Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 62

July 7, 2019

Writing During Vacations

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

During my blog break, I went on a family vacation to France. Both of my children have graduated in the last couple of months: one from college, one from high school. The trip was a celebration of their accomplishments. And, well, we all wanted to go to France. :)

I was actually looking forward to doing some writing during this particular vacation. My kids were able to go off by themselves some and I could sit at a cafe and do some work. In Paris, isn’t that some of the point, if you’re a writer?

I felt like I kept a good balance between family time and writing time.

Here are a few tips for writing during vacation:

First off, before you leave, plan how much you want to write. Do you have time to just take that vacation completely off? Or, do you have a deadline (either a personal deadline or an editor’s deadline) that means taking time completely off impossible? Is the vacation short enough that you won’t be rusty or have a hard time jumping back into your story when you get home?

Be flexible. I’ve long said that being flexible with my writing (writing times and locations) has really helped me be more productive. Can you write before everyone you’re traveling with gets up? Can you slip out of a hotel room and write in the lobby (I’ve done this plenty of times)? Can you write after everyone has already turned in? Can you write while waiting for the rest of your party to show up at a restaurant?

Expand your definition of ‘working on your book.’ Sometimes when I’m traveling, all sorts of story ideas are sparked. These may either be ideas for the current WiP, or ideas for future books. I make sure that I either have a small notebook with me, or that I can jot ideas onto an app like Google Keep. Emailing ideas to myself has worked well in the past, too. I think the main thing is just to be open to having ideas and at unusual times.

Be cognizant that you’re ‘refilling the well’ as well as spending time with people who are important to you. This is just a small reminder that the purpose of the vacation probably has little to do with your writing. Are you there to spend time with family? To celebrate a wedding? To relax? All of those things are important, too. Plus…speaking from experience, I’ve found that when I don’t take time to refill the creative well, I’ve been burned out. And coping with burnout (bad writing, slow writing) can take longer than either taking time off or dialing back writing goals.

Do you often write on vacation? What tips do you have?

Tips for Writing on Vacation:
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Published on July 07, 2019 21:01

July 6, 2019

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 50,000 free articles on writing related topics. It’s the search engine for writers.

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.

Hope you’ve had a good last couple of weeks! It’s nice to be back. :)

Business / Miscellaneous

Should you use volunteers to proofread your book? @LisaPoisso
12 Super Subject Lines – A Cheat Sheet For Business Writers: by Constant Contact @Writers_Write
Your Production Calendar: @itshelendarling @DIYMFA
Self-Publishing and Entrepreneurship: @JamiGold
Reader Targeting Influences Everything: @DavidGaughran
Your Book Marketing Plan Starts Before You Publish: @Bookgal

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

The Dos and Don’ts When Meeting Agents at Writing Conferences: @LisaHaganBooks @WritersDigest

Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting

“3 Ways I Plan To Achieve My Writing Goals”: @StephMorrill @GoTeenWriters
Transforming Wishes Into Goals: A Quick Guide: @MegDowell

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

We’ve Always Been Into Psychological Thrillers : @mserinkelly @CrimeReads
Why Was Shakespeare Wary of Writing About Religion? @provbate @lithub
12 of the Weirdest Star Wars Novels in the Galaxy: @helpfulsnowman @LitReactor

Creativity and Inspiration / Miscellaneous

“What I’m learning about the creative process”: @DanBlank

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing

3 Mindset Shifts To Help You Have A (Realistically) Productive Summer: @StephMorrill @GoTeenWriters
17 Tips to Increase Your Word Count: @CherylProWriter
5 Hacks to Help You Write More This Summer: @ReedsyHQ @DIYMFA

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block

Re-Thinking Writer’s Block: @watershipdowd @WritersDigest

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly

“Don’t Hate Me Because I Write Fast”: @Larry_Kahaner @TheRyanLanz

Creativity and Inspiration / Success

You Don’t Have to Be ‘Good’ At Writing (Right Away) to Be Successful: @MegDowell

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

One Writer Explains Why She Throws Out Much of Her Old Writing: @BeingTheWriter @womenonwriting
An Unpublished Writer is Still a Writer: @LisaLisax31
If Writers Write the Way Drivers Drive: @AlyciaMorales
21 Tips on How to Write Remotely: @WordDreams
Writers: Keep On Keeping On: @CharlylynnCox @TheIWSG
Planning Your Own Weekend Writers’ Retreat: @AnneGBrown @WriterUnboxed
Improve Your Writing When You Mine Your Life Experiences: @EdieMelson
How to Stop Holding Yourself Back as a Writer: @colleen_m_story @WomenWriters
11 Tips on Writing with a Newborn (Video): @VivienReis
7 ways to embrace the chaos of the creative process: @TheLeighShulman
The Art of the Playlist: @pauljessup @sfwa
Writers: Your Failures Do NOT Define Your Future: @MegDowell
How To Handle Being Hit With Deconstructive Criticism: @RealSKHamilton @WomenWriters
Yes, Virginia, You Are a Writer: Five Steps to Embracing Your Identity: @KerrySchafer
How to answer when someone asks how you’ll make money as a writer: @ashleigh_young @Slate
How to Write to Market and Still Write What You Love: @Jffelkins @write_practice
How Writing Is Like Running: @LisaJJackson @LiveWriteThrive

Genres / Fantasy

What Does a Fantasy Map Look Like? @mcwetboy @tordotcom
SFF Equines Looks at Purpose-Breeding: @dancinghorse @tordotcom
Five Ways Your Characters Can Acquire Magic: by Chris Winkle and Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Fantasy Tropes: @SMCarriere
15 Natural Healing Materials to Help Your Ailing Characters: @VictoriaGHowell

