Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 206

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the last week.

I'm delighted that now we have an efficient method of locating resources on writing topics when you need them—via the Writer's Knowledge Base search engine and software engineer and writer Mike Fleming's ingenuity. The links I tweet (which are writers' blogs, agents' and editors' blogs) all are added to the engine to make it easier for you to access the information you're looking for.

Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

How to Punctuate Dialogue in Novels and Short Stories: http://bit.ly/h0EnDm

An editor on show and tell: http://bit.ly/hBIFiJ

Use a character web to track your characters: http://bit.ly/hCLgoI

3 types of secondary characters: http://bit.ly/fCq6cp

17 Places to Get Headline Ideas: http://bit.ly/edroWD

Description 101: Is Your Description Helping Your Story or Holding it Back? http://bit.ly/dEcdw9

How one writer's nonfiction project came to life: http://bit.ly/gQFQps

What No Writer Should Ignore - Their Health: http://bit.ly/hWnm02

3 Guidelines for Creating a Title with Shelf Appeal: http://bit.ly/e30ua2

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: IRISH STEW http://bit.ly/gAiEfm @CleoCoyle

On Epistolary Novels: http://bit.ly/ewGLvd

On motivation: http://bit.ly/dH9RF7

Writer/editor @JaneFriedman 's thoughts on drinking + life + writing: http://bit.ly/dQCLXV

Types of writing warm-ups: http://bit.ly/dMBEJ5

The Armchair BEA: http://bit.ly/hKfWtH

Character traits instead of physical descriptions to identify characters & writing prompts for warm ups: http://bit.ly/eME5Yj @writeprompts

Turning Short Stories Into A Novel: http://bit.ly/fC4Jdr

50 Ways to Dodge The Blog Burnout Sucker Punch: http://bit.ly/eTbDPl

My Story Got Workshopped. Now What? http://bit.ly/hsKtbl

On conflict and the amount to have in your story: http://bit.ly/eRoy4G

Who's Misusing Whose? http://bit.ly/fdP2l5

Scenes that do double-duty. Or when your characters need to unionize: http://bit.ly/e9KXwl

Making Writing Your Business: Specifying Actions: http://bit.ly/gzYwSe

Tips for writing a travel memoir: http://bit.ly/gJuc9C

Get control of your characters: http://bit.ly/glAotz

Read, read, read – and why you should: http://bit.ly/h5duUN

5 things stand-up comedians can teach you about self-publishing: http://bit.ly/fG4xbk

The role of memory in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/fg7j8y @mkinberg

A Defense of Traditional Publishing: http://bit.ly/fFMZUr

For Earth Day: 7 Ways to be a Green Writer: http://bit.ly/hoT4px @LauraMarcella

Ways for Writers to Stay Fit: http://bit.ly/hbJR9Y

The Skill List Project: Viewpoint and Story Experience: http://bit.ly/g8iwOY

Slow Blogging: A Commitment: http://bit.ly/gHGzVH

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Lemon Cookies for Easter http://bit.ly/eGGivt @CleoCoyle

An editorial chat on prose: http://bit.ly/eIFZFH

Fantasy Is Not Safe: http://bit.ly/h9eR98

Are you prepared to answer the question, "What's your book about?"? http://bit.ly/fbdRlI @jamigold

Writing rituals: http://bit.ly/ekvaXp

Can't Write? Draw: http://bit.ly/gNhzlN

Working Through an Agent's Critique Letter: http://bit.ly/fZIYts @4kidlit

Guest Blogging Etiquette: Let's Make a Deal: http://bit.ly/gvJ4gM

Things to consider before branching out into other genres: http://bit.ly/hoxZQv

What to Do When Your Writing Takes a Back Seat: http://bit.ly/f7ENtj

How to choose the best story idea: http://bit.ly/h9Ii1X

5 Critical Areas to Focus On For Writing Skills Growth: http://bit.ly/igIdVY

Self-editing checklist--voice and viewpoint: http://bit.ly/eTMFJT

How Amazon Recommendation Algorithms Help Sell Your Book: http://bit.ly/fh8Mr3 @thecreativepenn

Making the Author-Editor Connection: The Importance of Being Edited: http://bit.ly/ga3IjE

7 Reasons Why Your Posts Aren't Getting Retweeted: http://bit.ly/ejBnvX

Got social media app challenges? A software trainer & writer wants to help: http://bit.ly/f9vHke @jhansenwrites

Why one writer quit querying: http://bit.ly/e4glqJ @keligwyn

Doubtlessly, there is doubt: http://bit.ly/exObqc

Writing Your Character's Thoughts: http://bit.ly/h9uACh @CherylRWrites

A Yes-and-No Answer About Hyphenating Phrases: http://bit.ly/ig8sHh

Exploring the difference between having readers and having *fans*: http://bit.ly/huGo6J

Mental Signposts That Tell, Not Show: http://bit.ly/g1Jhi3

Defining foundation concepts: http://bit.ly/fQFjKO

7 Secrets of Creating Effective Email Campaigns: http://bit.ly/eP8jCF

A revision success story: http://bit.ly/gdG9cX

Beware Milli Vanilli Syndrome: http://bit.ly/giNYwT

Broadcastr Launches Android App: http://bit.ly/gkvJmR @galleycat

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Easter Dessert http://bit.ly/gEySIx @CleoCoyle

Is Myth Dead? What is Myth and how did we kill it? http://bit.ly/fOl4tb @agent139

4 Ways to Keep Your Lifeless Blog from Boring Your Readers to Tears: http://bit.ly/eZSWNz

13 Ways to Screw Up Your Query: http://bit.ly/fQMKOU

10 Tips for Writing Excellence From Top Writing Bloggers: http://bit.ly/eb3aJR

Help For Those Late Night Fights With Your Blog: http://dld.bz/Xtsj @jhansenwrites

