Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 165
November 16, 2012
How I Fell Into My Genre--Guest Post by Mike Martin
by Mike Martin
A funny thing happened to me on the way to becoming a
fiction writer. I ended up in mystery. I'm not really sure how I got here or
why. But, after being here for a little while I think I like it.
I have been a freelance writer, ghost writer, content
article churner, SEO and keyword specialist, editor, associate publisher,
social policy developer, and family Christmas chronicler since forever. But my
fiction works could fit into one school exercise book. And mystery was not one
of my major areas of interest.
Actually that is a bit of a lie because when I discovered
all of the various sub-genres of mystery and crime I found that I already liked
many of them. That includes some old-time stuff like Agatha Christie's Miss
Marple and Poirot. And a ton of the British series like A Touch of Frost and
Midsomer Murders.
When I dug a little further I realized that I also liked
detectives, police procedurals, cozies, hard-boiled, locked-room, true crime,
amateur and professional sleuth, legal, medical, suspense, and historical mystery
series and books. There really wasn't much mystery that I didn't like.
What appealed to me about mystery was that with the
exception of true crime, and that might even be included if you think about the
ingenuity of the criminals, all of these genres and subdivisions relied on one
basic premise: telling a good story that was pure fiction and imagination. That
drew me in and kept me prisoner every time.
It was the love of a good story that brought me into mystery
writing. First, the reading and enjoying of it. And now the creation of my own.
But I actually think it is the people inside this genre who will keep me here.
That starts with my fellow writers, the famous and the soon to be, who have
almost to a person invited me into the fraternity/sorority of mystery writers
with helpful hints, advice, reviews and guidance along the way. They have
encouraged me to write well, write better, and write more.
And it is the mystery lovers who sustain me. Every single one
who stops by when I'm sitting alone, probably feeling sorry for myself, at a
book signing, and they say hello and ask about my book. They don't have to buy
it, although that's nice. They have already given me a gift by acknowledging
the fact that I am a mystery writer. I am one of them.
I have one book out and another in editing and the third
rolling around from back to forth in my head, sometimes waking me up in the
middle of the night to look for a pad and paper. I have never been happier in
my life. It may have taken me a long time to get here but I plan on staying.
That is if you kind folks will still allow me the privilege of hanging around
this genre.
Mike Martin is the author of The Walker on the Cape, the first in the Windflower mystery series. For more information visit www.walkeronthecape.com
A funny thing happened to me on the way to becoming a
fiction writer. I ended up in mystery. I'm not really sure how I got here or
why. But, after being here for a little while I think I like it.
I have been a freelance writer, ghost writer, content
article churner, SEO and keyword specialist, editor, associate publisher,
social policy developer, and family Christmas chronicler since forever. But my
fiction works could fit into one school exercise book. And mystery was not one
of my major areas of interest.
Actually that is a bit of a lie because when I discovered
all of the various sub-genres of mystery and crime I found that I already liked
many of them. That includes some old-time stuff like Agatha Christie's Miss
Marple and Poirot. And a ton of the British series like A Touch of Frost and
Midsomer Murders.
When I dug a little further I realized that I also liked
detectives, police procedurals, cozies, hard-boiled, locked-room, true crime,
amateur and professional sleuth, legal, medical, suspense, and historical mystery
series and books. There really wasn't much mystery that I didn't like.
What appealed to me about mystery was that with the
exception of true crime, and that might even be included if you think about the
ingenuity of the criminals, all of these genres and subdivisions relied on one
basic premise: telling a good story that was pure fiction and imagination. That
drew me in and kept me prisoner every time.
It was the love of a good story that brought me into mystery
writing. First, the reading and enjoying of it. And now the creation of my own.
But I actually think it is the people inside this genre who will keep me here.
That starts with my fellow writers, the famous and the soon to be, who have
almost to a person invited me into the fraternity/sorority of mystery writers
with helpful hints, advice, reviews and guidance along the way. They have
encouraged me to write well, write better, and write more.
And it is the mystery lovers who sustain me. Every single one
who stops by when I'm sitting alone, probably feeling sorry for myself, at a
book signing, and they say hello and ask about my book. They don't have to buy
it, although that's nice. They have already given me a gift by acknowledging
the fact that I am a mystery writer. I am one of them.
I have one book out and another in editing and the third
rolling around from back to forth in my head, sometimes waking me up in the
middle of the night to look for a pad and paper. I have never been happier in
my life. It may have taken me a long time to get here but I plan on staying.
That is if you kind folks will still allow me the privilege of hanging around
this genre.
Mike Martin is the author of The Walker on the Cape, the first in the Windflower mystery series. For more information visit www.walkeronthecape.com
November 15, 2012
Observations from Running a Free Book Sale
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I finally got around to experimenting with doing a free promo. Naturally, I was interested in seeing if running this kind of a promo would boost sales of my other books…and also, I was just curious. I’ve seen a ton of free book promotions and hadn’t tried doing one myself.
So far I’ve run two…a very short one, and one that’s turning out to be longer than I anticipated.
What I’ve noticed:
You get a ton of reviews and a real look at who’s reading your books. They talk about what they like and don’t like. I like getting a snapshot of my readers and feel like I was casting the net wider to really get a better picture of my demographic.
You get a lot of visibility. As unbelievable as this sounds, I heard from two different people that I’d worked with, two different summers while I was in college. I hadn’t heard from these coworkers in twenty years…and they both happened to find me through the free book promo.
The sale does impact your other books’ sales. But don’t get too excited. This seems to vary. I know that my sales for the other books did show a slight uptick. One comment from a reviewer on Amazon for Progressive Dinner Deadly: Found this browsing around. I usually hesitate to buy self-pubbed vanity releases for obvious reasons but took a chance with the good reviews and free price. I sooooo enjoyed this. Good marketing because now I'm willing to pay for the rest!
So there we have proof of actual sales resulting from the promo….if she did indeed follow through with the purchases. :) (And please forgive the inclusion of a good review to make a point.)
You may not have as much control over how long your book is free as you’d like. Maybe you know something that I don’t, but the length of the sale might be somewhat out of your hands. The first time I tried this, I successfully ran a free promo for a couple of days by making the book free on Smashwords. I almost immediately took raised the price back up again on Smashwords. Amazon made the book free within 24 hours and then raised the price after 48 hours.
This time…the book is still free. I’ve raised the price on Smashwords (it’s been over a week now), and Amazon has not reflected the change. I’m guessing that somebody out there…Kobo, Apple, etc….hasn’t raised the price up yet and Amazon is still matching the free listing.
Update 11-16--This morning I see that the free ebook is now full price again. So Amazon finally either realized the book was no longer free at the online bookstore that prompted the sale, or else that bookstore (Kobo?) finally raised the price (although the price had changed at Smashwords long ago.)
Might be a better strategy if you have a couple of other books up for sale. Otherwise, you could be missing out on income. Jane Friedman touched on this during an interesting Reddit conversation:
What I haven’t noticed:
Others have noted that they saw particularly harsh reviews during free promotions—a common conclusion is that readers have little respect for a product they receive for free.
I haven’t seen this. Yes, I’ve gotten some harsh reviews during the free promos, but I’ve gotten some harsh reviews on a $6.99 Penguin ebook, too! I can’t say that I’ve noticed a difference. Either way….just build up your thick skin. I take anything helpful from a bad review that I can.
Have you ever run a free book promotion? How did it go? As a reader, have you ever downloaded free ebooks? What was the quality of the books you downloaded?
Image: Flickr—Klabusta’s Photostream
I finally got around to experimenting with doing a free promo. Naturally, I was interested in seeing if running this kind of a promo would boost sales of my other books…and also, I was just curious. I’ve seen a ton of free book promotions and hadn’t tried doing one myself.
So far I’ve run two…a very short one, and one that’s turning out to be longer than I anticipated.
What I’ve noticed:
You get a ton of reviews and a real look at who’s reading your books. They talk about what they like and don’t like. I like getting a snapshot of my readers and feel like I was casting the net wider to really get a better picture of my demographic.
You get a lot of visibility. As unbelievable as this sounds, I heard from two different people that I’d worked with, two different summers while I was in college. I hadn’t heard from these coworkers in twenty years…and they both happened to find me through the free book promo.
The sale does impact your other books’ sales. But don’t get too excited. This seems to vary. I know that my sales for the other books did show a slight uptick. One comment from a reviewer on Amazon for Progressive Dinner Deadly: Found this browsing around. I usually hesitate to buy self-pubbed vanity releases for obvious reasons but took a chance with the good reviews and free price. I sooooo enjoyed this. Good marketing because now I'm willing to pay for the rest!
So there we have proof of actual sales resulting from the promo….if she did indeed follow through with the purchases. :) (And please forgive the inclusion of a good review to make a point.)
You may not have as much control over how long your book is free as you’d like. Maybe you know something that I don’t, but the length of the sale might be somewhat out of your hands. The first time I tried this, I successfully ran a free promo for a couple of days by making the book free on Smashwords. I almost immediately took raised the price back up again on Smashwords. Amazon made the book free within 24 hours and then raised the price after 48 hours.
This time…the book is still free. I’ve raised the price on Smashwords (it’s been over a week now), and Amazon has not reflected the change. I’m guessing that somebody out there…Kobo, Apple, etc….hasn’t raised the price up yet and Amazon is still matching the free listing.
Update 11-16--This morning I see that the free ebook is now full price again. So Amazon finally either realized the book was no longer free at the online bookstore that prompted the sale, or else that bookstore (Kobo?) finally raised the price (although the price had changed at Smashwords long ago.)
Might be a better strategy if you have a couple of other books up for sale. Otherwise, you could be missing out on income. Jane Friedman touched on this during an interesting Reddit conversation:
It also helps if you have more than 1 book to sell—if you have, in fact, a series to sell. That way, you can use the first book as a loss leader (free or 99 cents), then charge more for the later books. But that only works if you prove yourself with readers on the first book.
What I haven’t noticed:
Others have noted that they saw particularly harsh reviews during free promotions—a common conclusion is that readers have little respect for a product they receive for free.
