Elizabeth Spann Craig's Blog, page 82
December 3, 2017
Elizabeth Spann Craig
December 2, 2017
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 43,000 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
Writing To Market – What It Means & Some Considerations: @KhaosFoxe
Digital Science Releases Scholarly Publishing Blockchain Report: @Porter_Anderson
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
The 85K Writing Challenge for 2018: @Julie_Valerie
A closer look at the upcoming FutureBook conference in London: @Porter_Anderson
5 Ingredients for an Awesome School Visit: @PM_Freestone @scottishbktrust
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
Boost Your Creative Mojo (podcast): @grantfaulkner @DIYMFA
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Writers Learn from Reading / IWSG Book Club: @TheIWSG @ChrysFey
368 “best books of 2017” lists: @largeheartedboy
Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation
Thinking about the rewards of writing can be motivation for continuing to write: @SloanTamar
Reducing the Noise of Hesitation: @MattBPerk
Never Give Up (Or Why New Writers Feel A Little Nuts): @10MinNovelists
Don’t wait for your Muse. Avoid precious rituals. Get into the daily habit of doing the work. @inkyelbows
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
On Maximizing Creativity: By Bonnie Randall
6 Simple Tips to Create Daily Writing Habits: @hodgeswriter
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly
The importance of tracking our writing: @pubcoach
Creating the Right Mindset to Be Productive: @JRoseBooks
Unplugging for Productivity: @Julie_Klassen
Creativity and Inspiration / Success
The 3 Secrets to Addictive Fiction: @VictoriaMixon @WritetoDone
Three Fiction Essentials to Keep Readers Reading: @Lindasclare
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
The Definitive Way to Organize Your Books: An Illustrated Guide: @tomgauld @lithub
25 Gift Ideas For The Writer In Your Life: @thecreativepenn
3 Tips to Help You Understand Your Writing Fear: @patverducci @SPressfield
Why Journaling is a Powerful Way to Transform Your Life: @writingthrulife
5 Ways Writers Can Survive A Quake: @kcraftwriter
What Are You Wearing? Why Writers Should Care: @colleen_m_story
4 ways to build mental toughness for writing: @pubcoach
Writing Through Fear and Anxiety: @BJoycePatterson @DIYMFA
6 Famous Writers Injured While Writing: @knownemily @lithub
How to Spend a Literary Long Weekend in Boston: @baburoset
Vanquishing the Killer Critic: @barbaraoneal @WriterUnboxed
Genres / Fantasy
History for Fantasy Writers: How Old Was Old? by E.L. Skip Knox
Worlds Within Worlds: Qi and Fantasy: @DeadmanMu @FantasyFaction
Genres / Horror
A beginner’s guide to writing horror novels: @bethanyrscott @beprolifiko
7 Beloved Authors Who Occasionally Dabbled in Horror: @EmmanuelNataf
Genres / Miscellaneous
Illuminating the Edge of Dark Contemporary Fiction: @KairaRouda
Tips for Writing and Self-Publishing Cross Genre Fiction: @CasiaSchreyer @lornafaith
Genres / Mystery
Crime Writing: From Hot Breath to Big Toes: More Cop Terminology: @LeeLofland
Parents’ secrets from their children as an element in crime fiction: @mkinberg
Crime fiction authors who took risks with their genre: @mkinberg
Crime Writing: More Cop Terminology: @LeeLofland
Genres / Picture Books
Self-Publishing a Picture Book: @KarenCV @FrugalBookPromo
Genres / Screenwriting
Screenwriting: “La La Land”: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown: @GoIntoTheStory
Screenwriting: 5 Ways To Stand Out In The Script Pile: @Bang2write
Promo / Blogging
Using and Understanding Google Analytics for Beginners: @HelloMorganTimm
Promo / Miscellaneous
Journaling a Book as a Reader ‘Extra’:
8 Ways For Authors to Waste Their Money: @thDigitalReader
5 Simple Amazon Sales Tips for Indie Authors: @Bookgal
Why You Need an Author Tagline and 3 Tips for Creating One: @laina_turner
The Angsty Relationship Between Writing and Sales: @andilit
How to run a successful book preorder campaign: @DianaUrban
Promo / Platforms
10 Tips for Building Your Platform With Less Pain: @MargotStarbuck
Promo / Social Media Tips
How to Create Screencasts With Your Smartphone: @Tabitha_Carro @SMExaminer
Promo / Speaking
5 Tips for Engaging Your Audience: @Julie_Glover
Promo / Websites
Are You Hiding at Your Author Website? @JanalynVoigt
Publishing / Miscellaneous
A Contest Judge Reveals How to Win Writing Contests: by Alice Sudlow @write_practice
Publishing / News / Amazon
Amazon’s new imprint for short-form work: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing / News / International Publishing
‘New Influencers’: Social Media Specialists and Canadian Publishing: @lukaesque @pubperspectives
European Booksellers Cheer Talks Moving Ebooks Out of Geo-Blocking: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
In China: Bookselling Trends and OpenBook’s Bestseller Lists for October: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Shanghai Children’s Book Fair Sees Gains Amid Concerns About Imports: @Porter_Anderson
Canadian Copyright Challenge: Québec’s Copibec Class Action Update: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Renuka Chatterjee on International Fiction Series at Speaking Tiger Books: @Porter_Anderson
Italian Publishers Welcome Tax Credit for Libraries After
Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing
An Introduction to Self-Publishing Fiction: @kristen_kieffer
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing
9 Little Known Facts about Getting Published: @ChadRAllen
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches
5 Ways to Perfect Your Pitch: @Editor_Amanda @DIYMFA
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying
Should You Revise & Resubmit? @AuthorSAT
Querying weird books: @Janet_Reid
Publishing / Process / Distribution
In-Depth Comparison of Ebook Distribution Platforms: Maximize Reach and Profit: @ReedsyHQ
Publishing / Process / Translation
The UAE’s Rewayat Imprint: Translations For, and From, the Arab World: @Porter_Anderson @Bodour
