Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 35
January 2, 2022
Making Mini-Plans and Mini-Goals for the Year
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Happy 2022! Today, I'm talking about plans and goals. For ages, I just set a mid-year goal instead of a New Year goal. June was a better time of the year for me to be quiet and think about reasonable goals for the next 12 months. The chaos of early-January, when I still had school-aged kids at home with me during their holiday break, just wasn't working.
That's a tip for parents of young kids. :) But my kids are grown and flown now and I'm joining the masses by contemplating my goals at the very beginning of the year.
Because I write on a strict schedule, I already know my expected output (unless something really dire happens…anything is possible these days!) But I do need to work on the business side of writing, which is never my favorite task. I did work business tasks into my weekly goals last year and it worked out well. I'm hoping to repeat the process this year.
If you're like me, something in your writing life seems overwhelming. For me, it's learning something new (TikTok is on my list) and managing advertising. For you, it might be writing a first novel, trying outlining for the first time, or experimenting with a new-to-you genre.
My tips remain the same for all of these different activities: mini plans and mini daily goals.
Mini-planningMini-planning is being reasonable with yearly goals. What I do is to do a “brain-dump”: I write down all the things that I want to accomplish in both my personal life and my professional life. This relieves some of my stress about all the things I want to work on over the year. It's actually a pretty scary-looking list involving home repairs, yard-related projects, organizing family scrapbooks, spring cleaning, scheduling physicals and other doctor appointments for the year, expanding my advertising efforts, outlining and writing 5-6 books, and staying on top of my translation and audio publishing efforts. Additionally, I'd like to figure out vacation time for my husband and myself…assuming the variant du jour allows that to be a possibility.
What about the above is “mini?” How I incorporate the tasks into my schedule. I take the list, break down the different tasks into smaller bits (home repairs, for example, includes assessing what needs to be done, researching the appropriate contractor to assist us, calling them, scheduling a day, etc.) and fill them into my calendar. The best way to eat an elephant is one step at a time.
Flexibility is key with this approach. Remember that you're never behind. Each day you start with a blank slate. If something comes up, go ahead and cross off the task on your calendar as soon as you reschedule the task for another day. Because you did address it by rescheduling it.
Mini-goalsMini-goals follow the same basic process. I use these mainly for writing, but sometimes exercising and housework will also slip into this approach. I find the smallest amount of time that I can make the progress I need and put it on my schedule. For writing, that's going to be 30 minutes now (I have an empty nest, as I mentioned above), but when I was younger and shuttling kids around, it was as few as 5 minutes. To me, it's more important to have a string of successes each day and fuel my self-confidence than it is to get burned out with a big goal.
You can set a word count goal or a time goal. You can make the goal for once a week or every day. It's extraordinarily adaptable.
The nice thing with mini-goals is that I almost always surpass them. I get caught up in my writing and keep on going.
I'll be back next Monday with a tip that's closely-associated with this topic: being intentional.
How do you keep from getting overwhelmed by your goals and upcoming tasks?
Tips for Less-Stressful Planning and Goal-Setting:
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The post Making Mini-Plans and Mini-Goals for the Year appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
January 1, 2022
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 61,000 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.
Happy 2022! Hope everyone has a happy, productive year. My apologies for the wacky formatting in this post! Your next Twitterific will be nicely-organized, as usual, ha! This post includes the most-clicked links for 2021 (or the #TopTweets).
World Reading Habits in 2021: http://ow.ly/IxTt30s4Zt1 #wkb63
The Inciting Incident and Character Void: http://ow.ly/AMgn30rC6qk @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Screenplays Are Stories, Not Formulas: http://ow.ly/5vya30rMvoQ @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Work More Sales into Your End of Summer Book Marketing Plan: http://ow.ly/63iy30rQAcZ @Bookgal #TopTweets2021
It takes a lot of manure to grow a few good roses: http://ow.ly/ByVB30rLzVs @AlanBaxter #TopTweets2021
Alexander Payne on appealing characters vs. sympathetic characters: http://ow.ly/RJEg30rLSBX @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021″
Catch Readers With The Unexpected: http://ow.ly/WTRz30rIW6H @jessicastrawser @CareerAuthors #TopTweets2021
What Makes a Great Story? http://ow.ly/ba3f30rwZ4q @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
When All Else Fails: Plot Jumpstarters: http://ow.ly/EzMY30rza05 @PaulaSMunier @CareerAuthors #TopTweets2021
Improving your first page: http://ow.ly/Z7Ji30rwt4L @ReadAlessandra @AuthorsAi #TopTweets2021″
What is Dramatic Tension? http://ow.ly/I3SW30rxU8g @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Author Peter Hotez's Vaccine ‘Cormevax': @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/fqor30s5KN7 @PeterHotez @pubperspectives #wkb88
Page One: “Knives Out”(2019): http://ow.ly/GXI830rKQdF @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Introducing Unique Story Elements without Confusing Readers: http://ow.ly/eMPt30rttdb @beccapuglisi #TopTweets2021
5 Tips For Marketing Your Book In Multiple Languages: http://ow.ly/7E8R30rvUJa @ofertirosh @Writers_Write #TopTweets2021
Create Story Worlds with Land, People, and Technology: http://ow.ly/1vau30rINCg @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Exploring Female Character Archetypes “The Wild Woman”: http://ow.ly/6a1q30rvGYR @Writing_Nomad @CreativeScreen #TopTweets2021
An Explanation of Thematic Roles: http://ow.ly/YWYX30rB1DW @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
The 36 Best (Old) Books We Read in 2021: http://ow.ly/yqL230s5Gx7 @knownemily @lithub
7 Ways to Stay Sane When Working by Yourself: http://ow.ly/gF3v30rsFsG by Tom Meitner @ProWritingAid #TopTweets2021
Your Story Can Start After The Inciting Incident: http://ow.ly/cQ9X30rJxPE @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
The One Thing You Need to Do: Write: http://ow.ly/lDuz30rrreJ @SueBEdwards @womenonwriting #TopTweets2021
How Literary Female Friendships Shaped the Fiction Market : http://ow.ly/JjRi30rsaL4 @SarahJLonsdale @lithub #TopTweets2021
How (and why) to personalize a query letter: http://ow.ly/bo2W30rZoSM @NathanBransford #TopTweets2021
What Horror Writers Can Learn from Horror Films: http://ow.ly/K8A030s0l4B by B.A. Kockaya @HorrorTree #TopTweets2021
Page One: “Twilight”(2008): http://ow.ly/kcML30s055V @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Podcast: How to Dictate a Novel with Kevin J Anderson: http://ow.ly/VRhP30rZoQU @TheKJA @BookTrib #TopTweets2021
The Heroine's Journey: http://ow.ly/8Zlc30rZQbS @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Archetypal Antagonists for the Crone Arc: Death Blight and Tempter: http://ow.ly/mfH430rZhuj @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Is My Screenplay Big Enough to Be a Movie? http://ow.ly/VzSU30rYykk @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Russian High Court Closes 2021 Michalski Prize Winner, Memorial International: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/hCEV30s5wCO @pubperspectives #wkb64
IPA's Bodour Al Qasimi's Focus on Publishing Solidarity and Freedom to Publish: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/p9Mh30s48Y0 @Bodour @IntPublishers @pubperspectives #TopTweets2021
If It's Worth Living, It's Worth Recording: Thoughts on Memoirs: http://ow.ly/ytvK30rYioz by Lucie Ataya @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
The Heroine's Journey: Part 1: http://ow.ly/wHpu30rZoRU @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
The Importance of Defining Your Online Writer Brand: http://ow.ly/3ypG30rX5rn by Lucie Ataya @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Screenwriting Back to Basics: Reader Identification: http://ow.ly/b6b430rVYZH @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Book Contracts: Let's Talk Rights: http://ow.ly/q22g30s1QOs @kate_mckean @CatapultStory #TopTweets2021
