11 Best of the Best: POV, Syntax, Symbolism, Writing Tips & Techniques

Point of View

• Point of View – First Person, Third Person, or Objective? [Craft– First Person, Third Person, or Objective?][Let The Words Flow] Point of View – First Person, Third Person, or Objective?
• POV: The Cure for the Common Problem—by Janice Hardy [Mystery Writing is Murder] Five common trouble spots and how POV can help fix them.
• P.O.V.:The Magic of One, Two or Three [WOW! Women On Writing Blog] Bookmark this if you are looking for pros and cons of each possible POV for your WIP.
• Who Should Tell the Story: POV Strategies for Successful Storytelling [WOW! Women On Writing Blog] POV can make or break your work.
• Countdown to NaNoWriMo Day Three: POV Character [I'll Name My Typewriter After the Moon] Seven needs requisite for a main character.
• POV = Viewpoint [edittorrent] Alicia Rasley provides in-depth discussion about the perspective of your characters.
• How Many POVs Are Too Many [Wordplay] K.M. Weiland explores choosing POVs and the impact it may have on your story.
• Writing with Multiple POVs  [First Novels Club via @robinbenway] Robin
  suggests you, 1) Let your characters tell you who they are, 2) Let them tell you their unique story, and 3) Write each character one at a time.
• The Three Dimensional Character in Novels [C. Patrick Schulze] Great: 1)Observations, 2)Backstory, and 3)Action/outlook through MC's POV.
• Convincing First Person Narrative [Ripping Ozzie Reads]The how and why of FP POV. Think gatekeeper of knowledge and the controller of suspense." Love that phrase!
• Deep Point of View [Ripping Ozzie Reads] "You need to know your characters. Know theirbackground, know their motivation and their secret fears, interview them and letthem answer the question in First Person."
• First person, present tense: Snog, marry, or throw off a cliff? [Claire King] What it is, why and when to use it, and what "rules" you might be breaking.
• Which is Best: First or Third Person Point of View? [Write It Sideways] 'You should use whatever point of view and whatever tense helps you tell your story in the best possible way.'
• Should Your Novel be First Person? [Advanced Fiction Writing Blog] When to use first person and how much internal dialogue is too much.
• Changing Point-Of-View [The WriteRunner] Doing it right.

Setting

• Detail your settings Disney style... [The Secret Archives of the Alliterati] Spice them up and make them 3-D.
• The Importance of a Fabulous Setting [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] Watch and learn from fantasy writers.
• Specificity in Setting [Kidlit.com] EXCELLENT post about bringing your story to life through detail.
• How writers can use setting to suggest conflict [Time to Write] Use setting as an extra conflict layer within your manuscript.
• How to Use Details to Suspend Disbelief [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] Pile on specific, concrete details of setting to help ease readers through unrealistic action.
• Paul Fleischman Hot Tip [The Official SCBWI Conference Blog] Love this tip! Use Google maps to make your setting realistic.
• Creating Believable Worlds [Writer Musings]Take time to build the detail and rules into your fantasy world up front.
• Setting Up and Winding Down  [The Other Side of the Story] Setting consistency and growth
• World-Building From The Inside Out [Julie Bush] Your story's world reflects your characters point of view and that world changes with the character arc.
• The Magic of Setting [YA Highway] Excellent information on setting courtesy of Kirsten Hubbard.
• How to Master Setting in Novels [C. Patrick Schulze] Another great craft post!
• How Settings Make or Break Your Characters [Plot to Punctuation] Why a believable setting is crucial to character development.
• World Building: The Little Things [YA Highway] Why it's important to flesh out the world you're creating.
• The Emotional Side of Setting [C. Patrick Schulze] Maximizing your setting to evoke a richer story.
• Getting Your Sneakers Dirty [Stet! from Backspace] Lara Ehrlich says setting is all in the details.
• 20 Questions to Enrich Your Setting  [YingleYangle via @BubbleCow] All the questions you need to help picture your setting in your mind as you write.
• What Makes a Great Setting [Nathan Bransford] Discussion on why certain settings are memorable.
• Superstition & Signs: Good Luck [Bookshelf Muse] Objects in your setting can be used to our advantage as writers.
• The YA Balancing Act [Genreality] How to strike the right balance between world building, independence, racy content, and current content.