Beneath Our Feet and Above Our Heads: http://bit.ly/eZ4Et4

On Earning Out: http://bit.ly/hWNNmK

7 Considerations When Writing Descriptions: http://bit.ly/dXuUTg @authorterryo

Standing Out in the Slushpile: Some Basic Tips: http://bit.ly/eAQCrU

What were this month's most popular writing articles? Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for links & interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

Best of the Best - Speculative Fiction Resources: http://bit.ly/fu8KqU @bluemaven

Top 10 Reasons You Should Rewrite That Scene: http://bit.ly/fav9gu

5 brutal truths about feedback on writing: http://bit.ly/fq7GYz @jammer0501

If you've had near misses with agents and publishers – should you self-publish? http://bit.ly/hveW7E @dirtywhitecandy

Blogs and branding: http://bit.ly/gOFDNX

Writing and taxes: http://bit.ly/dR5H4H

Care and Feeding of the Discouraged Writer: http://bit.ly/iaItaE @CherylRWrites

Romantic comedy truisms: http://bit.ly/fI43lZ

Publishing, POD, eBooks, Self-Publishing—Indie Editor FAQ: http://bit.ly/eZuUIK

What Makes a Strong Female Character Strong? http://bit.ly/fL9usM

Do you know enough to self-publish? http://bit.ly/eUxi0U

Be a Transparent Tweeter: http://bit.ly/hKI4OZ

Mix your industry learning with writing time: http://bit.ly/f0yl9z @jamigold

A look at 'quiet' murder mysteries: http://bit.ly/e4H9c8 @mkinberg

Color theory and color symbolism: http://bit.ly/fx9gYI

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Quick Potato Casserole http://bit.ly/dWhmnR @CleoCoyle

10 Reasons Why You Should Be Blogging: http://bit.ly/g7hd82

Abstraction of interactions: http://bit.ly/hfSAma @RavenRequiem13

Mystery Writer's Guide To Forensic Science - Paternity Tests: http://bit.ly/h0bvfj @clarissadraper

On em dashes: http://bit.ly/eqdQoj

When did your love affair with books start? How one editor's love of books began: http://bit.ly/i3xdAV @p2p_editor

How Do Your Characters Sound? http://bit.ly/e4qMpc @Paize_Fiddler

Tips for designing your own cover from an author who's done it: http://bit.ly/gIjNDz , http://bit.ly/hT38oa, http://bit.ly/fwHD9i @smreine

Will E-Books Save Short Stories? http://bit.ly/gKsXlV @ajackwriting

10 lies you might tell yourself while editing: http://bit.ly/hj3bfV @elspethwrites

Reality vs Drama (modifying reality to fit our story needs): http://bit.ly/hNDgxu

Turn Writing Weaknesses into Strengths: http://bit.ly/es6K6P

The entire NY Times "Writers on Writing" series: http://bit.ly/eAUAeF via @Quotes4Writers

Fictional Time Travel That Won't Make a Physicist Cringe: http://bit.ly/gnVGx3

When Should Writers Worry About Copyright? http://bit.ly/g7SDJ7

12 Signs Your Novel isn't Ready to Publish: http://bit.ly/i3tSDY

5 Tips for Getting Back in the Groove: http://bit.ly/hfN8tb @CherylRWrites

3 myths about agents: http://bit.ly/epLWL9 @tawnafenske

What Will It Take To Make Science Fiction Romance "Truly Excellent"? http://bit.ly/hmgxWx

Using the sense of smell in your writing: http://bit.ly/eMbJve

The reader's experience: http://bit.ly/eK3h2G

Don't hide info that readers need: http://bit.ly/frISMF

Design themes for your WordPress site: http://bit.ly/idaGYF

Independent tracking of eBook sales: http://bit.ly/elNYKk

5 helpful questions for building a story: http://bit.ly/hLxQjY

Writing in the Golden Age of Ebooks: http://bit.ly/gDtn7Z

Scriptwriters: A Procrastinator's Guide to Surviving Act 2: http://bit.ly/g7ZpGh

Celebrating the 'empty nest' of a new book: http://bit.ly/geaQpf

The Ebook Will Evolve. So Should Authors: http://bit.ly/hfVWIN

The writer's thesaurus--now with entries for weather to join the entries for setting, emotions, symbolism: http://bit.ly/eIGRMO

How to develop raving blog fans: http://bit.ly/fZJODJ

The Writer's Life? Only You Know: http://bit.ly/hJkRE4

Think Like A Publisher #8… Price, Discounts, and Sales: http://bit.ly/edGdg3

10 Reasons to Practice Freewriting: http://bit.ly/g0vVEi @CherylRWrites

What were this month's most popular writing articles? Sign up for the monthly WKB newsletter for links & interviews: http://bit.ly/gx7hg1

Introducing The New Slush Readers: http://bit.ly/e9RB4f

Booksigning Etiquette: http://bit.ly/fbxSSD

The importance of pathos: http://bit.ly/gcGthd

Writing Your Character's Thoughts: 3rd Person Limited POV: http://bit.ly/dKAPQI @CherylRWrites

5 Qualities to Consider During Character Development: http://bit.ly/i8DP77

Brainstorming tips: http://bit.ly/eJFH9b

Style Sheets: An Editorial Tool: http://bit.ly/hSJTvn

Key Story Elements - Ordinary World and Special World: http://bit.ly/eHj75K

How to Avoid the Comparison Trap: http://bit.ly/e7elw9 @keligwyn

YA Deals By The Numbers: http://bit.ly/e4qFiC

They're Just Not That Into You: Dealing With Reviews: http://bit.ly/e9vL5N

An editorial chat on character development: http://bit.ly/fwqCT1 @dirtywhitecandy

Learn how to write a screenplay by studying great scripts: http://bit.ly/e1eC09 #scriptwriting

Freelancers--Avoiding Unscoped Work from Unreasonable Clients: http://bit.ly/gRV0dm