The Do's and Don'ts of Storytelling According to Marvel: http://ow.ly/HN0230rWl7U @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Archetypal Antagonists for Each of the Six Archetypal Character Arcs: http://ow.ly/eqAM30rVxkS @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Page One: “The Terminator” (1984): http://ow.ly/pmJK30rVYXn @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
3 Most Common Worldbuilding Mistakes for Writers and How to Fix Them: http://ow.ly/pOV630rWJ36 @WorldAnvil @NaNoWriMo #TopTweets2021
At Guadalajara: Bologna Children's Book Fair Makes Its Next Stop: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/bpxB30s1LPj @pubperspectives #TopTweets2021
A Former Copyeditor's Tricks for Grammatical Mastery: http://ow.ly/fxSC30rUnpK @FoxPrintEd #TopTweets2021
7 Questions For Writers On Rejection: http://ow.ly/Za2S30rSpxk @MiaJouBotha @Writers_Write #TopTweets2021
Great Scene: “The Godfather”: http://ow.ly/MXtq30rTheX @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
The Business of Being Edgar Allan Poe: http://ow.ly/cwt630rXTC2 @CatBaabMuguira @WSJ #TopTweets2021
Don't Finish Your Book: http://ow.ly/Orjw30rSYL2 @AllieLarkin @WriterUnboxed #TopTweets2021
The Main Reason Your Story's Premise Is Important: http://ow.ly/SNEY30rUVtu @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
The Business of Screenwriting: Everything You Wanted to Know About Specs: http://ow.ly/yYqn30rUqzE @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Self-publishing News: Amazon expands its network of “Star”stores: http://ow.ly/dzNS30rWWGO @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLI #TopTweets2021
The 18 Most Memorable Trees in Literature: http://ow.ly/ebXT30rUMjC @cwhe @lithub #TopTweets2021
Let's All Be Final Girls: http://ow.ly/lK9t30rVGWH @SGJ72 @CrimeReads #TopTweets2021
12 Authors Answer the Question “How Do You Write in Tough Times?”http://ow.ly/iCD230rTFTg @charliejane @tordotcom #TopTweets2021
Plot Archetypes: http://ow.ly/O1Wc30rP1sc @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
How much does it cost to self-publish? That depends: http://ow.ly/pt2K30rSGp0 @Roz_Morris #TopTweets2021
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going (in Publishing): http://ow.ly/ceaT30rRFyN @msheatherwebb #TopTweets2021
Writing Collaborative Horror: http://ow.ly/rKkc30runvT @ChadLutzke @timmmeyer11 @thebookdad @LitReactor #TopTweets2021
Mood Is The Most Underrated Literary Device And The Most Valuable: http://ow.ly/ERON30rqY25 by Kelly Jensen @BookTrib #TopTweets2021
Archetypal Character Arcs: How to Use Archetypal Character Arcs in Your Stories: http://ow.ly/rw1R30rPWeL @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Script to Screen: “Witness”: http://ow.ly/KAsM30rRMGp @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Plot Archetypes: http://ow.ly/O1Wc30rP1sc @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Writing and the Creative Life: The Joy of Running, Creatively Speaking: http://ow.ly/3dIi30rQp0M @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Booktok: how TikTok and Gen Z re-invented the book club: http://ow.ly/BxGb30rU4AR by Alex Bryson @PulsarPlatform #TopTweets2021
How To Introduce a Character in a Novel: http://ow.ly/U6ge30rP1rS by Katie Khan @thenovelry #TopTweets2021
Types of Flat-Arc Characters: http://ow.ly/ssSt30rOFu8 @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Right-Brained Revisers: http://ow.ly/oYlV30rM5Yg @MichalskiLiz @WriterUnboxed #TopTweets2021
How reading helps writing: http://ow.ly/lxD630rNgws @pubcoach #TopTweets2021
Release Checklist For Writers: http://ow.ly/vkOR30rPIfK #TopTweets2021
Belarus One Year After the Election: Writers, Translators, Journalists Speak Out: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/7ap130rQwq1 @pubperspectives #TopTweets2021
How to Handle Critiques and Negative Reviews: http://ow.ly/V7Z730rMm4Z @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
How to Expand on a Story Idea: http://ow.ly/m9WD30rMQwd @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Hemingway's Writing Routine: http://ow.ly/ngVK30rMFdX @Astrohaus #TopTweets2021
What is the point of the scene? http://ow.ly/FWBO30rMZtI @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Archetypal Character Arcs: The Flat Archetype of the Child: http://ow.ly/sp6D30rLA0d @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
You Can't Sell an Idea: http://ow.ly/dy3X30rNklK @straczynski @JaneFriedman #TopTweets2021
Penguin Random House: New Stories of Social Impact: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/lwIO30rOGms @pubperspectives @penguinrandom #TopTweets2021
Assessing Your Writing Career: http://ow.ly/wE6430rOYxg @WriteNowCoach @TheIWSG #TopTweets2021
How to avoid the willpower trap: http://ow.ly/AsUq30rJ1FU @beprolifiko #TopTweets2021
Use Societal Transitions for Your Story World: http://ow.ly/6KEW30rJPzG @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Screenwriting Resource: Movie Script Scene-By-Scene Breakdowns: http://ow.ly/Cw5930rKMGz @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2021
Dramatizing Inner Conflict: http://ow.ly/Xcqk30rKMG7 @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Dear Black Woman Writer: http://ow.ly/puyN30rJnJn @whattamisaid @WomenWriters #TopTweets2021
Why You Didn't Finish Your Novel During COVID: http://ow.ly/PMQw30rIAvl @helpfulsnowman @LitReactor #TopTweets2021
The 10 Creepiest Gothic Novels: http://ow.ly/vqhc30rJTO1 @ManxWriter @The_Millions #TopTweets2021
Latinx Horror Author Roundtable: http://ow.ly/h9bR30rJxOz @cinapelayo @LitReactor #TopTweets2021
Writing: Wintering and Dormancy: http://ow.ly/J0Jz30rHVxB @austinkleon #TopTweets2021
Historical Fiction: Write What You Know, or Know What You Write: http://ow.ly/Jp0030rHUyR @davidgilmanuk @WritersDigest #TopTweets2021
Archetypal Character Arcs: The Mage Arc: http://ow.ly/qzVE30rFlPe @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Women Writing Extreme Horror by Kenzie Jennings and Janine Pipe: http://ow.ly/WRad30rEvv9 @Night_Worms @JaninePipe28 #TopTweets2021
The 10 Best Zombie Books You May Not Have Heard Of: http://ow.ly/HuVv30rGz62 @AmongTheZombies @LitReactor #TopTweets2021
Introduction to the 12 Shadow Archetypes: http://ow.ly/YA7M50Ez5zL @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Archetypal Character Arcs: The King Arc: http://ow.ly/A8sJ30rDJtY @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Archetypal Character Arcs: The Maiden's Shadow Archetypes: http://ow.ly/SG1230rGOiG @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
PEN America's New Report on Turkey: Five Years After the Failed Coup: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/t2B930rMheU @PENamerica @pubperspectives #TopTweets2021
Ten Things You (Probably) Didn't Know About James and Nora Joyce: http://ow.ly/EFOq30rDJuk @NualaNiC @The_Millions #TopTweets2021
Stepping into the portal: http://ow.ly/yrhB30rEJS4 @austinkleon #TopTweets2021
Road Trips as Elements in Crime Fiction: http://ow.ly/JcxU30s4ZsP @MargotKinberg #wkb44
Take Two: 3 Mistakes Writers Make in Act I: http://ow.ly/KgCG30rHUxZ @jeannevb @WritersDigest #TopTweets2021
How Do You Keep a Novel Alive When It Keeps Trying To Die? http://ow.ly/3Tsg30rDnpB @katehopeday @lithub #TopTweets2021
7 Things You Can Do With Dialogue In A Story: http://ow.ly/DQsd30rDvE5 @MiaJouBotha @Writers_Write #TopTweets2021
Write or Die: Is This the Tool That Finally Conquers Your Procrastination? http://ow.ly/LaFy30rDvC6 @JDEdwinAuthor @write_practice #TopTweets2021
The 4 Pillars Of Literary Fiction: http://ow.ly/zzbR30rAhDJ by Oliver Fox @Writers_Write #TopTweets2021
Writing Comedic Essays: http://ow.ly/jhiM30rCSCu by Vanessa Newman @WomenWriters #TopTweets2021
What's the Three-Act Structure? http://ow.ly/KRMx30rDnpr @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Steal these email sign-offs from famous writers: http://ow.ly/T0ji30rAwH6 @jessiegaynor @lithub #TopTweets2021
How Do Characters Move a Story Forward? http://ow.ly/Gf8230rBkBj @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Finding Solace in Horror Fiction: http://ow.ly/AM5T30rzH9c @thebookdad @LitReactor #TopTweets2021
Archetypal Character Arcs: The Maiden Arc: http://ow.ly/Xmwu30rB1Eb @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
On Literature and Consciousness: http://ow.ly/3RX230rBraJ @WithEdSimon @The_Millions #TopTweets2021
The Hot Sheet: Industry Newsletter for Writers (2 Free Issues for Subscribers) from @JaneFriedman @HotSheetPub : https://hotsheetpub.com/
Go long and cut, or write short and add? http://ow.ly/Xass30rvUIV @LibbyCudmore @TheWriterMag #TopTweets2021
What's a Dangling Cause? http://ow.ly/AwnG30ryTau @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
5 Essential Exercises For Creating Characters: http://ow.ly/K1aW30rx176 @Writers_Write #TopTweets2021
The Existential Horror of Making an Author Website: http://ow.ly/Egrn30rxgZ9 @christophpaul_ @LitReactor #TopTweets2021
