Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 44

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 58,000 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 / MiscellaneousFreelancing: Virtual Conferences: 18 Top Training Events for Writers in 2021: @ChristinWritesHow to embrace risk when you’re a writer: @pubcoachCo-Authorship: 3 Areas of Give and Take: @HowellWave @StoryEmpireWriting for the Market and Tough Decisions: @MaryGillgannon @RMFWritersSelf-publishing News: What Opportunities do NFTs Offer Writers? @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIShould You Look for Work on Upwork as a Freelance Writer? @jag791johnson @ProWritingAidConnecting with Clients and Writing Markets: @officialajc @hopeclark5 Ideas for Teaching Writing in Virtual Lessons: @HellyDouglas @ProWritingAidConferences and Events / MiscellaneousComing Tuesday: Arabic Voices, Topics in Academic Publishing: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFrankfurt to ‘Re:Connect’ in October: Exhibitor Registration Opens Today: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @pubperspectivesInternational Women’s Day: PublisHer Issues a Diversity Toolkit: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe UK’s Jhalak Prize Adds a Children’s and YA Honor for 2021: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesAfrican Publishing Innovation Fund Names Five 2021 Projects: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesEmirates Airline Festival of Literature Draws 117,000 Attendees: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesComic Art Europe Names Winners from Romania, UK, Portugal, Germany, France: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / First NovelsPublished Authors Share Wisdom from their Debut Journeys: @NancyJAuthor @WriterUnboxedCreativity and Inspiration / Goal settingA Different Approach for Writing Success This Year: @Janice_HardySetting Writing Goals You'll Actually Stick to: @writingcookbookCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersRejections of Well-Known Crime Fiction Authors: @MargotKinbergFive Recent Books Featuring Superpowered Characters: @mikechenwriter @tordotcomThe Magician’s Nephew: The Creation of Narnia and the Coming of Evil: @mattmikalatos @tordotcomTen Historical Crime Novels That Trace the History of New York City: @StacieMWrites @CrimeReadsReading Like A Writer: @BlumeDora @wvancampSmall Islands as Elements in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergRegular Citizens Helping Out Intelligence Agencies in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergThe Many and Sometimes Sinister Retellings of Jane Eyre: by Rachel Hawkins @CrimeReads7 Contemporary Novels About the Victorian Era: @paraicodonnell @ElectricLitCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing9 Surprising Reasons You Can't Finish Your Work in Progress: @writingcookbook3 Steps For A Productive Writing Session: @KMAllan_writerDumb Little Writing Tricks That Work: Set a Deadline: @GoIntoTheStoryCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeTaking Chances as a Writer: @SiouxR @womenonwritingPeople Still Ask: How Do Writers Get Their Ideas? by Lore Segal @lithubHow To Grow Into The Writer You Want To Be: @StephMorrill @GoTeenWritersWriter's blockdown: after a year inside, novelists are struggling to write: @alisonflood @GuardianBooks33 writers on why they write: by Walker Caplan @lithubWhat Really Goes On in a Writer’s Notebook? by Danielle McLaughlin @lithubFeatured Writer on Wellness: Susan Wingate: @susanwingate @colleen_m_storyCreate a Writing Habit that Works for You: @10minnovelistWriting Through the Terrible Twos: @NoahKSturdevant @sfwaHow Much of Our Real Life Shows Up in Our Fiction? by Julie GloverGenres / MysteryInconsistent Character Behavior as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergTeen Restlessness as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg6 Types of Amateur Sleuths: @Author_SLuck @BooksThatThrillGenres / Picture BooksKirsten W. Larson on Writing Nonfiction/STEM Picture Books: @KirstenWLarson @Write4KidsGenres / ScreenwritingScreenwriting: Page One: ‘Up in the Air’ (2009): @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Believe, Care, Invest: Batman Begins” @CockeyedCaravanScreenwriting: Billy Wilder on ‘The Apartment’: @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Believe, Care, Invest: Captain America @CockeyedCaravanScreenwriting: Page One: “Vertigo’ (1958): @GoIntoTheStory60 Second Screenwriter: What is “high concept?” @GoIntoTheStoryGreat Scene: “North by Northwest”: @GoIntoTheStoryGenres / Short StoriesWhat Is Flash Fiction? @MoriahRichard93 @WritersDigestPromo / Ads5 Options for Creating Your Amazon Ad Copy: by Beth WhitneyPromo / Blogging7 Ways to Breathe Life into Tired Blog Posts: @HellyDouglas @ProWritingAidPromo / Book ReviewsBook Reviews: Are They Useful to Writers? @GarryRodgers1 @killzoneauthors“How I Turned My One Star Review Into My Most Successful Advert”: @TahaniNelsonPromo / MiscellaneousMy Publicity Campaign is Done – Now What Do I Do? @marikaflatt @TheIWSG5 Innovative Ways To Promote Your Self-Released Book: by Patrick Salway @IndieReaderTips for Starting a Street Team: @BookwormMama14 @SKRViLLPromo / Social Media TipsWant to Be a Guest Speaker on a Twitter Chat? Here's How: @inkbitspixels @CaballoFrancesTFW Your Twitter Account Gets Stolen and There’s Nothing You Can Do: @robspillman @lithubPromo / WebsitesWordPress for Writers: Tips, Tricks, & Plugins: @All_FreelancingPublishing / MiscellaneousTips for Easier Launch Days: The UK’s Emerald Publishing: A Decline in Research Output from Women: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesScribd Announces an Audiobook Production Line, Highlighting Independent Publishers: @Porter_Anderson @Scribd @pubperspectivesCalibre Audio and RealSAM: A Smart Speaker for Sight-Impaired Readers: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International Publishing‘Arabic Voices in Academic Publishing’: A Look at the Challenges: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesUK: Jellybooks Pilots Bookshop ‘Peek Inside’ Capacity at Blackwell’s: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying5 Reasons You Should Aim for 100 Literary Rejection Letters in 2021: by Sarah Gribble @write_practicePublishing / Process / Book DesignHow to Work With a Book Cover Designer: @dre_cal @ProWritingAidIs the next book cover trend . . . rainbows? @knownemily @lithubWriting Craft / Characters / AntagonistsFive Antagonists Understandable Motives: @kathycowleyWriting Craft / DialogueRobert McKee's Dialogue Tips: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and Film“Gone Girl” – Ending Payoff: @TheWritership @StoryGridThe Spiritual Message at the Heart of ‘Peanuts’: @AndrewBlauner @lithubHow Bigotry Ruined Magic: The Gathering’s Characters: by Svend Phillips @mythcreantsWriting Craft / MiscellaneousMust Haves For Exciting Inciting Incidents: @10minnovelistHow to Write An Article: Get Started With These 12 Steps: @kwidenhouseTips for Creating a Book from Genealogical Research: by Dennis L. Peterson @SouthrnWritrMagPlot and character – how to integrate them: @SHalvatzis“What Gandhi Taught Me About Telling Stories that Mean Something”: @KelseyAllagood @WriterUnboxedStrange Alchemy–Creating the Weave of Conflict, Character, and Place in Your Fiction or Memoir: @writeabookHow do you get more cohesion in your writing? @pubcoachWriting Craft / Plot HolesHow to Dig Yourself Out of a Plot Hole: @ebettswriter @writingcookbookWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingBasic Plots: Vonnegut’s Man in Hole: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpireWriting Craft / RevisionHow to edit your novel before submitting: @LisaBabalis @cbcreativeWriting Craft / TensionHow to Create Tension: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / VoiceInfuse Voice With 3 Elements: @Shutta @FloridaWriters1UncategorizedWhat Writers Can Learn From The Mandalorian: @ChrisLukeDean @Writers_Write wkb14

 

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Tips for Easier Launch Days

by Elizabeth Spann Craig, @elizabethscraig

When I was traditionally published, launch days felt incredibly stressful to me. That's because the publisher had a lot riding on the release…and for a fairly short period of time before bookstores started sending off returns.  Penguin liked to know what my plans for the launch were, how big my audience was, and if I needed the to schedule a blog tour.