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Cadbury Creme Style Chocolate Easter Eggs From Scratch? http://bit.ly/hkCnEg @CleoCoyle

A Loose History of Vampires: http://bit.ly/fYBJcb

The Problem of Absolutes in Fantasy Literature: http://bit.ly/eMtibY

Do We Need Our Heroes to Slip? http://bit.ly/hq5UQP

Best Tweets for Writers (week ending 4/15/11): http://bit.ly/e1eN2v

A roundup of interesting links for historical writers: http://bit.ly/fgg9YP

The Dystopia/Utopia Dichotomy: http://bit.ly/ihAXWr

Book Fair Bewares for Writers: http://bit.ly/gOQplX

Overstuffed Dialogue: http://bit.ly/eRADSv

27 ways to promote your book—before writing it, before launching it, & after publishing it: http://bit.ly/f7E43A

Need help with scene transitions? http://bit.ly/fivggV

4 Places to Get Your Creative Juices Flowing: http://bit.ly/eamUcz

When the Words Won't Flow: 4 Tools to Try: http://bit.ly/ey9GkX @CherylRWrites

How Not to Use Speaker Tags and Action Beats: http://bit.ly/evgmqs

Just make the pancakes. http://bit.ly/ewkm9J @Christi_Craig

12 Weak Words We Can Turn into Strong Ones: http://bit.ly/dZ7EaA @keligwyn

Writing prompts to jumpstart creativity: http://bit.ly/fxp2iY @WritePrompts

Job-hunting advice for journalists selling skills in the digital market: http://bit.ly/eGeQoB

Novelist proposes to girlfriend in print (Guardian): http://bit.ly/gzkToV

The Aches and Pains of Being a Writer: http://bit.ly/fblaIr

E-publishing With a Publisher Versus Self-publishing: http://bit.ly/g11uQB

Slipping in Character Description: http://bit.ly/hnQSKy

How do you know which critique advice to take and which to ignore? http://bit.ly/hvPKBB

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Welcome Guest Blogger Amanda Flower http://bit.ly/fVBCoR @CleoCoyle

How To Amp Up Sexual Tension In Your Story: http://bit.ly/dSLNvg @RoniLoren

20 Great Similes from Literature to Inspire You: http://bit.ly/fR5WXP

Should we jot down story ideas we get, so we won't forget them? Stephen King says not to: http://bit.ly/gE4NkH @hektorkarl

7 Strategies to Keep Momentum When You Don't Have Time to Write: http://bit.ly/hJ5d2a @CherylRWrites

Want to write a book but don't know where to start? http://bit.ly/fjlaTJ

Mistaken Newbie Writer Beliefs: http://bit.ly/e7j6X5

Jewels in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/e8c7fD @mkinberg

Making a Good Impression

My children were off all week for spring break. We had a lunch date with my sister yesterday.

My plan was to drive to uptown Charlotte, pick her up outside her building, and go off to a sub shop for a casual lunch.

The children and I were just about to hop in the car when I got a text. "How about," my sister said, "if you park and come up in the building? We'll visit for a little while and the kids can see my office. Then we can go for lunch."

That sounded great, but the children and I looked really scruffy. I was wearing denim capris that had shrunk from staying in the dryer too long (oops) and a sweatshirt that had seen better days. My daughter had on an outfit that didn't match and my teenage son looked like he'd just rolled out of bed. We looked all right for a sub shop with my sister (maybe), but not good for going into a skyscraper of a major bank and meeting my sister's coworkers.

"Sure," I texted. Then we all changed clothes before we headed out. :) We met some nice people on the 18th floor and looked like upstanding citizens.

I spend a good deal of time trying to make sure that I'm giving a good impression to readers, other writers, and people in the publishing industry when they encounter me online.

Making a bad impression in person isn't good either, but at least those usually fade. If you mess up online, it lives online forever. It's like the mistake that keeps on giving.

I know that, on Google, my website is the first thing that comes up. Which, actually, is bizarre because I'm sure my blog gets more traffic. My website (although it needs updating) tells people a little about me and my books and how to contact me or buy my books. That's really its sole purpose. I keep it pretty basic. I think it's important to have some sort of website to serve as a hub for our online identity.

Another important place to make a good impression is blogging. Again, I've got a way to contact me, something about me, and a little about my books. For me, blogging is my favorite way to interact online. Although I know some writers do tread into political discussions or other controversial areas….I'm just not going to go there. I've heard of a couple of writers who got negative feedback from different publishers for expressing some of their (strong) opinions. And again it's the 'making a good impression' thing—I don't want to turn off any readers, for sure. I wouldn't assume that everyone shares my views on different subjects.

Online bookselling sites are other places where writers need to make a good impression. Actually, it's good to create a non-impression there. We really don't need to ever pipe up in the review section for our books. If we get a bad review, we get a bad review. Arguing with the reviewer really just looks unprofessional. There are times I've noticed, though, when readers have given a book a bad review because Amazon shipped it late, etc. In those cases, I'd just report the review to Amazon because it doesn't have anything to do with the book. But I still wouldn't defend my book online—I just don't think the writer ever wins.

Social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter are tricky sometimes because it's easy for words to be taken the wrong way. And I do recommend having a public Facebook identity and a private one. When my old friends from junior high want to friend me on my public page, I just gently suggest that they'd be more interested in my private one…and vice versa. Otherwise I'd end up being tagged in pictures from when I was 12 on my professional account. That would stress me out. :)

Looking back over this post, I'm realizing how cautious it sounds. I do interact a lot online every day—but I always read over what I'm saying before I hit 'send.' And with static sites (like my website), I try to make sure it's just serving its purpose.

How do you work to make a good impression online?

Writing Warm-ups

I have such a hectic schedule that I usually end up writing on the go, scribbling out a couple of paragraphs when I've got a few quiet minutes.

I used to think that I was doing this writing without any kind of warm-up. I'm realizing now that that's totally wrong—I'm warming up by my daily habit of blogging (and the fact that I write a little every day).