Exploring Female Character Archetypes: “The Mother”: http://ow.ly/EV2730rwZaA @Writing_Nomad @CreativeScreen #TopTweets2021
10 Things I Learned Editing an Anthology in Three Weeks: http://ow.ly/Dejh30ryF26 @Gabino_Iglesias #TopTweets2021
An Introduction to Archetypal Stories: http://ow.ly/uxkM30rzeQl @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Foreign Terror-tories: 8 Translated Tales to Terrify: http://ow.ly/N7Ww30rza2x @SadieHartmann @LitReactor #TopTweets2021
3 Character Arcs in the Karpman Drama Triangle: http://ow.ly/GA9430rwt5I @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Why You Should Write Three Pages of Garbage Every Morning: http://ow.ly/lSWd30rwbGC @jaimealyse @lifehacker #TopTweets2021
That time Sherlock Holmes appeared in an Arsène Lupin story as “Herlock Sholmes”: http://ow.ly/hnzY30rxyuB @oldrutigliano @CrimeReads #TopTweets2021
Ten Ways to Lose Your Literature: http://ow.ly/qGQs30ry7oA @WithEdSimon @The_Millions
How to Create Tension: http://ow.ly/PSNQ30ru0ob @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
5 Ways to Have More Fun Writing: http://ow.ly/RMO530runqq @jessicastrawser @CareerAuthors #TopTweets2021
Crime Fiction: Characters Who Keep Being Pulled Back Into a Criminal Life: http://ow.ly/FzZ030rwX4L @MargotKinberg #TopTweets2021
Why Comedy is Crucial in Crime Writing: http://ow.ly/FOL330ruz38 @Peculiar @CrimeReads #TopTweets2021
Analyzing “Gone Girl” – Middle Build Two: http://ow.ly/Lsv530rsIZJ @TheWritership @StoryGrid #TopTweets2021
A Writing Process Is Like Building a House: http://ow.ly/osAd30rs57p @jordynhtaylor @WomenWriters #TopTweets2021
How To Write An Epic First Line: http://ow.ly/wNn430rt95s @MiaJouBotha @Writers_Write #TopTweets2021
Humanizing Characters and Overcoming The Limits of Empathy: http://ow.ly/E6GU30rueVE @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
Write Like No One Is Watching: http://ow.ly/UA2b30rvRhb @AmyImpellizzeri @WomenWriters #TopTweets2021
Questions to Ask When Your Story Isn't Working: http://ow.ly/Eeag30rvPLf @KiingoCreative #TopTweets2021
“What Gandhi Taught Me About Telling Stories that Mean Something”: http://ow.ly/wzuE30rtYFa @KelseyAllagood @WriterUnboxed #TopTweets2021
Releasing a Book Into the Pandemic: A Time of Anti-Science: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/8P7K30rzafm @PeterHotez #TopTweets2021
Top 5 Twitter Tips to Market Your Books: http://ow.ly/2KLp30rtYFK @BadRedheadMedia #TopTweets2021
An At-Home Writing Retreat: http://ow.ly/Cu1e30rykXR @aprildavila #TopTweets2021
From literary journal to 10 books a year: http://ow.ly/ASFR30rqSVp @MsBessieBell @Roz_Morris #TopTweets2021
How to Effectively Manage Multiple Narrators in Your Novel: http://ow.ly/eRIf30rrg5S @KenBrosky @JaneFriedman #TopTweets2021
What Writers Can Learn From 5 Unusual Male Characters: http://ow.ly/tzPs30rqvlR @Bang2write #TopTweets2021
Screenwriting: 7 Tips for Emerging Creative Entrepreneurs: http://ow.ly/2iWp30rryKG @CreativeScreen #TopTweets2021
How To Write An Epic First Scene: http://ow.ly/MT3O30rqSXm @MiaJouBotha @Writers_Write #TopTweets2021
How to Publish with KDP: http://ow.ly/Sc2w30rqGdp @harmony_kent @StoryEmpire #TopTweets2021
How Has The Character Of James Bond Evolved? http://ow.ly/ccgF30rqFUE by Michael Lee Simpson @CreativeScreen #TopTweets2021
What goes into a good cozy mystery novel: http://ow.ly/crU330rsdQo @ReadAlessandra @AuthorsAi #TopTweets2021
The Long, Dark Legacy of William Hjortsberg's Supernatural Neo-Noirs: http://ow.ly/VkOl30rrcrZ @Pulpcurry @CrimeReads #TopTweets2021
How much research is enough? http://ow.ly/Polp30rryKy @pubcoach #TopTweets2021
101 Softly-Delivered Writing Lessons: http://ow.ly/s7jc30rwHRy @booksofm @apexmag #TopTweets2021
USA: Princeton University Press Opens Diversity-Driven Development Grants: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/RV9O30rx8c7 @pubperspectives @PrincetonUPress #TopTweets2021
Staying True to Yourself after Publication: http://ow.ly/DmMe30rqXbY @ErinLBartels @WomenWriters #TopTweets2021
Why Classic Crime Fiction Was Obsessed With Fashion: http://ow.ly/izag30rsFvV @Tara_Moss @CrimeReads #TopTweets2021
Gifts for writers! (2021's tongue-in-cheek gift guide): http://ow.ly/oPGh30s4stC @NathanBransford #wkb31
The Millions 2021 Gift Guide for Readers and Writers: http://ow.ly/TM1v30s4ssE by Hannah Gersen @The_Millions #wkb31
More Holiday Gifts For The Writer In Your Life: http://ow.ly/J3jT30s4ssQ @KMAllan_writer #wkb31
Rights Edition: Foreign Rights Sold to 12 Percent of Italy's New Books: @Porter_Anderson http://ow.ly/qLR630s4ss2 @pubperspectives #wkb64
The CrimeReads 2021 Holiday Gift Guide: http://ow.ly/mmCz30s4ss9 @oldrutigliano @CrimeReads #wkb31
How To Be A Writer: http://ow.ly/KXFj30rqROq @oliviablacke @WomenWriters #TopTweets2021
2021 Gift Guide For Authors: http://ow.ly/ITlE30s4snU @StuartConover @HorrorTree #wkb31
What Is Dreamzoning? (7 Steps to Finding New Story Ideas): http://ow.ly/i1VV30rqzO3 @KMWeiland #TopTweets2021
Crime Stories Where the Death May be Suicide or Murder: http://ow.ly/NiUX30s3Zat @MargotKinberg #wkb44
How to Write a Vomit Draft (And Why It's So Important): http://ow.ly/mxGr30rrkDl @Write_LA @CreativeScreen #TopTweets2021
Make eBooks Into Decent Gifts: http://ow.ly/uYrj30s4str @helpfulsnowman @LitReactor #wkb31
A Gift Guide for the Writer in Your Life: http://ow.ly/XgMf30s4st2 @theladygreer @WriterUnboxed #wkb31
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
December 18, 2021
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 61,000 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.
Happy holidays, everyone! This is the last post for 2021. I'll be back Jan. 2 for another Twitterific post. :)
Business / MiscellaneousWhere Have all the Editors Gone? @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitUpdates to Amazon and Goodreads That May Impact You: @BookgalSensitivity Reading as a Business: by Kathy L. Brown @hopeclarkThree Steps to Prioritizing Your Writing Instruction During the Pandemic: @BethMooreSchoolConferences and Events / MiscellaneousGuadalajara International Book Fair's Rubén Padilla : ‘People Were Happy': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Careers in Writing and Day JobsWeird Ways to Make Money As a Writer: by Megan Okonsky @TheRyanLanzCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration“My Process for Intentional Creative Growth”: @DanBlank @WeGrowMediaCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersWealth and Social Status Offer No Protection From Being Suspects in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergMiddle Grade Fiction for Processing Serious Issues: @EmilyBarthIsler @CrimeReadsBrutal, Terrifying, and Unclassifiable: Beyond the Literary/Horror Divide: @jhmattson @CrimeReadsSocietal Expectations as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergAnti-Doorstoppers: Ten Great SFF Novellas and Novelettes: @QueenOfRats @tordotcom18 new books to get you excited about reading again: @prepartynap @lithubThat Gothic Feeling: 11 Masterpieces of Romantic Suspense: by Greg Herren @CrimeReadsFive Great Mystery Novels Set at Carnivals and Fairs: @MickiBrowning @CrimeReadsFive Dark Historical Gothics to Savor: @h_kybettsmith @tordotcomFive Stories in Which Changing the Laws of Physics Leads to Bigger Problems: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomCreativity and Inspiration / Motivation10 Steps to Start Writing Your Book: by Alex Simmonds @ProWritingAidCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingHow to be a more productive writer: @pubcoachDaily Writing Routines: 9 Inspirational Techniques from 21 Famous Authors: by Alex Simmonds @ProWritingAidCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeReasons Not to be an Author: by Brenda Wilson @KiingoCreativeWhy You Can’t Stop Thinking About “Bad Art Friend”: @FoxPrintEd @WriterUnboxedMoviegoing During a Pandemic: by Leah Schnelbach, Christina Orlando and Emmet Asher-Perrin @tordotcomFive Ways to Know You Are Doing Good Work on Each Writing Session: @HowellWave @StoryEmpireTips for Collaborations With Other Writers: @LindaGilden @EdieMelsonAn Educator on the Problem of Book Banning: @MargotKinbergFinding Work-Life Balance as a Full-Time Author: @HelenaHunting @DIYMFASomebody finally fixed the ending of “The Giving Tree”: @knownemily @lithubWriting Rituals To Try When You Can’t Get Started: @MorganHzlwoodTackle That Ambitious Dream Project Now: @KelseyAllagood @WriterUnboxed5 Tips for Finding the Kind Genius Writer in Your Mad Genius Writer: by Brian Leung @DIYMFASecrets to life-long creativity from writers who lasted: by Elizabeth Fishel @TheWriterMag2021 Gift Guide For Authors: @StuartConover @HorrorTreeThe CrimeReads 2021 Holiday Gift Guide: @oldrutigliano @CrimeReadsGenres / FantasyHow Do I Make My Story’s Elemental Powers Feel Natural? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsSix Magic Powers That Writers Had to Ignore: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsGenres / HorrorThe Hybrid of Fantasy and Horror: by Cameron Scott Kirk @MandSMagazineWhat Horror Writers Can Learn from Horror Films: by B.A. Kockaya @HorrorTreeGenres / MemoirAdding Emotions to Memoir: @kris10edits @GoodStoryCoWriting Memoir: True Lies: @LindasclareGenres / MysteryCrime Stories Where the Death May be Suicide or Murder: @MargotKinbergGenres / Romance8 Scintillating Rules for Writing Romances: by Dana Isaacson @CareerAuthorsWriting (Un)Awkward Romantic Scenes: @sarazalesky @TheRyanLanzGenres / ScreenwritingScreenwriting: Imagery for Marketing of the Project: @CockeyedCaravanMovies Have Always Been ‘Woke'. You Just Didn't Notice: @Bang2writePromo / Blogging6 Ways to Supplement Your Blog-a-Book Content: @BirdsOAFpress @NinaAmirBlogging tips for editors and authors: Podcast: With Carol Saller: @LouiseHarnbyPromo / Book Descriptions and CopywritingWrite Yourself a Power Blurb: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsPromo / Book ReviewsWhy Book Reviews Are Important and Where to Find Them: @DancingLemurPre @TheIWSGPromo / MiscellaneousHow PowerPoint Can Spiff Up Your Marketing: @WordDreamsPromo / NewslettersGrow Your Email List (and Your Influence): @StephanieBwaBwa @DIYMFAPromo / PodcastsPodcast Guesting: 10 Ways to Find Podcasts Where You Can Pitch Yourself: @DebraEckerlingPromo / Social Media TipsLinkedIn for Writers – How to Get Started and Why You Should: @pick_penPromo / SpeakingSpeaking Tips for Writers: @YvonneOrtega1 @EdieMelsonPublishing / MiscellaneousChecklist for Entering Contests: by Pam Hillman/Jan Drexler @SKRViLLRichard Charkin's ‘Twelve Days of Christmas': @rcharkin @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingEuropean Booksellers, Publishers, Printers Warn : ‘No Christmas Without Books': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCroatian Publisher Fraktura and Its Bookshop: ‘To Present Quality Books’: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectivesCONTEC Mexico: Pandemic Spurs Children’s Reading and New Themes: by Adam Critchley @pubperspectivesNicaragua's Sergio Ramírez on Leaving Latin America : ‘A Personal Choice': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIPA Prix Voltaire Laureate Pham Doan Trang Sentenced to Nine Years: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIPA's Bodour Al Qasimi's Focus on Publishing Solidarity and Freedom to Publish: @Porter_Anderson @Bodour @IntPublishers @pubperspectivesYear’s End: European Writers’ Council Follows Up on COVID’s Impact: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesChina Bestsellers: A Tall ‘Dune’ Appears on November’s Charts: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives‘Spain’s Women in Publishing: A Major Role in Defining Literary Trends': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesScotland Opens ‘A Year of Stories,' Publishing Scotland Aligns Its Programming: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @PublishScotlandRights Roundup: Giving Credit Where It’s Due: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesRights Edition: Translated Titles in China, First Half of 2021: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-Publishing“5 Reasons Why I Switched from Traditional Publishing to Self-Publishing”: @AbigailYardimci @Bang2writePublishing / Options / Traditional PublishingPublishing Without an Agent: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingAgent Spotlight: Gemma Cooper Interview and Query Critique Giveaway: @gemma_cooper @NatalieIAguirreWriting Craft / BeginningsWhy the First Line of Your Story Isn’t Important Only for Your Readers: @Peter_Rey_First Page Critique: Innocent to a Fault: by Clare Langley-Hawthorne @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentThe Goal is to Have Motivated Characters: by S.E. White @TheRyanLanzWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsWhy Your Protagonist Must Face a Crossroad: @thenovelsmithyWhy No One Likes Your Character And What To Do About It: by Brenda Wilson @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / Common Mistakes5 Indie Author Mistakes That Can Tank Book Sales: @sugarbeatbc @annerallenCommon Mistakes that Pull Readers Out of Stories: Writing Craft / ConflictFight Scenes: Deep Cover How to Write the Good Fight: @KristenLambTXHow to Craft Conflict in Your Novel: @beccapuglisi @sacha_blackWriting Craft / HooksHow to Write a Massive, Multi-Pronged Hook: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactorWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmPage One: “The Truth About Cats and Dogs” (1996): by Audrey Wells @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “Twilight” (2008): @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “The Way Way Back” (2013): @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / MiscellaneousHow Far is Too Far? How Narrative Distance Affects Telling: @Janice_HardyHow to make your novel un-put-down-able: @NathanBransfordHow to create a plot and guarantee a better story: @nownovelHow to Write High Agency Characters: @PSHoffmanAuthorWriting Consent in YA: Empowerment Through Storytelling: @alittlelocavore @CrimeReadsHow to Write a Meaningful Death for Your Hero: by Joy Caroline Woodbury @KingdomPenMagWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / ResearchWriting Spies: A Window Into the Top Four Organizations: @PiperBayardWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarSentence Fragments in Our Writing: by Dayna Betz @A3writersTo Comma, or Not to Comma: @LoriAnnFreelandThe Comma Dilemma: by Peggy Sias Lantz @FloridaWriters1Grammar Girl Tackles “Dos and Dont's”: @GrammarGirlWriting Craft / Revisions / CritiquesThe Rundown of Beta Reading: by Samantha Fenton @TheRyanLanzWriting Craft / SeriesPlotting a Sequel: from Fix Your Writing HabitsWriting Craft / Word CraftingThrowing SHADE at Your Sentences: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpireWriting Tools / ResourcesFavorite Online YA Writing Advice from the Pros: @moonandpenUncategorizedHow to Write a Vomit Draft (And Why It’s So Important): @Write_LA @CreativeScreen #TopTweets2021
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December 12, 2021
Common Mistakes that Pull Readers Out of Stories
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
There's nothing so awful as being pulled out of a great story by reading a typo. Unless, of course, you're the author of the story and a reader is telling you that they were pulled out of your story by an error.
There are lots of different mistakes that can yank readers out of a book, but the good news is that you can try to look for them before we publish…or, if you self-publish, you can correct the errors even after publishing.
Here are a few of the most-common issues that pull readers out of a story:Author intrusion. It can be very distracting when an author starts lecturing on their favorite topic or cause, especially when it doesn't fit in with the character or story.
The need for readers to suspend their disbelief too frequently. I think most readers are happy to suspend their disbelief at least once, but when it becomes a regular thing, it's frustrating.
Too much author research. Or unnatural presentation of the research. Research can be incredibly important, but not to the point where it overwhelms the story and basically turns into an information dump.
Poorly-planned or disappointing endings. Deus ex machina, among them. It's no fun to come to the end of a book you've enjoyed and the ending falls apart, is rushed, or is unbelievable.
Continuity errors. You can do a special round of edits on your story to weed these out. Readers quickly pick up on goofs where a character suddenly has a different outfit on but doesn't change clothes.
Head-hopping (shifting POVs in the same scene). It can make it hard for readers to settle in, never knowing which POV will come next.
Smart characters making dumb choices. Or even illogical behavior for a particular character that isn't in line with her personality. Characters investigating dark basements alone when there's a killer on the loose. Or even a character that acts completely out of character for no other reason but to act as a plot device.
Excessive descriptions of people or settings that don't reinforce the story world or develop the characters. I nearly always skim during long-winded descriptions. It just slows down the story's pace.
Boring or awkward dialogue. Really, it's just better not to mimic real conversations since they're not interesting when they're in print.
Too much inner dialogue. If your novel seems to have a lot of it, maybe it's time to write in a best friend to be a sounding board for your character.
Typos. We all end up with them, but it's important to get rid of as many as we can.
These are some of the main offenders to me…what would make it on your list?