Genres / Horror

Why Award Winning Author Deborah Sheldon Writes Horror:
Screenwriting: The Baddest and Raddest Moms of Horror: @JE_TRUSSELL @OnePerfectShot

Genres / Literary Fiction

The rise of the literary miniseries: @NoelMu @TheWeek

Genres / Memoir

Mistakes Writers Make About Conflict In Memoirs: @Writers_Write

Genres / Middle-Grade

The Main Differences Between Writing Chapter Books and Middle Grade Novels: @kathytemean

Genres / Miscellaneous

Writing Cross-Genre Novels: Trends, Marketing & Insights: @rabbit_esther @Draft2Digital

Genres / Mystery

Cozy Mystery Podcasts & YouTube Videos: @Ellen__Jacobson
Two ways to write about physical violence in crime fiction and thrillers: @LouiseHarnby
Christian Suspense: On Finding the Balance between Faith and Felonies: @colleencoble @CarrieParks @cara_putman

Genres / Picture Books

Syntax in Poetry and Poetic Voice in Rhyming Picture Books: @Kid_Lit

Genres / Romance

Sex and Sexability: On Writing Desire in the Regency Years: by Robert Morrison @lithub
Writing Slow-Burn Romances: @itsa_me_sunnyd
Why Consider a Romance Series? by Tammy Lough @DIYMFA

Genres / Science Fiction

5 Quick Tips for Writing Science Fiction: from Malissa Bilbrey and Nina Sacco @NaNoWriMo

Genres / Screenwriting

Script To Screen: “Scream”: @GoIntoTheStory

Promo / Ads

How to Test Your BookBub Ads for Better Results: by Audrey Derobert @BookBub

Promo / Blogging

7 Ways to Encourage Conversation on Your Blog: @EdieMelson
Guest Blogging to Reach More Readers: @SmartAuthors @BookWorksNYC
3 Creative Ways To Build Your Brand Through Blogging: @Pat_Bailey80 @Writers_Write

Promo / Book Reviews

Writing Book Reviews With Purpose: @Fehrmaiden17 @phoenix_fiction

Promo / Crowdfunding

Kickstarter Stress: @KristineRusch

Promo / Images

THow to Add Text to Images—A Screencast with Step-by-Step Instructions: @EdieMelson

Promo / Miscellaneous

The Lazy Writer’s Guide To Marketing: @amandalinehan
10 Things to update each time you release a new book: @DeborahJay2
Book Marketing is Less Daunting in Baby Steps: by Cathy Dudley @IndieAuthorALLI
20 Quick Book Marketing Ideas: @mixtusmedia @BadRedheadMedia
Taking an Author’s Photo Is Like Going on a First Date: by Nina Subin @lithub
Is Over-Promotion Really A Problem For Authors? by Robert Wood @standoutbooks
How to Make Your Book Marketing Plan a Success: @MConnollyAuthor @BadRedheadMedia
How to Best Prepare for Book Marketing: @CaballoFrances @BadRedheadMedia
Promoting Your Book for Free: by David Kudler @JFbookman

Promo / Speaking

How to Plan a Book Reading That Delights Your Audience: @JamesNave @allegrahuston @JaneFriedman
How to Craft an Introduction for Your Speaking Engagement: @YvonneOrtega1 @EdieMelson
10 Tips for a Superb Reading: @Gabino_Iglesias @LitReactor

Publishing / Miscellaneous

AAP Issues Its Annual 2018 StatShot Look at the US Publishing Industry: @Porter_Anderson
Amazon Gets Bulk of Complaint in AAP Filing With US Trade Commission: @Porter_Anderson
Scholastic’s ‘Kids & Family’ Report Sees Summer Youth Reading Lagging: @Porter_Anderson
‘Quirky’ Children’s Illustrated Books: The Queen’s Knickers Award: @Porter_Anderson

Publishing / News / Amazon

Amazon Literary Prize Finalists To Be Considered for Prime Video: @Porter_Anderson

Publishing / News / International Publishing

Bonnier’s BookBeat Announces a 24-Market European Expansion: @Porter_Anderson
Amazon Responds to a New York Times Critique on Counterfeit Books: @Porter_Anderson
Italy’s Gruppo Mediaset in First-Look Partnership With Canada’s Wattpad: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
IPA Prix Voltaire Conferred on Khaled Lutfi in Seoul: @Porter_Anderson
Spain’s Hay Festival Segovia To Feature a Focus on Europe: @Porter_Anderson
The UK’s Publishers Association Releases Its 2018 Yearbook Report: @Porter_Anderson
Scribd Rolls Out ‘Snapshot’ Samplers From Nonfiction Books: @Porter_Anderson
Spain’s ‘Fariña’–’Cocaine Coast’ on Netflix–Wins 2019 Liber Award: @Porter_Anderson
China Bestsellers for May: Staying Power and Stalwarts: @Porter_Anderson
Beijing International Book Fair To Emphasize Children’s Books Again: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Norway Reveals its Frankfurter Buchmesse Guest of Honor Program: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Neil Gaiman’s ‘Sandman’ Coming to Netflix; HarperCollins Germany Names Jürgen Welte: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Denmark, UK, and Germany Represented in ContentShift This Year: @Porter_Anderson
UN Sustainable Development Goals: Frankfurter Buchmesse’s ‘Create Your Revolution’: @Porter_Anderson

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches

5 Essential Book Pitches: by Chris Pavone @CareerAuthors

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying

Querying for Non-Fiction: @Janet_Reid
Three Easy Hacks To Improve Your Query Letter: @BrynDonovan

