Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 41

3 Reasons Why Writing Is a Healthy Form of Escape

by Colleen M. Story, @colleen_m_story

One of the reasons many writers enjoy their craft is because it provides an absorbing method of escape.

If you’re one of those, it’s time to celebrate! For unlike other forms of escape, which can be bad for your health and well-being, writing is one of the best options you could choose when you just need to get away from real life for a while.

We All Need to Escape Now and Then

It's easy to see how financial hardships, family strife, illness, and other issues can make the daily grind too much to take. Add to that the near-constant stream of negative news or a worldwide pandemic and you can see why anyone would want to get away for a while.

According to a 2017 survey of around 2,000 people, respondents spent an average of nearly 13 hours each week escaping their reality. Writers will be happy to know that about one-and-a-half of those weekly hours were spent reading books, with about two-and-a-half hours spent watching movies and about 45 minutes dreaming of vacation. Other popular forms of escape included exploring new places and listening to music.

Finding a way to escape from real life helps us avoid further distress and psychological harm. Escape is a coping mechanism, a method of gaining calm and tranquility so we can rally the inner strength we need to face our daily challenges.

Unfortunately, most popular forms of escape can be destructive.

Escape Can Be Destructive

If you’ve ever had teenagers in the house, you know escapism isn’t always a good thing. Hours spent in front of the screen can lead to unhealthy eating, a lack of exercise, overweight and obesity, and social isolation.

In a 2019 study, Bányai and colleagues found that individuals using video games as a form of escapism—whether they were amateur or professional—were more likely to develop internet gaming disorder, a mental illness characterized by significantly impaired personal, family, social, educational, and occupational functioning. They were more likely to be depressed and anxious, as well.

It’s not just gaming that can lead to unhealthy consequences. Any type of escape used to avoid oneself or one’s problems can be destructive. Psychologists have long linked this type of escapism to negative effects, including anxiety, eating disorders, alcoholism, addiction, and even suicide.

These unhealthy forms of escapism are types of emotional avoidance—ways of sidestepping our issues to avoid dealing with them. There's another form, however, that can be good for us—the type of escapism that not only provides us a brief respite but helps us to expand rather than suppress ourselves—to grow and become more than we were before.

This is the type of escapism that writing can provide.

3 Reasons Why Writing is a Healthy Form of Escape

Writing is a healthy escape because it helps us to hone our skills, enjoy a healthy form of distraction, and improve our quality of life.

Writing Helps Us Hone Our Skills

To write a publishable novel, you have to learn a lot about writing, editing, publishing, and marketing. Through the process of trial and error, writing and rewriting, working with mentors, publishing books, and attending conferences, you gradually become schooled in the ways of publishing and along the way, develop into a more accomplished writer.

Few other forms of escape provide such powerful developmental effects.

On top of that, writing is a beneficial skill to have. Developing the ability to write well—even if you never become a bestseller—helps you master communication skills that can be applied to other areas of your life, particularly on the job.

A survey of employers conducted by the Association of American Colleges and Universities found that the majority of employers looked for candidates with “the ability to effectively communicate orally and in writing.”

As long as you focus on improving your writing skills while you’re escaping into your stories, the benefits you gain will show up outside of your writing life, seeping into your professional and personal life as what you’ve learned in your isolated writing nook improves your communication with others.

Writing Is a Healthy form of Distraction

Though expressing your emotions can be healing, ruminating over your problems is not always the best way to deal with them. A moment’s distraction can be a better alternative.

One study that allowed participants to use a punching bag to blow off steam found they actually experienced greater levels of anger afterward than those who did nothing at all. A distraction—particularly, writing—would have worked better to diffuse a volatile situation or manage difficult emotions.

As long as you’re not using writing to avoid your regular life (for too long), you can gain distance from your problems and allow yourself some respite—and perhaps an adventure with a dragon along the way.

I know I’m not alone in emerging from a writing session feeling a lot better than when I started. I have difficult writing days too, but most of the time, if I succeed in diving deep into the underwater world that is my imagination, I surface with more energy and a brighter outlook.

The wonderful thing about writing is that it’s so constructive. Writers build and create something that one day is of value to another. What better coping mechanism could we ask for?

Writing Improves Our Quality of Life

To be engaged in any activity you enjoy is a healthy way to distract yourself as long as the activity contributes rather than subtracts from your quality of life.

Escaping in a healthy way, though, is not always easy in today’s world. There are so many forms of entertainment available that make it much too easy to flee problems than to face them.

One can’t examine the dangers of unhealthy technological escapism without considering the smartphone. Studies abound about its addictive tendencies and how distracting it can be even when it's merely sitting nearby because we're always thinking about the messages, texts, likes, and other satisfying goodies it may hold for us. Unfortunately, research shows that the more time we spend on gadgets the more anxious and depressed we're likely to be.

On the contrary, writing often helps writers to better understand themselves. Unlike other activities that we think help us avoid ourselves, writing often does the opposite—it holds up a metaphorical sort of mirror, allowing us to see ourselves more clearly.

Is Writing a Form of Escape for You?

There are several healthy ways to escape from the world for a while, but it’s plain that writing is one of the most creative, productive, and healthy options. So next time you need to check out, sink yourself into your story. It’s good for you!

For English novelist Graham Greene, “Writing is a form of therapy; sometimes I wonder how all those who do not write, compose, or paint can manage to escape the madness, melancholia, the panic and fear which is inherent in a human situation.”

 

Note: For more on overcoming self-doubt and deciding to be a writer no matter what, see Colleen’s new book, Your Writing Matters: How to Banish Self-Doubt, Trust Yourself, and Go the Distance. Get your free chapter here!

 

In her new release, Your Writing Matters, Colleen M. Story helps writers determine whether writing is part of their life’s purpose. Her book on author platforms, Writer Get Noticed!, was a gold-medal winner in the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards, and Overwhelmed Writer Rescue was named Book by Book Publicity’s Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018. Her novel, Loreena’s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews' INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others.

 

Colleen frequently serves as a workshop leader and motivational speaker, where she helps attendees remove mental and emotional blocks and tap into their unique creative powers. Find more at her author website and Writing and Wellness, and connect with her on Twitter and YouTube.

 

 

3 Reasons Why Writing is a Healthy Form of Escape (from @Colleen_M_Story
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References

“Americans Spend 4 Years of Their Lives ‘Escaping Reality’.” New York Post. Last modified July 3, 2017. https://nypost.com/2017/07/03/america....

 

Bányai, Fanni, Mark D. Griffiths, Zsolt Demetrovics, and Orsolya Király. “The mediating effect of motivations between psychiatric distress and gaming disorder among esport gamers and recreational gamers.” Comprehensive Psychiatry 94 (2019), 152117. doi:10.1016/j.comppsych.2019.152117.

 

Bushman, Brad J. “Does Venting Anger Feed or Extinguish the Flame? Catharsis, Rumination, Distraction, Anger, and Aggressive Responding.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 28, no. 6 (2002), 724-731. doi:10.1177/0146167202289002.

 

Greene, Graham. Ways Of Escape. New York: Random House, 2011.

 

Hart Research Associates. Raising the Bar: Employers’ Views On College Learning In The Wake Of The Economic Downturn. 2010. https://www.aacu.org/sites/default/fi....

 

Ohno, Shiroh. “Internet escapism and addiction among Japanese senior high school students.” International Journal of Culture and Mental Health 9, no. 4 (2016), 399-406. doi:10.1080/17542863.2016.1226911.

