writing. Do this by creating a business plan for your book that includes a market and competitive analysis. Use the information you gain to craft a book idea that targets your market and provides a unique and necessary offering in the appropriate bookstore category.
Complete all these steps and you are ready to write, publish and promote at the same time—to become a more effective and productive writer.
To learn more about blogging book and booking blogs, purchase a copy of How to Blog a Book Revised and Expanded Edition in the Writer’s Digest Shop.
Nina Amir, the Inspiration to Creation Coach, is the bestselling author of How to Blog a Book and The Author Training Manual. A speaker, blogger, and author, book, blog-to-book, and high-performance coach, she helps people combine their passion and purpose so they move from idea to inspired action and positively and meaningfully impact the world as writers, bloggers, authorpreneurs, and blogpreneurs. Some of Nina’s clients have sold 300,000+ copies of their books, landed deals with major publishing houses and created thriving businesses around their books. She is the founder of National Nonfiction Writing Month, National Book Blogging Month, and the Nonfiction Writers’ University. As a hybrid author, she has published 15 books and had as many as four books on an Amazon Top 100 list at the same time.
To find out more about Nina and get a free goal-achievement e-book, visit www.ninaamir.com. Receive a set of free blog-plan templates when you visit www.howtoblogabook.com or a free guide to writing a nonfiction book at www.writenonfictionnow.com.
Follow Nina on:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NinaAmir
Facebook: www.facebook.com/InspirationToCreation
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ninaamir
Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/ninaamir
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+NinaAmir/posts
5 tips for blogging a book from @NinaAmir:
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June 8, 2015
Audio Books for Indie Authors
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Audio books and podcasts are gaining popularity with the advent of Bluetooth technology in cars (and, probably, with the desire for listeners to be distracted from tedious commutes or exercise routines). You don’t have to be traditionally published to have your title in an audio book format. Today I’m on the ISWG site explaining a little about how ACX works. Hope you’ll pop over.
The post Audio Books for Indie Authors appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
June 6, 2015
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 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
Review a Book for Potential Legal Issues: http://ow.ly/NqNpd @WhippleMarc @passivevoiceblg
A closer look at some strong opening lines: http://ow.ly/NqNFf by Matt at The Book Blogger
Tips for a better author website: http://ow.ly/NqNjJ @Vijayaschartz
Creative Nonfiction Writing Process: http://ow.ly/NqMP2 @AnneGreenawalt
What’s So Great About Young Writers? http://ow.ly/NqN12 @robin_black @NYTOpinion
There Are Only 6 Basic Plots, According to Computers: http://ow.ly/NqLOP @a_ben_richmond
Writing Horror And Making A Living: http://ow.ly/NqMdA @mbcollings @thecreativepenn
Query question: I only want an agent for film/translation: http://ow.ly/NqNcZ @Janet_Reid
How to Spot a Rights Grab: http://ow.ly/NqMm9 @HelenSedwick @passivevoiceblg
Using vehicles for cover in shootouts: http://ow.ly/NqMyV @LeeLofland
4 Daily Steps To Long Term Writing Success: http://ow.ly/NqMUm @ryancaseybooks
Questions about ISBNs and Barcodes Answered: http://ow.ly/Nu3W0 @JFBookman
Permission to ask for what you’re worth: http://ow.ly/Nu57T @KristinSLevine
7 Fiction Writing Rules : http://ow.ly/Nu4qf by Kat Foster @womenwriters
The Fantasy Genre: Where’s the Line? http://ow.ly/Nu6xQ @mattstaggs @suvudu
What publishing needs now are gutsy people: http://ow.ly/Nu68x @JanetKGrant
8 Steps to Discover Your Perfect Writing Process: http://ow.ly/Nu43u @sacha_black
10 Best Creative Writing Exercises: http://ow.ly/Nu5Je @Mary_Jaksch
AmazonCrossing: ‘Around 150 Books Translated’ : http://ow.ly/NUKuH @Porter_Anderson #FengTang
Unraveling The Ribbons of Your Story: http://ow.ly/NDCIM @MichalskiLiz
Why and how to use interviews to research fiction: http://ow.ly/NDDP2 @LaurelGarver
5 LinkedIn Groups for Writers: http://ow.ly/NDDXc @ShelleySturgeon
In a Rush to Publish? Better Ways to Shave Off Time: http://ow.ly/NUMee
4 Indie Books that Began as Blogs: http://ow.ly/NDCd8 @joesutton
3 Tips for Overcoming Fraud Syndrome: http://ow.ly/NWgcI @livequiet @MeaganFrancis
Why Authors Must Be Genuine on Social Media: http://ow.ly/NWfpm @K8Tilton @RachelintheOC
Commonly Confused: Peak, Peek and Pique: http://ow.ly/NDCD6 @Savage_Woman
How Reading Short Stories Can Make You A Better Writer: http://ow.ly/NDDV1 @JacobTomsky @StoryADayMay
3 Ways To Start Writing: Without The Fear: http://ow.ly/NDCKr @AnthonyEhlers
Does Your Website Make Your Readers Think? http://ow.ly/NDEd0 @thejessew
The concept of home in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/NULlC @mkinberg
Worst Types of Plot Fails: http://ow.ly/NDDM0 @TherinKnite
What Elizabethan book pirates in the 1500s teach about piracy today: http://ow.ly/NUJ4j @passivevoiceblg @voxdotcom @PhilEdwardsInc