I haven’t seen this. Yes, I’ve gotten some harsh reviews during the free promos, but I’ve gotten some harsh reviews on a $6.99 Penguin ebook, too! I can’t say that I’ve noticed a difference. Either way….just build up your thick skin. I take anything helpful from a bad review that I can.
Have you ever run a free book promotion? How did it go? As a reader, have you ever downloaded free ebooks? What was the quality of the books you downloaded?
Image: Flickr—Klabusta’s Photostream
November 13, 2012
Spacing Releases—to Keep Readers Hooked
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
In my last post, I talked about production time for self-publishing and traditional publishing and how much shorter the lead-time for self-publishing is. Basically, you have the ability to publish a book quickly once you’ve got a finished product.
But how often should we release books in our series? How far apart is too far? Can books be released too close together?
Paul Anthony Shortt commented on a post recently that he thought the studio behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy had done an especially good job pacing releases. Even though they might have had a film ready to go earlier, they released a movie every year at about the same time. Paul remarked that this seemed to increase filmgoers’ anticipation for the next movie.
I think a book year, per series, can definitely work. That’s what my publisher seems to prefer for releases. My Southern Quilting mystery series is set for a yearly release from 2012 through 2014. But—there’s also the need for longer production time that plays into this decision.
But I will note that for my other traditionally published series, (the Memphis Barbeque series) the strongest seller seems to have been the book that released five months after the previous release. I think all the characters and the setting were fresh in readers’ minds and they saw there was a new release…and they bought it.
So there’s something to be said for a release in a series every 6 months, too. But can too many releases get too overwhelming or lessen the anticipation for the next book? Can readers get fatigued with our series? Can we glut the market with our books?
So these are my pros and cons for a book every 6 months:
Pros:
The previous book is still fresh in readers’ minds.
Your name/the series name is still fresh in readers’ minds.
If you’re writing a continuing series (a real serial, instead of each book in the series acting as a standalone), then readers will be excited to see where the story picked up.
Seems to spike sales for the previous books in the sales.
Cons:
Deadline pressure for writers (unless they already have backlist books or trunk books)
Readers might lose interest if the books seem to come out all the time…decreases the “specialness” of each book.
Possible difficulty sustaining series quality
Might have to juggle your promo and writing at one time.
Yearly releases:
Pros:
Less deadline pressure for writers
Potential for developing additional anticipation from readers/hype
Easier to maintain series quality
Easier to write books for more than one series in a year
Cons:
Could a yearly release make it easier for readers to forget us?
Of course, I’m thinking all these things through in a rational way and realizing how organized this type of regular production schedule for self-publishing can be—and then I do exactly the opposite. :) Right now, I’m having to squeeze in my own projects in between my traditionally published projects (and, obviously, the traditional projects have got to come first…I’ve already been paid in advance for those.) So my self-pub schedule has been very erratic so far. I launched two books in 2011 a few months apart—one was backlist, one was written for a publisher but they didn’t buy it. Then I was finally able to write another book in the series in July/August and released it last month.
In retrospect, I’m thinking it would have been smart to sit on one of those books that I released three months after the previous one. To build it up a little more steadily. So instead of releasing the book in November following the previous book’s August release, maybe I should have waited until February. Then I had a traditionally published June release and would have had my late-October release. That probably would have been perfect.
So far, the biggest spike in my self-pub sales has been after either a traditional novel or a self-pub novel releases. So that makes me think that regular releases, whether traditional or self-pub, can be important to drive sales.
We might also want to consider the time of year we're planning to release our book. Before Christmas (October, November, early December) is clearly a good shopping time. But what about January? What about all the people who got Kindles in their stockings? Summer can be dead…but people also buy beach books in the summer.
What are your thoughts on spacing book releases and the best time of year to launch a book?
Image: Morguefile: Rezdora70
In my last post, I talked about production time for self-publishing and traditional publishing and how much shorter the lead-time for self-publishing is. Basically, you have the ability to publish a book quickly once you’ve got a finished product.But how often should we release books in our series? How far apart is too far? Can books be released too close together?
Paul Anthony Shortt commented on a post recently that he thought the studio behind the Lord of the Rings trilogy had done an especially good job pacing releases. Even though they might have had a film ready to go earlier, they released a movie every year at about the same time. Paul remarked that this seemed to increase filmgoers’ anticipation for the next movie.
I think a book year, per series, can definitely work. That’s what my publisher seems to prefer for releases. My Southern Quilting mystery series is set for a yearly release from 2012 through 2014. But—there’s also the need for longer production time that plays into this decision.
But I will note that for my other traditionally published series, (the Memphis Barbeque series) the strongest seller seems to have been the book that released five months after the previous release. I think all the characters and the setting were fresh in readers’ minds and they saw there was a new release…and they bought it.
So there’s something to be said for a release in a series every 6 months, too. But can too many releases get too overwhelming or lessen the anticipation for the next book? Can readers get fatigued with our series? Can we glut the market with our books?
So these are my pros and cons for a book every 6 months:
Pros:
The previous book is still fresh in readers’ minds.
Your name/the series name is still fresh in readers’ minds.
If you’re writing a continuing series (a real serial, instead of each book in the series acting as a standalone), then readers will be excited to see where the story picked up.
Seems to spike sales for the previous books in the sales.
Cons:
Deadline pressure for writers (unless they already have backlist books or trunk books)
Readers might lose interest if the books seem to come out all the time…decreases the “specialness” of each book.
Possible difficulty sustaining series quality
Might have to juggle your promo and writing at one time.
Yearly releases:
Pros:
Less deadline pressure for writers
Potential for developing additional anticipation from readers/hype
Easier to maintain series quality
Easier to write books for more than one series in a year
Cons:
Could a yearly release make it easier for readers to forget us?
Of course, I’m thinking all these things through in a rational way and realizing how organized this type of regular production schedule for self-publishing can be—and then I do exactly the opposite. :) Right now, I’m having to squeeze in my own projects in between my traditionally published projects (and, obviously, the traditional projects have got to come first…I’ve already been paid in advance for those.) So my self-pub schedule has been very erratic so far. I launched two books in 2011 a few months apart—one was backlist, one was written for a publisher but they didn’t buy it. Then I was finally able to write another book in the series in July/August and released it last month.
In retrospect, I’m thinking it would have been smart to sit on one of those books that I released three months after the previous one. To build it up a little more steadily. So instead of releasing the book in November following the previous book’s August release, maybe I should have waited until February. Then I had a traditionally published June release and would have had my late-October release. That probably would have been perfect.
So far, the biggest spike in my self-pub sales has been after either a traditional novel or a self-pub novel releases. So that makes me think that regular releases, whether traditional or self-pub, can be important to drive sales.
We might also want to consider the time of year we're planning to release our book. Before Christmas (October, November, early December) is clearly a good shopping time. But what about January? What about all the people who got Kindles in their stockings? Summer can be dead…but people also buy beach books in the summer.
What are your thoughts on spacing book releases and the best time of year to launch a book?
Image: Morguefile: Rezdora70
November 11, 2012
Spacing Out Our Novels’ Releases—Production
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Paul Anthony Shortt had an interesting comment for my “Shorter Novels in the Digital Age?” post last week. He mentioned book spacing and book release timing (as far as prime dates for launching books onto the market.)
This is something that’s very important, I think, and is going to become even more important in the future. It also ties into the short novel phenomenon…because it has to do with readers more than anything else.
For traditional publishing, I have no control whatsoever over my release dates or how spaced out my releases are. I’m sure that some writers do, but no one I know does. I know writers who’ve had their books released a couple of days after Christmas (not exactly the best time for a launch). I know writers who had books released in other really slow times (August comes to mind.)
Production time in traditional publishing is huge. There are global edits, line edits, proofreading, cover design, marketing meetings, catalog deadlines, pass page edits, blurbs…the works. Plus—let’s face it. Your book isn’t exactly the only thing on the publisher’s mind. They have other releases to worry about.
Sometimes things get held up. I never really know what’s going on behind the scenes, but I know most of this stuff is out of my editor’s hands. I’ve seen my release dates vary for my Memphis Barbeque series. The series started July 6, 2010. June 7, 2011 was book two….perfectly reasonable at a year later. Book three released November 1, 2011 (!) Book Four is coming out July 2, 2013.
Book three was, from what I can tell, the most successful of all the books so far. It came out five months after book two (no, I don’t know why it came out then.)
My concern is, obviously, book four. It’s coming out nearly two years after the third book’s release. In fact, my new editor for that series asked me to write it like a standalone. I very carefully set up the characters, setting, and descriptions as if no one had ever read these books before. We felt like that was vital since even dedicated readers of the series probably hadn’t read the previous books for a while.
Another unfortunate thing is that the future of the series depends on sales for this book four (that’s releasing at something of a disadvantage.) This is the way traditional publishing works. It’s about the figures…and that makes sense. It’s a business.
My other Penguin series is set for one release each year through 2014 (if production stays on schedule).
But let’s consider self-publishing now. It doesn’t have nearly the lead-time needed for traditional publishing.
Case in point—my latest self-pub release, which was the first book I wrote specifically for self-publishing. I started writing the book in July, as soon as I turned in a manuscript for Penguin. I’d finished the book by the end of September.
In September, I gave the book to two beta readers to read while I was still working on the ending, and hired a freelance editor to work on the finished book in early October to find as much wrong with the thing as she could.
In late September/early October, while my editor and betas were still working on the manuscript, I started talking to the cover designer who’d done my other self-pubbed covers. She turned a cover around to me in a week.
In mid-October, I asked my formatter to help me out with getting the book set for publishing on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords. He turned it around in two days.
By October 28, the book was available for purchase.
So, I guess that’s nearly a 4-month turnaround there from starting to write the book to publishing it.
Point being…the production time can be very short for self-pub. So….the release schedule is really up to us. A book can be ready to publish whenever we’re ready. I’m thinking, to be on the safe side, we should give ourselves three months to get a book ready. So let’s say we want a November release to capitalize on holiday shopping. In August, I’m thinking we need to start assembling our team of editors, designers, and formatters.