Publishing / Process / Formatting

How to Use Vellum (Quick and Easy): by Tom Ashford @pbackwriter

Publishing / Process / Legalities

The Cut and Paste Thief and What To Do If You’ve Been Plagiarized: @Diana_Hurwitz

Writing Craft / Beginnings

Planning Your Story’s Opening Passages: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Characters / Antagonists

Know Your Villains: @ouijum @savethecat
Different Types of Villains: @ClaireFayers

Writing Craft / Characters / Arc

5 Ways to Use Theme to Create Character Arc (and Vice Versa): @KMWeiland

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

How to Use Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs for Characterization: @harmony_kent @StoryEmpire
Character Type: Innocent: @GoIntoTheStory
How to Create a Character Profile: by Ali Hale @writing_tips
How to Avoid One Dimensional Characters: @Kid_Lit

Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion

Emotional Writing: One Surprising Method for Capturing Readers’ Emotions: by Joslyn Chase @write_practice

Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists

3 Truly Odd Protagonists and Why We Like Them: @Christo96795532 @Writers_Write

Writing Craft / Common Mistakes

Five Newbie Mistakes that Will Kill a Perfectly Good Story: @KristenLambTX
8 Quick Tips for Show, Don’t Tell: @KMWeiland

Writing Craft / Conflict

Storytelling Techniques – Layered Conflict: @AJHumpage
The Power of Conflict in Storytelling: @GoIntoTheStory

Writing Craft / Diversity

When Diversity Is Bad: by Mod Lesya

Writing Craft / Flashback and Back Story

Handling Backstory in Dialogue in Your Opening Pages: @LiveWriteThrive
How To Grow Your Backstory: @KatiaRaina1

Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film

6 Ways Paul Auster Can Help You Improve Your Writing: @FredBobJohn @standoutbooks

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

15 Things Learned After Reading 100 Query Letters: @katiemccoach @TheRyanLanz
How Novelists Can Say More with Less: @LiveWriteThrive
3 Tech Clichés That Will Kill Your Writing: @Bang2write
A Practice to Unearth Your Story Magic by Veronika Magali-Marosy: @Beth_Barany
How to Track Your Scenes: @JLHarrisCoach
Head-Hopping and Why Writers Should Avoid It: @richardgthomas3 @LitReactor
When and How to Weaken a Passage: @SeptCFawkes
How to Bring Value to Your Readers: @pauletteperhach @JaneFriedman
1 Writer’s Top Ten Writing Tips: @CalebPirtle
How To Write A Logline: @Bang2write
Using the Argument Against Transformation to Strengthen Your Story: @jamesscottbell @killzoneauthors
The Emotional Weight of Storytelling (Podcast): @SamSykesSwears @DIYMFA
What If Your Novel is Losing Steam? @SnowflakeGuy

Writing Craft / Pacing

How a Ticking Clock Reveals Character and Propels Your Plot: @Sarah_Skilton

Writing Craft / POV

A Deep Dive into POV: @LiveWriteThrive

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Naming

‘Game of Thrones’ Interactive Name Generator: @Slate

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining

Plotter vs Pantser: The Secret Diary of a Recovering Plotter: @sacha_black @IndieAuthorALLI

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting

The End of Your Middle: The Doorway of No Return #2: @abigailkperry @DIYMFA
5 Commandments and Pheres: @valerie_francis @StoryGrid

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research

Is Your Character Safe at Work? Violence in the Workplace 101 for Writers: @FionaQuinnBooks

Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar

Is It Ever Correct to Use Passive Voice? @mindofkyleam @ProWritingAid

Writing Craft / Revision

7 Ways to Polish Your Manuscript Before You Self-Publish: @KathyEdens1 @Draft2Digital
What is Line Editing? 4 Ways It Can Transform Your Book: @ReedsyHQ
How to Edit a Book 101: @ReedsyHQ

Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques

Knowing When to Fly: Leaving Your Critique Group: @lisabubert @JaneFriedman
Leaving a Writer’s Group: 5 Reasons it May be Time: @kcraftwriter

Writing Craft / Scenes

How to Revive a Dead Scene: @Lindasclare

Writing Craft / Settings and Description

Picking the Right Setting Details: @beccapuglisi
Picking the Right Setting Details: @beccapuglisi

Writing Craft / Voice

Chuck Wendig on Owning Your Voice and Choosing the Path of Your Career as a Writer: @DanBlank @ChuckWendig

Writing Craft / Word Crafting

Filter words in fiction: Purposeful inclusion and dramatic restriction: @LouiseHarnby
Getting rid of ‘that’s’: @PhilAthans
Power Up Your Paragraphs: @ZoeMMcCarthy

Writing Craft / World-Building

How to Create a Fictional Universe Like the MCU: @mindofkyleam
How to Build Your Fictional World with Games: @younginklings @NaNoWriMo

Writing Tools / Apps

The Best Novel Writing Software of 2019 (Including 4 Free Programs): @ReedsyHQ

Writing Tools / Resources

Character Sheets: @stacitroilo @StoryEmpire
Authoring Novels with LibreOffice: @fritz_freiheit
A List of Posts to Help With a Variety of Writing Needs: by Bucket Siler

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on July 06, 2019 21:02

June 22, 2019

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I’ll be taking a summer blog break starting tomorrow and ending with another Twitterific on Sunday, July 7. Hope you have a good next couple of weeks!

Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous

Norwegian Author Jo Nesbø Set To Appear at Frankfurter Buchmesse: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
12 Ways to Take Advantage of Everything Writers Conferences Offer: @CConradt @scriptmag
Words Without Borders June: ‘The Queer “I”‘ in Early Summer: @Porter_Anderson @wwborders @SusanHarrisWWB @PENamerican

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

8 Fictional Families That Will Make You Feel Better About Your Own Dysfunctional Family: @SallyHepworth @CrimeReads
7 Books About Women Searching For Home: by Maria Kuznetsova @ElectricLit
The Stupid Classics Book Club: @egabbert @parisreview
Does It Spark Joy? Learning to Let Go of My Books: @ZoeBaillargeon @The_Millions
“Saying Goodbye to My Beloved Local Bookstore”: @nostalgicbroad @lithub
“What I Learned from Keeping a List of Every Book I Read”: @pnadell @lithub

Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation

Writing Motivation: @Kid_Lit

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing

Setting Yourself Up for Writing Success Each Day:
Success in 90-Minute Increments: @RachelleGardner

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block

The Secret to Overcoming Writer’s Block: Meditation: by Megan Mulrine @WritersDigest
How to Beat Writer’s Block: @4amWriter @kristen_kieffer
How to Schedule Creativity and Kill Writer’s Block: @Frank_McKinley

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

Why Don’t Compare is Bad Advice for indie Authors: @PaulineWiles @IndieAuthorALLI
3 Tips to Build a Strong Writing Practice: by Chelsea Brickner @NaNoWriMo
For the Writer Who Doesn’t Like It When Plans Change: @MegDowell
10 Ways to Improve Your Writing Life: @colleen_m_story
“A Highly Subjective and Sometimes Contradictory Alphabet for the Young and Aspiring Professional Writer” by Marc Spitz @PineHillsReview
Writer’s Guide To Dealing With Haters: @jakonrath
Why Write a Book? 10 Global Authors Give Reasons to Write: @nownovel
The Easiest and Hardest Part of a Writer’s Life: @diannmills @EdieMelson
“How I Wrote My Son As the Hero of His Own Adventure Novel”: @johnpwriter @WritersDigest
How to Conquer Self-Doubt and Do All the Things: @thewildwong @emiliewapnick
6 Obstacles to Writing (and how to move past them): @aprildavila
The Sound of Silence: Have We Forgotten How to Be Quiet? @WithEdSimon @The_Millions
How to say NO to make yourself a better writer: @pubcoach
Why it’s more important than ever to learn to write: @pubcoach
Three Ways We Sabotage Our Own Success and How To Change: @KristenLambTX
The Writing Stigmas From The Past Can Impact Writer Confidence: by Jennifer Blanchard

Genres / Fantasy

Six Pros and Cons of the Magic School Genre: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants

Genres / Memoir

“Why I Published My Memoir as a Novel”: by Elizabeth Bartasius @WomenWriters
What A Memoir Is Really About (It’s Not What You Think): by Jennifer Blanchard

Genres / Miscellaneous

Writing Transgressive Fiction? Here’s What You Need To Know: @standoutbooks

Genres / Mystery

Cozy Mystery Author Interview with V.L. McBeath: @Ellen__Jacobson
5 Podcasts & YouTubers For the Crime or Mystery Writer: By Bonnie Randall

Genres / Non-Fiction

Tips For Writing Non-Fiction: @jogiese7 @WomenWriters
What Happens When Your Nonfiction Niche Goes Belly-Up? @BirdsOAFpress @NinaAmir

Genres / Romance

The Romance Recipe: @MaryGardner6 @SusanMayWarren

Genres / Science Fiction

20 Mistakes To Avoid In Science Fiction: @writingandsuch

Genres / Short Stories

Five Reasons To Write Short Stories: @AlpertMark @killzoneauthors

Promo / Connecting with Readers

Why you should write for just one reader: @pubcoach

Promo / Images

Smart Ways to Use Images for Book Promo: @DancingLemurPre

Promo / Miscellaneous

14 Fantastic Marketing Tips for Debut Authors: @DianaUrban @BookBub

Promo / Social Media Tips

What to Post on Social Media When You Have Nothing To Say: @EJWenstrom @DIYMFA

Publishing / Miscellaneous

F+W Media To Present Winning Community Bids to Bankruptcy Court: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Simple Guide For Creating Your First AudioBook: (@nick6974 @NinaAmir
“How I Won My Third Essay Contest”: @tammydelatorre @JaneFriedman
Industry Notes: Serial Box’s Foreign Rights and Amazon’s Summer Reading List: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Industry Notes: Macmillan Learning Announces Its 2019 Bedford New Scholars Advisors: @Porter_Anderson @MacmillanLearn

Publishing / News / International Publishing

Marrakesh Named Host of 2020 IPA Africa Seminar Amid New Agreements: @Porter_Anderson @Kenyapublishers
In the Shadow of Potential Tariffs on China, AAP StatShot Logs a Good Q1: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Brazilian Photographer Sebastião Salgado Wins 2019 German Book Trade Peace Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
AAP Warns Trade Commission: Trump Tariffs on China Will ‘Wreak Havoc’ on Publishing: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
A Mexican Book-Sharing Startup, Little Bookmates, For Children’s Books: via @pubperspectives by Adam Critchley
Singapore’s Asian Festival of Children’s Content Plans 10th Edition in September: @Porter_Anderson via @pubperspectives
Russian Book Market Players Explore Digital Serialization: By Eugene Gerden @pubperspectives
The UK’s Society of Authors Awards Honor 32 Writers: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
The Netherlands’ NL Film Signs Partnership With Canada’s Wattpad: @Porter_Anderson @nlfilmtalk @wattpad
‘Africa Rising’ Day Two: Indigenous Languages, Copyright, Youth, and Action: @Porter_Anderson via @pubperspectives

Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing

13 Best Self-Publishing Companies Every Author Should Know: @ReedsyHQ

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Rejections

Staying Positive After a Rejection: @TyreanMartinson @TheIWSG

Publishing / Process / Book Design

Self-Publishing: Book Cover Design Mistakes to Watch Out For: @LaurenAdley1

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

Occupation Thesaurus Entry: Driver (Car): @beccapuglisi

Writing Craft / Dialogue

What Did You Say? Writing Realistic Dialogue: @evmysterywriter @killzoneauthors

Writing Craft / Drafts

So You Finished Your Rough Draft – Now What? @MorganHzlwood @TheRyanLanz

Writing Craft / Endings

How to End a Story: 3 Questions That Will Help You Find the Perfect Ending: @DavidHSafford @write_practice

Writing Craft / Humor

8 Ways to Inject Humor into Your Writing: @brotzel_fiction

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

How to Convey an Established Relationship Quickly: @SeptCFawkes
Write Deep, Write True: @Lindasclare
How to Find Your Novel’s Path: @KelsieEngen @TheRyanLanz wkb20

Writing Craft / POV

Narrating a Close Point of View: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Naming

The Stumbling Art of Naming Places: @cyallowitz

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting

Fiction Writing Tips For Beginners: Discover Your Plot: @angee

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research

Five tips for researching fiction: @MsPollyClark @scottishbktrust

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats

A “Save the Cat” Moment: @SPressfield

Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar

The Difference Between Canceled and Cancelled: @TCKPublishing
Punctuation Blunders that puzzle readers and irk editors: @KathySteinemann @annerallen

Writing Craft / Revision

Revising your plot and the George R.R. Martin Worst Case Scenario: @HollowLandsBook
Revise vs. Start New: Which Is Better When We’re Stuck? @JamiGold

Writing Craft / Settings and Description

7 Tips to Creating Fictional Location Names: @cyallowitz
The symbolism of the seasons in literature, with four examples: @HelenaFairfax

Writing Craft / World-Building

Toxicology in Worldbuilding: by M.S. Jenkins @WB_Mag @mythicscribes

Writing Tools / Resources

“Finding My Character’s Home on Google Street View”: @LydiaFi44774808 @lithub

The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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Published on June 22, 2019 21:02

June 20, 2019

The Importance of Images in Social Media

by L. Diane Wolfe, @DancingLemurPre

Online media provides us few opportunities to express ourselves in our entirety. Text gives us a voice, but what about the other senses? We can’t taste, touch, or smell. But we can see.

Studies have shown that online all text is boring and difficult to read. Most news articles contain one or more images to ground the reader. Unless it’s reading an actual book, readers don’t want all text.

Images break it up. A long line of text leave readers almost gasping for breath. Unlike traditional book readers, people do not want a tome of information online. They want the important details and they want it quick. Adding a few graphics gives their experience more meaning.

Items with images are more likely to be shared. Look at your most shared blog posts, Facebook posts, Tweets, etc. Those with images were shared far more often. A line of text doesn’t convey enough. But add a graphic or a video and it gains new depth.

Consider adding images to your:

Blog posts – Mix images in with the text. Break up the monotony. Give readers a visual to connect to.

Twitter – Include an image where possible when you Tweet. Don’t just send out a link – send out a corresponding image. It’s ten times more likely to be retweeted. And be sure your pinned Tweet has an image. People don’t always trust just a link, but a link and an image will win them over.

Facebook – Add an image or two when you post on Facebook. People take notice of image posts sooner. Plus they are more likely to be shared. And if we are posting book information, we really want it to be shared.

Pinterest – Pin book covers and graphics with excerpts. Most important – don’t forget the link. You are allowed one link (make it to your book’s website) and a description. Take advantage of those. Marketing superstar John Kremer says Pinterest is the most lasting of all social media because while other media shares are buried within hours, a Pinterest post is not. It will be discovered for years to come and re-pinned.

So start adding images to your online media today. Jazz it up! And prepare to be jazzed.

Diane Wolfe

Owner of Dancing Lemur Press LLC, Speaker & Author

Known as “Spunk On A Stick,” Wolfe is a member of the National Speakers Association. She conducts seminars on book publishing, promoting, leadership, and goal-setting, and she offers book formatting and author consultation. Wolfe is the senior editor at Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C. and contributes to the Insecure Writer’s Support Group.

http://www.dancinglemurpressllc.com/ – Dancing Lemur Press, L.L.C

http://www.spunkonastick.net/ – Spunk On A Stick

http://www.circleoffriendsbooks.blogspot.com – Spunk On A Stick’s Tips

http://www.insecurewriterssupportgroup.com/ – Insecure Writer’s Support Group

HOW TO PUBLISH AND PROMOTE YOUR BOOK NOW!

By L. Diane Wolfe

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Print and e-book setup, formatting, and distribution
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Publisher L. Diane Wolfe of @DancingLemurPre On the Importance of Social Media Images:
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Published on June 20, 2019 21:02

June 16, 2019

Setting Yourself Up for Success

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Good to be back from my blog break. :) This is another post in my series ‘making your life easier as a writer.’ This one covers how we can set ourselves up for a successful writing session with a little prep work.

We hear a lot about how to ensure easier mornings by preparing the night before (pulling an outfit out, making sure the kids have their school backpacks ready to go, picking up for 10 minutes in the evening), but the same thing goes for writing sessions, too.

I’m an early morning writer, but I think my tips can be adjusted for any writing schedule.

Let family members know what you’re doing. This is a tip that’s best for those lunch or evening writers, probably. But one way to help ensure you’re not interrupted is to get everyone on the same page when it comes to your plans.