8 Blunders to Edit Out of Your Writing: http://ow.ly/NUGnP @mrJRPatterson @thePenleak
Using a journal to brainstorm your fiction: http://ow.ly/NDDSz @LaurelGarver
LinkedIn: 5 Mistakes to Stop Making: http://ow.ly/NDCFw @fahrenheitllc
5 Ways to Write a Book: http://ow.ly/NDCAQ @trainingauthors
Authors making $8,000 per year? Why write free? A #FutureChat recap: http://ow.ly/NP773 @Porter_Anderson @robotech_master
How To Write A Killer Hook: http://ow.ly/Nm37w @SueColetta1
Why Are Boys Not Reading More? Is Publishing Addressing The Crisis? http://ow.ly/NTFrM @Porter_Anderson @pegtyre
How to Write in Deep POV: http://ow.ly/Nm36K @ShesNovel
Building Complex, Interesting, Memorable Characters: http://ow.ly/Nm3b9 @VickiEssex
4 Compelling Ways to Write Emotion: http://ow.ly/Nm3qr @Jill_Jepson
9 ways to brainstorm story ideas: http://ow.ly/Nm39a @SusanLeighNoble
How to Accomplish Twice the Writing in Half the Time: http://ow.ly/Nm331 @MudpieWriting
Pros And Cons Of Being An Indie Author: http://ow.ly/Nm3cI @thecreativepenn
5 Ways to Stretch Your Word Count: http://ow.ly/Nm3bX @MCristianoWrite
7 essential MailChimp tips and tricks: http://ow.ly/NSpcR @SageCRM
5 bits of wisdom for poets, by poets: http://ow.ly/Nm34E @nickimporter
5 ways to get publicity for your book: http://ow.ly/Nm3e4 @chrisrobley
Looking for an editor or designer? A free list: http://ow.ly/NRyAR #selfpub #selfpublishing
The Right Way to Price Your Book: http://ow.ly/Nm3av @thecadencegrp
Write Better Faster. 10 Go-To Resources: http://ow.ly/Nm38d @janalynvoigt
Writing Impossible Goals, Impossible Obstacles: http://ow.ly/Nlf40 @Screenwriter12
8 Mistakes That Will Kill Your Sci Fi Screenplay: http://ow.ly/Nlfai @bang2write
Are youth reading? In what format? http://ow.ly/NP6vt @Porter_Anderson @BKGKristen
Muddled book middles: some suggestions: http://ow.ly/NlfbM @drcarolcooper
100+ places to market your SF book: http://ow.ly/NQqdl @booklaunchdemon
5 apps for writers: http://ow.ly/NlfgF @WendyHJones
8 Compelling Themes for Dystopian Settings: http://ow.ly/Nlfyd by David Mesick @mythcreants
Q&A with literary agent Jenny Bent: http://ow.ly/NPFn5 @jennybent @ScriptsScribes
How Much Time has Passed in Your Story? How and Why to Keep Track: http://ow.ly/NlfEJ @ink_and_quills
Negotiation Tactics of Good Agents: http://ow.ly/NlfiV agentk @ristinNLA
‘The Tsunami-of-Content’? #FutureChat recap: http://ow.ly/NP5JK @Porter_Anderson @jamesscottbell
Your Characters Are Too Talkative? Manage Your Dialogue: http://ow.ly/NlfJp @MillisJess
Upcoming Conferences and Workshops and Publications for Writers: http://ow.ly/NP2Jh @AlexJCavanaugh
Be Mean to Your Characters: 3 Ways to Create Conflict: http://ow.ly/Nlf8j @johnkbucher
Creating Better Ethnic Characters: http://ow.ly/NleYd @MiaHopkinsxoxo
What Writers Can Learn From Game of Thrones: http://ow.ly/NlfsC @EJemily24
7 Storytelling Sins of Worldbuilders: http://ow.ly/NlftJ @mythcreants by Chris Winkle
Why Good Characters Have to Die in Fiction: http://ow.ly/NjQDt @whisperproject @farrtom
Video Games & Storytelling: http://ow.ly/NjQTT @woodwardkaren
How Important is Your Book Title? http://ow.ly/NjR9X @rachellegardner
10 Steps to Editing with Focus: http://ow.ly/NMzC3 @silas_payton
Organize Your Writing Life: Tracking Characters: http://ow.ly/NjRaN @The_Julia_Kelly
How to Make Your Novel Sellable: http://ow.ly/NjQuh @DeniseDrespling @WriteAngleBlog
Why Beta Readers are the Key to Effective Rewriting: http://ow.ly/NjQGQ @whisperproject @farrtom
Dontcha Know and Other Vernacular Issues for Writers http://ow.ly/NjQAQ @catewoods @WriteAngleBlog
How To Conquer The Shame Of Being A Writer : http://ow.ly/NjQWa @litreactor @chuckpalahniuk
How to Write With Your Back Against the Wall: http://ow.ly/NKfhV @drewchial
3 Ways to Start Your Novel: http://ow.ly/NjQFf @RuthanneReid
Craft Dynamic Antagonists Your Readers Will Love: http://ow.ly/NjQEm @KMWeiland
On Writing Well (5 Big Tips): http://ow.ly/NjQCi @challies
Why Screenwriters Are Writing Novels: http://ow.ly/NjQIa @WriterJimVines
Supercharge Your Story’s Setting with 3 Design Tools: http://ow.ly/NelbL @MandyCorine
‘Putting Readers First’ At BEA: Gatekeepers, Curators, And ‘Too Many Books’: http://ow.ly/NKbMe @Porter_Anderson @MichaelBhaskar
10 Items for a Successful Book Event: http://ow.ly/NKb53 @TraceConger
Making Unlikeable People into Likeable Characters: http://ow.ly/Nel3p @SeptCFawkes
What a query is and how to write one: http://ow.ly/NelgB @theQueryFaerie
Is my agent an idiot? Yes, yes he is. http://ow.ly/NekVT @Janet_Reid
Loglines and taglines are different and we need both for our novel: http://ow.ly/NejEz @RWASDChapter
How To Write a Constructive Critique: http://ow.ly/Nel9x @MandyCorine
Avoid These 25 Newbie Writer Mistakes: http://ow.ly/NelM3 @jodyhedlund
The eeriness of the English countryside as a setting: http://ow.ly/NekNJ by Robert Macfarlane @guardianbooks
How To Record Your Own Audiobooks For ACX: http://ow.ly/Nel6c @thecreativepenn
How to Get Readers to Lust After Your Book: http://ow.ly/Nejwf @jamesscottbell
Critique Partners vs Beta Readers and Where To Find Them: http://ow.ly/Nejrw @DarlaGDenton
Researching your Novel Guide: http://ow.ly/NbwON @nownovel
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June 5, 2015
