Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 69
January 10, 2019
Planting the Body in a Cozy Mystery
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
If you’re writing a cozy mystery, there are little things that come up sometimes. Writing is a Choose-Your-Own-Adventure process. You have so many different choices that can take the plot in different directions that it can seem overwhelming.
It doesn’t have to be that overwhelming, though. There are choices, but you can address them as they come along. Here are a few things to consider when planning the discovery of your victim:
The timing: You have a couple of different choices in timing the body’s discovery. You could start out with the discovery of the victim, which can be a fun way to shake things up a little bit. The only problem with that, I’ve found, is that you will need to deal with backstory more than you might otherwise have done. One way of getting around that is to include backstory about the victim and his or her relationships with others in suspect interviews.
My editors at Penguin preferred the victim to be discovered in the first 30-50 pages of the book, for pacing reasons. So if you don’t start off with the body, you might consider having a couple of scenes with the future victim interacting with one or two future suspects to make things easier to write later in the story. The suspects will be easier for the sleuth, who is merely a gifted amateur, to figure out.
The place: The location of the body needs to be somewhere accessible. It should be a place that all of the suspects have access to. It could be the victim’s own house (victim either didn’t lock up well or knew her attacker) or it could be a public place…but not too public because we don’t need the body discovered until the killer gets safely away (for now, anyway).
Who discovers the body? An easy way to get your sleuth involved is for him or her to discover the body and feel a sense of ownership. Of course, if your sleuth is finding all the bodies in your entire series, you might be stuck in the “Murder, She Wrote” Cabot Cove syndrome (Jessica Fletcher found a heck of a lot of bodies in a very small town. Statistically, she should probably have been considered as a possible serial killer. :) )
Alternatively, it could be good for someone close to your sleuth to discover the victim. That way the sleuth still feels looped in (maybe she’s even called before the police are called) but isn’t always falling over bodies.
Other considerations: Your sleuth, if he discovered the body, clearly needs to call the police. But depending on how close his relationship is with the police department, the sleuth may feel the need to find information on his own. Maybe he carefully assesses the scene before the officials arrive.
Another note: the condition of the body doesn’t require much description. The more description you include, the less-cozy the discovery scene. The readers can fill in the details by simply knowing that the victim was strangled, shot in the head, or pushed out a third-story window. Cozies are all about escape and not forensics, so you can go light on detail with these books.
Are you a mystery reader or writer? What else have you observed about victim discovery scenes?
Thoughts on Planting the Body in a Cozy Mystery:
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January 6, 2019
Pushing Ourselves in 2019
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I realized at some point last year that I wanted to write a new series. For one thing, it’s nice to have an additional revenue stream, especially if a series may appeal to a different pool of readers. For another, I wanted to make sure that I was still growing. I wanted to try something different to keep myself sharp.
Writing a new series or a new genre (or both) is one way to creatively stretch. But there are other ways of pushing ourselves. The beginning of the year is a good time to assess where you stand in your writing business. And it is a business, which is sometimes tough for writers to wrap their heads around.
My income has increased in direct relation to the number of books I’ve published. It’s also increased whenever I’ve added new streams of revenue by diversifying into new formats (print, digital, audio), and distributors and retailers (using aggregators like Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, Smashwords, Ingram, and StreetLib to reach retailers all over the world).
As with anything, I think it’s important to break down any of these tasks into many smaller tasks. Don’t let it be overwhelming if it’s something you want to tackle in 2019.
To get you started, here are some questions to ask yourself and then places to start:
Have you not published your book at all yet? Are you new to self-publishing? Try these nice overviews from both industry expert Jane Friedman and from writer James P. Sumner (video) on the ALLi blog.
Is your book in print? To have your book on KDP Print, Amazon’s print publishing, you’ll need to have a full cover (with spine and back cover) as a PDF. Your ebook cover designer should be able to handle that for you without much additional cost. You’ll also need your book file to be available as a PDF. A free service like KDP, Reedsy or Draft2Digital can help you create your own file, or you can hire a formatter. More help to get you started with your Amazon print project is here.
Is your book available as an ebook? Here you’ll need an ebook cover from your designer. You’ll also need your book formatted for epub or kindle. Again, the free services above can help you if you want to format it yourself. From there, you simply upload to KDP and other retailers. (I think it’s important to go wide, especially if you are planning on writing more than one book, so I won’t recommend KDP Select here.)
Is your book available at Nook, Apple, Kobo and smaller worldwide retailers? If you already have an ebook cover and files, this is one of the easiest ways to go wide on this list. You can either elect to directly upload to these retailers (a process very similar to when you uploaded to Amazon), or you can use a distributor or aggregator to do so (they take a small percentage of your royalties). Smashwords, Draft2Digital, PublishDrive, and StreetLib are all good choices. You can even use all of them…just make sure that you’re not duplicating services (don’t have both Draft2Digital and Smashwords distribute to Apple, for example).
Is your ebook available for purchase by libraries? This is another no-brainer if you already have an ebook file and cover. You can’t upload directly to OverDrive, which supplies libraries. But you can go through a distributor (any of the ones listed above) to get your books there.
Is your book available in audio? Audio has become very popular for readers. ACX is the main platform that writers use to get their books produced as audio books. You can pay a narrator upfront, consider a royalty-sharing option with your narrator, or you can even narrate yourself. ACX distributes to Audible and iTunes. More information can be found here. Other options include Findaway Voices (info here) and TekTime.
Is your printed book available for purchase at libraries and bookstores? This means going through IngramSpark. You’ll need your own ISBN (I recommend those anyway, if you intend on going wide and publishing a good number of books) and a PDF of your full print-version cover and PDF of your book’s text. There are set-up fees for print…$49 a title…but I don’t think I’ve ever paid it because they frequently run free set-up promotions (make sure you receive their emails). The current promo (until March 31) is NANO17. IngramSpark isn’t quite as intuitive as KDP Print, but I believe it’s easier than given credit for. Here’s an article by Debbie Young on why it’s a good idea to use both Amazon’s KDP Print and IngramSpark together.
Is your book available for translation? As with audio, you can pay a translator upfront (although the costs may be prohibitive). Or you can post your book as available for translation on a site like Babelcube or Tektime and use a royalty sharing agreement. My thoughts on translation options in my posts here and here.
There are other ways to diversify and create multiple income streams for your writing business. You can be a public speaker, teach an online class, pursue affiliate income, or look for sponsors on Patreon.
What types of creative and business goals do you have for 2019?
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January 5, 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 48,000 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.