Writing Craft / Beginnings
Is Your Inciting Incident Strong Enough? First Page Critique: @JordanDane
The Pros and Cons of Using a Prologue and When to Write One: @MegLaTorre @writersdigest
Flog a Pro: would you pay to turn the first page of this bestseller? @RayRhamey
The Opening Scene: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Unhelpful thinking styles: which one does your character use? @SloanTamar
How to Create a Character Based on Internet Comments Sections: @weems503
Writing Craft / Characters / Emotion
How to Evoke Emotions as a Writer: by Paul Bates @RomanceUniv
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
Heroes Can Be Smart, But Not Even-Keeled: @CockeyedCaravan
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
The Mundane Doesn’t Belong in Your Story: @Margo_L_Dill
6 Novels With Weak Throughlines: by Oren Ashkenazi
Managing Large Casts of Characters: @plotlinehotline
Too many characters (podcast): @mythcreants
“3 Mistakes I Made: Series Writing, Not Understanding My Genre, and Expecting to be an Exception”: http://ow.ly/jGzH30gFvHq
Writing Craft / Dialogue
Why Effective Dialogue Often Ignores Writing “Rules”: @KathySteinemann
Writing Craft / Diversity
How To Avoid Stereotypes When Writing Diverse Characters: @Bang2write
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
What ‘Twin Peaks’ Can Teach Us About Writing—And Experiencing—Trauma: @DorothyBendel @ElectricLit
6 Lessons Writers Can Learn from Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’: @JFarrisKnight @writersdigest
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
On the Dangers of Romanticizing Gentrification in Your Novel: @TobiasCarroll
5 Tips for Organizing Subplots: @KMWeiland
How to Practice Storytelling: 2 Essential Skills: @lori_puma @StoryGrid
Writing Conflict: The Nature of Dehumanization: from How to Fight Write
Detaching yourself from your character: from How to Fight Write
The Act Two Choice: @Janice_Hardy
‘Bad Sex In Fiction’ Award Goes To Novelist Who Compared Skin To Stained Bathtub”: @camilareads @nprbooks
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
Developing Your Plot: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research
Article Research: A Savvy Librarian’s Top Tips: @TiceWrites by Maia Veres
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
5 Stages of Grief for Writers When Dealing with Negative Feedback: @fcheung217 @CleaverMagazine
Writing Craft / Scenes
4 Key Ways to Launch a Scene: @Jordanrosenfeld @JaneFriedman
3 Questions to Ask Every Scene: @AndreaWriterlea
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
Writing Vivid Descriptions: @isekhmet
Writing Craft / Tension
Suspense Writing: 5 Hacks to Improve Your Story: @aleshahomans
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
Don’t Detail Every Movement Your Story Characters Make: @ZoeMMcCarthy
Writing Craft / World-Building
5 Tips for Creating Believable Fictional Languages: @KMWeiland
Writing Tools / Apps
Creatine and Using Scrivener Collections: @aprildavila
9 Manuscript Editing Software Programs Reviewed: by Carla King @BookBaby
What macros do for editors and proofreaders: by Paul Beverley @LouiseHarnby
Writing Tools / Miscellaneous
How to Build a Chapter–A Template to Try for Any Genre: @writeabook
Writing Tools / Resources
27 Great Websites for Writers: @EricaVerrillo
Writing Tools / Thesauri
Character Occupation Thesaurus Entry: E.R. Physician: @AngelaAckerman
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.
November 30, 2017
Why You Need an Author Tagline
by Laina Turner, @laina_turner
I went to a writers conference years ago, and a panelist was talking about marketing. He said, many great writers never enjoy the chance to earn a living as an author because no one knows how great their books are. They think if they write an amazing book people will buy it, so they don’t put time and effort into marketing.
While writing a good book is a huge part of selling it books won’t sell if the reader doesn’t know it exists. You have to promote what you write.
It’s the business side of authoring.
There are plenty of readers for everyone, but there’s no denying it’s stiff competition. You must make a good first impression and hook potential readers in the split second you have their attention. There are many ways to do that, but today we’re going to talk about the author tagline.
You’re familiar with taglines; you see them all the time. These 2 popped into my head the minute I thought memorable tagline:
Verizon Mobile – Can you hear me now?
Timex – It takes a licking and keeps on ticking.
You’d be hard-pressed to find a person on the planet who didn’t recognize these taglines and immediately know the company they represented. You can also easily surmise that Verizon touts a strong cell signal and Timex a hardy timepiece. Their marketing departments have done a bang-up job.
Emotion and understanding are what you want to convey with your author tagline. You want the reader to know what you and your books are all about when they land on your website, Amazon page, or social media accounts.
You might think it’s not possible to create such a compelling tagline without the marketing budget of Verizon or Timex. Banish that thought because it IS possible.
An indie author whom I love and feel does a great job with her tagline is Heather Wardell. Her tagline is Women’s Fiction with Depth, Humor, and Heart. That line tells the prospective reader right off that these are fun loving books with a message.
You understand the WHY of developing your author tagline. Now you need to do it. Easier said than done my friend but here are some tips.
3 Tips for Developing Your Author tagline
Brainstorm words describing you/your writing, how you want your readers to feel when reading your books, or even how you feel while writing them. Brainstorm adjectives that describe the mood your book sets. Think of words that contain emotion and will evoke emotion. Don’t think about how these words connect. Just write them down.
