Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 152
June 23, 2013
Chalk One Up for Outlining
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I’m one of those writers who is an everyday kind of writer. Creating habits isn’t easy for me—once I’ve
formed one, I have to repeat it every single day to keep it. And writing is like using a muscle…I’ve found
my writing gets flabby if it’s not regularly exercised. I make the time. It’s
way too hard for me to pick up a train of thought, the voice, that story rhythm
if I don’t write daily. It’s tough to get back into the story.
I’ve squeezed writing into completely
impossible days. I write at 5 a.m. I write in carpool lines. I write in doctor's
office waiting rooms. I come up with dialogue while doing yard work. I’ve written while eating lunch. I’ve sacrificed sleep to write. I’ve written
while traveling. I always make my deadlines. Whatever I need to do to hit those 3.5 pages a day, I'll do it. If life goes to hell, I'm flexible--I'll write when it's not my favorite time of the day.
But sometimes, you can’t write. I’ve been fortunate not to have
many of those days. If I can’t write, I’ve likely been stricken with some
ghastly virus. Even then, I’ve frequently been able to mull over my story,
think up dialogue, or add to character description.
The last week, though, I really haven’t been able to write. My daughter had her tonsils out and
unfortunately the recovery didn’t go well. She’s fine now, but there was a
point where we thought we’d have to check her into the hospital. We Craigs do illness in a spectacular fashion.
:) With an ailing child and
mentally drained… I found it impossible to write. I could write blog posts or
emails with the nervous energy I felt while I hung out in the room with my
daughter. But creative writing wasn’t possible.
A couple of days ago, I finally opened my
manuscript on Word again. Usually, this would be a tough assignment with my
head out of the story for so long.
Instead, I looked at my outline, found the point where I’d left off, and
picked right back up with the book again.
No problem.
No problem at all. It was as if I’d
only left off writing a few hours before.
I had a complete plan. The outline said,
“Here’s what you write today.” No questions asked or needed.
It annoys me that outlining is working so
well for me. I despise outlining and I
hate following outlines. But I can’t
argue with the success I’ve had so far with it.
So…if you have an erratic life where it’s
very, very tough to fit your writing in on a regular basis, I really have to
reluctantly recommend outlining. It seems to work well in those circumstances.
Other things you can do with your story
if you have no time to write (and you seriously don’t want to outline):
List title ideas.
Come up with character profiles or
background.
Brainstorm character arc and growth for
the course of the book
List names of characters, names of
settings.
Lists of things that puts you more in
touch with your character’s personality: 5 things your character is afraid of,
5 things your character wants, 5 types of neighbors your character would hate
to move in next door.
Since writing description is drudgery for
me, I’ll sometimes sketch out description (for characters and setting) and
layer them in later.
Brainstorm for subplots.
Brainstorm for endings.
So there are non-outlining-related
methods of moving forward with your story on no-good, really bad days. But…and I wince as I write this…when it
comes to reacquainting yourself with a cold story…
outlining appears to work better.
I’m one of those writers who is an everyday kind of writer. Creating habits isn’t easy for me—once I’veformed one, I have to repeat it every single day to keep it. And writing is like using a muscle…I’ve found
my writing gets flabby if it’s not regularly exercised. I make the time. It’s
way too hard for me to pick up a train of thought, the voice, that story rhythm
if I don’t write daily. It’s tough to get back into the story.
I’ve squeezed writing into completely
impossible days. I write at 5 a.m. I write in carpool lines. I write in doctor's
office waiting rooms. I come up with dialogue while doing yard work. I’ve written while eating lunch. I’ve sacrificed sleep to write. I’ve written
while traveling. I always make my deadlines. Whatever I need to do to hit those 3.5 pages a day, I'll do it. If life goes to hell, I'm flexible--I'll write when it's not my favorite time of the day.
But sometimes, you can’t write. I’ve been fortunate not to have
many of those days. If I can’t write, I’ve likely been stricken with some
ghastly virus. Even then, I’ve frequently been able to mull over my story,
think up dialogue, or add to character description.
The last week, though, I really haven’t been able to write. My daughter had her tonsils out and
unfortunately the recovery didn’t go well. She’s fine now, but there was a
point where we thought we’d have to check her into the hospital. We Craigs do illness in a spectacular fashion.
:) With an ailing child and
mentally drained… I found it impossible to write. I could write blog posts or
emails with the nervous energy I felt while I hung out in the room with my
daughter. But creative writing wasn’t possible.
A couple of days ago, I finally opened my
manuscript on Word again. Usually, this would be a tough assignment with my
head out of the story for so long.
Instead, I looked at my outline, found the point where I’d left off, and
picked right back up with the book again.
No problem.
No problem at all. It was as if I’d
only left off writing a few hours before.
I had a complete plan. The outline said,
“Here’s what you write today.” No questions asked or needed.
It annoys me that outlining is working so
well for me. I despise outlining and I
hate following outlines. But I can’t
argue with the success I’ve had so far with it.
So…if you have an erratic life where it’s
very, very tough to fit your writing in on a regular basis, I really have to
reluctantly recommend outlining. It seems to work well in those circumstances.
Other things you can do with your story
if you have no time to write (and you seriously don’t want to outline):
List title ideas.
Come up with character profiles or
background.
Brainstorm character arc and growth for
the course of the book
List names of characters, names of
settings.
Lists of things that puts you more in
touch with your character’s personality: 5 things your character is afraid of,
5 things your character wants, 5 types of neighbors your character would hate
to move in next door.
Since writing description is drudgery for
me, I’ll sometimes sketch out description (for characters and setting) and
layer them in later.
Brainstorm for subplots.
Brainstorm for endings.
So there are non-outlining-related
methods of moving forward with your story on no-good, really bad days. But…and I wince as I write this…when it
comes to reacquainting yourself with a cold story…
outlining appears to work better.
June 22, 2013
Twitterific
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
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June 20, 2013
Advice for Aspiring Writers
by Colby Marshall, @ColbyMarshall
All authors face this
problem at some point in their careers, whether they’re published, striving to
publish, or have simply let their friends know they’re writing a book.
You know the statement, because if you’re a
writer, you’ve heard it over and over again.
“Oh, I’ve always wanted to write a book!”
Sometimes, depending on who
it is, you probably smile and ask about their writing, silently thinking about
how most people who say this have very little intention of actually ever
writing a book. Most people who say this
don’t know how much hard work is in it, either.
But, because we’re writers and try to support other writers, it’s always
a good idea to give advice if ever asked.
After all, someone at some point has given us some, be it someone in a
writer’s group online, a mentor in person, a blog post, or an article.
However, occasionally the
“I want to write,” the statement moves from, “I’ve always wanted to write a
book,” to, “Can you tell me how to get published?” Oh, boy.
Sure, we all know there’s
no way to convey everything we’ve learned about the industry in a quick,
succinct paragraph. So, how do you
address this question when it inevitably arrives at your doorstep? Here are my three best pieces of advice for
writers aspiring to become published:
Write
the book first.
You can't publish something that isn't written. If you want to
write with publication in mind, that's one thing, but no matter what your
intentions, you have to write it before you can head for that goal.
Don't
let to mechanics of the publishing industry murk up your waters before
they're even flowing.
When finding the right book to set out to write, try not to
think to hard about what your readers might want in the book. The truth is,
there are so many books out there and so many people who say they have a book
in them. Books exist about nearly every topic you could imagine, and everyone
thinks their story will interest people. However, when a book comes out at the
end of the day, NO ONE—not even professional Big 6 publishers like Random House
or Penguin—can predict which books will take off and which won't. No one saw
Harry Potter coming, and they spend plenty of big dollars buying books that
flop hard. This is the reason why, when
you are figuring out what book to write, you shouldn’t write it because
"the readers want it." Write what you
want to write, are passionate about writing, and will feel good having finished
at the end so that in case it never sells or only garners a handful of readers,
you're happy with your work. The same goes for if it ends up with millions of
followers and is the next breakout book on the New
York Times Bestseller List: you'll be happy with what you've done. Most
people who say they want to write a book but never do don't because they aren't
passionate about it. The only way to do it is to be so.
