Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 29

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / MiscellaneousWriting For The Long-Term With Tess Gerritsen: @tessgerritsen @thecreativepennPatreon Subscriptions for Indie Authors: Authorpreneur Feature Emilia Rose: @IndieAuthorALLIBoost Your Backlist: How to Make the Most of Every Title: @IndieAuthorALLISelf-publishing News: Publishing Industry Pay and Conditions Come Under Scrutiny: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIGrow Contract Awareness for Magazine Work: by Deborah Lyn StanleyReach: Create The Biggest Audience For Your Book: @beckyrbnsn @thecreativepennHow Libraries Can Help You Earn Out Your Book Advance: by Terah Shelton Harris @CatapultStoryConferences and Events / MiscellaneousBeijing International Book Fair: New November Dates: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe German Book Prize Releases Its 20-Title Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSpain's 2022 Desperate Literature Prize Goes to Jay Gao: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe UAE's New Kanz Al Jeel Award: 234 Applications: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Careers in Writing and Day JobsHow to Juggle Writing and Working: @christynewrites @NatalieIAguirreCreativity and Inspiration / First Novels10 Things Beginning Writers Must Do: @annerallenSix Things a New Writer Needs to Do: @LindaGilden @EdieMelsonCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationGet to Know Your Muse: @AnneJanzerReady… Set… Writing Prompts: @quillinary @DIYMFACreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersSome Strange Eruption: Watching ‘Station Eleven’ and Teaching ‘Hamlet’ to the Class of 2022: @adlsimmons @The_MillionsFive SF Stories About Long-Vanished Forerunners: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomThe Book Nook: Enemies to Lovers: by Lori Walker @DIYMFAIs “Read a Lot” Actually Bad Advice? by Chris Winkle @mythcreants7 Novels About Wealthy People Behaving Badly: @bylizzybarber @CrimeReadsCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Emma Lathen’s Going For the Gold: @MargotKinbergMaking Change: 10 Books Where Small Changes Add Up to a Big Payoff: @suemell2017 @lithubTime Is Not the Longest Distance: Rereading ‘The Glass Menagerie' as a Nonfiction Writer: @which_is_to_say @The_MillionsCreativity and Inspiration / MotivationHow to Find the Motivation to Write Your Book: by Alyssa Hitaka @TheIWSGCreativity and Inspiration / SuccessHow to Succeed as an Author: @DeleynaCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeWhy Reading Books on Productivity Is the Worst Thing a Writer Could Do: @losapalaWriting, Then and Now: @MaeClair113 Ways to Maximize Your Writing Pleasure: @PaulaSMunier @CareerAuthorsWriting Tips and Creative Inspiration: @NicoleJBianchiTake a Deep Breath and Press the Creative Reset Button: @BeingTheWriter @womenonwritingWhen Story Is Medicine: @manzanitafire @WriterUnboxedWriting (And Working) While Pregnant: Second Trimester: @AuthorSATWriting Is about Connecting: @theljsharks @DIYMFA3 Writing Tips I Actually Use (And Give to My Students): by @EngageReaders @NaNoWriMoAuthor Harassment Survey Results: @cleemckenzie @TheIWSGJournalist to YA Author: by Mary Ford @TheIWSGBeneficial Author Relationships: Why We Need One Another: @KarenHWhiting @JaneFriedmanTess Gerritsen: ‘There’s always comfort in Sherlock Holmes’: @GuardianBooksHow to Avoid Writer’s Guilt: @AngelaAckerman @onestop4writersGenres / Horror5 Mistakes That You Make Writing A Horror Story: by Frank Hamilton @horrortrEntire Unto Itself: The Island in Horror Fiction: by John C AdamsGenres / MiscellaneousAction Genre: How to Tell an Exciting Life and Death Story: @StoryGridGenres / MysteryControversial Characters as Elements in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergWriting the Cozy Mystery: Second Victims: The Great Locked Room Mystery: Top 10 Impossible Crimes: by Tom Mead @CrimeReadsGenres / Non-FictionOur Top 6 Reasons Nonfiction is Rejected: @bookendslitGenres / Picture BooksWordiness in Picture Books: by Amy Wilson @GoodStoryCoGenres / RomanceHow to Write a Love Story: 5 Tips for Every Genre: @tashadrinkstea @thenovelry25 Romantic Scene Ideas: @BrynDonovanGenres / Science FictionFive Impractical Reasons to Establish Space Colonies: @jamesdnicollPromo / BloggingLessons Learned From 5 Years Of Blogging: @KMAllan_writerHow to Develop a Blogging Habit Fast: @NinaAmirPromo / Connecting with ReadersWriters Need to Engage these Three Ways: @tickledpinktam @EdieMelsonPromo / MiscellaneousCan an introvert get good at marketing? (podcast): @DanBlank @WeGrowMediaPromoting a Book on Amazon: Boost your Backlist: @BookgalPromo / NewslettersHow (and Why) to Build an Email Following: by Scott Lieberman @LiveWriteThrivePublishing / MiscellaneousPublishing Without Writing A Book: @authorterryoTurning Your Indie Book into an Audiobook: by Melissa Haas @DIYMFASophomore Book Blues: by Marissa DeCuir @TheIWSGHow Do I Find a Sensitivity Consultant for Disability? @writing_alchemyPublishing / News / DataAAP StatShot June 2022: The US Market Down 1.2 Percent, Year Over Year: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingThe UK Publishers Association Opposes Copyright Exception: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesGerman Printing Association: New Warnings About Paper Prices: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFinnish Frankfurt Fellow Kalle Siltala: ‘A Versatile View': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesEngland's IOP: Researchers Cite Lack of Funds for Open Access: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesChina Bestsellers in May: Nonfiction Gets a Commercial Boost: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIPA: The SDG Book Club Issues a New Reading List: @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingSelf-Publishing: Running the Diagnostics: @CCHall_author @womenonwritingPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingHow to Find a Literary Agent: @ReedsyHQPublishing / Process / FormattingFree Formatting Templates: @DaveChessonWriting Craft / BeginningsHow to Write Brilliant Beginnings (with Shane Millar): @writingcookbookHow to Start a Story: Nail Your Novel’s Opening: @thenovelry7 Tips for Opening Your Story In Medias Res: @KMWeilandWriting Craft / Characters / Arc7 Questions to Design a Better Arc of Change for Your Protagonist: @HLeeDavisWriter @JaneFriedmanWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentThe Top 5 Moments That Define Unforgettable Characters @hwoodstandard @savethecatBeyond Character Goal and Motivation—The Longing and the Lack: @FoxPrintEdWhy “Likeable” Characters Depend on Genre: @annerallenWriting Craft / EndingsBrood Over Your Endings: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmGreat Scene: “Fight Club”: @GoIntoTheStoryWhat Writers Can Learn From The Godfather: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsGreat Scene: “Pulp Fiction”: @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “Nightmare Alley” (2021): @GoIntoTheStorySix Sloppy Character Arcs in Popular Stories: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Craft / MiscellaneousNever Say “She Saw”: @hawthornewriter @womenonwritingWrite What You Know? Not Always: @BeemWeeksWhat Writers Need to Master Their Craft: @LiveWriteThriveHow to Write a Sequel that Satisfies: @nownovelStory Length: @JoanHallWrites @StoryEmpireFinding Your Emotional Truth: 3 Tips from the Trenches: @Bang2writeExpansion Pack: Canon @VirgilanteQuestions to Determine a Worthwhile Story for Readers: @jan_ohara @WriterUnboxedWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingThe Secondary Principles of Plot: Progress, Setbacks, Costs, Turning Points: @SeptCFawkesWriting Craft / RevisionWhen Is It Done? by John Gilstrap @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / ScenesThe Building Blocks of Scene: by Sharon Oard Warner @JaneFriedmanWriting Craft / SubtextSubtext and the Unspoken: @JoniMFisher @FloridaWriters1Writing Craft / Word CraftingBefore using “big” words in your writing, make sure they work and don’t interrupt the flow of your story: by Kevin Spencer