In a Rush to Publish? Better Ways to Shave Off Time
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
There has been a good deal written about the need for self-publishing authors not to be in a rush to publish. And yet, there has been a good deal written about the need for self-publishing authors to quickly produce for financial success.
These bits of advice aren’t really as contradictory as they seem. The time to move things along, I believe, is when we’re writing. The time to be thoughtful and unhurried is during the packaging process…the editing and cover design. The finishing touches need time.
What can we do to make our writing go faster? Here are some things that have helped me:
On a daily basis:
Know what you’re going to write that day (at least the plot points).
Think about where you left off and what you’re going to say next before you open the laptop (I mull things over in the mornings as I let the dog out and as I’m making myself coffee.
Eliminate distractions. For some, this means just closing windows on their computers until the manuscript is the only thing up. For others, it means disconnecting from wifi.
Set timers. Write for your target amount of time, then check social media/do other things you’ve been dying to do while writing. Then set a timer again. Repeat until you can reach your target.
Diagnose problems and roadblocks. This is the single most-important thing I do each week to write faster. Because, for me, slowing down happens about once a week. I don’t have time to sit around and stare at the screen. I don’t have time to edit too much bad writing—and I know when I’m producing the written version of “uhhh.” This is what I ask myself, because frequently I don’t know what the problem is before I think it through. Is there a better time of day to write? Is home too distracting and the library might be better? Am I procrastinating writing a scene because I know it’s not right for the characters? That it’s boring? That it’s unrealistic?
It’s so much better to take a day off from drafting and brainstorm new story directions. Ultimately, that day of brainstorming and planning saves me the most time of any of my time-saving tricks.
Per project:
When writing multiple series, I’ve found the next book goes much quicker when I outline the following book immediately after finishing a book in that series.
Secure editing and cover design before finishing the project. Same with beta readers. There have been several times when I’ve assumed my cover designer or editor was available as soon as I finished a project—and then I learned they were booked months out.
I’ve found the best way to hurry a project along is on my end of things, with the writing. If I can streamline my process, eliminate distractions, and dedicate the time I need, then I hit my goals every time.
How do you keep projects on track?
Tips for making a writing project go faster:
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Image: Death to the Stock Photo
The post In a Rush to Publish? Better Ways to Shave Off Time appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
May 31, 2015
10 Items for a Successful Book Event
by Trace Conger, @TraceConger
Book events are a great way to sell books. You’re in a target-rich environment, surrounded by buyers who are eager to find their next favorite book.
Aside from sales, book events are a fantastic way to raise awareness of your work, engage with readers/fans, garner signups for your author newsletter or email list, and talk shop with other authors.
If you’ve never participated in a book event (or even if you have) you might be wondering what items to bring to maximize your sales. Keep the following 10 items in mind and you’ll be on your way to selling more books and winning more fans at your next event.
1. Books
This might seem like a no brainer, but some authors attend book events to promote a digital book or a book that isn’t yet available for sale. Handing out cards with a URL to your ebook isn’t going to cut it. Event attendees are looking to buy then and there (not on your website later).
Be sure to display your wares in an attractive way and consider using a small display stand to showcase your book(s).
2. Credit card reader
I can’t count the number of sales I’ve seen authors lose because they don’t accept credit cards. Providers such as Square and PayPal offer free credit card readers that plug into your smartphone. These services are free to use, although they take a small percentage of the sale (Square for example takes 2.75%). I’d rather turn over a small portion of a credit card sale than miss a sale altogether because I can’t swipe a card.
Be sure to include a small sign on your table indicating which cards you accept.
3. Change
Even if book attendees prefer to pay in cash, they might not have the exact amount. Be sure to have bills and coins available to make change.
4. Quality signing pens
Buyers will want you to sign your book, so be sure to keep a few good pens with you. Remember that pens only run out of ink when you really, really need them to work, so be prepared with extras.
5. Email sign-up sheet
As a savvy author, you should already be cultivating an email list for book promotions. Keep a sign-up sheet on your event table so you can capture attendees’ email addresses.
