Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 219

New Cover—Finger Lickin' Dead—June 7, 2011

Somehow, upcoming releases seem a lot more real when you have a cover to go with them! I love this one. :) Thanks to the art department at Penguin's Berkley Prime Crime. They did a fantastic job of depicting a typical Southern barbeque restaurant—minus the gun, of course!

This is the second book in the Memphis Barbeque series and its release date is set for June 7, 2011. I had a great time writing this book…particularly the final scenes, which take place at Graceland (Memphis, Tennessee). I had to contact the staff at Graceland several times to make sure I had my facts straight and they were always extremely helpful.

Murder once again strikes close to Lulu's barbeque restaurant after a food critic is murdered—and his body is discovered by Lulu's granddaughters. When friends are suspected of the crime, Lulu investigates to clear the names of the people she loves. http://tinyurl.com/2votpjh

Why It's Good to Write—Even When You're Writing Poorly

I can usually tell when I'm about to have a day when my writing is going to be awful. I'll have this moment where I think the blank page looks so much better than the drivel I'm about to fill it with.

And I know that I'm envisioning the plot in my head a lot better than I'm going to write it out that day.

Since I give myself daily permission to screw up my writing, though, I keep on going.

There'll be some days when I just can't get my thoughts on paper in any kind of organized way—much less an entertaining way.

I'll see that lousy day's writing when I'm working on the second draft—it's still there, it's still awful. Time hasn't made it any better.

The interesting thing, though, is that there usually is some redeemable part of the poorly-written scene. There might be a shred of decent character development, or a turn of phrase that's not bad. It might have been the point in the story where I got a great idea for the next scene of the book.

Or it might have been so terrible that I took the whole scene out. :)

But usually, there's something good there. It might just be some tiny thing that I can salvage and just rewrite everything that surrounds it.

I think what I'm trying to say here is that there are going to be plenty of days of writing drivel. There are also going to be days when our internal editor is on hyper-drive, reminding us how terrible our writing is.

Just keep going. Either ignore the internal editor or acknowledge it and just don't let it affect you—tell yourself that you'll fix the wretched writing later because priority #1 is to finish the book.

Even on a bad writing day, you're still:
Keeping up your writing habit
Learning to quiet your self-editor
Moving your story forward
Making time for an activity that's important to you
Exercising that writing muscle
Thinking about your story and characters

I know some of y'all work well with your inner-editor and edit your work as you go. Whatever works is definitely the method to go with. My advice is more for folks who get tripped up by their internal editor—and end up with a stalled-out project.

So my question to you is this—do you coexist well with your internal editor? If you don't, how do you shut yours up? :)

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter for the past week.

If you're looking for a particular topic, just plug in your keyword into the search box at the top left-hand corner of the blog (on the black header right above my blog name…next to the Blogger symbol…the small search window is next to the magnifying glass) and the roundup with your subject will come up. To narrow your search down on the page, do a CTRL+F, type your subject, and hit enter.

Breaking Into Video Game Writing: http://dld.bz/9pVE

The use of cliffhangers in crime fiction: http://dld.bz/9qvT @mkinberg

6 Ways to Improve Your Writing Skills: http://dld.bz/8Dtm

Best Articles This Week for Writers 12/3/2010: http://dld.bz/9pTD @4KidLit

A useful trait for a protagonist: http://dld.bz/9pMz

Manuscript submission etiquette: http://dld.bz/8DsX

Maintaining Creative Control for Artists: http://dld.bz/8DsF

Your monsters don't want you to write: http://dld.bz/8Ds9

Do Zombies Eat Ivy? The Undead Reach Academia: http://dld.bz/8Ds7 (NY Times)

How to Create a "Kindle for the Web" Sample of Your Kindle Book on Any Blog or Website: http://dld.bz/8Ds5