 

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Writing the Cozy Mystery: Second Victims

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Cozy mysteries offer a very quiet approach to death for mystery readers. The crimes are never described in gory detail. The methods aren't ordinarily very grim (I've had a few victims pushed out windows and down staircases). And there's usually not a very high body count.

But there is, often, a second victim. In my books, there is always a second victim.

Here are a few things to know about my second victims:

I like the second victim to be in the middle of the book. I never have a saggy book middle because I drop a body right at that point. It provides a nice break from the previous investigation and separates the mystery into two halves with two different series of suspect interviews.

I like the second victim to be the most-likely suspect for the first murder. This makes for a fun twist and helps keep the sleuth (and the readers) guessing.

The second victim is often someone who knows too much. This is a common theme in many cozy mysteries and in mysteries in general, both in books and on film. This victim could have tried blackmailing the murderer (never a wise idea). Or the victim could have suddenly put the pieces of the puzzle together and been about to go to the police with their findings…before they're intercepted by the killer.

The second victim could also be someone who is murdered by a different killer than the first. I haven't used two murderers very often, but it does provide a bit of a twist when I do.

Are you a mystery reader or writer? What have you noticed about second victims?

Writing the Cozy Mystery: Second Victims:
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Image by Michael Kauer from Pixabay

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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / MiscellaneousWriting and Pre-Release Checklist: @dlfinnauthor @StoryEmpireBusiness Musings: How Writers Fail: Money: @KristineRuschThe insider's definition of ghostwriting: @_GinnyCarterDifferent Kinds Of Editing, And How To Find An Editor: @KristenTateSF @thecreativepenn5 Steps To Help You Set Up Your Copywriter Rate Sheet: @ashleygainerConferences and Events / MiscellaneousThe UK's Kraszna-Krausz 2022 Awards: Warhol, and Women: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFrankfurt Fellows 2022: Rahul Soni of HarperCollins India: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairIn London: The 2023 International Booker Prize Jury: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @TheBookerPrizesFrankfurter Buchmesse 2022: 4,000 Exhibitors Registered to Date: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectivesFrankfurter Buchmesse 2022: Translation, Live Events, Inclusivity: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_FairFrankfurt Book Fair: Mohsin Hamid at Opening Press Conference : @porter_anderson @penguinrandom @riverheadbooks @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationUsing Local History to Inspire Your Writing: @GudrunLauret @KristinaAuthor @writingcookbook40 Book Ideas to Get You Inspired: @RhiannonWrites_ @GoodStoryCoCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / QuotesTop 10 Writing Success Tips from Kurt Vonnegut: @JennyHansenCACreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers6 Dystopias About Reproductive Rights: @MoniqueSnyman @BookTrib8 Novels About Dealing With Difficult Neighbors: @chriscander @ElectricLitCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: B.C. Colman’s A Line Too Far: @MargotKinberg7 Unconventional Women at the Center of Great Novels: @LouRHare @CrimeReadsStories About Growing Up on the Reservation: by Chelsea T. Hicks @ElectricLitCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeNight Terrors for Writers: by PJ Parrish @killzoneauthorsOn “Creative Cross-Training.” How Bartending Helped Me Write My Novel: @wesleystraton @lithubThreads in the Writing Tapestry: @Kdibianca @EdieMelsonGetting in the Mood for Writing: @kathycowleyWhy Writers Should Keep a Travel Journal: @donnajostone @A3writersWhy Do Writers Need Blue Light Blocking Glasses? @StuartConover @HorrorTreeMost People Don’t Give a Sh*t About Your Thing: by Yuvi Zalkow @WriterUnboxedToxic Productivity for Writers – Do You Have It? @KarenDeBonisOn Being an Exophonic Writer: @fictionbw @LiveWriteThriveGenres / FantasyHow Should I Handle Pacifist Characters? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsFantasy Weapons: @mythcreantsGenres / HistoricalWriting Historical Mysteries (Podcast): @blantonstroud @DIYMFAGenres / MemoirWriting Memoir Proposals: @LindasclareWriting a Memoir in Manageable Bits: @TheGrammarDivaWriting Memoir: Omit the Boring Stuff: @LindasclareGenres / MiscellaneousGenre Hopping: @MaryGillgannon @RMFWritersSouthern Gothic Crime Fiction: A Palimpsest and Primer: @faye_snowden @CrimeReadsGenres / MysteryNotorious Crimes in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergUnconventional Characters in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Non-FictionMind-mapping a Table of Contents to Brainstorm a Nonfiction Project: @hanque99Genres / PoetryHow to Write a Free Verse Poem: a Step by Step Guide: @themaltesetigerGenres / Science FictionTired Disability Tropes In SFF: Do Better: by Anessa Kemna @sfwaGenres / ScreenwritingWinning Time: How To Adapt a True-Life Story: @thejkstudioPromo / BloggingWhat Should I Post Today? @HowellWave @StoryEmpirePromo / Book Reviews50+ Lit Mags for Book Reviews & Author Interviews: @trishhopkinsonPromo / WebsitesHow to Create An Effective Website: @BookgalPublishing / MiscellaneousWattpad Webtoon Studios Consolidation: ‘Newly Formed Divisions' : @porter_anderson @pubperspectivesFirsts London's 65th Outing Features Historic Banned Books: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesTop 10 Tips To Get Your Writing Out There: @Bang2writeCambridge University Press's New Critical Pakistan Studies Journal: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingRushdie Attack: IPA Calls for ‘Redoubling Our Commitment': @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @pubperspectives16,000 Books for Young Ukrainian Refugees: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @UABookInstitute @PLSlicensing @britishlibrary @PublishersAssocInternational Writers on India at 75: Concern for the Nation's Democracy: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional PublishingWhy Selling Your Book Can Take So Long: @bookendslitPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingTiming Your Queries: @Janet_ReidHow an Agent Decides to Represent an Author by Agent/Author Marlo Berliner and Refe Tuma: @NatalieIAguirreWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentEasy Tricks For Crafting Memorable Characters: @HiTessaBarbosa @WriterUnboxedWriting an Un-Put-Downable Character: Language: @acw_authorFear Thesaurus Entry: Mediocrity: @beccapuglisiHow Well Do You Know the Characters You Write? @PeggySueWells @EdieMelsonHow Memorable Are You? @burke_writerWriting Craft / Characters / EmotionParcheesi as a model for character emotions: @HollowLandsBookWriting Craft / Characters / Supporting CharactersWriting and Supporting Characters: @KarenCVLevel Up Your Side Characters: @sacha_blackWriting Craft / ConflictThe Myth of Conflict-Free Story Structures: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Craft / DiversityWorking Through Identity Issues and Other Pitfalls With Representation: @WritingwColorIt’s Messy in the Middle: Unpacking Cultural Appropriation: @ColiceSanders @DIYMFAWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmPage One: “My Best Friend’s Wedding” (1997): @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “My Week with Marilyn” (2011): @GoIntoTheStoryForty Years Later, What Makes John Carpenter’s The Thing So Effing Scary? @Repino1 @tordotcomPage One: “The Naked Gun 2 1/2: The Smell of Fear” (1991): @GoIntoTheStoryThe Sillliest Stuff I’ve Ever Read: A Midsummer Night’s Dream by William Shakespeare: @FletcherWasp @BlackGateDotComPage One: “The Natural” (1984): @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “National Lampoon’s Vacation” (1983): @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / MiscellaneousImprove Your Own Storytelling by Analyzing Other People’s: @FoxPrintEd @JaneFriedmanHow to Write Personal Essays Through Who You Are: @ortile @CatapultStoryWriting One Sentence Per Line: @siversFormula: Writing to Formula vs. Being Formulaic: @KristenLambTXCharacter Driven Storytelling: @mtjohnson51 @A3writersCopy Editing Secrets: @HankPRyan @CareerAuthorsHow to Write an Anti-Hero Readers Will Adore: @thenovelsmithyA step-by-step guide to better sentence length: @pubcoachStory Development and Execution: Writing Suspense: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpireThree Modes of Story Imagination: @DonMaass @WriterUnboxedWriting Craft / Pacing7 Tips For Creating Pace and Propulsion in Psychological Thrillers: @lucyclarkebooks @CrimeReadsWriting Craft / POVHow to Write a First-Person Retelling: by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsDeciding Who to Write as the Point of View Character: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingPlot Points: How to Avoid Confusing Plot Points in a Novel: by L. Cooke @TheStoryEditorWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarA brief guide on how to punctuate dialogue: by K.P. EdenWriting Craft / RevisionListening as a Proofreading Tool for Writers: @KHogrefeParnell @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / Scenes / ConflictNeed Conflict? Just Let Your Characters Talk: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writersWriting Craft / Series5 Tips to Keep a Series Fresh: @darylwoodgerber @CareerAuthorsWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionTurn Your Setting into a Dynamic Character: @bournewriter @DIYMFAWriting Tools / AppsTop 8 Best Scrivener Alternatives for Writers: @DaveChessonWriting Tools / ThesauriTantalizing Tools of the Trade: Thesauri and Lexicons: @Shutta

 

 

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Mind-mapping a Table of Contents

by Hank Quense, @hanque99

It may seem odd, but when starting a new non-fiction book project my initial step is to open a mind-mapping program and begin working on the Table of Contents.  I like information presented graphically rather than in lists or tables which I find rather boring so I use mind-maps as an alternative to these lists and tables.

The process of creating the mind-map frequently triggers new ideas and thoughts that tend to enrich the book project I’m starting.

To illustrate this concept, I’ll use my recent book called Book Marketing Fundamentals.  I’ve self-published a number of books and been involved in their marketing so I have a lot of experience in this area.  In the beginning, the “book” consisted of a jumble of ideas and potential topics.  Obviously, I had to sort this mess out before I could start on writing the book.  That’s where the mind-mapping comes in.  I use it for a few purposes.  The first is to bring a bit of order to the mess and the second to organize the book.

For the record, I used iThoughtsX as the mind-mapping program but any of the many mind-mapping programs available will do.

 

This graphic depicts my initial step and shows what will be the initial chapter. Notice the interim book title.   While this isn’t exactly a giant step, it is a start.  After more head-scratching, revising and changing my mind, I ended up with this diagram showing the chapters in the book.

 

 

Besides being colorful, it represents the another step in organizing the book project.  (it’s also a great marketing image!). Now the job shifts to determining the topics in each chapter.

This step is essentially where the book takes shape, topic by topic.  The activity involves a lot of thinking about whether a topic belongs in this chapter or a different one.  One big advantage of the mind-maps is the ease to move topic from one chapter to another.  The graphic shows the topics assigned to the chapter devoted to talking about the marketing platform.