Ask your current readers, editors, friends to give you words that describe you/your writing. It’s a great way to compare/contrast your thoughts with others. Remember this isn’t all about you. It’s about your readers and their perception of you and your books.
This could be a fun contest idea to build reader engagement. A way to not only get the information you’re seeking but get your readers bought into you and create excitement around your author brand. I promise you your readers will LOVE being part of the process.
When you get your long, long list of words, start looking for commonalities. Organize your list based on those commonalities. Then go one step further and see what other words with the same meaning aren’t on the list.
Taglines should be short and to the point. They need to be easy to remember and catchy. Simple to say to someone on the street, put in a meme on Instagram, on the back of your book cover, or on your website. All while embodying what you, your books, and your author brand is all about.
Don’t
Spend hours researching what others have done. You’ll undoubtedly find some of your favorite words taken and then get frustrated and upset for no reason. Remember there are plenty of readers for all of us.
Don’t think your tagline is set in stone. Much like your writing evolves so will your author brand. You may need to try out a few before you find one that fits.
Marketing yourself and your books are a constant. If your goal as an author is to make a living at your craft, then you want to embrace all aspects of the business. Spend time on the necessary steps to ensure your success. Marketing has to be as important to you as writing your next novel is.
As I said earlier, it’s the business side of authoring.
Do you already have an author tagline? I’d love to hear it. Drop it in the comments.
Laina Turner is the author of the Presley Thurman mystery series, the Trixie Pristine mysteries, and several stand-alone fiction and non-fiction titles. When Laina’s not writing cozy mysteries, she’s helping other authors reach their dreams at Writing Warriors Collective.
She’s a lifelong learner, coffee drinker, loves yoga and her family.
You can connect with her in the following places:
Website www.lainaturner.com/books
Amazon page https://www.amazon.com/Laina-Turner/e/B00494IOUQ
Pinterest 3500 followers https://www.pinterest.com/lainaturner/boards
Facebook fanpage 1500 https://www.facebook.com/LainaTurner
Instagram 2000 https://www.instagram.com/?hl=en
Twitter 15,000 https://twitter.com/laina_turner
Writing Warriors Collective https://www.facebook.com/groups/writingwarriorscollective/
Why you should have an author tagline and 3 tips for creating one (by @laina_turner ):
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The post Why You Need an Author Tagline appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
November 26, 2017
Journaling a Book as a Reader ‘Extra’
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
I’d been hearing that author notes could be a nice website ‘extra’ for readers or newsletter subscribers, or serve as promo copy on the product page for Amazon.
I’d experimented a little in my newsletters and on Amazon, but decided to take things a little farther this time. I decided to try journaling a book while I wrote it. I posted the journal on Google Docs, shared it so that anyone with the link could view it, and mentioned the journal on my website.
At first, I was a little worried. Writers’ lives aren’t the most interesting and was the writing process really going to draw readers in? Especially mine? I’m very routine-driven. Writing at 5 a.m. isn’t maybe the most fascinating thing in the world.
But then I became a little more observant about what was going on around me while I was writing. How was I managing distractions? How focused was I on the story? When and where was I getting my ideas? And I found that there were stories around the story.
I don’t give any major spoilers, just hint at some of what’s going on in the story that I’m writing. That can naturally lead into the genesis of the characters and how I feel about them. Who or what helped to inspire their creation. The origination of the supposedly fictional settings (that have a lot in common with real locations).
We can add images from the web, personal photos, links, and other things to make the journal more visually interesting.
I decided to pin the link to my journal at the top of my Facebook page. From there, it generated a lot of interest and readers reached. My post read: “What goes through a writer’s mind while working on a book? It can be surprising. 
Follow along as I write the next Myrtle Clover mystery, A Body in the Trunk.”
It’s also nice to post it on Facebook because readers can comment there. I disabled comments for the document on Google Docs, because I had the feeling it would turn into a real mess….comments are really intended for edits between project partners and are inline there. I’d say that the lack of ability to host comments is the only real problem I see with putting the journal on Google Docs. You could, of course, set up a similar journaling project on your blog—each entry could engender comments.
Do you use author notes? Journal books? What ‘extras’ do you include for readers?