Top 5 Tips for a Sustainable Home Office: http://dld.bz/8Dsd

Revisions revisited: http://dld.bz/88zj

10 Most Beautiful Public Libraries in the US: http://dld.bz/88zc @janetrudolph

How to Captivate Your Audience with Story: http://dld.bz/88yT

How to put heart & soul into your story structure: http://dld.bz/88yQ

Investing in your writing: http://dld.bz/88yH

5 Common Blogging Disasters to Avoid: http://dld.bz/88yF

12 things one writer learned from NaNo: http://dld.bz/88xH

How To Keep Blogging From Being a Popularity Contest: http://dld.bz/88xB

Reversion of rights: http://dld.bz/88wX

Author blurbs: http://dld.bz/88xa

What editors do at conferences: http://dld.bz/88hZ

Active vs. Passive Voice in Writing: http://dld.bz/88hF

12 Ways To Scare Away Twitter Followers: http://dld.bz/88h9

4 Ways To Deal With Fictional Parents: http://dld.bz/88gy

Writing a book proposal – you are in the driver's seat: http://dld.bz/88gu

5 Kinds of Blog Posts Proven to Drive Traffic: http://dld.bz/88gn

The writer/editor relationship: http://dld.bz/88f5

Freedom to Write and to Teach Writing: Notes from the Swamp: http://dld.bz/88fp

3 writers on creativity: http://dld.bz/8vXm

The importance of keeping your story interesting: http://dld.bz/8vWV

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Pasta Primavera http://bit.ly/fNOccC @CleoCoyle

Degree options for aspiring writers: http://dld.bz/8vWS

10 of the best fishing trips in literature (Guardian): http://dld.bz/8vWR

Querying publishers directly: http://dld.bz/8vW4

Breaking up (with an agent) is hard to do: http://dld.bz/8vWp

Getting The Call Means Your Work Gets Harder: http://dld.bz/8vWg

Conflict--put it at the front of your story: http://dld.bz/8vVJ

10 Authors Whose Novels Took Over 5 Years to Write and Publish: http://dld.bz/8vVn

Looking for story ideas? Consider the front page news: http://dld.bz/8vUP

Google to move into the ebook market at end of year: http://dld.bz/8Y7G

National Novel Writing Month Writers Produce 2,799,449,947 Words: http://dld.bz/8Y73

A 2011 planner for writers: http://dld.bz/8vUb

The art of the editorial letter: http://dld.bz/8vTV

What a conversation with a seduction guru taught one writer about creativity: http://dld.bz/8vTC

How to write a 1-page synopsis: http://dld.bz/8vT4

When it comes to writing, economize: http://dld.bz/8vTx

Worldview and story approach: http://dld.bz/8vTd

Without libraries, we will lose a mark of our civilization (Guardian): http://dld.bz/8vTc

Friends Don't Let Friends Overwrite: http://dld.bz/8vSX

Putting In the Time to Become a Good Writer: http://dld.bz/8vSR

Front-loading your work as an author: http://dld.bz/8vSM

What one writer learned while writing his latest book: http://dld.bz/8vS5

An example of a query letter that worked: http://dld.bz/8vSu

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Holiday Lights or Lites?? http://bit.ly/fi6UB8 @CleoCoyle

Basic Structure of an Erotic Short Story: http://dld.bz/8vSp

Best Literary Agents on Twitter: http://dld.bz/8vSc

Re-Envisioning a Scene Without Rewriting it: http://dld.bz/8vRW

How to write an author's bio: http://dld.bz/8vRT @clarissadraper

10 signs of an approaching deadline: http://dld.bz/8RWM @elspethwrites

7 Ways to Write When You Don't Have Time: http://dld.bz/8vRM @4kidlit

Overwhelmed by your writing? A hint for overcoming it: http://dld.bz/8vRJ

Romance in a Mystery Series: http://dld.bz/8vR4

Good Writing is Invisible: http://dld.bz/8vRy

9 Ways to Create and Maintain a Successful Blog: http://dld.bz/8vRs

Staying out of the Rejection Pile: http://dld.bz/8vRm

Booksellers (and e-readers) – you have never had it so good (Guardian): http://dld.bz/8vRh

Should you write all-dialogue scenes? Not really: http://dld.bz/8vQV

An agent with querying tips: http://dld.bz/8vQN

10 things for writers to be thankful for: http://dld.bz/8vQM

Holiday gift books for authors – 2010′s best writing books – Pt. 1: http://dld.bz/8vQE

9 tips for querying: http://dld.bz/8vPW

3 rules of dialogue: http://dld.bz/8vPU

The Difference Between Good & Bad Literary Fiction: http://dld.bz/8vPN

What writers have to go through: http://dld.bz/8vPF

Writers pick their favorite translations (Guardian): http://dld.bz/8vPd

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Ham and Hash Brown Casserole http://bit.ly/hlINhJ @CleoCoyle