Or—take a very organized and professional approach by planning it all out farther in advance. Dean Wesley Smith’s post: Think Like A Publisher: Chapter 4: Production and Scheduling will explain more.
On Wednesday, I’ll look more at spacing novels out and mulling over supply and demand.
Image: Flickr: Burwash Calligrapher
Paul Anthony Shortt had an interesting comment for my “Shorter Novels in the Digital Age?” post last week. He mentioned book spacing and book release timing (as far as prime dates for launching books onto the market.) This is something that’s very important, I think, and is going to become even more important in the future. It also ties into the short novel phenomenon…because it has to do with readers more than anything else.
For traditional publishing, I have no control whatsoever over my release dates or how spaced out my releases are. I’m sure that some writers do, but no one I know does. I know writers who’ve had their books released a couple of days after Christmas (not exactly the best time for a launch). I know writers who had books released in other really slow times (August comes to mind.)
Production time in traditional publishing is huge. There are global edits, line edits, proofreading, cover design, marketing meetings, catalog deadlines, pass page edits, blurbs…the works. Plus—let’s face it. Your book isn’t exactly the only thing on the publisher’s mind. They have other releases to worry about.
Sometimes things get held up. I never really know what’s going on behind the scenes, but I know most of this stuff is out of my editor’s hands. I’ve seen my release dates vary for my Memphis Barbeque series. The series started July 6, 2010. June 7, 2011 was book two….perfectly reasonable at a year later. Book three released November 1, 2011 (!) Book Four is coming out July 2, 2013.
Book three was, from what I can tell, the most successful of all the books so far. It came out five months after book two (no, I don’t know why it came out then.)
My concern is, obviously, book four. It’s coming out nearly two years after the third book’s release. In fact, my new editor for that series asked me to write it like a standalone. I very carefully set up the characters, setting, and descriptions as if no one had ever read these books before. We felt like that was vital since even dedicated readers of the series probably hadn’t read the previous books for a while.
Another unfortunate thing is that the future of the series depends on sales for this book four (that’s releasing at something of a disadvantage.) This is the way traditional publishing works. It’s about the figures…and that makes sense. It’s a business.
My other Penguin series is set for one release each year through 2014 (if production stays on schedule).
But let’s consider self-publishing now. It doesn’t have nearly the lead-time needed for traditional publishing.
Case in point—my latest self-pub release, which was the first book I wrote specifically for self-publishing. I started writing the book in July, as soon as I turned in a manuscript for Penguin. I’d finished the book by the end of September.
In September, I gave the book to two beta readers to read while I was still working on the ending, and hired a freelance editor to work on the finished book in early October to find as much wrong with the thing as she could.
In late September/early October, while my editor and betas were still working on the manuscript, I started talking to the cover designer who’d done my other self-pubbed covers. She turned a cover around to me in a week.
In mid-October, I asked my formatter to help me out with getting the book set for publishing on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords. He turned it around in two days.
By October 28, the book was available for purchase.
So, I guess that’s nearly a 4-month turnaround there from starting to write the book to publishing it.
Point being…the production time can be very short for self-pub. So….the release schedule is really up to us. A book can be ready to publish whenever we’re ready. I’m thinking, to be on the safe side, we should give ourselves three months to get a book ready. So let’s say we want a November release to capitalize on holiday shopping. In August, I’m thinking we need to start assembling our team of editors, designers, and formatters.
Or—take a very organized and professional approach by planning it all out farther in advance. Dean Wesley Smith’s post: Think Like A Publisher: Chapter 4: Production and Scheduling will explain more.
On Wednesday, I’ll look more at spacing novels out and mulling over supply and demand.
Image: Flickr: Burwash Calligrapher
November 10, 2012
Twitterific
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific is a compilation of all the writing links I shared
the previous week.
The
links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by
writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 19,000 free articles
on writing-related topics. Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly writing
tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook.
Try “My WKB”--a way for you to list and sort articles, view your read
articles, and see your search history. Read more about it here: http://bit.ly/S9thqS .
The free My WKB page is here: http://bit.ly/PV8Ueb .
And check out Hiveword to help
you organize your story.
The Art Of Creating Believable
Characters: No Mr. Nice Guy: http://bit.ly/ScNS9A
@woodwardkaren
Is Reading the Genre You're
Currently Writing Dangerous? http://bit.ly/PiDyil
@roniloren
How To Add Up Your E-Book Sales In A Snap: http://bit.ly/TDTtbB
@JennyHansenCA
12 Writing Insights from Famous
Authors: http://bit.ly/ScOpZe @susan_silver
How to Write a Romance Novel:
The Keys to Conflict: http://bit.ly/PiDJKs
@writersdigest
How publishers can stay in the
game: http://bit.ly/PiEEe8 @janefriedman
@nztaylor
Develop Any Idea Into a Great
Story: The BADS Technique Illustrated: http://bit.ly/ScR05q
@writersdigest
Building a Local Readership: http://bit.ly/ScRgRO
1 writer's favorite books on
writing: http://bit.ly/PiEUcS
The Myth of a ‘Book Market’: http://bit.ly/WLh3ad
@rebecsmart @MikeShatzkin @Porter_Anderson
5 Tips to Making Your Cover
Look Professional: http://bit.ly/ScRKaB
@bubblecow
8 Eroding Inflectional Endings:
http://bit.ly/PiF0kL @writing_tips
Screenwriting--montages: http://bit.ly/XYEVVG @gointothestory
Big 'A' Little 'a': Writing
Between the Concrete and Abstract: http://bit.ly/XYF8Iu
@litreactor
Your IQ Doesn't Matter &
Other Lessons About Creativity From Children: http://bit.ly/XYFCOR
@SeanBlanda
Selling Our Books on Social
Media–Don't Be a Personal Space Invader: http://bit.ly/Sc9Poq
@kristenlambtx
The Humble eBook Bundles and
Authors: http://bit.ly/Scaq9y @Scalzi
Fifty Shades of Black-on-Grey:
The unfortunate design limitations of e-books: http://bit.ly/XYIgUA
@teleread
Launching an author career
after 50: http://bit.ly/ScaNkr @DonnaGalanti
Are Blog Tours Losing Their
Promotional Power? http://bit.ly/XYJvmU
@CreepyQueryGirl
How to Keep Your Fight Scenes
Interesting: http://bit.ly/XYKeUY @KMWeiland
Physical Therapy For Your
Writing–Keeping Your Manuscript In Balance: http://bit.ly/XYKvr8
@jhansenwrites
Common Writing Mistakes: http://bit.ly/ScboTt @noveleditor
Techniques for planning a
series: http://bit.ly/ScbwCk
An agent on foreshadowing: http://bit.ly/XYLbwL @rachellegardner
8 Myths to Squelch During Story
Critiques: http://bit.ly/XYLBTR
@adriennedewolfe
Your Amazon Author Rank: Boon
or Bane? http://bit.ly/ScbTwG @fictionnotes
How Do You Write When The
Thrill Is Gone? http://bit.ly/Y1AB8c
@curiosityquills
Series or Stand-Alone? How to
Decide: http://bit.ly/SdeIxv @novelrocket
Why Writers Disappear (Part
Two): http://bit.ly/Y1B61V @kristinerusch
Anti-Heroes/Heroines &
Villains Need Love Too—12 Tips: http://bit.ly/Y1Puar
@DonnaGalanti @jordandane
Cultivating an Email List for
your Blog: http://bit.ly/Y1POpQ @JulieBMack
The 6th Sense: Is Your Idea
Good Enough? http://bit.ly/SdjN97
@jacobkrueger
Tips for Self-Editing: http://bit.ly/Y1QsU3 @pegeditors
Organize Your Novel With
Hiveword: http://bit.ly/Y1QEmd
@woodwardkaren @hiveword
Is Cutting More Important than
Adding? http://bit.ly/SdkajT @sechintower
Writers Are Fearless: http://bit.ly/Y1Rrnf @MermaidHel
Amazon Author Rankings and Who
They Actually Benefit: http://bit.ly/SdkgYK
@Scalzi
5 observations from the big
marketing world: http://bit.ly/Y1SzHr
@junglereds
How 1 Writer Learned to Stop
Worrying and Love His Goals: http://bit.ly/TwpgeJ
Authors suggest Q&A topics
for book events: http://bit.ly/UklpOy
@bookriot
Tips for historical fiction
writers: http://bit.ly/TwpJxu @jodyhedlund
@marcykennedy
A trad. published writer on her
self-pubbing experience: http://bit.ly/UklO3w
@TamaraLeighAuth
How Children's Authors Can
Profit from School Visits: http://bit.ly/TwpZMU
@BookMarketer
Using the 5 Senses to Make Our
Stories Jump Off the Page: http://bit.ly/Ukm4zt
@jodyhedlund
4 tips for writing a quick 1st
draft: http://bit.ly/TwqeHV @rachellegardner