Do
your homework.
I don’t sugar coat the fact that they’ve asked me a question
that would take years to answer.
Instead, I let them know that before they’re ready to publish after
they’ve written a book, they’ll need to learn a lot about the industry,
including about the options regarding publication. This is one thing they can
start now while working on their books,
because heaven knows they’ll need the time to peruse all of the blogs, books,
and forums dedicated to helping authors learn to navigate the world of
publishing. And yes, that goes for those who plan to self-publish, too, since
there’s still a lot to know about how to promote (well), finding someone to
help you edit or beta read your book that isn’t your mother or husband, and
important things like cover design, meta keywords, book formatting, etc. For
those wanting to go the traditional route, there are query letters, agents, and
small presses, oh, my! If ever they ask why is there no shortcut you can give
me, my answer is always the same: a book is a big deal, and anything worth
doing is worth doing right.
What advice do you
give to aspiring writers?
Writer by day, ballroom dancer and choreographer by night, Colby
has a tendency to turn every hobby she has into a job, thus ensuring that she
is a perpetual workaholic. In addition to her 9,502 jobs, she is a proud
member of International Thriller Writers and Sisters in Crime. She is
actively involved in local theatres as a choreographer as well as sometimes
indulges her prima donna side by taking the stage as an actress. She
lives in Georgia with her family, two mutts, and an array of cats that, if she
were a bit older, would qualify her immediately for crazy cat lady
status. Her debut thriller, Chain of
Command is now available, as well as the second book in her McKenzie
McClendon series, The Trade.
THE TRADE is currently available on:
Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/k4kxunv
Directly from the publisher with free worldwide shipping: www.stairwaypress.com/bookstore
Coming Soon on Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Sony, Kobo, and other
major e-readers.
June 19, 2013
Subplots
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Today I'm over at Jordan McCollum's blog, talking a little about subplots: what makes for a great
subplot, tips for including them in your story, and a few resources to learn more about writing subplots. Hope you'll pop over.
Today I'm over at Jordan McCollum's blog, talking a little about subplots: what makes for a great
subplot, tips for including them in your story, and a few resources to learn more about writing subplots. Hope you'll pop over.
June 16, 2013
How to Promote Books and Win Fans
by Jason Kong, @storyrally
Most fiction writers hate marketing their books.
You have to tread the line between awareness and overhyping. Because you have a vested interest in selling your work, others sometimes assume you're just out to make a buck.
Book promotion doesn't always have to be so unpleasant.
If you have published books and an online platform, then you also have a following. You have readers paying attention because they value your storytelling.
Instead of plugging your books all the time, why not recommend those of your fellow authors? It's a promotion opportunity you can feel good about.
The genuine endorsement
You know what this is like.
Remember the last time you read a novel that really grabbed you. You had to tell a friend, right? It's about finding that person who would enjoy the book as much as you did.
You weren't driven by a commission or reciprocation. The intention was to spread the joy, to make someone else's life a little better.
A book recommendation without expectation is a special kind of promotion. It had nothing to do with who wrote the book, and everything to do with whether the recipient would benefit.
So how does that translate into a professional setting?
Good feelings all around
Other authors are not your competitors. Maybe that was true once upon a time, but not anymore.
You're no longer fighting writers for a spot on the shelf. Digital media and self-publishing means the available space for books is now stretched to infinity.
Touting that you're the only author worth following is self-serving, but hardly true. Fiction isn't a commodity. Everyone has room to like more than one story or more than one author.
Writing, especially good writing, takes a lot of time. If you have a communication channel with your audience, then how are you rewarding their attention between projects?
When you come across a good story in your genre, use social media to share a good word. Make recommendations because you're confident enough in your ability and generous enough in your motivation.
With that mindset, you won't have less fans. You'll have more.
Jason Kong (@storyrally) helps fiction writers build better online platforms. Sign up for his free newsletter here.
Most fiction writers hate marketing their books.
You have to tread the line between awareness and overhyping. Because you have a vested interest in selling your work, others sometimes assume you're just out to make a buck.
Book promotion doesn't always have to be so unpleasant.
If you have published books and an online platform, then you also have a following. You have readers paying attention because they value your storytelling.
Instead of plugging your books all the time, why not recommend those of your fellow authors? It's a promotion opportunity you can feel good about.
The genuine endorsement
You know what this is like.
Remember the last time you read a novel that really grabbed you. You had to tell a friend, right? It's about finding that person who would enjoy the book as much as you did.
You weren't driven by a commission or reciprocation. The intention was to spread the joy, to make someone else's life a little better.
A book recommendation without expectation is a special kind of promotion. It had nothing to do with who wrote the book, and everything to do with whether the recipient would benefit.
So how does that translate into a professional setting?
Good feelings all around
Other authors are not your competitors. Maybe that was true once upon a time, but not anymore.
You're no longer fighting writers for a spot on the shelf. Digital media and self-publishing means the available space for books is now stretched to infinity.
Touting that you're the only author worth following is self-serving, but hardly true. Fiction isn't a commodity. Everyone has room to like more than one story or more than one author.
Writing, especially good writing, takes a lot of time. If you have a communication channel with your audience, then how are you rewarding their attention between projects?
When you come across a good story in your genre, use social media to share a good word. Make recommendations because you're confident enough in your ability and generous enough in your motivation.With that mindset, you won't have less fans. You'll have more.
Jason Kong (@storyrally) helps fiction writers build better online platforms. Sign up for his free newsletter here.
June 15, 2013
Twitterific
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine
(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 20,000
free articles on writing related topics. It's the search engine for writers.
Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly
writing tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook.
Mike Fleming worked with author and
writing coach James Scott Bell to offer an online, interactive, writing program
to help make your next novel great. It's called "Knockout Novel" and
you can learn more about it at Knockout
Novel.com.