Syntax, Language & Grammar

• Got Rhythm? [The Blood-Red Pencil] 'Transform lifeless description into a symphony.'
• Complex sentencing [edittorrent] 'Reasons you might use the double-negative and other complicated constructions.'
• Is It Okay to Switch Verb Tenses? [http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/ Google feed] Shockingly, it's sometimes okay.
• Sentence Strengthening Suday--The Passive Sentence [YA Highway] What makes passive sentences undesirable? @yaHighway
• Avoid Clichés Like the Plague! [. . . . . . . ~© The Writer's Den ©~ . . . . . . .] Long list of cliches to avoid.
• Sentence Strengthening Sunday--Metaphors and Similes [YA Highway] Make them clear and avoid cliche.
• Unique Comparisons, aka the Un-Cliche' [The Sharp Angle] Using comparisons unique to your characters is one of the best ways to keep a reader engaged.
• Serial Comma Drama: Which Side Are You On? [Write It Sideways] Some insight on providing clarity: by mandate or by inspection? What's your choice?
• Grammar and You [The Other Side of the Story] Seven things you can learn to elevate your skill level as a writer.
• Finding just the right word [Buffy's write zone] Precision can make writing great.
• Bad Words in Books: A Different Perspective [The Blood-Red Pencil] Vulgarities can limit your audience.
• Sentence Strengthening Sunday--Making Sentences Sing [YA Highway] 'Crafting sentences in your story is just as important as plot and characters.'
• What's my tense? [Jade hears voices] Present versus past tense.
• It was a dark and stormy night . . . [The Kill Zone] Cliché: where it lurks, how to avoid it, and when it's okay.
• Words to Think About From A to V [The Blood-Red Pencil] 'A list of some important and interesting words for writers to think about, know and use.'
• Guest Post: Beware the Eyes That March... What Eyes Can and Cannot Do in Fiction [NouveauWriter] Laugh, go ahead, and then go hit the find feature in your word processor.
• Em and En [edittorrent] Great overview of the different uses for hypens and dashes of both flavors.
• Metaphors, Similes, and Analogies, Oh My… [Magical Words] Real-world example of why we really use figurative language in writing--so readers can understand.
• Writing the Basics. Sentence Structure, Paragraph Structure and Why they Matter [Magical Words] Faith shares a round-up of links of the basics and a mini-lesson.
• The Not so Humble Verb [.W.I.P. It] Are you a verb collector?
• What You Need To Know About Cliche [JULIE BUSH] “A cliche is anything you’ve ever heard before."
• Are You Benefiting From the Intimacy of Pronouns? [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] When to use pronouns, and when to use actual names.
• Why is Passive Voice Considered Taboo? [C. Patrick Schulze] Even passive voice has its place.
• Using Poetry Techniques to Polish Your Fiction [There Are No Rules] This post from last week is one you won't want to miss.
• How To Use The Semi-Colon [The Oatmeal via @AdviceToWriters]  The proper use, when, how, and why of semi-colon useage--in CARTOONS!
• Really, Actually, Absolutely Adverbs Are Maligned [Help! I Need a Publisher!] Nicola Morgan comes to the defense of adverbs (when used
• The Language of the Senses [edittorrent] 'Pay attention to the way you're using language to evoke a sense onthe page.'
• Sounds Good to Me: Words That Sound Like What They Mean, but Aren't Onomatopoeia [The Other Side of the Story] The beauty and brilliance of the perfect word.
• Top Tip 2: Vary Sentence Structure [Nicola Morgan] Mix up your sentence noun/adjective/ sequences and subject/verb structures in concurrent sentences.
• Dashes, Parentheses, and Commas [Grammar Girl--@GrammarGirl] Parentheses are the quiet whisper of an aside, commas are the conversational voice of a friend walking by your desk, and dashes are the yowl of a pirate dashing into a fray.
• Questions on the Case of Pronouns [edittorrent] Pronoun cases in compounds can be tricky. Here is an excellent explanation.
• Take care of your verbs, and they’ll take care of you [Write Anything] Remove unnecessary "was" and "had been" verbs from your ms to increasepower and immediacy.
• Quick and Dirty Grammar Tips [http://grammar.quickanddirtytips.com/] Trim dead weight to invigorate your sentences.
• Fun With Hyphens [Magical Words] If you can rearrange the phrase using just the word “of,” you need the hyphen.
• Colons : Quick and Dirty Tips [Grammar Girl] Only use them after complete sentences.
• Grammar Police: Who vs Whom [Justine Dell] If you can sub him choose whom. Easy.
• All words are good words...or are they? [Dark Angel Fiction Writing] Eliminate common words and strengthen your manuscript.
• The Great Semi-Colon Debate [The Kill Zone] The semi-colon as a period slumming. :D
• Dreary Ole Modifers [Dark Angel Fiction Writing] 114 adjectives and adverbs you do not want to use.
• Verb Agreement with Compound Subjects [edittorrent] Easy-peasy breakdown on this grammar issue.
• From the Style Guide: Who/Whom [edittorrent] Tune up your grammar skills.
• Danglers again [edittorrent] A doozy of an example. Don't dangle those participles.
• Most Common Mistakes Series: Are Your Verbs Showing or Telling? [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] No problem- it's a simple fix.
• Golden Oldie: I Had to Do That: Clarifying Vague Pronouns [The Other Side of the Story] Often overlooked but very important tip.