Business / Miscellaneous
Confidence, Connection & Convergence: Self-Publishing Review 2018: @OrnaRoss @IndieAuthorALLI
Editing: How to create compelling editing quotations: @LouiseHarnby
The Fear and Joy of Writing on Proposal: @maryannmarlowe @WomenWriters
Tokyo’s new Bunkitsu Bookstore With an Admission Fee: @Porter_Anderson @bunkitsu_rpng
China Bestsellers for November: The ‘Double Eleven’ Sales Boost: @Porter_Anderson
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Tips for Oral Storytelling: @helpfulsnowman
Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting
The Five Biggest New Year’s Resolution Mistakes and How to Avoid Them: @WriteNowCoach
Trends For Authors And Creative Goal Setting 2019: @thecreativepenn
Share Your Writing Goals to Increase Chances of Success: @colleen_m_story
About Those New Year’s Goals: @RachelleGardner
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
9 Mysteries Set in The Immediate Aftermath of WWI: @jpwrites1 @CrimeReads
How Book Maps Led to One Author’s Love of Fiction: @VaughnRoycroft @WriterUnboxed
The Good, The Bad, and The Delicious: 20 Unexpected Literary Cookbooks: @knownemily @lithub
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
3 Tips from an Engineer to Help You Write Efficiently: @BMWtheCreative
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
A defense of creative writing in the age of standardized testing: @JustinParmenter
Jonathan Franzen’s 10 Rules for Novelists: @lithub
Why Writing Friends are Important: @jodimeadows
Tsundoku (Books piled everywhere): @austinkleon
How to write if you have a long commute behind the wheel: @GoIntoTheStory
What One Person Can Do to Get People Reading: @mattgrantwriter @lithub
Writing and the Creative Life: Why Creative People May Feel More Anxiety: @GoIntoTheStory
Creating Priority Lists When Everything Seems Important: @TheLeighShulman
Is A Writing Retreat Right For You? by Paige Duke @standoutbooks
Tips to Help Organize 2019 with Calendars and Apps:
Genres / Memoir
Jaime Lowe’s 8 Rules For Writing Memoirs: @kicklikeagirl1 @Writers_Write
Genres / Miscellaneous
What is the “Core” for Your Genre? @davidfarland
Genres / Screenwriting
Script To Screen: “The Last of the Mohicans”: @GoIntoTheStory
Promo / Blogging
Get Your Blog Ready for 2019: @EdieMelson
12 Strategies for Blogging Your Way to Expert Status: @NinaAmir
Promo / Miscellaneous
Your 2019 Book Marketing Plan, Month by Month: @NewShelvesBooks @BookWorksNYC
7 Ways to Use Bookmarks for Marketing Your Book: @KarenHWhiting @EdieMelson
Create your author mood board in five minutes: @helpingauthors1
Promo / Platforms
What Is a Writer Platform and How Do You Build One? @ChadRAllen
Promo / Podcasts
3 Things To Know About Podcasts When You Know Nothing: @Writers_Write by Christopher Dean
Promo / Social Media Tips
Bookstagram for Indie Authors: Strategy: by Laura Hartley @BookWorksNYC
Promo / Speaking
Using Props While Making a Book Presentation: @AuthorCathyLamb
Publishing / Miscellaneous
Books to Film: Josh Malerman’s Debut ‘Bird Box’ Lands on Netflix: @Porter_Anderson @JoshMalerman
Tips for Winning Writing Contests: @FinishedPages @hopeclark
Winter Issues: ‘Beyond the Book’ Looks at 2018 in Review: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives @BeyondTheBook
Be Careful Inputting Your Metadata on Amazon: by Gordon Long @IndiesUnlimited
How to find your perfect co-writer (dead or alive): @LuWrites
Copyrighted Treasures Move Into the Public Domain, on a ‘Snowy Evening’: @Porter_Anderson @DukeCSPD
Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing
Self-publishing Role Models for 2018: @IndieAuthorALLI
Publishing / Process / Legalities
Public Domain Day Is Coming: On January 1st, 2019, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain for the First Time in 21 Years: @jdmagness @openculture
Publishing / Process / Self-Publishing
5 Questions on the Book Production and Marketing Matrix: @JFbookman
Writing Craft / Beginnings
Five Strategies for Getting Started: @davidfarland
Writing Craft / Characters / Arc
Character Arc and Narrative Arc: @VictoriaMixon
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Don’t Make Your Characters Do the Impossible: @ZoeMMcCarthy
4 Steps for Writing Realistic Protagonists Who Are Nothing Like You: by Donna Levin @WritersDigest
Character Building with the Enneagram: @RDCwrites @RMFWriters
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
Creating Likeable Protagonists: @davidfarland
Writing Craft / Characters / Supporting Characters
The 17 Best (and Worst) Cartoon Sidekicks of the 1980s: @cloudy_vision @tordotcom
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
Five Common Storytelling Mistakes in the Pursuit of Social Justice: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Writing Craft / Dialogue
8 Ways to Make Your Characters Sound Distinctive: @LauraDiSilverio
Writing Craft / Endings
When Should A Story End? by PJ Parrish @killzoneauthors
Writing Craft / Humor
In Defense of Puns: @JamesGeary @parisreview
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
How to Level-Up Our Writing: @craicer @JamiGold
Don’t Overload Your Readers With Your Message: @writing_tips
Tips for More Meaningful Stories: @writingandsuch
10 Non-Writing Things You Can Do To Improve Your Writing: @wendypmiller
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
The Dual Plot Structure That Makes Stories a Success: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
How to Choose Your Story’s Plot Points: @KMWeiland
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
‘Flier’ or ‘Flyer’? @GrammarGirl
Pronoun Order: @GrammarGirl
Three Simple Rules for Pluralizing Names: @HopeTDougherty
Writing Craft / Revision
Read your way into editing your novel: @MsRachaelBlok @CurtisBrown
See Oscar Wilde’s Handwritten Edits to The Picture of Dorian Gray: @lithub
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
3 Mistakes Writing Groups Make and How to Fix Them: @TCKPublishing
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
How do you Describe a Place? 6 Setting Tips: @nownovel
Writing Craft / Voice
Ask the Editor: Tips for Identifying Your Story’s Narrative Voice: @writingrefinery @DIYMFA
Writing Tools / Apps
Keeping Track of Everything in Scrivener with Metadata: @Gwen_Hernandez
Writing Tools / Resources
10 Podcasts every author needs in their life: @sacha_black
14 of the Best Online Writing Communities for Aspiring Authors: @ReedsyHQ
Writing Tools / Spreadsheets
How to Spreadsheet Your Novel: @StoryGrid
Uncategorized
The links I shared the last couple of weeks, plus my links that got the most engagement on Twitter in 2018:
Show Don’t Tell Explained: Examples of Turning Bad Writing into Great Writing: @TCKPublishing
Remainder of the Top Tweets for 2018…the links I shared that received the most engagement on Twitter:
How to Fix a Plot Hole in Your Novel (From 14 Writing Experts): http://ow.ly/f1cR30mLx0M @writingcookbook #TopTweets2018
Rights Roundup: A Handful of Titles for the Holidays: http://ow.ly/EonV30mOqat @Porter_Anderson @malusken @GuillaumePitron @SiriPettersen #TopTweets2018
A defense of creative writing in the age of standardized testing: http://ow.ly/k2Tw30n8KCf @JustinParmenter #wkb31
3 Tips for Improving Show, Don’t Tell: http://ow.ly/PXZB30mCVNr @KMWeiland #TopTweets2018
Gave up on NaNoWriMo? Try a gentler, year-round writing challenge: http://ow.ly/KCxp30mUUTN @inkyelbows #TopTweets2018
9 Writing Tips for Beginners: http://ow.ly/RJ1r30mTwMZ @writingcookbook #TopTweets2018
Public Domain Day Is Coming: On January 1st, 2019, Copyrighted Works Will Enter the Public Domain for the First Time in 21 Years: http://ow.ly/z0p830n8Gqf @jdmagness @openculture #wkb5c
On The Many Visions of Voyeurism in Crime Fiction: http://ow.ly/1QhE30mM4FR @ClaireFuller2 @CrimeReads #TopTweets2018
What Writing Fanfiction Taught Me as an Editor: http://ow.ly/CsAa30mCozO @writersyndrome @UncannyMagazine #TopTweets2018
How to Use Swag to Support Your Book Marketing: http://ow.ly/CgjB30mTxOs @proflangley @JaneFriedman #TopTweets2018
How To Define Your Character’s Narrative: http://ow.ly/VW4V30mUBKI @Writers_Write #TopTweets2018
6 Iconic Literary Road Trips in the US To Inspire Your Inner Creative: http://ow.ly/Ci3W30mLwSj @WomenWriters #TopTweets2018
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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January 3, 2019
Tips to Organize 2019
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Happy New Year! Hope everyone enjoyed their holidays.
One thing I like to do at the beginning of the year is planning. To me, setting up my year on my calendar isn’t really about goals–it’s just a way to help me visualize when I need to reach out to my production team for editing and design help (and to post upcoming releases on my website for readers to see my timeline). A reader once suggested that I have a ‘Coming Soon‘ page on my site to help her keep my releases straight, and I’ve found that works well.
Ways to stay organized:
Production calendar. I use my Google calendar and then I also put it on my wall calendar. First off, I know how long it takes me to write and revise a book from start to finish: three months. With that in mind, I know an approximate date to ask my editor for help with the book and to send ARCs to my ARC team. While my editor makes edits, I work on the outline for the next book in that same series. Then I contact my cover designer and ask her to make a cover for that book (a book that won’t come out for another seven months or so). I also start setting up my book for preorder online at Amazon, Draft2Digital (for Nook, Apple, Kobo, etc.), StreetLib, Ingram, and PublishDrive. I announce the preorder on social media and on my website. This process helps keep me on track and prevents any issues from arising that might result in the delay of a book.
Blog editorial calendar. I use OneNote for this, but lots of other apps would work (there is also a free download on Gabriela Pereira’s blog). In OneNote, I have a blogging notebook and then a blog editorial calendar section. I have one page that lists the date and the post name and then I use other pages in the section to draft ideas. Not only does it help me keep track of what I’m planning on posting, but I can also list ideas for posts in a spot that helps me remember them and eventually write them. I also enjoy looking at the entire past year of blogging at a glance. If you’ve ever wasted valuable time trying to think of blog posts at the last minute, this is the perfect tool for you.
Google Keep for reminders. Google Keep is a free app that will sync across your devices. It has a nice voice recording feature which helps me record book ideas on the fly. I also like that it can remind me of various things…especially since I think of tasks I need to complete when I’m falling asleep.
Google calendar. Because being organized isn’t just about keeping track of my writing. My Google calendar has everything on it from changing the air filters and the smoke detector batteries to dental appointments and cover conferences. (I do also put big stuff on a wall calendar so that I can more easily see conflicts).
Evernote. I use Evernote for everything from my recipe collection (including notes as to what worked and what bombed) to what I gave everyone for Christmas or their birthday each year.
The most important thing is to find out what works best for you in terms of staying organized and then stick with it.
What are your favorite ways to stay on top of things?
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December 30, 2018
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 48,000 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.