 

Schouten, Werner. “The Overlooked Consequence of Phone Use: Self-Escapism.” LinkedIn. Last modified July 16, 2018. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/overlo....

 

“Writing: A Ticket to Work . . . Or a Ticket Out.” National Writing Project. Accessed November 26, 2020. https://archive.nwp.org/cs/public/pri....

 

Photo credit: estigarr on Visualhunt.com

The post 3 Reasons Why Writing Is a Healthy Form of Escape appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

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 59,000 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 / MiscellaneousIs Your Writing a Business or a Hobby? @MaeClair1 @StoryEmpireWhat Business Chore Do Writers Like Least? @hanque99When to hire a freelance book editor: @NathanBransfordBusiness Musings: Content, Content, Content (Hollywood Part 2): @KristineRuschWriting Rules vs. Writing Fashion: Should Writers Follow Fashion Trends? @annerallenFive Secrets to a Successful Webinar Series: @HealeyJane @CareerAuthorsAI for Authors. Practical and Ethical Guidelines: @IndieAuthorALLIConferences and Events / MiscellaneousIn the States, the Young Lions Fiction Award Goes to Catherine Lacey: @Porter_Anderson @_catherinelacey @young_lions @pubperspectivesFrance and Italy’s Publishers Open Three-Day Bilateral Rights Event: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesZimbabwe’s Tsitsi Dangarembga Wins German Book Trade Peace Prize: @Porter_Anderson @efie41209591 @boev @pubperspectivesTbilisi International Book Festival Returns to Physical Production: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesEnglish PEN’s Centenary Features Adichie, Shafak, Thiong’o, Dangarembga: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesLondon’s ‘Author HQ’ Programming To Be Led by Bestseller Matt Haig: @Porter_Anderson @LondonBookFair @matthaig1 @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersWhy Do So Many Novels Feature Golden Retrievers? @PaulaSMunier @CrimeReadsA Look At Some Favorite Plot Twists and Reveals (without spoilers): by Catie Disabato @CrimeReadsSix Books That Explore How an Act of Violence Can Change Families, Communities, and Generations: @VictoriaDahl @CrimeReads5 Ways to Use a Reading Journal to Improve Your Writing: @RoniLorenFive Heart-Pounding Jump Scares in Horror Fiction: @ferretthimself @tordotcom5 SFF Character Pairs With Ever-Changing Relationships: @silveycat @tordotcomFive SFF Stories That Shed Light on Obscure History: @EleanorKonik @tordotcomFive SFF Works That Put Bards Center Stage: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomTroublesome Inheritances in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg10 Stories about Self-Destructive Women: @ink176 @ElectricLitHappily-Single Characters in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergCreativity and Inspiration / MotivationMotivation to write: 7 simple strategies: @nownovelCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeThe Search for Balance in a Writer's Life:
@LinWilsonauthorHow to Lose a Book Sale. The One You Almost Made: @RuthHarrisBooks @annerallenBridged: How the Art of Writing Can Close the Divide Between Worlds: @jdeleonwriter @lithubA Room of One’s Own Sounds Great… But What If You’re a Mom? @IlonaBannister @lithubSelf-Publishing through Personal Struggles: @IndieAuthorALLIGabriela Garcia on the Interplay Between Literature and Class Consciousness: @janeciab @lithubTen Savage Insults From Literary Icons: @lithub3 Ways to Make Your Fiction Writing Fun: @createastorylovWhy a Writer Needs Healthy Writing Habits: @LynnHBlackburn @EdieMelsonFeatured Writer on Wellness: C.S. McDonald: @CSMcDonald7 @colleen_m_storyStop Writing for Everyone: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitGetting Good at Taking Feedback: @writerstevens @DIYMFAWalking and Writing: Could a Daily Walk Boost Your Creativity? @seejavaciawriteWhy more public libraries are doubling as food distribution hubs: @NoahLenstra @ConversationUSWhen An Idea Breaks Your Manuscript – 4 Ways To Fix It: @MorganHzlwoodGenres / FantasyCan My Characters Use Less Efficient Transport? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsGenres / Horror7 Tips to Writing Vampire Hunters: @cyallowitzGenres / MemoirUsing Novel Writing Techniques in Your Memoir: @Cincy_BookwormWays to Write about Yourself @marciamoston @EdieMelsonGenres / MiscellaneousHow to Choose Your Genre: @Writers_WriteGenres / MysteryEccentric Suspects and Witnesses in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergHeat Waves in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergCrime Fiction Where the Reader is Directly Addressed: @MargotKinbergWriting Hardboiled Fiction: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsGenres / PoetryPoetry Is For You (Yes, You.): @thatpluckygirl @DIYMFAGenres / ScreenwritingScreenwriting: The Annotation Project: Emma: @CockeyedCaravanPage One: “Erin Brockovich” (2000): @GoIntoTheStoryThe Business of Screenwriting: Script readers, Hollywood’s threshold guardians: @GoIntoTheStoryPage One: “The Fabulous Baker Boys” (1989): @GoIntoTheStoryPromo / BloggingSometimes Better Than Blogging: Guest Blogging: @SmartAuthors @JaneFriedmanBrand Your Blog: A Step-by-Step Guide: @RobynRostePromo / MiscellaneousPros, Cons, and a few How-Tos on Writing Interviews: @FrugalBookPromoPromo / NewslettersHow to Make an eBook Marketing Funnel for Authors: @claytonnoblit @WrittenWordMPromo / PlatformsChildren's Books: Building an Effective Author Platform with Jennifer Swanson: @Write4KidsPromo / PodcastsHow to Give a Great Podcast Author Interview: @colleen_m_story @onestop4writersPromo / Social Media TipsMajor Social Media Platforms: @EdieMelson @SouthrnWritrMagPromo / Websites7 Essential Freelance Writer Website Elements: @RobynRostePublishing / MiscellaneousWhat Can Authors Learn From Digital Changes In The Music Industry? @MusicTectonics @thecreativepennAron Levitz Leads the Newly Merged Wattpad Webtoon Studios: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesRights Roundup: Nostalgia, Uncertainty, an ‘Ex-Son,’ and ‘Lost Words’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / DataNPD Books: Social Justice and Race Books Soar in Year-to-US Sales: @Porter_Anderson @npdgroup @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingBodour Al Qasimi on the IPA at 125: ‘A Sense of Solidarity’: @Porter_Anderson @Bodour @IntPublishers @pubperspectivesPublishers Call for EU Condemnation of New Hungarian Censorship: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesChina Bestsellers: TikTok Credited With Boosting Alex Michaelides’ ‘Silent Patient’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAbu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre in Partnership With Brill: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @BrillPublishing @ADIBFFrench Publishers: ‘A Moderate Decline’ of 2.3 Percent in 2020: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingSelf-publishing News: New Sponsor for Indie Inclusive Prize Promises to Double Prize: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingWhere to look for a literary agent: @pubcoach5 Attributes of a Good Agent: @BookEndsJessica @bookendslitHow to Choose the Perfect Pen Name: @thenovelsmithyWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentIntroduction to the 12 Shadow Archetypes: @KMWeilandWriting Craft / Common MistakesHow to Avoid Weasel Words When You Write: @khogrefeparnell @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / ConflictTips for Better Action Scenes: @LexicalForge @CareerAuthorsSub-conflict, and Lots of It: @mindofkyleam @TheRyanLanzWriting Craft / DialogueWriting Dialogue And Character Voice: @Jffelkins @thecreativepennWriting Craft / DiversityChinese-influenced Worldbuilding: @WritingwColorWriting Diverse Characters Well: @TheLeighShulmanWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmThe Annotation Project: Moby-Dick; or, The Whale: @CockeyedCaravanThe Emotional Transformations of Beverly Cleary’s Work: @kvanaren @vultureBelieve, Care, Invest: Moby Dick: @CockeyedCaravanPage One: “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” (1986): @GoIntoTheStoryThe Annotation Project: Catch 22: @CockeyedCaravanWriting Craft / MiscellaneousThe 5 Turning Points in Your Novel: @LiveWriteThriveWhat's a Story Engine? @KiingoCreativeCreating Your Story Waypoints: @Sparky2036 @NaNoWriMoTips For Writing A Worthy Anti-Hero: @10minnovelist5 Ways to Layer Depth into Your Story: @jlturchinStories and Relationship Dynamics: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / ResearchEmotional Research: @LeslieBudewitz @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarWhen to Use Single Quotation Marks in Fiction: @SeptCFawkes5 Common Homophones Every Writer Should Know: @BryanJCollinsWriting Craft / ScenesScenes Matter Most: @TheNormanNation @WriterUnboxed