While launches as a self-publishing author aren't nearly as stressful (and that's a good thing…I had 6 books release last year), they still create a real mix of feelings in me.  What I'd like to focus more on is the feeling of celebrating finishing another book. Maybe that should be a goal for this year.

Here's how I've tried to relieve the launch day pressure as much as possible: 

Make a list. Actually, a checklist and one that you can use for future releases is probably best here. I'm going to share my updated release day checklist on the blog in the next week or so. This way you can make sure you don't forget anything (I've had too many nights in the past where I woke up at 3 a.m. remembering I forgot to send thank you copies of the finished book to betas) and that alone is a big stress-reducer.

Schedule as much as possible in advance. This mainly pertains to social media or any blog posts you're doing to announce the release. The last thing you want to worry about on your launch day is tweaking images on Canva. Use a free program like Hootsuite to help you schedule ahead.

Write the all-important newsletter in advance. I do this wayyy in advance. My newsletter does promote the new book, of course, but I also use it as a way to share good books I've read and films I've watched, as well as a recipe. So when I do read or watch something great or make a good meal, I go ahead and save it as a draft in my newsletter. (I'm currently using MailerLite.)

Get everything else in your life under some semblance of control.  The thing about releases is that they can be all-consuming if you let them be. But we still have life going on in the background. I try to make sure that I'm caught up on any housework and errands and that there's food ready to eat in the fridge. It just means less stuff to worry over.

Have scheduled times of day to check in on social media. One of the things in the past that I've found most stressful has been staying on social media for too long during release days. It's great to quickly respond to reader comments, but then we can fall down a social media rabbit hole. Having planned times to check in on social is a great balance.  I find I do better if I completely close the social media tab and not have it run in the background.

Remember how important self-care is. This is probably the most important tip of all. If you know you're going to feel stressed (even happy stress), be sure to get enough sleep the night before, exercise the morning of the launch, eat well, and hydrate. It can help…a lot.

One additional important thing to remember is that publishing has a “long tail.” Our sales will take place over a long period of time…over the years of our careers.  Yes, the launch day is a big day, but not if we look at it as a small part of a big picture.

How do you handle launch day stress? Any other tips I've missed?

Tips for Reducing Release Day Stress:
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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 58,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers. While you're there, check out the Writer's Digest award-winning Hiveword novel organizer.

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

Business / MiscellaneousBusiness Musings: Reading and Ebooks (2020 in Review): @KristineRuschWeb Writing: How It's Unique: @kwidenhouseFreelance Writing: The One Point Rule: @kwidenhouse5 Steps to File Cabinet Organization in Your Life and Small Business: @MaddyOsmanThe Magic Phrase That Let's You Say No to Copywriting Clients: by Belinda WeaverWhy Your Book Needs a Manuscript Critique: @abaileywritesHow to Get Your First Writing Sample: @ashleygainer8 Project Management Tips for Frustrated Freelancers: @BlackFreelance15 Benefits of Working with a Writing Coach: @writingcookbookFreelancers: When Should You Write for Free? @ashleygainerFindaway Voices Steps in for Indies in Wake of Audiblegate: Self-Publishing News Podcast: @agnieszkasshoes @Howard_Lovy @IndieAuthorALLIThe Top Ten Publishing Trends Every Author Needs to Know: @claytonnoblit @WrittenWordMWhat Writers and Editors Do: by Karl Ove Knausgaard @parisreviewConferences and Events / MiscellaneousInternational Prize for Arabic Fiction Names Its 2021 Longlist: @Porter_Anderson @Arabic_Fiction @pubperspectivesA Digital Jerusalem International Book Forum Opens for 2021 Registration: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Goal setting31-day Practice and Suck Less challenge: @austinkleonCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersOn the Long Walk to Audiobooks: @rcharkin @pubperspectivesPassing Noir: Nine Novels That Explore Secrecy and Deception in Racial Identity: by Zach Vasquez @CrimeReadsHas the Parent Plot Ousted the Marriage Plot in Contemporary Fiction? by Peter Ho Davies @lithubFive SFF Characters You Want to Trust, but Probably Shouldn’t: @StinaLeicht @tordotcomUnwanted Outsiders Working Cases in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinberg“I Loved These (SF) Books as a Teen — Do They Hold Up as an Adult?” by Amber Troska @tordotcomCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeUsing Writing Groups for Motivation: @davidfarland3 Ways Freelancers Can Reduce Stress: @quiettypeblogHow to Create a Personalized Writer's Notebook: @thenovelsmithy70 Encouragements/Tips For The Writer: from It's a Lil ThingYou Are Not Too Old to Freelance : @seejavaciawriteTop 5 Reasons to Keep Writing Even When You Don't … Feel It: @hmgardner @TheIWSGBest Writing Approach: Routine or Ritual? @GoIntoTheStoryGenres / MysteryDisgruntled Employees and Unscrupulous Manufacturers as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergRunaways as Elements in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Non-Fiction3 Rules of Business Book Writing: @_GinnyCarterGenres / RomanceHow To Write A Shippable Romance Novel: @WritersEditGenres / ScreenwritingHow to write a TV series outline: @YVONNEGRACE1Writing the Television Pilot: 1st 10 Pages: @YVONNEGRACE1Screenwriting: How to Write a Treatment and Structure Series Narrative: @YVONNEGRACE1Page One: ‘Unforgiven’ (1992). Written by David Webb Peoples: @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Believe, Care, Invest: Thor: @CockeyedCaravanPromo / Blogging5 WordPress Site Settings Necessary for Successful Blogging: @NinaAmirHow to Encourage More Comments on Your Blog Posts @NinaAmirPromo / Connecting with ReadersResponding to Readers: Tips: Promo / MiscellaneousFonts – What Marketers Need to Know: @BakerviewConsulHow to Promote a Book in 2021: @BookgalPromo / Social Media TipsHow to Grow a Facebook Group Quickly and Effortlessly: @DanaMalstaff @SMExaminerPromo / Video21 YouTube SEO Tools to Boost Your Video Rankings: @ab80How to Write Engaging YouTube Video Scripts: – @SirAmirrPromo / WebsitesWhat Winnie the Pooh Teaches You About Your Website: @PaulineWilesPublishing / MiscellaneousNYU Center for Publishing Announces Diversity Scholarships: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesReleasing a Book Into the Pandemic: ‘A Time of Anti-Science’: @Porter_Anderson @PeterHotezUK Author Unions Launch Investigation Into ‘Partner Publishing’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFamous first words: how celebrities made their way on to children's bookshelves: @siancain @GuardianBooksBookstores in Québec: ‘We Learned to Reinvent Ourselves’ in the Pandemic: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingSpain’s Publishers: COVID-19 Boosted Readership to a Record High in 2020: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesIndustry Notes: Spain’s New Platform, Frankfurt’s Translation Program: @Porter_Anderson @Book_Fair @fbm21 @ANTAJM1971 @pubperspectivesGermany’s ContentShift Accelerator Opens Its 2021 Program: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @ShiftingContentSpain’s ‘Rolling Pages’ Names Its 10 Books-to-Screen Contenders: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe UK/Ireland World Book Day Emphasizes Family Reading: @Porter_Anderson @WorldBookDayUK @pubperspectivesRussian Market Looks to Children’s Books for 2021 Growth: by Eugene Gerden @pubperspectivesEngland’s LoveReading Opens a New ‘LitFest’ for Consumer Subscription: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesRights Roundup: Early Spring Titles From Seven Markets: @Porter_Anderson @AHLaestadius @lawrenceschimel @psicologomilano @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / PitchesOne Writer's Pitch Wars Experience: @daniellewrites7Picture Book Pitch Ideas Revised by an Editor: @MiraReisbergPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / RejectionsRejection Letters – The Brighter Side: by Roy StevensonPublishing / Process / ContractsDo You Need a Freelance Contract? @kat_boogaardWriting Craft / BeginningsHow To Make The First Time We Meet A Character Epic: @MiaJouBotha @Writers_WriteWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentMake Things Hard for Your Character: @kathycowleyCharacter Goals and Stakes: @LindasclareWriting Craft / Characters / Supporting CharactersWriting Meaningful Secondary Characters: @chrismlaporteWriting Craft / DiversityDiversity Plus: Diverse Story Forms and Themes, Not Just Diverse Faces: @HenryLienAuthor @sfwaWriting Craft / Drafts7 Steps To Plan & Organize Your First Draft: @WritersEditWriting Craft / MiscellaneousShould My Novel Have An Epilogue? @WritersEditTips on Writing an Action Scene: Star Trek The Wrath of Khan VS Star Trek Into Darkness: @chrismlaporteHow to Write a Dramatic Climax: by Abbie Emmons8 Strategies That Will Help You Improve Your Writing Skills: @NicoleJBianchiKnow the (Writing) Rules to Break the Rules Well: @PeggySueWells“But” Gets a Bad Name – But Writers Love Words to Show Contrast: @kwidenhouseIntroducing Unique Story Elements without Confusing Readers: @beccapuglisiThe Magic of Motivation in Your Novel: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelsonWriting Craft / PacingCraft Chat: Pacing: @MastersReviewWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / NamingTips for Naming Characters: @daniellewrites7Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / PlottingThe Main Plot Problem: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / RevisionSelf-Editing Secret: Listen Carefully: @pcalhenry @CareerAuthorsPlaying Tricks With Editing: @authorterryoWriting Craft / ScenesTypes of Scene Objects: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionThe Paradox of Experiencing a Place (Antarctica!) So You Can Write About It: @eatthedogs @lithubWriting Craft / SubtextSubtext Can Arise From Avoiding Open Conflict: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / TensionUsing Casablanca to think about tension: @Janet_ReidWriting Tools / AppsHandy Apps for Authors: @PaulaKrapf @Nessgraphica“Why I love Scrivener”: @AuthorMarileneWriting Tools / Books3 Creative Self-Help Books: @PennyDolan1