 

As you might expect by now, the complete TOC mind-map is quite large.  I reduced the size of it in order to be able to show the entire graphic.

 

This then is the roadmap to write the book.  The next step is to open a new Scrivener file and outline the book in accordance with the mind-map.

A possible reaction to this last graphic is, “Very nice.  Very pretty, but why bother?  Why not just write the bloody book and skip the time wasted on mind-mapping?”

This is a valid question and, in my opinion (and experience), just writing the book results in a lot of wasted time when completed topics are judged to be irrelevant to the book’s theme or objective and have to be deleted.  Further, just writing the book ends up with topics getting moved from one chapter to another.  This is a minor issue with Scrivener as the topics can be dragged to a different location.  If the book is written using a standard word processor. the rearranging can be a major problem.

Getting the topics correctly laid out in the beginning will save a lot of time at the end.  And mind-mapping the Table of Contents is a great way to accomplish that.

~ ~ ~

 

My Writers and Authors Resource Center has content that is helpful to fiction writes, self-publishing authors and authors looking for marketing help

 

 

 

Brainstorm a Nonfiction Book With Mind-Mapping (by @hanque99 ):
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Image by Pexels from Pixabay

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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / MiscellaneousBusiness Musings: Long-term IP Management: @KristineRuschWhat Are Public Domain Characters? @StuartConover @HorrorTreeWhy Your Agent Should Not Be Your Critique Partner: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitSelf-publishing News: “$100k isn't a big advance these days” and other highlights from the Penguin Random House – Simon & Schuster trial: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIWriting Twists And Marketing As A Traditionally Published Author: @thecreativepenn @claremackint0shRe-gear Your Writing Career—Take Risks to Revitalize: @KnoxxKrissyAn Online Presence Doesn't Have to Mean a Loss of Privacy: @Janet_ReidConferences and Events / MiscellaneousThe UK's Klaus Flugge Prize's Shortlist Features Six Debut Illustrators: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesMexico's Hay Festival Querétaro Has a Seventh Iteration in September: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesGermany's €50,000 Georg Büchner Prize Goes to Emine Sevgi Özdamar: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFrankfurter Buchmesse: Trade Visitor Tickets Now on Sale: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCLMP's 2022 Firecracker Awards: Winnings Shared by Authors, Presses: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationWriting on the Road: Finding Inspiration in Unexpected Places: @erikaliodice @WriterUnboxedCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / QuotesWriting Descriptions, Perseverance, and Other Words of Advice from Legendary Authors: by Olga Stal @NaNoWriMoCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersThe Not-So-Elementary Universe of Sherlock Holmes: @avonlea79 @DIYMFAMoby-Dick is the answer. What is the question? @HesterBlum @OUPAcademicMysteries set in the Middle East: @MargotKinberg7 of the Most Memorable Bartenders in Literature: @wesleystraton @ElectricLitEight Novels Exploring the Transgressions of Young Women: @AlannaSchubach @CrimeReadsCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Stina Jackson’s The Silver Road: @MargotKinbergCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingHow to Quickly Develop a Writing Habit: @NinaAmir @LiveWriteThriveCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockA solution to writer’s block: Transcribe yourself: @austinkleonUnlocking Writer’s Block Sideways: @thatpluckygirl @DIYMFACreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeWhen a Page a Day is Too Much: by Pascale DuguaySometimes Writing That Book Was A Waste Of Time: @AuthorSATFollow Your Passion to Create a Writing Career that Feeds Your Soul: @BirdsOAFpress @NinaAmirWhy INFJ Writers Are So Deeply Triggered by Criticism: @losapala21 Ways for Writers to Reduce Stress: @diannmills @EdieMelsonWriting Safe or Risking Your Readers: @FoxPrintEdGrieving A Writing Life: @KMAllan_writerWhat Does it (Still) Take to be a Writer? @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsListmania–how lists can make your writing faster and easier: @RuthHarrisBooksWhy Do You Write? @MaeClair1On Writing with Chronic Migraines: @yuvizalkow @CatapultStoryThe Writer and the Artist Date: @susan_writes @FloridaWriters1The Best Tip to Stop Neck Pain for Writers: by Ginny Cruz @EdieMelsonWhat's Your Crisis Plan (for your writing)? @WritesColeGenres / HumorWriters: Tips on Writing Humor: @LinWilsonauthorGenres / MemoirWriting a Memoir in Personal Essays: @Roz_MorrisGenres / MysteryWhen seemingly unattainable dreams come true in crime fiction: @MargotKinbergCozy Mystery as a Series, Subgenre, & Joy – with Michele Scott: @DIYMFAIs Your Story A Mystery, Horror or Thriller? Here's How To Tell: @Bang2writeGenres / Non-FictionWriting Nonfiction Proposals: @LindasclareGenres / PoetryWhy All Writers Should Play around with Poetry: @thatpluckygirl @DIYMFAPromo / Blogging10 Tips for Blogging (After a 14-Year Blogging Practice): Promo / Book Descriptions and CopywritingHow to Build an Amazing ‘About the Author' Page: @DaveChessonPromo / MiscellaneousSend Two Preorder Alerts Per Book (Plus Timing Tips): @CarlynAtBookBub @BookBubCozy Mystery Authors: Ideas on How to Succeed in the Cozy Marketplace: @jimhbsPromo / NewslettersThe Myth of Fewer Emails: How to Get Better Engagement with More Not Less: @bryancohenbooksPublishing / MiscellaneousHollywood Writers' Arbitration Ruling Yields $42 Million From Netflix: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSpringer Nature and University of California Renew Deal: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesDear Literary Agent: @rcharkin @pubperspectivesWiley Reports Providing Knowledge Unlatched's ‘Oable' to 34 Customers: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesWriting to Market: 10 Pros and Cons to Weigh: @nownovelSalman Rushdie Stabbed Onstage: Suspect Said To Be in Custody: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesNPD on Netflix and Nostalgia: Licensing Rights for ‘Dungeons & Dragons' : @porter_anderson @pubperspectives @npdgroupPublishing / News / DataNPD Books on July's US Print Market: 6 Percent Lower, Year to Date: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingGermany's Bookwire Reorganizes Its Audiobook Approach: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesBook Aid International Programming: Books for 56,000 African Primary School Students: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCanada's Literary Press Group: Accessible Ebooks: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesRights Edition: Brazilian Books Are Selling in Cairo: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingWhy Does Querying Take So Long? @bookendslitYou gotta be succinct (query critique): @NathanBransfordWriting Craft / BeginningsFirst Chapters that Stand Out: Harry Potter: @abigailkperry @DIYMFASeven Components of a Successful Novel Opening: @magpie0218 @RMFWritersWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsCan an Abusive Antagonist Get Away With Their Misdeeds? @mythcreantsWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentFear Thesaurus Entry: Losing the Respect of Others: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writersCharacter Talents and Skills: Beyond the Superficial: @beccapuglisi8 Ways to Avoid Cardboard Characters (and Plot Contrivances While You're At It): @KMWeilandBack to the Basics: The ABC's of Character: @LexicalForge @CareerAuthorsWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsAgency – What Is It and Do Your Characters Have It? by Michael James @TheRyanLanzWriting Craft / DiversityHow (and How Not!) to Write Queer Characters: A Primer: @manzanitafire @JaneFriedmanInclusion Means Everyone, Especially the Differently Abled: @EliasJMcClellanWriting Craft / DraftsOn Rough Drafts and Sharing Them: @apessin @FloridaWriters1Writing Craft / EndingsWhy the Last Page of your Novel is as Important as the First: @annerallenWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmGreat Scene: “All the President’s Men”: @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “The Mummy” (1999): @GoIntoTheStory15 Years Later, Ratatouille’s Message About Art Still Inspires Me: by @VisionsCloudy @tordotcomPage One: “The Muppets” (2011): @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / MiscellaneousOn Chekhov’s Gun: @DwallacepeachHow to Write Non-Romantic Relationships: by Bethany Henry @thenovelsmithyWhen Worlds Collide: by Dave King @WriterUnboxedWhere's the B-roll? The Secret to Engaging Readers: @LisaTenerSuspension of Disbelief: @Virgilante @StoryEmpireBuilding a Subplot (A RavenCon 2022 panel): @MorganHzlwoodWriting Craft / POVKnowing how – and when – to use multiple POV characters in a manuscript: by Jack Smith @TheWriterMagWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / OutliningOutlining a Novel: Do Authors Think it's Necessary? @tessgerritsen @thenovelryWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingWhat Plot is NOT (How NOT to Fix Your Story’s Plot): @SeptCFawkesWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / ResearchResearch for Fiction Writers: @AHuelsenbeckWriting Craft / RevisionNovel revision checklist: @NathanBransfordThe Art of Color-Coding a Manuscript @CCHall_author
@womenonwritingWriting Craft / ScenesWhat is a Scene in a Novel and Does the Genre Matter? by Shane Millar @TheStoryEditorWriting Craft / VoiceA Few, Humble Thoughts on Voice: by F.E. Choe @DIYMFAWriting Craft / World-BuildingWorld-building Tip: Consider the Culture: by Adam Bassett @NaNoWriMoWriting Tools / AppsTop 9 Best Grammarly Alternatives: A Guide for Authors: @DaveChessonWriting Tools / MiscellaneousTech Tips for Writers–Quick Fix for a Broken Link: @WordDreamsWriting Journals, Notebooks, and the “Commonplace Book” as Useful Tools for Book Writers: @writeabookUncategorizedHow to Write a Memoir About Family Tragedy (That People Want to Read): by Abi Morgan @lithub https://t.co/ezitt2r9HuThe Charm of Contradiction: 9 Opposites Attract Romance Novels: by Megan Beauregard @BookTrib https://t.co/eOSNMZoTc9