If you’re offering something as an incentive for signing up—say a free ebook or short story—mention it on the sign-up sheet. Remember that presentation is everything; so take ten minutes to print out a few sign-up sheets that look professional (I attach mine to a quality clipboard). You’re so much better than a legal pad.
6. Banners and other signage
This one is tricky because events have different regulations on what signage you can and can’t use. I’ve attended some where they’ll let authors erect a ten-foot vertical banner, and others where authors couldn’t use anything over 24-inches tall. Banners can be expensive, but quality imagery can set you apart from the other participating authors and boost your brand.
7. Tablecloth
No one likes a naked table. Most events will provide a table and a tablecloth, but it’s worth confirming with the event prior. Even if the event supplies one tablecloth, consider having another on hand. Remember, while you’re not really “competing” with other authors, you are competing for eyeballs, so the goal is to make your display as attractive as possible.
8. Bookmarks/Postcards/Business cards
I always bring branded bookmarks and postcards (with my book information) to hand out. Not everyone who comes to my table is going to buy a book, but I still want to give them something with my book title(s) and URL on it. Media reps also collect these materials since they might be interested in following up with you after the event.
9. Sweets
One thing attendees like more than books is candy. Providing candy is a great way to attract people to your table and initiate a conversation. Plus, it gives you something to eat when the crowd dies down and you’ve missed lunch. As with everything else, be sure to check the event guidelines, as some events won’t allow any food items. Since presentation is key, I always keep candy in an attractive wooden bowl, not just spread across the table.
Fun fact: I recently participated in an event where the author next to me offered a free slice of cake with every book purchase. I wouldn’t take that approach myself, but it speaks to his creativity.
10. Dolly/suitcase/cart
Even if you’re just keeping to this list, you’ll have a lot to carry. When I attended my first event, I had to park ¼ mile away from the venue and carry everything from a parking garage. That got old very quickly. Now, I use a collapsible, wheeled cart to transport my items from my vehicle to my table.
Having a cart makes packing up easier and will save you thousands in future chiropractor payments.
As a final tip, keeping a checklist of your preferred items ensures you won’t forget anything when packing for an event. Otherwise, something always falls through the cracks.
I’ve provided the basics here, but you might also prefer taking promotional swag (coffee cups, etc), raffle items, or plastic bags (for customers buying multiple books). The list can go on and on.
How about you? Got any other tips to help authors prepare for an event? Throw them in the comments.
Trace Conger is an author in the crime, thriller, and suspense genres. His debut novel, THE SHADOW BROKER, follows Finn Harding, a disgraced PI, as he straddles the fine line between criminal investigator and criminal. Conger lives in Cincinnati. Find him online at www.traceconger.com.
The post 10 Items for a Successful Book Event appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
May 30, 2015
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 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
True Dramatic Arc vs. Static Situational Narrative: http://ow.ly/N8cUi @storyfix
21 Social Media Don’ts: http://ow.ly/N8cno @writers_write
Be a More Productive & Balanced Writer: http://ow.ly/No78B @JordanRosenfeld
Don’t waste time with unnecessary words: http://ow.ly/N8cvp @shalvatzis
Should Everyone Publish a Book? http://ow.ly/N8exe @LorraineDWilke
5 Books About Magical Realism: http://ow.ly/No7je @TonyPuryear
When It Feels Like Everyone Is Getting What You Want: http://ow.ly/No7aA @nataliewhipple
Wake Up and Stop Writing Dream Sequences: http://ow.ly/No75P @givemeyourteeth
Taking Care of Business: The Author Biography: http://ow.ly/No7fN @ashkrafton
Making a Dark Character Likeable through Vulnerabilities: http://ow.ly/No6Nx @marypapas2
Writing, Publishing, and Solitaire: http://ow.ly/No7e6 @nataliewhipple
How to Connect With Other Authors on Facebook and Twitter: http://ow.ly/No72v @amcbooks
Now, Writing is for Extroverts Too: http://ow.ly/No7zH @passivevoiceblg @YAElizabethA @The_Rumpus
What 1 Writer Learned Teaching Freshman Comp: http://ow.ly/No7rB @vickikeire
Daily Rituals of the Most Creative Minds: http://ow.ly/No6W5 @masoncurrey @paperblanks
Why You Should Resist Giving Agents Exclusives: http://ow.ly/No7ur @bookendsjessica
Make Time to Exercise Your Writing Muscles: http://ow.ly/Nbx3c @ninaamir
Delivering Emotional Punches in Writing: http://ow.ly/Nbwx9 @FrancaPelaccia
5 Mistakes Writers Make (and How to Avoid Them): http://ow.ly/Nbwsf @sarahalderson