 

 

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Responding to Readers

by Elizabeth Spann Craig, @elizabethscraig  

I think writers have a lot of understandable angst when it comes to responding to readers. We care a lot about what they have to say and we don't want to make a misstep.

And responding to readers is definitely tricky. Here are some different areas where you might run into reader comments and my thoughts on handling it.

Areas Where Readers Often Reach Out

Social Media: I get pinged on Facebook fairly regularly, less so on other sites. I try to respond as quickly as I can and apologize when a comment falls through the cracks. It's important not to write things that could be misconstrued on social media, so I'll re-read a post a few times before I send it.

Book Reviews/Book Bloggers:  When book bloggers reach out to me to share a review, I always thank them and will usually share it with a comment on my social media. If they haven't reached out to me to share it, I don't comment on the review, but I may link to it on my book page, etc.

Emails: This is definitely my favorite way for readers to reach out. I can give more thoughtful answers and they're not shared on a public platform. I generally respond fastest here, too.

Reader Comments on Platforms like Wattpad:  If a comment is directed to me, I always respond to it. Sometimes, though, the comments are directed to other readers or even just function sort of as marginalia on the site…for the reader's own records. If I think a comment from me might function as author intrusion, I leave it alone.

Short Reviews on Platforms like BookBub:  BookBub pings me on these, and I'll “like” them as they come in, although I don't comment.

Reviews on Goodreads:  I'm generally wary on this site since in the past it hasn't proven especially author-friendly. I do appreciate the reviews I get there, but I don't read them and definitely don't comment on them.

Customer Reviews on Amazon:  Same rule applies here as on Goodreads. I do read my reviews on Amazon, since they can help inform direction for my books, but I never respond to reviews there.  I do take my best reviews and copy-paste them into a folder on Evernote to brighten up tough writing days.

 

Writer Jody Hedlund made a good point about responding to readers:

“The more visible and relatable an author remains the better. Think about what happens when we’re closed off, silent, and unavailable on our social media sites. People might begin to think we’re stuck up, that we think we’re too good to talk to anyone but our closest circles of friends. Such an aura (even if it’s not true) could send out negative vibes and alienate our readers. Why take the risk? Why not remain humble, available, and responsive?

Yes, it takes some time. But, if we’re not prioritizing our interactions with readers on social media, then what’s the point of it all? Isn’t that why we’re on social media in the first place?”

I totally agree…as long as we're careful and professional while we're responding.

For me, this has been the safest approach to handling reviews and reader comments. But I'm curious to hear from you. How do you handle reviews and comments on retailers, book blogs, and social media?