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What Business Chore Do Writers Like Least?

 

by Hank Quense, @hanque99

When I revised my book, Business Basics for Authors, I decided to ask other authors about this idea of a business.  I asked three questions and I got over a dozen answers.  Some of the authors write fiction, others write non-fiction.  Some have publishers, some are self-published.

Here are the three questions:

What is the most difficult part of managing your book business?

2) What do you think is the most important business issue you have to deal with?

3) If you could eliminate one business chore, what would it be?

The answer to question 1 was covered on April 26, 2021.  Question 2 was answered on May 17, 2021

Question 3 is answered below.

If you could eliminate one business chore, what would it be?

Elizabeth Craig: I'd eliminate advertising, if I had the choice. I'd outsource that in a minute if I found someone who knew what they were doing and ran campaigns for a good price.

 

Mark Cain: Participating in social media. It’s a truism that authors are supposed to be on Facebook and Twitter, and maybe Instagram, etc. Participating in social media is a task I dislike, and I am unconvinced that the effort is cost-beneficial.

 

Elaine Durbach:  At this point, I'd love to have someone else handle the marketing and promotion for me, or at least define the tasks for me and lineup the openings.

 

Anna Faversham: Definitely marketing. I actually enjoy marketing – it's contact with people, real people, but if I want to produce books, care for my family and take part in the world at large, then there is little time for marketing. If I could have a part-time, local marketing manager who would follow the fifty or so ideas on my marketing list and then take care of sporadic advertising on social media, I would be a happy bunny.

 

Mark Henderson:  Pretending interest in other authors' books at events of the kind mentioned in (2). Of course, the interest is sometimes genuine; but it's often just polite, in the hope of reciprocation. (But would you count that as a business chore?)

 

Joylene Butler: Trying to find reviewers and anyone interested in helping me spread the word about my novels. I hate begging someone to read my manuscript, write a review, then post it everywhere. As if they don’t have better things to do.   This all sounds rather pathetic, but it’s the business. When you’re an artist, singer, writer, etc., you’re required to get into people’s faces and promote your work. There are simply too many other creative people to think you can write, publish, then sit back and wait for the royalty cheques without spreading the word.

 

Dale Lehman:  Yeah, marketing. If I could snap my fingers and have it all taken care of for me, that would be right out the window.

 

Rick Gualtieri: My editing cycle is what slows my release schedule down the most. I go through multiple drafts, polishing a book for release, before sending it out for editing. It's necessary and my readers are worth it.  That said, I know some authors who will hand off their first drafts to a team to do all of that polishing for them.  If I could find the right people, still know I'd be releasing books of the same quality, and my OCD would allow it, I'd have to give it serious consideration. Focusing on the core aspect of writing stories would almost certainly be a plus in my favor. Finding that team, however, well that's the challenge.

 

Donna Baier Stein: Email lists and using them.

 

Stuart Aken: In the past, major publishers allowed many authors to get on with the job of creating their works of imagination and had dedicated sales teams to deal with that aspect of the trade. If I could basically have nothing to do with the promotion and marketing of my work, that would be a real bonus.

 

Sarajane Giere: If I could eliminate one business chore it would be the new postings which my social media outlets demand. I’m uncomfortable using the technology required with Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and my new website, although I know these sites are important selling tools in today’s market. I feel compelled to write for my blog page on my new website, but at the same time, there is my next book project I’ve been planning to delve into but haven’t found time because I must nurture my new baby, My Pilot. Yet, I’m not daunted by my book business, for I know this learning curve will eventually straighten out as I gain experience.

 

Stephanie Auteri: Constantly brainstorming new story ideas that can in some way be tied back to the same topic as my book. I mean lord. At this point, I am bored by my own damn self.

 

Diane Wolfe: Email marketing – it’s just so repetitive and boring! Sending out review requests, media releases, etc. You can’t send those out in a large batch. They have to be personalized. And if two hours of that doesn’t give you Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, I don’t know what will!

 

Peadar Ó Guilín: Cover design. I have no taste of my own, so I struggle in recognising what it is that makes a good cover.

 

Business Basics for Authors has a wealth of information you can use to develop and manage your book business.

You may find more valuable information on my Writers and Authors Resource Center.

 

Business Basics for Authors has a wealth of information you can use to develop and manage your book business.

You may find more valuable information on my Writers and Authors Resource Center.

 

 

Hank Quense writes satirical fantasy and sci-fi. Early in his writing career,
he was strongly influenced by two authors: Douglas Adams and his
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy and Joseph Heller’s Catch-22. Happily, Hank
has never quite recovered from those experiences.

He lives with his wife in northern New Jersey, a mere 20 miles from
Manhattan, the center of the galaxy (according to those who live in
Manhattan). They have two daughters and five grandchildren all of whom
live nearby.

 

 

The post What Business Chore Do Writers Like Least? appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