Get Your Blog Found with Proper Labels & Tags: http://ow.ly/NbwQI @EdieMelson
Nature V. Nurture in Your Characters: Info for Writers http://ow.ly/NbwiV @FionaQuinnBooks
Brainstorming Does Not Work: http://ow.ly/Nbw2F @Kevin_Ashton
3 types of questions in every good story: http://ow.ly/Nbx6S @HeatherJacksonW
The Bizarre, Complicated Formula for Literary Fame: http://ow.ly/NbwL1 @joshuarothman @NewYorker
26 Reasons a Writer Should Blog: http://ow.ly/NbwVx @Shirl_Corder
Trad. vs. Self vs. Indie: What’s the best way to get published? http://ow.ly/NbwGU @KasiBlake
Monotasking: The Forgotten Skill to Re-Claim: http://ow.ly/N8cQh @ThereseWalsh
Your Novel in One Sentence: http://ow.ly/N8d71 @kristenlambtx
Should everyone publish a book? 10 things to do before hitting Publish: http://ow.ly/N8cxS @LorraineDWilke
Top 10 Ways Writers Self-Reject when Querying Bloggers, Editors, and Agents: http://ow.ly/N8cpk @annerallen
How to think like a novelist: http://ow.ly/N8d4o @Roz_Morris
How to Create Instantly (& Instinctively) Recognizable Characters: http://ow.ly/N8cXH @withpenandpaper
On Characters Who Seize the Reins: http://ow.ly/N8ddW @PaulaSJwriter
How to engage a gaming culture in books? #FutureChat: 4pBST/11aET (now) @Porter_Anderson #BEA15 @TheBookseller http://ow.ly/NAH0T
Writers: Is Your Book Ready For Hollywood? http://ow.ly/N8d9S @writersrelief
Cheat Sheets for Writing Body Language and 5 tips for using it: http://ow.ly/N8csG @writers_write
How to Increase Book Sales: ‘Think’ Tips: http://ow.ly/N8cK5 @thecreativepenn @KifferBrown
How to Secure a Traditional Book Deal By Self-Publishing: http://ow.ly/Nza7N @JaneFriedman
Tips for Transitions: http://ow.ly/N507k from Not So Classically Trained…
Agonizing Over Antagonists: http://ow.ly/N502X @KeithCronin
Why Audio Storytelling Is So Addictive: http://ow.ly/N50yJ @tiffaniewen @theatlantic
3 Ways 1 Writer Finds More Time to Write in an Otherwise Busy Life: http://ow.ly/N52cW @jamietr
‘The Overselling Of Self-Publishing': Should Writers Consider Their Options? http://ow.ly/Nz4XW @Porter_Anderson @JaneFriedman
Generating and Tracking Writing Ideas: http://ow.ly/N4ZMl from Terri Forehand
Prewriting Writing Rituals That Prep Us for Writing Success: http://ow.ly/N50v0 @WebWriterAWAI
What to Do After the First Draft: http://ow.ly/N51Jj @katiemccoach
Basketcase and What It Means To be a Writer with Mental Illness: http://ow.ly/N50dv @BookGeekConfess
List of Character Flaws: http://ow.ly/N50Is from Dark World RPG
123 Ideas for Character Flaws: http://ow.ly/N50Es @writers_write
How to turn a Complex Story into a Simple Synopsis: http://ow.ly/N51OG @drewchial
Worldbuilding: Creating Bestiaries and Fantastic Monsters: http://ow.ly/N4ZyG by B. Pine @fantasyfaction
Why 1 Writer is Transitioning His Blog to Medium: http://ow.ly/N523w @jamietr
What happens if your book gets cancelled or series doesn’t continue? http://ow.ly/N3UEM @carlywatters
Query Question: I’m popular, can I tell you? http://ow.ly/N3UgK @Janet_Reid
10 Ways to Tighten Your Writing & Hook the Reader: http://ow.ly/N3Ued @kristenlambtx
How to write a cozy mystery: http://ow.ly/N3Upz and http://ow.ly/N3UrS and http://ow.ly/N3UtY @laurapauling
Writers Need A Support System (for our backs): http://ow.ly/N3UiR @BDBrady007 @ediemelson
How to Turn Your Novel into an Audiobook: http://ow.ly/N3UcI @AlisonPotoma
Make the Most of Accidental Foreshadowing: http://ow.ly/N3UkF @Janice_Hardy
9 Quick Workouts You Can Do During Writing Breaks: http://ow.ly/N3U0z by Ashley Marcin
Front and Back Matter in Books: http://ow.ly/NviTB @MsBessieBell
How 1 writer’s 1st novel nearly ended his career: http://ow.ly/N3TVE @timakers @passivevoiceblg
15 Time-saving Tools for Writers: http://ow.ly/N3UA2 @BryanJCollins
Screenwriting: The 5 Commandments of Dialogue: http://ow.ly/N3UwS from Joe Screenwriter
Live tweets from NY’s #DigiBook15 starting 8:45a ET, 1:45p London (BST) @Porter_Anderson (now)
The Hidden Meaning Behind a Rejection Letter: http://ow.ly/N3ULS @RachelLKent
4 Reasons to Take Risks with Our Fiction: http://ow.ly/N3UC4 @carlywatters
Artist Colonies: The Value of Lost Time: http://ow.ly/N3bLC by Rachel Harper @spalding_mfa
Screenwriting: How to Please Others But Still Be True to Your Work: http://ow.ly/N3bvW @WDFilmmaker
5 Criteria for Creating Successful Story Goals: http://ow.ly/N3bkU @writers_write
9 character alignments and character examples: http://ow.ly/N3bC4 @geekandsundry @hollandfarka
‘They,’ the Singular Pronoun, Gets Popular: http://ow.ly/N3bm9 @passivevoiceblg @bgzimmer
Terror vs Horror In Gothic Fiction: http://ow.ly/N3bX5 @woodwardkaren
When we’re locked down by an old publishing contract: http://ow.ly/N3bFY @roxannestclaire
3 Tips for Tension in Scenes: http://ow.ly/N3bVo @lindasclare
3 Ways to Keep Your Villain from Monologuing: http://ow.ly/N3bp0 @RogerDColby
Crowd Funding & Self-Publishing: Tips From A Newbie: http://ow.ly/N3brh @MindyMcGinnis @WriteAngleBlog
Avoiding Fantasy Tropes: http://ow.ly/N3bRV @writeallyear @McNultyAmy
What It Feels Like Inside A Crime Scene: A Detective’’s POV: http://ow.ly/N3btU @SueColetta1