Creating An Imaginary Panel to
Get Unstuck: http://bit.ly/UkmnKy
@Jess_Keating
The 5 Keys to Pain-Free Book
Promotion: http://bit.ly/TwqqGQ @JFBookman
Jane Friedman on the empowered
author: http://bit.ly/Ulxjra @JaneFriedman
@Porter_Anderson
3 Steps to Creating a Beautiful
Book Site for Less than $100: http://bit.ly/UlB0NH
@jeffgoins
5 tips for creating a great
character: http://bit.ly/Txg4H0 @4YALit
@wordforteens
Non-Writing Spouses: http://bit.ly/PShIDE @kaitlin_ward
Twitter: 12 Guidelines to
Engage & Build Your Following: http://bit.ly/UlBpQd
@heidicohen
The importance of connecting
with the right editor: http://bit.ly/Txgi0z
@LesannBerry
Tips for writing a thrilling
climax: http://bit.ly/Txgpt7 @tessgerritsen
Why does "The Princess
Bride" work as a romance? http://bit.ly/UlBTpz
@laurie_gold
Tips For Writing Story
Beginnings: http://bit.ly/TxgA7T
@writersdigest
Situations that might require
writing a longer scene: http://bit.ly/PSjaG5
@LynnetteLabelle
Creating story flow: the secret
power of cause and effect: http://bit.ly/U1eARz
@karenschrav
Putting Emotion In Story: http://bit.ly/TxgIEe @mooderino
10 Questions You Need To Answer
Honestly If You Want To Sell More Books: http://bit.ly/UlCmIo
@thecreativepenn
Pros and cons of Goodreads
giveaways: http://bit.ly/VHvUMJ
5 ways to increase conflict: http://bit.ly/VHvZjC @EileenWriter
10 ways to save the publishing
industry: http://bit.ly/VhWyQK
@guardianbooks @orbooks
Is it still considered
necessary for writers to blog? http://bit.ly/VHwfir
@VeronicaSicoe
6 Steps To Choosing Your Next
Writing Project: http://bit.ly/VhXt3P
@joebunting
Revising Your Book: Do's and
Don'ts: http://bit.ly/VHwr1c @kmweiland
@wiseink
8 Tips To Bring Your Readers
Along For The Ride: http://bit.ly/VHwydg
7 Stages of Publishing Grief: http://bit.ly/VHwHgx @RLLAfevers
Similes and metaphors: http://bit.ly/VhYecV
An avid reader has feedback for
indie writers: http://bit.ly/SPg2cQ
@jamesscottbell
Self-discovery: http://bit.ly/VHwMB2 @BretBallou
Agent Michael Larsen on Why We
Should Self-Publish 1st: http://bit.ly/VhYKru
@chrisrobley
9 Tactics To Create Content on
Two Week Schedule: http://bit.ly/VhYWqA
@heidicohen
Making Orange Juice From Life's
Lemons as a Writer: http://bit.ly/VhZ09R
@JessBaverstock
Want to be a writer? Have a
literary parent: http://ind.pn/VhZqxa
Amazon's Author Ranking And Why
It Means So Little: http://bit.ly/VHxm1J
@VeronicaSicoe
Why Agent/Editor Breakfast,
Lunch, Coffee, Ice Cream, Cupcake and Drink Dates Are Important: http://bit.ly/VhZKvJ @bostonbookgirl
Don't Fancy Up Your Manuscript
Formatting: http://bit.ly/VHxwpS @RC_Lewis
Stop Worrying About Book Deals
& Write: http://bit.ly/VhZTiQ @galleycat
Want to get the creative juices
flowing? Let your mind wander: http://bit.ly/Vi011V
@sianbeilock
Screenwriters and Novelists –
what's the difference? http://bit.ly/VI4ypG
@thecreativepenn
Networking for Authors: 5
Survival Tips: http://bit.ly/VI4Cpw @diymfa
Twitter fiction: 21 authors try
their hand at 140-character novels: http://bit.ly/VI4Fl5
@guardianbooks
The Sensual Writer: Listening
vs. Hearing: http://bit.ly/VI4Lcq
What's Your Writing
Personality? http://bit.ly/VI4OFm @KMWeiland
The Screenplay Method of
Storytelling: http://bit.ly/VjbM82
@NaAlleyBlog
The publishing industry
shouldn’t get special treatment: http://bit.ly/SxpTBl
@NathanBransford @MikeShatzkin @Porter_Anderson
Long-Haul Writing Career: What
It Takes To Succeed: http://bit.ly/U4ReAn
Booksellers Resisting Amazon’s Disruption: http://nyti.ms/VxP1gM
@NYTimes
Tips for writing strong
characters: http://bit.ly/U4Rn6X @JKagawa
Publishing schedule for indie
writers – who to hire and when: http://bit.ly/U4RU8H
@dirtywhitecandy
Licensing for Authors: http://bit.ly/VIpqxb @beth_barany
How to Write a Script: Push
Your Protagonist to the Edge: http://bit.ly/U4S53V
@writersdigest
In Defense of Real Fairy Tales:
http://on.wsj.com/U4SeEz @wsj
Never Can Say Good-Bye:
Good-Byes in Romance Novels: http://bit.ly/VIpCMI
@smexys_sidekick
The Evolution of Sexuality,
Homosexuality and Gender in SFF: http://bit.ly/VIrsNH
@fantasyfaction
5 Ways for Writers to Blast
Through Self-Doubt: http://bit.ly/U4VJec
Maybe the success of your ebook
isn't due to promo...maybe you wrote a good book: http://bit.ly/VIrwNs
@deanwesleysmith
Q&A on Copyright With an
Attorney: http://bit.ly/U4W1S8 @janefriedman
What's stopping you from that
rewrite? http://bit.ly/VIrCog
5 Facts About Publishing That
Could Change Your Writing Career: http://bit.ly/U4W8NO
@jeffgoins
Debunking Myths about Writing: http://bit.ly/VIrJQF @howtowriteshop
Trust your instincts as a
writer: http://bit.ly/SK59tL @Jan_Ohara
Can journalists write novels? http://bit.ly/U1NdGT @guardianbooks
The Slippery Slope of
E-Originals: http://bit.ly/SK5GMf @DBW
@PassiveVoiceBlg
7 Been-There-Done-That Tips on
Formatting, Taxes, Amazon, Reviews and More: http://bit.ly/SK6ikZ
@duolit @YasminSelena
Common Manuscript Mistakes and
the Writers Who Make Them: http://bit.ly/U1NJ7U
@AimeeLSalter
6 Ways Your Protagonist Should
Be Like Jack Reacher: http://bit.ly/SK6II8
@fuelyourwriting
11 Riffs on Creativity &
Time: http://bit.ly/U1NWYu @JeffreyDavis108
Testifying for Fan-Fiction: http://bit.ly/SK7jtd @peterdamien
Immediacy – Writing in Real
Time: http://bit.ly/U1ObTz @PBRWriter
How to know a good agent from a
bad one: http://bit.ly/SK7zIL @breeogden
Amazon, Popularity, and a List
that We Really Don't Need: http://bit.ly/SK7C7f
@davidbcoe
Tips for achieving our goals: http://bit.ly/U1PhP9 @JWhite
Writing food into your story: http://bit.ly/SK9Nrq @HP4Writers
Are There Downsides to Giving
Away Free Ebooks? http://bit.ly/SKahxV
@goblinwriter
Successful Self-Publishing: http://bit.ly/U1PFgF
Writing The Short Query Novel
Pitch: http://bit.ly/U1PH8h @BryanThomasS
7 Reasons Why Your Book Should
Also Be An Audiobook: http://bit.ly/SKaxgk
@authormedia
Do Agents and Editors Expect
Novelists to Blog? http://bit.ly/TDS44R
@jodyhedlund
5 Literary Journals Born of the
Digital Age: http://bit.ly/VLZQY0
@EmilyWenstrom
Unnecessary Words, Blah Words,
and Just Plain Wrong Words: http://bit.ly/TDShoB
@susanjmorris
Are you a traditionally-published author with out of
print books? Some facts about rights reversion: http://bit.ly/SxjkP2 @DonnaFaz
The Best Way To Build A
Writer's Platform Is To Write: http://bit.ly/VM0Ds9
@woodwardkaren @deanwesleysmith
Gluing Plot to Theme and
Character to Fuel Your Story: http://bit.ly/VM0JQk
@4YALit
Structure–Getting Primal and
Staying Simple: http://bit.ly/VM0RiL
@kristenlambTX
Characters Should Think
Progressively: http://bit.ly/VM0QeI
@mooderino
Improve credibility of your
fiction by identifying silly dialogue and unrealistic action: http://bit.ly/TDTn3P
10 Tips for Writing Impactful
Dialogue: http://bit.ly/VM1dpC @cemckenzie1
The Killer Three-Headed Story
Beast: http://bit.ly/VM1Gbv @storyfix
The appeal of deadlines: http://bit.ly/TDTOLz @angelaackerman
@janetgurtler
How To Design A Great Looking
Book Cover: http://bit.ly/VM1Pvo
@woodwardkaren
Should Writers pay for
Professional Services? http://bit.ly/PxIXlY
@bubblecow
10 Ways to Syndicate Your
Online Writing: http://bit.ly/U3UYw5
@galleycat
7 Scientific Facts That Will
Ruin Movies for You: http://bit.ly/PxJ1C7
@i09
The 'Fifty Shades' effect on
book covers: http://usat.ly/PxJgx1
@roniloren
Turns Out You Don't Really Need
a Plot: http://bit.ly/U3Vk5O
@GeoffreyCubbage
Inspiration for Writers: How to
Be More Creative: http://bit.ly/PxJqVb
@writersdigest
Does the Random House-Penguin
merger mean a pub. that can take on Amazon? http://bit.ly/SwGFAy
@robeagar @JosephJEsposito @Porter_Anderson
When to ignore critiques: http://bit.ly/U3Vv13 @rebeccaberto
Pros and Cons of Entering
Writing Contests: http://bit.ly/PxJzrH
@writeitsideways
Handling adoption in fiction,
part 2: http://bit.ly/VzUhAB @LauraDennisCA
November 8, 2012
Writing in the Coffee Shop
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Writing at home is difficult sometimes.
I do much of my writing at home, most of it before 5:30 a.m. But I’ve been trying to write a little extra each day for the past week or so (inspired by the intrepid NaNoWriMoers).
The problem is that my house can become pretty distracting during the day—likely one reason why I write so early in the morning. The week before the election was especially annoying with the automated phone calls. Then there’s the dryer buzzer, the cat who likes to sit on my keyboard, the housework that needs to be done…
So Wednesday, after dropping off a carpool at the middle school, I set off for the coffee shop. The library was still closed and I needed extra coffee anyway.
I haven’t been in Starbucks for a while, and felt that I’d accidentally stepped into another dimension. It seemed to be populated by young women named Dakota and striking men wearing sunglasses indoors. Unfortunately, I was wearing carpool couture and putting on makeup hadn’t crossed my mind. I just ordered my small coffee, dark roast (they managed to translate that order into Starbuck language) and settled down at a small table with my story.