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 59,000 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 / MiscellaneousFive Questions to Ask Your Publisher: @youfirstwriter13 Tips Your Editor Wants You to Know (But Is Too Busy to Tell You): @sharon_holbrookHow To Get Noticed As A Freelance Writer: @ashleygainer5 Reasons to Start Your Own Podcast: @TifMarcelo @CareerAuthorsBusiness Musings: A Cautionary Tale (Hollywood): @KristineRuschSelf-publishing News: Copyright Protection for Writers Lags Behind Streaming Surge: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIHow to Get Clients: 10 Best Ways to Land More Freelance Work: @aliventures @smartbloggerhqConferences and Events / MiscellaneousNext Week’s Digital Bologna: A Literary Agent’s Viewpoint: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesDisability, access, and the virtual conference: by Sonya Freeman Loftis @OUPAcademicJürgen Kaube Receives Inaugural German Nonfiction Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesBologna Book Fair Names Its Publishers of the Year: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIPA’s 2021 Prix Voltaire Winner To Be Named at Guadalajara: @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @pubperspectivesSheikh Zayed Book Award: A Call for 2022 Submissions: @Porter_Anderson @ZayedBookAward @pubperspectivesTaiwan’s Pei-Hsin Cho Wins $15,000 Illustration Award at Bologna: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesLondon’s Goldsboro Books Names ‘Glass Bell’ Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesLondon Book Fair: Details of Its Digital Seminars: @Porter_Anderson @LondonBookFair @pubperspectivesThe UK’s Young Writer Award Gains Aiken Trust Sponsorship: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesBologna’s Finale: 75,000 Visitors and 300 Hours of ‘Initiatives’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectiveIPA Observes Its 125th Anniversary With Today’s Bologna Opening: @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @pubperspectivesConferences and Events / NaNoWriMoWhat is NaNoWriMo? 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Needs: by Mckenzie Cassidy @FloridaWriters1Capturing Your Readers with Character Hooks: @10minnovelistWriting Effective Characters: Three Tests: @LindasclareCharacter Decision and Action: @KiingoCreativeRelationship Thesaurus: Bully and Victim: @beccapuglisiWriting Craft / Characters / Emotion2 Ways to Help Readers Connect Emotionally With Your Characters: @LisaHallWilsonWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsCreating Heroes: Ten Ways to Reveal the Heroic Qualities of Your Character: @ZenaDellLowe @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / DialogueHow to Write Natural Dialogue in 11 Steps: @ReedsyHQAn Agent on Dialogue Tags: @Janet_ReidWriting Craft / Flashback and Back StoryCreating the Backstory: A Delicate Art: @LorraineZago @WomenWritersWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmLearning from The Maltese Falcon: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsLockpicking and Safecracking in Mysteries: @MargotKinbergBasic Plots: Vonnegut’s Good News Bad News: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpire5 Insightful Things a Writer Can Learn from 5 Timeless Classics: by Ethan Miller @LiveWriteThriveWriting Craft / MiscellaneousThe Character Reaction Cycle: @KiingoCreativeTwo Words That Lead to a Stronger Novel: @Janice_HardyThe Backbone of Cliffhangers and 4 Types: @SeptCFawkesHow to Write a Genre Story: Dwight V. Swain and the Dominant Impression: @woodwardkarenDo You Know What Your Story Is About? I Mean, REALLY About? @cathychall @womenonwritingAvoiding Insensitivity in Characters or Story: @HowellWave @StoryEmpireCrafting Your Character's Plan: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / ResearchUnderstanding Horses: The Soul-Bond Between Human and Animal: @dancinghorse @tordotcomWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / Story ConceptHigh-Concept Fiction: @katie_khan @thenovelryWriting a First (or Second) Novel: Story Premise & GMC: @donnajostone @A3writersWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarThe Preposition “Amid”: by Maeve Maddox @writing_tipsWriting Craft / Scenes / Conflict4 Tips To Add Conflict to Your Story: @AneMulligan @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionHow to write clear physical description: @NathanBransfordHow To Use Setting As A Source Of Conflict: @MiaJouBotha @Writers_WriteKeep Moving: Describe Your Setting on the Go: @annharthWriting Craft / World-BuildingUsing Dialogue to Explain Worldbuilding: by Marilynn ByerlySix Principles for Becoming a Better Worldbuilder: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Tools / ResourcesTools for Next-Level Writing: @youfirstwriter

 

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Checking In On Goals Halfway Through the Year

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Around this time of the year, I like to take a look at my goals that I've made and evaluate how much progress I've made on them. I'm actually usually right on target because I try to make my goals really easy to meet. I figure it's better for me to have the “slow and steady wins the race” mentality than try to set a really lofty goal and struggle to meet it (and lose confidence in the process).

Here are some tips for figuring out your progress and possibly tweaking the goals you've made.

A Few Questions to Ask:

Are you on track with your goals?  And…are you tracking your progress toward your goals? Take some time to assess where you are and make sure to count everything you've done so far toward your project.

If you're not meeting your goals, are they too big? Can you make them S.M.A.R.T. (specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, time-sensitive) goals instead? Try breaking big projects into small tasks.

If you're not meeting your goals, what's the chief impediment? Sometimes it's us, sometimes it might be an outside factor that's contributing to the problem.

What seems to be working and what isn't?  What can easily be changed?  (Ideas for changes could be altering the time of day you work on your goal, changing where you're working, trying mini-outlines of a sentence or two so you know exactly what you want to write during the next session, etc.)

Is there someone in your life who can help keep you accountable if you need it? Another writer, a family member, a friend?

If you are meeting your goals, are you also making time for work/life balance?  What can you do to correct the imbalance, if there is one?

If you are meeting your goals, are there any production-minded tasks you need to do? (Reach out to an editor or cover designer and get on their schedule?)

My main tip here would be: don't try to catch up. There's just nothing more discouraging than trying to make up for lost time. Just jump in right where you are and treat every day as a blank slate.

How are you doing on your 2021 goals?