Theme & Symbolism

• What is the theme of your novel? Miriam Halahmy [An Awfully Big Blog Adventure] Knowing your theme will focus your writing and pitch.
• Writing to meet your Needs [Write Anything] Great approach to theme and character motivation. Read this and give it a think.
• 20 Questions to Ask About About Symbolism and Theme [yingle yangle via @elizabethscraig] Wonderful post about these less-explored aspects of fiction.
• The Power of Weather in Your Story [Fiction Groupie] Add another layer of symbolism to your story. Great intro and examples.

Voice

• Author Voice--Shannon Style [Shannon Whitney Messenger] Studying other writers' voices and finding yours.
• FINDING YOUR VOICE - Part the Second [Help! I Need a Publisher!] Great discussion on crafting voice.
• Finding Your Character's Voice--Shannon Style [Shannon Whitney Messenger] Three sure-fire ways to capture the uniqueness of your character's perspective.
• Nailing Your Teen Voice [The Sharp Angle] Young adults are NOT adults.
• Finding Your Writing Voice [Chip MacGregor] How to let your voice shine through in your writing.
• Project! The Art of Voice in Fiction [Novel Matters] Details are an automatic voice all in themselves.
• On Being a Banshee [YA Highway] Great voice analogy between writing and singing.
• What is Writer's Voice? [Rachelle Gardner, Literary Agent] Are you brave enough to find yours?
• Jennifer Rees on Your Voice Is Your Voice [The Official SCBWI Conference Blog] What does your character say, notice, and leave out? Voice is the thing that makes your story unique--and the reason people will buy your book.
• I Hear Voices (Well Actually, I Listen For Them) [GotYA] 'If you read something and it can only be that character talking, that’s voice.'
• Voice, Balance, & How to Avoid Mary Sues [Glass Cases] Not being able to find a balance between your own voice and your characters' can lead to the unwanted evolution of Mary Sues.
• Voice, Voice, Voice [* Fiction Groupie *] Would you recognize your favorite author's writing without their name on it? That's voice.
• Reading Like a Writer: Voice [Through The Wardrobe] EXCELLENT examples of authorial voice vs. mc voice using TELL ME A SECRET and THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE.
• VLOG - I'm Stepping Out There! [Paranormal Point of View] Getting inside your character to convey their voice.
• Voice examples-- put money where mouth is [edittorrent] Interesting experiment on voice. Pitch in!
• Your Voice is Your Voice: Keeping It Real [Ingrid's Notes] Excellent post on the ins and outs of voice.
• Mature Voice for the YA Market [Kidlit.com] An MC with a sarcastic voice isn't enough to carry the plot.
• The Problems With Sarcastic Voice [Kidlit.com] Don't use in tense sits? I disagree, if done well like @CassieClare.
• Finding Your Voice [The Blood-Red Pencil] "Writers...read differently than non-writers... we absorb what we consider “good” writing. Good writers are readers. And we learn by reading. And, over time, we develop our own voice, a lot of it based on what we consider wonderful writing."