I didn’t have my laptop with me so I pulled out a battered composition notebook that still had Math and my daughter’s name written on it (and many perfectly-good blank pages in it.)
And I wrote a good 1000 words there in about 30 minutes.
There are definitely different types of coffeehouse visits. To me, they fall in two groups—the visits where the writer is looking for characters and inspiration, and the visits where the writer needs to get some writing done, stat.
I used to fall more in the prior camp, but lately, the only times I find myself at the coffee shop is when I’m frantically trying to meet a deadline or two.
What helps if you’re trying to get work done at coffee shops:
Notebook—I do prefer to write in a notebook when I’m writing away from home. It’s just easier to manage and I don’t worry about sloshing coffee on my computer. And I don’t feel particularly conspicuous.
Several pencils—I haven’t gotten to the point where I want to write in pen.
Music and headphones—I’d forgotten how loud the coffee shop could be. Fortunately, I had earbuds in my pocketbook…and my phone, which has Pandora on it. I have a station for New Age music and I plugged into it. (Might want to make sure your data plan supports music streaming if you do this through your phone. But Pandora has saved me several times when I was writing in the carpool line and someone was having a noisy cellphone conversation in the next car.)
Having your manuscript or outline on the cloud—I’ve found it handy to be able to refer to my story or an outline when I’m away from home. You can upload your manuscript/outline to a place like Google Docs where you can access it from anywhere, using your laptop or smart phone. (It’s free…you only need a gmail address to use it.) Or you can access story planning software on your phone/laptop…like Mike Fleming’s Hiveword.
The rules I follow for writing in a coffee shop:
Watch the time—I try to make sure I’m not monopolizing a table for too long, unless the place is totally dead. This also has the benefit of providing me with a deadline of sorts and I write quicker.
Put my back to the room—If I’m doing deadline-writing and not finding-characters-writing, then I sit where I can’t see people and just focus on my notebook.
Purchase regularly—If the coffee shop is very quiet and I stay a little longer…I make sure I keep buying things so I don’t wear out my welcome. A coffee here, a pastry here.
Avoid connecting to the internet or using your smart phone…except when referring to your manuscript or outline on the cloud—I’m trying to avoid distractions by writing in a coffeehouse. And the internet is the biggest distraction of all.
Other posts on the topic:
Coffee Shop Etiquette by Bluestocking on the Bluestocking Blog.
10 Reasons Why Working at the Library is Better than the Coffee Shop—by April Borbon on Freelance Switch
That Jerk? C'est Moi –Malcolm Gladwell for Wall Street Journal
There are other places where I’ll write…the library, the diner, the park. Leaving home can definitely help me hit a word count goal.
Do you ever have to escape your house to be able to write? Where do you go?
Writing at home is difficult sometimes.I do much of my writing at home, most of it before 5:30 a.m. But I’ve been trying to write a little extra each day for the past week or so (inspired by the intrepid NaNoWriMoers).
The problem is that my house can become pretty distracting during the day—likely one reason why I write so early in the morning. The week before the election was especially annoying with the automated phone calls. Then there’s the dryer buzzer, the cat who likes to sit on my keyboard, the housework that needs to be done…
So Wednesday, after dropping off a carpool at the middle school, I set off for the coffee shop. The library was still closed and I needed extra coffee anyway.
I haven’t been in Starbucks for a while, and felt that I’d accidentally stepped into another dimension. It seemed to be populated by young women named Dakota and striking men wearing sunglasses indoors. Unfortunately, I was wearing carpool couture and putting on makeup hadn’t crossed my mind. I just ordered my small coffee, dark roast (they managed to translate that order into Starbuck language) and settled down at a small table with my story.
I didn’t have my laptop with me so I pulled out a battered composition notebook that still had Math and my daughter’s name written on it (and many perfectly-good blank pages in it.)
And I wrote a good 1000 words there in about 30 minutes.
There are definitely different types of coffeehouse visits. To me, they fall in two groups—the visits where the writer is looking for characters and inspiration, and the visits where the writer needs to get some writing done, stat.
I used to fall more in the prior camp, but lately, the only times I find myself at the coffee shop is when I’m frantically trying to meet a deadline or two.
What helps if you’re trying to get work done at coffee shops:
Notebook—I do prefer to write in a notebook when I’m writing away from home. It’s just easier to manage and I don’t worry about sloshing coffee on my computer. And I don’t feel particularly conspicuous.
Several pencils—I haven’t gotten to the point where I want to write in pen.
Music and headphones—I’d forgotten how loud the coffee shop could be. Fortunately, I had earbuds in my pocketbook…and my phone, which has Pandora on it. I have a station for New Age music and I plugged into it. (Might want to make sure your data plan supports music streaming if you do this through your phone. But Pandora has saved me several times when I was writing in the carpool line and someone was having a noisy cellphone conversation in the next car.)
Having your manuscript or outline on the cloud—I’ve found it handy to be able to refer to my story or an outline when I’m away from home. You can upload your manuscript/outline to a place like Google Docs where you can access it from anywhere, using your laptop or smart phone. (It’s free…you only need a gmail address to use it.) Or you can access story planning software on your phone/laptop…like Mike Fleming’s Hiveword.
The rules I follow for writing in a coffee shop:
Watch the time—I try to make sure I’m not monopolizing a table for too long, unless the place is totally dead. This also has the benefit of providing me with a deadline of sorts and I write quicker.
Put my back to the room—If I’m doing deadline-writing and not finding-characters-writing, then I sit where I can’t see people and just focus on my notebook.
Purchase regularly—If the coffee shop is very quiet and I stay a little longer…I make sure I keep buying things so I don’t wear out my welcome. A coffee here, a pastry here.
Avoid connecting to the internet or using your smart phone…except when referring to your manuscript or outline on the cloud—I’m trying to avoid distractions by writing in a coffeehouse. And the internet is the biggest distraction of all.
Other posts on the topic:
Coffee Shop Etiquette by Bluestocking on the Bluestocking Blog.
10 Reasons Why Working at the Library is Better than the Coffee Shop—by April Borbon on Freelance Switch
That Jerk? C'est Moi –Malcolm Gladwell for Wall Street Journal
There are other places where I’ll write…the library, the diner, the park. Leaving home can definitely help me hit a word count goal.
Do you ever have to escape your house to be able to write? Where do you go?
November 7, 2012
Getting Stuck and Working Through It
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Last week I was working on my current project. I felt good about it. I was definitely in the writing zone and everything was going well.
Then I got to page eighty and I stopped cold. Something wasn’t right with the book’s pace. I was advancing plot points too quickly and wasn’t nearly far enough along in the book for the second body to be discovered….but it had been.
I got that familiar chill of what the hell am I doing? that I get for every book. I'll get the feeling that I’ve massively messed up and don’t know what I’m going to do to get out of the mess.
Then I did what I always do. I wrote the next scene. Because I did know what I wanted to write next—the suspects being questioned after the second body is found. I kept right on going, ignoring the mess for now.
I’ve found, for me, that the only way to fix a problem is just to go on and finish the skeleton for the book.
Then I’ll go back and adjust. Pace is going too fast in the first half of the book? What am I missing? Oh. I didn’t really flesh out who these suspects are, did I? I’ll add it. And…oh, I wanted a particular subplot to give my protagonist more opportunities to grow in this book, didn’t I? I’ll add it.
We can’t get crippled when our manuscript fails to live up to our imagined masterpiece. Finish it, fix it. But finish it, first. Others will disagree here, which is fine. Whatever works—if it works better for you to edit as you go, do that.
For me, though, if I get stuck trying to fix an unfinished book, I end up tinkering with the thing so much that the story never moves forward. For me, the big picture of the book in its entirety is crucial when I’m figuring out where I went wrong and what needs to be fixed.
Writing out of order: If I’m stuck because I’m not exactly sure how to move forward with my story (which sometimes happens when I don’t outline…and I frequently don’t outline), then I’ll sometimes skip ahead and write a major scene or even the ending…just something that I already am planning on writing and know the outcome of. Once I wrote a book completely out of order. I can’t really recommend doing that. It was a mess to put together again and fix the transitions.
Writing ‘backwards’: I’ve also written half of a book from the end to the point where I got stuck. If you’re thinking about your story in terms of scenes, this is easy enough if you know your ending better than your midpoint.
And then there’s always the old standby…outlining. I’m not a fan, but I’ve made my peace with outlining since I have an editor who requires it. I make mine as general as possible and keep my plot flexible in case I need to make big adjustments. It helps if I don’t think of it as an outline—if I think of it as brainstorming a plan.
These are ideas for moving the plot forward when we’ve realized there’s a problem with our story and are getting bogged down with the problem. I’ve also written about other ways to keep moving ahead when we’ve gotten stuck. In that post I recommended writing in different locations, changing around our writing schedule, and making lists (among other things.)
How do you keep moving forward with your story?
Image—MorgueFile—ZeroSilence3
Last week I was working on my current project. I felt good about it. I was definitely in the writing zone and everything was going well.Then I got to page eighty and I stopped cold. Something wasn’t right with the book’s pace. I was advancing plot points too quickly and wasn’t nearly far enough along in the book for the second body to be discovered….but it had been.
I got that familiar chill of what the hell am I doing? that I get for every book. I'll get the feeling that I’ve massively messed up and don’t know what I’m going to do to get out of the mess.
Then I did what I always do. I wrote the next scene. Because I did know what I wanted to write next—the suspects being questioned after the second body is found. I kept right on going, ignoring the mess for now.
I’ve found, for me, that the only way to fix a problem is just to go on and finish the skeleton for the book.
Then I’ll go back and adjust. Pace is going too fast in the first half of the book? What am I missing? Oh. I didn’t really flesh out who these suspects are, did I? I’ll add it. And…oh, I wanted a particular subplot to give my protagonist more opportunities to grow in this book, didn’t I? I’ll add it.