When you finish a writing session, jot down a couple of sentences to tell your future self where you’re picking up. I’m hesitant to call this outlining because I know some writers aren’t really keen on it. This is, instead, more of a mini-outline. It’s just a device to help you jump into your story faster. Short is fine. Mine might look something like this: Sleuth interviews Joan. Joan says she was at work at the time of the murder.

Leave your laptop on your document so the story is the first thing you see when you open your device again. Naturally, this will only work if you don’t need the computer for your day job. But, for me, it really helps me when my book is the first thing I see first thing in the morning. If the first thing I see is email, I’ll fall down a rabbit hole right away.

Similarly, don’t check email and social media before writing. Once you do, your time belongs to someone else as you respond to their messages and posts.

Think about your story before you sit down to write. For me, this is as I’m getting ready in the morning and before I open my laptop. If you write later in the day, this could mean thinking about your plot during your commute or at quiet times of the day. This helps me hop right into the story.

Set a timer for focus. I’ve mentioned this a lot, I know. But in this age of distraction, it’s so much easier to be able to focus 100% on the story when there’s a limit to it. And frequently, I find myself continuing after the timer goes off because I’m in a groove.

These are just a few ideas, but I’d like to hear yours. How do you ensure a successful start to your writing sessions?

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Published on June 16, 2019 21:02

June 15, 2019

Twitterific Writing Links

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Business / Miscellaneous

Writing for Voice First Devices: @Talks2Bots @TheIWSG
Tips for Easier Writing and Promo: Know Your Genre and Write in Series:
Profit Spikes in Short Bursts of Time: Small Projects Writers Should Pursue: @OPA_Authors @WritersDigest

Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting

Biting the Bullet — Tracking a Writing Habit: @MichalskiLiz @WriterUnboxed

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration

Brainstorming & FaceTime for Writers: @AneMulligan @EdieMelson

Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers

Nancy Drew – Immortal Female Detective: @burke_writer @killzoneauthors
Literary Disco on the Enduring Genius of Jane Austen: @LiteraryDisco @lithub
5 Recent Novels That Blend Sci-Fi and Horror: @McFlyCahill90 @BNBuzz

Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block

How to Stop Struggling to Write: @NinaAmir

Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life

There Is No Wrong Way To Write A Book: @aminahmae
Embracing the Delete Key: @DIYMFA @8thcirclepress
What to Say If Friends Ask You to Ghostwrite their Memoir: @jlynchauthor @IndieAuthorALLI
The One Thing Writers Miss When Trying to Improve: @colleen_m_story
Writing While Under the Influence of Emotions: @DawnEndria @WomenWriters
What’s your author persona? How to be yourself online–only better: @annerallen
Roger Ebert, Werner Herzog, Antarctica … and a manifesto for maverick creatives: @Roz_Morris
The Pros and Cons of Experimenting: @JamiGold
Writing At Ninety Six: by Eugenia Lovett West @WomenWriters
One Writer’s New Social Media Promise: @RoniLoren
The Five Stages of Becoming a Novelist: @mythcreants
Make Life Easier By Keeping Writing Files Organized:
6 Destructive Thoughts That Stop You from Writing: @brotzel_fiction @LiveWriteThrive
Is Anybody Out There? One Writer on the Purgatory of Submission: @GlenCadigan @The_Millions

Genres / Historical

Historical Fiction Can Be As Urgent As the News: by Joshua Furst @lithub

Genres / Horror

Have horror movies made a monster out of the older woman? @clarisselou @Independent
Writing Horror Using All Five Senses: @repokempt @LitReactor

Genres / Mystery

Where the Legal Thriller Meets Domestic Suspense: @alafairburke @CrimeReads
Tips on Writing Believable Conspiracies for Thriller Fiction: @JordanDane @killzoneauthors
Alexander McCall Smith is Turning Scandi-Noir on Its Head: by Camille LeBlanc @CrimeReads

Genres / Non-Fiction

5 Tips to Help Readers Enter Your Nonfiction World: @SueBEdwards @womenonwriting

Genres / Screenwriting

How They Write A Script: Paul Schrader: @GoIntoTheStory
How They Write A Script: David Lynch: @GoIntoTheStory

Genres / Young Adult

Writing Realistic Teenagers in YA: @jlturchin
Young Adult is a Confusing Term: @alissagrosso
YA Outside the Lines: @PattyBlount

Promo / Blogging

Must-Have Graphic Design Elements for Your Blog: @KarenBanes
Blogging: About Categories and Tags: @crsmihai

Promo / Miscellaneous

6 Ways To Collaborate With Other Indie Authors For Better Marketing (And More): by Robert Wood @standoutbooks
Marketing Strategies to Improve Book Sales: @SusanNealYoga @EdieMelson
The Indie Writer Book Launch Guide: @IndieReader

Promo / Platforms

Juggling Two Author Platforms, Is it Worth it? @charitybradford

Promo / Social Media Tips

What Does Your Online Activity Say About You? @RachelleGardner
How to use IFTTT (If This, Then That) with Twitter: @harmony_kent @StoryEmpire
How to Cross-Post to Instagram From Your Facebook Page: @jenns_trends @SMExaminer
10 Tips for Using Social Media and Avoiding the “Cesspool”: @annerallen
9 Free Things Every Author Can Do To Boost Their Visibility On Social Media: @eevijones @pbackwriter

Promo / Websites

Not Enough Website Views? You’re Missing A Major Target Audience: @ABlueGreenGXY

Publishing / Miscellaneous

New Imprint RealClearBooks Aims ‘To Disrupt’ the Political Market With Self-Publishing: @Porter_Anderson @RealClearBooks

