13 Best Articles This Week for Writers 1/21/11

After the Sale

• Show Me the Money [Let The Words Flow] Understanding the basics of an advance.
• Ask Not What Your Publicist Can Do For You -- Jordana Frankel [Lightning + Lightning Bugs - Musings from Weronika Janczuk, Literary Agent] DIY Marketing & Publicity
• How to Find a Direct Line to Your Readers [There Are No Rules] First, figure out who they are.

Book Reviews

• Bookanista Review: The Liar Society, by Lisa and Laura Roecker--AND AN ARC GIVEAWAY!!!! [Shannon Whitney Messenger] Addictive, hilarious, and a ton of heart.
• ROOM by Emma Donoghue [ROOTS IN MYTH] High marks for this emotional novel.
• BRILLIANT MARKETING CAMPAIGN FOR A SERIES--FREE KINDLE BOOK: DON'T DIE DRAGONFLY by Linda Joy Singleton [Jill Corcoran Books] Get Book 1 of the Seer series free!
• Spotlight Wednesday: HEAD GAMES by Keri Mikulski [The Contemps] Tons of praise for this new release!
• Book Review: Vesper (Deviants, #1) by Jeff Sampson [/- LA FEMME READERS -/] A thrilling start to a new series!
• Bree Despain: In the Fort! [Myra McEntire] Great interview and a new book for the TBR list.
• Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings by Hélène Boudreau [The Bookologist] 'A witty, fun, and humorous novel with many cute lessons to learn!'

Congrats

• Our First BAKER'S DOZEN Agent Signing! [Miss Snark's First Victim] Yay! Author Monica B.W. has signed with agent Michelle Wolfson.
• YA Highway An Agent Query Best Blog [YA Highway] Well deserved congrats on the award from AgentQuery.com!

Contests

• Contest for DIVERGENT [Coffey. Tea. And Literary.] Enter to win Veronica Roth's book!
• Bookanistas: Sweet XVI...and Signed Book Giveaway [Carolina Valdez Miller] Win Julia Karr's new novel!
• Here it is as promised-- Submissions Contest! [Coming Down the Mountain: From Reclusive Writer to Published Author] WiDO Publishing query and sample chapters contest. Enter by 3/1/11.
• Some other contests for comparison purposes [Janet Reid, Literary Agent] Good criteria for choosing which contests to enter.
• First Page and GIVEAWAY: Change of Heart [First Page Panda] Win a signed copy!
• ARC giveaway #1: the new sarah dessen!! [Kirsten Hubbard: YA Author + Travel Writer] Win What Happened to Goodbye!
• Dark Days Author Signing and #Giveaway of Unearthly, Desires of the Dead and Once in a Full Moon! [Candace's Book Blog] Win Unearthly, Once in a Full Moon, and Desires of the Dead!
• Win a signed copy of The Secret Year [Confessions of a Bookaholic] Easy entry to win Jennifer R. Hubbard's book!
• WINNER of Perilous & Beth Revis' ATU GIVEAWAY!! [Writers' Ally aka ➔ sa larsenッ] MAJOR Across the Universe giveaway. Go!
• Marvelous Middle Grade Monday--The Emerald Atlas (plus an ARC giveaway!) [Shannon Whitney Messenger] Enter to win this book that won't even drop until April!
• Good Things in 3's GIVEAWAY [The Bookshelf Muse] Enter to win crits and mystery prizes!
• A Brush Of Darkness=A Brush Of Awesomeness (ARC Giveaway) [Babbling Flow] Enter by the 21st!
• Don't enter this contest--updated! [Janet Reid, Literary Agent] A Writer Beware from Janet Reid.
• I'm GIVING AWAY BOOOOKS!!! [Writers' Ally aka ➔ sa larsenッ] Awesome books offered as prizes!
• Author Guest Post & Giveaway: Hélène Boudreau (Real Mermaids Don't Wear Toe Rings) [The Bookologist] Easy entry!

