- Is it worth a year of your life? How to test if your story idea is worth .
The Question You Should Ask Before You Ask “What if?” - Looking beyond the craft: how to make your good writing great. Love this!
James Killick's Blog: How to make good writing great - Anyone a trilogy will love this interview with @bethrevis at League of Extraordinary .
The League of Extraordinary Writers: Writing a sequel to a Bestseller -- Exclusive Beth Revis interview about A MILLION SUNS - Fantastic post on using hidden elements to communicate your story's purpose.
Words and Such: On Logos, Arrows, and Storytelling - A query letter is a sales letter: show the agent you are perfect for the job.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: Show Editors & Agents How You Meet Their Guidelines - How @elspethwrite knows when she's not in The Zone. (not)
It's a Mystery: 10 Signs You're NOT in The Zone - One of the best posts I've ever read on finding your voice.
25 Things Writers Should Know About Finding Their Voice - A query is probably the most important letter you'll ever compose. How The Beatles got it right.
The Kill Zone: Paperback Writer - Overwhelmed by revisions? Wipe those tears, take a deep breath, then read these excellent tips
Project 2012: Dealing with problems. Big problems. - Your hero's victory over the villain must be hard-won or it doesn't feel like a victory at all. Brilliant.
Seeking the Write Life: Mighty Heroes REQUIRE Mighty Villains - Dozens of links to @elizabethscraig's favorite writerly blog posts this week.
Twitterific | Mystery Writing is Murder - Hooks, loglines, & pitches: don't write yours until you've read this.
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Hooks, Loglines, and Pitches: What Every Writer Need to Know - Congrats to The Indelibles on your new MG & YA Indie group! Your launch party sounds like fun! @IndelibleWriter
The Indelibles: The History of The Indelibles - Severus Snape & Good Will Hunting: Wounded is the latest addition to the Character Trait Thesaurus at Bookshelf Muse.
The Bookshelf Muse: Character Trait Thesaurus Entry: Wounded - Revise with purpose: Use each draft to focus on fixing a weakness. Fantastic checklist!
Write and Rewrite | The Editor's Blog - Your website can be the most powerful selling tool you have. Don't hurt yourself with an outdated, poorly-designed site.
Is Your Website Hurting Your Writing? - Backstory: it gets a bad rap, but you need it to create rich characters. How to make it work.
The Other Side of the Story: We Have a History: Making Backstory Work for You - DITCHED by Robin Mellom "reads like a John Hughes movie." I am so in! 5-star review by @MundieMoms
Mundie Moms: Book Review: Ditched by Robin Mellom - My critique partners LOVE my manuscript! So why are agents/editors rejecting it?
*Lynnette Labelle* @Chatterbox Chitchat: Editors Passed on Same Book Critique Group Loved: 6 Reasons Why - Finding the balance between thought & action: revealing emotion without hurting the pace. A must-read post from @lisagailgreen#writing
Paranormal Point of View: Internal Dialogue - Congrats on the release of UNDER THE NEVER SKY,@V_Rossibooks! Can't wait to read it!
YA Muses: Under the Never Sky Launch Day - @KMWalton1 celebrates the release of CRACKED with a contest & giveaway. Congratulations!
Some Things I Think...: CRACKED is Released! - Tips for emotionally satisfying endings.
Grand finales: Tips for writing great endings - @annerallen relates how she overcame her addiction to querying and found success. Congratulations!
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Confessions of a Former Query Addict - Round-up:@writing_tips' most-visited posts of 2011 (I read every single one of them!)
The Best of Daily Writing Tips in 2011 - Finding it hard to write because the kids are home for winter break? 4 tips to find writing time
How Do You Write with Kids in the House? | Fantasy Faction - Congratulations,@MundieMoms, on your 1 million visitors! Awesome giveaway, too!
Mundie Moms: 1,000,000 Visitors Giveaway!! - Chain, convergence, divergence, & thunderbolt: 4 ways your protag can discover hidden truths.
James Killick's Blog: 4 ways your protagonist can learn the truth - Gripping & intense, DON'T BREATHE A WORD by Holly Cupala will keep you guessing.
A Blog about Nothing: Don’t Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala - 3 books to add to your craft of writing library recommended by @redsofaliterary. I'm buying them all!
How’s your writing reference library looking? - THIS. I want THIS. Best gift for writers
Will Write For Chocolate: Best Gift For A Writer - Inkygirl: Guide For Kidlit/YA Writers & Artists - Inkygirl: An Illustrated Guide For Those Who Write & Draw For Young People - Read it, print it, frame it, live it:@RoniLoren's 10 Commandments of a Successful Author
* Roni Loren - Fiction Groupie *: The 10 Commandments of a Successful Author - Behind the words: making big picture revisions. 6 tips from @JamiGold
How to Force a Story to Evolve: 6 Revision Tips | Jami Gold, Paranormal Author - The rude shock of staying published: What to expect after that 1st contract.