Music For Writers: Joby Talbot On The ‘Path Of Miracles': http://ow.ly/No8WC @Porter_Anderson @JobyTalbot
Tips for Developing Story Writing Ideas: http://ow.ly/N2hiw @WritingForward
How Thinking Like Johnny Depp Can Help Your Writing: http://ow.ly/N2h42 @WriteToSell
How to Sign a Book: http://ow.ly/Np2oa @DebbieYoungBN
6 Showing and Telling Traps to Avoid: http://ow.ly/N2h2G @WriteToSell
3 tips for writing antagonists: http://ow.ly/N2gDX @robinrwrites
List of character traits: http://ow.ly/N2gUw from Fiction Writers’ Mentor
Monotasking Your Writing Practice (Prewrite Checklist): http://ow.ly/N2hDb @finallywriting
Creating an Author Business Plan: How Will the Business Run? http://ow.ly/N2hrM @MarcyKennedy
Does Your Author Website Have The Essentials To Attract Readers And Sell Your Books? http://ow.ly/N2gEB @thecreativepenn
‘All Calendars Suck: Start Saying No': http://ow.ly/No8Px @monteiro @Porter_Anderson
3 tips for narrative: http://ow.ly/N2gCI @robinrwrites
Showing Emotion: Moving Beyond The Face: http://ow.ly/N2hFU @angelaackerman
The Freelance Scramble: Paying Attention to Cash Flow: http://ow.ly/N2h6q @kristinerusch
Be a contrarian. Write about the Antihero: http://ow.ly/N2gKv @rsguthrie
Free Writing Guides: http://ow.ly/MZmjo @JordanMcCollum
Why We Should Start a Podcast: http://ow.ly/MZmnH @JerodMorris
Why Successful Authors Give Away Free Books: http://ow.ly/MZmJp @bookmarketer
What To Do When All Your Characters Sound The Same: http://ow.ly/MZlCG @MiaJouBotha
Using Media To Sell Books: 10 tips: http://ow.ly/MZmCw @bookmarketer @GinaRubinstein
Are Screenshots the Next Hot Trend in Blogging? http://ow.ly/MZlyb @inkbitspixels
The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
May 28, 2015
Owning Up to Our Writing…Locally
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
There’s an old Bugs Bunny cartoon called Hare Brush where a psychiatrist brainwashes Bugs to make him believe he’s Elmer Fudd. The line he brainwashes Bugs with is: I’m Elmer Fudd, millionaire. I own a mansion and a yacht.
This isn’t the line I’ve brainwashed myself to know by heart. Mine goes: I’m a writer. I write murder mysteries. Yes, I do write under my own name and also as Riley Adams.
Repetition makes it easy. It’s practically muscle memory at this point. I don’t even have to think about it.
It wasn’t always that way. For years I said: I’m a stay-at-home mom.
This stopped rather abruptly years ago at social gatherings when various friends would interrupt me, frown ferociously, and announce to my new acquaintance, “No, she’s not! She’s a writer.”
I’m sure many of us have had the experience of telling someone we’re a writer. All the energy in a room gets sucked out by the declaration and then that energy seems completely directed at us. For someone who’d rather observe others and not be the focus, this isn’t fun.
Online, it’s no big deal. I’m a writer. At a conference, I’m very clearly a writer. I speak at libraries as a writer.
In the grocery store? At the PTA? At a party a friend is having? It took years to own up to being a writer in those settings.
Now I’m very smooth with the reveal. I give all the information up at once. Writing is what I do. This is the genre I write. I wait for the “do you write under your own name” question and immediately have a response for that, complete with a “it’s okay that you’ve never heard of me” sympathetic look.
I’ve even reached the point where I have my business cards actually on my person. That’s right. I’m ready for the great reveal at any time, complete with a professional card. Because my new friends will ask me to write my info down otherwise and although I carry many, many writing utensils with me at all times, on such occasions, the pens will be out of ink and the pencils will all have broken tips.
Then is that moment where they feel they need to offer to read my books. This is when I say they’re available at the library. Some of them. You can read one and see if you like them.
Practice makes perfect when it comes to talking about our writing. After my initial admission of writing, I’m frequently faced with offers of book club visits. Probably one in ten people that I meet in Charlotte, NC, either belongs to a book club or knows someone who is in a book club. These folks frequently feel compelled to have me talk. I’ve spoken at quite a few book clubs, but I’ve talked my way out of appearing at many more book clubs. My discomfort usually starts when they ask what themes my books have or what discussion questions my books may generate.
For years, I’d just avoid speaking to clubs that wanted me to dissect my books in a roundtable discussion. Let’s face it: the books aren’t lit fic. I’d politely decline and thank the person for their interest.
But now I’ve got a ready answer for groups that want me to discuss one of my books. Our conversation goes more like this: I write genre fiction that isn’t heavy in theme, but I’ve gained interesting insights on writing, mysteries, and the industry that I’d love to talk about.