Publishing / News / International Publishing

Dora Salamba: Aspects of Piracy Facing Malawi’s Copyright Society: @Porter_Anderson @DMakwinja @pubperspectives
IPA’s Hugo Setzer to Africa’s Publishers at Nairobi: ‘We Need You’ | @Porter_Anderson @IntPublishers @Kenyapublishers
Nigerian Entrepreneurs Chidi and Chika Nwaogu: Monetizing Creative Content | @Porter_Anderson @wearepubliseer @ChidiNwaogu5 @IntPublishers @Kenyapublishers
Publishing Scotland Translation Fund Taking Applications: @Porter_Anderson @PublishScotland
Kenya’s Tonee Ndungu of Kytabu: ‘Enriching Curriculum Content’: @Porter_Anderson @ToneeNdungu
Frankfurt Audio Summit Features Spotify’s Michael Krause: @Porter_Anderson @mkstreaming @pubperspectives
Kenya Publishers Association’s Lawrence Njagi at Nairobi: ‘African Languages’: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
IPA’s Bodour Al Qasimi to IPA’s Africa Seminar: ‘Everyone Is Equally Responsible’: @Porter_Anderson via @pubperspectives

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches

How To Pitch Your Book For TV and Film: @djwilliams316 @thecreativepenn

Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying

A New Agent on What She’s Looking For And a Query Critique Giveaway: @Kerstin_Wolf @NatalieIAguirre
8 Query Letter Don’ts: @KMAllan_writer

Writing Craft / Beginnings

Writing Effective First Lines: @daciamarnold @RMFWriters
Flog a Pro: would you pay to turn the first page of this bestseller? @RayRhamey @WriterUnboxed

Writing Craft / Characters / Arc

Five Characters With Strong Arcs: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants

Writing Craft / Characters / Development

5 Fake Character Flaws to Avoid: by Sara Kopeczky @TheRyanLanz
Crafting The Con Man: @Diana_Hurwitz

Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists

Writing great protagonists: @AuthorMarilene

Writing Craft / Common Mistakes

9 First Time Author Blunders You Need to Avoid: @MikeLoomis @WritetoDone

Writing Craft / Dialogue

10 Tips For Writing Dialogue: Character Voice (Video): @AuthorMarilene
Action beats and how you use them in fiction: @LouiseHarnby

Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film

John Green describes his fictional role model: @pubcoach
3 Ways Martin Amis Can Help You Improve Your Writing: @FredBobJohn @standoutbooks

Writing Craft / Literary Devices

Using Motifs in Fiction: @kristen_kieffer
How Do Similes Work? @ProWritingAid @KathyEdens1

Writing Craft / Miscellaneous

Raise Your Novel’s Stakes by Narrowing the Focus: @Janice_Hardy
How to Create an External Plot Journey by Developing the Internal Plot Journey (Podcast): @tessaemilyhall
“5 Ways Playwriting Improved My Fiction”: @sharon0884 @10minnovelist
Why Writing Yourself Into a Corner Can Improve Your Writing: @hale_scott @thecreativepenn

Writing Craft / Pacing

4 Pacing Tricks to Keep Readers’ Attention: @KMWeiland

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining

How to Outline a Novel Made Fun and Easy (+ Free Worksheet): @RidethePen

Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research

How Much Research Should You Do For Your Book? @ceruleancynic @tordotcom

Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar

How to Edit Punctuation Marks: @tishmartin1416 @A3writers

Writing Craft / Revision

12 Self-Editing Tips: @CherylProWriter
Mixed Metaphors – Don’t Let Them Sneak into Stories: @ZoeMMcCarthy

Writing Craft / Series

“How I Wrote an Extended Series”: @michellecox33 @WritersDigest

Writing Craft / Word Crafting

Choosing Just the Right Words: @KathySteinemann @JamiGold

Writing Tools / Apps

Ten Cool Tricks for Calibre: @thDigitalReader

Writing Tools / Thesauri

The thesaurus is good, valuable, commendable, superb, actually: by B.D. McClay @outline

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Published on June 15, 2019 21:02

June 14, 2019

Cozy Mysteries: When Your Sleuth Figures Things Out

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

In every cozy mystery, there comes a time when the sleuth puts together various clues and realizes who the perpetrator is.

But the timing of this revelation can take the story on different paths.

Frequently, there’s a scene near the end of the book when the sleuth confronts or is confronted by the murderer. It’s the ‘moment of danger’ where it looks a little shaky for the sleuth. After all, this is someone who has already killed once (often twice) and is desperate to escape justice.

So when does the sleuth realize the murderer’s identity: before or during this dangerous encounter?

Before the confrontation

When the sleuth puts two and two together before she confronts the killer, it shows the reader that the gifted amateur is genuinely good at detecting. She’s dug up clues, analyzed them, and has come up with a solution to the puzzle that makes sense.

But…now this smart person heads out to challenge the murderer? Considering that the cozy sleuth isn’t a member of the police department, this seems very risky.

Possible ways of preventing the sleuth from doing something stupid:

The killer confronts the sleuth instead of the other way around (the bad guy/girl realizes that the sleuth is onto them).

The sleuth believes herself to be confronting the killer in a safe way (she’s supposed to have backup with her…and her backup had car trouble, forgot, etc.)

During the confrontation

Maybe sometimes the sleuth has duly registered the clues but hasn’t been able to really put it all together in a way that makes sense. Or maybe there’s a final clue during a normal conversation with the suspect…perhaps the sleuth realizes that the suspect has just negated their alibi or knows something about the crime that only the killer would know.