5 Procrastination Strategies to Become More Productive: http://dld.bz/8vPa

What you say to yourself matters: http://dld.bz/8vNU

3 lessons in publishing: http://dld.bz/8vNF

Is it time to start revising your manuscript? http://dld.bz/8vN7

A Guardian interview with Margaret Atwood: http://dld.bz/8vNw

5 best free Wordpress plugins for your writer website: http://dld.bz/8vNg

The New Yorker's holiday gift guide for book lovers: http://dld.bz/8vMx

Become a fictional character for free speech (LA Times): http://dld.bz/8FmV

10 Realizations that Will Crush Your Little Heart In Your First Year of Blogging: http://dld.bz/8vMp

3 Tips on Writing Love Scenes: http://dld.bz/8vMk

The Best Time of Year to Query Literary Agents: http://dld.bz/8vKW

How Reading And Book Buying Has Changed With The Kindle: http://dld.bz/8vKR @thecreativepenn

How to Write the First Draft – 6 Writing Tips From Writers: http://dld.bz/8vKF

Fan-Fiction: Worth a Writer's Time? http://dld.bz/8Dvn

No sex, please, we're literary! (Salon): http://dld.bz/8CQQ

Can't find an agent? Go to Plan B: http://dld.bz/8CA6

How to speak publisher - A is for Apps: http://dld.bz/8vKt

Getting Better at Bad: Why Practice Doesn't (Always) Make Perfect: http://dld.bz/8vKn

Hit a roadblock in your manuscript? 7 ideas for getting around it: http://dld.bz/8BYm @authorterryo

Making a plan to write: http://dld.bz/8vKb

Description: Friend or Foe? http://dld.bz/8vKa

The Great F-Bomb Debate: http://dld.bz/8vJT

Writing: The Character Dilemma: http://dld.bz/8vJK

How to get a 100% full-request rate (lol): http://dld.bz/8vJC

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Chanukah Latkes and a Chocolate Candle Giveaway from Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/e21Juv @CleoCoyle

What's Your Novel's Log Line? http://dld.bz/8vJ6

How To Write Honest Fiction. If Not, How To Fake It: http://dld.bz/8vJn

7 Timeless Principles of Achievement: http://dld.bz/8vJa

Top 10 ways to get your word count in during the upcoming holidays: http://dld.bz/8vHW

Fake Writing Jobs: RealWritingJobs.com: http://dld.bz/88w2 @victoriastrauss

Writing Devices: Transitions: http://dld.bz/8vHG

Mystery Writer's Guide to Forensic Science - Poisons VII: http://dld.bz/8vHB @clarissadraper

Turn your computer into a typewriter: http://dld.bz/8vH5

Six Ways to Polish Your Book Proposal Before Sending It Off: http://dld.bz/8vHe

How to Get More Subscribers for Your Email List: http://dld.bz/8vGZ

The Nine Circles of Writing Hell: http://dld.bz/8vGY

Is Boston the hub of steampunk? http://dld.bz/8vGS

Handling Your Word Count: http://dld.bz/8vGM

Revision tips--issues to watch out for: http://dld.bz/85ke

8 Tips for Writing in the Flow: http://dld.bz/8vGG

What a 'short bio' should include (Writer's Digest): http://dld.bz/8vGA

Comprehensive review of the NOOKcolor: http://dld.bz/84zW @authorterryo

Harry Potter and J.K. Rowling's writing style: http://dld.bz/8vGj

How Google Can Save America's Books (NY Review of Books): http://dld.bz/8vGg

Three Simple Ways to Make Your Writing Just Like Everyone Else's: http://dld.bz/8vFQ

How Not to Launch a Career in Publishing: http://dld.bz/8vFK

Distraction-free writing: http://dld.bz/8vFF

A Useful Trait for a Protagonist

One thing that I really don't think I  am, is curious.

I like observing people.  I like imagining reasons that they do the things they do or say the things they say—but I'm not curious to find out the real reasons that motivate them.  I'm no investigator.  I'm nosy enough to watch people and listen in on their conversations—but more interested in coming up with my own conclusions than whatever the truth might be.

But there are curious people out there.

My house was way too distracting for me to write in on Thursday, so I escaped to the coffeehouse to get some work done.  I really just needed a solid 30 minutes of writing and then I was going to call it a day.

I knew exactly what I was going to write, too.  This meant that I wasn't staring around into space a lot.  I ordered my coffee (I was at Starbucks, and I stubbornly asked for "a small coffee," since I don't like all the 'grande' stuff they put up on their menu), sat down and started writing.