Happy New Year! Be sure to scroll down for the most popular links I shared in 2018. :)
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Moscow’s ‘Non/Fictio№ 20’ Book Fair Hosts 400 Events, 300 Exhibitors: by Eugene Gerden @pubperspectives
Creativity and Inspiration / First Novels
9 Writing Tips for Beginners: @writingcookbook
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
3 Ideas To Inspire Your Writing During The Holidays: @mishy1727 @TheIWSG
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Five Books With Manipulated Memories: by W.L. Goodwater @tordotcom
Editor Roundtable: Jane Eyre: @TheWritership @StoryGrid
8 of the Best Cocktails from Classic Literature: by Alex Day and David Kaplan @SignatureReads
I Hear Santa’s Sleigh: On The Polar Express and What It Means to Believe: @use_theforce_em
When Calvin Met Hobbes: Calvin and Hobbes’ Most Memorable Christmases: @EmmanuelNataf @LitReactor
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
The One Tool You Need to Write Consistently: @NinaAmir
Tips for Fitting in More Writing: @createastorylov
Gave up on NaNoWriMo? Try a gentler, year-round writing challenge: @inkyelbows
4 Essential Strategies for Distraction-Free Writing: by Jon Rumens @NaNoWriMo
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block
How the Grinch Beat Writer’s Block: 4 Lessons from Dr. Seuss’ Classic Christmas: Story by Cassie Lipp @WritersDigest
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
The Angst of Trying to Write Better Emails than Gmail’s Smart Compose Autocomplete: @DKThomp @TheAtlantic
Are You Taking Productive Breaks? @LisaEBetz @A3writers
Business Musings: Getting To The Stories You Love to Write: @KristineRusch
10 Perfect Writer Gifts We Just Made Up: @RL_Maizes @ElectricLit
Why Is Writing So Difficult? Here Are 3 Reasons Why: by Erin Sturm @thewritelife
What Do You Do If You’re Constantly Unhappy with Your Writing Life? @losapala
Write Your Own Touching Holiday Story With a Handy Chart: by Jess Zimmerman @ElectricLit
Writing at Christmas: @writing_ie
Genres / Horror
7 Tips For Writing Horror Stories: @AlanBaxter @thecreativepenn
Genres / Miscellaneous
Walking the Line When Submitting to the Christian Market: @RachelleGardner
How to Write Scientific Fiction: Analyzing Carl Sagan’s ‘Contact’: @DustinGrinnell @WritersDigest
Genres / Mystery
Disapproval of Character Marriages as an Element of Crime Fiction: @mkinberg
Jessica Fletcher and ‘Murder, She Wrote’ Are Alive and Well: @JonDLand @CrimeReads
Crime Novels that Take a Witty View of Society: @mkinberg
What You Can Learn about Writing Cozy Mysteries from Hallmark Christmas Movies: by Jennifer Donovan @MinotaurBooks @CareerAuthors @hallmarkmovie
Genres / Non-Fiction
How to Define and Describe Your Readership: A Confusing Issue for Nonfiction Book Proposals: @JaneFriedman
Genres / Romance
What Makes a Compelling Romance Novel? @ReedsyHQ
Genres / Screenwriting
Screenwriting: Reflections on “It’s a Wonderful Life”: @SunsetGunShot @GoIntoTheStory
“A Charlie Brown Christmas”: The Christmas Classic that Almost Wasn’t: @rxena77
Genres / Young Adult
Paying it Forward with YA Fiction: @claireneedell @CareerAuthors
Promo / Connecting with Readers
Your Ideal Reader Informs All 7 Stages of Publishing: @BookWorksNYC @SmartAuthors
Promo / Miscellaneous
How to Use Swag to Support Your Book Marketing: @proflangley @JaneFriedman
Promo / Newsletters
Simple Steps to an Author Auto-Responder: @MarcyKennedy
Promo / Video
Guest Post! What Authors Can Get Out Of Video Content: by Kayleigh Alexandra @Draft2Digital
Publishing / Miscellaneous
LIMA’s Tani Wong on Leveraging Content Through Licensing: @Porter_Anderson
Climate Crisis and Fake News Top 2018 International Research Papers: @Porter_Anderson @altmetric
Industry Notes: MVB US Announces Successful Pubnet 2.0 Migration: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
3 Publishing Veterans From the ‘Cubicles of the Business’ Now Rep Authors as Agents: @blackpooltower @missjkill by @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / News / Data
2018 in Review at Canada’s Wattpad: 51 Percent More Readings in Muslim Romance: @Porter_Anderson @AshleighGardner
Publishing / News / International Publishing
IPR License Signs S. Fischer Publishing Houses in Germany to Its Network: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
In Paris, a Meeting of Franco-Arabic Publishers: Challenges and Hopes: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectives
Publishing / Process / Legalities
Upon My Death: What Happens To An Author’s Unfinished Work? @helpfulsnowman
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
How To Define Your Character’s Narrative: @Writers_Write
Make Your Characters Flawsome: by S.E. White
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
3 Ways Ursula K. Le Guin Can Help You Improve Your Writing: by Rebecca Langley @standoutbooks
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
3 Writing Challenges That Will Make You a Better Writer: @DavidHSafford @write_practice
How Eavesdropping Can Improve Your Writing: @EdieMelson
Writing Craft / POV
Write Third-Person Narrative Better: @KathyEdens1 @ProWritingAid
How Many Viewpoint Characters in Your Novel? @SnowflakeGuy
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
Problem Words and Abbreviations: @ZoeMMcCarthy
Writing Craft / Scenes
Tips for Writing Powerful Scenes: @SarahSallyHamer @EdieMelson
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
The Sights, Sounds and Smells of Writing About Food: @FinishedPages @womenonwriting
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
Tips for Using Strong Verbs: @TCKPublishing
Uncategorized
Rights Roundup: The Midway Point at London Book Fair: @Porter_Anderson @LondonBookFair @pubperspectives #TopTweets2018
Interested in being a full-time writer? My thoughts on what it takes: (guest post with @annerallen ) #TopTweets2018
How To Focus On Writing Right Now: http://ow.ly/Xp2o30mGtYv @BadRedheadMedia #TopTweets2018
‘In Regard To’ vs. ‘In Regards To’: http://ow.ly/9qJk30mzO6n @GrammarGirl #TopTweets2018
3 Tips for Improving Show, Don’t Tell: http://ow.ly/PXZB30mCVNr @KMWeiland #TopTweets2018
Three Ways to Edit Scenes: http://ow.ly/udz230mtkEl @Lindasclare #TopTweets2018
How to Cherish Language: http://ow.ly/2bXY30mBMDv @KMWeiland #TopTweets2018
Rights Roundup: A Handful of Titles for the Holidays: http://ow.ly/EonV30mOqat @Porter_Anderson @malusken @GuillaumePitron @SiriPettersen #TopTweets2018
Lose The Plot: http://ow.ly/TB3W30moAR1@LouiseVoss1 @WomenWriters #TopTweets2018
Bucket List for Writers: http://ow.ly/9fjG30myyN6 by Keith Cronin @WriterUnboxed #TopTweets208
What Writing Fanfiction Taught Me as an Editor: http://ow.ly/CsAa30mCozO @writersyndrome @UncannyMagazine #TopTweets2018
Want to Self-Publish Fiction Successfully? Follow These 9 Tips: http://ow.ly/8ZkI30msJia @annerallen #TopTweets2018
Dialogue Isn’t Everything (How to Keep Your Characters Busy): http://ow.ly/A43i30mAh7Q @FinishedPages @womenonwriting #TopTweets2018
Screenwriting: Top 5 Scene Description Mistakes Writers Make: http://ow.ly/qer530mqssf @Bang2write #TopTweets2018