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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 59,000 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 / Miscellaneous15 Side Hustle Ideas For Writers: @ashleygainerSelf-publishing News: What does the EU Copyright Directive mean for you? @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLITips for Working With a Social Media Assistant: by Barbara Linn Probst“Canceling My Book Deal Was the Best Career Move I’ve Ever Made”: @lillydancyger @ElectricLitThe 21 Best Travel Writing Jobs That Pay Beginning Writers: by Dozie Anyaegbunam @smartbloggerhqHow Authors Can Use Public Relations Principles to Work with Amazon: @FrugalBookPromoThe Pros and Cons of Taking Risks in Writing: @mindofkyleam @ProWritingAid“5 Things I Learned When Launching My First Book”: @RicardoFayet @ReedsyHQConferences and Events / MiscellaneousFive Effective Strategies for Marketing Online Events: by Arielle Haughee @FloridaWriters1Bologna Children’s Book Fair’s 2021 Ragazzi Award Winners: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAbu Dhabi International Book Fair 2021 Draws 889 Exhibitors: @Porter_Anderson @ADIBF @ZayedBookAward @pubperspectivesSudhir Hazareesingh Wins the UK’s 2021 Wolfson Prize: ‘Black Spartacus’: @Porter_Anderson @WolfsonHistory @AllenLaneBooks @pubperspectivesIn London, the Society of Authors Names Its 2021 Winners: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Soc_of_AuthorsCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationSync Your Creative Process With Birdsong: @AmbreDLeffler @DIYMFAMood follows action: you don’t need to be inspired to write: @pubcoachCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / QuotesQuotes and Writing: by D.L. Finn @StoryEmpireCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersFive Sapphic Fantasies That Helped Me Find My Freedom: @adriennetooley @tordotcomThe Past, Present, and Future of BookTube, According to BookTubers: @DanikaEllis @BookRiotFive Genre-Jumping Masterpieces: @ashposton @tordotcomWho? What? Why? Crime Novel Ideas to Spark Your Writing Imagination: @ZaraAltair @ProWritingAidTaking the Politics Out of Six Popular Stories: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeCleaning Out Email is Like Cleaning the Fridge: @WiseOwlFactoryAre You Happy? Can a Small Change Bring You Closer to Your Dreams? @KatzStories @WriterUnboxedMindset Matters — 8 Simple Steps to Better Writing Habits: by A. Howitt @mythicscribesThis is What Failure Will Teach You: @MegDowell @TheRyanLanzHow Writers Can Adopt a Success Mind-Set: @LiveWriteThriveWhen Illness Interrupts Your Writing: @Julie_Glover“5 Unusual Tactics That Have Really Improved My Writing”: by Desiree Villena @writingthrulifeAdvice to the Frustrated Author: @CatGerlach @TheIWSGAre you ready to show vulnerability in your writing? @pubcoachWriters, can’t kill your darlings? Read this: @Roz_MorrisAre You a Mom Writer Thinking of Quitting? Read This First. @denisemassar @JaneFriedmanThe Green-Eyed Monster: Jealousy in the Time of Quarantine: @nancystohlman @JaneFriedman10 Online Strategies for the Writer’s Mid-year Slump: @EdieMelsonStepping into the portal: @austinkleonOn the Case for Meanness in Fiction: by Brock Clarke @lithubWhy So Many Novelists Write About Writers: @davidlaskin @lithubProductivity Tips for Writers: Change These 3 Mind-Mush Habits: by Jen Theuriet @MALWritingSomeone Reading a Book is a Sign of Order in the World: @brainpickerDostoyevsky, Just After His Death Sentence Was Repealed, on the Meaning of Life: @brainpickerSix steps toward finding your inner child on the page: by Margaret Meacham @TheWriterMagGenres / HistoricalTips For Writing Historical Novels: @MaryChamberla12 @WomenWritersGenres / HorrorHow Algernon Blackwood Turned Nature Into Sublime Horror: by Eugene Thacker @lithubWomen Writing Extreme Horror by Kenzie Jennings and Janine Pipe: @Night_Worms @JaninePipe28Genres / MiscellaneousThe Essential Guide to Avoid Writing a Preachy Christian Fiction Novel: @jodimaile2 @KingdomPenMagGenres / MysteryMoving House as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergWriting a Mystery Series: @mike54martinThe Cost of Ambition as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergCrime Writing: 10 Common Bedroom Objects to Use As Weapons: @PiperBayardGenres / Picture BooksUntapped Source of Illustrators for Children's Picture Books: @WiseOwlFactoryPicture Books: 3 Ways to Infuse Music into Your Story: @kirsticallGenres / PoetryWhat is Prose Poetry? @writingforwardLaunching a Second Poetry Collection: Self-Publishing Poetry Podcast: @OrnaRoss @IndieAuthorALLIGenres / RomanceRomance in third person: @writingandsuchGenres / ScreenwritingPage One: “Don’t Look Now” (1973): @GoIntoTheStoryPromo / BloggingBlogger Burnout? 8 Expert Strategies Help You to Stay Fired Up: by Ron Stefanski @MALWritingPromo / MiscellaneousBook Promotions: Short-Term Sales, Long-Term Benefits: @AnneJanzerPromo / Newsletters12 Examples of The Best Newsletters: @BryanJCollinsPromo / WebsitesWhat to Consider When Self Publishing a Book Without a Website: @BookgalPublishing / MiscellaneousScholastic’s Richard Robinson, Dead at 84, a Leader in Children’s Books: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesUK Book Publishing Industry Raises Copyright Alarm: ‘Save Our Books’: @Porter_Anderson @PublishersAssoc @Soc_of_Authors @ALCS_UK @StephenLotinga @pubperspectivesHow Would the Publishing World Respond to Lolita Today? @jmintonq @lithubBookwire’s ‘All About Audio’ 2021: A High View from MIDiA Research: @Porter_Anderson @bookwire @midiaresearch @videlbarkar @pubperspectivesOverDrive to Acquire Kanopy: @OverDriveLibs @KanopyPublishing / News / AmazonAmazon Literary Partnership Expands Grantee List to 80 This Year: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingChina South Publishing’s Peng Bo: ‘More Sophisticated Demand’: @HannahSJohnson @pubperspectivesEuropean Writers Council Leads Criticism of Copyright Directive Implementation: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPortuguese-Language SDG Book Club: Open for Business: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesBologna Children’s Book Fair: Italy Published 7,289 Kids’ Titles in 2020: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingSuccessful Self-Publishing On Kobo Writing Life With Tara Cremin: @KoboWritingLife @thecreativepennPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingAgent Spotlight: Katherine Wessbecher Interview and Query Critique Giveaway: @NatalieIAguirreWriting Craft / BeginningsA First Page Critique: @jamesscottbellWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentHow to Write a Genre Story: Making a Character Memorable: Strengths and Flaws: @woodwardkarenThe status of well rounded characters: @SHalvatzisRelationship Thesaurus Entry: Acquaintances: @beccapuglisiWriting Craft / Common MistakesReader Pet Peeves: How to Avoid Writing Stuff Readers Hate: @annerallen7 Scenes You Won’t Find In Good Fiction Writing: @ChrisLukeDean @Writers_WriteWriting Craft / DialogueHow to Write Good Dialogue–Name Dropping: @harmony_kent @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / DiversityThe White-Presenting Mixed Japanese Experience: @WritingwColorWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and Film7 Wrong Lessons That Creators Learned From Game of Thrones: @charliejane @tordotcomCharacters Handling Stress in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergWriting Craft / MiscellaneousMethod Writing: @AJHumpageKeep Your Promise to Readers: by Jan Drexler @SKRViLL7 Lessons from the World’s Greatest Editor: by Dana Isaacson @CareerAuthorsUnconventional Writing and Fiction Rules: @Kid_LitHow To Decide Between Past and Present Tense In Your Novel: @Bang2writeWhat is diction? How to write vivid voices: @nownovel3 Things Worth Thinking About Before You Start Your Book: @Bang2write @onestop4writersWrite What Your Characters Know: @PhilAthansShow AND Tell: @Brendacopeland @CareerAuthorsShow ’em where the bullets strike: @SPressfieldSix Writing Lessons from an Actual Backyard Gardener: @KelseyAllagoodWriting Craft / POV4 Ways a Strong Point of View Strengthens a Novel: @Janice_HardyGuide to Writing in First Person POV: @writingandsuchWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingStory Structure: 7 Narrative Structures All Writers Should Know: @ReedsyHQHow to Create Stories with the Three-Act Structure: @themaltesetigerWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / Story ConceptHow Premise Plays into Theme: @SeptCFawkesWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarThree Types of Sentences and How to Punctuate Them: @JillWilliamson @GoTeenWritersWriting Craft / RevisionRewriting the Small Stuff: @LindasclareWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionTips for Better Settings: @SSTaylorBooks @CareerAuthors

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Writing a Mystery Series

by Mike Martin, @mike54martin

Somebody recently asked me how did one write a mystery series? That was a good question. Safe Harbour, the latest in the Sgt. Windflower Mystery series is Book #10. There was even a Windflower Christmas book in there, too. Christmas in Newfoundland: Memories and Mysteries. How did I do it? Kind of the same way you eat an elephant. One bite, one story, one book at a time.

The truth is that I didn’t set out to write a series, even though it does help with marketing and promotion. My goal was to simply write a book of fiction. I didn’t even know it was going to be a mystery. And I had no idea where to start. So, I started looking around. I noticed my partner was reading mysteries. Mostly cozies, but a scattering of others, including Elizabeth George and Donna Leon. I loved Donna Leon, especially. Her Commissario Brunetti mysteries are set in Venice, a fabulous location, and featured great Italian meals.

I like to cook, but I love to eat more. So now I had two elements. It could be a mystery book and it could include food. Now for location. I always wanted to write a book set in Newfoundland, my home province on the east coast of Canada. But where in Newfoundland? My partner helped me out again. There’s a theme here. It turns out that her father is from Grand Bank, a small community on the southeast coast of the island. We end up visiting and staying longer every year.

One year I am walking on a foggy night in Grand Bank when Sgt. Windflower comes to me and starts telling me his story. I start writing it down and the next thing you know I have something that starts looking like it might be a book. My problem now however is that I can’t seem to find an ending to the story. I finish 3 times and each time have a niggling sensation that there’s more to tell. Back to my partner…

She says why don’t you make it a series? And that was it. I finished off The Walker on the Cape and haven’t stopped writing since. Someone once said that the story only ends when the writer dies. I hope that it true and that I can continue to write my series for a long time to come.