Craft

• Subtle techniques, subtext of horror [edittorrent] Great example and a new tool for your arsenal.
• Q of the Week: How Do You Keep Your Plot From Feeling Contrived? [www.publetariat.com] Add a twist or a crazy new character.
• Reality Doesn't Have To Be Complicated [Babbles from Scott Eagan] Let your characters simply fall in love.
• And in the morning, I'm making waffles! [Hey, There's A Dead Guy in the Living Room] Dialogue should be like waffles, not pancakes.
• Common Senses [Paranormal Point of View] Lisa stretches our writerly muscles with a helpful exercise.
• Symbolism Thesaurus Entry: Bondage/Enslavement [The Bookshelf Muse] A variety of symbols you can utilize in your WIP.
• Re-Write Wednesday: Keeping Your Distance [The Other Side of the Story] Good explanation plus examples of narrative distance.
• Character Building [Renae Mercado] Six tips from Stephen King's A MEMOIR OF THE CRAFT. Good stuff!
• Bring Character Emotion to Life Through Action [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] Good example of showing emotion rather than lapsing into maudlin telling.
• The Increasing Importance of the First Chapter [Author, Jody Hedlund] With fierce competition, your first chapter has to be great.
• Making Your Super Characters Extraordinary [Carolina Valdez Miller] Great tips for making your characters stand out.
• A Variety of Stakes [Julie Musil] What does your character stand to lose?
• A Litmus Test for Your Opening Scene [* Fiction Groupie *] 5 ways to evaluate your first scene's impact.
• 6 Common Dialogue Mistakes to Avoid [Chatterbox Chitchat] 6 ways to keep it real.
• Combining Characters [The Blood-Red Pencil] 'Characters represent different ways of looking at things.'
• The Problem - and Reality - of Adding -LY [WOW! Women On Writing Blog] Done right, adverbs can make prose pop.
• Me or You? Choosing Between First and Third POV [The Other Side of the Story] Selection criteria and detailed explanations.
• Jan. post #2 Extraneous Words [The Blood-Red Pencil] Find words you can delete w/o changing your meaning.
• How to Write a Synopsis When You Have Lots of Characters in Your Story [Guide to Literary Agents] Helpful advice.
• Writers Have Trades Too [WOW! Women On Writing Blog] Add these magazines to your tool kit.
• Tip Tuesday #71 [Literary Rambles] Guidelines for maintaining flow.
• Make the Most of Your Minor Characters [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] They bring depth and memorability to our stories.
• Developing Your Voice for Fiction Writing [Advanced Fiction Writing Blog] Love this: Voice is attitude and personality turned into words.
• How to Save Mary Sues (Insufficiently Challenged Heroes) [Superhero Nation: how to write superhero novels, comic books and graphic novels] Five ways to add depth as well as peril.
• Creating Empathy for Your Characters [Dark Angel Fiction Writing] Do you have at least two of these five elements in your ms?
• Creating Unforgettable Settings, Part 4 [The Bookshelf Muse] Five steps to follow.
• Tension vs. Just Plain Old Annoying [Magical Words] Stories are about people--tension must come from characters struggling.
• Get Out of the Kitchen: Using Setting to Help Build Your World [The Other Side of the Story] Four questions to get your plot and characters moving.
• The Sparkle in Our Writing [Mystery Writing is Murder] Six ways to make your writing shine a little more.
• QOTW: How Do You Keep Your Plot From Feeling Contrived? [Let The Words Flow » QOTW: How Do You Keep Your Plot From Feeling Contrived?] Properly lay your foundation & develop your characters.
• When Dialogue is nothing but "Blah, Blah, Blah" [Babbles from Scott Eagan] Beginning a story with dialogue may lose your readers.
• Find Your Plot Fridays: Planning Your Novel With Plot [The Other Side of the Story] Figure out the Whats before the Whys.
• Want to Get High (Concept)? [* Fiction Groupie *] Your story should be unique, have universal appeal, & instant emotional connection.
• GenJ for Characters [Paperback Writer] An online tool for managing characters.
• 5 Secrets of Good Writing – Examples of Sensory Details [Quips and Tips for Successful Writers] They work best in conjunction.

Critiquing

• SCBWI TEAM BLOG Pre-Conference Interview: Advice on Critiques From Editors & Agents [Alice Pope's SCBWI Children's Market Blog] Listen, don't defend.

Inspiration

• 7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Matt Baglio [Guide to Literary Agents] Motivate yourself.
• WriteOnCon Wants You! (To be our forum manager) [WriteOnCon.com] Great opportunity for a volunteer to really connect with other writers!
• Writer's Platform Vs. Writer's Foundation [Heather's Odyssey] The importance of friends and other writers as a support structure before pub.
• Celebrating Rejection [QueryTracker.net] 'Rejection is proof that you're not just existing-you're living.'
• A Crisis of Self-Confidence [Kidlit.com] 'Focus on your inner creative assets when you’re feeling down.'
• Writing The Next Book [YA Highway] Starting something new doesn't mean giving up on the old.
• Finding Creative Balance: Making Room for Your Writing in Your Life [How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book] A helpful exercise.
• Reading and Weight Loss [Sisters in Scribe] Have you struggled with writer's/reader's butt?
• What We Can Learn From Katy Perry [YA Author Elana Johnson] No, really.
• Not Yoga, But Close: Stretching and Challenging Yourself as a Writer -- Kate Larkindale [Lightning + Lightning Bugs - Musings from Weronika Janczuk, Literary Agent] Reach outside of what you normally write.
• Harnessing Your Inner Frustration-Ostrich [YA Highway] 'Ride that baby to the finish line!'
• A Small Note About Rejections [Buried in the Slush Pile] Don't take it personally, & DON'T let it deter you.
• 9 Steps to Developing a Writing Practice [Confident Writing] Call it practice.
• A Guilty Pleasure, A Professional Must [Falling Leaflets] Writers' conferences are vital (and fun).
• 5 for Friday: Developing Characters While Waiting in Line [Wavy Lines] Writers find inspiration everywhere.
• 5 Ways to Develop Consistency in Writing & Blogging [Author, Jody Hedlund] How consistency is essential on the road to publication.
• 7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Paula Bomer [Guide to Literary Agents] 'Remain positive, even if it's only occasionally.'
• 10 Writing Habits of Successful Writers – A Writing Coach’s Tips [Quips and Tips for Successful Writers] Make your goals stratgic.
• 10 Steps for Working Past the “This Stinks” Blues [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] It happens to all of us.