10 Books to help you feel like a real writer when you’re discouraged: http://ow.ly/wmTR30mguaW @JanetBoyer @annerallen #TopTweets2018
Max Boot’s ‘Corrosion of Conservatism’: A ‘Big Book’ for WW Norton at Frankfurt: http://ow.ly/s9Tc30m9Oy8 @Porter_Anderson @MaxBoot #TopTweets2018
How Wilkie Collins found sensation in ordinary life: http://ow.ly/mTqz30lOMcC @samjordison @GuardianBooks #TopTweets2018
The 12 Best and Worst Things That Can Happen After Your Freelance Article Is Accepted: http://ow.ly/Z87J30lUGA8 @Susanshapironet @WritersDigest #TopTweets2018
A Librarian’s Life: Buddy, the Library Isn’t a 7-Eleven”: http://ow.ly/5jAt30lPHQa @Kristen_Arnett @lithub #TopTweets2018
Breaking the 4th Wall in Scene Description: http://ow.ly/ziCt30m7NjR @GoIntoTheStory #TopTweets2018
Giving Ourselves Permission to Write: http://ow.ly/jEtf30lZJg5 @KerrySchafer @WomenWriters #TopTweets2018
5 Ways to Use the Enneagram to Write Better Characters: http://ow.ly/JglO30lXGuF @KMWeiland #TopTweets2018
Urban Fantasy Noir: 7 Urban Fantasy Crime Novels With Dark Sensibilities: http://ow.ly/hGJW30lY1gw @Richard_Kadrey @CrimeReads #TopTweets2018
A Fantasy Geek’s Guide to YouTube: Weapons and Warfare: http://ow.ly/6V9V30m64vX @RMarpole @FantasyFaction #TopTweets2018
10 Exercises to Become a Better Writer: http://ow.ly/XCUY30lTKrj @ReedsyHQ #TopTweets2018
7 Novels That Capture the Pain and Chaos of Alcoholism: http://ow.ly/oaHl30lQ3Jm @laura_june @lithub #TopTweets2018
How to Write Historical Fiction That Comes Alive: http://ow.ly/fjrA30m642d @JimmyWriter @CareerAuthors #TopTweets2018
The Satisfaction of Excellence: The Growth Mindset for Writers: http://ow.ly/I3zW30lqaeF @jennienash #TopTweets2018
What is the Best Service for Print on Demand Books? http://ow.ly/Cq6230lKCU3 @ReedsyHQ #TopTweets2018
‘Vintage Man Booker’ Is Launched, an Online Retrospective on the Prize’s First 50 Years: http://ow.ly/4PmH30lHVbY @Porter_Anderson @ManBookerPrize #TopTweets2018
The Dos and Don’ts of Supporting Your Local Library: http://ow.ly/QxIu30lE9ZE @Kristen_Arnett @lithub #TopTweets2018
Use The 7 Deadly Sins To Strengthen Your Antagonist’s Motives: http://ow.ly/kjlX30lsB2b @Writers_Write #TopTweets2018
How to Start a Local Writing Group: http://ow.ly/V0G930lyfy5 @shaylaleeraquel #TopTweets2018
Crafting A Fall: Turning Heroes to the Dark Side: http://ow.ly/HXy230lt0U7 by Aaron Miles @FantasyFaction #TopTweets2018
“Mistakes I Made as a New Indie Author”: http://ow.ly/ypxe30lxWoB @Creativindie @annerallen #TopTweets2018″
Use reversal to hook the reader: http://ow.ly/abCZ30lLOez @kseniaanske #TopTweets2018
Interested in being a full-time writer? My thoughts on what it takes: http://ow.ly/tkmz30mZCR7 (guest post with @annerallen ) #TopTweets2018
Five Books About Unconventional Pirates: http://ow.ly/jCFR30lJJQj @seesarawrite @tordotcom #TopTweets2018
Why Backstory Should Be The Scar Tissue Of Your Book: http://ow.ly/rzPw30lEa3u @Writers_Write #TopTweets2018
On (Re)Writing Real-Life Tragedy: http://ow.ly/v1oS30lhywz @KimberlySBelle @WomenWriters #TopTweets2018
5 Things George R. R. Martin Can Teach You About Writing: http://ow.ly/KUEW30lebAu @FredBobJohn #TopTweets2018
The 13 Unluckiest Characters In Fiction: http://ow.ly/k8SP30lnaUK @xymarla @LitReactor #TopTweets2018
Telling LGBTQ Love Stories with Happy Endings Is a Form of Resistance: http://ow.ly/pKlW30l6Twl @CamillePerri @ElectricLit #TopTweets2018
New Report: American Teens Spend Less Time Reading: http://ow.ly/gkx830lvyg7 @Porter_Anderson @jean_twenge #TopTweets2018
For the Love of Libraries: http://ow.ly/RYb130l92bM @SarahMMcCoy @WriterUnboxed #TopTweets2018
10 Reasons Book Reviews Still Matter: http://ow.ly/jDkx30ln0QW @Gabino_Iglesias #TopTweets2018
Poems for Any Occasion: http://ow.ly/wVP730l3MM9 @AnnieNeugebauer @LitReactor #TopTweets2018
How young writers are leading a poetry comeback: http://ow.ly/PmTh30lmKFL @JenHijaz @NewsHour #TopTweets2018
Punctuation Boot Camp: http://ow.ly/fJps30llQjz by Gail Radley @TheWriterMag #TopTweets2018
When To Utilize An Ensemble Cast and How To Do It Well: http://ow.ly/JxN830lpGjr @JoshuaIsard @LitReactor #TopTweets2018
A plea to authors to speak out about piracy: http://ow.ly/5jt830lmPNu @Roz_Morris #TopTweets2018
What It Means to Be a Writing Teacher in the Age of School Shootings: http://ow.ly/XRHe30kJybQ @elisejuska @ElectricLit #TopTweets2018
How to Create a Character Profile: the Ultimate Guide (with Template): http://ow.ly/LfvG30kJyfs @ReedsyHQ #TopTweets2018
Agent Spotlight Interview with Literary Agent @eerie_o : http://ow.ly/OfHw30kLe6k @NatalieIAguirre #TopTweets2018
How the Truth Your Character Believes Defines Your Theme: http://ow.ly/2UcJ30kG8Kf @KMWeiland #TopTweets2018
9 Things I Learned From Reading 45 Books At Once: http://ow.ly/YmWS30kNAvQ @Gabino_Iglesias #TopTweets2018
Who Will Buy Your Book? Validation isn’t the Point: http://ow.ly/YWBm30kA5YY @t_mcallister @The_Millions #TopTweets2018
What is a Denouement? And How to Use It: http://ow.ly/GUZV30kKqTf @ReedsyHQ #TopTweets2018
4 Ways to Write a Better Antagonist: http://ow.ly/FcGx30kNApk @KMWeiland #TopTweets2018
Tips for Reading Longer Classical Novels: http://ow.ly/xSRd30kRy5a @VivGroskop @GuardianBooks #TopTweets2018
12 Rules for Writing a Biographical Novel: http://ow.ly/gfMw30kMgAw @sallykoslow @CareerAuthors #TopTweets2018
Discover the Plot of Your Post-Apocalyptic Novel With a Handy Chart: http://ow.ly/9MZz30kQXx7 by Jess Zimmerman and Halimah Marcus @ElectricLit #TopTweets2018
Why Your First Novel Isn’t Crap: http://ow.ly/5wBw30kSEQA @LisaLisax31 #TopTweets2018
What Does It Mean to Be a Disabled Writer? http://ow.ly/SQm830kmA0m by Alex Lu @Keah_Maria @esmewang @ElectricLit #TopTweets2018
Want Publishing Success? Be a Great Writer and Clever Marketer: http://ow.ly/3t4C30kka5Z @EvatopiaLit @BadRedheadMedia #TopTweets2018
7 Reasons You Need To Hire an Author Assistant Right Now: http://ow.ly/kzF330k9jWb @TheRuralVA @BadRedheadMedia #TopTweets2018
8 Types Of Opening Scenes That Could Work For Your Book: http://ow.ly/CINF30kpXFR @Writers_Write #TopTweets2018
9 Quotes About The Library As A Temple: http://ow.ly/4dIZ30kfJgK @TomBlunt @SignatureReads #TopTweets2018
Supporting Disability Amongst Writers: http://ow.ly/yt8w30k4LKj @nick45wood @sfwa #TopTweets2018
How Reader Analytics Can Support Publishers’ Decisions: http://ow.ly/QSqN30kHMVb @Porter_Anderson @ContecMXOficial #TopTweets2018
10 Cliffhangers That Make Readers Turn The Page: http://ow.ly/RbpQ30kjnXu @Writers_Write #TopTweets2018
The Novel Within the Novel: 8 Meta Stories With Thrillers Inside: http://ow.ly/Gimz30k3BQJ @sarabooks @CrimeReads #TopTweets2018
Rejected? Top 5 Tips What To Do About It: http://ow.ly/FsGe30ke8AG @Bang2write #TopTweets2018
What is a plot point? Find and Plan Clear Story Events: http://ow.ly/XbZU30kcyuw @nownovel #TopTweets2018
Reading Your Story Out Loud in the Revision Period: http://ow.ly/f2h330kxIUh @NickPWilford @TheIWSG #TopTweets2018
Important Reasons Authors Need to Think About Blogging: http://ow.ly/kOpk30kuirv @kikimojo @BadRedheadMedia #TopTweets2018
On Telling Ugly Stories: Writing with a Chronic Illness: http://ow.ly/7fPM30jUHe9 @TisforThompson @parisreview #TopTweets2018