Warming up options:

Blogging—To me, blogging is one of the easiest ways to warm up for writing each day. Besides the great writing exercise, it's a nice way to stay in the habit of writing, develop friendships, and build a platform.

Morning Pages—I've heard a lot about Morning Pages (a daily warm-up recommended by author Julia Cameron in her book, The Artist's Way but haven't actually tried it myself. She states that:

Morning Pages are three pages of longhand, stream of consciousness writing, done first thing in the morning. There is no wrong way to do Morning Pages-- they are not high art. They are about anything and everything that crosses your mind-- and they are for your eyes only.

Short projects (poems, short stories, articles): Completing short projects can help you feel like you're making some creative headway, especially if it looks like the end of your novel is light years away. They're also nice if you're getting restless or bored with what you're currently working on.

Prompts: Prompts aren't only good for getting your creative juices flowing, I've heard some writers say that they can also inspire new direction for stories they're currently working on.

Recently, Anjie from Prompts for Writers asked me to be a guest poster and write some prompts. I do really like Anjie's site because she always comes up with more than one prompt—she'll have a journaling prompt, one for poetry, one for fiction, etc.—and I think her site would be a great resource for teachers as well as writers. My post is up there today: http://promptsforwriters.blogspot.com/ . (As a side note, I know that she's also looking for writers to guest there and write prompts…might be a unique part of some folks blog tours.)

How do you warm up for writing? Or do you jump right in? Or, like me, do you warm up early and then jump right in at several later points during your day?

Writing Other Genres

I've noticed a school of thought among writers that agents are excited about having jack-of-all-trade authors in their stables—who can write a variety of material in different genres. It would mean the writer is more salable, right?

From what I've heard from other writers, this isn't usually the point of view of their agents. I'm not speaking from personal experience because I'm only interested in writing traditional mysteries for the foreseeable future.

But I've heard that agents prefer it when writers specialize in a genre.

I think this is because you're easier to brand as a writer to editors that the agent might know. I'm pretty sure that my agent is branding me to editors as someone who writes traditional mysteries with Southern settings. It definitely makes it easier for me to get work. If someone wants a series that fits my profile, they know they can contact my agent about it.

When a writer writes several different genres (not genre-blending, but different genres for different books), I think it muddies the waters a little, in the agent's eyes. Now they need to brand you several different ways to their contacts. Maybe they need to develop new editorial contacts in areas where they haven't before.

I know that if I suddenly decided that I wanted to write children's picture books, I would need to find another agent for those books. My agent doesn't handle that—she says so on her site. I would be asking her to make totally new relationships with people in an area she doesn't plan on working in. Besides, I would want an agent that specializes in those types of books and has contacts in that genre, anyway.

If I were to switch genres, I'd almost definitely do it under a pseudonym. That's because I wouldn't want my mystery reading base accidentally buy books that are a totally different genre—possibly one they don't even read. That would be a good way to lose some readers.

Writing under a pen name basically means starting over with a fresh platform…getting that name known on Twitter, Facebook, blogs, etc. You'd have to work to tie in your pen name to your real name (that's already branded.) I've done this and it does take a lot of extra energy.

Agent Wendy Lawton wrote a great post some time ago on the Books and Such blog about switching genres. She points out that most of a writer's dedicated readers don't want to follow along into new writing ventures. She states:

They have expectations. They don't want you to write like Jodi Picoult. If they want Jodi Picoult, they'll buy Jodi Piccoult. They want you to write like you.

Another point that Wendy Lawton makes (that I hadn't really thought of) is this:

And wanting to write it all– even if we can– displays a strange kind of hubris. It's like you are saying you are all any reader needs. "You like mystery? I'll give you mystery. You want a tender memoir. I can do that. You want literary fiction. That's me. You want a book on how to save your marriage? Let me get right on that."

All that being said—I'm likely going to branch into other genres at some point. I'd like to have another 25 years in this business and at some point I'm going to be interested in trying other things. I've already decided that when that day comes, I'll probably have to query an agent for that particular genre and also write under a different name.

In the meantime, I'll write magazine articles, poetry, and the occasional short story to just shake things up a little bit.

Are you a writer who writes different genres? How are you approaching representation and promotion?

Keeping the Fun in Writing

My teenager has a love/hate relationship with music right now.

I can understand where he's coming from. He really enjoys music and loves making it. He's not so wild about the hours of practice.

He plays the baritone for school and recently told me that he was interested in starting guitar lessons.

My husband pointed out that he would probably enjoy guitar more and practice more if he enjoyed the lessons and if the teacher made it fun. I asked around and finally settled on a teacher that several of my son's friends were using.

Last week was the first lesson. I knew the teacher was going to work out when the first thing he asked my son was, "What type of music do you like to listen to?"

Sometimes I can feel the same way about writing that my son feels about music. There's a lot of work involved in practicing the writing craft. I love writing. But sometimes when the editing or promo is dragging me down, I have to remind myself that I do.

There are definitely some easy ways to make writing more fun. I think the most important one is to write what you enjoy reading.

Also:

Write what you're good at (dialogue, action, humor). Nothing beats feeling successful about what you're writing and know that you're doing a good job.

Write in different places—outside, inside, coffee shops, etc. . The nice thing about writing is its portability.

Read for inspiration and as a reminder of why we choose to write.

For some reason, office supply stores (which are dangerous places for me!) are always fun. I love coming back with sticky notes, pencils, pens, and new notebooks of different sizes.

Hang out with other writers—online and in person. It's inspirational.

How do you keep writing fun?

**********

Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

Actions Speak Louder Than Words

One of the downsides of being a writer, I think, is the fact that we can become hyper-critical as readers and filmgoers. It's so much harder for me to get totally absorbed in a story.

One of the things that really pulls me out of a book or movie is when a character acts out of character.

In one book I read recently, the author had gone to great pains to tell how intelligent one character was. The character had experienced great academic success, had a great job, read thought-provoking literature.