I had my Word document open and my outline printed out and on the table so that I could follow it—no, I don't ordinarily outline….but it's a new project with an editor who requires them.

I worked hard for 30 minutes straight.  I drank my coffee, I glanced up briefly when cold air hit me as the door to Starbucks opened and closed, but I got my work done in a very focused, concentrated way.

When I  reached the end of my writing session, I sat up straight and reached up to close my laptop.  And darned if there wasn't some woman there, standing in the very long coffee line, reading my synopsis/outline for the book! Yes, I'd printed it in a slightly larger font than usual because I'm getting to the point of needing reading glasses, but I'm not wanting the bother of them.

She opened her mouth for a second like she thought she might ask me a question, then quickly turned her back to continue waiting in the line.

Curiosity killed the cat, I thought, sourly.  Maybe it did, but I started thinking about what  an important trait it is for a protagonist.

Because a protagonist shouldn't be like me—content not to know the full story behind something.

Main characters need to get to the bottom of a problem.  They need to want to learn the murderer's identity.  They need to want to discover the cure for the mysterious infection that's turning the population into zombies.  They need to want to learn how to win the heart of the person they've fallen in love with.  They need to want to figure out where the next horcrux is so that disaster can be averted. They can't be content to take a backseat while someone else with a curious mind, bravery, and determination runs off to save the world. 

Their curiosity can create  conflict for them, too.  In a murder mystery, it can scare the killer enough for him to try to murder the sleuth.  It can make put the protagonist in an office building after closing hours, rifling through someone's desk for evidence that an important government official is involved in illegal activity. It can put a protagonist on the wrong side of town at the wrong time of day in an attempt to get information.

But it's a crucial trait that helps drive the story.  How curious is your protagonist—and what are they trying to find out?

Prioritizing

I like to stay organized, but sometimes everything happens at once…and it's easy to feel overwhelmed.

It's my day to post at Inkspot and I hope you'll pop by as I try to prioritize tasks when everything on the list seems important. :)

Keeping Creative Without Burning Out

I emailed in my Memphis Barbeque III manuscript to my editor on Tuesday afternoon. :)

I had a great time writing the book—particularly the end when I got to tie together some subplots into the ending. For some reason, that's always one of my favorite things to do. I just love giving the little inconsequential bits a more important role at the end.

And now—I'm moving on to the next book!

I used to take breaks from working on the next manuscript, but I've found that it's a whole lot better in the long run to just keep on writing every day. Even during the holidays, I can manage a little time to move my story forward.

But the reason that I keep going is because it doesn't take long for me to slip out of a writing habit or lose my writing momentum.

But I don't have to write at the same pace I've been keeping. And I'm not editing anything right now (which is a nice break! Editing gets old after a while.)

Things I do when I'm writing at a slower pace:

Brainstorm ideas for the current WiP
Brainstorm ideas for other books in the series I'm writing
Brainstorm ideas for possible new series (I just like to keep thinking ahead)

Of course the promo obligations don't ever really let up and I'm still doing non-creative writing—blogging, etc.—but with the brainstorming, I at least feel like I'm keeping it creative even while I'm working at a slower pace.

I know a lot of y'all are coming off the frantic pace of NaNo—congratulations to everybody who completed the challenge! My question for you is—are you giving yourself a break? Editing your NaNo manuscript? Or moving on to your next project? And…if you're writing something new, are you moving at a slower pace?

How Our Favorite Writers Inspire Us

Hi y'all. Today is my day on the Southern writers blog, A Good Blog is Hard to Find. Hope you'll pop over for my post on all the ways that reading our favorite authors can inspire us. Thanks! :)

Plan B

While I was looking for blog posts to tweet, I came across a site where a blogger was particularly dejected over a rejection.

The blogger had met an agent at a conference, established a solid connection, and sent a manuscript to the agent, as invited to do.

The blogger is active in the online writing community, writes well, and follows industry news.

He'd been doing everything right, and he was getting frustrated. He mentioned throwing in the towel.

That's a very natural response. I sent off each of my carefully-written, carefully-targeted queries with a good deal of hope and optimism.

When I'd see my SASE back in my mailbox, I can remember the sinking feeling I'd get. Some days I'd rip the envelope open quickly to get the pain over with—sort of like tearing off a Band-aid. Some days I'd open everything else in my mailbox first…even the bills.