What Exactly Does a Librarian Do? Everything: http://ow.ly/eadf30jAI7l @Kristen_Arnett @lithub #TopTweets2018
A Bunch of Hard Truths About Publishing: http://ow.ly/kXM730jWJUT @RuthanneReid #TopTweets2018
The Best Podcasts for Writers: http://ow.ly/cMjt30jADT8 @WrittenWordM #TopTweets2018
Why All Writers Should Play Dungeons & Dragons: http://ow.ly/Sgwn30jZSDc @ElectricLit #TopTweets2018
Writing Realistic Antagonists: http://ow.ly/xOhB30kc8nN @TyreanMartinson @TheIWSG #TopTweets2018
6 Simple Ways To Help You Find Out What Your Memoir’s About: http://ow.ly/E7Fz30jYhTO @Writers_Write #TopTweets2018
10 Literary Classics We (Not So) Secretly Hate: http://ow.ly/mXIs30jzxkX @knownemily @lithub #TopTweets2018
How To Show Your Alpha Hero is In Control Even When Writing In Deep POV: http://ow.ly/FGYZ30jStXZ @LisaHallWilson #TopTweets2018
How to Find the Conflict in a Story: http://ow.ly/uGVx30jXKmX @DavidHSafford #TopTweets2018
10 Literary Holidays We Desperately Need: http://ow.ly/eeSc30jGLaE @helpfulsnowman #TopTweets2018
Creating a fantasy map: making your fantasy world real: http://ow.ly/ozlq30jywOF @Magpie_Richie @SchmidtJesper #TopTweets2018
Is British English Conquering America, or Vice Versa? http://ow.ly/HUsa30juvjG @lynneguist @nytimesbooks #TopTweets2018
Rights Roundup: The Midway Point at London Book Fair: http://ow.ly/NB8930jqQLo @Porter_Anderson @LondonBookFair @pubperspectives #TopTweets2018
Developing Your Cozy Mystery Story Concept: http://ow.ly/PQD730jCRe2 #TopTweets2018
John Grisham’s 8 Dos And Don’ts For Popular Fiction: http://ow.ly/P1Ue30jmY9l @writerswrite #TopTweets2018
Kerouac’s 30 Rules for Writing: http://ow.ly/ZrXU30jpyQc @Writers_Write #TopTweets2018
10 Success Tips from J.K. Rowling: http://ow.ly/b2MX30ju6mi @JennyHansenCA #TopTweets2018
PEN America takes on the problems writers face in online harassment with a new guide for protection: http://ow.ly/qo0N30jIMTT @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives #TopTweets2018
Real World Writing Schedules: http://ow.ly/8sNx30jpz3d by Karl J. Folk @kseniaanske #TopTweets2018
The Strange Magic of Libraries: http://ow.ly/me4530joRAC @StuartKells @parisreview #TopTweets2018
How to Create Pre-Launch Buzz: http://ow.ly/AWop30j1G9E @BadRedheadMedia #TopTweets2018
How to plan a successful DIY book tour: http://ow.ly/8xpf30jvxXF @byJenAMiller @TheWriterMag #TopTweets2018
11 Ways to Promote Preorder Books that Drive Real Results: http://ow.ly/aXmD30juo1U @ThereseWalsh #TopTweets2018
10 Things The Gym Taught Me About Writing: http://ow.ly/Y2XH30itajQ @Gabino_Iglesias @LitReactor #TopTweets2018
Top Ten Peeves of creative writing teachers: http://ow.ly/skP830iK8G8 By Melodie Campbell @annerallen #TopTweets2018
Agent Spotlight Interview with @literarycarrie from @LDLiteraryhttp http://ow.ly/p6Rg30iL1EG @NatalieIAguirre #TopTweets2018
What’s Your Ideal Writing Life? http://ow.ly/O0mq30iMuTp @LifesizeLD @WritersDigest #TopTweets2018
How Authors Can Build An Indie Empire: How You Advertise Matters: http://ow.ly/8I7230iSu6S @TraciTyneHilton on @EdieMelson #TopTweets2018
Writing a Cozy Mystery: The Murder: http://ow.ly/9U4P30iAwSt @LauraDiSilverio #TopTweets2018
Ten Reasons Why You Need an Editor: http://ow.ly/nZmD30izWM8 @carolcram @WomenWriters #TopTweets2018
13 Writers Who Grew to Hate Their Own Books: http://ow.ly/rY9N30iqMrq @knownemily@lithub #TopTweets2018
Norway’s Big Translation Rights Year: ‘An Increasing International Appeal’: http://ow.ly/BgGQ30jbRqb @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives #TopTweets2018
Want To Invent A Fictional Language? Here’s How To Do It: http://ow.ly/QDAy30iRVYb by Robert Wood @standoutbooks #TopTweets2018
Pros and Cons of Pre-Plotting a Novel before Writing: http://ow.ly/XCW730iTC1q @plotwhisperer #TopTweets2018
Crime fiction: when sleuths have to go back to the drawing board: http://ow.ly/xdND30j18Jz @mkinberg #TopTweets2018
How Netflix is Changing Science Fiction (Beyond Big Marketing Gimmicks): http://ow.ly/jIdC30iHEp7 @AlasdairStuart @tordotcom #TopTweets2018
Ten Steps to Perfect Cover Design: http://ow.ly/fZpH30imlMw @RuthanneReid #TopTweets2018
An Agent Or Editor Is Interested: What Next? http://ow.ly/iykG30imlHI @jules_writes #TopTweets2018
It’s Okay to Use Adverbs: http://ow.ly/VSp130imm2u @Janice_Hardy #TopTweets2018
Strategies for bringing yourself back to writing: http://ow.ly/PY3v30imlyC @MichalskiLiz @WriterUnboxed #TopTweets2018
On Ghostwriting: http://ow.ly/OsvQ30imlsv @GhostwriterBook @ReedsyHQ #TopTweets2018
Opening Action: how to make it work: http://ow.ly/JuTK30imlZM @ml_keller #TopTweets2018
Ten Things Learned from Ursula K. Le Guin: http://ow.ly/1QHX30imli0 by Karen Joy Fowler @parisreview #TopTweets2018
How to Grow Your Writing Portfolio This Year: http://ow.ly/leEV30ikAe2 @RDCwrites #TopTweets2018
Real Writers Power thru the Flu, Right? Wrong: http://ow.ly/HM8230imlVY @RosanneBane #TopTweets2018
Agent Nermin Mollaoglu: The French Market Is Beginning To Open Its Doors to Turkish Books: http://ow.ly/YbMs30iDTJS @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives #TopTweets2018
Nuclear Radiation for Writers: http://ow.ly/NjoQ30ikAc8 @DanKoboldt @RebeccaEnzor #TopTweets2018
How Writers Can Beat Imposter Syndrome: http://ow.ly/FoBi30ikAaj @kcrosswriting @lornafaith #TopTweets2018
3 Steps to Increase your Discoverability: http://ow.ly/E1iW30hFBWw by Bryan Oettel @CareerAuthors #TopTweets2018
5 Tips on Writing Multiple Points of View While Keeping the Reader in Suspense: http://ow.ly/z52c30hJFMU @TRRaganAuthor @WritersDigest #TopTweets2018
Improve Your Novel By Writing a Screenplay: http://ow.ly/KjZV30hpQD6 @JocelynRish @MartinaABoone #TopTweets2018
How to Write a Hook: 8 Tips to Lure in Readers: http://ow.ly/OymN30hmYnW @nownovel #TopTweets2018
Unpublished Writers and Websites: Should You Have One and What Should It Say? http://ow.ly/tfeR30hcj8O @JaneFriedman #TopTweets2018
How to Write When You Don’t Have Time: http://ow.ly/mG4a30hlTWr @SeptCFawkes #TopTweets2018
The semicolon is pointless, and it’s ruining your writing: http://ow.ly/Kk6q30hFzS7 @shadimirza #TopTweets2018
Why Even New Writers Need to Prepare an Author Bio: http://ow.ly/YZbW30hA1bZ @annerallen #TopTweets2018
Presenting Your Book Cover (in a Media Kit): http://ow.ly/8eQ530hymDZ @BuildYourBrandA #TopTweets2018
A.A. Milne on Happiness and How Winnie-the-Pooh Was Born: http://ow.ly/im0230hRZgI @brainpicker #TopTweets2018
How Indie Presses Are Elevating the Publishing World: http://ow.ly/ppcO30hCkEr @jbakernyc @RMoralesKearns @lcheuk @ForestAvePress #TopTweets2018
55 Social Media Hashtags For Authors (And How To Use Them): http://ow.ly/JBbq30hvyVg @WritersRelief #TopTweets2018
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
December 15, 2018
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 48,000 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.
New Stuff
Reedsy has a podcast designed to help new writers learn more about writing and self-publishing a book, “one chapter at a time.” Find out more here.
Happy Holidays to all who celebrate. I will be taking a blog break until I return two weeks from today with all the top tweets from 2018. I’ll be back on a regular blogging scheduled on Friday, January 4.