Common Mistakes that Pull Readers Out of a Story:
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December 11, 2021
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 61,000 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 / MiscellaneousSelf-publishing News: How Much Does Amazon Really Make from its Sellers? @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIConferences and Events / MiscellaneousThe IPA’s Prix Voltaire: When Neutrality Is Not an Option: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe United Kingdom’s 2022 Portico Prize Announces Its Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives2021 Wattys Awards: An Asexual Romance Takes the Top Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @wattpadNew Conference on ‘Foundations and Trans/Formations of Arabic Literary Theory’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesTranslator William Rodarmor Wins 2021 Albertine Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Goal settingGoal Setting for Writers: 6 Proven Methods to Achieve Success: @DaveChessonCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers7 Indian Women Writers You Should Be Reading: @hirishitalkies @ElectricLitChristmas Mysteries: A Tradition Revived: @chinarhyming @CrimeReadsBad Romance: Five Books About Loving Someone Dangerous: @lisaunger @CrimeReadsAdd Books to Your Mental Health Care Routine: @BookTribWe Grow Accustomed to the Dark: Emily Dickinson’s Stunning Ode to Resilience, Animated: @brainpickerFive SF Novels Featuring Ancient Alien Artifacts: @jamesdnicollCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockGetting Unstuck: @marthamconway @WomenWritersCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeCo-Writing “The Relaxed Author”: @MarkLeslie @thecreativepennWriting, Yoga, and the Real You: @PamSeelig @WomenWriters10 Ways to Enhance Your Fiction Writing through Journaling: @LisaTener @LiveWriteThriveCan Fiction Make a Difference in the World? @manzanitafire @JaneFriedmanRepeat After Me: You Are NOT An ‘Aspiring Writer’: @Bang2writeHow can you fail better as a writer? @pubcoachVirtual Writers Sabbatical: Challenging a Genre Identity Crisis: @Richelle_Lyn_ @DIYMFAWould You Take This Creative Risk? (podcast) @DanBlankDo I want to make a career writing fiction? A conversation: @Roz_Morris5 Lies Writers Torture Themselves With About Their Careers: @Bang2writeHow do you deal with writing interruptions? @pubcoachSuccess Without Self-Promotion: @theladygreer @WriterUnboxedThe Most Needed Quote on Writing: @GoIntoTheStoryWriting About Grief: @AuthorSATThe 411 on Writing Retreats: @msheatherwebbLee Child on the Invention of Fiction: @LeeChildReacher @CrimeReads“How My Strategic Communications Background Helped Me Finish my Debut”: @MaanGabriel @WomenWritersSomething small, every day: @austinkleonThe principles of patience: @austinkleon“How Writing Helps Me Heal”: @LittleInfiniteGenres / FantasyDo I Need Religion in My Fantasy World? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsDreaming of Wild Horses (and Writing Them): @dancinghorse @tordotcomThe Low-Down on Urban Fantasy: by Sheree Crawford @TheRyanLanzGenres / MiscellaneousHow to write an adventure story: Creating amazing journeys: @nownovelWhat is Upmarket Fiction? And Book Club Fiction? Are They New Genres? @annerallenGenres / MysteryHow Do I Create a Satisfying Mystery Payoff? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsRituals as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergSwitzerland: A Crime Writing Tradition Full of Holes? @chinarhyming @CrimeReadsTasmania as a Setting in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergAntique shops as an element in crime fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Picture BooksHow Putting Together a Picture Book is Like Managing a Baseball Team: by John Briggs @TheRyanLanzGenres / Science FictionMultiverses in Science Fiction: @CEBwrites @DanKoboldtGenres / ScreenwritingIs My Screenplay Big Enough to Be a Movie? @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Does this challenge become something that’s not just hard for the hero to do (an obstacle) but also hard for the hero to want to do (a conflict)? @CockeyedCaravanGenres / Short Stories6 Important Things About Flash Fiction: @MiaJouBotha @Writers_WritePromo / Miscellaneous5 Reasons to Join Author Street Teams: @khogrefeparnell @EdieMelsonPromo / NewslettersHow and When to Clean Up Your Newsletter’s Subscriber List: @inkbitspixelsPromo / Social Media Tips5 Habits Of Writers With Great Twitter Brands: @brotzel_fiction @Writers_WritePromo / WebsitesSearch Engine Optimization for Novelists: @SnowflakeGuyPublishing / News / DataUS Book Market Up 13.7 Percent YTD : AAP StatShot for October: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingAt the Alliance’s Conference in Spain: African Publishers on Their Challenges: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectivesWords Without Borders: Kaaps Writings From South Africa: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @wwbordersGuest of Honor Peru at Guadalajara: Overcoming a 30-Percent Pandemic Drop: by Adam Critchley @pubperspectivesSpringer Nature Plants Trees in India, One for Each Employee: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesGermany's Börsenverein Cheers EU Flexibility on VAT Rates for Books: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCanada's 10-Year Publishing Crisis : ‘This Broken Copyright Framework': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesYear’s End: Italian Comics’ Audience Approaches 9 Million Readers: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Hybrid PublishingTransitioning From a Self-Published to Hybrid Author: @karentoz @NatalieIAguirrePublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingHow (and why) to personalize a query letter: @NathanBransfordPublishing / Process / Book DesignYou Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover. Or Can You? @Fitzpatrick_joTips for Better Book Covers: @FrugalBookPromoThe 10 best Goosebumps covers, ranked: @jessiegaynor @lithubPublishing / Process / ISBNsThe Comprehensive Book ISBN Guide for Authors: @claytonnoblit @WrittenWordMWriting Craft / BeginningsGreat Beginnings: @rachelsdempsey @RMFWritersCrafting Your Novel’s First Line: @GGCWrites @GoodStoryCoWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsArchetypal Antagonists for the King Arc: Cataclysm and Rebel: @KMWeilandWriting Craft / Characters / ArcThe Heroine’s Journey: Part 1: @GoIntoTheStoryThe Heroine’s Journey: @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentWhy My Favorite Characters to Write Are Often Unsympathetic and Unforgivable: @AskoldMelnyczuk @lithubArchetypal Antagonists for the Crone Arc: Death Blight and Tempter: @KMWeilandHow to Create Nuanced Characters: by Nina Schuyler @LiveWriteThriveWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsHow To Properly Introduce Your Protagonist: by PJ Parrish @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / Common MistakesWhy the Stories You Write Must Have a Problem: @PeggySueWells @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmPage One: “Three Kings” (1999): @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “Traffic” (2000): @GoIntoTheStoryScript To Screen: “A Few Good Men”: @GoIntoTheStoryThe Expanded Ultimate Story Checklist: Does something inside the hero have a particularly volatile reaction to the challenge? @CockeyedCaravanWriting Craft / MiscellaneousThe Art of Showing Vs. Telling: @LJC__Writing @TheRyanLanzDon’t Gild Your Lilies: @jamesscottbellNavigating a Story Identity Crisis: @KarenDeBonisAdvice Is NOT Universal: @Frank_Zafiro @CrimeReadsPoints of a Story: 6 Key Plot Points That Every Story Needs: by @joebunting @write_practiceWriting Craft / POVHow to Write Point of View: Third Person Distant: @harmony_kent @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / Story ConceptHow to develop a story idea: 7 essential exercises: @nownovelWriting Craft / Revisions / CritiquesWhen to get feedback on a novel: @NathanBransfordWriting Craft / ScenesScene Structure According to Dwight V. Swain: @SeptCFawkesWriting Craft / Series3 Ways to Write a Series: @MBjorkWritesWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionHow Can Writers Make Description Evocative? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsWriting Craft / SubtextLove on the Spectrum: Understanding Subtext: @thejkstudioWriting Tools / AppsPodcast: How to Dictate a Novel with Kevin J Anderson: @TheKJA @BookTrib
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December 5, 2021
You Can’t Judge A Book By Its Cover. Or Can You?
by Joanna Fitzpatrick, @Fitzpatrick_jo
The long and short of it is: how do you come up with a compelling 5.5″ by 8.5″ book cover suitable for a bookstore window (if you get that lucky) and which is also suitable when reduced to a postage stamp image digitally displayed online, which is where most books are seen and sold today?
Before I became a writer, I designed LP record jackets. For any one of you who have ever lovingly held an LP in your hand, admired its “artwork,” and then slipped the disc out of its sleeve, placed the turntable needle on the rim of the black vinyl recording and sat down to listen while reading the liner notes on the back of the jacket – let me just say “those were the days.”
When CDs (4.75″ square) and Cassettes (smaller than a smartphone) arrived on the music scene it required a very different creative approach because there was little room for artwork, liner notes or even space to list musicians. And today, just like books, most “albums” are sold digitally by displaying a postage-stamp size cover with limited information.
Okay. So we are aware of the limitations of today's cover artwork, be it book covers or album covers, but there's a lot you can still do to have a terrific cover IF you have an art designer willing to work with you as I do. But be respectful of their time. They have to produce hundreds of covers under deadline. In other words, show diplomacy: speak softly and carry a big stick!
But first you need an engaging book title. My original title for “The Artist Colony” was “The Sketch Box.” I called it “The Sketch Box” because I needed to have something to call it other than “the book” or in my darkest hour “the beast.”
A sketch box is an artist's box carried by plein air painters, like a briefcase, with the art supplies needed to paint outdoors. Only painters would know this and it wouldn't conjure up any intrigue to read it. It's what's called, let's face it, a “bad title.” My novel was an historical mystery not a how-to-paint book. Working titles are often wrong, but we get attached to them, like our darlings that we later edit out of of our books or our editor does it for us.
I knew I had done the right thing when I changed the title to “The Artist Colony” because images immediately came to mind for a book cover.
My novel is about two sisters who were artists. Ada Belle dies under suspicious circumstances and her sister Sarah becomes an amateur sleuth to find out the truth. I sought online for an image of a messy painter's palette covered in thick, oily globs of glossy black and blood-red paint. I found just such a palette on internet and proudly sent it off to my publisher's art department.
The designers reviewed my ideas but the mock-ups they sent back showed me that they were designing a generic cover based on their concept of what a historical mystery was. Obviously, they hadn't read my book. How could they have the time! Does this sound familiar? The reality of working with a commercial book publisher has to be overcome.
I wrote back and said politely that if they wanted to have an image of two sisters then show them as they really are in my story: stylish Manhattan female artists who would be found at a speakeasy or a bohemian garden party wearing peacock feathered hats, flamenco shawls and stilettos. Not frilly pastel dresses that were worn by the sisters in the movie “Little Women.” Historical, yes, but inaccurate and where was the mystery?
All was not lost. They had come up with another mock-up from one of my other cover ideas that I liked a lot. It was a painting of a seascape that had texture like a painter's canvas. And they'd come up with a stunning 1920s art deco font for the title that fit the time period. Yay! We were getting closer. Only the story's plot was missing. A plot that would sell my book through it's compelling cover.