Either way, it felt like a punch in the gut. Particularly when I felt like the agent and I were a good match for each other.

So I wasn't having any luck. My agent search was now stretching over the space of years.

Finally, I decided to go to Plan B. I'd keep the agent queries in circulation, but I decided to go ahead and submit directly to some carefully-targeted publishers, too.

I approached this a couple of different ways. I did submit directly to editors at smaller and independent publishing houses that accepted queries from the unagented (I usually got the editors' names from the thank yous in authors' acknowledgment pages.)

I also, I'll admit, submitted to larger publishers who were closed to queries from the unagented…and a couple that were closed to queries altogether.

Sometimes, I think a different approach is really the only way to keep moving ahead. Obviously, you've still got to really make sure that the publisher is the one that fits your manuscript. You need to have a great query. You need to address it to the right editor.

But you don't have to have an agent first. I'd rather have done it that way…but at the time, it wasn't going to happen. And it ended up working out well for me—I ended up with a book at mid-sized mystery publisher Midnight Ink and interest from Penguin books. And, soon after that, an agent.

Change it up, go to Plan B. But please, don't throw in the towel.

Keeping it Interesting

I don't know what it is about me lately, but I've been a difficult reader to please.

I think it's the fact that I've been unusually busy since late-July. But it seems to me that I've been a more impatient reader than ever before—that when I reach a boring patch, it shouldn't last very long or else I'm going to find something else to read.

This worries me—as a reader and a writer.

I was an English major and classical literature is known for its boring spots. :) I was always able to wade through it before…but I had a whole lot more time on my hands and was definitely a more patient reader.

As a writer, I'm working harder to make sure my story doesn't drag. I'm reading my manuscripts as an impatient reader and looking for places where my book needs a little shaking up.

Here's a list I've come up with on little ways (well, some of them are bigger ways) to keep things interesting for readers:

Change the setting (are the characters spending too much time sitting and eating?)

Add more dialogue.

Introduce a new character. Or, if you're me, kill off an old one. :)

Shake up the sentence structure. Are all your sentences starting with the subject, followed by a verb (should you start some with participles or subordinate clauses)? Are there too many nouns preceded by adjectives (should you be choosing stronger verbs)?

Introduce a plot twist.

Add to the conflict.

I also get worn out with too much conflict (I warned you I'm becoming the impossible reader!) So maybe infuse some humor to break up the tension.

Move the characters around. Have them engage in an activity if they're sitting a lot.

Use both long and short sentences.

Show more than tell.

Cut out the dead wood in the book. Do I have any scenes that seem dead? Do these scenes serve a purpose, or can they be cut out…or could the information in the scene be conveyed in a different way (through dialogue, etc.)?

How do you keep your readers interested?

Twitterific

Here are writing links that I've posted to Twitter for the past week.

There are fewer this week because I went on tweetcation for the Thanksgiving holiday. :)

If you're looking for a particular topic, just plug in your keyword into the search box at the top left-hand corner of the blog (on the black header right above my blog name…next to the Blogger symbol…the small search window is next to the magnifying glass) and the roundup with your subject will come up. To narrow your search down on the page, do a CTRL+F, type your subject, and hit enter.

How to Build a Real Network (Not a List of Strangers): http://dld.bz/7R6J

Finding the theme of your book: http://dld.bz/7HVq

How to Get Unstuck: Mind Shifts for the Freelance Writer: http://dld.bz/7HUV

Formatting for E-Readers: http://dld.bz/7HUN

A crime writer's top 10 crime locations (Guardian): http://dld.bz/7HTS

Agent pitching technique: http://dld.bz/7HTu

Subtexting in Dialogue: http://dld.bz/7HTj

Why so many people want a Kindle for Christmas (Telegraph): http://dld.bz/7HST

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Some Cranberries—for Drinking! http://bit.ly/eelF3U

How to Nurture Your Creativity as a blogger: http://dld.bz/7HS5

The Most Dangerous Moment for an Author: http://dld.bz/7HSe

Christian Fiction and the Awkward Bookstore Dance: http://dld.bz/7HRN

Motivation to Write – How Writers Get and Stay Motivated: http://dld.bz/7FQe

Tips for writers to stay focused on writing while not abandoning other responsibilities: http://dld.bz/7FPn @swkehoe