Business / Miscellaneous
How to be prolific: @thecreativepenn @beprolifiko
Teaching Writing: Writing Conferences: What to Do When a Writer Doesn’t Say Much? @LannyBall
Don’ts for Publishers in 2019: by Richard Charkin @pubperspectives
Crisis Management For Authors: @cksyme @thecreativepenn
7 Things You Need In A Writing Partner: by Gila Green @Writers_Write
6 Tips to Manage Your Book Editor: by Dana Isaacson @CareerAuthors
How Do I Get a Foreword for My Book? by Alex Fullerton @IngramSpark
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
British Book Awards Expanded for 2019 in Children’s Books, Small Presses: @Porter_Anderson
ALDUS Network’s Facts and Figures 2018 Report: Book Fairs in Europe: @Porter_Anderson
Do Bookstore Events Even Matter? by Dana Kaye @BookBaby
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
6 Iconic Literary Road Trips in the US To Inspire Your Inner Creative: @WomenWriters
10 Creative Writing Exercises for Beginners and Writers: @TCKPublishing
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
8 Books about Family Money: @bykathywang @ElectricLit
11 Modern Classics of Conspiracy Noir: @DwyerMurphy @CrimeReads
George R. R. Martin Might Never Finish A Song of Ice and Fire, and That’s OK: @Rosserford @BNBuzz
A Reading List of Books Published Posthumously: @JRRamakrishnan @ElectricLit
9 Great Medical Thrillers—Chosen by a Physician: @LydiaYKang @CrimeReads
8 Modern Gothic Mysteries to Read Now: @wendywebbauthor @CrimeReads
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block
6 Ways to Deal with Your Inner Critic: @writingthrulife
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
Why You Should Stop Calling Yourself An ‘Aspiring Writer’: @Bang2write
5 Lessons From a Lost Novel: @KMWeiland
Three ways to get the most out of your writing community: @TheLeighShulman
A Reading List for Combating Impostor Syndrome: @natasha__young @ElectricLit
Writer Wellness: Handling Reviews and the Sedentary Lifestyle: @allisonmaruska @colleen_m_story
Writer Confidence: Do You Self-Reject? @JamiGold
How To Stop Being An Unhappy Writer: @Bang2write
Tips for Making the Writing Life Less-Stressful:
Genres / Fantasy
History for Fantasy Writers: Millers: by E.L. Skip Knox @mythicscribes
Genres / Horror
Plausible Scares: Blending the Real and Unreal in Horror Fiction: @DustinGrinnell @WritersDigest
5 Horror Techniques from the Writers of “Hereditary”: @mindofkyleam @ProWritingAid
How Horror Changed After WWI: @monstersamerica @lithub
Genres / Miscellaneous
10 Essential Elements to Include in Your Gothic Novel: @CareerAuthors
Genres / Mystery
Make Your Mystery Suspects Suspicious: @ZaraAltair
Why Investigative Reporters Become Mystery Writers: by Steven Cooper @CrimeReads
Your Sleuth in First Person Point of View: @ZaraAltair
Sidekick – The Sleuth’s Mirror: @ZaraAltair
The Sleuth Triumphant – Confront the Killer at the End of Your Mystery: @ZaraAltair
Developing a New Cozy Series: Nuts and Bolts:
The Detective Closes In – Begin the Final Act of Your Mystery: @ZaraAltair
Defining a Cozy Mystery: @vickidelany @KillerNashville
On The Many Visions of Voyeurism in Crime Fiction: @ClaireFuller2 @CrimeReads
Where to Hide the Body: Setting in Murder Mysteries: @eawright @WomenWriters
Crime Fiction: Using Moles for Inside Information: @mkinberg
Planted Evidence as an Element of Crime Fiction: @mkinberg
Genres / Non-Fiction
Enliven Your Nonfiction Writing: @AnneJanzer @NonfictionAssoc
8 Tips for a Marketable Nonfiction Book Proposal: @melanievotaw @NonfictionAssoc
Genres / Picture Books
Children’s Books Get More Political and More Progressive: @jpinsk @TheAtlantic
Genres / Romance
The Origin of Clinch Covers on Romance Novels: by Jessica Avery @BookRiot
Promo / Ads
How to Use Paid Promotions to Launch Your Book: @kikimojo
Promo / Blogging
How to Write a Great Blog Post: A Beginner’s Guide: @crsmihai
Promo / Book Reviews
The Plus Side of Negative Reviews: by Craig Tuch @pbackwriter
Promo / Connecting with Readers
Staying Afloat in the Roiling Sea of Books: @jamesscottbell
Promo / Miscellaneous
7 Ways To Market Books For Children: @kareninglis @DavidGaughran
Being Published: Publicity: @emma_darwin
Have You Pre-Sold Your Book? @JFbookman
7 Ways to Write Book Promotion into Your Novel: @Bookgal
Promo / Platforms
Build Your Writer Platform: Create a Strategic Plan to Grow Your Writing Career: @KimberleyGrabas
Promo / Social Media Tips
How to Use Instagram Stories for Your Author Platform: @EJWenstrom @DIYMFA
How Authors Can Get the Most Out of Twitter: @ReedsyHQ
Promo / Video
Popular BookTube Channels for Possible Author Promo: @ReedsyHQ
Publishing / News / Amazon
Amazon Literary Partnership Is Accepting 2019 Applications in ‘A Writer’s Life Cycle’ @Porter_Anderson @nealthompson
Publishing / News / Data
AAP StatShot Monthly Report for October: A Rare Rise for Ebooks: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / News / International Publishing
UK Trade Associations Call for Professional Behavior in a Diverse Industry: @Porter_Anderson @MerylHalls @lizzykremer
Luiz Schwarcz Tackles Brazil’s Bookselling Emergency: ‘The Gift of Books’: @Porter_Anderson
Jorge Herralde of Spain’s Anagrama on Latin America and Being Adaptable: by Adam Critchley @pubperspectives
Industry Notes: Bologna Round Table in New York; New ‘Handmaid’ Images in Milan: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Denmark’s LEGO Has Licensing Partnership With USA’s Chronicle Books: @Porter_Anderson
Publishers Applaud Appeals Court Opinion in ‘Capitol Records v. ReDigi’ Copyright Case: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing
5 Things to Know about Being Published: @nicolamorgan @TheIWSG
Publishing / Process / Book Design
How to Capture Alternating Plot Lines on a Book Cover: by Donna Cheng @lithub
Publishing / Process / Legalities
Copyright Clearance Center’s Michael Healy: South Africa’s Copyright Bill: @Porter_Anderson @copyrightclear
The Importance of Copyright Savvy: @KristineRusch
Pen Name Generators and 5 Steps to Choose a Cool Pen Name: @DaveChesson
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Make Your Characters Memorable: Tips: @JordanDane @killzoneauthors
3 Redemptive Character Types: @SeptCFawkes
Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion
Evoking Emotions in Readers in a Masterful Way: @LiveWriteThrive
Writing Craft / Conflict
Tips for Writing Fight Scenes: from Sandy Dragon
Writing Craft / Dialogue
Adding Beats: Meaningful Actions that Move Your Story Along: @SueBEdwards
How to Write Better Dialogue: from Warrior Writers
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Writing by Intuition: @SeptCFawkes
Inciting Incident: Definition, Mythbusting, and Examples: @ReedsyHQ
Writing Craft / Plot Holes
How to Fix a Plot Hole in Your Novel (From 14 Writing Experts): @writingcookbook
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Naming
Creatively Smart Ways to Come Up With Your Book Title: @DaveChesson
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
Writing Subplots that Sing: @Lindasclare
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research
4 Tips to Balance Research and Writing: @DanKoboldt @NaNoWriMo
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats
How Does the Catalyst Beat Vary According to Genre? (podcast): @savethecat
Writing Craft / Revision
Radical Revision: when the going gets tough, writers get radical: @RuthHarrisBooks
10 Ways You Can Improve Your Work With Critical Reading: by Rebecca Langley @standoutbooks
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
Unveiling your characters: Physical description with style: @LouiseHarnby
Writing Craft / Voice
Four Tips for Moving Between Fiction and Nonfiction Writing Voices: @kayladeanwrites @DIYMFA
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
The Pitfalls of Emotional Body Language in Your Writing: by T.D. Storm
What’s Wrong with Adjectives and Adverbs? @WritingForward
5 Ways Language Can Act Like A Character: @jcwalton24 @DIYMFA
Writing Tools / Resources
How to Introduce a Character – Fill-in-the-Blanks Worksheet & Tips: @EvaDeverell
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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The post Twitterific Writing Links appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
December 13, 2018
Tips for Making the Writing Life Less-Stressful
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Although I love what I do and can’t really imagine myself doing anything else, it’s not as if the writing life isn’t stressful. It’s not all The Neighborhood of Make-Believe.
There are always things that need our attention that compete with writing–kids, our parents, household repairs, jobs, etc. Then there’s managing daily life: meals, appointments, events. On top of it all, we need to take care of ourselves (probably the last thing on most of our lists, but one of the most important): exercise, sleep, healthy eating.
Invariably in interviews I’m asked how I manage everything and keep a sense of balance. I know exactly how I manage everything…I’m the queen of organization. I organize things (even other people in my family) within an inch of their lives. The balance? Well, some days are more balanced than others.