I gave the designer my elevator pitch: “The Artist Colony” is a page-turner story of bohemian artists, rum runners, racial unrest, suicide, art forgery, and dead bodies found in a bucolic1920s art colony.
Since they would never read the book anyway, that seemed to be just what they needed. The next seascape mock-up was dramatically darker and foreboding. The only change I then requested was to enlarge and brighten the title font and my name for stronger visibility. Remember we are talking about a miniature image. The designer did as I asked and voila! we had a cover. At first I thought this will never happen but at the end I was happy.
I'm a big fan of well-designed book covers. I'd love to hear from other writers as to how they designed their book cover or from readers who may have bought a book because of its cover.
And, of course, I would be curious to know if you think my book cover accomplished what I was looking for or not?
JOANNA FITZPATRICK was raised in Hollywood. She started her writing habit by applying her orange fountain pen and a wild imagination to screenplays, which led her early on to produce the film White Lilacs and Pink Champagne. Accepted at Sarah Lawrence College, she wrote her MFA thesis Sha La La: Live for Today about her life as a rock ’n’ roll star’s wife. Her more recent work includes two novels, Katherine Mansfield, Bronze Winner of the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Award (IPPY) in Historical Fiction, and The Drummer’s Widow. The Artist Colony is her third book. Presently, FitzPatrick divides her time between a cottage by the sea in Pacific Grove, California and a hameau in rural southern France where she begins all her book projects. Find her online here:
Author website: www.joannafitzpatrick.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/JoannaFitzPatrickauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Fitzpatrick_jo
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joannafitzpatrick.author/
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December 4, 2021
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 61,000 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 / MiscellaneousHow to Work with an Audiobook Narrator with Jillian Yetter: @sacha_black6 Ways Writers Protect Online Privacy: @WordDreamsThree Things You May Not Know About Being a Freelance Editor: @FinishedPages @womenonwritingWhat to Expect When Your Novel is Reissued: by Alma Katsu @WriterUnboxedHow to Set Effective Boundaries With Freelance Clients: @quiettypeblogHow to protect your manuscript from computer meltdowns and hackers: by Lindsay Syhakhom @NathanBransfordSelf-publishing News: 7th Consecutive year of Double Digit Audio Growth: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIA Report from the Futurebook Conference; Spotify Buys Findaway in Audiobook Game-Changer: @agnieszkasshoes @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLIThe Secret to Choosing a Freelance Writing Niche: @quiettypeblogConferences and Events / MiscellaneousThe 2021 Albertine Prize Shortlist: Five French Works in Translation: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesMarjoleine Kars Wins the $75,000 Cundill History Prize: @Porter_Anderson @MarjoleineKars @CundillPrize @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersWhen C.S. Lewis Reviewed His Buddy’s Book… The Hobbit: @bookmarksreads @lithubCustomer Service as a Feature in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergRiff on a Myth: 7 Novels Drawing Inspiration From Multicultural Ancient Sources: by Judy Moreno @BookTribCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingHow to Create a Morning Writing Routine That Works: @radekpazderaHow To Actually Get Writing Done: @writingandsuchMake Time For Your Writing: @aprildavilaQuick Writing Tip: Make a Note to Your Future Self in Your WIP: by Bucket Siler5 Ways to Trick Yourself into Writing: by LA Bourgeois @DIYMFACreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeToo Much Writing Advice — Critical Thinking Skills: @Peter_Rey_Three Ways to find Joy in the Creative Journey: @kirsticallImportant Times to Break a Writing Rule to Boost Productivity: @colleen_m_storyDo You Want to Write? Or Do You Want to Publish? by Deborah DeArmond @A3writersHow to get from where you are to where you want to be: @pubcoachDon’t Just Write It. Live It: @ElleEIre @FloridaWriters1Could Binge-Writing be Right for Me? @diannmills @EdieMelsonBusiness Musings: Comparison is the Thief of Joy: @KristineRuschBrave New Writing and Learning to Think Outside the Book: @KristenLambTXWriter Burnout: 19 Tips for Recovery and Prevention: @StoryHobbit @DaveChessonWriting and the Creative Life: Seeing… Hearing… : @GoIntoTheStoryFlights of Self-Censorship: @Porter_Anderson @WriterUnboxedWhy THIS Story? @magpie0218 @RMFWritersLearn What You Don't Know and Write That: @craigvonbuseck @EdieMelsonGenres / MemoirSpeculative Memoir: Making the Invisible Visible: @laraineherring @CleaverMagazineIf It’s Worth Living, It’s Worth Recording: Thoughts on Memoirs: by Lucie Ataya @KiingoCreativeGenres / MysteryTunnels as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergMysteries: Perceived Unreliability as an Element: “How I Started Writing Cozy Mini Mysteries for Woman’s World (and Published a Book)”: by Loretta Martin @womenonwritingThe Relationship Between Readers and Writers in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Picture BooksPicture Books – Which Comes First, Story or Illustrations? @KarenCV @FrugalBookPromoGenres / PoetryHaiku…an Introduction: by Joyce Hooley and Steve Hooley @killzoneauthorsGenres / RomanceHow to Create a Romance Novel Outline: @hannahxyang @ProWritingAidUse These 81 Romance-Writing Prompts to Start Your Next Romance Novel: @KrystalNCraiker @ProWritingAidPromo / BloggingWhy Blogging is Important for Writers: by Shelley Widhalm @TheRyanLanzPromo / MiscellaneousHow to Ask For, and Give, Book Blurbs: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactorPublishing / MiscellaneousPersistence and Publishing, a Debut Author’s Story: @unefemmejames @DIYMFAOpen Road's Acquisition Investors Include Steinberger, Entrekin: @Porter_Anderson @OpenRoadMedia @pubperspectivesOpen Access Wars : Springer Nature Announces One Million OA Articles: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingAt Guadalajara: Spain’s Publishers Present a 41-House Collective Stand: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesChina Bestsellers: New Editions Buoyed October’s Fiction Market: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe UK's Publishers Association Charts a ‘Steep Rise' in Audiobook Sales: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe Börsenverein Welcomes Principles of the German Coalition’s Draft: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesA Czech Second-Hand Books Boom: Knihobot’s Big Year: @jaroslawadamows @pubperspectivesNielsen's Look at Audiobooks in the United Kingdom : ‘Curiosity, Multitasking': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe International Alliance of Independent Publishers in Pamplona-Iruñea: @oliviasnaije @indpuballiance @pubperspectivesMalaysian Publisher Syazrul Aqram: ‘Keep On Moving Forward’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIPA’s Prix Voltaire Ceremony at Guadalajara: Grief, Outrage, Honor: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesYear’s End: Italian Publishers Expect 2021 Growth of at Least 12.6 Percent: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesRights Roundup: Text and Light From ‘The End of the World’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional PublishingWhen You Want to Switch Agents, but Not Agencies: @BookEndsJessicaPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingWhat’s a good subject line for a query email? @RachelleGardnerElements of a Query Letter: by Amy Wilson @GoodStoryCoPublishing / Process / Book DesignThe perils of book cover design: @pubcoachPublishing / Process / ContractsContracts for Creatives: a Glossary: @KathrynGoldman @IndieAuthorALLIPublishing / Process / FormattingHow to Format Your Manuscript for a Designer or Publisher: @HederisApp @JaneFriedmanHow to Format a Book: 12 Tools & 10 Tips: @DaveChesson @smartbloggerhqWriting Craft / BeginningsFirst Page Critique: Using Setting And Action To Inject Suspense: by PJ Parrish @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentCharacter Archetypes: 15 Examples [+Template]: @DaveChessonKnow Who Your Characters Are: by Celeste October @NaNoWriMoResources For Creating Characters: @writingandsuchSetting Goals for Your Characters: from How to Fight WriteWriting Craft / Characters / Protagonists“Where am I going?” A Question for Your Protagonist to Answer: @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / Common Mistakes4 Deadly Writer Sins—and How to Avoid Them: @RuthHarrisBooksWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmHow Useful Are Neil Gaiman’s Eight Rules of Writing? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsPage One: “Thor: Ragnarok” (2017): @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / MiscellaneousShock vs. Subverted Expectations: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpireOne Way to Quickly Improve Your Writing: @JerryBJenkins @NinaAmirDetermining How Many Active Characters to Have in a Scene: from Fix Your Writing HabitsFollowing a characters first, story second method: @writingandsuchWriting Craft / POVBest Pro Tip For Writing in Deep POV: @LisaHallWilsonWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / NamingThe Importance of A Name for Your Novel's Characters: @AneMulligan @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / OutliningHow To Outline Your Novel. Or Not. @HankPRyan @CareerAuthorsWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarHow to Use Punctuation Marks — the Period (Full Stop): @Peter_Rey_Sprinkle on the Conjunctions: @nlholmesbooks @FloridaWriters1Writing Craft / Settings and DescriptionResearching Settings: @WritersCoachWriting Craft / VoiceThe Art of Writing Styles: How to Find Your Voice as a Writer: @ByMichelleRenee
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November 28, 2021
Mysteries: Perceived Unreliability as an Element
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I started reading the cozy mystery master Agatha Christie at a very impressionable age and loved the construction of her books and the characters she created.