Tips for responding to readers:
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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 58,000 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 / Miscellaneous9 “Other” Jobs of a Full-Time Freelance Writer: by Tom MeitnerSuccessful Freelancing in 2021: @teachandprofitu @ProWritingAidGet Busy on Your Waiting (Writing) List: @khogrefeparnell @EdieMelsonGrowth Mindset for Indie Authors in 2021: @sacha_blackTravel Writers Mistakes: 5 Errors that Will Keep You from Success: by Roy StevensonConferences and Events / MiscellaneousUS Black History Month: Macmillan Learning Awards ‘Black Stories’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesFilm and Television Rights: Frankfurt’s ‘Books at Berlinale’ March 4 and 5: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesWaiting for the Plane Tickets: Rights Pros on Digital Events: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesBritish Book Awards: Bookstore, Small Press Shortlists: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesThe UK’s IPG Opens Registration for its International Publishing Forum: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCundill History Prize Names Michael Ignatieff To Lead Jury: @Porter_Anderson @M_Ignatieff @CundillPrize13 Tips to Get the Most Out of Your Book Fair: @inkbitspixels @FloridaWriters1Audio Publishers Association Names the 2021 Audie Awards Finalists: @Porter_Anderson @audiobooks @pubperspectivesPublishing’s Specialized Digital Events: Piling Up Higher and ‘Heyer’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Goal settingKeep Your New Year's Writing Resolutions: @thejkstudioCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationWriter Rhiannon Gelston on How a Creative Life Informs Her Writing: 5 Creative Ways to Help You Get Writing: @LiveWriteThriveCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersThe Pleasures and Punishments of Reading Franz Kafka: by Joshua Cohen @parisreviewNine Great Science Fiction Thrillers: @_NickPetrie_ @CrimeReadsTop 10 most dislikable characters in fiction: @louise_candlish @GuardianBooks7 Literary Translators You Should Know: by J.R. Ramakrishnan @ElectricLit27 Debuts to Look Forward To in the First Half of 2021: @vitcavage @ElectricLitChekhov’s Three Sisters: Comedy, Tragedy, or Foreshadowing of the Bolshevik Revolution? @thejackewilson @lithubA Lifetime of Lessons in “Mrs. Dalloway”: by Jenny Offill @NewYorkerCanadians in SF as Written by Non-Canadians: @jamesdnicoll @tordotcomYoung Adult Mystery and Suspense to Read: @harddays_night @BooksThatThrillCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockThoughts on Procrastination, the Writer’s Block, and the Writing Process: @Peter_Rey_Creativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeThe Great Writer Who Never Wrote: @emmagarman @parisreviewNine Truths for Roleplayers Who Start Writing: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsHow to be a writer with young kids in the house: @pubcoachGetting to the truth about strong women and troubled teenhood – novelist, playwright, essayist, writing coach Martha Engber: @Roz_Morris @MarthaEngberDon't start a new book. Finish the old one: @AlexSokoloffHow Attached Are You To Your Characters? @CreativeScreenManifestation Journal Ideas: @BrynDonovanAn At-Home Writing Retreat: @aprildavilaGenres / FantasyWhere Fantasy Meets Reality: The Magic of Libraries: by Rachel Ayers @tordotcomGenres / HorrorScary Emotions: The 10 Most Potent Horror Movies About Grief, Mourning, and Loss: by Marcus Shorter @BDisgustingA Dark and Wicked Year: How Horror Saved 2020: @chadiscollins @DreadCentralGenres / MysteryClassic Mystery Novels That Wouldn't be Filed Under “Mystery Fiction”: @WritesHeather @BooksThatThrillCrime Writing: The Effects of Death on a Body: @LeeLofland‘Funny, How?’ Why Comedy is Crucial in Crime Writing: @Peculiar @CrimeReadsCrime Writing: Criminology v. Criminalistics: @JChaseNovelistCozy Mysteries Aren't Going Anywhere. In Fact, They're as Popular as Ever. @oliviablacke @CrimeReadsRio de Janeiro: Brazil’s Great City of Crime Literature: @chinarhyming @CrimeReadsGenres / Non-FictionHow to Render Epiphanies in Nonfiction Without Getting Didactic: @RandonNoble @lithubGenres / PoetryHow to Write an Erasure Poem: @lidywilksGenres / RomanceTwelve Signs a Storyteller Is Building Romantic & Sexual Chemistry: by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsGenres / ScreenwritingA Selection Of Creative Screenwriting Magazine Interviews With TV Screenwriters: @CreativeScreenScreenwriting: Mean Girls: @CockeyedCaravanGreat Scene: “The Shawshank Redemption” : @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Do I need to move to L.A.? @GoIntoTheStoryHow to Structure Story for a TV Drama Series: @YVONNEGRACE1Screenwriting: Believe, Care, Invest: Spider-Man @CockeyedCaravanPromo / AdsMarketing Self-Published Books on Amazon with Amazon Ads: @BookgalPromo / BloggingWhy You Should Start a Blog: @BeingTheWriter @womenonwritingPromo / Crowdfunding5 Reasons Self-Publishers Should Crowdfund Their Books: @shaylaleeraquelPromo / MiscellaneousHow to Boost Your Backlist Sales: @dkparsonswriter @SelfPubFormBest Book Promo Sites [2021 Edition]: @DavidGaughranPromo / Social Media TipsWriters Don't Need Social Media: @helpfulsnowman @LitReactorPublishing / MiscellaneousSpringer Nature: A White Paper on Researchers and Gold Open Access: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives5 Great Podcasts for Writers: @youfirstwriterRooting out racism in children's books: by Lindsay Pérez Huber @ConversationUSEverything published in “the greatest year for books ever” is now in the public domain: @knownemily @lithubPublishing / News / DataAAP StatShot: US Trade Book Sales Up 9.7 Percent for 2020: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingChina Bestsellers in January: ‘Autobiographical Fiction’ Sparks Debate: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesGeorgian Publishers and PEN Center Protest Nika Melia’s Arrest: @Porter_Anderson @GPBAOFFICIAL @IntPublishersDenmark’s Lindhardt & Ringhof Reports ‘Vast Growth in Revenue’ in 2020: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesGerman Ministry Funds Knowledge Unlatched Open Access Project with Von Humboldt Institute: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesDenmark’s Saga Egmont Acquires Mexico’s Cuántica Activa Audiolibros: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying18 Experts Share Their Submissions Pet Peeves: @Bang2writePublishing / Process / FormattingHow to Format a Book in Word: @NataliaALeighShould A Novel Be Double-Spaced? @WritersEditPublishing / Process / TranslationSheikh Zayed Book Award Announces Its First Translation Grant of 2021: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesWriting Craft / BeginningsFive Musts for Writing a Compelling Story Beginning: @KimberlyNLozano @DIYMFAHow To Write An Epic First Line: @MiaJouBotha @Writers_WriteWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentWriters on Characters. Quotes from professional writers: @GoIntoTheStoryMake Your Character Want Something: @kathycowleyCreate an External Journey for Your Character – Katherine Cowley @kathycowleyWriting Craft / Characters / ProtagonistsSeven Common Reasons Protagonists Are Unlikable: by by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsDo I Have to Kill One of My Protagonists? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsGetting Passive Protagonists to Act: @SeptCFawkesWriting Craft / Common Mistakes5 Popular Mistakes with Comic Relief Characters and How To Fix Them: by Chelsea Hindle @KingdomPenMagWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmAnalyzing “Gone Girl” – Middle Build Two: @TheWritership @StoryGridThe Best Crime Shows of the Decade: @DwyerMurphy @CrimeReadsBuilding Arrakis: How Herbert Sabotaged His Own Ideas: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsThe Annotation Project: The Hobbit: @CockeyedCaravanThe Many Worlds of Dungeons & Dragons (Fifth Edition, that is) : by Andrew Zimmerman Jones“My Little Pony Taught Me To Write Fluffy, Glittery Violence”: @seananmcguire @tordotcomWriting Craft / Miscellaneous7 Tips to Writing Characters with Anxiety: @cyallowitzWriting Craft / POVAn Easy Fix for a Tighter Point of View: @Janice_HardyWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept7 Straightforward Tips For Turning An Idea Into A Story: @ClaireABradshaw @WritersEditWriting Craft / RevisionSelf-Editing Explained: How To Edit A Book Yourself: @DavidGaughranWriting Craft / ScenesSet the Shot of the Scene: @KiingoCreativeWriting Craft / VoiceWorking on Your Author's Voice: @Shutta @FloridaWriters1Writing Craft / Word CraftingWhat Is a “Whatsit”? On Kadigans, or Placeholder Names: @UselessEtyWriting Tools / Services for WritersBest Courses in the Industry: @DaveChesson

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How My Creative Pursuits Inform My Writing

by Rhiannon Gelston

I consider myself a rather creative person. Not just in what I do, but in how I view things.

My mom is extremely creative and I do think that it is something that might just be inherent in me from her, but I won’t get into a big nature vs. nurture discussion. I do know I came from someone creative and so it was appreciated while I was growing up. I was exposed to creativity and given some freedom to develop that side of me. We were always making something. I wanted to be an artist and could lose myself (still can) in drawing, painting, coloring, and creating. All of the kids in my family, when creating, knew how to pay attention to the details that mattered and to let the other ones go.

In creating, there is a point where you just have to let go and do it.  I also tend to be very in-tune with what is around me. I notice things. I try and make time to notice things. I think that is at the heart of all creativity – noticing things.  Writing is just one expression of that, one way to capture those moments.