The Writer’s Journey - Denial can work against your character but for your story. Superb post by @NovelEditor
Don't Give Characters What They Want | The Editor's Blog - Simply filling out a character worksheet doesn't develop the character. What's the next step?
edittorrent: The "Why" of Character Worksheets - Make editing your ms easier with these 11 resources, compiled by @Publetariat
Top Posts of 2011: 11 Resources To Make Editing Your Novel Easier | www.publetariat.com - When "strong language" does not mean "dirty words."
QueryTracker.net: Caution: Contains Strong Language - 5 fantastic tips on emotion.
The Bookshelf Muse: Stocking Stuffers for Writers: EMOTION - Finding time:@JaneFriedman's 5 tips on how to fit in everything you need to do.
So, How Do I Find The Time To Do All This? | Jane Friedman
Book Reviews and Giveaways
- Interesting post on the effect ebooks have on the reader's reading habits and spending.
Positive and Negative Effects of eReading - DITCHED by Robin Mellom "reads like a John Hughes movie." I am so in! 5-star review by @MundieMoms
Mundie Moms: Book Review: Ditched by Robin Mellom - @KMWalton1 celebrates the release of CRACKED with a contest & giveaway. Congratulations!
Some Things I Think...: CRACKED is Released! - A++ review for THE STATISTICAL PROBABILITY OF LOVE AT 1ST SIGHT
Katie's Book Blog: The Statistical Probability Of Love At First Sight by Jennifer E. Smith - Gripping & intense, DON'T BREATHE A WORD by Holly Cupala will keep you guessing.
A Blog about Nothing: Don’t Breathe a Word by Holly Cupala - @MundieMoms list their 10 fave YA dystopians of 2011. Is your favorite on this list?
Mundie Moms: 2011 Mundie Moms Favorites: Dystopians - HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand: 5 stars! Moving & emotionally binding. Reviewed by @MundieMoms
Mundie Moms: Book Review: HALLOWED by Cynthia Hand - Corrine Jackson's IF I LIE looks like an excellent read. Coming August 2012.
Cover Reveal: IF I LIE by Corrine Jackson; Also, Watch me Ramble - Share your love of books on April 23 and be a World Book Night 2012 Giver.
Register to be a WBN 2012 Giver
Craft of Writing, Editing, and Critiquing
- Looking beyond the craft: how to make your good writing great. Love this!
James Killick's Blog: How to make good writing great - Anyone a trilogy will love this interview with @bethrevis at League of Extraordinary .
The League of Extraordinary Writers: Writing a sequel to a Bestseller -- Exclusive Beth Revis interview about A MILLION SUNS - Fantastic post on using hidden elements to communicate your story's purpose.
Words and Such: On Logos, Arrows, and Storytelling - Write faster and avoid writer's block with these five tips from Ann Aguirre.
Five Productivity Tips - Does your character have enough at stake? Can he/she walk away from the conflict?
Two Surefire Symptoms of a Static Character - One of the best posts I've ever read on finding your voice.
25 Things Writers Should Know About Finding Their Voice - Overwhelmed by revisions? Wipe those tears, take a deep breath, then read these excellent tips
Project 2012: Dealing with problems. Big problems. - Your hero's victory over the villain must be hard-won or it doesn't feel like a victory at all. Brilliant.
Seeking the Write Life: Mighty Heroes REQUIRE Mighty Villains - Severus Snape & Good Will Hunting: Wounded is the latest addition to the Character Trait Thesaurus at Bookshelf Muse.
The Bookshelf Muse: Character Trait Thesaurus Entry: Wounded - Revise with purpose: Use each draft to focus on fixing a weakness. Fantastic checklist!
Write and Rewrite | The Editor's Blog - Backstory: it gets a bad rap, but you need it to create rich characters. How to make it work.
The Other Side of the Story: We Have a History: Making Backstory Work for You - Finding the balance between thought & action: revealing emotion without hurting the pace. A must-read post from @lisagailgreen#writing
Paranormal Point of View: Internal Dialogue - Pack both introspection & world building into phrases to achieve depth (good advice even if you don't write category).
Babbles from Scott Eagan: Writing Category Romance Doesn't Mean Skimping on Depth - Criticized for having boring characters? Make them interesting with these tips from @SuperheroNation
Ideas for How to Make a Boring Character Interesting - Tips for emotionally satisfying endings.
Grand finales: Tips for writing great endings - Chain, convergence, divergence, & thunderbolt: 4 ways your protag can discover hidden truths.
James Killick's Blog: 4 ways your protagonist can learn the truth - Three books to add to your craft of writing library recommended by @redsofaliterary. I'm buying them all!