 

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10 Tips for Blogging

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

As hard as it is for me to believe it, tomorrow marks 14 years since I started blogging. It really doesn't seem that long when I think about it. I've definitely tweaked what I'm doing over the years, streamlining it so it's been a more manageable process for me. But it's basically still the same blog I started out with.

I thought I'd share a little today about my thoughts on blogging and a few tips for those who are either interested in starting up a blog or want some ideas for doing things differently.  I do think blogging is a great activity. It's a wonderful way to build up a writing community that will support and encourage you. It's a nice way to share information with others. You can use your blogging as a writing warmup. And, from a purely promo standpoint, the updated content and visitors to your site will help with your website's search engine optimization (SEO) and help readers discover your books.

Use your own name as your domain name.  It will help build your SEO for your books.

Make it easy for your posts to be shared on at least one platform. There are lots of free plug-ins that can help with that. Your readers have a lot more reach than you do on your own.

Be sure to identify yourself somewhere on your blog. It's amazing how many blogs I visit where I have trouble finding a writer's full name, much less a way to contact them.

Like everything, setting the bar low can help maintain a blog habit. It's great to set out on blogging with ambition. I used to blog daily. The problem with that, though, is that sometimes life throws you curveballs. Or maybe you want to spend your writing time working on your books, instead. Now I aim for an article a week plus my Sunday link roundup. It makes blogging a lot more manageable.

When you take breaks, let everyone know when you plan on returning. We all take blog breaks. I take one in the summer and one at the end of December. I also take off for a few scattered holidays. It helps maintain consistency if you let your blog readers know when you're planning on returning.

It doesn't really matter who you blog for. Everyone tends to worry about whether they should have a reader-oriented blog or a writing-oriented blog. Do what comes naturally. If you have blog visitors, you're reaping a benefit either way.

Keep an editorial calendar. This has become increasingly important to me the longer I blog. My calendar is really just a list I keep of what I'm blogging about each week. I make careful note on the calendar of any guests I'm hosting, too. It helps me not repeat the same topic too often and helps me plan my future posts (giving me a place to list post ideas before I forget them).

Respond to your comments. It's always nice to respond to the folks who drop by. Plus, it's another way of building community and exchanging ideas and resources.

Visit others' blogs. Just like responding to comments, this is a great way to make friends online, support others, network, and share ideas and resources with other writers.

End your post with a question. This a great way to not only increase engagement on your blog, but it's also very helpful to learn how other writers approach the same issues.

What blogging tips do you have? Do you know how long you've been blogging?