Jailhouse deaths in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/11aqTzH
@mkinberg
Downsides to using pseudonyms: http://bit.ly/12fX3Pb
@spunkonastick
Tackling a first draft: http://bit.ly/11TiCic
@JoannaShupe
Both publishers and authors should tone down rhetoric,
anger: http://bit.ly/ZH0Br2 @Porter_Anderson @DavidGaughran @timdavies1998
There's No Such Thing as Good Writing: http://bit.ly/11xF0iv
@theAtlantic @joefassler @craignova
When our stories give off unintended implications
(regarding race, misogyny, etc.) http://bit.ly/18wX0C2 @PAShortt
Falling out of love with writing: http://bit.ly/192KHdl
@billycoffey @RachelleGardner @Porter_Anderson
Chick-lit will survive - but don't count all female
authors in: http://bit.ly/18wwDMo @KatyFBrand
3 useful additions to your mystery: http://bit.ly/18wGhic
@lindasclare
The mounting pressure on authors to write faster: http://bit.ly/1ac7btW
@Porter_Anderson @cjlyonswriter @jamesscottbell
How to Lengthen Your Nonfiction Book When You Feel Like
You've Said Everything: http://bit.ly/18JZGMM @jevonbolden
Ways to Announce That You’re a Successful, Unpublished
Writer (And Have The World Agree): http://bit.ly/17bCS8b @grubwriters
The Secret Recipe for Writing a Perfect
Pitch: http://bit.ly/16D7PSj @kristenlambtx
Blurb etiquette: http://bit.ly/14nBkAE @rachellegardner
How to Approach a Literary Agent: http://bit.ly/16D7WNC @bubblecow
The Writer's Vices: http://bit.ly/14nBw2H @storydepartment
4 Ways to Improve Your Prose: http://bit.ly/16D89QW
5 Tips to Help You Make Your Deadline: http://bit.ly/14nBPKW @writersdigest
What You Stand to Gain from Sharing Your
Dirty Laundry: http://bit.ly/16D8d3k
5 Things Indie Authors Do Very Well: http://bit.ly/14nC2O5 @alisonbav
The daily routine of Sylvia Plath: http://bit.ly/16D8nHO @Explorer
Revision tips: http://bit.ly/16D8wen @amsmibert
@LeagueWriters
Interactive novels: pretty but pretty
exhausting: http://bit.ly/16DbKyy
@guardianbooks
Tips for Twitter and ways to keep it from
driving us crazy: http://bit.ly/14nHfFJ
@kristenlambtx
Uncomfortable Social Media: http://bit.ly/14nHkcq @jgetzler
Does Your Website Reflect Where You Are
in Your Career? http://bit.ly/16DbU99
@hostbaby
Boundary setting for sensitives and
writers: http://bit.ly/14nHzV9 @jennaavery
Editing Tips and Tricks: http://bit.ly/16DbYWz @bethrevis
Managing Critique in Writing Workshops: http://bit.ly/14nHSz6 @BTMargins
Planning Your Marketing as You Write Your
Novel: http://bit.ly/14nI4yi @dineenmiller
@livewritethrive
5 Authors Who Prove It's Never Too Late
To Start Writing: http://bit.ly/16Dcd3P
@kimber_regator
How Many Books Would You Have To Write To
Quit Your Job? http://bit.ly/14nIdSu
@woodwardkaren
What Batman Can Teach You About
Proofreading: http://bit.ly/16DcfZq
Getting the Most out of Smashwords: http://bit.ly/16DcmUW @AuthorKSBrooks
The Most Important Thing Literary Agents
Owe Their Clients: http://bit.ly/14nIzZ9
@jamesscottbell
Heroes Should Ascend, Not Descend: http://bit.ly/16DcuDO @cockeyedcaravan
Story breakdown: Sense and Sensibility: http://bit.ly/14nJ4Tb
How Paradoxes Deepen Character: http://bit.ly/16DcKmq @shalvatzis
5 Principles for Dialogue That Delivers: http://bit.ly/16DcP9F @mythicscribes
The Author Exploitation Business: http://bit.ly/14nJqcj @davidgaughran
Stress for writers: http://bit.ly/17fY107
The importance of instilling a need to
read: http://bit.ly/16Ddjwg
@JDLiteracyTrust @telegraph
How 1 writer got her writing groove back:
http://bit.ly/14nL9P5 @KSElliott_Shark
The fractured writer: http://bit.ly/16DdVSQ @sarahahoyt
Changing the Image of Self-Publishing: http://bit.ly/14nLzEU @IPPYmag @tpersun
An analysis of a book's beginning: http://bit.ly/14nLFwf @janice_hardy
Get One Link To Your Book In All
International Amazon Stores: http://bit.ly/17SpSnO
A screenwriter on a scene he'd written
for Cheers (and a joke that fell flat at the time): http://bit.ly/11zoNIj @KenLevine
The Dos and Don'ts of Dialect: http://bit.ly/11zoWLI @KMWeiland
Agent stalking: http://bit.ly/17SqCcG and a response from the
stalkee: http://bit.ly/17Sqz0t @literaticat
@StinaLL
Chuck Wendig On Finding Your Voice: http://bit.ly/11zpbGw @woodwardkaren
So Bad They're Good: Sympathizing with
the Bad Guy: http://bit.ly/17SrQod @quippy
@crimehq
Why is the hero or heroine so often the
least interesting character in the book? http://bit.ly/17SI3d5
@melissadonovan
Bad Revision, in 3 Easy Steps: http://bit.ly/17SIeoX @victoriamixon
10 things you can do with a Kindle--10
things you can't: http://bit.ly/11zxmTx and
http://bit.ly/11zxn9L @AuthorKatherine
Build a better blog: Resources to start
with: http://bit.ly/17SITGN @amytschubert
10 Ways to Find Inspiration for Fantasy
Writing: http://bit.ly/11zxxho @The_Drill99
Atmosphere in a Southern Gothic: http://bit.ly/11zxQcf @MartinaABoone
@tessagratton
Lessons From a Book Signing: http://bit.ly/17SKfRN
Greek myth in Game of Thrones: http://bit.ly/11zyg2l @DelReySpectra
3 lessons for writers to learn from
marketers: http://bit.ly/17SKQ6d
10 Essential Neo-Noir Authors: http://bit.ly/17SL0dP @flavorwire
Writer's groups: http://bit.ly/17SLlNB @CuriosityQuills
Using Fantasy Agent Responses as a
Writing Tool: http://bit.ly/11zyGpi
@juliabucks
Trying out Authorgraph.com to digitally
sign & doodle autographs: http://bit.ly/17SP25L
@inkyelbows
A review of commas: http://bit.ly/11zArmw @BryanThomasS
Top 20 Picture Book Agents: 171 Sales: http://bit.ly/17kOPaD @fictionnotes
How to Use Pinterest Analytics: 6 Metrics
Worth Measuring: http://bit.ly/1aZrV5L
@smexaminer
Classification Necessary: Problems with
Horror Films: http://bit.ly/1aZsj4e
Character arc: http://bit.ly/1aZsw7A
Character Archetypes 101: The Explorer: http://bit.ly/17kPkBr @jeanniecampbell
Energize your writing with verbs: http://bit.ly/1aZsFIi @write_practice
Write Tight: http://bit.ly/1aZsLQb @EarlStaggs
Creating likeable characters: http://bit.ly/17kPBV2 @sdwriter
How to Pitch an Agent in Person: http://bit.ly/15AhzrT @carlywatters
All about New Adult lit: http://bit.ly/15AhJ2G @wordforteens
Write, Learn, Revise, Rinse, Repeat: http://bit.ly/15Ai8Sv @atrueblood5
Freelancers--how to master a query
letter: http://bit.ly/12sdglA @LFormichelli
How to Stay Focused in a World of
Distraction: http://bit.ly/15Ait7I @CarlaYoung
10 Great Commencement Speeches by
Writers: http://bit.ly/12sdnh8 @bookriot
@JoshACorman
The Complexity of the Creative
Personality: http://bit.ly/15Aj6hQ
@PsychCentral @DouglasEby
The Complicated Relationship Between
Horror and Video Games: http://bit.ly/15AjlJy
@GamerGirlTay
Life cycle of a novel: http://bit.ly/12seihA @amazingstories0
Pinterest Tip: How to Shape-Shift and
Frame Images: http://bit.ly/15AmAki
@bloggingbistro
Writing meaningful dialogue: http://bit.ly/12sd9Xk @scriptmag
Character Archetypes 101: The Explorer: http://bit.ly/17kPkBr @jeanniecampbell
Do writers need agents? http://bit.ly/12sev4f @CMKaufman
Launching a Blog Is Easier Than You
Think: http://bit.ly/15An4XH @jeffgoins
Non-compete clauses: http://bit.ly/12sfpOk @passivevoiceblg
25 Helpful Writerly and Twitter Terms: http://bit.ly/15AqCcz @ava_jae
Why use simple words? Because it's easier
to control connotations. http://bit.ly/12sfxx2
@juliettewade
The asterisk: http://bit.ly/12sfAZT @justinedell
Plot Structure Chart: http://bit.ly/15Arm14 @carrieryan
Writing is a Humiliation Banquet: http://bit.ly/12sfKjU @SaraMTaber
Your book in one sentence: http://bit.ly/15ArHAU @mooderino
5 Ways To Stay Motivated in Your Writing