Photo via Visual hunt
The post Journaling a Book as a Reader ‘Extra’ appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
November 25, 2017
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 43,000 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
Understanding Read-Through and Why It Matters: @MarcyKennedy
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Why Every Writer Needs Writer Events: @OrlyKonig
Creative Ways to Plan Author Events in Non-Bookstore Markets: @Bookgal
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
On bucket lists, goal setting + listening to your heart (podcast): @DoWhatYouLoveXx
5 Keys To Help You Finish Your Novel: @lornafaith
Writing and the Creative Life: The Magic of Ambient Noise: @GoIntoTheStory
3 Tips To Get Away From Your Keyboard and Into Your Story: @rsmollisonread
Why You Need to Hit Pause to Keep Moving: @iancron
5 Ways to Recharge Your Creativity: @heatherr911 @scottishbktrust
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
An Interactive Map of Odysseus’ 10-Year Journey in Homer’s Odyssey : @gmounzer @openculture
How to Remember What You Read: @farnamstreet
14 Classic Works of Literature Hated By Famous Authors: @knownemily @lithub
10 Novels About Family Gatherings Gone Bad: @TobiasCarroll @ElectricLit
Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation
How to Finish Your Novel Using Math: @jehunter5811
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
No Time to Write? A Simple Solution to Kickstart Your Work: @annkroeker
Find the time to write in 5 easy steps: @beprolifiko
3 Ways Being Inflexible Can Help You Become a Better Writer: @MoonlightingWri
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly
Writing Gains Are Made on Rep Day: @victoria_grif7
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
At Odds With Writing Doubts: @theladypenumbra
A Selection of Virginia Woolf’s Most Savage Insults: @knownemily
12 Bars Where You Can Drink Your Way to Literary Greatness: @p_okuniewska @ElectricLit
The Top Five Thanksgiving Day Writing Tips: @msheatherwebb
Embrace the Holiday Tension with A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving: @cloudy_vision @tordotcom
Don’t Forget To Thank Creativity: @Margo_L_Dill
Genres / Fantasy
Writing SFF Horses: Notes on Breeds and Riding: @dancinghorse @tordotcom
Genres / Horror
5 Books About Folk Horror: @cullenbunn
Genres / Memoir
5-Minute Memoir: Feeling the Words You Write: @jamescmagruder
Genres / Mystery
Co-writing Police Procedurals: @ArtConnectsUs @Frank_Zafiro @LarryKelter
A Crime Writer’s Mini Dictionary: E – F: @LeeLofland
Genres / Non-Fiction
How to Develop a Nonfiction Book Concept That Has Bestseller Potential: @ChadRAllen
Genres / Picture Books
How to Illustrate Dramatic Moments in Children’s Books: @Guyguyyug @scottishbktrust
Genres / Screenwriting
Screenwriting: “Argo”: Scene-By-Scene Breakdown: @GoIntoTheStory
Genres / Young Adult
Real Life Diagnostics: Does This YA Opening Compel You to Read On? @Janice_Hardy
Promo / Blogging
Blog commenting etiquette: @history2write @RomanceUniv
How to Assess Your Blog Goals Like a Business Even Though It’s a Hobby: @MarshaIngrao
Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting
How to Write Real Copy for Real People: @annkroeker
Promo / Book Reviews
Why Getting Some Negative Reviews Can Be Positive: @JodyHedlund
Promo / Miscellaneous
30 Book Marketing Tips For Indie Authors: @KarenBanes
Promo / Social Media Tips
3 Social Media Tips to Get You Started: @writer__taylor
Why writers should be on Goodreads: @Naked_Determina
How Twitter Can Help Authors Reach Key Marketing Influencers: @Bookgal
Publishing / Miscellaneous
5 Reasons Why You Should Podcast Your Fiction: @thecreativepenn with Matthew McLean
European Parliament: IPA’s @michielams on Publishers and Big Tech: @porter_anderson
Publishing / News / Amazon
With Amazon Kindle Now Turning 10, David Naggar Says Content Is Prime: @Porter_Anderson @davidnaggar
Publishing / News / International Publishing
British Historian Daniel Beer Wins Canada’s $75,000 Cundill History Prize: @Beerdaniel @Porter_Anderson
Spain Signs on as Frankfurt Book Fair’s 2021 Guest of Honor: @Porter_Anderson
DSC Prize in South Asian Literature Goes to Sri Lankan Author: @Porter_Anderson @thedscprize
Anna Todd, Mega-Wattpad Star, Aims for 30 Territories Sold by June 1: @Porter_Anderson @imaginator1d
“One of the most promising regions in world publishing today, Southeast Asia’s markets are emerging into an ‘already digital’ reality.” http://ow.ly/oFgc30gIzPy
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying
Reedsy Takes the Dread Out of Writing Queries: @cleemckenzie @ReedsyHQ @TheIWSG
Publishing / Process / Translation
A New MFA in Translation; the NEA Announces Translator Fellowships: @Porter_Anderson
Translator Helen Wang Named Special Contributor of the Year at Shanghai:
Writing Craft / Beginnings
3 Ways to Start a Story: from Just A Writing Aid
That All-Important First Line: @RachelleGardner
Writing Craft / Characters / Antagonists
How to Give Your Villain an Emotional Backstory: @itsawriterthing
Create the Perfect Villain: a 6-Step Master Plan: @LMacNaughton
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Value the Outsider’s Perspective: @kcraftwriter
Getting Intimate with Your Characters: @KayKeppler
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
Tips for Building a Riveting Main Character: @natasha_lane1
5 Tips For Writing Antiheroes: @jules_write
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
Writer Mistakes: Looking for The Perfect Novel Writing System: @StephMorrill
Top 6 Escape Clichés That Will Kill Your Story: @Bang2write
Nothing New After Act Two: @SPressfield
Writing Craft / Conflict
Discovering Your Internal Conflicts: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Diversity
Diversity in Our Writing: Black Girl Living in a “Colorblind” Environment: from Writing With Color
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
5 Writing Tips from A.A. Milne and the Men of ‘Goodbye Christopher Robin’: by Tony Phillips @SignatureReads
6 Epic Narrative Lessons from The Empire Strikes Back: @ETettensor @tordotcom
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
5 Tips on Writing a Cliffhanger: @HKaczynski
How to Vary Your Sentence Structure (And Stop Boring Your Readers): @aliventures
How to Keep Track of All Your Novel’s Details: @jimdempsey
Sequence of Writing – In Order or Not? @AJHumpage
Sexual Tension in Fiction: @Michael_Editor
Writing What You (Hope Never To) Know: Empathy, Perception, Projection: @katmagendie
Write Sex Scenes That Readers Can’t and Won’t Skip: @jan_ohara @WriterUnboxed
How (And Why) To Write A Mentor Character: @FredBobJohn
The Writerly Skills Test: @jcbaggott
5 Tips for Writing from Experience: @JonathanMeres
Turning Your Idea into a Summary Line: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / POV
Choosing Your Point-of-View Characters: @Janice_Hardy
Writing 3rd person limited narration: Examples and tips: @nownovel
In Defense of Third Person: @AdamOPrice @The_Millions
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining
To Outline or Not To Outline? @A_K_Perry
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
Finding Your Best Ideas: @Author_J_White
Originality in Storytelling: @WritingForward
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats
Friday the 13th Beat Sheet: @DonRoff
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
Consistent Use of “That” in Parallel Constructions: @writing_tips
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
Online critique groups: @EricaVerrillo
Finding the Writing Partners You Need: @JulieCantrell
Writing Craft / Scenes / Conflict
Discovering Your External Conflicts: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
Improving Your Sentences: @sacha_black
Words & Phrases: Shun the Weak; Embrace the Strong: @ZoeMMcCarthy
Strong Verbs Cheat Sheet: @KathySteinemann
Writing Craft / World-Building
Tips for Writing a World: @Lindasclare
Writing Tools / Thesauri
Occupation Thesaurus: Veterinarian: @beccapuglisi
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.