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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / MiscellaneousTop 7 Places to Find People to Write Great Blurbs: @colleen_m_storyHow Should Creative Writing Programs Talk about the Business of Publishing? @TheLincolnHow to Grow Your Audience Using Online Workshops: @PatriciaDurgin @A3writersHow to Work with your Publicist, BookBub, Author Publicity, or PR/Marketing: @AnnMarieNieves @WriterUnboxedWriting Book Proposals: @LindasclareConferences and Events / MiscellaneousInternational Students Named to Sonny Mehta Fellowships: East Anglia and Iowa: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSasha Marianna Salzmann To Speak at the German Trade Peace Prize Ceremony: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe UK's Society of Authors Adds a New Disability-Focused Book Award: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesMadrid's Isabel la Católica Institute Named Liber 22 Award Winner: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Goal setting3 Tips to Setup Your KanBan Board to Help Reach Your Writing Goals: @createastorylovCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersNo Tense Like the Present: Novels That Embrace the Immediate: by Anna Dorn @lithubTen Expansive SFF Worlds to Fall Into: by Stubby the Rocket @tordotcomWhat Draws Us to Certain Classic Texts Over Others? @lithub5 Books About Fragile Worlds: @erintheswan @tordotcom5 Cozy Mystery Series for DIY-ers and Fans of HGTV Shows: @fapolito @CrimeReadsFive SF Stories About Strangers Bearing Gifts: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomIn Defense of Polonius: @DrJeffreyWilson @JSTOR_DailyCrime Fiction: In The Spotlight: Pablo De Santis’ The Paris Enigma: @MargotKinbergCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockGetting Through a Tough Spot in a Project: 5 Tips: Creativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeFear Not if Your Novel is Really a Short Story: by D.Z. Stone @WomenWritersWhy I Make Rules for My Writing Students—And Why I Break Them: by Adam White @lithubOut of the Pandemic, A Writing Renaissance: @AmongTheZombies @LitReactorPeople Get Scared When You Break Rules: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslit7 Ways to Fix (and Prevent) Writer Burnout: by
Emily McCrary-Ruiz-Esparza @WrittenWordMWhat do we most want as writers? @Roz_MorrisWhen Is Your Book Ready to be Published? @jamesscottbellThree Small Steps to Get Your Writing Back on Track: @AmbreDLeffler @DIYMFASometimes You Have to Get Lost to Find What You Really Need to Write: @halpen @lithubWhat is Rhythmic Writing? @SueColetta1 @onestop4writersThe 6 Challenges of Writing a Second Novel: @KMWeilandFinding Me: Towards Self-Actualization in Writing: @EugenBacon @sfwaHow to Get Out of a Rut: 50 Ideas: @BrynDonovanWriting from Trauma: @cyallowitzOne page diary exercises: @austinkleonReasons Not to Rush the Writing: @AnneJanzerHow to Get Out of Your Own Way and Write Consistently: @NinaAmirBlack Women in Fantasy Saved Me Where Academia Failed: @RavynnKaMia @CatapultStoryGenres / MiscellaneousSociety Genre: Stories of Power and Impotence: @StoryGridGenres / MysteryWriting a Murder Mystery? Here Are 5 Top Tips: @EmyliaHall @thenovelryCharacters who move frequently as elements in crime fiction: @MargotKinbergWant to Write a Great Mystery? Read a Great Romance: @MindyRCarlson @CrimeReadsGenres / Picture BooksStarting a Children's Book: @M_Richmond21Genres / Poetry100 Days of Poetry Prompts: by EA DeverellGenres / Science FictionDisturbing the Comfortable: On Writing Disability in Science Fiction: @naterobertwhite @tordotcomGenres / ScreenwritingTop 10 Tips On How To Break In As A Screenwriter in 2022: @Bang2writePick a Genre: @flyingwrestlerPromo / Book ReviewsPaying for a professional book review? Here’s how to avoid getting ripped off: @blueinkreview @sandrabeckwithPromo / MiscellaneousIdeas for Promoting a Book with Hybrid Author Events: @BookgalHow 12 Authors Used New Releases for Less to Support A Book Launch: @CarlynAtBookBub @BookBubPromo / PlatformsGenerosity should be your platform (podcast): @DanBlank @WeGrowMediaPromo / VideoAnother Take on Book Trailers: @authorterryo @killzoneauthorsPublishing / MiscellaneousPenguin Random House-S&S Acquisition Case Goes to Court: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPenguin Random House's Diversity Report, 2021: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesOxford University Press To Migrate Its Catalogue to Online Platform: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesNPD and IRI Have Announced a Merger in Data and Analysis: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / DataAmerican Publishers' StatShot: US Industry Down 3.7 Percent in May: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingUAE's Kalimat Foundation To Publish Under Marrakesh Treaty: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives5,000 Books Distributed to Ukrainian Refugee Children in Italy: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Hybrid PublishingWhat is Hybrid Publishing? Expectations vs Reality: @ReedsyHQPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingBe specific about who is doing what and why (query critique): @NathanBransford15 Ways to Increase Your Chances of Landing a Publishing Deal (by Query Letter): @SeptCFawkesShould Your Book Be Completed Before Querying? @bookendslitDeciding to Write Under a Pen Name: @BookgalPublishing / Process / Services to AvoidAmerica's Next Great Author: The Author Reality Show Idea Rides Again: @victoriastraussWriting Craft / BeginningsWriting a Compelling First Line: @ecellenbThings I Never Want To Read In An Opening Sentence So Please Stop: @helpfulsnowman @LitReactorWriting Craft / Characters / ArcHow to Edit a Character Arc: by L Cooke @TheStoryEditorWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentFear Thesaurus Entry: Humiliation: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writersHow Great Characters Make Great Stories: @PSHoffmanAuthorThe Importance of Writing Flawed Characters: by Neil Chase @SuzannahWindsorCharacters, Cultures, and Groups: @PhilAthansHow to Use the Enneagram to Create Fictional Characters: @AdkinsMary @DIYMFAWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsDoes My Hero Need a Specific Job? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsThe Protagonist’s Journey: Narrative Imperative: @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / Common MistakesSix Important Story Elements Introduced Too Late: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Craft / ConflictWriting the Fight Scene: @MorganHzlwoodWriting Craft / DialogueWriting Real Dialogue in Fiction: @BeemWeeks @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / DiversityCharacters and Diversity: Race: @gmplano @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmPage One: “Miles Ahead” (2015): @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “Million Dollar Baby” (2004): @GoIntoTheStoryFive Stories That Test the Limits of Bodily Consciousness: @ColeRush1 @tordotcomWriting Craft / Literary DevicesDifference Between Personification and Anthropomorphism: @cyallowitzWriting Craft / MiscellaneousEssential Fiction-Writing Tools of the Trade: @LiveWriteThriveWhat Writers Can Learn from Animal Communication: @SueColetta1 @killzoneauthorsUnderstanding the Underworld of a Story's Third Act: @KMWeilandNeurodivergent: Being ‘Different' in Life & Fiction: @KristenLambTXWhat Gives Our Story Meaning? @JamiGoldTravel Novels, Unreliable Narrators, & Forgotten History – with Scott Gates: @DIYMFAHow to Use Prologues: Does Your Story Need a Prologue? @harmony_kent @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / OutliningSuccessfully Write a Novel Without an Outline: by Grace A. Johnson @KingdomPenMagStoryville: The Intersection Between Plotting and Pantsing: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactorWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / ResearchHow to Get Your Medical References Right: by Adele Holmes M.D. @WomenWritersWriting Craft / RevisionTips For Rewriting A Finished Manuscript: @KMAllan_writerImprove Story Paragraphs by Addressing Echoes and Overused Words: @ZoeMMcCarthyWriting Craft / Settings and Description141 How to Write Active Settings: @MaryBuckham @sacha_blackImagery Speaks to Your Readers: @KarenCVSensory Detail and Setting Exercise: @Aatif_Rashid @CatapultStoryThe Language of Setting: @LeslieBudewitzWriting Craft / SynopsesHow to write a synopsis for a novel: @NathanBransford