All of that gets chucked out the window for me when that same, "smart" character does something really foolish in the book.

It was obvious that the writer had needed the character to do something stupid, just to make the plot move in a particular direction.

To me, this just demonstrates how much more powerful showing is than telling. Sure, you can tell me that this character was summa cum laude, but if the character is blithely heading into a dark cellar when she has a sneaking suspicion that a killer is down there, then you've shown me she isn't so bright.

It's a good reminder for me, because I'm frequently thinking about ways to convey personality traits, etc., by showing, but I don't often think about the process the other way around.

What I think I'm going to start looking at when I'm doing edits is, "Have I left the reader an impression about this character that I didn't intend?" Especially if it contradicts an image that I'm trying to plant.

Because actions can speak louder than words.

Have you run across characters in films or in books that you felt were acting out of character? And, as a side note, is it harder for you, as a writer, to get totally wrapped up in a book or movie without being critical?

Quick Note on Blogs and Branding

I follow a bunch of writing blogs--nearly 2000 now. And each time I find another writing blog out there (I'll click a new follower's link on Twitter, I'll click a link in someone's blogroll, etc.), I immediately click over and subscribe.

It's funny, but 90% of the time, I can tell the writer's genre from their blog. YA blogs pop on the page, mystery blogs have a lot of dark backgrounds (obviously Mystery Writing is Murder doesn't conform! I have a hard time reading dark backgrounds, so I just made mine very minimalistic. But I did get the word "mystery" in the masthead…), romantic blogs have a softer look, etc.

To me, it's instant branding. I get it. In my head I'm thinking, "Okay, when I'm looking for some great material from a YA/SFF/mystery/romance blog, then I'll pop by here."

There must be many other people who do the same thing—click over to a blog and get a feel for the writer who posts there and the material they write. I'm sure some of these folks are agents and editors who follow links in queries to blogs.

So I think it can be useful to either mention your genre in the subtitle of your blog (conventional wisdom states that it's the best branding practice to have your name as the blog's name—oops. :) ) or have the genre be obvious to anyone spending a few seconds on your site.

Helpful elements to have on your blog:

RSS feed button for those of us who like to quickly subscribe

Contact me link (you'll want agents or editors or other people to be able to reach you)

A way to belong: While I'm subscribing, I usually want to click on a Networked Blogs follow button or some other type of followers button

Blogroll: These are great for link exchanges. (Are you on mine? If you're not, let me know and I'll add you to my blogroll.)

About me: Even if you're anonymous you can spare a few tidbits. Something like "Science Fiction reader and writer who also enjoys writing poetry." Just something.

Buy links: If you've got books out

Links to any social media you belong to. For my purposes, it's handy to see a Twitter link if you have one so that I can @ you if I tweet a post.

Have any other tips for useful things to have on blogs? How does your blog introduce you to readers, writers, and others in the industry?

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter in the last week.

I'm delighted that now we have an efficient method of locating resources on writing topics when you need them—via the Writer's Knowledge Base search engine and software engineer and writer Mike Fleming's ingenuity. The links I tweet (which are writers' blogs, agents' and editors' blogs) all are added to the engine to make it easier for you to access the information you're looking for.

Interested in a monthly newsletter with the top writing articles, blogger spotlights, and interviews with industry insiders? Sign up for the free WKB newsletter here: http://hiveword.com/wkb/newsletter . (You can unsubscribe at any time, and your email information is never shared.)

Jewels in crime fiction: http://bit.ly/e8c7fD @mkinberg

Foursquare Tool for Crime Novelists: http://bit.ly/ii9rFb @galleycat

How to write a screenplay: http://bit.ly/gKgymp

You Need a Complete Manuscript: http://bit.ly/gr1iKQ

What Not to Worry About in a 1st Draft: http://bit.ly/idYvQw

Rejecting the genre, not the writing: http://bit.ly/eSsQnX

When agents fly the coop: http://bit.ly/gNXQb0

Is it YA or Not? 5 Ways to Tell: http://bit.ly/hPDQLW

Can Reading Great Books Really Help Writers Grow? http://bit.ly/fnNDb5

Tips for perfecting your prose: http://bit.ly/gn78cx

A manifesto for creatives: http://bit.ly/gXyjug

Writing Is Like Comfort Food: http://bit.ly/eJNQmp

5 Ways to Repair Misused Em Dashes: http://bit.ly/dQFEZZ

On opening lines: http://bit.ly/g13E5F

Smart, Non-intrusive Ways to Monetize a Blog: http://bit.ly/eV1Cel

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Hurry Scurry Berry Tart http://bit.ly/i2owGN

2 writers with thoughts on writing humor: http://bit.ly/g3GCdA

Offbeat Lessons From 3 Late-Blooming Writers: http://bit.ly/fwy4fl

Where does dystopia fit as a genre? http://bit.ly/h1UXd9

4 places to check your transitions: http://bit.ly/hmVwjq

Self-Publishers Speak: Weaving Your Safety Net Mid-leap: http://bit.ly/g9dwi5

Get Prepared for Maximum Writing Effectiveness: http://bit.ly/e66eZy @NewbieAuthor

What a good old-fashioned lie can do for your story: http://bit.ly/gOseDo

Crafting an Opening That Draws You In: http://bit.ly/ianoIe

Finding Your Voice: 7 Tips: http://bit.ly/hTfR1S @CherylRWrites

The Top Seven Reasons Publishers Reject Nonfiction Book Proposals: http://bit.ly/enxWDd