November 18, 2017
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 43,000 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 Thanksgiving to my US readers! I’ll be taking this week off from posting and will return next Sunday with another Twitterific.
Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting
Writing Goals and How to Reach Them: by Christine Hennebury @10MinNovelists
Writing Goals and the Holidays: @jillkemerer @DaniPettrey
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
7 Ways to Reignite Your Passion For Writing: @lornafaith
Why All Writers Should Play Dungeons & Dragons: @ElectricLit
8 Styles of Music to Listen to While Writing: @danasitar
Tips For Dynamic Story Creation (podcast): @MaxwellADrake @lornafaith
5 Unique Walks that Boost Writing Focus and Creativity: @colleen_m_story
Storytelling lessons from non-verbal narrative (music, painting, pictures, etc.): @DavidCorbett_CA
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
An Ode to Reading on Public Transit: @kailanthropie @the_millions
“My Favorite Books to Sell Over 20 Years of Owning a Bookstore”: @jwsbooks
Creativity and Inspiration / Miscellaneous
In Praise of Working on 2 Novels at the Same Time: @aprildavila
Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation
3 Benefits of Accountability Groups For Writers: @lornafaith
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writer’s Block
The #1 Thing You Should Never Do When Facing Writer’s Block and 5 Things to Try Instead: by Emily Morgan
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly
Managing Distraction as a Writer: @DanBlank
Creativity and Inspiration / Success
The Big Lie About Writing Compelling Fiction: @storyfix
“I Talked to 150 Writers and Here’s the Best Advice They Had”: @joefassler
Taking a Book Idea to the Next Level: @Kid_Lit
Publish Early, Publish Often: Podcast Interview with Industry Expert @JaneFriedman : @leanpub
Be Productive, Persistent, and Professional: @jamesscottbell
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
The 7 Writer Types You Should Avoid Becoming: @jeffvandermeer
How to Beat Back Writer Insecurity: @chemistken @TheIWSG
Everyday Self-Care for Writers: @amshofner
Balancing Life, Health, and a Writing Dream: @JulieChristineJ @colleen_m_story
Why 1 Writer No Longer Reads Her Book Reviews: @AbbyFabiaschi @WomenWriters
What It Means to Be a Writer—and to Emerge as a Writer: @poetAlbert
4 Ways to Use Your Writing Skills to Help Others: by Kristen Pope @thewritelife
A Sitting and Standing Desk Combo for Less Back and Neck Pain: @Jenn_Mattern
10 of the Best Short Literary Epitaphs: @InterestingLit
Genres / Horror
Writing Your Fear: Stephen King’s The Shining: @grady_hendrix
The Peril of Being Disbelieved: Horror Fiction and Women’s Intuition: @use_theforce_em
On Horror, Disability, and Loving Both at Once: by Lee Foster @tordotcom
Genres / Mystery
Crime Writing: 10 Signs That You’re A Cop: @LeeLofland
Stepfamilies as elements in crime fiction: @mkinberg
Herbalism as an element in crime fiction: @mkinberg
Foster care as an element in crime fiction: @mkinberg
The Pros and Cons of Adding a Murder Mystery to Your Story: @CockeyedCaravan
The jewel trade as an element in crime fiction: @mkinberg
Genres / Short Stories
3 Quick Tips for Crafting Compelling Flash Fiction: by Dan Hughes @thewritelife
Genres / Young Adult
What Do Young Adults Want to Read? @cdetler @JaneFriedman
Promo / Crowdfunding
What Authors Need to Know About Crowdfunding Their Book: @James_Haight @JaneFriedman
Promo / Images
Quick Tip for High Resolution Book Cover Images:
Promo / Miscellaneous
45 Inspirational Marketing Tips from Authors: @DianaUrban @BookBub
How you market differently in KU: @DavidGaughran
Promo / Newsletters
7 Common Newsletter Problems Solved: @problogger
Promo / Social Media Tips
5 Creative Ways to Use Snapchat for Writers: @joan_selby @WritetoDone
Should Authors be on LinkedIn? @EmilyWenstrom
Twitter Chats 101: @DebraEckerling
Publishing / Miscellaneous
“6 Lessons I Learned Co-Writing A Novella With James Patterson”: @robwhart
The novella: Stepping stone to success or waste of time? by Jack Smith @TheWriterMag
National Book Award Live Stream Wednesday: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Publishing with a Hybrid Press: @LiteraryLiving @hopeclark
Jesmyn Ward Wins Second National Book Award in Fiction: @jesmimi @Porter_Anderson @nationalbook
Publishing / News / Amazon
Amazon’s Kindle is 10 years old. Top 10 Most Sold Fiction Titles on the Platform: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / News / International Publishing
Edwidge Danticat Named 2018 Winner of Neustadt International Prize: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
‘La Rentrée Littéraire’ For All in France; English PEN’s Translation Awards: @Porter_Anderson
Strengths of the French Canadian Book Market: @HannahSJohnson @pubperspectives
Paddington Bear Author Michael Bond Remembered at St. Paul’s: @rogertagholm @pubperspectives