When I write, I throw myself into the moment I am trying to describe and let my imagination and senses take over. I see the colors, I hear the sounds, I feel all the feelings. I love art and the visually stimulating scenes that I see around me on a daily basis, whether on a canvas, or in mother nature. I love music and can lose myself in the sounds of a favorite song, or just as easily in the sound of one of my kid’s big belly laughs, which is also music to my ears. My senses are ready to soak it all in.

These observations of the senses are at the core of my writing. I think everything we do is a creative pursuit in some way. Whatever it may be, how we approach it, how we do it, how we interpret it, and how we remember it, it is all unique to the individual. All of these moments I have lived and noticed, both the big and the small, are the creative pursuits that inform my writing.

***

I’m delighted to be participating
in author Rhiannon Gelston’s blog tour for her latest release, LARK AND
THE LOON.

◊ Genre: Memoir with a Twist
◊ Publisher: WiDo Publishing (July 17, 2020)
◊ Print & eBooks
◊ Paperback: 284 pages
◊ ISBN-10: 1947966251
◊ ISBN-13: 978-1947966253

Lark and the Loon follows
the adventures of a tentative boy named
Lark, as he is catapulted out of all that he
knows, into a courageous journey beyond his wildest
imagination.

Upon receiving a special gift
from his Gramps, Lark embarks on a reflective journey of self-discovery as the
innovative story weaves the true-life memoir of his mother (the author) in with
a fantastical journey. With some special new-found friends, Lark travels back
and forth from a symbolic tree to his mother’s true memories of life and death
moments, and simple moments, found everywhere from wild Africa to their very
own living room. Lark and his friends must ascend this tree and gain the
important life lessons offered along the way if they ever hope to find their
way out. Within this journey, Lark finds these lessons, and ultimately himself,
in the space between imagination and truth in this wild tale.

The story explores friendships,
philosophies, and everyday challenges and joys, both from a child's perspective
and from a parent's perspective. This memoir with a twist results in a coming-of-age
story that ultimately leads to a new understanding of self, others, and the
world that surrounds us.

LARK AND THE LOON is
available at AMAZON * Barnes & Noble * WiDo Publishing. Also, be sure to add it to your TBR List
on Goodreads.

Meet the
Author

RHIANNON GELSTON loves to
lose herself in all things creative. She enjoys writing, painting, live music,
traveling, sports, being outdoors, exploring, playing, spirituality, and energy
work. She has a BA in English and an MS in Occupational Therapy with a
pediatric focus. Rhiannon just had her first novel published. It is a memoir
with a twist called, LARK AND THE LOON, available wherever books
are sold.

Rhiannon grew up on Spa Creek in
downtown Annapolis. Home for Rhiannon will always be the sound of the halyards
hitting the masts on a breezy day, a pile of crabs saturated in Old Bay,
raft-ups with friends as kids cannonball off of the stern, and time with family
and friends, in, on, and around the Chesapeake Bay.

She lives in Annapolis with her
husband, their five lovely and lively children, and their black lab, McNasby.

Connect with Rhiannon on Facebook and Instagram.

Writer Rhiannon Gelston on How a Creative Life Informs Her Writing:
Click To Tweet

Be sure to enter the tour wide
giveaway. It ends May 3. The grand prize is a $25 Amazon Gift Card and an eBook
of LARK AND THE LOON. The second-place winner has to be a US
resident as the gift is a signed copy of LARK THE LOON. The third-place
prize is an eBook that two winners will receive. If the Rafflecopter widget
doesn’t work, you can still enter by clicking HERE.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks for stopping by today.
Doesn’t this sound like an intriguing memoir?