Now with over 7000 links to help #writers find resources: http://bit.ly/dYRayA

Creativity Tweets of the Week — 4/15/11: http://bit.ly/ftkuKq @on_creativity

The Query Quandary: http://bit.ly/fl61Ze @WriteAngleBlog

Outline Techniques for Those Who Hate Outlines: http://bit.ly/fLvjcy

The Princess Bride—Storytelling Done Right: http://bit.ly/eCCBw7

Best Articles This Week for Writers 4/15/11: http://bit.ly/ezjYbU @4kidlit

Tweets, texts & posts: New sources for memoir writers: http://bit.ly/eJxUaX

A look at literary assistants (part 2): http://bit.ly/hzh68q

10 Sentences with Muddled Meanings Made Clear: http://bit.ly/h2P9Q2

5 Innovative Poets to Watch & Learn From: http://bit.ly/i8xcoj

Tips for writing transitions: http://bit.ly/eXsCLT

To Kindle, With Caution: http://bit.ly/eFAW0g

When Your WIP Is Too Short aka Massive Panic Attack Time! http://bit.ly/h7wXhB

Ebook Spam - "Bound" to Happen: http://bit.ly/dNG9ku @hopeclark

What to do if you love a book: http://bit.ly/ikwOpz @MaryJaneMaffini

Author income streams: http://bit.ly/f2zWOZ

Character Development in the 4 Act Structure (for erotic romance writers & others): http://bit.ly/eUtO9U @SaschaIllyvich

99 cents only works if you actually sell more copies: http://bit.ly/dZT9Ps

The Periodic Table of Storytelling and Cultural Gender Bias: http://bit.ly/hmTvWB

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Cookies from Leftovers! http://bit.ly/ewbkkI

Self-Publishing 911: http://bit.ly/idkNs5

Dystopian Fiction: An Introduction: http://bit.ly/hpFSFz

What does a writer need to succeed? Discipline: http://bit.ly/g5Bmua

What is your social media influence score? (And does it matter?): http://bit.ly/eyPOdX

Changing the Writer's POV: http://bit.ly/htG0E2

Widows and Orphans: http://bit.ly/emnyo0

Theories of literary greatness that enrage and perplex: http://bit.ly/g6c7Nw

7 writing sins and tips for avoiding them: http://bit.ly/i8Dgt9 @Riduna

Apple's Incredible iPad, One Year In: http://bit.ly/eR1jYZ

10 writing issues that stop agents in their tracks: http://bit.ly/fzp6ix

8 secrets writers won't tell you: http://bit.ly/fXvO58

Don't Ignore Logic When Writing Fiction for Children: http://bit.ly/i3ycp4

Think Like a Publisher #7… A Sales Plan: http://bit.ly/eC9N7D

Surviving the publishing apocalypse: http://bit.ly/hD2T2F @ajackwriting

Tools for writers who are learning addicts: http://bit.ly/hgKeYo @jamigold

Writers Conference or Workshop? http://bit.ly/h2fMu5

Updating a novel--yes or no to including current music and tech trends? http://bit.ly/grCTuC @authorterryo

The Short Synopsis: http://bit.ly/f5hfdP

Steinbeck's travel book gets fact-checked (NY Times): http://nyti.ms/gLYZey

Confessions of an A.D.D. Writer: http://bit.ly/f7C1lX @jhansenwrites

Want to write? 18 great writers and thinkers show you how: http://bit.ly/gRqk4O @inkyelbows

Top 5 Ways to Get Your Articles Found and Read Online:http://bit.ly/f6t0kj

Explaining steampunk: http://bit.ly/g0mnHh

How a Simple Timer Can Magically Improve Your Productivity: http://bit.ly/hcRYyU

Keeping book clutter off the bookshelf: http://bit.ly/hQYXOv

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: How to Make Fondue http://bit.ly/i5XaNY

Support Your Fellow Writer: http://bit.ly/h0P8g0

The Secret History of Ads in Books (NY Times): http://nyti.ms/fQ6H5I

A writer worries about giving his Social Security number to editors: http://bit.ly/ekD8OZ

Writers' torture: waiting for your script to be read: http://bit.ly/eZSaLp

Your Backlist Is a Veritable Gold Mine: http://bit.ly/grg8VA

Costly pitfalls to avoid when setting up your website: http://bit.ly/fqhRUv

7 Rules to Pitching a Glossy Magazine: http://bit.ly/eDQQo5

Is your book's setting ho-hum? http://bit.ly/gByyLa

A Dollhouse Metaphor for Writing: http://bit.ly/gBCoLZ

Accept your foibles and observe your writing patterns: http://bit.ly/fVLVpG

5 tips to quickly finish your 1st draft: http://bit.ly/hLSAci @alanorloff

Selling Poetry? 5 Ways to Market Your Book of Poems: http://bit.ly/iedK8a

Query letters for scriptwriters: http://bit.ly/huZPna

Launch a Brand New Blog … with Authority: http://bit.ly/f66x7q

Interactive Narratives and the Future of Storytelling: http://bit.ly/i2BlA4

How to use props in your writing: http://bit.ly/id0q89 @cristinterrill

Track Changes…Friend To Writers and Trees: http://bit.ly/i425fD @jhansenwrites

First Person Verses Third Person: http://bit.ly/eUvlyG

The Top 10 books Americans most want banned (Guardian): http://bit.ly/hfFACw

On Editor/Agent Requests - Some things to consider: http://bit.ly/fCimWP

Dialogue--make it matter: http://bit.ly/hpZDDR @juliemusil

Win vs. compete: http://bit.ly/fLmiaI

This Week's Fail Whale–The Twitter Tyrant: http://bit.ly/ghEmoA

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Fruit Salad in a Flash http://bit.ly/hbUkmA

The E-Publishing Outlook for Average Authors:My E-Book Sales: http://bit.ly/fY4jFe

And now there's a book out there with your name on it. Imagine that. (Guardian): http://bit.ly/h7duGW

Short Stories vs. Novels - "natural length" and the fractal structure of stories: http://bit.ly/e7URUH