Eggers and Harris Kick Off 2017 US-Canada #GiveBooks Campaign: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing
Is Your Writing Out on Submission? Welcome to Hell: @emma_darwin
Publishing Through Perseverance (Podcast): @DIYMFA @Jodi_Kendall
Publishing Alternatives to the Big Five–What Is Best for Your Book? @writeabook
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Pitches
Pitch Tip: Make Your Stakes Personal: @Ava_Jae
Publishing / Process / Book Design
40 of the Creepiest Book Covers of All Time: @knownemily
Writing Craft / Characters / Antagonists
Developing Your Antagonist: @Janice_Hardy
Do You Show the Villain’s Motivation? @AngelaAckerman
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
Creating Your Characters: @Janice_Hardy
How to Write A Character Unlike You: 5 Ideas: @nownovel
Writing Craft / Characters / Protagonists
How to Add Depth to Your Protagonist: @AngelaAckerman @RomanceUniv
Developing Your Protagonist: @Janice_Hardy
How to Write an Elizabeth Bennet Better Than the Original: @KathyEdens1
Writing Craft / Common Mistakes
Bilingual Characters – 4 Common Mistakes: @NatePhilbrick
A Great Story Is More Than a String of Interesting Events: @ZoeMMcCarthy
Writing Craft / Conflict
How to Craft Riveting Internal Conflict For Your Story: @kristen_kieffer
Writing Craft / Dialogue
Action Beats: More than Dialogue Tag Surrogates: @KathySteinemann
Writing Craft / Diversity
‘Building Inclusivity in Publishing’: @Porter_Anderson @jacksthomas
The UK’s Second ‘Building Inclusivity’ Conference: Diversity Challenges: @Porter_Anderson
The UK’s Second ‘Inclusivity Conference’ Grapples With Diversity Issues: @rogertagholm @pubperspectives
Writing Craft / Hooks
Develop Your Hook: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Everything You Need To Know About Working With A Writing Partner: @standoutbooks
Basing Your Fiction on Real People? Can “Real” and “Fiction” live in the same book? @emma_darwin
How Pinterest Can Help Writers Write Better: by Piers Golden@CSLakin
5 Tips for Telling Stories of Resistance: by Oren Ashkenazi @mythcreants
Exposition of a Story: Examples and Tips: @nownovel
How to Balance the Elements of Fiction: @tessaemilyhall
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Research
How to Cure A Pandemic in Fiction: @MorganLBernard
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Concept
4 Things to Consider When Planning Your Story: @Janice_Hardy
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
15 Figures of Speech to Color Your Characters: @writing_tips
Writing Craft / Revision
9 Steps for Effectively Revising Your Novel: @akmakansi @thecreativepenn
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
Your Perfect Critique Partner: @PBRWriter
Writing Craft / Series
3 Reasons to Not Write a Series (AND 3 Reasons Why You Should): @RogerDColby
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
Dressing Your Characters: @Diana_Hurwitz
Writing Craft / Subtext
How IT Demonstrates The Enlightening Power Of Subtext: @Bang2write
4 Ways to Amplify Your Characters’ Subtext: @KMWeiland
Writing Craft / Tension
9 Writing Techniques to Keep Suspense Alive Until the Last Page: by Carolyn Hart @SignatureReads
Writing Craft / Voice
How to Quickly Find Your Voice as a Writer: @savilleneuve
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
9 Ways to Reduce Reader Confusion: @KathySteinemann
Uncategorized
Why Does Literature Have So Little to Say About Illness? @meghanor
A closer look at ebook promo services: @ReedsyHQ
The top writing links from last week are on Twitterific:
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November 16, 2017
Quick Tip for High Resolution Book Cover Images
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
From time to time I need a high resolution cover image. Sometimes it’s because a guest blogger has sent me an image so small that WordPress is showing it blurry on the post. Sometimes I’m sending a cover for publication in a print magazine or newspaper.
I came across a tool for high resolution cover images from eReader Palace last year. I bookmarked it because I thought it might come in useful. But I’ve found myself using it so much that I decided it was time for me to mention the tool here.
It’s very easy to use. You pull up the ebook on Amazon (and it must be an ebook because the ASIN is needed).
Copy Amazon’s ASIN identifier.
Paste it into the box on the website
Click “Get the Cover Image.” I always use portal A and have never had a problem with it.
The image will open in another tab. Right click and save the file to your computer. I’ll usually save them as : Title–High Res–Elizabeth Spann Craig .
That’s it. :) Short and sweet today. Hope this will be a useful tool for some of you out there.
Have you run across any helpful tools lately?
Photo via Visual hunt
The post Quick Tip for High Resolution Book Cover Images appeared first on Elizabeth Spann Craig.
November 12, 2017
Elizabeth Spann CraigNovember 11, 2017
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 43,000 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.