Writing Tips & Techniques

• The Wicked Truths of Edgy Young Adult Novels [QueryTracker.net] Stina offers tips on writing sex and swearing.
• Stocking Stuffers for Writers: Drafting [The Bookshelf Muse] 5 excellent tips for the drafting stage.
• It's Notetastic!: Outlines, Notes, and Grimoires [As the Plot Thickens] Use 'em, lose 'em, or just never bother?
• How to Write a Novel: The Snowflake Method [BubbleCow] 10 succinct steps to designing a novel.
• Allow yourself to write poorly [Buffy's write zone] Get to the end, whatever it takes. Then refine.
• Brainstorming--Shannon Style [Shannon Whitney Messenger] Getting your ideas and inspiration organized.
• How to avoid the research distraction trap [Time to Write] An excellent tip for writing now and researching later.
• Outlining: Straightjacket Or Lifeline? [www.publetariat.com] What do you think?
• Outlining--Shannon Style [Shannon Whitney Messenger] Shannon shares her road map for novel writing.
• Chekhov’s Gun – How to Make this Technique Work for You [Let The Words Flow] Fantastic perspective--what NOT to include in your novel.
• How to write when you've got nothing to say [James Killick's Blog] The secret to having words come out faster than you can type.
• How To Write Hot [GENREALITY] Making your scenes real will make it more appealing.
• Resist the Urge to Explain [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] Write a story so strong and deep that it doesn’t require any commentary.
• Overwriters Anonymous [Editorial Ass] Seven tips to help you clean up your prose.
• Show Don't Tell [The Blood-Red Pencil] 'The more intense the moment, the more showing you do.'
• The 7 Deadly Sins of Paranormal Romance [Guide to Literary Agents] Info dump, fetishism, boring dialogue, overdone spec, violence overload, up-front glossary, Mary Sue mc.
• Transitions and Foreshadowing [The Literary Lab] Past story elements -> transition <- Future story elements.
• Five Writing Tips From Reading J.K. Rowling's HARRY POTTER [Nathan Bransford] From crafting dialogue to characters, lessons from the queen herself.
• 5 Reasons Writers Get Stuck with Tips How to Unstick [Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers] 'Plot is the interweaving of character emotional development, dramatic action and thematic significance.' How this simple definitition and scene breakdown can bite you, and how to whip it all into submission.
• Write ‘TK’ for Missing Facts: NaNoWriMo Tip #14 [GalleyCat] Quick tip to keep research from slowing down your inspiration.
• 6 Ways to Shoot Yourself in the Foot [A. Victoria Mixon, Editor] And one way to get it right.
• Brainstorming Metaphors [edittorrent] Two techniques to up your originality in comparative language.
• Writing — Magic Systems as Characters [Magical Words] A solid system of magical rules is crucial.
• When You Break The Agreement [Between Fact and Fiction] Give the readers something so they're satisfied.
• The Writer/Reader Agreement [Between Fact and Fiction] What do we owe our readers?
• Are you a plotter or a pantser? [The Blood-Red Pencil] Mind mapping in the name of Nano.
• Using Writing Devices [.W.I.P. It] They need to add to the prose, not detract from it.
• Research According to J-Dash [Elana Johnson, Author] Are you research-averse? Or research-addicted?
• The Big Picture [Mystery Writing is Murder] Are you writing between the lines?
• CAN YOU WRITE A PUBLISHABLE FIRST NOVEL? 8 DOS AND DON’TS TO INCREASE YOUR CHANCES. [Anne R. Allen's Blog] Good tips!
• Never bore your reader [White Platonic Dreams] Keep things interesting and avoid the dreaded skim.
• When I say good writing, this is what I mean [Janet Reid, Literary Agent] Example from Tom Franklin's CROOKED LETTER, CROOKED LETTER :D
• Do Your Research [The Blood-Red Pencil] 'Don’t rely on what you think you know about a place.'
• God Is In The Details [QueryTracker.net] Details telegraph to the reader things the narrator knows but doesn't tell.
• Role Play to Better Writing [The Blood-Red Pencil] Role playing can provide insight no other method can.
• The Best Writing Advice [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] Sixteen tips to help you improve your writing.
• Writing Tips From Famous Authors – How to Become a Writer [Quips and Tips for Successful Writers] 'These writing tips from famous authors will help you learn how to become a writer.'
• Authentic Details Reflect Character's Inner Life &amp; Change within the Story [Plot Whisperer for Writers and Readers] How to focus details in the beginning, middle, and ending of your story.
• Don’t flood readers with mundane visual details [Superhero Nation] Avoiding description that weighs your story down.
• Elmore Leonard's Ten Rules of Writing ... [. . . . . . . ~© The Writer's Den ©~ . . . . . . .] From the New York Times, Writers on Writing Series.
• Mind Mapping [iggi & gabi] Visual thinkers will thrive on this technique.
• Morphological Forced Connetions [iggi & gabi] Using a matrix to come up with unique ideas.
• Research: When in Doubt, Make It Up [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] Fake it, for fiction's sake.
• The Scene Deck – a story-building technique [James Killick's Blog] 'The difference between Story – what happens, and Plot – why it happens.'
• On Breaking the Rules [Pimp My Novel] Don't do it until you've mastered them and know why they are worth breaking.
• My Secret Weapon: The Outline [Emma Michaels] You want a road map, not pictures of every street sign you'll pass.
• How to Know When It Works [Kidlit.com] 'The aim of good writing is to be unobtrusive.'
• 10 Book Writing Tips From Published Book Authors and Freelancers [Quips and Tips for Successful Writers] Excellent advice. Plus a tiara.
• The Accidental Author: Lessons Learned From Writing A Children’s Book [The Creative Penn] Ask what a child would think of your concept.
• Tip Thursday (A day early)-- Children's Writing [Angels and Demons and Portals. Oh My!] 17 tips to take you from idea to sub.