How’s your writing reference library looking? - Similes & metaphors: Seven guidelines to do them well.
Artzicarol Ramblings: Similes and Metaphors That WORK - Behind the words: making big picture revisions. 6 tips from @JamiGold
How to Force a Story to Evolve: 6 Revision Tips | Jami Gold, Paranormal Author - Denial can work against your character but for your story. Superb post by @NovelEditor
Don't Give Characters What They Want | The Editor's Blog - Simply filling out a character worksheet doesn't develop the character. What's the next step?
edittorrent: The "Why" of Character Worksheets - Make editing your ms easier with these 11 resources, compiled by @Publetariat
Top Posts of 2011: 11 Resources To Make Editing Your Novel Easier | www.publetariat.com - When "strong language" does not mean "dirty words."
QueryTracker.net: Caution: Contains Strong Language - @MundieMoms list their 10 fave YA dystopians of 2011. Is your favorite on this list?
Mundie Moms: 2011 Mundie Moms Favorites: Dystopians - Five fantastic tips on emotion.
The Bookshelf Muse: Stocking Stuffers for Writers: EMOTION - Is it ever okay to use "was?"
The Blood-Red Pencil: To "Was" or Not to "Was"
Inspiration and Smiles
- Is it worth a year of your life? How to test if your story idea is worth writing.
The Question You Should Ask Before You Ask “What if?” - Finding it hard to write because the kids are home for winter break? 4 tips to find writing time
How Do You Write with Kids in the House? | Fantasy Faction - Slumps are inevitable. Three tips on pulling yourself out
3 Ways to Get Out of a Writing Slump - Fantastic motivation for those who keep revising, but never finish the ms.
Chip MacGregor .com: The Best Writing Advice: A guest blog from novelist Kaye Dacus - Read it, print it, frame it, live it: @RoniLoren's 10 Commandments of a Successful Author
* Roni Loren - Fiction Groupie *: The 10 Commandments of a Successful Author - Finding time: @JaneFriedman's Five tips on how to fit in everything you need to do.
So, How Do I Find The Time To Do All This? | Jane Friedman - Another reason to do more research before querying: info from online agent databases can be out of date.
A New Year’s Resolution – Public Service Announcement - Get the most out of a conference by knowing your goals. Excellent tips!
Attending a Writers Conference in 2012? Know Your Goals? | GENREALITY - Why pre-ordering a book is the best way to support an author.
From the Write Angle: Not All Sales Are Created Equal—What Your Writer Friends Wish You Knew But Are Too Polite to Tell You - Think your 1st novel will find immediate success? Think again, says @greyhausagency.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: It's Your First Book - Don't Expect Miracles - "If you're going to self-publish, do it deliberately." Excellent interview on the rewards & challenges of self-pubbing
QueryTracker.net: The Challenges and Rewards of Self-Publishing: An Interview - Why finding an agent is an uphill battle.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: The Numbers Behind Finding Agents - A renaissance of storytelling: good news for epubbers from @ravenousromance.#writing
Agent in the Middle: December 2011
Issues, News, Trends, and Congratulations
- Congrats to @AngelaAckerman @BeccaPuglisi @JaneFriedman @StoryFix @thecreativepenn and the other Top Ten Blog finalists!
Top 10 Blogs for Writers Contest 2011/12: The Finalists | Write to Done - Congrats to The Indelibles on your new MG & YA Indie group! Your launch party sounds like fun! @IndelibleWriter
The Indelibles: The History of The Indelibles - Happy book birthday to @RoniLoren's CRASH INTO YOU! Congratulations!
* Roni Loren - Fiction Groupie *: Is That the Sound of My Dream Coming True? CRASH INTO YOU is out!!! - Congrats on the release of UNDER THE NEVER SKY,@V_Rossibooks! Can't wait to read it!
YA Muses: Under the Never Sky Launch Day - @KMWalton1 celebrates the release of CRACKED with a contest & giveaway. Congratulations!
Some Things I Think...: CRACKED is Released! - @annerallen relates how she overcame her addiction to querying and found success. Congratulations!
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Confessions of a Former Query Addict - Congratulations,@MundieMoms, on your 1 million visitors! Awesome giveaway, too!
Mundie Moms: 1,000,000 Visitors Giveaway!! - THIS. I want THIS. Best gift for writers
Will Write For Chocolate: Best Gift For A Writer - Inkygirl: Guide For Kidlit/YA Writers & Artists - Inkygirl: An Illustrated Guide For Those Who Write & Draw For Young People - Woot! Congrats on the sale of the next two books in your UNFAIRY TALE LIFE series,@annastanisz!
Anna Staniszewski» Blog Archive » Big News! - Happy blogiversary,@candacemom2two! Thanks for giving us so many excellent posts to tweet!