Conferences and Events / Miscellaneous
Singapore’s Upcoming StoryDrive Asia: Publishing, Content, Networking: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
5 Tips for Reading Your Writing Aloud: @LynseyMay
Before StoryDrive Asia: A View From Singapore Publishers Association: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Conferences and Events / NaNoWriMo
Why 1 Writer Isn’t Doing #NaNoWriMo this year–or ever again: @authorterryo
Creativity and Inspiration / Goal setting
Meet that Writing Goal and Do It Your Way: @SueBEdwards
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration
5 writing lessons from Keith Richards: @pubcoach
How to Not Quit and Other Lessons Learned from Walt Disney: @lornafaith
Planting the Magic Beans of Story: @barbaraoneal
Creativity and Inspiration / Inspiration / Reading as Writers
Allen Ginsberg’s Reading List for His Class: “Literary History of the Beats”: @openculture
“When I’m Writing Fiction, I Cannot Read It”: @annekorkeakivi @lithub
5 SFF Worlds Tied Together by String Theory: @ryangraudin
Creativity and Inspiration / Motivation
How to Finish your project: @grantdraws
Writing Discipline: Why Talent Isn’t Enough to Be a Writer: @DavidHSafford
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Fitting in Writing
How to be a part-time author and get full-time results: @jayartale @MichaelLaRonn @IndieAuthorALLI
When Obligations Get in the Way: @bethhararwrites
Tips for maximizing time for writing: @cathychall
How to Multitask Effectively as a Multipotentialite: @enhughesiasm
Creativity and Inspiration / Productivity / Writing Quickly
How to be a more productive writer: @pubcoach
Trying to Focus? DO NOT Turn Off Your Internet While You Write: @katekrake
The Semi-No-Fail Way to Fast Drafting for People Who Hate Drafting: @candylandgang
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Life
Why Writers Need to Watch More Sunsets: @colleen_m_story
The Pros and Cons of Joining a Writing Organization: by Stacy Woodson @DIYMFA
Reluctantly Famous: 5 Authors Who Stayed Out of the Public Eye: @RachelCarterYA
Why You Need A Dedicated Writing Space And How To Find It: by Paige Duke @standoutbooks
When Does a Writer Rest? It’s Time to Talk About Self-Care: @EmilyWenstrom
Why You Celebrate The Milestones: @dawnmius
Conquering Writing Overwhelm: @kristen_kieffer
The Vague World of the Unpublished Writer: @LisaLisax31
How to Breathe New Life Into Your Creative Career: @benjaminsobieck
Creativity and Inspiration / Writing Spaces
Rituals for Writing: Creating a Sacred Space: @dianaraab
Genres / Fantasy
13 Stress Relievers to Help Your Fantasy Writing: @Philip_Overby
Genres / Horror
Road Trip Horror: ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’ and ‘Nocturnal Animals’: @BartLBishop @LitReactor
Genres / Memoir
5 Ways To Market A Memoir When No-One Knows Who You Are: by Andrew Emery @thecreativepenn
Genres / Mystery
Why Cops Retire Before You (for Crime Writers):
Crime fiction writing: the first look at the scene of the crime: @mkinberg
A Detective, a Gun, and a Car: BFFs Forever … Almost: @LeeLofland
Genres / Non-Fiction
How to Write an Anecdote That Makes Your Nonfiction Come Alive: @JerryBJenkins
Writing the Perfect Conclusion for your Nonfiction Book: @theladyck
Genres / Picture Books
All About Picture Books — Interview with Trinka Hakes Noble: @DIYMFA
8 Things to Know If You Want to Write a Picture Book: @amydominy
Genres / Science Fiction
Creative Writing Prompts for Sci-Fi & Fantasy Lovers:
Genres / Screenwriting
Top Newbie Mistakes Made by Writers Adapting their Book into a Screenplay: @scriptcoverages @TheIWSG
Genres / Short Stories
Crafting Micro Stories: @mythcreants
Genres / Women’s Fiction
Sex In Women’s Fiction: @KristinRockaway
Promo / Ads
Does Facebook Advertising Really Work For Books? by Michael Alvear @IndieAuthorALLI
Why eBook Promotions are Indie Author Gold: @Bookgal
How 1 Writer Became a Bestseller Using BookBub’s Marketing Tools: by Andrew Watts @BookBub
“Why I Am Cutting Back On Facebook Ads”: @cksyme
Promo / Book Descriptions and Copywriting
7 Killer Tips for How to Write a Bio: @hodgeswriter
Promo / Book Signings and Launch parties
Book Marketing with Events: Your Checklist: @Bookgal
Promo / Miscellaneous
3 tips for generating article ideas for book publicity: @sandrabeckwith
Promo / Platforms
What platform really means, today: @DanBlank
Promo / Podcasts
Use Internet Radio Shows and Podcasts to Create a Buzz about Your Book: @WritersCoach
Publishing / Miscellaneous
Thinking of Doing the Audiobook Version of Your Book? @hollyshearwater
Editing Published Books:
Choosing your writing platform: Wattpad vs Movellas vs Tumblr: @bethanyrscott
Can an Indie Author make Money with Print books? @DebbieYoungBN
Macmillan’s Pronoun Self-Publishing Platform Signs Off: @Porter_Anderson @pubperspectives
Draft2Digital Adds Distribution to Amazon to Its Services: @Porter_Anderson @Draft2Digital
Your typesetting proofreading checklist: @SukhiJutla
Producing Your Books in Audio: Proofing Your Book: @AngelaQuarles
ACX University and Audiobooks: @HannahPWall @K8Tilton
Travel Writing With Adventurer @AnnaMcNuff: @thecreativepenn
Publishing / News / Data
Digitally Transforming Publishing: Process,Content, Data for Future Value: @Porter_Anderson @copyrightclear
Publishing / News / International Publishing
IPA President: China’s Censorship ‘Puts Publishers in Impossible Situation’: @michielams @Porter_Anderson
The UK’s @makeourbook : An International School-Publishing Program: @has_many_books @porter_anderson
Canada’s Salon du Livre de Montréal Turns 40 With 100,000 Visitors Expected: @lukaesque @pubperspectives
Canada’s Indigo Bookstore Chain Plans To Open US Bookstores: @Porter_Anderson @HeatherReisman