Writerly confessions: http://bit.ly/hRg08m @SW_Messenger

The Kindle as a revision tool: http://bit.ly/fROdtR

Confessions of a Dangerous Twitterer: http://bit.ly/dGMDHN

The Fine Art of Conquering Impatience: http://bit.ly/h6GaMe

Tips for Kindle Authors: http://bit.ly/gl82CU @thecreativepenn

Dialogue Problems and How To Fix Them 1: All your dialogue sounds the same. http://bit.ly/hY0MmK @ajackwriting

ABCs of story analysis: http://bit.ly/em1iYf

One writer has a publisher but still wants an agent. Here's why: http://bit.ly/eM5jNt

Proper Use of The Semicolon: http://bit.ly/gRQoOg

When friends and family don't get the point of our writing: http://bit.ly/eknr8D

The importance of setting: http://bit.ly/hG8UW5

More on Success and Rejection: http://bit.ly/dUw9p3

The difference between editing and proofreading--and tips for both: http://bit.ly/hhaPwW @jhansenwrites

3 steps to finding alternate endings that work: http://bit.ly/fwkfc0

Want to Sell Your Story? Peel Away the Layers to Create Memorable Characters: http://bit.ly/fpTIPP @authorterryo

The Best Agent Blogs of 2011: http://bit.ly/fimD0k

Need tips for plotting? http://bit.ly/fiTDIR

5 things stand-up comedians can teach you about self-publishing: http://bit.ly/dIpwU5

Protagonists shouldn't be bystanders in their own lives: http://bit.ly/gINJaN

The Protagonist: Using Character Clusters: http://bit.ly/gJT8Y0

The ingredients of a perfect writer's blog: http://bit.ly/gVAecj

Top 5 Mistakes Writers Make at Conferences: http://bit.ly/g13Kqf

Less is more when writing: http://bit.ly/g5YwZq @Paize_Fiddler

The Dreaded Query Letter: http://bit.ly/dWhzs3

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Maple Cookies 2 Ways from Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/ikuoXR

All about line editing: http://bit.ly/ePcMun @victoriamixon

Telling Just Enough: http://bit.ly/ftjjNu

How to keep having great ideas: http://bit.ly/hePATC @jammer0501

Some examples illustrating authorial voice: http://bit.ly/gRE8kr

Give yourself permission to be as creative as you can be: http://bit.ly/dEVRzD

Research--how to do it and when to stop doing it: http://bit.ly/gRdygL

Trends in Middle-Grade: http://bit.ly/hffjcZ @jemifraser

One writer is a Kindle convert (National Post): http://bit.ly/euWORb

What if literary characters were agents? http://bit.ly/hZ93xm

Pre-pub book marketing tips: http://bit.ly/g5SlPR

Writing your Synopses: How to begin? http://bit.ly/eCWmYq

Write For A Living In 7 Easy Steps: http://bit.ly/fBsrkx @thecreativepenn

You Can't Hook a Reader with a Yawn: http://bit.ly/gY6FdV

The Positive Side of Rejection: http://bit.ly/evIzRg

The phrase every publisher craves: word-of-mouth success (Guardian): http://bit.ly/eaCupc

Dialogue Tags: How To Kill Off Some Of The Little Buggers: http://bit.ly/g71qor

The Pain and Pleasure of Back-to-Back Releases: http://bit.ly/fUhHqT @MasonCanyon

3 Traits Your Hero and Villain Should Share: http://bit.ly/i23dKx

Using Comments to Build Your Blog Readership: http://bit.ly/ggWqUS

Helpful Wordpress plug-ins: http://bit.ly/fgwgpz

Excel: A Writer's Best Friend: http://bit.ly/fN99jY

4 social media lessons from the world of book publishing: http://bit.ly/ef5uWi

Ebook Authors: The Kids Are Coming: http://bit.ly/hXC8YV

The Trouble With Triples: Writing Trilogies: http://bit.ly/dUtKyj

I Didn't See That Coming: How To Avoid The Kiss-Of-Death Of Being Predictable: http://bit.ly/h14bJc

A crossword puzzle for romance readers (Borders blog): http://tinyurl.com/4xeoma8 @joanswan

Creating characters with disabilities: http://bit.ly/e7pp5g

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Un-Blueberry Pie http://bit.ly/ew9FZF

The less you spread yourself thin, the better your work: http://bit.ly/i4vfVF @hopeclark

Query Letters: Part 2: http://bit.ly/fAONgb

Two Sides to a Story: Plotting For Everyone: http://bit.ly/hawQlE

3 Tips For Finding Something To Say When You're Out of Ideas: http://bit.ly/fOearm

Scoring a Well-Rounded Manuscript: Voice: http://bit.ly/gwti1y

You gotta have an agreement first, doggone it: http://bit.ly/fa0XGq

No, Really. Finish the Manuscript. http://bit.ly/hA5QO0

Conversion Journey: One Writer's Word-to-E-book Workflow: http://bit.ly/hK02m1

Pacing Potholes: Common Hazards that Slow Forward Motion: http://bit.ly/gw2XG2

Query Letters That DON'T Work, Not Even a Little Bit: http://bit.ly/hsSD5t

Top 5 Children's Lit Agencies: http://bit.ly/fVyMiw

Why being agented is weird: reason #1: http://bit.ly/iiSVEX

Defining a content edit: http://bit.ly/fF04UI

10 Creativity Lessons from George Carlin: http://bit.ly/fFyHWc

Manuscript makeovers: http://bit.ly/dYqrHF

Pitching *is* a job interview: http://bit.ly/gatx3w

A mobile scriptwriting app: http://bit.ly/edzKDI

Write A Synopsis, Disney-Style: http://bit.ly/es0OaD

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Killer Kugel - to die for! http://bit.ly/dKcMeA