Photo on Visualhunt

The post How My Creative Pursuits Inform My Writing 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 58,000 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 / MiscellaneousNot making enough money, freelance writers? @pubcoach7 Freelance Writer Website Examples to Help Create Yours and Get Clients: @dorakardoslatif @copyfolio_How To Write A Fiction Book Proposal: @alexadonneConferences and Events / MiscellaneousHow to Maximize Book Readings and Signings: @CathyFyock @EdieMelsonUK: Rathbones Folio Prize Names Its 2021 Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @RathbonesFolio @CalebFemi_ @elainefeeney16 @moniqueroffey @rachelnalong @carmenmmachado @aminamemory @DoireannNiGWales’ 2021 Hay Festival Returns in an All-Digital Format: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing Scotland Announces £23,000 in New Translation Grants: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @PublishScotlandVenice’s Mauri School 2021: ‘The State of the Book’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersWinter Sports as an Element in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergA Crime Reader's Antidote to Valentine's Day: @mollsotov89 @CrimeReadsCrime Fiction: Reader Pet Peeves: @MargotKinbergFiction to look out for in 2021: @ahmpreston @GuardianBooksThe Skill List Project: Reading Voraciously: @jamesagardNonfiction to look out for in 2021: @MsRachelCooke @GuardianBooksEnigmatic Characters in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergAccidental Snooping in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergSeven Cozy Poems of Winter: by Angela Yeh @DIYMFAThe Best Loved Detective Agencies in Fiction: @Tess_Amy_ @CrimeReadsIntense Crime Thrillers for Fast Reads: by Sarah Ciacia @BooksThatThrillOn the Darker Standalone Novels from the Baby-Sitters Club Author: @NewberyTarts @lithubWhy Classic Crime Fiction Was Obsessed With Fashion: @Tara_Moss @CrimeReadsCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing“Nine Guiding Principles To Order My Steps As A Writer in 2021”: by Jeanine DeHoney @womenonwritingCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockResistance to Writing and Dreams: @SPressfieldCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing QuicklyHow to Be a Writing Machine: @MichaelLaRonnCreativity and Inspiration / Writing LifeA Mindset Shift for Writers: @ChadRAllenHow To GTD A Moleskine Notebook: Step-By Step: @BryanJCollinsStory as Shopping: @annehawkinson @FloridaWriters15 Ways Journaling Improves Your Daily Life: by Jo Wnorowski @DIYMFADumb Little Writing Tricks That Work: The Six Word Test: @GoIntoTheStoryWhy You Shouldn’t Live with a Fictional Romantic Hero … During a Pandemic: @TaraSparling @annerallenAll is Fair in Love and Noir: 10 Destructive Romances for Valentine’s Day: by Zach Vasquez @CrimeReads‘I can cry just thinking about it': the most romantic moments in literature: @GuardianBooksThe “Book Two” Syndrome: by Niki Kantzios @FloridaWriters1How Building Your Self-Awareness Makes You a Better Writer: @writingcookbook“The Story We Know”. Reflections on a poem: @GoIntoTheStoryA Semi-Colon Moment: @ThereseWalsh @WriterUnboxedNutty Reader Emails: Writers Review Readers: @RuthHarrisBooks @annerallenKwame Alexander on Learning, from a Young Age, to ‘Use His Words’: @kwamealexander @FirstDraftADOW @lithubHow Your Writer's Intuition Knows Which Advice Works-: @LauraHighcove @DIYMFABest Music for Writing: @mindofkyleam @ProWritingAidWriting: Finding Community and Support: @debluskin7 Ways to Stay Sane When Working by Yourself: by Tom Meitner @ProWritingAidWhat Do I Do When My Story Isn't Going Anywhere? @10minnovelistGenres / Literary FictionHow to Promote Literary Fiction: @JaneFriedman @AuthorMediaGenres / MysteryWhat goes into a good cozy mystery novel: @ReadAlessandra @AuthorsAiCrime Writing: The FBI Does This, But Not That: @LeeLoflandCrime Fiction: Characters Who Keep Being Pulled Back Into a Criminal Life: @MargotKinbergGenres / ScreenwritingThe Theology of Cinema: Grace: @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Page One: ‘The Hateful Eight’ (2015) : @GoIntoTheStoryInterview With the Vampire Shows the Strengths and Weaknesses of Adaptation: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsScreenwriting: Page One: ‘The Princess Bride’ (1987): @GoIntoTheStoryInterview (Written): The Filmmakers of “Soul”: @GoIntoTheStoryPixar’s Soul Aims to Spark an Appreciation for Life: by Andrew Tejada @tordotcomWonder Woman 1984 Is Bursting With Unfinished Thoughts: @use_theforce_em @tordotcomGenres / Short StoriesA Short Story Writing Checklist: @cleemckenzie @TheIWSGPromo / ImagesBook Mockup Generators: 5 Free Tools for Promo Images: @Self_Pub_SchoolPromo / MiscellaneousBook promotion tips: Promo Stacking: @DavidGaughranCreate a Better Amazon Book Promotion with a Pre-Order: @Bookgal20 Ways to Get Yourself Out There as a Writer: by Kelly D. Smith @TheRyanLanzPromo / NewslettersAuthor Newsletter: How to build an email list: @SmartAuthorsPromo / PlatformsYour platform is an experience to create: @DanBlankPromo / Pricing9 Ways To Unleash The Power of Free In 2021: @DavidWalker1201Promo / Social Media TipsBest Facebook Author Pages: 16 Examples That Inspire: @miblart7 Things To Do When Social Media Frustrates You: @EdieMelson @SouthrnWritrMagPromo / SpeakingPolish that PowerPoint Presentation to Perfection: by Rod Martinez @FloridaWriters1Promo / WebsitesA Checklist to Update Your Blog and Website: @EdieMelsonPublishing / MiscellaneousHow to Get the Best Out of Your Publishing Team: @dkparsonswriter @SelfPubFormUSA: Princeton University Press Opens Diversity-Driven Development Grants: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @PrincetonUPressComing in March: A New Platform for the Pubeasy Ordering System: @Porter_Anderson @rschild @nielsen @pubperspectivesAn Editor: “Asking the Question I Can’t Answer “: @noshingshiksa @brevitymagPublishing / News / International PublishingRights Outlook: Books From Québec Flourishing in German: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectivesPublishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying“How I Landed a Book Deal Via Twitter—Unintentionally”: @nerdseyeview @JaneFriedmanPublishing / Process / Services to AvoidPique Literary: Unmasking a Fake Literary Agency: @victoriastraussWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentLimits of the Warrior Archetype: @SPressfieldWriting Craft / ConflictAre Conflicts Based on Misunderstandings Always Contrived? by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmHow Chekhov Cuts to the Heart in Uncle Vanya: by Jacke Wilson @lithubWriting Craft / MiscellaneousQuick Writing Tip: Accents: by Bucket SilerFive Ways to Build Your Storytelling Muscles: by Chris Winkle @mythcreantsUtilize the Power of Breath Units to Write Masterfully: @LiveWriteThriveWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarGrammar Vs Syntax: What Every Writer Should Know: @BryanJCollinsThe Em Dash and I—A Love Story: @jamesscottbellWriting Craft / RevisionA Story Revision Checklist: @LinWilsonauthorWriting Craft / ScenesScene Dynamics: @ZaraAltairA 5-Minute Fix to Jump-start Your Scene: @Janice_HardyWriting Craft / SeriesOn Writing a Book Series: @PaulaSMunier @CareerAuthorsWriting Craft / Settings and DescriptionHow to Fictionalize Your Town in Your Novel: @ZaraAltairWriting Craft / TransitionsNothing Like a Smooth Transition: @61647Edge @FloridaWriters1Writing Tools / MiscellaneousHow to Write More in Less Time with Voice Recognition: by Jenna HarteThe Ultimate Guide to Tools and Tech for Indie Authors: @OrnaRoss @IndieAuthorALLI

 

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How Building Your Self-Awareness Makes You a Better Writer

by Kristina Adams , @writingcookbook

Self-awareness helps us to recognise our positives and negatives without being harsh or judgmental. We know things are what they are, and we know that if we dislike something, it’s completely within our power to change it.

It can help us deal with stress, anxiety, depression, and even physical health conditions like fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome. (I know this as a sufferer of all of the above for many years).

Some people are naturally more self-aware than others, but, like everything in life, it’s a skill that can be learned.

Sometimes self-awareness comes from trauma, counselling, or a treatment programme for a health condition. Occasionally it comes from a desperate need to improve ourselves.

But one important thing to remember is that you can’t think your way into becoming more self-aware. Reading tips on how to do it is a good starting point, but it’s the actions you take that will build your self-awareness.

Now, how does this all tie into writing?

Well, let’s take a look at how self-awareness makes you a better writer:

You’re more objective

One of the best things about self-awareness is an ability to pull yourself out of your own mind and see things more objectively.

Objectivity is a really helpful tool to use when facing our emotions, but it’s also helpful for facing our writing.

Editing can be an expensive and time-consuming process. When you’re more self-aware, you’re more open to the fact that your first draft (or even your finished book) won’t be perfect—there will always be things you can do to improve.

Not in a “your writing sucks” kind of way, but in a, “writing is a journey, and each book is a stop along that journey” kind of way.

When you view your own work objectively, you’re more likely to read it critically, like a reader, reviewer, or editor would. That makes it easier for you to spot plot holes, unintentionally flat characters, and overly used phrases. All these things make for a better finished story by the time you’re done.

You learn to spot areas for improvement

Everyone has areas they can improve on. If none of us did, our lives would be super boring.

There’s always a new skill we can learn, a new approach to an old technique, or a new way of looking at a problem. This endless sea of writing techniques is one of the great things about writing—it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been publishing for, there’s always something to learn.

Self-awareness means you don’t mind that you have areas to improve on. Your relish in those areas because they’re a new challenge.

Facing—and overcoming—new challenges builds our confidence, our resilience, and yes, our writing skills.

You’re comfortable in who you are

Nobody is perfect, but self-awareness means we’re not hard on ourselves for just being, you know, ourselves.

It’s really easy to get into a vicious cycle of self-hatred and self-loathing, especially when so many of us can’t go outside right now, but the more you ruminate on these feelings, the worse you’ll feel and the less you’ll get done.

And the further away you’ll push your writing, because you don’t feel worthy of doing it.

Self-awareness means you can identify these feelings, learn the ways to healthily pull yourself out of them, and face them faster.

It’s not about fixing your life’s problems—it’s about acknowledging that they’re holding you back, but you’ve totally got this. When you acknowledge problems—even ones outside of your control—it’s much easier to let them go.

You understand emotions

Well-articulated emotions are key to readers developing a close relationship with your characters. But to be able to write emotions in depth, you need to understand them.

If you’re constantly pushing your emotions away, bottling them up, or refusing to acknowledge that you even have them…how can you write about them?

Readers can’t get emotionally attached to characters they don’t know that well. The deeper you explore your characters’ emotions, the more your readers get to know them. They’ll then be more invested in your story and want to buy more of your books.

Some of my favourite authors do this suuuuuper well, to the point where I’ve almost been crying when the characters cry in the book. These deeper emotions make your reader feel like they’re living those emotions alongside your character—they’re in your character’s red stilettos or scruffy Converse—and they just need a good cry. Or kiss. Or mystery solved. You get the idea.