Career: http://bit.ly/13FDhJS @bookbaby
Straying From the Party Line: Casablanca:
http://bit.ly/13FDv3N @cockeyedcaravan
8 Must Have Elements in Your Newsletter's
Subscriber Welcome: http://bit.ly/13FK8mD
@karencv
How to Create Tension Through
Misdirection: http://bit.ly/18Ww4uP
@writersdigest
Author Beware: Self-Publishing Book Scams
Abound: http://bit.ly/13FKnhy @janvbear
8 Places to Get Inspired Online: http://bit.ly/13FKx8y @emilywenstrom
How To Maximize Your Word Count And Write
More Every Day {Lang.}: http://bit.ly/13FKF7X
@chuckwendig
Are Tense Shifts Advisable? http://bit.ly/13FKMAD @writing_tips
What Do Authors Have in Common with
Orchestra Conductors? http://bit.ly/13FM8LB
@fcmalby
The staleness of historical romance: http://bit.ly/13FMkuk @dearauthor
Social Media for Writers: A Kool-Aid
Drinking Cult? http://bit.ly/13FMuBS
@jodyhedlund
Screenwriters--how to be serious about
your writing career: http://bit.ly/13FMEJF
How Long Does it Take to Edit a Novel? http://bit.ly/13FMLF1 @patbertram
8 ways to take the pain out of writing
slideshows: http://bit.ly/18WBgyJ
@MichelleRafter
5 Ways to Get Your Book into Bookstores: http://bit.ly/18WBplL @bookmarketer
7 Types of Plots: The Quest: http://bit.ly/13FN2HU @write_practice
Is your query trying to tell you
something about your manuscript? http://bit.ly/17q3IIT
@RC_Lewis
Flexing your verbs: http://bit.ly/18PO2fQ @woodwardkaren
How To Get Over A Destructive Critique: http://bit.ly/18ZJ2aV @woodwardkaren
No, E-book Sales Are Not Declining: http://bit.ly/12UBnWs @nathanbransford
Creating a catastrophe plan for our
writing: http://bit.ly/ZqJFat @bob_mayer
Does your picture book premise have
power? A checklist: http://bit.ly/ZqKwI5
@jeanreidy
Rags to Riches plots: http://bit.ly/10Korjb @write_practice
How Retailers Fight Back Against Shoppers
Who Use Them As Showrooms: http://bit.ly/13ncVNI
@RWW @TheTechScribe
Does a good query equal a good novel? http://bit.ly/18ZNfvj @SharonBayliss
3 YA Sub-Genres That Should Exist: http://bit.ly/13nd1Fk @BooksAreMyBFs @bookriot
Pay Closer Attention To YouTube: http://bit.ly/18ZNPcq @mitchjoel
What makes a good book adaptation? http://bit.ly/13ndeIq @guardianbooks
@alanyuhas
How to Make a Video with Google Hangouts:
http://bit.ly/13ndyqO @freelanceswitch
Why steampunk cons can be confusing for
genre authors: http://bit.ly/18ZOPxl
5 tropes 1 writer likes: http://bit.ly/18ZOURC @mistymassey
Just keep writing: http://bit.ly/18ZPnTY @YAStands
The most incongruous book covers of all
time: http://bit.ly/12fZtgC @guardianbooks
The 24 types of journal entry when
Journaling for Creativity: http://bit.ly/12ga5w0
@J4Creativity
How To Write Whether You Feel Like it Or
Not: http://bit.ly/11RLbwF @joebunting
Where to find cover artists: http://bit.ly/ZH23d6 @woodwardkaren
How Prog Rock Influenced Writers: http://bit.ly/11TnlAA @galleycat
Self-pub insights from a Q&A with a
successful MG author: http://bit.ly/ZH2eVD
@diymfa @EricDelaBarre
Driving your Young Adult Novel's Plot: http://bit.ly/11Tny70 @howtowriteshop
Write Hot, Edit Cold? It's Still Great
Advice: http://bit.ly/ZH2rbv @noveleditor
The Year of The Bookstore: http://bit.ly/ZH2vYU @kristinerusch
Publishers Should Empower Authors to Sell
Their Own E-books: http://bit.ly/11TnSme
@nathanbransford
Wills in Author Estate Planning: http://bit.ly/ZH2HqT @susanspann
What House-Sitting Teaches You About
Writing: http://bit.ly/11To0Cb @KMWeiland
@JessBaverstock
Sustaining Your Creativity During Fiction
Withdrawals: http://bit.ly/11ToqbK
@jessbaverstock @vgrefer
Did Your Project Stall? http://bit.ly/ZH3c4k @jillkemerer
The end of the print run: http://bit.ly/11TowQF @deanwesleysmith
Revealing your story's ending in your
synopsis: http://bit.ly/11ToCrs
@Dear_Editor
Finding DIY Authors: http://bit.ly/11TJ4bF @heroesnhearts
Fantasy Meets Crime Fiction: http://bit.ly/11TJleE @crimehq
6 tips for better tweeting: http://bit.ly/11TJrmC @mybookshepherd
An agent on copyright: http://bit.ly/ZHn5rV @Janet_Reid
Pulitzer Prize: huge sales neither
required nor guaranteed: http://bit.ly/11TJFdv
@csmonitor
Putting Passion in the Pages: http://bit.ly/11TJO0r @livewritethrive
How the Act of Writing Changes Your
Ideas: http://bit.ly/ZHnpqI @JessBaverstock
9 agents tell what they're looking for: http://bit.ly/11TK2EL @MartinaABoone
Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine
(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 20,000
free articles on writing related topics. It's the search engine for writers.
Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly
writing tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook.
Mike Fleming worked with author and
writing coach James Scott Bell to offer an online, interactive, writing program
to help make your next novel great. It's called "Knockout Novel" and
you can learn more about it at Knockout
Novel.com.
Jailhouse deaths in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/11aqTzH
@mkinberg
Downsides to using pseudonyms: http://bit.ly/12fX3Pb
@spunkonastick
Tackling a first draft: http://bit.ly/11TiCic
@JoannaShupe
Both publishers and authors should tone down rhetoric,
anger: http://bit.ly/ZH0Br2 @Porter_Anderson @DavidGaughran @timdavies1998
There's No Such Thing as Good Writing: http://bit.ly/11xF0iv
@theAtlantic @joefassler @craignova
When our stories give off unintended implications
(regarding race, misogyny, etc.) http://bit.ly/18wX0C2 @PAShortt
Falling out of love with writing: http://bit.ly/192KHdl
@billycoffey @RachelleGardner @Porter_Anderson
Chick-lit will survive - but don't count all female
authors in: http://bit.ly/18wwDMo @KatyFBrand
3 useful additions to your mystery: http://bit.ly/18wGhic
@lindasclare
The mounting pressure on authors to write faster: http://bit.ly/1ac7btW
@Porter_Anderson @cjlyonswriter @jamesscottbell
How to Lengthen Your Nonfiction Book When You Feel Like
You've Said Everything: http://bit.ly/18JZGMM @jevonbolden
Ways to Announce That You’re a Successful, Unpublished
Writer (And Have The World Agree): http://bit.ly/17bCS8b @grubwriters
The Secret Recipe for Writing a Perfect
Pitch: http://bit.ly/16D7PSj @kristenlambtx
Blurb etiquette: http://bit.ly/14nBkAE @rachellegardner
How to Approach a Literary Agent: http://bit.ly/16D7WNC @bubblecow
The Writer's Vices: http://bit.ly/14nBw2H @storydepartment
4 Ways to Improve Your Prose: http://bit.ly/16D89QW
5 Tips to Help You Make Your Deadline: http://bit.ly/14nBPKW @writersdigest
What You Stand to Gain from Sharing Your
Dirty Laundry: http://bit.ly/16D8d3k
5 Things Indie Authors Do Very Well: http://bit.ly/14nC2O5 @alisonbav
The daily routine of Sylvia Plath: http://bit.ly/16D8nHO @Explorer
Revision tips: http://bit.ly/16D8wen @amsmibert
@LeagueWriters
Interactive novels: pretty but pretty
exhausting: http://bit.ly/16DbKyy
@guardianbooks
Tips for Twitter and ways to keep it from
driving us crazy: http://bit.ly/14nHfFJ
@kristenlambtx
Uncomfortable Social Media: http://bit.ly/14nHkcq @jgetzler
Does Your Website Reflect Where You Are
in Your Career? http://bit.ly/16DbU99
@hostbaby
Boundary setting for sensitives and
writers: http://bit.ly/14nHzV9 @jennaavery
Editing Tips and Tricks: http://bit.ly/16DbYWz @bethrevis
Managing Critique in Writing Workshops: http://bit.ly/14nHSz6 @BTMargins
Planning Your Marketing as You Write Your
Novel: http://bit.ly/14nI4yi @dineenmiller
@livewritethrive
5 Authors Who Prove It's Never Too Late
To Start Writing: http://bit.ly/16Dcd3P
@kimber_regator