Should Self-Pubbed Authors Refer to Themselves as "Indie?" http://bit.ly/dPStAp

Switching your character's goal: http://bit.ly/dUj1iM

How Much More Do You Have to Learn? http://bit.ly/fUlwp0

Beautifully Written: http://bit.ly/gzG1Ge

On dramatic POV: http://bit.ly/fU2U1z

Story architecture--lessons from "The Source Code": http://bit.ly/eiOy0k

Screenwriting glossary: http://bit.ly/f8YOBC

8 tips for making your editor love you: http://bit.ly/i2IaNX

5 Reasons Your YA Character Might Flop: http://bit.ly/gpAKt5

Lemony Snicket's (Very Random) Guide for Writers: http://bit.ly/hwvyYP

Evaluating Critique Feedback: http://bit.ly/en7Utm

Once upon a backstory: http://bit.ly/gI87dR

5 things one writer wishes she'd known about the writing business: http://bit.ly/eCEluA

Eliminating Distancing Verbs: http://bit.ly/hpZZjk

Organizing a Writers Workshop: Pre-Publicity: http://bit.ly/fuBMap

Amping up your writing by getting fresh: http://bit.ly/eZfwUC

Dangling modifiers: http://bit.ly/eYAFtz

Where to Get Started

Twice in the last month, I've had someone say to me, "I've always wanted to write a book. But I just don't know where to start."

I think writing a book can seem really overwhelming. There are tons of resources out there, but those resources can be helpful…and overwhelming at the same time.

Most of the people who say they want to write a book have a germ of an idea already. It's this idea that's been on their mind for however long they've wanted to write.

Maybe it's a family story. Maybe it's just a thought they've had that they're not sure how to develop. But there's something there.

What these folks need to do is not worry about all the info on queries, synopses, and craft. It's always nice to just focus on the story.

First of all is identifying that story. What was the seed of the idea that came to the writer? Who is the main character? What's the main conflict? What does this character most want and how is that thing denied her/him?

Then it's telling the story. What happens next? What obstacles does this character run into when trying to get what they want most? Are these obstacles other characters? Events? The character himself? How does this character overcome these obstacles?

Where should you start with a first draft? Start at the beginning. Or…start at the end. I've done both. I've started at the beginning, skipped ahead to the middle of the book, then written the end. I've written books straight through and I've written books that I've run into huge problems with—and skipped around to whatever scene I've got in my head instead of moving forward in a linear way.

You don't have to block hours off on your calendar for this project. Try blocking off 30 minutes. Or even 15. Don't try to play catch-up the next day if you miss your goal the day before—treat each day as a clean slate and just get your 15 minutes of writing in.

It doesn't matter if your first draft is bad.

You can either outline your story or make it up as you go along. I've done both.

Ask yourself, "And then what happens?" a lot.

Make friends with writers online—they will understand what you're going through and can give you support and encouragement.

If you encounter set-backs with your story, brainstorm ways of getting past the problem—make lists of ways to get your characters out of the mess they're in.

Got any other advice for where to start writing a book? What have you learned from writing yours?

Making a Transition

I'm sure that my 14 year old son would like to correct anyone who thinks it's cool to have a writer for a mom. :)

I was reading through his research paper before he turned in yesterday. I thought he did an overall great job on it, but there was one thing that grated on me. I tried to mention all the good things first.

"Great job putting the info in your own words!" I said. "You've got some really solid paragraphs, too—nice topic sentences and supporting details. And those footnotes! Wow!" I hesitated.

"Okay. So what's wrong with it?" he asked. He's a cutting-to the-chase kind of kid.

"It's choppy. There really aren't any transitions between your thoughts. You're presenting the info, but it's not connected. It's just sort of jarring."

Maybe it's not the biggest problem for a research paper, but poor transitioning sure does make for a bumpy read in a novel. It's not fun to be confused or to wonder what's going on when I'm reading a book. Or to be bored by a transition that's too long or not necessary.

Transitions (or lack of them) that pull me out of a story:

Rambling transitions that call attention to themselves (I'll admit that this is an issue that might be just something that bothers me): The summer's heat finally gave way to fall's gentler temperatures. Trees shed their leaves and children packed their bookbags and headed back to class…blah, blah, blahhhhh.

Transitions that are too detailed and follow a character too closely (even when they're being boring): Clara walked to the door. She opened it and strolled out to her car, thinking about what she'd just heard from her mother. She turned the key in the ignition and slowly backed out of her driveway, checking her mirror. She decided she would go to the grocery store and pick up a gallon of ice cream. At this point I'm really just thinking how boring Clara is and how much I want to escape her company. We could easily have Clara just show up at the store, if that's where we need to have her: Clara searched the store's freezer for her favorite flavor of ice cream. "Why haven't you returned my phone calls, Clara?" asked a grim voice behind her…

Transitions that are too spaced out with no explanation: Two years later, John decided to finally apply for law school. Whaaa? Two years later is fine, but can we get a little hint as to what John was doing? After two years of working construction during the day and delivering pizzas at night, John decided that he'd give law school a try.

No transitions at all…just a jump from one thought to another with total disconnect. And I'm actually having a hard time writing this without transitions because I think it's pretty difficult to leave them out! John and Clara engaged in desultory conversation at the punch bowl. Clara asked Tina about the Biology homework. Jim asked Clara whether she was going to the soccer game the next day. Bleh. It just feels like these characters are being tossed in there with no set up at all. A simple John and Clara joined Tina and Jim at the punch bowl would have easily set up any future conversation between these people with no choppiness.

Novels need tons of transitions. We need transitions between scenes and between chapters. Even paragraphs need transitions. To me, the more subtle they are, the better. And if we can transport our characters efficiently to their marks onstage, then we're making our story more exciting in the process.

Interested in more posts on smooth transitions? Here are some of the most popular articles in the Writer's Knowledge Base on the topic:

Are Your Characters Falling Through Gaps in Your Writing? (Plot to Punctuation)

Transitions: Linking Forward Through the Story (Talk to You Universe)

More on Transitions (Terry's Place)

How to Work With the 4 Levels of Transition in a Book (How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book)

Do transitions trip you up, too? (Yes, my son fixed his…I think he could see how much they were bothering me!)