Here are some of my tips for keeping sane as a writer:
Lists: I’ve talked a lot about my lists and am sure I’ll do it again soon. It’s what keeps me from completely losing track of everything. My tools: I use Evernote for recipes (including notes on who liked what and who thought something needed broccoli in it, etc.). I use Google Keep to remind me of important things (you can set notifications) and to make a menu and shopping list for the week…that way I always have it with me. I use OneNote for keeping track of ISBNs, formatting notes, IngramSpark codes, etc. I also use calendars to keep me organized–more about this, specifically, in a post coming up on Jan. 4.
Batching tasks: This is just a productivity trick that works well for me. Once I get my head into a task, it makes sense for me to keep doing it instead of switching to something else or multitasking. So if I write one blog post, it makes sense to write 2 or 3 more. If I am assigning ISBNs for a book, I may as well go ahead and assign them for the next book in another series. And I always outline the next book in Series A after finishing a book in Series A and before switching over to a book in Series B.
Timers: I live by my timers because they help get me over that initial I don’t want to do this. That might be working on my outline for 20 minutes or it might be sitting down and making a list of what’s left to do to get ready for Christmas. My favorite one right now is a Pomodoro-style, free online timer: https://tomato-timer.com You can change the times in settings. I have one for 12 minutes, one for 10 minutes, and one for 5 minutes.
My approach to things that might be procrastinated: I take the most important (or most dreaded) tasks of the day and get them out of the way the very first thing. For me, it’s writing and exercise. Some people call this ‘eating the frog first.’
Planning for the week ahead: On Sundays, I take a look at my calendar for the week and get a sense of what’s ahead. This is also when I plan my menus for the week and make a grocery list.
Paperwork: Taxes aren’t fun. I have a CPA to help me now because my taxes started getting confusing five years ago. Through the year, whenever I have a writing-related expense (this could be postage to mail books…and the gas it took to drive to the post office, pro-level software for tools like Hootsuite and Feedly, cover design, website support, etc.), I add it to a special folder. It also helps that I have a bank account solely for my writing business and can see deposits and withdrawals there.
Saying no: I used to rarely say no to opportunities, maybe fearing I wouldn’t get more offers. But this past year I’ve been asked to do any number of things and turned them down in favor of writing (and working on all the other things I’m juggling).
These are just a few ways that I try to keep my life from getting too hectic…what are some of yours?
Tips for Organizing Your Writing Life:
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December 9, 2018
Developing a New Cozy Series: Nuts and Bolts
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Today I thought I’d cover my process for starting a new cozy series. This post isn’t intended to replace the more in-depth posts I created for developing a sleuth, sidekick, setting, et al. For tips on the nitty gritty part of developing those specific elements, see those particular posts and this series.
My thought on creating a new series this time was to look at all the specific elements and put them on a Word document. I brainstormed ideas for each element and wrote down pros and cons of every choice.
I started out with the sleuth. Considerations were: age of the sleuth, gender of the sleuth (there are cozies with male sleuths…I’ve been asked about this regularly by male mystery writers), sleuth’s occupation (the theme/hook is incredibly important in a cozy mystery), and his or her personality type.
The theme or hook of the book came next. As I mentioned in this post, the choice of theme is a big one for cozy mysteries. I made the list, considering how comfortable I’d feel writing the theme long-term, how much research was entailed in the hook, and how saturated the market was with that particular theme.
The setting came next. Considerations: fictional or real (there are advantages to both, although now I prefer a made-up town with real origins so that I can map the setting in my head)? Small town or city (the majority of cozies use small towns, but there are successful series set in cities)? What is the main setting for the hook (for me, it’s been a barbeque restaurant and a quilt shop…the Myrtle series, however, doesn’t have one and it works fine)?
Then I considered the sidekick. What was I looking for in a sidekick? What age in relation to the sleuth? What gender? Does the sidekick provide the humorous bits (humor also important in a cozy), or is the sidekick the straight man? Is the sidekick a friend or a colleague? I came up with a list of candidates and pros and cons of all the choices. (Would having a retired male sidekick be too similar to another of my series? Would having a really outgoing sidekick with my more-introverted sleuth lead to scene-stealing?)
I moved on to quirky recurring characters. You guessed it: this is another vital component of cozies. First off, how many should I have, considering that I’d need 5 suspects for each story and didn’t want to bog readers down? Next, what was their relation to the sleuth? (In my other series, they’ve been everything from neighbors to book club members, to members in a quilt guild, to shop owners.)
Next, I considered whether to have a love interest for my sleuth. There are a lot of single sleuths out there in cozy mysteries (widowed or unmarried) because avoiding a husband in a mystery series is similar to avoiding having parents in YA books–spouses tend to hold a sleuth back because of the danger involved in their chosen pastime. Considerations: how good am I at pulling off romance (not my forte)? How many recurring characters do I already have? What are readers drawn to…more or less romance (for this I read customer reviews for many series on Amazon. I found that too much focus on the romance seems to irk a lot of cozy readers. It apparently needs to be very secondary to the mystery)?
Pets. Pets are important in cozies (there is an entire subcategory for animal cozies at retail sites). Cat or dog? Animal’s personality? How involved is the pet in the story and in the life of the sleuth? How can the pet help the story along?
After this, I set about on an outline for book one, feeling that I had enough in place to be able to get started on the first story.
How much mapping-out of basics do you do before writing the first book in a series? If you’re a cozy writer, what’s your process like?
Developing a Cozy Mystery Series: Nuts and Bolts:
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December 8, 2018
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 48,000 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.
Business / Miscellaneous
5 Tips for Writing an Introduction for Another Writer’s Book: @Sara_HeartStory @DIYMFA
7 Lessons Learned from Writing for Publication: @_HannahHeath
Managing Deadlines: @EricaVetsch
The 7 Deadly Sins of Editors (According to Novelists): by Steven James and Pam Johnson @WritersDigest
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
School Visit Resources: @sarahlynnereul
The FutureBook’s Breath-Holding Conference: Waiting for Clarity: @Porter_Anderson @TheFutureBook
Frankfurter Buchmesse Announces RightsTech: Europe for April: @Porter_Anderson @themediawonk @nedsherman
The UK’s Sunday Times/PFD Award Names Adam Weymouth Young Writer of the Year: @Porter_Anderson @adamweymouth
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
1 Writer’s Year With Thoreau: @austinkleon
Writing Exercise: POV Swap: from Just a Writing Aid
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Five Books About Heroes Who Shouldn’t Babysit Your Kitten: by Weston Ochse @tordotcom
But How Much Are You Reading? @Porter_Anderson @WriterUnboxed
What Happens When Your Book Collection Goes Up In Smoke? @JeffAbbott
Auspicious Days: Musing on Childhood Readings: @SarahMMcCoy @WriterUnboxed
“How I Would’ve Died In 20 Stephen King Novels”: @helpfulsnowman
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
How to Incorporate Procrastination into Your Writing Schedule: @KathyEdens1 @WritersDigest
4 Ways to Find Time to Write When There Aren’t Enough Hours in the Day: by Warrior Writers
How To Focus On Writing Right Now: @BadRedheadMedia
Keep the Momentum Going with the Good, Better, Best Method: via Warrior Writers
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block
5 Ways to Get Your Writing Unstuck: @terrywhalin
How to Smash 4 Roadblocks That Prevent You from Writing: @LiveWriteThrive
Creativity and Inspiration / Success
7 Steps to Publishing Success by an Accidental Writer: @amyshojai
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
Does Anyone Care About Your Book? @JFbookman
A Cat’s Guide to Being a Mentor: @LisaLisax31
Say Yes To Your Writing AND To Your Relationships: @sowulwords @DIYMFA
Letting Go of Kids, and Characters: @VirginiaPye @WomenWriters
Why you should spend LESS time writing: @pubcoach
Genres / Horror
33 Cool Podcasts for Horror Lovers: @AnnieNeugebauer @LitReactor
How to Write a Horror Story: 7 Tips: @ReedsyHQ
8 Great Horror Podcasts and Their Spookiest Episodes: @slidingbookcase @CrimeReads
Genres / Memoir
3 Questions to Ask Yourself When Writing a Memoir: @EliJaxonBear @WritersDigest
Genres / Middle-Grade
Is the Story Middle Grade or YA? @Jean_Hall
Genres / Miscellaneous
Writing magical realism: by Jack Smith @TheWriterMag
Genres / Mystery
The Mother Archetypes of Crime Fiction: @CatrionaMcP @CrimeReads
Unexpected Investigators in Crime Fiction: @eawright @CrimeReads