There were a couple of elements of her books that especially stuck with me and they both involved unreliability of characters. Reliability, or perceived unreliability, can have a big role in mysteries.
Seemingly Unreliable SleuthsAgatha Christie was a master at creating sleuths that could be easily underestimated. Miss Marple might come immediately to mind, but she intended her brilliant Hercule Poirot to be, as well…he could behave cartoonish at times and was considered a foreigner by other characters.
These unreliable, easily underestimated sleuths had the ability to fly under the radar. Instead of putting suspects on their guard, they tended to either lull them into confidences (Miss Marple) or just often not seem intimidating at all (Poirot). Suspects then could accidentally drop clues that might point to the murderer or provide gossip that could help better fill in a picture of other suspects.
Seemingly Unreliable WitnessesThis was another element Agatha Christie used in her mysteries. Often there was a character who the other characters would sort of roll their eyes over. They might seem scatterbrained or flighty or hesitant. They would offer a clue or some bit of information that everyone would discount because of who provided it. Unfortunately for the character, they'd usually get murdered because the killer would realize they did know something vital. The character would be eliminated before he or she could offer any other information.
These elements are still useful for mysteries today and provide great ways to uncover more clues in the story. As a reader, do you recognize these seemingly unreliable characters? If you're a mystery writer, have you used them (I have)?
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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 61,000 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 / MiscellaneousReaching the Bestseller List: A Guide for Self-Published Authors: @claytonnoblit @WrittenWordMWhat is Upmarket Fiction? @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitISBN Bar Code Generator: @DaveChessonConferences and Events / MiscellaneousUS National Book Awards: The 2021 Winners: @Porter_Anderson @nationalbook @pubperspectivesGuatemala’s F&G Editores Wins AAP’s Freedom to Publish Award: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAt London's FutureBook : Onstage and on the Ether: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesLebanon’s Dar Al Jadeed Wins IPA’s 2021 Prix Voltaire: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Translation Names Its Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAn Exposé of the ‘Ostarbeiter' Wins the 50,000-Franc Jan Michalski Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe United Kingdom’s Costa Book Awards Name Five Shortlists: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAt Guadalajara: Bologna Children’s Book Fair Makes Its Next Stop: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Goal setting5 Ways to Bring Your Writing Ideas (and Career) to Life: @NinaAmirCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersBooks, Film, and TV to Inspire Surrealist Writing: @mhbertino @ElectricLit5 SF Stories in Which Kindness Prevails: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom7 Flash Fiction Collections You Should Be Reading: @DDressick @ElectricLit5 Books Featuring Fantasy Clergy: @MarRogerson @tordotcomCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingEvery Word Written is a Small Success: by Jill KemererHow to Be a More Disciplined Writer: @radekpazderaCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeHow to Keep Technology from Interfering with Your Writing and Speaking Life: @YvonneOrtega1 @EdieMelsonEverything Has A Story: @EldredBirdWhy Write This Book? @jennienash @JaneFriedman8 Online Bookshops Owned by Black Women: by Kelsey Gooden @LittleInfiniteRecovering From a Bad Publishing Experience: @JohnDoppler @IndieAuthorALLIFocus On Your Strengths As An Indie Author To Beat ‘Comparison-itis:’ @OrnaRoss @thecreativepenn @IndieAuthorALLIWhy You Should Start Journaling: by Lucie Ataya @KiingoCreative5 Authors, 7 Questions, No Wrong Answers: @TeddyWayne1999 @lithubCreative Waste is Part of the Creative Game: @kadavyPodcast: The Power of Clicking “Publish”: @DanBlankInspirational Indie Author Interview. Denise Baden: Climate Fiction Author Seeks Optimistic Shade of Green: @DABadenauthor @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLI“Why I deleted my Kindle Vella story”: @DwallacepeachAre you making creative mistakes? @pubcoach5 Lies Writers Torture Themselves With About Their Projects: @Bang2write5 Tips for Starting a Journaling Habit: @MichaelHyattNinety-Nine Ways to Fail in Writing, Publishing, and Marketing: by Kent Gustavson @bloomingtwigA Writer’s Senses Working Overtime: @VaughnRoycroft @WriterUnboxedWhen the book came out, I left my job. The Creative Shift of Author Nicole Blades : @NicoleBlades @DanBlankA Great Storyteller Loses His Memory: @rodgarciafilm @parisreviewGenres / FantasyWriting Neurodivergent Characters in Fantasy: @Emma4Lammers @mythicscribesGenres / Horror10 Most Common Bigfoot Clichés: by Deborah Sheldon @HorrorTreeWhen ‘The Power’ Goes Out: 10 of the Scariest Scenes in Horror That Take Place in the Dark: @HauntedMeg @BDisgustingGenres / Literary FictionLiterary Fiction: What Is It? @Roz_Morris @SelfPubFormGenres / MiscellaneousTravel Writing Tips: @jeremybassetti @thecreativepennAlone in the Garden of Good and Evil: Daryl Gregory on the Southern Gothic: @darylwriterguy @TorNightfireGenres / MysteryThe 5 Pillars Of Police Procedurals: @Writers_WriteGenres / PoetryAdvice for someone wanting to publish a first-time poetry collection: @RachelleGardnerGenres / Science FictionQuantum Mechanics I: Uncertainty, Observation, and the Quantum Retcon: @CEBwrites @DanKoboldt17 Iconic Fashion Moments in SFF History: @Ryality @tordotcomGenres / ScreenwritingScene Description Spotlight: “Wall-E”: @GoIntoTheStoryThe Business of Screenwriting: It’s not just about the script: @GoIntoTheStoryReader Question: Who is the Nemesis in “character driven” films? @GoIntoTheStoryMovie Script Scene-By-Scene Breakdowns: @GoIntoTheStoryGenres / Young AdultThe Importance of Friendships in YA: @SoniaHartl1 @DIYMFAPromo / MiscellaneousGuesting 101: How to Be a Good Guest on a Blog, Podcast, or Video Show: @DebraEckerling5 Free Book Marketing Strategies You Should Revisit Quarterly: @BookgalWhy Self-Publishing a Book Makes You a Marketer: @BookgalHow to Connect Your Marketing to Special Dates: @KarenHWhiting @EdieMelsonPromo / PlatformsThe Importance of Defining Your Online Writer Brand: by Lucie Ataya @KiingoCreativePromo / Social Media TipsTikTok Tips for Authors: @haayleyhaggertyPublishing / MiscellaneousWebtoon Book Group Opens Graphic Novel Imprint, Unscrolled: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAAP's New Initiatives on Sustainability, Diversity in Book Publishing: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAnother Medium for Story Tellers: Video Games: @WordyRobin @TheIWSGPublishing: ‘Fings Ain’t Wot They Used T’Be: @rcharkin @pubperspectivesWriting And Producing Audio Drama And Podcast Fiction: @SarahRheaWerner @thecreativepennPublishing / News / International PublishingAt Sharjah: A UNESCO World Book Capital Network Meeting: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional PublishingThe Cost of Being an Agent: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitNavigating the Agent-Author Relationship: @TashaRelph @WomenWritersPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingAgent Spotlight: Danielle Chiotti Interview and Query Critique Giveaway: @daniellechiotti @NatalieIAguirreLoglines versus Queries: @MorganHzlwoodPublishing / Process / ContractsBook Contracts: Let’s Talk Surprises: @kate_mckean @CatapultStoryBook Contracts: Let’s Talk Rights: @kate_mckean @CatapultStoryPublishing / Process / Services to AvoidWarning to Writers: You Won’t See This New Publishing Scam Coming: @annerallenWriting Craft / BeginningsFlog a Pro: Would You Pay to Turn the First Page of this Bestseller? @RayRhamey @WriterUnboxedWriting Craft / Chapter EndingsWriting Ending Hooks for Difficult Chapters: @ZoeMMcCarthyWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentA Counselor’s Perspective on Creating Character Driven Novels: @amandacoxwritesWriting Insecure Characters: @LisaHallWilsonWriting Morally Ambiguous Characters: @MBjorkWritesCharacter Types: The Introvert: @JoanHallWrites @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsThe Passive Protagonist Problem: @KelseyAllagood @WriterUnboxedHow Do I Give My Protagonist Agency? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Craft / Characters / Supporting CharactersSeven Essential Aspects of a Strong Secondary Character: by Cady Hammer @kristen_kiefferPopulating Your Story with Background Characters: by Jan Drexler @SKRViLLWriting Craft / Common MistakesStory Not Behaving? Try Going Deeper into Structure: @JamiGold @onestop4writersWriting Craft / ConflictSecondary Stressors in Your Story: by CS Boyack @StoryEmpire6 Types of Conflict to Use For Memorable Stories: @JerryBJenkinsWriting Craft / DiversityHow to Write Diverse Characters (And, Also, Are You Qualified?): by Joiya Morrison-Efemini @GoodStoryCoAssigning race to a character that dies in preventable accident: @WritingwColorBringing Omitted BIPOC History to Light through Middle Grade Picture Books: Interview with Traci Sorell and Carole Boston Weatherford: @DIYMFAAbsent, but loving, Black military father? @WritingwColorWriting Craft / EndingsHow To End A Novel: by Rhiannon Richardson @GoodStoryCoWriting from the End: How Endings Create Satisfying Beginnings in a Book: @writeabookWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmSeeking a More Tranquil Mind? Take Horace’s Advice: by Alan Jacobs @lithubGreat Scene: “Boogie Nights”: @GoIntoTheStoryScript To Screen: “As Good As It Gets”: @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / MiscellaneousCan Ghostwriting Make You a Better Novelist? by Eva Shaw @WomenWritersCritical Analysis—An Essential Part of Your Process: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactor5 Tips for Writing Fiction: @KhanhHa69784776 @DIYMFA3 Things to Do When You Can’t Use Your Favorite Writing Style: by Pekoeblaze @TheRyanLanzWrite With Your Eyes Closed: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsStory planner success: How to organize your novel: @nownovelWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / Story ConceptWhat are good topics for novels? 14 ways to find winners: @nownovelWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarNix the Italics: @DLoockUsing Text Messages in Fiction: by Marilynn ByerlyAvoid Grammatical Tautologies so You Never Say the Same Thing Twice: @StraightUpYou @lifehackerFragmented Sentences – How Bad are They: @AJHumpageWriting Craft / RevisionThe Rewriting Process: @LJC__Writing @TheRyanLanzWriting Craft / Scenes6 Tips to Make Your Scenes Visually Dynamic: @LiveWriteThriveScene Outline: How to Write Faster by Developing a List of Scenes: @JDEdwinAuthor @write_practiceWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionBeyond Description: Story-Relevant Aspects of Setting: by Barbara Linn Probst @WriterUnboxedWriting Craft / VoiceHow To Develop A Distinct Voice In Your Writing: @writingandsuchWriting Craft / Word Crafting67 Stupidly Brilliant (& Seriously Fun) Oxymoron Examples: by Mary Anne Shrew @smartbloggerhqIdioms and slang: two examples: by Anatoly Liberman @OUPAcademicWriting Tools / BooksCreative Writing Resources for Writers to Improve Their Craft: @TheCaregiversR1 @jamesscottbellUncategorizedIngram’s Lightning Source Opens Print-on-Demand Facility at Sharjah: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives wkb64Self-publishing News: Futurebook 2021 – Very Different Visions of the Future of Audio: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLI
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November 20, 2021
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 61,000 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.