• Controlling The Weather in Your Manuscript [QueryTracker.net] Use it to control mood, plot, setting, tension, symbolism and more.
• Must You Dumb Down YA Fiction? [Advanced Fiction Writing Blog] I hate the question. Examples of why the answer is a resounding no.
• The Benefits of Saying Less [Wordplay: Helping Writers Become Authors] Writing can be 'like an iceberg: 9/10 of it remain underwater.'
• Inserting Nonfiction Into Your Novel [Advanced Fiction Writing Blog] How to plug information into your book without weighing it down.
• 13 WRITING RULES TO LIVE BY [Grab a Pen] Read it. Print it. Tape it to your computer. Laugh out loud, but think about it. It's genius.
• 8 Ways Writers Can Push Themselves To Grow [Author, Jody Hedlund] Improvement requires active learning as well as writing.
• How to Write a Novel [Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent] Wow. Just...wow. Please read this.
• Windows and Mirrors: Stories That Cross Borders [YA Highway] When you write across cultures, 'it's up to you to make sure everything in that image rings true.'
• Walking, Chewing Gum, and Fiction Writing [Advanced Fiction Writing Blog] 'The five main tools that you have at your disposal for writing scenes in your novel.'
• Is Quirky a Good Thing? [Editorial Anonymous] When quirky characters go wrong.
• Picture Book Checklist [Cornell DeVille] Laura Backes provides us a simple list of picture book considerations.
• Paragraph Starts in the Synopsis [edittorrent] Alicia encourages us to rethink smooth transitions between paragraphs
  in a synopsis.
• A Recipe for Writing the Breakout Novel [Ingrid's Notes] Ingrid Sundberg recaps her notes from a conference speech by Sarah Davies of Greenhouse Literary explaining the six ingredients for a breakout novel that will make agents sit up and take notice. Also includes Greenhouse submission tips!
• How to Make Your Writing Quirky & Edgy [Quips and Tips for Successful Writers via @QuipsAndTips] Great post on adding flair to your writing.
• Does Your Novel Suffer From Flat Writing? [C. Patrick Schulze - Author of Born to be Brothers] Five tips to overcome dullwriting.
• Gail Carson Levine - Infrequently Asked Questions... [The Official SCBWI Conference Blog] Tips on  character, setting, voice, and more.
• Paul Fleischman Keynote: Surviving the Novel [The Official SCBWI Conference Blog] Many useful tips on organization, research, writing, and more.
• The research or the reader? [Writer Unboxed] Define that line between fact and fiction.
• W.I.P. It: 8 Tips Actors can give Writers [.W.I.P. It] Sound advice on communicating effectively.
• Marion Dane Baur (continued) [The Official SCBWI Conference Blog] Picture book quick tips.
• Gail Carson Levine: Sweat and Magic [The Official SCBWI Conference Blog] Great tips from the successful author.
• Ten Things My MFA Program Taught Me NOT To Do [Writer's Digest via @YAHighway] My favorites? 1) Play it safe, and 2) Assume that just because one person hates your writing and the other person loves your writing that your writing is “confusing” or “conflicted.” Number 2 is a great reminder that you want people to think and talk about your work!
• Nine Expert Tips for Better Writing [LifeHack via @JaneFriedman] Seth Simmonds with some simple solutions to grow  your skills and confidence.
• Keeping current in YA [Genreality] "Understandingwhat is important to teens NOW is understanding what is important to teens STILL."
• How to Outline a Novel [C. Patrick Schulze - Author of Born to be Brothe] It can be as simple, or as involved as you want.
• Novel Outlining 101 [Paperback Writer] An older post with a timeless message.
• When Writing a Novel, Details Do It [C. Patrick Schulze] How details influence the overall impression of your writing.
• Guest post: Creative but not cliched by Jody Hedlund [Not Enough Words] Advice on avoiding the cliche trap.
• How Much Research Should Make It Into Your Novel [Heather's Odyssey] No matter how much fascinating research you've accumulated, you can only include it if it means something to the novel.
• Writing Related Quotations [The Writer's Den] Nuggets on craft from the masters.
• A Tale of Psychopathic Chocolate Bunnies [Unbound via Chocolate and Vodka] Showing versus telling decisions made practical.
• Show Don't Tell, and Other Myths [Mark C. Newton via Chocolate and Vodka] A great essay from Ursula LeGuin plus a passionate defense of having the freedom to "tell" as the story and the character's voice demand.
• Four Steps for Organizing Plot Ideas into a Novel [Jody Hedlund] 1) EstablishSet Pieces, 2) Develop a Three-Stand Conflict, 3) Jot down short chapter-by-chapteroutline, and 4) Plan scenes.
• Tips from the Masters of Writing [C. Patrick Schulze] Sage advice via quotes with a little bit of analysis thrown in.
• Meta-Vampires [Dystel & Goderich] Michael Bourret lets wanna-be vamp author dinosaurs illustrate the tell-don't-show trend he's been seeing in submissions lately. Excellent!
• When to Tell Instead of Show [Kidlit.com] Mary Kole shares an essay from Melissa Koosmann about "Good Telling" as illustrated by J.K. Rowling. Completely brilliant.
• Suspending Disbelief [Help I Need A Publisher] Consistency is key, plus reason and strong narrative voice.
• Showing Not Telling [Florida Writers' Conference Blog via @ElizabethCraig] We've all heard it. Here's a way to figure out whether or not you should follow the advice.
• 21 Tips for Writers of All Ilks [Jodi Cleghorn via @Bubblecow] Write Anything shares great advice for writers of all types.
• 6 Tips on Writing Picture Books [WritersDigest] To succeed writing picture books, guest columnist Kathleen Pelley suggests you read aloud, find space to listen to your inner voice, wonder, trust beyond yourself, find heave, and love.
• How To Know What You're Doing [Editorial Anonymous] Editorial Anonymous makes the case against rhyme in picture book manuscript submissions.