This approach has made it easier for me to accept more invitations to speak. And it makes me a lot more relaxed when I’m there.
I don’t believe I’ll ever be 100% comfortable talking about my writing in a social setting. But heck—I won’t ever be 100% comfortable in a social setting, period.
Other ways I’ve let people in my community know I’m a writer (without telling them upfront):
Shared new book cover designs on my personal Facebook account (although I rarely do this because I think my frequent releases could create Elizabeth-Fatigue online).
Written occasional articles for local newspapers (very, very local newspapers…the kinds you pick up for free in local restaurants). I make sure my bio mentions my books and how I tie into the community.
Talked in local schools when invited. The kids always tell their parents. I frequently know some of the parents.
Indicated my career via my email signature. It’s automatically included on every email I send out, whether it’s to another writer or to my child’s teacher or the gymnastics coach or the neighborhood homeowner association. It’s just a hyperlink to my website and a link for my newsletter signup.
Then I just cross my fingers that word spreads and I don’t have to do too many more I’m-a-writer reveals at parties.
How do you handle talking about your writing in social settings? Is it hard for you to do, or easy?
Image: MorgueFile: xandert
Telling New Acquaintances We're Writers:
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May 23, 2015
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 30,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.
I’ll be stepping away from the blog tomorrow to observe Memorial Day and will be back on Friday. Thanks!
How to Write a Novel with Only 1 Hour a Day: http://ow.ly/MWgyf by Daniel Schwabauer
A Writer’s Cheatsheet to Plot and Structure: http://ow.ly/MWgHj @mgherron
9 Tips for Hosting Book Contests: http://ow.ly/MWgLj @writersrelief
How To Write Your First Book (21 authors weigh in): http://ow.ly/MWgs1 @sealln
How to Find Your Audience Online: http://ow.ly/MWh2R @nblackburn01
3 Surefire Ways to Generate Book Ideas: http://ow.ly/MWhgw @JodyHedlund
10 Ways to Create Suspense: http://ow.ly/MWhjL @niniehammon
Do Authors Really Need a Facebook Page? http://ow.ly/MWgYH @CaballoFrances
How to Take Charge of Your Author Blog: http://ow.ly/MWgUR @CaballoFrances
How to Write a Book And Get It Done: http://ow.ly/MWhom @GBGailBrenner
How to Dramatize Real Life in Your Writing: http://ow.ly/MWgmr @birgitte_rasine
How to Use Pinterest on Your Author Website: @K8Tilton http://ow.ly/MWhbK via @BadRedheadMedia
One author considers being exclusive with Amazon: http://ow.ly/MZlft @Derek_Haines
How to Get Reviews Before Book Launch: http://ow.ly/MZmsy @111publishing
Picking Editors: What Kind Do We Need? http://ow.ly/MZmfU @jamigold
Putting big words in picture books: http://ow.ly/MZmvJ @pczajak
How To Justify Your Writing Time (To Friends and To Yourself): http://ow.ly/MZlKT @StoryADayMay
Your Character’s Secret Dreams: http://ow.ly/MZmzV @nancyjcohen
Should authors write without pay? http://ow.ly/NhAAh @Porter_Anderson @TheBookseller
Setting: characters are either organic to the setting Elizabeth S Craig
Building Your Email List: http://ow.ly/MQlFs and http://ow.ly/MQlIu @hopeclark by Amanda Moon
The Importance of Establishing a Primary Blog Goal: http://ow.ly/MQnQP @jimhbs
All about genre: http://ow.ly/MQnKb @RobinStorey1
Tips for Finding Book Reviews: http://ow.ly/MQnXf @hopeclark
With $7M in funding, BookBub is poised to be a global force in e-book marketing: http://ow.ly/NjgPL @pandodaily by Dennis Keohane
25 Ways To Market Your Audiobook: http://ow.ly/MQo20 @k8tilton
The Right Way to Price Your Book: http://ow.ly/MQnC9 @thecadencegrp
4 Tips To Writing Better Calls-To-Action: http://ow.ly/MQo5p by Joseph C. Kunz
Should Authors Be on Instagram? Absolutely: http://ow.ly/MQnw6 @CaballoFrances
Should authors write without pay? #FutureChat 4pBST / 11aET (now) http://ow.ly/NhAgj @Porter_Anderson
All about hyperlinks: http://ow.ly/MQo9G @ShelleySturgeon
What Happens After the Manuscript is Complete? http://ow.ly/MQooS @JMNeyGrimm
Crediting illustrators: a need for publishing reform: http://ow.ly/NhAHW @Porter_Anderson @jabberworks
Selling on iBookstore: How to Create an iTunes Connect Account: http://ow.ly/MQoul @Route11eBooks
9 Tips On Writing A Great Description For A Non-Fiction Book: http://ow.ly/MQktV by Joseph C. Kunz
