Inspired Links – July 8, 2011
In my "Inspired Links" feature, I provide links and brief descriptions of thought-provoking articles. I hope you enjoy these little treasures 
- If you are considering self publishing then you simply must check out this post from Seth Godin in which he shares a spreadsheet put together by Jenny Blake. This spreadsheet is a tracking mechanism for marketing efforts and provides an exhaustive laundry list of various marketing efforts an author might undertake.
- Another must-read post is "Publishing Your E-Book: A Quick How-To" by Ania Ahlborn. It's exhaustive and informative.
- K.M. Weiland always has interesting writerly content on her blog and her series "Most Common Mistakes" is no exception. My favorite post in the series is "Is Your First Person Narrator Overpowering Your Story" which contains a list of key tips for writing in the first person. I read this post when it was originally posted and just recently listened to the podcast as well.
- "It's a Trap: The Easy Ending" by Steph Sinkhorn is a great rundown of common problems with endings. Writing endings is a big bugaboo with me and this post offers some terrific insights.
- Darrelyn Saloom wrote this wonderful guest post for Jane Friedman's blog: "Editing a Life" which is more about simplifying and organizing and less about writing, but it's beautiful and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
- Anybody who thinks they don't have any time to read fiction should check out the latest issue of "5×5 Fiction," edited by Angel Zapata. It's chock full of bite-sized morsels of fiction.
- For an in-depth analysis of the changes taking place in "bricks and mortar" bookstores, check out this post by Kristine Kathryn Rusch: "The Business Rusch: Bookstore Observations." And if this excellent post isn't enough, then check out the 81 (and counting) comments!
- Many years ago, I used to be into dream analysis. I have several blank notebooks that are filled with my dream journals and amateur attempts at interpretation. I have had two dreams that have turned into short stories. So, Emily Gray Tedrowe's guest post on Caroline Leavitt's blog was a fascinating read for me. I hope you enjoy it too.
- "The Art of Being Different: Why You Shouldn't Compare and Compete, But Seek to Change the Game" by Justine Musk provides some real food for thought on rethinking the rules of the game – whatever game you happen to be playing.
- "What Social Media Stats Should You Include In Your Book Proposal" by Michael Hyatt provides some insight on key blog and social media metrics.
- In case you missed it, you'll want to check out "5 Tips for Writing Kick-Ass Serial Fiction" by Claudia Hall Christian over on the Tuesday Serial site. She provides some excellent tips whether or not you are writing serial fiction.
If you're wondering about my methodology for choosing links for inclusion in this post, rest assured there isn't one. It's just a collection of things that I found interesting and I thought you might too. Please let me know what you think!