You know your triggers

We all have triggers. Sometimes they’re triggers that stop us from doing the very thing we want or need to do; sometimes they cause a panic attack; sometimes they make our chronic pain flare up; sometimes they give us writer’s block.

You can’t overcome your triggers if you don’t know what they are. Noticing them, and acknowledging them, helps you to face them. You can train your brain to not associate exercise with pain, or a blank Word document with writer’s block.

We become who—and what—we think we are, and so the more we ruminate on things that we think trigger us, the more likely they are to trigger us.

When you offer yourself some comfort, whether that’s some time with a good book, your favourite TV show, or a walk with the dog, it calms your brain and stops it from associating an event with a specific feeling.

One way to comfort yourself, if you find yourself struggling, is to talk to yourself. Remind yourself that you’re OK, you’re safe, and you’ve totally got this.

It sounds bonkers, but I’ve used this technique many times and found it one of the best ways to deal with my anxiety, anxiety-triggered fatigue, and chronic pain.

You’re kind to yourself

Most of us are too hard on ourselves.

Self-awareness teaches you when you need to be kind to yourself, and when you can push yourself further.

Take my new exercise regime as an example. I’m incredibly unfit thanks to asthma and chronic pain. I tried to do ten minutes a day for three days in a row, and by the end of day three, I couldn’t walk. I hadn’t listened to my body’s protests as I walked down the stairs, when it was telling me I needed to lay off the exercise so that it could recover.

I ended up walking down the stairs swearing for almost a week.

Take two: I’m going to alternate exercise days, to give my body time to recover. And also alternate types of exercise—walking the dog is a lot less strenuous than weights or core.

The pain in my legs was my body’s way of telling me I needed to slow down, but I hadn’t listened to it.

Sometimes, when you’re stuck, it can be your brain’s way of telling you to rest. One of the ways I identify this, is when it feels like something is buzzing in my brain. Like there’s a bee there, and it won’t go away.

Other times, my eyes tell me by making the words on the screen blurry.

Or sometimes it’s my hands, when typing becomes painful during a long writing session.

Our body warns us to slow down in a variety of subtle ways; we just don’t always listen to it.

But take it from someone who’s burned herself out more times than she can count: you’ll achieve more by slowing down now, than by forcing yourself to keep going and hitting breaking point.

You know when to challenge yourself

While being kind to yourself is important, you won’t grow if you don’t challenge yourself. Self-awareness teaches us what those slow down warnings look like, so that we know when it’s actually a situation we can push ourselves through.

Many, many things in life are mind over matter. Ask any personal trainer and they’ll tell you that most people can exercise more than they think, but they’re scared to push themselves beyond their comfort zone and feel the burn the next day. Writing is similar.

Sometimes we’re afraid of writing about something that’s a new experience to us, or we’re afraid of going to that deep, dark place in our character’s minds. Since we have to go to that place in our own minds in order to write, and edit, it.

But when we tap into those places we’re afraid to go to, the outcome is amazing.

One of my friends is about to publish her first book. When she was editing it, she knew that it was missing how cold the main character needed to be for the story to work.

So I set her a challenge. I asked her to go to the darkest places in her mind and write about how angry past people and events made her. She was afraid of the exercise, but she did it.

And when she came out the other side, she felt like a different person. She was no longer afraid to tap into those dark places, because she’d done before and survived it. There were no repercussions to her exploring her full depth of emotions. She needed to know and accept that before exploring it in her fiction.

There’s no shame in feeling what you need to feel, nor is there shame in not being ready to face something that’s happened to you. But the longer you put off facing the inevitable, the harder it becomes to challenge yourself, and the further away you are from your writing goals.

 

 

Kristina Adams is the author of twelve books and too many blog posts to count. She helps writers overcome their creative obstacles on her blog, podcast, and courses, over at The Writer’s Cookbook. When she’s not writing, she’s inflicting cooking experiments on her boyfriend or playing with her dog, Millie.

 

 

 

 

 

 

7 Ways Building Self-Awareness Makes You a Better Writer (by @WritingCookbook ):
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The post How Building Your Self-Awareness Makes You a Better Writer 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 58,000 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 Valentine's Day!