 

 

Mike Martin is the author of the Award-Winning Sgt. Windflower Mysteries. The latest book in the series is Safe Harbour. You can buy it on Amazon all over the world, Chapters/Indigo in Canada and fine independent bookstores like Sleuth of Baker Street in Toronto.

 

 

 

 

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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 59,000 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 Authors Can Use AI to Hone Their Marketing Campaigns and Reach Their Audience: @Booxby @IndieAuthorALLISelf-publishing News: AuthorSHARE offers payments for sales of secondhand books: @agnieszkasshoesHow Library Distribution Works for Indie Authors: @IndieAuthorALLI13 Must-Have Tools to Help Freelancers Run and Grow Their Business: @quiettypeblogStorytel Hooks Up With Spotify for Audiobooks; Self-Publishing News Podcast : @Howard_Lovy @agnieszkasshoesWhy your editing blog isn’t getting engagement, and 4 ways to fix it: @LouiseHarnbyConferences and Events / MiscellaneousBologna Announces the Winner of its 2021 Ragazzi Awards: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesMastering Online Author Events: @CodySisco @IndieAuthorALLIThe UK’s International Booker Prize: David Diop and Anna Moschovakis: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesLondon Book Fair’s 2021 International Excellence Awards Winners: @Porter_Anderson @LondonBookFair @pubperspectivesAAP Annual Meeting Speakers: Lemon, Klobuchar, Stone: @Porter_Anderson @Porter_Anderson @AmericanPublish @donlemon @amyklobuchar @BradStone @littlebrown @penguinrandom @pubperspectivesAAP’s Annual Meeting: Publishing as ‘Essential,’ and What’s Next: @Porter_Anderson @AmericanPublish @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersYou Need to Read These Writers to Understand Native American Comedy: @ClassicShowbiz @lithubCharacter-Driven Mysteries: @drshoultz @MandSMagazineThe Best Kidnap Thrillers: @ErikTherme @MandSMagazineShe Frightened Me With Science: 6 Sci-Fi Horror Novels: by Sam Reader @TorNightfireTo Really Understand Agatha Christie, You Need to Know About Poisons: @sl_penner @CrimeReadsTen Things You (Probably) Didn’t Know About James and Nora Joyce: @NualaNiC @The_Millions7 Novels About Women Who Reject Expectations: @laurellizabeth @ElectricLitTrashy Tales: Five Stories About Space Garbage: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomTop 10 books about the body: @mmccullybrown @GuardianBooksFive Classic SF Novels Written From an Alien Perspective: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomFive Recent Books for Fans of Old-Fashioned SF Adventure: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcom7 Books by Dyslexic Authors: Find Your Author Inspiration: @libby_bushill @ProWritingAidCreativity and Inspiration / MotivationWriting Motivation Ideas for Using or for Laughing: @HowellWave @StoryEmpireCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockHow can you deal with a writing block? @pubcoachCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeHow Do You Keep a Novel Alive When It Keeps Trying To Die? @katehopeday @lithubInvite Yourself Back To Your Writing: @10minnovelistCongrats on Finishing Your Quarantine Novel: @BillFerris @WriterUnboxedRules of Engagement for Writers: @PaulaSMunier @CareerAuthorsWarrior Of The Blank Page. Writing, Marketing And Mindset: @SPressfield @thecreativepennHow to Face Down Writer Fear: @LiveWriteThrive“How a Year Without My Library Has Changed Me”: by Lauren Du Graf @lithubThe Two Most Damaging Writing Myths: @LisaCron @WriterUnboxed10 Terrible Writing Ideas that Shouldn't Work, But Sometimes Do: @AmongTheZombies @LitReactorWhy Does it Feel Like You Can’t Write After a Writers Conference? @LauraHighcove @DIYMFAFraming the Writer Life: by Kevin Tumlinson @Draft2DigitalWriting As Meditation: @aprildavilaWhy the Art of Writing Is a Journey Inside Yourself — but Not of the Kind You Might Think: @Peter_Rey_Genres / FantasyTips for Writing Fantasy: @dkparsonswriter @SelfPubFormGenres / HistoricalBlending Genres in a Historical Series: @michellecox33 @DIYMFAGenres / HorrorWhy Zombie Stories Remain Popular: @AngelineTrevena @HorrorTreeGenres / MemoirWhat is a Memoir? True Life Stories, Minus the Boring Parts: @ReedsyHQGenres / MysteryTours and Attractions for the Crime Fiction Fan: @MargotKinbergLoyalty as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergBehavioral Patterns as a Tool in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Picture BooksWriting the Wordless, or Almost Wordless, Picture Book: @Shutta @FloridaWriters1Genres / PoetryThe Sound of Absence: Utilizing White Space in Poetry: @SWytovich @LitReactorGenres / Romance3 Keys to Writing Faith-Filled Romance: by Grace A. Johnson @KingdomPenMagGenres / Science FictionHow to Create a Convincing Fictional Technology: by Rick BadmanGenres / ScreenwritingPage One: ‘Die Hard’ (1988): @GoIntoTheStoryGenres / Short StoriesWriters Discuss Working On Short Stories: @ChrisLukeDean @Writers_WritePromo / BloggingHow to Apply SEO to Your Blog – One Blogger’s Process: @EdieMelsonHow to comment on blogs: @sandrabeckwithPromo / Book Descriptions and CopywritingBeast Your Amazon Bio and Sell More Books: @Bookgal @annerallenPromo / PricingThe Best Day of the Week to Discount Your Ebook: @DianaUrban @BookBubPublishing / MiscellaneousThe International Publishers Association’s 125 Years: @rcharkin @IntPublishers @Bodour @michielams @HugoSetzer @karinepansa @AnaCabanellas @yschipton @PublishersAssoc @FEP_EUPublishing / News / DataAAP’s StatShot: US Publishing up 40.2 Percent in March, Year-Over-Year: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAudio Publishers Association Cites 12-Percent 2020 US Audiobook Revenue: @Porter_Anderson Growth @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingGerman Stories and Arabic Tales: ‘From Cinderalla to Sindbad’ by Chip Rossetti @pubperspectivesTwo Updates from Italy: Affirming the 18App, Supporting Bookstores: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAfrica Publishing Innovation Fund Seeks 2022 Proposals: ‘Beyond the Classroom’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @IntPublishers @Bodour @DubaiCaresGermany’s Publishers Demand That Belarus Release Roman Protasevich: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIndustry Notes: Bookwire Buys Brazil’s Bok2; Ingram Sells VitalSource: @Porter_Anderson Asian and Pacific Islander Identity: Gold House’s New Reading List: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesRights Roundup: ‘Sometimes I Am Furious’ and Other Timely Titles: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingTraditional Publishing, Twitter, and You: from Fix Your Writing HabitsPublishing / Process / Book DesignPicking the Best Book Cover: by Elice Max @A3writersPublishing / Process / FormattingHow to Format a Book: @DaveChessonWriting Craft / BeginningsFirst Page Critique: How To Improve a Compelling Opener: @SueColetta1 @killzoneauthorsWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsCan My Villain be Cute? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Craft / Characters / ArcArchetypal Character Arcs: The King Arc: @KMWeilandHow to Complete a Character Arc: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentHow to Write a Genre Story: Characterization and Character Description: @woodwardkarenRelationship Thesaurus Entry: Guard and Prisoner: @AngelaAckermanRelationship Thesaurus Entry: Godparent and Child: @beccapuglisiWriting Craft / Characters / Supporting Characters7 Tips to Raising Supporting Characters to the Spotlight: @cyallowitzWriting Craft / Common MistakesNine Signs of Amateur Writing: @10minnovelistTop 5 Mistakes Writers Make Writing Doctors: @rosieclaverton @Bang2writeWriting Craft / ConflictFive Problems With Focusing on Internal Conflicts: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsWriting Craft / Dialogue7 Things You Can Do With Dialogue In A Story: @MiaJouBotha @Writers_Write5 Dialogue Quick Tips for Page-Turning Fiction: @KMazeauthorWriting Craft / EndingsWow Them In The End – Give Your Screen Story An Amazing Ending: by Karel FG Segers @storydepthWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmBasic Plots: Vonnegut’s Cinderella: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpire“10 Awesome Young Female Characters Recommended By My Kid”: @Bang2writeWriting Craft / MiscellaneousFive Common Story Fragmentations and How to Consolidate Them: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsPicture It, Portray It, Pen It: @JoanHallWrites @StoryEmpire5 Places to Find Your Novel’s Theme: @Janice_HardyThe Technicalities of Writing Thoughts: @SeptCFawkesGuide to Writing an Unreliable Narrator: @writingandsuchEight of Literature’s Most Powerful Inventions—and the Neuroscience Behind How They Work: by Angus Fletcher @SmithsonianMagWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingWhat's the Three-Act Structure? @KiingoCreativeWhat's the Four-Act Structure? @KiingoCreativeA Beginner’s Guide to Structuring Your Novel: Don’t Use a Plot Template: @AGHackneyWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarTwo Editing Tips: @WordDreamsWriting Craft / RevisionEssential questions for revision: @anicarissi @TheWriterMagConcrete Tips for Revising and Editing Your Fiction: @JodieRennerEdWriting Craft / Revisions / CritiquesEngaging Our Beta Readers: by Steve Hooley @killzoneauthorsWriting Tools / AppsWrite or Die: Is This the Tool That Finally Conquers Your Procrastination? @JDEdwinAuthor @write_practiceWriting Tools / ResourcesGrammar Girl's Favorite Resources: @GrammarGirlResources Page from @DisabledWriters Includes Writing Guides, Jobs, and Fellowships:

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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.

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 59,000 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.

I'll be offline tomorrow in observance of Memorial Day. Hope everyone has a great week…see you back here next Sunday.  :)

Business / Miscellaneous9 Rock-Solid Tips That Will Help You Become a Freelance Writer: @BryanJCollinsFocus on Short Fiction: @StoryADayMay @WriterUnboxedTen Ways for Authors to Waste Their Money: @inkbitspixels @FloridaWriters1On Making Choices in a Writing Career: by Danielle Evans, Eula Biss, Sejal Shah, and Christa Parravani @lithubSelf-Published Authors: Amazon Exclusive or Go Wide? @LiveWriteThriveFreelancing: 3 Things To Implement In Your Writing Business In 2021: @ashleygainerSelf-publishing News: Storytel Partners with Spotify: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLINFTs for Books: How This Emerging Tech Can Reward Authors & Readers: @EJWenstrom @BookRiotThe Business of Being a Writer: @JaneFriedman @Draft2DigitalWriting Contests | 8 Reasons Why You Should Enter: @RobynRosteConferences and Events / MiscellaneousAs Abu Dhabi International Book Fair Opens, Publishers’ Stand Fees Are Waived: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesSheikh Mohamed Funds Book Buying at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesJordan’s Jalal Barjas Wins the 2021 International Prize for Arabic Fiction: @Porter_Anderson @Arabic_Fiction @pubperspectivesSheikh Zayed Book Award Streams Its 2021 Winners Ceremony: @Porter_Anderson @ZayedBookAward @ADIBF @pubperspectivesSheikh Zayed Book Award Winner Iman Mersal: ‘Reading the Past’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @ADIBF @ZayedBookAwardAt Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: Salha Obaid on Fact and Fiction: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAt Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: Author Tayari Jones on Timing: @Porter_Anderson @TayariJones @pubperspectivesGermany in the Spotlight at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesToday at Abu Dhabi: Ulla Lenze Explores Family History in Fiction by Chip Rossetti @pubperspectivesAfshin Molavi at Abu Dhabi International Book Fair: ‘West to East’: @oliviasnaije @ADIBF @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersOne Author's Top 10 Queer Protagonists in Crime Fiction: @thevoiceofruss @CrimeReadsChekhov’s The Cherry Orchard: Further Evidence That All Stories Are Hauntings: @litcenturypod @lithubCozy Mysteries Featuring Delicious (and Doable) Recipes: @kristadavis @CrimeReadsMysteries Where Secondary Characters Spin-off Into Their Own Adventures: @MargotKinbergSeven Excellent Escapist Adventure Fantasy Books: @AKLarkwood @tordotcomFive Great Thrillers Set in Wild Places: @LuanneRice @CrimeReads8 Books That Show Maine in All of Its Complexity: @WSWinslow @ElectricLitCreativity and Inspiration / MotivationMotivation: What Characters Really Want: @Draft2DigitalCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingAre we all too busy to write? @pubcoachCreativity and Inspiration / SuccessFive Rules for Author Success in 2021: @Bookgal @IndieReaderCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeIndexing, filing systems, and the art of finding what you have: @austinkleon Writing can be centripetal or centrifugal: @austinkleonNobody Owes Us Attention: @AnneJanzer8 Great Reasons to Write Your Book: @lornafaithThe Best 7 Health Tips for Writers to Help You Write More: @RobynRoste5 Good Habits for Writers: Writing to Escape: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthorsDo You Need a Daily Writing Habit? @writingcookbookDo you believe in writing myths? @beprolifiko5 Ways To Avoid Accidental Plagiarism: @BryanJCollinsBlend Creative Fire With the Patience of Being in Progress: @CreativeKatrinaAre You Too Scared to Sell Yourself? @SPressfieldHow to stop trying to do it all — 5 steps to choose the best project (and chuck the rest): @lisa_earlybite @jccabelGenres / Fantasy10 Classic Fantasy Tropes and How To Enliven Them: by Oliver Fox @Writers_WriteGenres / HorrorReflections on a Century of Horror: by T.L. BodineDe-Troping the Witch Lit Genre: @GabyTriana @GNutsofHorrorEditor, Producer, and Writer Tonia Ransom Shines a Nightlight on Black Horror: @ALWlikeahowl @TorNightfireGenres / HumorWriting Comedic Essays: by Vanessa Newman @WomenWritersGenres / MysteryCrime Fiction: The Dangerous Assumption of Invulnerability: @MargotKinbergCozy to Cold-Blooded: Crime Authors Caught Up in Real Crimes: @avonlea79 @DIYMFAHow To Write Authentic Crime Fiction With Patrick O’Donnell From Cops and Writers: @thecreativepennHow To Write A Bestselling Thriller: @HankPRyan @CareerAuthorsJump Scares in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergToxic Relationships as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Picture BooksSelf-Publishing a Children’s Book – 4 Realities: @KarenCVHow to Publish a Children’s Book [Plus Self-Publishing Tips]: @DaveChessonGenres / PoetryPoetry Revision Bingo: by Suzanne Langlois @trishhopkinsonGenres / ScreenwritingScreenwriting Believe, Care, Invest: Toy Story: @CockeyedCaravanScreenwriting: Page One: ‘Buried’ (2010): @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Page One: ‘Cloud Atlas’ (2012): @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Page One: ‘Con Air’ (1997): @GoIntoTheStoryThe Business of Screenwriting: Who does what in a writer-representative relationship? @GoIntoTheStoryScript Analysis: ‘Palm Springs’: @GoIntoTheStoryGenres / Young AdultTips for Writing in the Young Adult Voice: @ReadAlessandra @MorganBadenPromo / Book ReviewsHolistic Reviews: @gmplano @StoryEmpirePromo / MiscellaneousThe Easy Mindset Change that Makes Marketing Your Book Easier: @colleen_m_storyThe Ultimate Guide to Selling Children’s Books: @IndieAuthorALLIHow to Launch a Self-Published Book: @sacha_black @OrnaRoss @IndieAuthorALLIBook Marketing On Podcasts: How To Be A Great Podcast Guest: @thecreativepennThe 7 Elements of a Book Launch: @eandtsmom @TheIWSGBook Marketing: 14 Ideas to Reach Higher Sales: @be_writPromo / PlatformsWhat is an author platform? @NathanBransfordPromo / Social Media Tips5 Types of Video to Add to Your Social Media Marketing: @realJoeForte @CMIContentPublishing / MiscellaneousHow To Make An Audiobook: Publishing on ACX and Audiobook Marketing: @DaveChessonRights Roundup: Arianna Papini on ‘Rediscovering Happiness’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFilm Rights: London’s BKS Agency Has an Option for Stephen McGinty’s ‘The Dive’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesWhat is a Preface? @JFbookmanAuthor Interview with Charles Bolam: The Voice of Indie Audiobooks: @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLIStorytel’s partnership with Spotify unlocks a back door to the Holy Grail that is the US audiobook market: @thenewpubstdPublishing / News / International PublishingFrance’s Hervé Le Tellier: An Anomaly of a Residency for His Translators: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectivesPEN Belarus Slams Minsk’s Force-Down and Arrest of Roman Protasevich: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIn Egypt, Publishers Are Moving to E-Commerce: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Self-PublishingSelf-Publishing A Book? A Free Guide: @DavidGaughranPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / QueryingThe Best Literary Agents Seeking Submissions: @ReedsyHQHow Do I Find Comps for My Book? @RachelleGardnerPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / RejectionsContinuing on in the Face of Rejection: @TheBlondePI @WomenWritersPublishing / Process / LegalitiesCan I Use Song Lyrics in My Book? @RachelleGardnerPublishing / Process / Services to AvoidTwo Scams to Watch Out For: Writers' Conference Phishing Scheme, Goodreads Extortion Scam: @victoriastraussWriting Craft / BeginningsFind the Ending Before You Return to the Beginning: by Sharon Oard Warner @JaneFriedmanWriting Craft / Characters / ArcUse Character Arcs to Create Meaningful Stories: @KiingoCreativeArchetypal Character Arcs: The Queen Arc: @KMWeilandWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentRelationship Thesaurus Entry: Teacher and Student: @beccapuglisi @onestop4writersA Core Question for Getting to Know Your Character: @Janice_HardyWriting Craft / ConflictQ&A: Battles in the Rain and Writing Character Action Games: from How to Fight WriteDoes Your Novel Have a Problem? (It Should): @Janice_HardyWriting Craft / Flashback and Back StoryBackstory and Exposition: 4 Key Tactics: @manzanitafire @JaneFriedmanWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmThe Rashomon Effect: How to use it in your story: @themaltesetigerWriting Craft / MiscellaneousHow To Write The Death Scene: @officialajc @Writers_WriteEmotional Logic, Or How to Keep Readers From Throwing Your Book Against the Wall: @CarriePadgett @A3writersThe Inciting Incident and Character Void: @KiingoCreativeHow to Convey the Refugee Experience Without Resorting to Refugee Tourism: @aprilyee @ElectricLitHow to Use Different Methods of Time Travel in Fiction: @Stepha_OBrien @TheRyanLanzHow to Write a Genre Story: Setting: How to Show Not Tell: @woodwardkarenWhy Every Author Should Write Haiku: @AmongTheZombies @LitReactorTips on Writing The Boring Stuff Readers Tend to Skip: by Jenna HarteWriting Craft / POVMultiple Points-of-View: Tips for Clarity and Creativity: @10minnovelistWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / ResearchUnderstanding and Writing Horses: Paying Attention: @dancinghorse @tordotcomWriting Craft / RevisionRewriting Your Novel: @LindasclareSelf-Editing: How to Improve Your Writing: @BryanJCollinsEight Essential Edits for Your Novel: from Jeanette the Writer @DIYMFAWriting Craft / ScenesWhat Exactly Is a Scene? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsWriting Craft / SeriesWriting Tips: How To Structure And Write A Series: @SaraRosett @thecreativepennWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionSetting As Character: @DPLyleMDWriting Do’s And Don’ts: Room Settings: @KMAllan_writerWriting Craft / SynopsesHow to Write a Synopsis: @BrynDonovanWriting Craft / VoiceA Look at Voice: @authorterryo @killzoneauthorsFinding Your Voice: @Emily_R_King @DIYMFAWriting Craft / Word CraftingMaking Up Words: by PJ Parrish @killzoneauthors