How Many Books Would You Have To Write To
Quit Your Job? http://bit.ly/14nIdSu
@woodwardkaren
What Batman Can Teach You About
Proofreading: http://bit.ly/16DcfZq
Getting the Most out of Smashwords: http://bit.ly/16DcmUW @AuthorKSBrooks
The Most Important Thing Literary Agents
Owe Their Clients: http://bit.ly/14nIzZ9
@jamesscottbell
Heroes Should Ascend, Not Descend: http://bit.ly/16DcuDO @cockeyedcaravan
Story breakdown: Sense and Sensibility: http://bit.ly/14nJ4Tb
How Paradoxes Deepen Character: http://bit.ly/16DcKmq @shalvatzis
5 Principles for Dialogue That Delivers: http://bit.ly/16DcP9F @mythicscribes
The Author Exploitation Business: http://bit.ly/14nJqcj @davidgaughran
Stress for writers: http://bit.ly/17fY107
The importance of instilling a need to
read: http://bit.ly/16Ddjwg
@JDLiteracyTrust @telegraph
How 1 writer got her writing groove back:
http://bit.ly/14nL9P5 @KSElliott_Shark
The fractured writer: http://bit.ly/16DdVSQ @sarahahoyt
Changing the Image of Self-Publishing: http://bit.ly/14nLzEU @IPPYmag @tpersun
An analysis of a book's beginning: http://bit.ly/14nLFwf @janice_hardy
Get One Link To Your Book In All
International Amazon Stores: http://bit.ly/17SpSnO
A screenwriter on a scene he'd written
for Cheers (and a joke that fell flat at the time): http://bit.ly/11zoNIj @KenLevine
The Dos and Don'ts of Dialect: http://bit.ly/11zoWLI @KMWeiland
Agent stalking: http://bit.ly/17SqCcG and a response from the
stalkee: http://bit.ly/17Sqz0t @literaticat
@StinaLL
Chuck Wendig On Finding Your Voice: http://bit.ly/11zpbGw @woodwardkaren
So Bad They're Good: Sympathizing with
the Bad Guy: http://bit.ly/17SrQod @quippy
@crimehq
Why is the hero or heroine so often the
least interesting character in the book? http://bit.ly/17SI3d5
@melissadonovan
Bad Revision, in 3 Easy Steps: http://bit.ly/17SIeoX @victoriamixon
10 things you can do with a Kindle--10
things you can't: http://bit.ly/11zxmTx and
http://bit.ly/11zxn9L @AuthorKatherine
Build a better blog: Resources to start
with: http://bit.ly/17SITGN @amytschubert
10 Ways to Find Inspiration for Fantasy
Writing: http://bit.ly/11zxxho @The_Drill99
Atmosphere in a Southern Gothic: http://bit.ly/11zxQcf @MartinaABoone
@tessagratton
Lessons From a Book Signing: http://bit.ly/17SKfRN
Greek myth in Game of Thrones: http://bit.ly/11zyg2l @DelReySpectra
3 lessons for writers to learn from
marketers: http://bit.ly/17SKQ6d
10 Essential Neo-Noir Authors: http://bit.ly/17SL0dP @flavorwire
Writer's groups: http://bit.ly/17SLlNB @CuriosityQuills
Using Fantasy Agent Responses as a
Writing Tool: http://bit.ly/11zyGpi
@juliabucks
Trying out Authorgraph.com to digitally
sign & doodle autographs: http://bit.ly/17SP25L
@inkyelbows
A review of commas: http://bit.ly/11zArmw @BryanThomasS
Top 20 Picture Book Agents: 171 Sales: http://bit.ly/17kOPaD @fictionnotes
How to Use Pinterest Analytics: 6 Metrics
Worth Measuring: http://bit.ly/1aZrV5L
@smexaminer
Classification Necessary: Problems with
Horror Films: http://bit.ly/1aZsj4e
Character arc: http://bit.ly/1aZsw7A
Character Archetypes 101: The Explorer: http://bit.ly/17kPkBr @jeanniecampbell
Energize your writing with verbs: http://bit.ly/1aZsFIi @write_practice
Write Tight: http://bit.ly/1aZsLQb @EarlStaggs
Creating likeable characters: http://bit.ly/17kPBV2 @sdwriter
How to Pitch an Agent in Person: http://bit.ly/15AhzrT @carlywatters
All about New Adult lit: http://bit.ly/15AhJ2G @wordforteens
Write, Learn, Revise, Rinse, Repeat: http://bit.ly/15Ai8Sv @atrueblood5
Freelancers--how to master a query
letter: http://bit.ly/12sdglA @LFormichelli
How to Stay Focused in a World of
Distraction: http://bit.ly/15Ait7I @CarlaYoung
10 Great Commencement Speeches by
Writers: http://bit.ly/12sdnh8 @bookriot
@JoshACorman
The Complexity of the Creative
Personality: http://bit.ly/15Aj6hQ
@PsychCentral @DouglasEby
The Complicated Relationship Between
Horror and Video Games: http://bit.ly/15AjlJy
@GamerGirlTay
Life cycle of a novel: http://bit.ly/12seihA @amazingstories0
Pinterest Tip: How to Shape-Shift and
Frame Images: http://bit.ly/15AmAki
@bloggingbistro
Writing meaningful dialogue: http://bit.ly/12sd9Xk @scriptmag
Character Archetypes 101: The Explorer: http://bit.ly/17kPkBr @jeanniecampbell
Do writers need agents? http://bit.ly/12sev4f @CMKaufman
Launching a Blog Is Easier Than You
Think: http://bit.ly/15An4XH @jeffgoins
Non-compete clauses: http://bit.ly/12sfpOk @passivevoiceblg
25 Helpful Writerly and Twitter Terms: http://bit.ly/15AqCcz @ava_jae
Why use simple words? Because it's easier
to control connotations. http://bit.ly/12sfxx2
@juliettewade
The asterisk: http://bit.ly/12sfAZT @justinedell
Plot Structure Chart: http://bit.ly/15Arm14 @carrieryan
Writing is a Humiliation Banquet: http://bit.ly/12sfKjU @SaraMTaber
Your book in one sentence: http://bit.ly/15ArHAU @mooderino
5 Ways To Stay Motivated in Your Writing
Career: http://bit.ly/13FDhJS @bookbaby
Straying From the Party Line: Casablanca:
http://bit.ly/13FDv3N @cockeyedcaravan
8 Must Have Elements in Your Newsletter's
Subscriber Welcome: http://bit.ly/13FK8mD
@karencv
How to Create Tension Through
Misdirection: http://bit.ly/18Ww4uP
@writersdigest
Author Beware: Self-Publishing Book Scams
Abound: http://bit.ly/13FKnhy @janvbear
8 Places to Get Inspired Online: http://bit.ly/13FKx8y @emilywenstrom
How To Maximize Your Word Count And Write
More Every Day {Lang.}: http://bit.ly/13FKF7X
@chuckwendig
Are Tense Shifts Advisable? http://bit.ly/13FKMAD @writing_tips
What Do Authors Have in Common with
Orchestra Conductors? http://bit.ly/13FM8LB
@fcmalby
The staleness of historical romance: http://bit.ly/13FMkuk @dearauthor
Social Media for Writers: A Kool-Aid
Drinking Cult? http://bit.ly/13FMuBS
@jodyhedlund
Screenwriters--how to be serious about
your writing career: http://bit.ly/13FMEJF
How Long Does it Take to Edit a Novel? http://bit.ly/13FMLF1 @patbertram
8 ways to take the pain out of writing
slideshows: http://bit.ly/18WBgyJ
@MichelleRafter
5 Ways to Get Your Book into Bookstores: http://bit.ly/18WBplL @bookmarketer
7 Types of Plots: The Quest: http://bit.ly/13FN2HU @write_practice
Is your query trying to tell you
something about your manuscript? http://bit.ly/17q3IIT
@RC_Lewis
Flexing your verbs: http://bit.ly/18PO2fQ @woodwardkaren
How To Get Over A Destructive Critique: http://bit.ly/18ZJ2aV @woodwardkaren
No, E-book Sales Are Not Declining: http://bit.ly/12UBnWs @nathanbransford
Creating a catastrophe plan for our
writing: http://bit.ly/ZqJFat @bob_mayer
Does your picture book premise have
power? A checklist: http://bit.ly/ZqKwI5
@jeanreidy
Rags to Riches plots: http://bit.ly/10Korjb @write_practice
How Retailers Fight Back Against Shoppers
Who Use Them As Showrooms: http://bit.ly/13ncVNI
@RWW @TheTechScribe
Does a good query equal a good novel? http://bit.ly/18ZNfvj @SharonBayliss
3 YA Sub-Genres That Should Exist: http://bit.ly/13nd1Fk @BooksAreMyBFs @bookriot
Pay Closer Attention To YouTube: http://bit.ly/18ZNPcq @mitchjoel
What makes a good book adaptation? http://bit.ly/13ndeIq @guardianbooks
@alanyuhas
How to Make a Video with Google Hangouts:
http://bit.ly/13ndyqO @freelanceswitch
Why steampunk cons can be confusing for
genre authors: http://bit.ly/18ZOPxl
5 tropes 1 writer likes: http://bit.ly/18ZOURC @mistymassey
Just keep writing: http://bit.ly/18ZPnTY @YAStands
The most incongruous book covers of all
time: http://bit.ly/12fZtgC @guardianbooks
The 24 types of journal entry when
Journaling for Creativity: http://bit.ly/12ga5w0