NaNoWriMo Week 4 – Beginning of the End: http://dld.bz/7FNF

What Can Trade Book Publishers Learn from Comic Books about Branding? http://dld.bz/7FN5

The Knotty Problem of Quantum Gravity: http://dld.bz/7FMZ

7 Common Causes and Proven Cures for Procrastination: http://dld.bz/7FMJ

Letting Action Define Your Characters: http://dld.bz/7FMv

4 Types of Tweets: Don't Yell Into the Wind-- http://dld.bz/7FMs

Becoming An Indie Author: Is Success Based On Luck? http://dld.bz/7F62

Practical Tips For The Nighttime Novelist: http://dld.bz/7CNx

List of dialogue tags: http://dld.bz/7CNu

7 Tips for Editing Your Way to the Best Story on the Planet: http://dld.bz/7CNs

Call me Ishmael… When to reveal your MC's name if writing in first person: http://dld.bz/7CNc

10 Tips for Attending Writers Conferences: http://dld.bz/7CMW

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar and Pecans from Cleo Coyle http://bit.ly/fVSllG @CleoCoyle

The Making of a Novel: What Support Means to a Writer (Huff Post) : http://dld.bz/7BCu

A Behind-the-Scenes Look at Published-Author Life: http://dld.bz/7BAF

How to write when you've got nothing to say: http://dld.bz/7BA5

Use Facebook and Twitter to Drive Crowds to Your Blog: http://dld.bz/7BA3

4 Reasons Why Best Sellers Get to Suck & You Don't: http://dld.bz/7BAx

Writers--do you have impostor syndrome? http://dld.bz/7BDP @rebeccabehrens

How to build a character: http://dld.bz/7BAe

An agent on what *not* to do during the query process: http://dld.bz/7xUm @RedSofaLiterary

6 Ways to Cope With Writing Fears: http://dld.bz/7xVS

Acceptance and rejection--balance in the creative life: http://dld.bz/7xVJ

Author Intrusion: How To Stay Invisible: http://dld.bz/7xV6

Your Query Submission Checklist: http://dld.bz/7xTU @RedSofaLiterary

3 ways to get the distance you need for rewriting: http://dld.bz/7xTC

Revising A Manuscript That's Already Making the Rounds: http://dld.bz/7xTv

At the Core: The Premise and How it Ties it all Together: http://dld.bz/7xTa

Writing 'high concept': http://dld.bz/7xST

23 Websites that Make Your Writing Stronger: http://dld.bz/7xSy

Six Tips for Getting the Most Out of Conferences: http://dld.bz/7xSt

Myst. Lov. Kitchen: RAGGEDY ANNE COOKIES http://bit.ly/cTTzjA @CleoCoyle

Authors, Social Media and the Allure of Magical Thinking: http://dld.bz/7xSd

Reference help--the reverse dictionary: http://dld.bz/7xRS

When Errors Are Found In Royalty Statements: http://dld.bz/7xPT

How high are the stakes? Building better conflict and dilemma into your book: http://dld.bz/7xRs

10 Ways to Find Inspiration for Your Next Post: http://dld.bz/7xPJ

Inspiration: Even When You Don't Want to Write: http://dld.bz/7umP

Top Five Mistakes Authors Make in Proposals: http://dld.bz/7umA

Preparing for hibernation--building a winter writing rhythm: http://dld.bz/7xQt

Handgun Tips for Writers: http://dld.bz/7um5

Tips for introverts at writing conferences: http://dld.bz/7umx

6 Ways to Shoot Yourself in the Foot: http://dld.bz/7umk @victoriamixon

Why Creative Writers Need To Reveal Themselves In Their Work: http://dld.bz/7umf

A plot twist too far – was Rick Deckard a replicant? http://dld.bz/7ukW

When Spell-check Fails: Proofreading and Your Manuscript: http://dld.bz/7ukT

Voice: Authenticity and Heart: http://dld.bz/7ukE

If you're serious about becoming a better writer--just sit down and write: http://dld.bz/7ujU

Facebook Messaging: Why Text and Email Aren't Equal (Wall St. Journal) : http://dld.bz/7uj7

How to write 'hot': http://dld.bz/7rp2

Best Articles This Week for Writers 11/19/2010: http://dld.bz/7u9t @4kidlit

Supporting characters--recipes for conflict: http://dld.bz/7rm6

For crime writers--handling lengthy investigations in our fiction: http://dld.bz/7usF @mkinberg