 

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Getting Through a Tough Spot in a Project: 5 Tips

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

From time to time, everyone hits a speed bump in their manuscript. You might have been sailing through, easy as anything. Then, suddenly, you've come to a screeching halt. For whatever reason, it's messed up your forward motion on the book.

Here are five ideas for working your way through it:

Skip the scene that's creating the problem. Sometimes you might not be in the right mood to tackle a particular scene. Or maybe you're not exactly sure how you want to handle writing it. Instead of waiting, you could just skip that scene and move on to the next one, keeping your forward momentum on a project.

Work backward from a spot you feel good about. Let's say you're really stuck . . . perhaps in the middle of your book (a common sticking point for writers). Maybe you know the ending, but you're not sure how to connect where you are now with where you want to be at the end of the book. Consider working backward from the ending to the point where you got stuck.

Write on paper. I'm not sure what it is, but something about writing longhand really has the ability to help me make sense of troublesome scenes. You could try writing a few paragraphs on paper and see if it makes a difference.

Brainstorm ways of getting through it. I like doing this on paper, too. I basically just make a list of all the different ways the scene could possibly go. Then I choose one of them . . . and then usually will use bullet points (sort of a beat sheet) for the scene to ensure I can zip through it when I'm back on my laptop.

Set a timer when you work on the tough scene. Like any tough task, it can make things easier to know you'll only be working on it for a limited time. It definitely helps me get started when I know there will be a defined endpoint. A timer set for ten minutes (or even five, if you're really stick) can help.

What do you do when you get stuck when working on a book?

5 Tips for Getting Through a Tough Spot in a Project:
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Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Twitterific writing links are fed into the Writer’s Knowledge Base search engine (developed by writer and software engineer Mike Fleming) which has over 65,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

Have you visited the WKB lately?  Check out the new redesign where you can browse by category, and sign up for free writing articles, on topics you choose, delivered to your email inbox!  Sign up for the Hiveword newsletter here.