@J4Creativity
How To Write Whether You Feel Like it Or
Not: http://bit.ly/11RLbwF @joebunting
Where to find cover artists: http://bit.ly/ZH23d6 @woodwardkaren
How Prog Rock Influenced Writers: http://bit.ly/11TnlAA @galleycat
Self-pub insights from a Q&A with a
successful MG author: http://bit.ly/ZH2eVD
@diymfa @EricDelaBarre
Driving your Young Adult Novel's Plot: http://bit.ly/11Tny70 @howtowriteshop
Write Hot, Edit Cold? It's Still Great
Advice: http://bit.ly/ZH2rbv @noveleditor
The Year of The Bookstore: http://bit.ly/ZH2vYU @kristinerusch
Publishers Should Empower Authors to Sell
Their Own E-books: http://bit.ly/11TnSme
@nathanbransford
Wills in Author Estate Planning: http://bit.ly/ZH2HqT @susanspann
What House-Sitting Teaches You About
Writing: http://bit.ly/11To0Cb @KMWeiland
@JessBaverstock
Sustaining Your Creativity During Fiction
Withdrawals: http://bit.ly/11ToqbK
@jessbaverstock @vgrefer
Did Your Project Stall? http://bit.ly/ZH3c4k @jillkemerer
The end of the print run: http://bit.ly/11TowQF @deanwesleysmith
Revealing your story's ending in your
synopsis: http://bit.ly/11ToCrs
@Dear_Editor
Finding DIY Authors: http://bit.ly/11TJ4bF @heroesnhearts
Fantasy Meets Crime Fiction: http://bit.ly/11TJleE @crimehq
6 tips for better tweeting: http://bit.ly/11TJrmC @mybookshepherd
An agent on copyright: http://bit.ly/ZHn5rV @Janet_Reid
Pulitzer Prize: huge sales neither
required nor guaranteed: http://bit.ly/11TJFdv
@csmonitor
Putting Passion in the Pages: http://bit.ly/11TJO0r @livewritethrive
How the Act of Writing Changes Your
Ideas: http://bit.ly/ZHnpqI @JessBaverstock
9 agents tell what they're looking for: http://bit.ly/11TK2EL @MartinaABoone
June 13, 2013
Giving Villains More Depth
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Image by Daniel Gies
Most people aren’t 100% good or 100%
bad. There are bits of goodness and
badness in all of us…including villains.
Flat villains with no dimension to them
are just as uninteresting as Pollyanna protagonists. As a reader, my interest
is always piqued when I get to see another side of a bad guy…if he does
something unexpectedly kind, for example.
I usually wonder if there’s an ulterior motive—and wondering is good for
readers. It helps keep them engaged in the story. Even if there isn’t
an ulterior motive, it’s interesting because it offers another side to the
character.
In mysteries, this is especially
important because we don’t know who the bad guy is until the end of the
book….or we shouldn’t, if it’s a traditional mystery (thrillers operate under
different rules.)
In one of my books for Penguin, I’d
turned in the manuscript for editing. My
editor emailed me back and told me that this time she’d been able to figure out
who’d done it. She pointed out that the
murderer was also the most unpleasant character—that it was too obvious for
readers...that they’d want that person
to be the murderer, anyway, and the element of surprise would be gone. My choices were to make the killer more
likeable or to change the murderer altogether.
I decided to make the murderer more
likeable (although I frequently do change the killer for my editor…in fact, I’d
already changed the killer once for that very book.) This was easier than it might sound. I changed dialogue where the killer came off
sounding snarky and made the statements sound more genuine. I showed the killer being a good citizen. I
showed the murderer helping the sleuth.
I made the killer reluctant to gossip about the other suspects. I nice-d
the killer up. Reader response later
indicated that the murderer’s identity remained a secret until the end (well,
some readers always guess the right suspect. Sigh.)
For non-mystery writers, showing your
villain’s good side has other advantages—mainly to add complexity to the
character and make them more believable.
And keeping the reader…and your protagonist…guessing is also a nice side
effect. Maybe it even gives your
protagonist second thoughts about the bad guy.
It could also make the protagonist trust the antagonist again…which
could make the protagonist’s life more complicated. Confusing the protagonist could be another
strategy to throw a bit of conflict in there.
Do you have any favorite multidimensional villains? How do you
like to display other sides of your antagonist?
June 12, 2013
3 Useful Additions For Your Mystery
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Today I'm over at Linda Clare's Writer's Tips blog, with a post especially for mystery writers. There I'll list the three elements that I've found most helpful to me when writing mysteries. I'd love to hear from other writers what they've found useful for their mysteries and am happy to answer any general questions about writing mysteries there, too.
Thanks for coming by!
Today I'm over at Linda Clare's Writer's Tips blog, with a post especially for mystery writers. There I'll list the three elements that I've found most helpful to me when writing mysteries. I'd love to hear from other writers what they've found useful for their mysteries and am happy to answer any general questions about writing mysteries there, too.
Thanks for coming by!
June 9, 2013
Promoting or Re-releasing an Older Book
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I recently received an email from someone
asking what angle he should take in promoting an older release. It was one of those situations where he’d
sold the first book to a big publisher and a year later, sales were
lagging…right as he was wanting to pitch
books two and three to the publisher.
Unfortunately, this is a drawback with
traditional publishing—if the sales aren’t great, then they’re not going to be
keen on buying book two and launching in.
Even though…launching book two can bring book one back to life
again.
What do
you do if they don’t buy book two (you’ve probably got a “right of
refusal” clause in your contract that will tell you how long it will be before
they make that decision.) You have,
actually, a couple of options to get your other books in front of readers.
You could pitch another traditional
publisher with book two. This pitch
would probably be more successful with a bump in sales for book one (and I’ll
touch on promo ideas below).
You could ask for the rights to your
characters back and then self-publish the remaining books in your series. Incidentally, this has been my approach and
the sales for the first book in the series have remained strong for a year
now. This, as a matter of fact, might be
the better option (i.e…this is what I would do.)
Let’s say that you’ve chosen one of those
two options above. Exactly how do you promote an older book?
Don’t even
mention that it’s not a recent launch. As
far as I can tell…it just doesn’t matter.
Back before digital books, shelf space at bookstores was fairly
ephemeral. You needed to promote your
book directly after it released…otherwise, they’d send the books back to the
publisher (the dreaded ‘returns’) and free up shelf space for other, newer
titles. Now the books stay up on a
retail cloud as long as you want them to.
Why not promote them a year or
two years later? I see older releases
promoted every day. Yeah, your title
might not be as exciting for book bloggers as the hottest new release, but it
shouldn’t ultimately matter. A good book
is a good book. If it’s undiscovered,
it’s not old news. Consider a blog tour or a Goodreads giveaway. A spike in sales and reviews for the title is
never a bad thing.