This solves the problem of the sleuth looking stupid or reckless for putting herself in danger. But if it’s not handled well, it can also make the sleuth appear to be slow to figure out the puzzle, especially if the reader has already figured it out (and mystery readers are a savvy bunch).

Possible ways of making sure the sleuth looks good through a last-minute realization:

Have an excellent red herring at the very end. Even better if it’s very subtle and both the sleuth and the reader feel that they’ve learned the killer’s identity. The sleuth could be investigating this lead when she happens into the encounter with the actual murderer.

Have the solution be on the very tip of the sleuth’s tongue. Hercule Poirot frequently mentioned in frustration that he knew something important that would identify the murderer, but he couldn’t place exactly what it was.

Additionally:

The sleuth usually explains how she figured out the murderer’s identity. This explanation could be provided to the police or given to a sidekick, or could even be explained to the killer himself during the confrontation scene.

What I’ve noticed that readers dislike is if the murderer gives a villainous monologue explaining how they carried out the murders. Better to let the sleuth do as much of the talking as possible.

If you’re a mystery reader, what are your thoughts about the sleuth’s discovery of the killer…have you seen the sleuth come off looking silly? If you’re a writer, is it a tricky scene to write?

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Published on June 14, 2019 21:02

June 13, 2019

Keep Files Organized

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Today’s post doesn’t have the most exciting topic: organization. But if there’s anything I’ve learned, it’s that being able to quickly put my hands on writing-related files makes everything easier. This post is part of a short series I’m doing on making our lives easier as writers.

Organizing Story Files

Everybody will want to find their own method of keeping their files straight. What works for me is keeping it all together in a folder on Word. So, for example, with my current WiP, I have a folder entitled Fit to Be Tied (the title of the book). Inside that folder, I have everything relating to that book…its cover (I have my covers made early), the book description, the outline, my ‘things to fix’ document, and the story itself.

After the book’s been edited and published, I make a subfolder inside the main folder and put old files in there (I’m funny about not tossing old files. I want to keep them, but don’t want to get confused). The latest files (the finished book, etc.) remain in the main folder.

Deleting Revised Covers and Ebook Files

This could mean drafts of covers, revised ebook files, etc. If you’re anything like me, I have a ton of these things and they can make life very confusing. Let’s say I’m formatting a book for PDF…but I’m not happy with the way the finished product is, so I tinker with the original file and reformat it. Then it’s almost perfect, but I want to make a small change, so I do. Now I have three different PDF files of the same title. In the short term, it’s easy enough for me to figure out which one is the final file: the properties will show the time it was created and the latest one would be the one I’d want. But months or a year later when I’m wanting to update something, it takes time to make sure it’s the correct file.

The same goes for corrected translated books, revised covers, updated mobi and epub files.

To make things easier, I have Word folders for Mobi files by series, epub files by series, PDF files, translations, etc. I put the final files (at least final for the time being) in the corresponding folders and then delete the older ones.

Backing Up Files

This is my semi-annual reminder, ha! Backing up your work makes your life easier…it just doesn’t immediately seem that way. But if we spend three months or more working on a book and then it just disappears, that’s a disaster. I like the backups that occur automatically (you can search those up online…Dropbox is one of them), but I also manually back up to a server and USBs. I also upload to Google docs. In the past, I’ve emailed files to myself, too. Nothing like a little paranoia to keep from losing content!

I’m a little bit of an organizational nerd, so I’d love to hear how everybody else keeps their stuff straight! How do you make your life easier by managing your files?

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Published on June 13, 2019 21:02

June 9, 2019

Know Your Genre and Write in Series

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

Today I’m posting another entry in my series ‘making life easier as a writer.’ With today’s post, I want to add a proviso: this advice is only if you do really want to make life easier. If you aren’t writing commercial fiction or if you’re really wanting to pursue a one-off book, that’s definitely what you should do.

Genre: Especially if you’re just starting out (but even if you’re a veteran writer), it’s easiest to write a story that fits perfectly into a particular genre…especially a genre that you’re very well-read in and acquainted with.

For one thing, these stories have certain parameters and reader expectations. Those help you keep your story on track. For example, with cozy mysteries, readers are expecting an amateur sleuth, quirky recurring characters, and a lack of blood, gore, and profanity. Following a genre’s conventions can help you plan and execute your story.

But that’s not all it does. Each genre has its super-fans who read as many new books as possible each month. So, in many ways, you have a built-in audience, too (provided you’ve also paid attention to book design, a strong story, and good editing).

Sometimes I’ll hear new writers say that their story has ‘something for everyone.’ That can be code for ‘I haven’t targeted an audience.’ I recently watched a series on Netflix that did have something for everyone. But the lack of focus meant that the reviews complained about the screenwriters not knowing what kind of show it was: was it a family drama? A historical piece on social turmoil? On politics in the 1700s? Social change? In the attempt to fit it all in, the show didn’t satisfy anyone.

Series: One reason writing in series makes a writer’s life easier because usually everything after book one has already been established. You’ve already created the setting and readers are familiar with it. You’ve already developed the main characters and the huge amount of work that goes along with that is mainly finished. The groundwork has been laid and you can focus on other aspects of your story.

Another reason that writing series is easier is because it can be easier for readers to find your books online if you have more ‘real estate’ on the retail sites. Plus, once you’ve hooked readers on book one, you’ll be able to funnel them into the other stories. After all, readers have also made an investment in your stories, time-wise, and it makes sense for them to continue in the same story world they’ve gotten used to.

Do you write series or standalones? Or, as a reader, do you have a favorite genre? Do you enjoy reading series?

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Published on June 09, 2019 21:02