We can’t get crippled when our manuscript fails to live up to our imagined masterpiece. Finish it, fix it. But finish it, first. Others will disagree here, which is fine. Whatever works—if it works better for you to edit as you go, do that.
For me, though, if I get stuck trying to fix an unfinished book, I end up tinkering with the thing so much that the story never moves forward. For me, the big picture of the book in its entirety is crucial when I’m figuring out where I went wrong and what needs to be fixed.
Writing out of order: If I’m stuck because I’m not exactly sure how to move forward with my story (which sometimes happens when I don’t outline…and I frequently don’t outline), then I’ll sometimes skip ahead and write a major scene or even the ending…just something that I already am planning on writing and know the outcome of. Once I wrote a book completely out of order. I can’t really recommend doing that. It was a mess to put together again and fix the transitions.
Writing ‘backwards’: I’ve also written half of a book from the end to the point where I got stuck. If you’re thinking about your story in terms of scenes, this is easy enough if you know your ending better than your midpoint.
And then there’s always the old standby…outlining. I’m not a fan, but I’ve made my peace with outlining since I have an editor who requires it. I make mine as general as possible and keep my plot flexible in case I need to make big adjustments. It helps if I don’t think of it as an outline—if I think of it as brainstorming a plan.
These are ideas for moving the plot forward when we’ve realized there’s a problem with our story and are getting bogged down with the problem. I’ve also written about other ways to keep moving ahead when we’ve gotten stuck. In that post I recommended writing in different locations, changing around our writing schedule, and making lists (among other things.)
How do you keep moving forward with your story?
Image—MorgueFile—ZeroSilence3
November 5, 2012
Adoption in Fiction, Part II--Guest Post by Laura Dennis
by Laura Dennis, @LauraDennisCA
Adoptees as ticking time bombs, “he’s
f---ed up because he’s adopted.” ... There’s
more to it than that!
In last Thursday’s guest post, I wrote about problems
inherent in using adoption as a literary device in fiction. Today I’ll offer
solutions for creating nuanced adopted characters and plotlines.
Before I get all writerly* and practical, it’s full-disclosure
time: I was adopted as an infant in a closed, private adoption.
Terminology
Within the adoption community, there’s ongoing
debate about nomenclature ... Who cares
more about words than writers?
There’s the issue of who’s the “real” parent—the
one who raised the child, or the one who birthed her?
Um ... Both are real, this isn’t the Easter Bunny we’re talking about! They both exist. Attempting to “give credit where
credit is due” overlooks the reality that a birth mother is a mother, just one who didn’t raise her baby.
There are alternative phrases such as first
and second parents, birth mom, biological mother and adoptive mom. Some adult
adoptees opt out and call everyone by their first names.
On the other end of the spectrum is a woman I
read about recently who got pregnant as a result of being raped. She refers to
herself as the “maternal source” for that particular relinquished child (with
whom she wants no contact). She calls herself “mom” for the rest of her kids. Go
figure.
With something as simple as terminology,
writers can add nuance to their characters’ personalities, address questions of
identity, and show change and growth.
Writer Stacy
Clafin says that in her
upcoming YA novel, Deception, the main
character, Alexis, begins her journey frustrated with her adoptive parents,
longing for her birth parents. But she learns that she wouldn't be the person
that she is without what each parent has given her.
As a way of
distinguishing, Clafin says, “Alexis calls her adoptive parents ‘mom and dad’
and her birth parents ‘mother and father.’”
Let’s get technical—literary
devices
Adoption can be used to great effect as a Chekhov's gun , in which a
seemingly insignificant aspect of a character's background becomes important
later on. In other words, the circumstances of the character’s adoption become
a plot twist, a "reveal."
But it’s important to not use adoption as a
cop-out. For example, blogger and adoption activist Amanda
Woolston takes issue with Christian, the adopted Fifty Shades of Grey character
Portraying
adoptees and fostered adults as psychotic, making the only representation of an
original mother as the stereotypical "crack wh*re" ... That's not all
that "gray" to me.
For people who have experienced the
life-altering complications of adoption, such simple explanations are dues ex machina , an unsatisfying
way of resolving a story’s conflict.
Truly, there are many interesting, creative
ways to write-in psychosis. Adoption doesn’t need to be the over-arching
explanation for a character’s mental issues. Have you ever written an adopted
character? What are your thoughts on adoption in fiction?
*
* * * *
Laura Dennis
was born and adopted in New Jersey, raised in Maryland. You can read more about
her adoption reunion and brief bout with insanity in Adopted Reality, A Memoir , now available in paperback and ebook.
November is NaBloPoMo, and we, the contributors at Lost Daughters,
are posting each day on a different adoption topic. It’s worth checking out.
* Yes, I know, writerly isn’t a word, but it
should be!
Adoptees as ticking time bombs, “he’s
f---ed up because he’s adopted.” ... There’s
more to it than that!
In last Thursday’s guest post, I wrote about problems
inherent in using adoption as a literary device in fiction. Today I’ll offer
solutions for creating nuanced adopted characters and plotlines.
Before I get all writerly* and practical, it’s full-disclosure
time: I was adopted as an infant in a closed, private adoption.
Terminology
Within the adoption community, there’s ongoing
debate about nomenclature ... Who cares
more about words than writers?
There’s the issue of who’s the “real” parent—the
one who raised the child, or the one who birthed her?
Um ... Both are real, this isn’t the Easter Bunny we’re talking about! They both exist. Attempting to “give credit where
credit is due” overlooks the reality that a birth mother is a mother, just one who didn’t raise her baby.
There are alternative phrases such as first
and second parents, birth mom, biological mother and adoptive mom. Some adult
adoptees opt out and call everyone by their first names.
On the other end of the spectrum is a woman I
read about recently who got pregnant as a result of being raped. She refers to
herself as the “maternal source” for that particular relinquished child (with
whom she wants no contact). She calls herself “mom” for the rest of her kids. Go
figure.
With something as simple as terminology,
writers can add nuance to their characters’ personalities, address questions of
identity, and show change and growth.
Writer Stacy
Clafin says that in her
upcoming YA novel, Deception, the main
character, Alexis, begins her journey frustrated with her adoptive parents,
longing for her birth parents. But she learns that she wouldn't be the person
that she is without what each parent has given her.
As a way of
distinguishing, Clafin says, “Alexis calls her adoptive parents ‘mom and dad’
and her birth parents ‘mother and father.’”
Let’s get technical—literary
devices
Adoption can be used to great effect as a Chekhov's gun , in which a
seemingly insignificant aspect of a character's background becomes important
later on. In other words, the circumstances of the character’s adoption become
a plot twist, a "reveal."
But it’s important to not use adoption as a
cop-out. For example, blogger and adoption activist Amanda
Woolston takes issue with Christian, the adopted Fifty Shades of Grey character
Portraying
adoptees and fostered adults as psychotic, making the only representation of an
original mother as the stereotypical "crack wh*re" ... That's not all
that "gray" to me.
For people who have experienced the
life-altering complications of adoption, such simple explanations are dues ex machina , an unsatisfying
way of resolving a story’s conflict.
Truly, there are many interesting, creative
ways to write-in psychosis. Adoption doesn’t need to be the over-arching
explanation for a character’s mental issues. Have you ever written an adopted
character? What are your thoughts on adoption in fiction?
*
* * * *
Laura Dennis
was born and adopted in New Jersey, raised in Maryland. You can read more about
her adoption reunion and brief bout with insanity in Adopted Reality, A Memoir , now available in paperback and ebook.
November is NaBloPoMo, and we, the contributors at Lost Daughters,
are posting each day on a different adoption topic. It’s worth checking out.
* Yes, I know, writerly isn’t a word, but it
should be!
November 4, 2012
Shorter Novels in the Digital Age?
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
The key to discoverability, at this point, seems to be either writing a blockbuster of a book (which we’d all clearly be doing, if it were such an easy endeavor), or owning a lot of real estate on Amazon. In other words, having a lot of books available for sale at Amazon.
Readers seem to like series. And readers are impatient for the next book…evidenced by semi-joking notes I’ll get on Facebook from readers: “Can’t you write faster?”
And I’m thinking, “Okay….but I’m writing four books a year. Isn’t that fast enough?” No, I’d never respond to a reader that way. I’ll usually answer back on Facebook by thanking them and encouraging them to read one of my other series. And I take their question as a compliment—although it stings a little, too.
I read a post last week by D.D. Scott on “The Writer’s Guide to e-Publishing” blog, entitled: Indie Epublished Authors: Build Your Backlist Quicker with Shorter-Length Novels.
In it, D.D. (who’s had a very successful e-publishing career) took an informal reader poll and found that:
I’m not going to put a book out every two months, no matter how much readers might like it. :) But at a shorter length…sure, I could write more books in a year.
My thoughts on this:
Readers don’t seem to mind short books. My shorter self-pubbed books have enjoyed a good reception from readers…several of whom even commented (in reviews and directly to me on Facebook, Twitter, and email) that they enjoyed the “quick reads.” One of mine is about 160 pages (according to Amazon), one is equivalent to 170 pages…and one is just listed as 366 kb. :) I know that book is roughly 59,000 words.
Shorter books mean that you can write more books in a shorter period of time. (Sometimes. If you’re a writer who naturally writes long, then it might be tough/time consuming for you to edit down to short length.)
For my genre (cozy/traditional mystery) my publisher expects a 75,000+ word book. No problem. I deliver those books, with that length, to them on a regular basis. But my first draft for those books was probably 55,000 words. That’s the basic story. That’s with no chapter breaks, little description, shorter hook time (if I’m incorporating food, quilting, etc. in a series…which I do for my two Penguin series), very little character description, sparse setting, and limited subplots.
If these books are poor quality, we’re going to end up in hot water. It doesn’t matter how much space you occupy on Amazon if readers hate your books. And readers remember. I think we all put out a book every once in a while that isn’t up to par. If every book we put out is a stinker, though, we’re cooking our own goose.
What I’m doing for now:
Continuing to write longer for my traditionally published books (as required by my contracts.)