Happy Thanksgiving to my US blog readers! I'm taking this week off to observe the holiday. See you back here in a week. :)
Business / MiscellaneousHow to Sell More Books Direct to Consumer (Yes, We Mean Sidestepping Amazon): @BookgalSelf-publishing News: Spotify Buys Findaway and Changes Audiobooks Overnight: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIHow to Snag the Best Freelance Editor for Your Writing Project: @JodieRennerEd @annerallenConferences and Events / MiscellaneousGermany's BücherFrauen Award Mely Kiyak With Their First ‘Christine': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesJakTent Concludes in Indonesia, a Festival Cheered by UNESCO’s News: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSharjah Reports 1.69 Million Attendees at 40th International Book Fair: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPatrick Radden Keefe Wins the UK’s Baillie Gifford Prize for ‘Empire of Pain’: @Porter_Anderson @praddenkeefe @pubperspectivesLooking Ahead to Thessaloniki International Book Fair: ‘A New Era’: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers8 Memoirs of Women Hiking in the Wilderness: @annabelabbs @ElectricLitHow to Get Back Into Reading: @BrynDonovan5 Books About Death and What Comes Next: @tjklune @tordotcom5 Books That Treat Friendship as Seriously as Romance: @wirewalking @tordotcomCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeAn Ode to Sticky Notes: @pdtoler @WomenWriters6 Proactive Actions You Can Take To Let Your Writing Flow: @TheLeighShulmanBest Gifts for Writers: @RobynRosteHow To Reboot: by PJ Parrish @killzoneauthorsRocky Rinse And Repeat: @pathatttime @TheIWSG8 Lessons on Writing (Learned from Home Improvement): @FoxPrintEdHow to stop writing a novel: @NathanBransfordThe Perfect Day Begins with a Good Evening (or My Night Time Routine): @RyanHolidayWhy So Many People Write at Starbucks: by Larry Kahaner @TheRyanLanz10 Years of LitReactor News: A Follow-up: @helpfulsnowman @LitReactorWhy You Need to Ask Better Questions About Your Writing Journey: by Lucie Ataya @KiingoCreativeReasons to Write a Book — Some Probably Better than Others: @Peter_Rey_Gift List for Indie Authors: @IndieAuthorALLIWrite, and Live Forever: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthors“How I Use ‘Soundtracks' To Help Me Write When I’m Not Writing”: by Matt Frick @TheRyanLanzGenres / MemoirHow narrative memoir journaling can improve your nonfiction: by Chelsea Leah @TheWriterMagGenres / MiscellaneousThe Ultimate Guide to Understanding Your Book Genre: @IndieAuthorALLIPodcast: Blending the Lines of Genre with Joyce Carol Oates: @BookTrib @JoyceCarolOatesGenres / PoetryWhy a poet's community is so important to writers – no matter their experience: @poetrycoveGenres / RomanceThe Balance of Romantic Suspense: by Dezi Golden @MandSMagazineGenres / Science FictionSo, you think your publication is working to advance equity in SFF? @followthelede @sfwaBuilding Mass Effect: How Bioware Imagines the Future: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsGenres / ScreenwritingMany Film Protagonists Have Fear as a Commonality: @savethecatReader Question: How insane is it for a 46 year-old to try to start a Hollywood writing career? @GoIntoTheStoryScript To Screen: “Black Swan”: @GoIntoTheStoryPromo / AdsGetting Started with BookBub Ads: Driving Series Sales: @CarlynAtBookBub @BookBub“The Amazon Ad that Changed My Author Career”: @bryancohenbooks @DaveChessonPromo / Blogging3 Book Marketing Tactics Perfect For Bloggers: @BirdsOAFpress @NinaAmirDo I Have to Blog To Be Successful At Writing? (Podcast): @MichaelLaRonn @OrnaRoss @IndieAuthorALLIPromo / MiscellaneousAn Introduction to Multicultural Marketing: @SusetteBrooks @penguinusaPromo / NewslettersHow to reach fellow writers with a newsletter: @WildMelissaHart @TheWriterMagPublishing / MiscellaneousWho's Who in Your Publishing Village: @sl_penner @WriterUnboxedAmazon Publishing's Eoin Purcell : ‘Surprise Books' and Pandemic Effects: @Porter_Anderson @eoinpurcell @pubperspectivesAhead of London’s FutureBook: Listening for Audio Static: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingAbu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre Partners With France’s Institut du Monde Arabe: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-Publishing10-Step Plan to Self-Publish a Book: @hanque99Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingWhat Are the Benefits of “Young” Agents? @bookendslitAvoid “lists of ingredients” in query letters (query critique): @NathanBransfordPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Rejections4 Simple Strategies to Help You Handle the Pain of Rejection: @pick_penPublishing / Process / FormattingWriting your Manuscript using Word Styles: The Easy Way: @LibertaBooksPublishing / Process / TranslationLost in translation: The global streaming boom is creating a translator shortage: @decka227 @restofworldWriting Craft / BeginningsTop 10 Best Book Opening Lines: from The Book BloggerWriting Craft / Characters / Antagonists10 Worthy Antagonists In Fiction and Tips For Writing Them: @ChrisLukeDean @Writers_WriteWriting Craft / Common Mistakes7 Ways to Weaken Your Writing: @EllenNotbohm @WomenWriters11 writing problems and solutions: from 1000 Story IdeasWriting Craft / DiversityWhite princess and black peasant, black friend + educator stereotype? @WritingwColorAvoiding ambiguous brown without cultural coding: @WritingwColorWriting Craft / EndingsEnding of Stories: How Planning an Ending Will Help You Write Faster: @JDEdwinAuthor @write_practiceWriting Craft / HumorThe History of Humor Writing: @amymarieayres @DIYMFAWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmThe Do's and Don'ts of Storytelling According to Marvel: @KMWeilandFilm vs. Film: Suicide Squad vs. The Suicide Squad : @doc_awesomeo @LitReactorGreat Scene: “Apocalypse Now”: @GoIntoTheStoryStephen King’s “On Writing”: @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / MiscellaneousUsing War as a Backdrop: @cyallowitzDon’t be too easy on your characters: @NathanBransfordWriting Controversial Topics: by Mindy Lawrence5 Steps for Retelling a Fairy Tale: @DwallacepeachWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarShould You Capitalize ‘Delta Variant'? @GrammarGirlOK? Okay? Ok? O.K.? @TheGrammarDivaWriting Craft / RevisionEditing Out Your Writing Gremlins: @KMAllan_writerWriting Craft / Scenes / ConflictHow to Write Fight Scenes : 10 Tips: by Gloria RussellWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionWhich Descriptive Details Are Excessive to Readers? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsWriting Craft / World-BuildingGuide To Political World Building: @writingandsuch3 Most Common Worldbuilding Mistakes for Writers and How to Fix Them: @WorldAnvil @NaNoWriMoWriting Tools / AppsScrivener Scenario: Creating a Series Bible: @Gwen_Hernandez @WriterUnboxedWriting Tools / Resources5 websites for writers to bookmark: @TheWriterMag
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