Issues

• How Original? How Edgy? Writing for a Market [Mystery Writing is Murder] Great post on juggling market demands as a writer.
• 10 Ways to Be Awkward at a Writer's Conference [Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent] Stalking won't get you anywhere.
• Conference Tips, part 1 [Jennifer Represents...] Which conference should you attend?
• The 2 Guaranteed Ways to Ruin Your Novel [A. Victoria Mixon, Editor] 'Fiction is about the truth.'
• On Cursing in YA [Kirsten Hubbard: YA Author + Travel Writer] 'Anything that distracts from your story shouldn't be in your story.'
• When the Bookshelves Spilleth Over: Ideas and Links for Book Donations [WOW! Women On Writing Blog] Clever ways to donate your books and make a difference.
• What's going on with Borders? [Jacket Copy] Shares rise 12% but investor confidence isn't echoed by sceptical publishers.

Self-Editing

• Tightening Your (Manuscript’s) Belt: a Checklist for Eliminating Unnecessary Prose [Cheryl's Musings] Quick tips for eliminating waste in your WIP.
• Editing Made Easy (Or At Least Easier) [Mystery Writing is Murder] Finding and eliminating those pesky filter words.
• A Writer's Quick-fix Toolkit [James Killick's Blog] 'Let your characters speak for themselves.'
• Edits vs. Revisions: One on One Death Match [The Other Side of the Story] A subtle shift in thought can get the job done.
• AutoCrit: A Helpful Tool for Editing Fiction or anything! [Dark Angel Fiction Writing] And it's free!

Social Media

• HOW TO SUB QUERIES & FULL MS IN THE DIGITAL AGE [Jill Corcoran Books] Interesting formatting tips.
• 21 Reworks to Achieve a Better Blog in 2011 [Blogussion] Improve your blog design, content, and more.
• What's Your Blog Identity? [Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent] 'There is no magic widget! Building blog traffic is a lot of work.'
• US Department of Education Call for Reviewers [YALSA] Interesting opportunity.
• The Snowball Effect of Social Media [Author, Jody Hedlund] You never know where you'll pick up readers and support.
• Stick your neck out [Anita Laydon Miller's Blog] Blogging & commenting can lead to great opportunities.
• How To Create A Podcast [The Creative Penn] Ready to step out of your blogging comfort zone?

To Market

• Smart Self-Publishing: How to Get Published Without Getting Scammed [Author Marketing Experts, Inc. » BLOG] 13 pieces of advice if you're considering this route.
• WriteOnCon Awesomeness Coming in 3...2...1... [YA Author Elana Johnson] Three agents from Pippin share advice at 5:00 PM 1/24.
• Perfect Your Pitch: A Roundup of Posts [All about them words] Just in time for NYC!
• Query Letters--Shannon Style (Part Three: The Meat) [Shannon Whitney Messenger] Set the agent up to know what to expect from YOUR book.
• When And How To Self-Publish? Chuck Wendig Tells All [BubbleCow] 'If you do self-publish, make sure the book doesn’t suck.'
• Should I Mention My Blog in My Query? [QueryTracker.net] Only if you have a huge # of followers.
• Agent Advice: Katie Kotchman of Don Congdon Associates [Guide to Literary Agents] She seeks YA.
• Intern Tips: Query Edition [Publishing Lane] 20 helpful reminders for querying.

Other Weekly Round-Ups:

• Jane Friedman of Writer's Digest also does a wonderful list of best tweets of the previous week. 
• Alice Pope does a Wednesday Tweet Roundup for the SCBWI Children's Market Blog.
• Northern Colorado Writers do This Week in the Writing World every Friday.
• Jennifer Roland does a Writing Roundup on Fridays.
• Ricki Schultz does an "In the Blogosphere" post on Fridays where she lists posts she's stumbled across during the week.
• Elizabeth Craig has started posting a weekly list of all her helpful Twitter posts.
• And don't forget to check Nathan Bransford's blog later this morning for his weekly recap of publishing news and information.
• Saturday Link Party [Forever Young] Jessica rounds up fun and interesting links.
• Stina Linddenblatt does a Cool Links Friday. This week, she caught a lot I wish we had on ours. I know what I'm doing for the next few minutes!
• DuoLit does a weekly list of links with some emphasis on self-publishing and marketing.
• YA Highway's Friday Road Trip hits the high points of the publishing industry, writing craft, submissions process, and other fun stuff.
• Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsations does a Cynsational author and book news review.

Did we miss anything? Anyone? Please leave a comment!

Happy reading and joyous writing,

Martina, Marissa, Clara, Cam and Cici