Business / MiscellaneousStart the New Year Writing Articles: @LindaGilden @A3writersFour Ways to Build a Business Case for Your Content Writing: @brotzel_fiction @hopeclarkTips for Avoiding Zoom Fatigue: @hopeclarkSelf-publishing News: Findaway Voices Reaches out to Disgruntled ACX Authors: @agnieszkasshoes @IndieAuthorALLIAudiblegate: where we are and where we’re going: @SusanMayWriter @IndieAuthorALLIHow Audiobook Authors and Narrators are Paid by Audible-ACX @colleenxcross @IndieAuthorALLIConferences and Events / MiscellaneousSheikh Zayed Book Award and NYU Explore ‘The Nights': @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesGerman Book Prize Names Its 2021 Jury, Opens Submissions: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesEgypt's Naguib Mahfouz Medal Releases Its First Shortlist: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesNorthern Finnish Literature: An Online Event for Publishing Rights Players: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPEN America Literary Awards Announces Its 2021 Finalists: @Porter_Anderson @anthony_cody @mbsycamore @azemezi @incrediblekdub @PENamerica @pubperspectivesThe UK's Society of Authors Awards Names Its Translation Prize Winners: @Porter_Anderson @Soc_of_Authors @pubperspectivesCreativity and Inspiration / Goal settingWriting Goals: 2021: Trust the Process: @GoIntoTheStoryConnect Your Assets: @WriteNowCoachCreativity and Inspiration / InspirationDoes exercise improve creativity? @pubcoachStuck in Your Story? Try This Fun Exercise to Shake Up Your Muse: @Janice_HardyCreativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as WritersHow Should We Read? @wself @lithubDigressions and Side Trips in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergEight Amazing Novels About Female Superheroes: @SamMaggs @tordotcomBooks That Grab You: by Jo Walton @tordotcom6 Books Featuring Transformative Female Friendships: @BookTribFour-Legged Friends: 5 Healing Stories Featuring Animal Companions: @WF_Writers @BookTribCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in WritingProductivity Hacks of Bestselling Writers: @KMazeauthorCreativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer's BlockDumb Little Writing Tricks That Work: Plot Backward: @GoIntoTheStoryCreativity and Inspiration / Writing Life5 Ways to Talk About Writing with Non-Writers: @amymarieayres @DIYMFAWriting about Tough Subjects: Award-Winning Debut Memoirist Shares Her Process: @KatherineQuie @writeabookHow to Beat the “I-can’t-do-this” Mindset: @JodyHedlundFive ways to give your shiny new writing project a long life: @Undomestic_Mag @TheWriterMagStories, Short and Not: @Porter_Anderson @WriterUnboxedForward Planning in Marketing and Writing: @KarenHWhiting @EdieMelsonHow writers can cope with a long, dark winter spent indoors: @SKoutlaki @TheWriterMagA Writing Process Is Like Building a House: @jordynhtaylor @WomenWritersRumaan Alam on Writing a Book That Doesn’t Explain Itself: @Rumaan @lithubA Place to Write: @JoanHallWrites @StoryEmpireNatasha Trethewey on Public Grief in Poetry and Memoir: @NTrethewey @esglaude @lithubThe Worst Literary Adaptations of the Century (So Far): @bmanuel @ElectricLitGenres / FantasyWhat The Black Company Teaches Us About Dark Stories: by by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreantsHistory for Fantasy Writers: Miners: by E.L. Skip Knox @mythicscribesGenres / HorrorSupernatural or Super Unnatural – An Examination of Postcolonial Horror: @nameshiv @sfwaGenres / MiscellaneousHow Amish Fiction And Western Historical Are Similar: @GriggsWinnie @SKRViLLGenres / MysteryHow Explicit Should a Crime Novel Be? @MargotKinbergReading Difficult Scenes in Crime Fiction: @MargotKinbergGenres / Non-FictionResolved to Write a Nonfiction Book This Year? Let’s Do the Math: @annkroekerGenres / Picture BooksChildren's Books: Don't Commit a Rhyme Crime: by Michelle Medlock Adams @A3writersGenres / RomanceRomance Writers: Do the Twist: @TammyLoughAuthr @DIYMFAGenres / Screenwriting60 Second Screenwriter: Finding Your Voice: @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriter Mike Jones Has “Soul”: @CreativeScreenScreenwriting: Page One: ‘The Fugitive’ (1993): @GoIntoTheStoryScreenwriting: Believe Care Invest: Gone Girl: @CockeyedCaravanPromo / BloggingHow 1 Writer Repurposes Blog Content: @theMarisaMohiMaking Your Blog Posts More Shareable: Tips: Promo / Book Signings and Launch partiesHow A book Launch Became A Performance Piece: @joyceyarrow @WomenWritersPromo / MiscellaneousAmazon Recommendations and Also Boughts : @DavidGaughranPromo / NewslettersUsing Book Promotion Newsletters to Increase Sales: @Lit_Nuts @JaneFriedmanPromo / Social Media TipsBashing the Myths of Social Media in 2021: @JudithBriles @JFbookmanTips On How Authors Can Use LinkedIn To Their Advantage: @marikaflatt @PRbytheBookThe Complete Guide For Beginners To Stand Out On Twitter: @KairaRalph @A3writersPublishing / MiscellaneousThe Writing Contest Experience: @forestjournaler @TheIWSGNational Book Awards Foundation Names Ruth Dickey Executive Director: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesHow Literary Female Friendships Shaped the Fiction Market : @SarahJLonsdale @lithubThe UK’s Publishers Association Releases Its New Diversity Report: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / News / International PublishingGermany-Based Bookwire in 2020: Titles Up 11 Percent Over 2019: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesLebanon: Calls for Investigation Follow Publisher Lokman Slim's Murder: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @Book_Fair @IntPublishersSpain's ‘Rolling Pages' Announces Its 2021 Books-to-Screen Program: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesUK: National Centre for Writing Has New Japanese Translation Partnership: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesBrexit Ushers British Publishing Into New Territory: @rcharkin @pubperspectivesPublishing in Québec Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic: Rallying the Readers: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectivesEmirates Airline Festival of Literature Enters Its Final Weekend: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectivesPublishing / Process / LegalitiesKnow Your Rights: Key Provisions in a Publishing Contract: @PerryLiterary @annerallenWriting Craft / Characters / DevelopmentWhat Makes a Good Character? @writingcookbookWriting With Heart: Creating an Emotionally Engaging Character: by Ruth Ann Nordin @TheRyanLanzYour Reader’s Alter Ego: by Taya Okerlund @davidfarlandWriting Craft / Common MistakesIs Your Novel Ready to Publish? 12 Signs You're Still Learning to Write: @annerallenFive Tell-Tale Signs of an Amateur Self-Published Book: @annerallenTop 5 Mistakes Writers Make Writing Women: by Eve Lynch @ReedsyHQ5 Commonly Used Phrases That Weaken Your Writing: @danasitar @thewritelifeFive More Ways To Make Your Story “Good”: @10minnovelistWriting Craft / ConflictFight Writing: The English Longbow: from How to Fight WriteWriting Craft / DialogueUsing Idioms, Slang, Contractions, and Declinations: @GoIntoTheStoryWriting Craft / DiversityHow Do I Depict a Newly Blind Character? by by Fay Onyx @mythcreantsWriting Craft / Lessons from Books and FilmThe 15 Best Crime and Mystery Television Series of 2020: @oldrutigliano @CrimeReadsShe Will Soar: Why Women Write about Escape and Freedom: @AnaBooks @WomenWritersEight Favorite In-Universe Superfans: by Stubby the Rocket @tordotcomLessons from Books: Gone Girl – Middle Build 1: @TheWritership @StoryGridWriting Craft / MiscellaneousHow To Write With Authority: by Victor Vale @Writers_WriteEight Must Haves For A Great Story: @10minnovelistDirect Characterization Vs. Indirect Characterization: @themaltesetiger101 Softly-Delivered Writing Lessons: @booksofm @apexmagWriting Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining7 Tips to Outlining in Some Fashion: @cyallowitzHow To Write Without An Outline: @HankPRyan @CareerAuthorsWriting Craft / Punctuation and GrammarThe Skill List Project: Learning to Love Grammar: @jamesagardThe Skill List Project: Punctuation and its Discontents: @jamesagardWriting Craft / RevisionEditing short-form content: @LouiseHarnbyEditing A Book · The 5 Stages In A Proper Edit: @DavidGaughranWriting Craft / ScenesThe 2 Key Elements That Make a Great Scene: @LiveWriteThriveWriting Craft / SynopsesWriting the Perfect Synopsis for Your Book: @youfirstwriterWriting Craft / World-BuildingHow Real Do You Want Your World to Be? @davidfarlandUncategorizedTax Tips for Authors Webinar Feb. 24: @AuthorsGuildHow Authors Can Recruit Interns: @ThePRExpert

 

 

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Making Your Blog Posts More Shareable

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

As someone who shares a lot of posts, I'm also someone who reads a lot of posts.

Blogs that are writer-focused instead of reader-focused usually need a few components to help them succeed long-term. They need to be useful, friendly, and easy-t0-read/understand.

Some posts start out with a lot of promise, but then tend to ramble a little or lose focus. Sometimes I'll miss perfectly good posts that should be shared to a wider community because the post's title didn't really reflect the content of the article.

If you're a writer who's hoping to share posts with a broader audience in the writing world, here are a few quick tips:

Five Tips for Writing More-Shareable Posts

Keep posts on a single subject.  Sometimes writers share excellent information but cram a lot of material into a single post without really going deep on the subject. Instead, consider dividing the content into two or more posts.

Create a headline/post title that truly indicates what the post is about. I've read a lot of post titles that just didn't give any information about the content of the article or were confusing. Unfortunately, those are the ones that get skipped when I'm reading through my RSS feed reader. It's usually better, when reaching out to a wider audience, to keep headlines boring but specific to the topic.

Link to your social media platforms on your site so others know who to attribute the post to.  When I share content online, I always attribute the author of the post, unless that information isn't available. Believe it or not, some blogs still only list a blogger's first name (a lot of them are on Tumblr: a site that drives me a little crazy).  Your blog should have your first and last name on it. Bonus points if you also list your Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or other social media platforms!

Make main points in bold or use lists to help with post readability and skimming.  Most of us spend many hours of the day reading–either our own writing, books, or articles. It really can help when the points of a blog post are easily accessible and readable.

Consider social sharing buttons or plugins like Click to Tweet. I don't use these myself when I share content (I use Hootlet, an extension from Hootsuite), but lots of other people do. I use Click to Tweet here, which does seem to help a lot for sharing purposes.

Do you have any suggestions for making posts more shareable? What are some of your favorite blogs to read?

Five Tips for Writing More-Shareable Blog Posts:
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