Writing Tools

• NANOWRIMO DAY 11: Feeling the Burn? Writers Tools (Scrivener!) and Toys (Pandora!) That May Save the Day [publetariat] Fun and useful ways to get automated.
• NaNoWriMo Tip# 13: Use the Online Graphical Dictionary [GalleyCat] Great tool to help you 'visualize' the perfect word.
• RESOURCES: AN EXHAUSTING LIST [Help! I Need a Publisher!] Must-see treasure trove!
• The Dangers of the Thesaurus [Let The Words Flow] Beware the almighty thesaurus.
• Write A Novel, Novel Writing Software, Write A Book, Book Writing Tips | Marshall Plan’s Writeanovelfast.com [writeanovelfast.com] Fiction Technique Tip: Remember F-A-D!
• Free Rhyming Dictionary Online [GalleyCat] End, beginning, last syllable, first syllable, double, triple rhymes.
• One of the very best books on writing ever [Janet Reid, Literary Agent] 'Particularly helpful to those starting out.'
• 75 Books Every Writer Should Read [Enter the Between] Fantastic link to kickstart your DIYMFA.
• Reading for Writers: SPILLING INK [Kidlit.com] 'This book is a must read for writers of any age group.'
• A great resource for writers of books and screenplays [Time to Write] Thepaperboy.com features 6,351 online newspapers for research.
• Tip Thursday [Angels and Demons and Portals. Oh My!] Great resource courtesy of J.A. Souders.
• Braincandy for Writers: Post #4 [The Bookshelf Muse] The BEST links for writers: non-verbal dictionary, world-building & more!
• Braincandy for Writers: Post #3 [The Bookshelf Muse] Angela rounds up some cool links for writers to explore.
• Braincandy for Writers: post #2 [The Bookshelf Muse] Cool round-up of a variety of links.
• yWriter Outlining Software in Action [Wordplay] K.M. Weiland videos her WIP in yWriter to illustrate how it works
• Random Complications Generator for Your Characters
  [Future is Fiction] Stuck for a plot point? Great idea generator.
• An EPIC Resource [Angela Ackerman] The Bookshelf Muse directs us to a fabulous site for fantasy writers.
• Online Style Guides [edittorrent] Specialized info, jargon, etc. useful for research.