Germany’s Bastei Lübbe Defunds oolipo, Ingram Acquires OptiQly: @Porter_Anderson
Publishing / Options / Self-Publishing
5 Reasons Why Being an Indie Author is Better: @Bookgal
Publishing / Options / Traditional Publishing / Querying
Writing for Submission-Tailoring Your Story: @10MinNovelists
Publishing / Process / Legalities
Subsidiary Rights For Indies: @KristineRusch
Writing Craft / Beginnings
Using an Opening Narration to Pinpoint Your Story Problem: @JillWilliamson
Writing Craft / Characters / Development
6 Revealing Prompts to Know Your Character Better: @RuthanneReid
How to Create a Protagonist Who is Very Different From You: @mazzastory
Writing Craft / Conflict
3 Ways to Tell if Your Conflict Is Just a Delay Tactic: @Janice_Hardy @RomanceUniv
Writing Craft / Dialogue
Writing Unusual Dialogue: @LizTolsma @pencildancers
Writing Craft / Lessons from Books and Film
7 Top Tips to Create a Cinematic Novel: @irenabrignull
Writing Craft / Literary Devices
How to Develop a Powerful Theme in Fiction: @katekrake
Writing Craft / Miscellaneous
Temporarily Getting Rid of Characters: @ev_scarlett
Writing Craft / POV
Writer’s Perspective on Point of View: @kimberlydbrock
If You’re Going to Switch Voices, Make Sure to Switch Voices: @CockeyedCaravan
POV: A Tour of First, Second, Third, and More: @writeabook
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Outlining
6 Legitimate Reasons to Create a Book Outline: @BellaRosePope
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Plotting
Tie your characters together: @SPressfield
Writing Craft / Pre-Writing / Story Beats
“Get Out”Beat Sheet: @DonRoff
Writing Craft / Punctuation and Grammar
3 Cases of Incomplete Parallel Structure: @writing_tips
5 Sticky Grammar Mistakes and How to Avoid Them: @lindifleur
Writing Craft / Revision
Tips on Revision: Do a Verb and Word Check: by Linda Wilson
Writing Craft / Revisions / Critiques
The Dos and Don’ts of Workshop Etiquette: @LaurieSteed
Writing Craft / Scenes
The 10 Key Scenes You Need to Frame Up Your Novel: @CSLakin
Writing Craft / Settings and Description
Using Seasons to Deepen a Scene: @OrlyKonig
Writing Craft / Special Needs
“Writing About My Special Needs Daughter”: @outoneear
Writing Craft / Synopses
Write Your Story Synopsis with a Plug-and-Play Tool: by Beth Barany @CSLakin
Writing Craft / Tension
Fight Scenes: Uneven Balance is a Tension Killer: by How to Fight Write
Writing Craft / Word Crafting
In defense of ugly prose: @gammarino @TheWriterMag
Southern words and phrases for books set in the Southern US: @KeriFord
Writing Tools / Apps
Creatine and Using Scrivener Collections: @aprildavila
Writing Tools / Resources
Commonly Used Acronyms In the Creative Writing World: @_HannahHeath
Uncategorized
Have an upcoming release? Here is my checklist to make sure promo is covered:
3 Ways to Sell More Books on Amazon:
It’s easy for forget things during release time. This is my checklist that I refer to when I launch books:
The top writing links from last week are on Twitterific:
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November 9, 2017
3 Ways to Sell More Books on Amazon
by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig
Author Michael Alvear, who has been a guest on my blog, recently sent me the results of an interesting study he’d conducted.
I’m always interested in ways to move more books on Amazon–which is the retailer I have the most success with.
The cool thing about this infographic is that Alvear’s study shows where Amazon customers focus on a book product page. This gives writers insights to reader behavior.
The first insight is that readers do focus on the ‘sponsored products related to this item’ section. Alvear points out that it makes sense to capitalize on this by placing ads on a competitor’s page.
I haven’t explored Amazon ads, but I’ve read interesting articles about them. For more information, read Penny Sansevieri’s post “What You Need to Know for Successful Amazon Ads” and Deanna Cabinian’s post on Jane Friedman’s blog, “Using Amazon Ads to Sell a YA Novel: A Detailed Analysis.”
The second insight is that readers focus on books in a series. This is pretty widely known, but it’s nice to see more proof of it.
I don’t know why everyone else enjoys reading in a series, but I know why I do, as a reader: I’ve already invested time getting to know a story world and a set of characters and I’d like to maximize that by reading more stories set in that world and with those characters.
As a writer, it’s simply a huge time-saver. You already have the story world set up and a set list of characters. Write more books with those characters in new situations.
The third insight is to put sales pitches below the fold.
I always wondered how many readers clicked ‘read more’ to see the entire book description, including any pitches, blurbs, or endorsements. Alvear’s research indicates that readers do click through.
There are many posts out there on better book descriptions/sale copy. Here are a few to get you started:
Penny C. Sansevieri ‘s article, “How Great Book Descriptions Can Help Sell More Books”
Bryan Cohen’s article/interview with Joanna Penn: “How to Write Your Book’s Sales Description”
Ellie Redding’s post for BookBub: “8 Book Description A/B Tests You Need to See”
All of this research makes me want to go back and do some tweaking on my books. :)
For more information on the Amazon eye tracking study, visit Michael Alvear’s blog, Write for a Living.
Do you especially craft your Amazon pitches? Have you tried advertising on Amazon?
3 Ways to Sell More Books on Amazon: a Study by Michael Alvear:
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