Business / MiscellaneousBenefits to Speaking at Industry Conferences: @c_vandenhende @DIYMFAWhy A LinkedIn Profile Is Essential For Serious Freelance Writers: @ashleygainerAre You Invested in Your Book? @johnbriggsbooks @TheRyanLanzHow To Get Your Self-Published Book Into Libraries: @eseinc1 @thecreativepennHow to Be an Author: Lessons in Professionalism for a Writing Career: by Sarah Gribble @write_practiceConferences and Events / MiscellaneousThe UK's Booker Prize for Fiction Names its 2022 Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @TheBookerPrizes @pubperspectivesInternational Literature Festival Berlin Calls for a Ukrainian Readings: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationSparking Ideas: by Mindy Obenhaus10 Ways to Finally Find Your Writing Mojo: @NinaAmirStorytelling Games: Doom, Hope, and Ten Candles: @MorningAmnesia @diymfaCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersSeven Suspenseful Novels In Which Paradise Is Not What It Seems: @Laura_Griff @CrimeReadsBroadening the Bookshelves: Getting to know Desi literature: @Undomestic_Mag @TheWriterMagSeven Characters You Love to Hate…Or Hate to Love: @AuthorJLHilton @CrimeReadsFive Poetry Collections to Read: @SWytovich @LitReactorTop 10 novels about things that go horribly wrong on islands: @RebeccaRukeyser @GuardianBooksCreativity and Inspiration / Motivation7 Ways to Find the Motivation to Write : @ElleCardyCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockHow To Smash Writer’s Block In Conversion Copywriting: @ashleygainerGetting Unstuck: Walking the Camino as a Creative Reset: @KAMcCleary @WriterUnboxedCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing QuicklyWriting Quickly: @KristenLambTXCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeWriting for Yourself Versus Writing for an Audience: @briangresko @CatapultStorySetting Boundaries Is the Best Writing Skill You’ll Ever Learn: @BrynDonovanAdvice on Finding a Mentor: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitHow to switch from writing to editing: @pubcoachJacquelyn Mitchard on her Unusual Writing Process: @WomenWritersOff with their prefixes: by Edwin L. Battistella
@OUPAcademicHow Writing A Memoir-in-Essays Saved My First Failed Book: @JodyKeisner @WomenWritersHow I Organize My Writing Ideas: @SeptCFawkesWriting (And Working) While Pregnant: First Trimester:   @AuthorSATGenres / FantasyShould I Use a Historical or an Original World? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsHow to Create Fantasy Creatures: @DaveChessonNuminous Fantasy: by Gabriel Murray @sfwaGenres / HorrorThe Books of Horror Facebook Group: Readers Take Over: @AmongTheZombies @LitReactorGenres / MemoirAfraid to Start Writing Your Memoir? Here’s How to Push Past the Fear: @losapalaGenres / MysteryClass Systems as Elements in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergMartin Edwards: My Life In Crime: @medwardsbooks @CrimeReadsCredibly Involving Amateur Sleuths in Cases: @MargotKinbergHow Agatha Christie’s Deep Respect for Science Helped Her Mysteries Stand the Test of Time: @PastMortems @CrimeReadsElly Griffiths on Lockdown, Locked Room Mysteries, and Pandemic Fiction: @ellygriffithsGenres / Non-Fiction4 Ways Non-Fiction Authors Can Succeed in the Age of “Free”: @BookgalGenres / Picture BooksHow to Publish a Children's Book in 6 Simple Steps: @reedsyOf Adjectives and Illustrators: by Robin Currie @A3writersGenres / Science FictionPreliminary Observations From An Incomplete History of African SFF: @WTalabi @sfwaGenres / ScreenwritingWriting War Movies: @flyingwrestler5 Uncomfortable Facts You Must Face If You Want Your Scripts Made: @Bang2writeA Script is Like a Rubik's Cube: @flyingwrestlerPromo / Blogging7 Ways to Fall in Love with Blogging Again: @seejavaciawritePromo / Book ReviewsHow to Get Book Reviews: Max Visibility in 9 Steps: @nownovelPromo / MiscellaneousHow to Run a Powerful Book Promotion: @dkparsonswriter @SelfPubFormBook Marketing Images & Videos: @KdibiancaHow to Market Your Book Without Social Media: @BookgalPromo / PlatformsTales of a Solopreneur: Building an Online Portfolio: @Richelle_Lyn_ @DIYMFAPromo / SpeakingWhy NOT to Give Away Your Presentation Slides: @DrMaryAnnDiorioPromo / WebsitesBook Marketing Strategies to Improve Your Website Performance: @Bookgal @BowkerPublishing / News / International PublishingEngland's National Centre for Writing: Translation Mentorships: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Hybrid PublishingThe Hybrid Publisher Debate: Do You Have the Right Mindset? @DWeissWriter @JaneFriedmanIs Hybrid Publishing Ethical? @meggsaladpdx @janefriedmanPublishing / Options / Traditional PublishingTraditional Publishing: What Happens After Your First Book? @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitThe Stages of Publishing a Novel: @lily_lindon @thenovelryPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches10 Things Not to Say to an Agent When You Pitch Your Project: @PaulaSMunierPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingThings I Watch For In Queries: double-writing: @Janet_ReidPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / RejectionsWhat writers and editors want each other to know about rejection: by Elisa Shoenberger @TheWriterMagWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentMaking the Characters We Write React: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelsonWriting an Un-Put-Downable Character: Interests: @acw_author @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsThe Expanded Ultimate Story Checklist: After the crisis, does the hero finally commit to pursuing a corrected goal, which still seems far away? @CockeyedCaravanWriting Craft / Flashback and Back StoryThe Fundamentals of Flashbacks: @jamesscottbellWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmPage One: “The Matrix Revolutions” (2003): @GoIntoTheStoryGreat Scene: “A Quiet Place”: @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / Literary DevicesUsing Analogies is like Giving Yourself an Ink Blot Test: @cyallowitzThe Lure of Literary Symbolism: @BoomerHighwayWriting Craft / MiscellaneousPrologue Dos and Don’ts: @harmony_kentPlot Writing: Three Ways to Test Your Story: @Lindasclare10 Ways to Get Your Story Un-Stuck: @Janice_HardyThe Expanded Ultimate Story Checklist: Does the hero adopt a corrected philosophy at this point? @CockeyedCaravanHow to Create Moral Dilemmas That Are Actually Moral: @mythcreantsWho’s in Charge Of Your Story? by
James R. PrestonSculpting the Shapely Sentence: 5 Techniques: @Shutta @FloridaWriters1A Cheat Sheet on Body Language for Writers: @HowellWave @StoryEmpirePutting Romance into Non-Romances: by Marilynn ByerlyAvoid aimless stage direction: @NathanBransfordWriting Turning Points: @LindasclareWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingThe Four Act Structure: What It Is + How It Works: @thenovelsmithy7 Essential Tips to Plan Your Novel Like a Pro: @BethBarany @annerallenUnderstanding the Adventure World of a Story's Second Act: @KMWeiland5 Plot Points of a Story: Definition & Examples: by Kara Henderson @TheStoryEditorWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarHow to use parentheses (round brackets) to convey simultaneity in fiction: @LouiseHarnby

 

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Writing the Cozy Mystery: Opening and Closing Images

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig 

After writing about fifty cozy mysteries, I think I've used just about every story opener possible. I've opened with the dead body a few times. Sometimes I've had just a few pages of set-up and then a body. Sometimes I've had the annoying future victim interact with the irritated future suspects and then the victim about 30 pages in.  They all seemed to work for the story, in different ways.

Although I never worried about beginnings (often choosing to open with dialogue and just hop right in), the endings of my books were always a bit more of a struggle for me. The moment of danger for the sleuth was over. The police had arrived and taken the bad guy/gal away. Everything else seemed a bit anticlimactic.

Having the ending reflect the beginning works particularly well for a cozy mystery, I think. A nice bonus is that it helps nicely with tying up the troublesome endings of my books. With this method, I'll often open my stories with a brief scene of a perfect version of the story world. My characters are happily ensconced in their safe, cozy world. They're working crosswords and drinking coffee. Or they're eating tomato sandwiches and watching their favorite soap opera.

I've written before about my “quiet beginnings” for cozies and how the mirroring technique can help establish that. But I didn't really mention much about how it plays into the endings and make them both stronger and easier to write.

Mirroring works well for other genres in different ways. It's often touted as a great way to remind readers of character growth. Janice Hardy has an excellent article on this technique.

With cozies, I think it serves a slightly different purpose (of course, you can use it to indicate protagonist growth, too). In the example I gave above, it's all about the comfort of the repeating scene. . . creating a tableau and then pulling it together again at the end. You're bringing back the peace and harmony at the end of the story. It's a very pleasing, tidy process. Return your protagonist back to the safety and security of the opener.

For more thoughts about creating cozies, here are the other posts I've written in the series.

How do you handle story openers and closings in your books?

Writing the Cozy Mystery: Opening and Closing Images:
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