Candace's Book Blog: Happy Blogoversary To Me!
Social Media
- What do impressive social media stats look like?@amandaleudeke on successful platforms by the numbers.
Chip MacGregor .com: Thursdays with Amanda: How Big Should a Writer's Platform Be? - Your website can be the most powerful selling tool you have. Don't hurt yourself with an outdated, poorly-designed site.
Is Your Website Hurting Your Writing? - Blogging & writing: how to find the time to do both.
How I get time to blog as well as write - Is Twitter making us better or worse?
Does Twitter Make Us Better Writers? - Social media before you debut: website/blogging tips & resources
What to do Before Your Book Debuts (Part Two) | Beyond The Margins - Website tips for fiction writers: how to build your audience.
How to Build an Audience for a Fiction Writer’s Website
Self-Publishing, Book Promotion, and Author Marketing
- Have a book app? How can you get readers to find it?
Guest Post: Elizabeth O. Dulemba on Promoting a Book App - What do impressive social media stats look like?@amandaleudeke on successful platforms by the numbers.
Chip MacGregor .com: Thursdays with Amanda: How Big Should a Writer's Platform Be? - Your website can be the most powerful selling tool you have. Don't hurt yourself with an outdated, poorly-designed site.
Is Your Website Hurting Your Writing? - Fantastic post on promotion & what you should do NOW, before you sell.
Targeted PR, Cross-Promotion, and Knowing Your Audience
Self-Publishing, Book Promotion, and Author Marketing
- The mindset and terminology of the freelance author.
The Business-Minded Writer: When the Hobby Becomes the Job - An optimistic timeline of a book from start to finish.
Remember, Trends Started 3 Years Ago
To Market
- A query letter is a sales letter: show the agent you are perfect for the job.
Babbles from Scott Eagan: Show Editors & Agents How You Meet Their Guidelines - A query is probably the most important letter you'll ever compose. How The Beatles got it right.
The Kill Zone: Paperback Writer - Hooks, loglines, & pitches: don't write yours until you've read this.
Anne R. Allen's Blog: Hooks, Loglines, and Pitches: What Every Writer Need to Know - Should you sign with a new publisher?@behlerpublish on how to evaluate & decide.
Just because they offered you a contract doesn’t mean you need to take it - Fantastic!@DaphneUn of kt literary gives specifics on what she wants--and doesn't want--to represent.
kt literary » Blog Archive » What I’d Like To See - Another reason to do more research before querying: info from online agent databases can be out of date.
A New Year’s Resolution – Public Service Announcement - My critique partners LOVE my manuscript! So why are agents/editors rejecting it?
*Lynnette Labelle* @Chatterbox Chitchat: Editors Passed on Same Book Critique Group Loved: 6 Reasons Why - Really cool pitch contest & giveaway
Brenda Drake Writes . . . under the influence of coffee: Can You Hit A Perfect Pitch? Blogfest Contest with agent Ammi-Joan Paquette - Don't just get an agent. Get a GOOD agent. Here's how to evaluate them.
How Do You Know If Your Agent Is Any Good? | Jane Friedman - @JS_Lawson's roundup on what agents want: more YA romance, no more vamps/weres/zombies.
Falling Leaflets: Amazon Breakthrough Novel Contest and Agency/Agent News - The rude shock of staying published: What to expect after that 1st contract.
The Writer’s Journey - "Please respond" is just an invitation not to, & other ways to be instantly rejected.
Janet Reid, Literary Agent: A brilliant new way to shoot yourself in the query
Other Weekly Round-Ups:
- Cynthia Leitich Smith at Cynsationsdoes a Cynsational author, craft, and book news review.
- Elizabeth Craig posts a comprehensive weekly list of all her helpful Twitter posts.
- Stina Lindenblatt does a fabulous Cool Links Friday post every week.
- YA Highway's Friday Road Trip hits the high points of the publishing industry, writing craft, submissions process, and other fun stuff.
Clara and Martina
So many links, oh me, oh my... Thanks, ladies! Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteAlways great links here. Thanks for the shout-out and links to both my recent posts!
ReplyDeleteHoly cow, so much great stuff! And I just noticed that Caroline wrote your Wow Wednesday post. I'm off to check it out!
ReplyDeleteGreat stuff as usual; thanks for including me! And Kristi Helvig got an agent, woo! (maybe you included that last week and I missed it though):
ReplyDeleteKristi Helvig + Agent
Where to start? Where to start? I have to say the preorder post was a real eye-opener for me. I think I preordered 3 books this week.
ReplyDeleteCannot believe how many blogs you've been reading. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for rounding up this list--there are so many posts I want to check out here :-) And thanks for the mention of Words and Such, too!
ReplyDelete