Writing shorter books (but still, full-length novels) for my self-pubbed Myrtle Clover series (which started out as a traditional series).
I’m aiming for two traditionally published titles in a year and over two for my self-published titles (that’s two finished books and maybe be half-finished with a third. Or even have a finished third self-pub title ready for formatting.)
Keeping it in check:
I’ll watch out for burn-out and stale writing. I’ll ask my beta readers and freelance editors to tell me if my writing doesn’t seem fresh (I know my traditional editors will definitely let me know if it doesn’t.)
In the last couple of years, however, I’ve noticed that the more I write, the more I want to write. The more excited I get. The more confident I feel. The more I miss it when I have an odd day when it doesn’t get done (which means I squeeze it in at the end of the day, just to get that satisfied feeling. A writing addiction?)
The nice thing is that I think writing shorter books for my self-published series is giving me a creative shot in the arm. I’m thinking about new ways to explore writing the series—maybe holiday novellas. Traditional publishers can be leery about putting out holiday titles (short shelf life), but it’s something that’s always been interesting to me.
Do you write short? What are your thoughts about what the boom in digital publishing means for book length? As a reader, how frequently would you like to see titles release in your favorite series?
Image: Flickr: Biking Nikon
The key to discoverability, at this point, seems to be either writing a blockbuster of a book (which we’d all clearly be doing, if it were such an easy endeavor), or owning a lot of real estate on Amazon. In other words, having a lot of books available for sale at Amazon.Readers seem to like series. And readers are impatient for the next book…evidenced by semi-joking notes I’ll get on Facebook from readers: “Can’t you write faster?”
And I’m thinking, “Okay….but I’m writing four books a year. Isn’t that fast enough?” No, I’d never respond to a reader that way. I’ll usually answer back on Facebook by thanking them and encouraging them to read one of my other series. And I take their question as a compliment—although it stings a little, too.
I read a post last week by D.D. Scott on “The Writer’s Guide to e-Publishing” blog, entitled: Indie Epublished Authors: Build Your Backlist Quicker with Shorter-Length Novels.
In it, D.D. (who’s had a very successful e-publishing career) took an informal reader poll and found that:
1. Ideally, they would love to wait no longer than two months between new releases from their fave authors. (That keeps an author fresh in their minds.)
2. Because of their tight schedules as working moms and dads and/or grandmas and grandpas, and in today’s multi-media world, they love quick reads that they can (a) read or listen to during their commute or at lunch, (b) read while waiting on the kids at soccer practice, cheerleading practice, music lessons, dance lessons, etc., (c) read while in a doctor’s waiting room, and (d) read knowing that the characters they’ve come to love will be back very soon with a new adventure.
3. Their attention spans are getting shorter and shorter so they like something they can invest a relatively short time in. Get great laughs and move on.
4. They have no clue how long a book “should” be. As long as the story is great, they don’t care either. Except that, again, they do have short attention spans that are getting even shorter.
**********************
I’m not going to put a book out every two months, no matter how much readers might like it. :) But at a shorter length…sure, I could write more books in a year.
My thoughts on this:
Readers don’t seem to mind short books. My shorter self-pubbed books have enjoyed a good reception from readers…several of whom even commented (in reviews and directly to me on Facebook, Twitter, and email) that they enjoyed the “quick reads.” One of mine is about 160 pages (according to Amazon), one is equivalent to 170 pages…and one is just listed as 366 kb. :) I know that book is roughly 59,000 words.
Shorter books mean that you can write more books in a shorter period of time. (Sometimes. If you’re a writer who naturally writes long, then it might be tough/time consuming for you to edit down to short length.)
For my genre (cozy/traditional mystery) my publisher expects a 75,000+ word book. No problem. I deliver those books, with that length, to them on a regular basis. But my first draft for those books was probably 55,000 words. That’s the basic story. That’s with no chapter breaks, little description, shorter hook time (if I’m incorporating food, quilting, etc. in a series…which I do for my two Penguin series), very little character description, sparse setting, and limited subplots.
If these books are poor quality, we’re going to end up in hot water. It doesn’t matter how much space you occupy on Amazon if readers hate your books. And readers remember. I think we all put out a book every once in a while that isn’t up to par. If every book we put out is a stinker, though, we’re cooking our own goose.
What I’m doing for now:
Continuing to write longer for my traditionally published books (as required by my contracts.)
Writing shorter books (but still, full-length novels) for my self-pubbed Myrtle Clover series (which started out as a traditional series).
I’m aiming for two traditionally published titles in a year and over two for my self-published titles (that’s two finished books and maybe be half-finished with a third. Or even have a finished third self-pub title ready for formatting.)
Keeping it in check:
I’ll watch out for burn-out and stale writing. I’ll ask my beta readers and freelance editors to tell me if my writing doesn’t seem fresh (I know my traditional editors will definitely let me know if it doesn’t.)
In the last couple of years, however, I’ve noticed that the more I write, the more I want to write. The more excited I get. The more confident I feel. The more I miss it when I have an odd day when it doesn’t get done (which means I squeeze it in at the end of the day, just to get that satisfied feeling. A writing addiction?)
The nice thing is that I think writing shorter books for my self-published series is giving me a creative shot in the arm. I’m thinking about new ways to explore writing the series—maybe holiday novellas. Traditional publishers can be leery about putting out holiday titles (short shelf life), but it’s something that’s always been interesting to me.
Do you write short? What are your thoughts about what the boom in digital publishing means for book length? As a reader, how frequently would you like to see titles release in your favorite series?
Image: Flickr: Biking Nikon
November 3, 2012
Twitterific
by
Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Twitterific is a compilation of all the writing links I shared the previous week.
The
links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by
writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 18,000 free articles
on writing-related topics. Sign up for our free newsletter for monthly writing
tips and interviews with top contributors to the WKB or like us on Facebook.
Try “My WKB”--a way for you to list and sort articles, view your read
articles, and see your search history. Read more about it here: http://bit.ly/S9thqS .
The free My WKB page is here: http://bit.ly/PV8Ueb . And check out Hiveword to help you organize your story.
Instances that might require
writing a longer scene: http://bit.ly/PSjaG5
@LynnetteLabelle
Beginnings: Action and Change: http://bit.ly/PSjfJZ @jodimeadows
Pros and cons of 1st person POV and 3rd person close: http://bit.ly/SeF03f
@JudgeHopkins
Write Fiction that Grabs
Readers from Page 1: http://bit.ly/R1ynPY
@writersdigest
5 observations from the big marketing world: http://bit.ly/Y1SzHr
@junglereds
Where were all the publishers
at #WDCW12? http://bit.ly/R2Ygz0
@Porter_Anderson @jamesscottbell @jpfine
Using diaries as clues in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/VhGrTs
@mkinberg
The fifteen professions that drink the most coffee. Yes, writers made the list. http://bit.ly/R1xFSP @i09
Tips for writers approaching a
transmedia future: http://bit.ly/PSWK7u
@Porter_Anderson @Jeff_Gomez
Tips for setting up a novel
series: http://bit.ly/R32CWR
Knowing when your script is
finished: http://bit.ly/PSYAWa
@gointothestory
10 ways to use a writer's
conference to market your work: http://bit.ly/R32NkW
@michellerafter
3 Ways To Create Incredible
Characters: http://bit.ly/PSYFcf
@woodwardkaren @thecreativepenn
How to Mind Map in 3 Small
Steps: http://bit.ly/WXinnK @lifehackorg
Make Your Own NaNoWriMo
Survival Kit: http://bit.ly/S6uddd
@LauraHoward78 @WriteNowCoach
Demystifying Science Fictional
Terms: http://bit.ly/S6qNai @KirkusReviews
@sfsignal
The 15-Minute Writer: Building
Your Platform: http://bit.ly/PT6f6F
The Fundamentals of Verbs: http://bit.ly/R3i5X3 @writing_tips
Making an emotional connection:
http://bit.ly/R3ig4x
Tips for
writers approaching a transmedia future: http://bit.ly/PSWK7u
@Porter_Anderson @Jeff_Gomez
Kitchen Sink That First Draft: http://bit.ly/PT6vmk @janefriedman
Create Key Moments with
Secondary Characters: http://bit.ly/PT6ChB
@livewritethrive
Is It Worth Converting an Old
Book Into an eBook? http://bit.ly/R3iHvF
@jfbookman
Are you world building or world
recycling? http://bit.ly/PT6NcR @WriterLor
Thoughts on Narrative Framing
Devices: http://bit.ly/R3j5Kz
@KgElfland2ndCuz
25 Ways To Get Your Creative
Groove Back As A Writer: http://bit.ly/R3jjS5
{lang}
12 Signs Your Blog Is a Social
Media Ghost Town (& Actionable Tips to Fix Them): http://bit.ly/SuzqK8 @heidicohen
Empathizing With Literary
Agents: http://bit.ly/U1d1TM
@passivevoiceblg
How Professional Writers Avoid
Distractions: http://bit.ly/U1d81O
@thecreativepenn
6 Ways to Make Researching
Easier: http://bit.ly/SceslM @janice_hardy
@AmieKaufman
Writing Historical Romance, Not
History Lessons: http://bit.ly/U1dlCb
@TexasDruids
Why Evernote is Great for
Writers: http://bit.ly/SceNoF @ava_jae
Tips for uncluttered prose: http://bit.ly/SceVV0 @JodieRennerEd
@angelaackerman
Weak words: http://bit.ly/U1dAgx
Tips for email mailing lists: http://bit.ly/Scf8rv+|+Duolit%29&utm_content=Google+Reader
@duolit
Using Life's Disasters to Add
Authenticity to Your Writing: http://bit.ly/ScffmH
@CMKaufman
Neil Gaiman's 8 Rules of
Writing: http://bit.ly/ScfkHa @brainpicker
Promote your writing business
through your email signature: http://bit.ly/Scfqyx
@michellerafter
Scoring the Book Review, Guest
Post or Interview: http://bit.ly/ScfvSW
@KristenLambTX
The Importance of Undisciplined
Thinking: http://bit.ly/ScfIpc
@creativitypost
How to Fascinate Others...and
Why Authors Should Take Note: http://bit.ly/U1e9qG
@jeanniecampbell
When Not to Show the Action: http://bit.ly/U1ekC5 @KMWeiland
9 Point Checklist for Book
Manuscripts: http://bit.ly/U1epWF
@AdriennedeWolfe
Creating story flow: the secret
power of cause and effect: http://bit.ly/U1eARz
@karenschrav
E-books in Libraries: They
Still Don't Get It: http://bit.ly/U1f6iA
@JAKonrath
Screenwriting--Why "The
Princess Bride" should not work as a movie: http://bit.ly/SchF50
http://bit.ly/U1fdL1 @gointothestory
10 Tips for Launching your
Steampunk Project on Kickstarter: http://bit.ly/U1fpdp
@Julia_Brannon
Want to benefit from criticism?