Write more
books in the series (if you have the rights and if you’re choosing the self-pub
option). This results in higher
visibility for your name and your titles on retailers like Amazon. Then your previous title comes along for the
ride.
Create a
platform where you interact in readers without being strident. Learn which are your favorite social
media sites…are you more of a Twitter person or a Facebook person? What about Pinterest? Would you enjoy blogging? You don’t have to go crazy with it…just have
some sort of consistent online presence in a form that doesn’t drive you
nuts. Interact with others, share things
your followers have shared, make friends, and build a name for yourself.
My favorite? Definitely continuing a series by
self-publishing it. You have more
control and have the opportunity to have Amazon’s “customers who bought this,
also bought this” algorithm to work in your favor. It’s all a matter of visibility in a very
crowded virtual bookstore.
How about
a much older book?
What about a book that came out in the 70s or 80s? If you’ve got the rights to those books, they
might as well be available for sale…they have the potential to bring in additional
income. You’ll need some new, updated
cover art (usually the cover art doesn’t revert to the author anyway…at least,
it didn’t in my case for my 2009 book.) You’ll need to hire someone to format
the book for digital release and/or print on demand (unless you want to learn
how to do it yourself…I didn’t.)
Hopefully, the editing was good the first time around at your
traditional publisher. You have the
option of updating the book’s text—or not.
It could be a charming snapshot of life in a different decade. Or you could tweak it to make it appear to
have been set in the modern day. As
author and publisher—it’s all up to you.
You’ve got total creative control.
Have you had any success re-launching an
older book?
June 8, 2013
Twitterific
By Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine
(developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 20,000
free articles on writing related topics. It's the search engine for writers.
Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly
writing tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook.
Mike Fleming worked with author and
writing coach James Scott Bell to offer an online, interactive, writing program
to help make your next novel great. It's called "Knockout Novel" and
you can learn more about it at Knockout
Novel.com.
The Alphabet in
Crime Fiction: Injections as a Murder Method: http://bit.ly/16DiigB
@mkinberg
Getting Reviews as a Self-Published
Author: http://bit.ly/11z1Hl3
@SpunkonaStick
#BEA13 "positions authors primarily
as creatures of the publishers": http://bit.ly/14pRd9v
@Porter_Anderson
1 writer's editing process: http://bit.ly/1aZrFnk @authorterryo
The publishing industry is telling itself
fairy tales: http://bit.ly/11VXnlR @samatlounge
@Porter_Anderson
Observations on #BEA13: http://bit.ly/15zZL01 @Porter_Anderson
@jwikert @ChuckWendig
How to write a novel in three years or
more: http://bit.ly/14gQQ4z @EmilyWenstrom
Amazon execs meet with writers and those
who report on publishing--for input: http://bit.ly/15ENqaW
@Porter_Anderson @dearauthor @JasonBoog
The 4 Best
Strategies for Savvy Self-Publishers: http://bit.ly/11lCnEX
@writersdigest
No, E-book Sales Are Not Declining: http://bit.ly/12UBnWs @nathanbransford
How To Cure Writer's Block Using Photos: http://bit.ly/11lCznM
Beware the comma splice: http://bit.ly/12UBG3A @ScottTheWriter
Tips for writing academic papers: http://bit.ly/11lCPmF @manon_eileen
What makes a book irresistible: One
reader's advice to authors: http://bit.ly/12UBMZ7
@novelpublicity
Submission Standards: http://bit.ly/11lD1lH @EdieMelson
How to Write in the Face of Rejection: http://bit.ly/12UBUrx @writersdigest
The Importance of the Trunk Novel, and
Recognizing it for What It Is. http://bit.ly/11lDdkY
@marshallmaresca
Manage Your Writing Connections with
LinkedIn Contacts: http://bit.ly/12UC0Q2
@galleycat
Writing Epic Action Scenes: http://bit.ly/11lDlRI @MBTPonderers
A writer's group for creative nonfiction:
http://bit.ly/12UC8ig @galleycat
Tips for getting story ideas: http://bit.ly/11lDynG @woodwardkaren
Having a goal when entering contests and
what it takes to final: http://bit.ly/12UClCi
@jamigold
How Do We Write What We DON'T Know? http://bit.ly/11lDN2f @shewritesdotcom
Tips for daily writing: http://zenhabits.net/write-daily/
@leobauta
How to successfully build tension: http://bit.ly/12C3EPZ @angelaackerman
Why and how you should backup your
writing: http://bit.ly/19gYVZe @galleycat
Questions to ask CPs, Betas, and
(Friendly) Reviewers: http://bit.ly/18ufNdO
Writing Close Point of View: http://bit.ly/18ufTSD @StacyGreen26
@janice_hardy
5 Ways to Spring Clean your Manuscript: http://bit.ly/18ufY8W @pj_hoover
You've got an offer of representation.
Now what? http://bit.ly/19gZous @mollykh
How Much Attention Should You Pay to Book
Design? http://bit.ly/18ugdAW @jfbookman
@janefriedman
How Do You Keep Your Book Sales Momentum
Going? http://bit.ly/19gZuSU @goblinwriter
Who Inherits Your Copyrights? http://bit.ly/19gZBxH @susanspann
Giving It Away: Why
Fiction Authors Should Offer Free Ebooks: http://bit.ly/13P7HJy
@storyrally
Did you write a second book first? http://bit.ly/18ugKCM
1 writer reclaims her first drafts: http://bit.ly/18ugVxY @YAConfidential @a_shostak
How to write in your sleep: http://bit.ly/19h0cj0
The Problem With "Revealing"
Information That's Already in the Cover Copy: http://bit.ly/18uhaZO
@janice_hardy
What's the Right Tone for a Query Letter?