The Detective’s Opponent in Your Mystery: @ZaraAltair
Writing a Mystery With Public Domain Characters: @Matt_Ferraz
Keep the Mystery in Your Mystery: @ZaraAltair
How to Bring Action to Your Mystery: @ZaraAltair
Genres / Non-Fiction
How to Succeed with a Second Nonfiction Book Project: @theladyck @NinaAmir
Genres / Poetry
Using Tips from Poetry to Strengthen Our Prose: by Pamela Donison @JamiGold
Genres / Screenwriting
How To Read A Screenplay : Style and Language @GoIntoTheStory
Why Spec Scripts Fail: Formula vs. Structure: @stewartfarquhar @scriptmag
Genres / Short Stories
Flash Fiction: A Short Guide: by Craig Anderson @pbackwriter
Genres / Young Adult
Don’t Sugarcoat Teen Issues in Fiction: @AmySGiles @CrimeReads
Promo / Book Reviews
Pitching Book Bloggers for Reviews: @Bookgal @BookWorksNYC
Clearing up the Confusion About Launch Teams, Influencers, & Book Reviewers: @JodyHedlund
Promo / Connecting with Readers
Which Readers Would Also Read Your Books? Finding Comp Titles: @AmyAlessio @RomanceUniv
Your Target Reader: Identifying and Making the Connection: @SmartAuthors
Promo / Influencers
How to Get Book Blurbs, Endorsements, and Testimonials from Big Names: @TCKPublishing
Promo / Miscellaneous
How Writing Fiction of Different Lengths Offers a Book Marketing Advantage: @alison_morton @IndieAuthorALLI
Five Ways To Maintain Book Buzz While Writing and Managing Post-Pub Life: @LizbethMeredith @AngelaAckerman
Quick and Easy Content Creation Strategies: @KarenBanes
Promo / Newsletters
The Top 4 Pitfalls of Running a Newsletter: by Julianne Q Johnson
Promo / Platforms
Book promotion materials: think branding: @BookDesignBook
Promo / Podcasts
Writing, Marketing, and Publishing Podcasts: @thDigitalReader
Podcast Your Way to Greater Author Brand Recognition: @DaveChesson @BookWorksNYC
Publishing / Miscellaneous
An Agent on Writing, Publishing, and Coaching (Podcast): @RachelleGardner
Publishing / News / International Publishing
Rights Roundup: A Handful of Titles for the Holidays: @Porter_Anderson @malusken @GuillaumePitron @SiriPettersen
Four Agents on Rights Trading at Guadalajara: ‘Hunger and Passion’: by Adam Critchley @pubperspectives
London’s Indonesia Rights Forum: ‘Creative Economy’: @rogertagholm @christmas9 @rickypesik
PEN America Files an Amicus Brief on the Right to Literacy in the States: @Porter_Anderson @PENamerican
Olga Tokarczuk’s Widening Recognition: Switzerland’s Jan Michalski Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Brexit Watch: Authors Join Calls for the UK’s Creative Industries’ Protection: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Industry Notes: Wales’ Hay Festival Tickets, Wattpad’s India Office: @Porter_Anderson @wattpad
Words Without Borders December: ‘Black Literature’ of the Afro-Brazilian Resistance @Porter_Anderson @ericmbbecker @wwborders
Croatia’s Pula Book Fair 2018: Focusing on Freedom: @oliviasnaije @pubperspectives
Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing
Self-Publishing 3.0 And How To Build Success As An Indie Author: @OrnaRoss @thecreativepenn
Writing Craft / Beginnings
5 Ways to Successfully Start a Book With a Dream: @KMWeiland
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
What is in Your Character’s Lifeboat? @diannmills @EdieMelson
How I Write: Going Somewhere with Characters: @jamesagard
How to Balance Character and Action: @JulieHyzy @CareerAuthors
Occupation Thesaurus Entry: Mechanical Engineer: @beccapuglisi
Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion
Leveraging The Emotional Spectrum in Your Writing: by Bonnie Randall
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
Six Ways to Bluff That Your Hero Will Die: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
How Do You Handle Protagonists Who Kill? by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Writing Craft / Endings
Your Story’s Promise: Do You Need an Epilogue? @JamiGold
Writing Craft / Flashback and Back Story
5 Tips on Writing a Trauma Backstory: @LisaHallWilson
Holding Back Your Backstory: @writing_tips
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
4 Things Writers Can Learn From Making a Movie: @KMWeiland
5 Story Grid Lessons Learned from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein: @mrushingwalker @StoryGrid
Writing Craft / Literary Devices
Time as a Literary Device: Flashbacks vs. Non-Linear Structure: @KristenLambTX
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Cause and Effect: A Clear Path to Better Stories: @TheWritership @StoryGrid
How to Use Background and Foreground: @AJHumpage
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Naming
Are you overusing character names in your novel? @lisapoisso
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
How to Deal with Plotter’s Block (Worse Than Writer’s Block): @FrancescaHornak @SignatureReads
5 Moral Dilemmas That Make Characters and Stories Better: via Writers’ Society
A three-act structure is how readers understand stories. Here’s a guide to what should be in Act One: @HankPRyan
How to Plot Your Story Using the But/Therefore: by Bucket Siler
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research
How to Destroy Civilization and Not Be Boring: @jamesdnicoll
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept
7 Steps For Beta Testing A Story Idea: @thecreativepenn @Weifarer
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
Spellcheck Cannot Save You: 5 Author Mistakes to Avoid: @GramrgednAngel @BookWorksNYC
How to use apostrophes in fiction writing: A beginner’s guide: @LouiseHarnby
Writing Craft / Revision
6 Questions to Help You Gut Check Your Story Structure: @swatiteerdhala
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
How to Process and Filter Feedback: @AnnieNeugebauer @WriterUnboxed
5 Tips For Writing A Helpful Critique: by Manuela Williams @DIYMFA
Writing Craft / Scenes
How to Track a Scene: from Warrior Writers
Brainstorming a Scene: @davidfarland
Writing Craft / Series
Pixar and Standalones: When Sequels Work and When They Don’t: @VictoriaGHowell
Should My Novel Become a Series? @erikaliodice @WriterUnboxed
Writing Craft / Tension
Suspense Writers: Here’s How to Keep Your Readers Up All Night: @LauraDiSilverio @CareerAuthors
How to make your writing suspenseful: by Anna Davis @CurtisBrown
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
Six Wordcraft Questions Writers Fight Over: by Chris Winkle @mythcreants
Writing Tools / Apps
Google Docs: An Affordable Writing Program: @WordDreams
Best Apps For Writing A Book: @writeonepub
Writing Tools / Resources
Free Online Marketing Courses: by Janet Lane @RMFWriters
The Top Writing Links From Last Week Are On Twitterific:
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December 6, 2018
Writing a Mystery With Public Domain Characters
Writing Sherlock Holmes and the Glad Game
By Matt Ferraz, @Matt_Ferraz
The genesis of Sherlock Holmes and the Glad Game was a challenge I made to myself: pick two public domain characters that apparently have nothing to do with each other, and somehow make them work together. I’ve been a Sherlockian all my life, and wanted to write a book with the detective for some time. But who could I match him with? Other writers already crossed Holmes Jack the Ripper, Mr Hyde, Captain Nemo and so many others. What could I bring to the table that was new and fresh?
I was at a bookshop in my home town when I saw brand new editions of Pollyanna and Pollyanna Grows Up, by Eleanor H. Porter. Those were books I had never read, but knew the basic premise: a girl who always sees the bright side of everything no matter what. I had seen the 1920 movie with Mary Pickford, one of my favourite actresses, but remembered little of it. So I bought copies of those two books, and while reading them, a novel started to form in my mind.
No one had ever had the idea of putting Holmes and Pollyanna Whittier in the same story. After all, they’re so different! But my mind was made up: I was going to write a book where Pollyanna comes to London and assists Holmes and Watson in an investigation.
People didn’t believe I could pull it off. In fact, my fiancée thought it was a crazy idea to begin with, but decided to give me the benefit of doubt. I wrote the first draft of this book in a month – faster than I had ever worked before! For that whole month, I was completely immersed in the story, having re-watched several Holmes movies for inspiration and re-reading big sections of Porter’s books.
My idea wasn’t simply to have Pollyanna ringing at 221b Baker Street offering a case for the detective to solve. I wanted to fit her in the Holmes canon as organically as possible. My book starts with Pollyanna becoming a good friend of Dr. and Mrs. Watson while Holmes was considered to be dead after facing Professor Moriarty.
Pollyanna is in London to see a special doctor due to an injury she suffered in her childhood – which is shown in the first Porter book. She eventually returns to America, but shows up in London two years later, when Holmes is already back from the dead, with a brand new husband and a lot of trouble on her back.
The best part of writing this story were the comedic possibilities in the interaction between these characters. I tried to avoid making Pollyanna too annoying and naive – she’s actually pretty smart and kicks a few butts. It was also nice to create a more humane Holmes, different from the stubborn and arrogant versions we’ve seen in movie and TV in the past few years. It’s a little, quirky and funny book I’m very proud of.
Matt Ferraz is a Brazilian author with works published in English, Italian and Portuguese. He writes stories since he was five, when his mother gave him a typewriter, and hasn’t stopped since.
Writer @Matt_Ferraz on Using Public Domain Characters in a Mystery:
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