Approach it like a scientist: http://bit.ly/U1fE8f
@AlexLickerman
The Balance Between
Authenticity and Creativity: http://bit.ly/Sciniw
@PatrickRwrites
The Future is Bright for
Writers: http://bit.ly/Scjj6H
10 frequently-confused words: http://bit.ly/Scjte4 @writerscramp1
Learning to Improve Your
Writing: http://bit.ly/ScjEGr @4YALit
Tips for getting exposure for
your book: http://bit.ly/ScjLl9
@LauraHoward78
Ebooks as native apps vs. web
apps: http://oreil.ly/RToMMU @jwikert
Don't Stop Writing in the Ugly
Middle: http://bit.ly/VP4mKW @joebunting
A No Stress Guide to World
Building: http://bit.ly/RTp9Hj
@howtowriteshop
Stuck for a word? http://bit.ly/VP4v13 @emergentpublish
Co-Authoring: The Good, the
Bad, and the Ugly: http://bit.ly/RTpFVV
@rachellegardner
Why You Need an Author Platform
– and How to Get One: http://bit.ly/VP4SJ3
Chapter One Analysis: The
Casual Vacancy: http://bit.ly/TM55pa
@mooderino
How To Write Every Day: Jerry
Seinfeld And The Chain Method: http://bit.ly/SoyVDd
@woodwardkaren
3 Steps to Living an Authentic
Life Online: http://bit.ly/TM5g3M
@geofftalbot
Testing Your Idea–Is it Strong
Enough to Make an Interesting Novel? http://bit.ly/SozaxY
@KristenLambTX
40 Tips to Boost Your Writing
Skills to Master Level: http://bit.ly/TM5kQY
@lifehackorg
How to Conquer Self Doubt And
Just Write: http://bit.ly/SozhJY
@writersdigest
An agent makes a case for the
importance of agents: http://bit.ly/TM6lIR
@passivevoiceblg
Analyst
less optimistic that publishers will adapt to changing industry: http://bit.ly/Txd2m2 @brianoleary @kevin2kelly
@Porter_Anderson
Why 1 writer is proud of her
chick-lit novel: http://slate.me/SoApxg
@salon
Can Posting Stories on Wattpad
Help You Sell Books? http://bit.ly/TM6ufl
@goblinwriter @cj_archer
Startups and Publishers: It
Ain't Easy: http://oreil.ly/SoAvoG
@hughmcguire
Screenwriting: Why "The
Princess Bride" should not work as a movie: Part 3: http://bit.ly/SoAwsE @gointothestory
Priming your Creativity: http://bit.ly/TM6BYo @MichaelMichalko
A beat sheet for a popular
song: http://bit.ly/TM6FaB
Why You Need an Author Platform
– and How to Get One: http://bit.ly/VP4SJ3
The strength of female
characterization: http://bit.ly/R0FiZX
@Riduna
What It Really Takes to Get
Published: http://bit.ly/Tgxcfp @jeffgoins
@MichaelHyatt
15 Familial Terms and Their
Other Meanings: http://bit.ly/VRC96r
@writing_tips
How to Make Writing More Like a
Real Job: http://bit.ly/TgxfYE
Physical Attributes Entry:
Knees: http://bit.ly/VRF2Em @angelaackerman
7 Completely Insane Golden and
Silver Age Superhero Origins: http://bit.ly/TgyV4s
@ToplessRobot
The One Thing Holding You Back
From Becoming a Successful Writer: http://bit.ly/VRFmmz
@krissybrady
How to speak publisher: F is
for Facebook: http://bit.ly/Tgz47Z
@annerooney
Jim Butcher On Writing: http://bit.ly/VRFClg @woodwardkaren
Fantasy in the short form: http://bit.ly/VRGWEZ @VickyThinks
How to Beat 7 Common
Self-Publishing Fears: http://bit.ly/TgzZ8q
@aliventure
Writing, Creativity, And The
Empowerment Of The Author In Publishing: http://bit.ly/VRHafk
@thecreativepenn
In praise of bad boys' books: http://bit.ly/TgA3oP @guardianbooks
How Writers Should Die: http://bit.ly/VRHASU @jamesscottbell
3 Types of Accidental Writing
to Avoid: http://bit.ly/S3s14C @writing_tips
A No Stress Guide to World
Building: http://bit.ly/RTp9Hj
@howtowriteshop
3 Obstacles to Writing an
Ebook: Too Overwhelming, Lacking Motivation, and Too Technical: http://bit.ly/S3YNT9 @KarenCV
Are Self-Published Books the
New Query Letter? http://bit.ly/PeUo1x
@LauraHoward78
Writers' Conference Tips: http://bit.ly/S3ZCeI
A Smart 8-Point Content
Marketing Strategy From a Failed TV Writer: http://bit.ly/PeUwy0
@copyblogger
Build Your Readership by
Simplifying Your Menu: http://bit.ly/PeUxC4
@writeitsideways
World Building Techniques —
Keep Your Reader Grounded In Your Story: http://bit.ly/S40fow
@FaeRowen
The Only 2 Things Authors Ought
to be Doing: http://bit.ly/S40TSU @JFBookman
Build Your Backlist Quicker
with Shorter-Length Novels: http://bit.ly/PeVf2e
Tips for writing sexual
tension: http://bit.ly/S41FiQ @laurahoward78
Freelancers--everything you
wanted to know about word counts: http://bit.ly/S46IzD
@michellerafter
How to Ask for a Blurb (Even
When You're Intimidated): http://bit.ly/S47v3F
@SarahPinneo
Great reasons to self-publish:
7 case histories: http://bit.ly/PeXNgR
Keeping Focused & Nailing
the Pitch–Understand Your "Seed Idea": http://bit.ly/S47SeC
@kristenlambTX
7 Things You Should Never Do
After Getting Revision Notes From An Editor: http://bit.ly/PeXVgy
@BryanThomasS
About Alliteration: http://bit.ly/PeY2sp @WriterSherry
Screenwriters: Set Pieces: Spin
the plot: http://bit.ly/S48zo9
@gointothestory
Indie publishing on the cheap: http://bit.ly/PeYeIf @sarahahoyt
4 Out Of 5 Publishers Now
Produce eBooks: Infographic: http://bit.ly/SorfSc
@galleycat
One Reason to Write Fantasy: http://bit.ly/YeLWkq
Read the Way You Write:
Classify It, Deconstruct It, Play with It: http://bit.ly/YeM03A
@susanjmorris
Apostrophe Placement in Proper
Names: http://bit.ly/SorxbL @writing_tips
3 Unexpected Ways to Quickly
Find Your Next Blog Post Idea: http://bit.ly/YeMgQ0
Why 1 reader enjoys reading YA:
http://bit.ly/YeMoPF @janine_ballard
6 Tests of a Solid Story
Premise and 8 Ways to Write One: http://bit.ly/SorVXX
@4YALit
12 tips for mastering the press
release: http://bit.ly/YeMMxq
@NatalieHartford
Different types of writer
platforms: http://bit.ly/YeNbjs
@woodwardkaren
7 Tips to Selling to a Stranger
at a Book Event: http://bit.ly/YeRFqf
@SouthrnWritrMag
When Should I Launch My Author
Website? http://bit.ly/SoT8d3 @authormedia
Analyst less optimistic that publishers will adapt to changing industry: http://bit.ly/Txd2m2@brianoleary @kevin2kelly @Porter_Anderson
Is Blogging a Time-Suck for
Writers? http://bit.ly/YfiDhz @jodyhedlund
10 Productivity Tips for
Writers: http://bit.ly/ScJ3Nu
@thecreativepenn @b3n3llis
The New World of Publishing:
Promotion: http://bit.ly/PiBOpe
@deanwesleysmith
Plots ~ Bigger Is Better: http://bit.ly/PiBSp9 @livewritethrive
Quick Tips for Promo Contests
& Giveaways: http://bit.ly/ScJG9X
@jfbookman
Why horror should be its own
genre: http://bit.ly/ScJZBG @AnnieNeugebauer
What
motives are behind the Penguin-Random House merger? What does it mean for
writers? http://bit.ly/Ul8T18 @dansabbagh
@Porter_Anderson @jwikert
How to get published? Finish
the story: http://bit.ly/ScKHik @chuckwendig
Writing lesson learned from
"A Lesson Before Dying": http://bit.ly/ScL1NV
@juliemusil
The importance of file backup: http://bit.ly/ScLcZI @behlerpublish
Bring on the digital overthrow
of publishing: http://bit.ly/PiCIlV
@passivevoiceblg
12 Gmail Plugins to Boost
Productivity: http://bit.ly/PiD0ZZ
@lifehackorg
Raise vs. Rise: http://bit.ly/ScMBiP @writersdigest
The Social Media 'Train Wreck'
That All Authors Must Avoid: http://bit.ly/ScNcRy
@jonathangunson
Creating momentum in writing: http://bit.ly/ScNp7s
Working with publishers is "soul-crushingly tough
and terminally slow": http://bit.ly/TxcHQg @gunzalis @Porter_Anderson
An agent with submission
suggestions: http://bit.ly/ScNGqZ
@SaraMegibow