http://bit.ly/18uhvvH @Dear_Editor
4 Types of Gerunds and Gerund Phrases: http://bit.ly/1100lje @writing_tips
Being a good literary citizen: http://bit.ly/ZqIHLr @GillianMarchenk
Anne Lyle and Historical Sexuality: http://bit.ly/ZqIPui @HaralambiMarkov
Marketing is Destroying the Science
Fiction Genre: http://bit.ly/1100Vxt
Revisions: Knowing When You've Got It
Right. http://bit.ly/11011Fm @YAHighway
7 ways to build your writing routine: http://bit.ly/1101mI3 @philjourdan
Creating a catastrophe plan for our
writing: http://bit.ly/ZqJFat @bob_mayer
Tips for revising: http://bit.ly/1101Y0r @moonbridgebooks
The Top 8 Free Online File Storage Sites:
http://bit.ly/ZqJWKB @socialtimes
Different types of self-publishing: http://bit.ly/ZqK6kV @amazingstories0
@author_sullivan
Motivation Too Weak? Don't Multiply
It—Simplify It: http://bit.ly/1102n2X
@cockeyedcaravan
3 Keys to Writing Memorable Fiction: http://bit.ly/1102wU2 @ruthharrisbooks
Does your picture book premise have
power? A checklist: http://bit.ly/ZqKwI5 @jeanreidy
Writing cliffhangers: http://bit.ly/11034Jq @woodwardkaren
The Psychology of Story Physics: http://bit.ly/ZqKJes @storyfix
Digital Book Signings: A Range Of
Technologies And Services: http://bit.ly/1103gZg
@digibookworld
10 Reasons Not to Be A Writer: http://bit.ly/19lvXaJ @Booktrust
What NOT to Do When Beginning Your Novel:
http://bit.ly/1ayhrdl @RayRhamey
Follow submissions guidelines: http://bit.ly/19lxP3a
@HookedOnNoir
How an e-book is like a treadmill at the
gym: http://bit.ly/1ayhSV5 @bufocalvin
Juicing Emotion: http://bit.ly/1ayi5aJ @kid_lit
Screenwriting software review: Persona Character Development Software: http://bit.ly/19ly923 @scriptmag
Chart the Time You Spend Checking Email,
Twitter & Facebook: http://bit.ly/1ayiqu2
@galleycat
5 things to do before accepting a guest
post: http://bit.ly/19lygdI @problogger
YA Lit Really Screws Over Parents: http://bit.ly/1ayiERS @chihuahuazero
Writing and Researching a Time Travel
Novel: http://bit.ly/19lytOb
@passivevoiceblg
Craft Chat about Fake Places: http://bit.ly/1ayj1fo @swkehoe
Things To Consider When Planning Your
Protagonist's Death: http://huff.to/12LRc1P
@writersrelief
Thesaurus of Physical Attributes Entry:
Neck: http://bit.ly/16EYbOJ @beccapuglisi
"The Lie Most Frequently Told In
Hollywood": http://bit.ly/10Z6SQO
@gointothestory @goodinaroom
The end game: http://bit.ly/14c1ety @JoeMoore_writer
Writers Write – Seeing the Cliché Through
New Eyes: http://bit.ly/10yhznE
@matty_gibbon
Rags to Riches plots: http://bit.ly/10Korjb @write_practice
Handling Scene Transitions With Multiple
POVs: http://bit.ly/11CYx5H @Janice_hardy
12 Most Successful Ways for Writers to
Win with Pinterest: http://bit.ly/10KoICK
@12Most @pegfitzpatrick
Screenwriting Tip: Know who you're
writing for: http://bit.ly/10Kphwi
@gointothestory
How the ebook evolution might get started
in other places: http://bit.ly/11CZFWZ
@mikeshatzkin
Examples of modern farce: http://bit.ly/10KpNdH @the_millions
Handwritten Manuscript Pages From Classic
Novels: http://bit.ly/11D0sr5 @flavorwire
A Kobo director's thoughts on
self-publishing: http://bit.ly/10Kq6VL
@authorterryo
The Immobilized Man in Noir Fiction: http://bit.ly/11D0YFt @write_practice
Oxymorons for writers: http://bit.ly/10KqtzJ @LShirtliffe
Time Management Tips for Writers: http://bit.ly/11D1yTw @DIYMFA
The Importance of Memoir: http://bit.ly/15laj3F @christicraig
Some creative philosophies are universal:
http://bit.ly/Zz7gpA @erin_bowman
Freelancers--why you shouldn't create
your own samples (and how to get real clips, instead): http://bit.ly/15laT1h @ticewrites
Character clinic--making a character
likeable while keeping her guarded: http://bit.ly/Zz7L2R
@jeanniecampbell
Uncertainty: The Normal Writing Process: http://bit.ly/15lbfVS @fictionnotes
How to Use "Help a Reporter
Out": http://bit.ly/15lbWhQ @karencv
Checklist questions for your manuscript: http://bit.ly/Zz8fWN @artzicarol
Creating Multi-Dimensional
Characters--Everybody Lies: http://bit.ly/15lcjsD
@kristenlambtx
The 4 Best Strategies for Savvy
Self-Publishers: http://bit.ly/Zz8qRY
@jfbookman
Stuffing too much into one sentence: http://bit.ly/15ld4lA @JordanMcCollum
12 Tips to Market Your Book at Shows: http://bit.ly/Zz99Cv @charmaineclancy
When Authors Pull an Anne Rice: http://bit.ly/15lgggX @DinaSantorelli
@ms_articulate
4 Reasons Your Book Is Not Your Baby: http://bit.ly/Zzb360 @carlywatters
Website Navigation: Make it Easy for
People to Explore Your Site: http://bit.ly/15lh0me
@hostbaby
How To Fix Convoluted Writing: http://bit.ly/ZzbzBe
Tips for persevering in writing: http://bit.ly/10RhQmV @SylviaNey
The thin-skinned writer: http://bit.ly/17fLhqg @booktrust
Improving Book Publicity in the 21st
Century: http://bit.ly/10Ri0Lh @doctorow
Naked calisthenics, air baths, head
stands, and other strange artistic habits: http://slate.me/17fLDgo
@masoncurrey @slatest
The Collected Wisdom of Great Writers: http://bit.ly/10RiaSQ @brainpicker
Using Anchor Text In Your Posts: http://bit.ly/17fLKIU @karencv
Don't look a gift writer in the mouth: http://bit.ly/10Ripxh @flawritersconf
James Patterson: Prototypical Indie
Author? http://bit.ly/17fMcHc @lynnmessina
@IndieReader
Script To Screen: "Scream": http://bit.ly/10Riwsu @gointothestory
Copyright, the Double-Edged Sword: http://bit.ly/10RiBfN
Why 1 trad. author is self-pubbing: http://bit.ly/17fMuh8 @JAKonrath @fpaulwilson
@tracylcarbone
Book beginnings and endings: http://bit.ly/17fMBta @donmaass
The Joy of Creative Ignorance: Embracing
Uncertainty In Your Day-to-Day: http://bit.ly/10RiVve
@99u
Should You Write Nonfiction or Fiction? http://bit.ly/17fMRbE @joebunting
4 Questions to Define Your Social Media
Presence: http://bit.ly/10Rj15X @diymfa
How To Create Character Empathy: http://bit.ly/17fMY78 @beccapuglisi
The importance of habits to working
writers: http://bit.ly/10RjdSF
@kristinerusch
Rejections--why they happen and dealing
with them: http://bit.ly/17fNfqt
@novelpublicity
What Novelists Should Know About Short
Fiction: http://bit.ly/10Rjkhd
@writeitsideways
5 Things to Consider When Writing
Webcopy: http://bit.ly/17fNy4O
@WendyENThomas
Why Your Novel May Not Be Historical
Fiction After All: http://bit.ly/10RjAwH
@KMWeiland
Top 10 writing craft sites on one
writer's list: http://bit.ly/17fNNwv
@kmweiland
Health Insurance for Writers: http://bit.ly/1aRgkWs
Writers' Neuroses: http://bit.ly/1aRgEo8
Promises and Threats: http://bit.ly/17fVZgr @LDBogart @TNBtweets
20 Rules for Writing: http://bit.ly/17fW43L
Using all the senses when writing: http://bit.ly/1aRhL7p @noveleditor
Quality and the new publishing paradigm: http://bit.ly/1aRhX6l @davidbergsland
How to Market a Book and Strengthen Your
Author Platform with Goodreads: http://bit.ly/17fWjf9
@writerplatform
3 Reasons Critiquing Will Improve Your
Writing: http://bit.ly/1aRiDZA
@write_practice
KDP Select Giveaway, a Case Study: http://bit.ly/1aRj8D2 @loriculwell
Creating Characters with Character: http://bit.ly/1aRjvgF @GPChing
When to Nudge Agents, Hiring Editors: http://bit.ly/1aRjRE9 @litreactor @breeogden
Respecting your dreams: http://bit.ly/1aRk7TH @ajackwriting
"How's the Book Doing?" http://bit.ly/17fXfjB
@andrewkarre
Scene interruptions: http://bit.ly/1aRkBcg @kid_lit
Plot Generators, What-If Tools, 37
Dramatic Situations, and Getting Past Writers Block : http://bit.ly/1aRkUUD @EnchantedInkpot
Lessons Learned From Bestselling Indie
Authors On Writing And Book Marketing: http://bit.ly/17fXUSd
@thecreativepenn
Stress and writers: http://bit.ly/17fY107 @jennybent
7 steps to the perfect story
(infographic): http://bit.ly/13wM2Ga
1 writer's problems with self-publishing:
http://bit.ly/14nABzt @salon @TedHeller
Bold Storytelling Statements That Are
Almost Always True: http://bit.ly/16D7yPi
@storyfix
Book vs. Film: Jurassic Park: http://bit.ly/14nAS5d @litreactor
@chris_shultz81
5 Ways To Get More Traffic From
Pinterest: http://bit.ly/16D7IGw
@MelonieDodaro
Writing a Book Proposal: http://bit.ly/16D7LC4 @behlerpublish
Query Critiques: More Important Than You
Think: http://bit.ly/14nB8kP @ava_jae
The Secret Recipe for Writing a Perfect
Pitch: http://bit.ly/16D7PSj @kristenlambtx
Readers are "interactive players in
the (publishing) marketplace": http://bit.ly/11JjEgP
@Porter_Anderson @stephaniebond @otown