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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5 Good Habits for Writers

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

There are so many different aspects of being a writer these days. We have to be more outgoing online than many of us might want to be. We have to think of ways to increase visibility for our books. And we have to write the books.

With all the different things we have to juggle, here's a post that goes back to the basics. These are five habits I've developed through the years that have made my writing life either easier or better in some way.  I'd love to hear yours in the comments.

Exercising: This is one important thing I had to add to my list about five years ago.  If you've ever suffered the consequences for sitting too much, you'll understand why it made the list. After spending far too many weeks in physical therapy, I realized it's better to prevent back problems from happening than to fix the problems after they've happened. I have an inexpensive ($300) foldable treadmill at my house that makes it easy for me to meet my goal of walking on it every day. Stretching multiple times a day helps, too.

Jami Gold has a great post on wrist exercises for writers.

Colleen M. Story offers us 8 stretches and exercises to prevent “computer hunch.”

Reading: I've always been a huge reader and I've always enjoyed reading mysteries most of all. For the last couple of years now, I've also tried reading more of a variety of different books. The different writers' voices and themes have really helped me grow as a writer and have helped inform my mystery writing.

Shannon Dittemore explains other benefits of reading for writers in this post.

Writing–Something:  As long as you're writing regularly, you're in good shape.  I think blog post writing is also a great writing warm-up for other types of work.  I don't think it's important to set big goals or to write really quickly.  Creating a writing habit is so much more important, whether that's daily or weekly. And never try to catch up to where you think you should be: there's nothing more discouraging.

Note-Taking: This can either be high-tech, low-tech, or a combination of both.  The important thing is to always be ready to jot down random ideas: phrases, names, situations, story concepts . . . whatever pops into your head when you're out living your life. I keep a small notebook in my purse and another notebook in my car. I also jot down ideas on my phone using the free Google Keep app.

Jacqui Murray has other writerly uses for Google Keep.

There's no reason to curate what you stick in your notebook, either, as you're jotting things down.  You can either develop your jottings into a great idea or you can scratch them out later. Writer and artist Austin Kleon loves notebooks. One reason is that he thinks notebooks are “a good place to have bad ideas.”

Refilling the Well: This is primarily to keep from burning out, but it's also to gain inspiration in a variety of different ways.  Reading does help me refill my well, but so does listening to music, going for walks, and watching interesting television and movies (I try to keep a list going so I always have something good to watch. I want to refill my well, but I don't want to waste my time).

Those are the five habits on my list, but I'm curious to hear yours. :)  What habits have made your writing life easier or better?

Photo on VisualHunt.com

The post 5 Good Habits for Writers appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.