Bone Heap: On Returning to One’s Own Work: http://ow.ly/NgB7z by Donna Steiner @hippocampusmag
Smaller Ponds: How to Use Categories to Sell More Books: http://ow.ly/MQiSa by Fix My Story
How to Evaluate a Kindle Deal Site Before You Buy a Promotion: http://ow.ly/MQkGr by Jordan Smith
Social Evidence: Testimonials in Action: http://ow.ly/MQjyo @EditDeskTweets
2 enduring, low-cost book marketing tactics: http://ow.ly/MQifm @Belinda_Pollard
Approaching Book Review Blogs: Tips: http://ow.ly/MQjJz @ZoeBrooks15
Writers, protect your health and your back: http://ow.ly/MQhZh @Belinda_Pollard
3 Ways to Beat Writer’s Block: http://ow.ly/MQiwZ @worderella
Authors and Publishers: Paying for Awards is Crap: http://ow.ly/MQk3R @uriel1998
Tips for Back Cover Copy: http://ow.ly/MQjmx @EditDeskTweets
10 ways to brainstorm marketing ideas: http://ow.ly/MQjCW @bookmarketing
Tips for Success on ACX: http://ow.ly/NenFo
10 Things Readers Should Do When They Like You: http://ow.ly/MQkiY @RochelleDCarter
Creating Unique Dialogue: http://ow.ly/MQfHP @BarelyHareBooks
Hemingway App: A Proofreading Tool for Writers: http://ow.ly/MQgFU @CKmacleodwriter
Author Websites, Blogs, and Book Sales Pages: http://ow.ly/MQf0j @JFBookman
Organization In Writing: Drafts: http://ow.ly/MQfYU @rsmollisonread
Tips for including backstory in your writing: http://ow.ly/MQhwM @bwilliamsbooks
5 Things Authors Can Outsource to a Virtual Assistant: http://ow.ly/MQgdQ @worldsnoister
The value of cultural signposts for writers: http://ow.ly/MQgAn @Amabaie
Book Designers or Book Design Templates? http://ow.ly/MQeBF @ReedsyHQ
Online mental health quizzes for our characters: http://ow.ly/MQfhZ @ShelleySturgeon
How you can write a book on fragmented time: http://ow.ly/MQhq6 @bwilliamsbooks
Weaving It In: Backstory in Fiction: http://ow.ly/MQgQZ @writerstarr
“Think Bigger For Your Books”: http://ow.ly/MQeXr @cardmagic @ReedsyHQ
How and Where to Talk About Your Book: http://ow.ly/MNzZj @BrenMcClain
Free Images and Free Photos: http://ow.ly/MNz8a @novelexperienc3
When You NEED a Pen Name: http://ow.ly/MNyIq @kristenlambtx
Kurt Vonnegut’s 8 Tips on Writing a Good Short Story: http://ow.ly/MNfd5 @openculture
Platform Isn’t a Dirty Word: http://ow.ly/MNBhJ @AneMulligan
How the WordPress Philosophy Can Improve Your Writing: http://ow.ly/MNgFT @authormedia
9 Worst Types of Plot Fails: http://ow.ly/MNzw8 and http://ow.ly/MNzFT @TherinKnite
4 ways to revive a stale book: http://ow.ly/MNzTm @bookgal
The Uncanny In Fiction: http://ow.ly/MNAaR @woodwardkaren
Self-Defense for the Small Female Protagonist: Nerve Strikes: http://ow.ly/MNyRu @SueColetta1
11 Things to Know About Dating a Writer: http://ow.ly/MNyAy @LauraPepWu
B&Bs in crime fiction: http://ow.ly/N82dU @mkinberg
Is Your Prologue Destroying Your Story’s Subtext? http://ow.ly/MNA4B @KMWeiland
Music For Writers: Paola Prestini’s Songs From Another ‘Labyrinth’: http://ow.ly/N5m3E @Porter_Anderson @paolaprestini #MusicForWriters
Tips on Writing Flashbacks: http://ow.ly/MLKbM @Janice_Hardy
5 tips to make characters distinct: http://ow.ly/MLo2e @Roz_Morris
How to be a better writer: http://ow.ly/MLJmx @storyfix
Taking the Question Out of Query Letters: http://ow.ly/MLotp @VondaSkelton on @EdieMelson
10 Things to Take to Every Writers’ Conference: http://ow.ly/MLnWF @meghancward
Anatomy of a romance query letter: http://ow.ly/MLK8H @nicholesevern
3 tips for internal conflict: http://ow.ly/MLojf @HeatherJacksonW
The villain is the hero of his own story. http://ow.ly/MLorv @shalvatzis
How to Find Your Hidden Creative Genius: http://ow.ly/MLoz7 @james_clear
5 Must-Read Screenplays: http://ow.ly/MLK6j @ScottWSmith_com
Fallacy: The Primer for Surprise: http://ow.ly/MLKhC @lanceschaubert
Finding Your Story’s Beats: http://ow.ly/MLowC @araTHEwriter
The Best Way for Writers to Use Amazon’s Preorder Feature: http://ow.ly/MKvZO @bookgal
Fiction Rehab And The Magic Of The Makeover: http://ow.ly/ML1LM @RuthHarrisBooks
Coping With Criticism of Your Writing: http://ow.ly/MKtK4 @mrJRPatterson @thePenleak
Essentials of Having a Complex Antagonist: http://ow.ly/ML1P4 @scriptmag
How Not To Win A Writing Contest: 7 Deadly Story Sins: http://ow.ly/N3coZ @Yeomanis for @annerallen
Practical Advice for Writing Dialect: http://ow.ly/MKsEP @alyssa__holly
Power Of StumbleUpon: Adding Sharing Button To WordPress.com: http://ow.ly/ML1K1 @SueColetta1
7 Writers Who Had Boring Day Jobs: http://ow.ly/ML1Xq @mshannabrooks
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