Writing Links…5/28/18

butterflies

Writing Links…5/28/18

Traci Kenworth

 

Fantasy/Dystopian/UF/Paranormal/SF:

1. http://legendsofwindemere.com/2018/05/19/probably-made-more-progress-than-i-realize/ “I had a lot of life stuff to do and the week began on the wrong foot with an anxiety attack that earned itself a post on Thursday.  So, I didn’t touch War of Nytefall: Temptationand I’m starting to wonder if that title is right.  The story revolves around several of the male characters being kidnapped for a tournament to earn the hand of the ‘Dawn Fang Queen’.  It’s going to be a Mab-heavy book.  I wonder if War of Nytefall: Rivalswould be a better one.  Good thing I didn’t jump into the writing then.  All I accomplished was scheduling the M-W-F posts for July and August.  I have a list of topics for September too, but I can work on that after I write the next book.  This is a lot of progress on the social media front, but I think the weak sales and loss of another review has me wishing I could do more.  Feels like indie publishing is becoming a ‘rich man/woman’s’ game these days, which is frustrating.” I find my moods tend to swing more when I don’t get a sentence or more on my projects. I need that forward motivation to keep on.
2. https://mythcreants.com/blog/recognizing-bad-and-good-storytelling-advice/ “Writing advice comes at all levels of quality, from enlightening, to helpful in some circumstances, to story-ruining. For an example of all of these, just look at our breakdown of Kurt Vonnegut’s Eight Rules of Writing. Yes, Kurt Vonnegut, a famous writer, had advice that ran the gamut from great to terrible.”
3. http://storitorigrace.blogspot.com/2018/05/so-your-character-is-from-brazil.html “Brazil is a continent-sized country, which used to be a colony from Portugal, meaning a lot of the people who lived there, in the beginning, were Portuguese and native Brazilians (more than 200 different tribes!), but as time went on, many different nationalities came seeking a new life or refuge in Brazil – Japanese, Germans, Italians, Lebanese, and so much more! There is also a huge African influence in Brazil, from the slaves that were brought to work in the fields and houses and also from refugees. They have deeply influenced the Brazilian culture. There are small cities where the most-spoken language is a German dialect that doesn’t even exist anymore! I myself have German-Lebanese-Portuguese ancestry, and it’s far more common to find people with mixed ancestry than it is to find someone with 100% Brazilian blood.”

 

Romance/Women’s Fiction:

1. http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2018/05/cats-and-cozy-mysteries-go-together.html “When I think of cats and mystery novels, my mind always swings to fond memories of reading Lilian Jackson Braun’s delightful 29-book series, “The Cat Who…,” launched in 1966 by E. P. Dutton with the publication of “The Cat Who Could Read Backwards.” Starring the intrepid feline sleuths, Koko and Yum Yum, the series clearly favors the cats as they use their abilities to solve murders with only a bit of help from their human, a newspaper reporter named Jim Qwilleran. Koko, in particular, seems to have an almost psychic ability to point out overlooked clues and evidence so Qwill can solve the crimes and see justice done. But Qwill always gives credit to his beloved cats for their assistance and shows his gratitude by spoiling them shamelessly.” Are cats the appeal? Maybe.
2. http://www.rubyslipperedsisterhood.com/meet-2018-golden-heart-finalist-jeanne-estridge/ “Today we’re welcoming another Persister, Jeanne Oates Estridge, who is a finalist for Best Paranormal Romance with her manuscript THE DEMON’S IN THE DETAILS.”
3. http://romanceuniversity.org/2018/05/23/beta-reader-checklist/ “If you’re asked to be a beta reader and receive no guidance, or if you’re a writer who doesn’t know what to ask your betas to concentrate on, the following should get you started.”

 

Christian:

1. https://stevelaube.com/why_write-a-synopsis/ “Attention all novelists! Every fiction book proposal must include a synopsis. Everyone who teaches on the book proposal says you need one. But why? Those two to three single-spaced pages of agony will never be seen by anyone else but editors and agents, so why? Why, oh why, must a novelist create a synopsis? I understand how difficult it is to write a synopsis. And yet, you need to do the work.”
2. http://www.booksandsuch.com/blog/how-to-make-an-agent-squirm/ “Want to know how to make a CBA literary agent squirm? Wait until he or she is on a panel at a popular writing conference and ask, “What’s the best book you’ve read recently?” Surely that can’t be cringeworthy, can it?”
3. http://wherewordsdailycomealive.com/2018/05/23/your-amazing-love/

 

Historical:

1. https://awriterofhistory.com/2018/05/24/antique-car-takes-you-unexpected-places/ “A car, I thought. I need some sort of vehicle to suit the era – a French one would be ideal. I searched various websites, clicking here and there on photos that caught my imagination. Suddenly, there it was: a red Tonneau with just the right blend of style and uniqueness. Not only was it quirky but it fit my notion of the woman who originally owned it – a fiercely independent woman who’d never married but had had many relationships, particularly with one or two of the impressionist painters of the time.And here’s how that vehicle made its entrance in Chapter 6.”
2. https://www.theresahuppauthor.com/blog/2018/05/23/oregon-history-on-cattle-men-and-government/ “Several thousand head of cattle accompanied the wagons and emigrants of the Cow Column. The pioneers had separated into those with four or more cattle and those without animals or with only a milk cow or two. The fear was that the herds would slow the emigrants down. Mr. Applegate was chosen as the leader of those with herds. Whether the emigrants’ fears about speed were baseless, or whether Mr. Applegate simply managed the Cow Column well, the wagons with cattle stayed only about a day behind the cow-less wagons all the way to Oregon City.”
3. https://englishhistoryauthors.blogspot.com/2018/05/springgardenguide.html “This is the fourth and last seasonal gardening guide, with information taken from 17^thand 18^th century sources in my personal library. I took the photographs either in historic gardens in England or in my own 21^st century gardens, in which I grow heritage plants. The previous three entries are:  Garden Guide for English Historical Authors: Summer andGarden Guide for English Historical Authors: Autumn, and Garden Guide for English Historical Authors: Winter.”

 

Scary:

1. http://www.thisishorror.co.uk/news-round-up-week-ending-18-may-2018/ Tides of Stone, Cardiff, and Silverwood.
2. http://www.thisishorror.co.uk/tih-205-michelle-garza-on-collaborative-writing-kingdom-of-teeth-and-writing-realistic-violence/ Big Foot on meth, lol.
3. http://www.thisishorror.co.uk/tih-204-mike-davis-on-daily-routine-writing-and-belief-and-evidence/ Michael David Wilson and Bob Pastorella do a great job with these podcasts! Great advice on kindness!  We need more of this is this world!

 

Pets:

1. http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/2018/05/fridayreads-fear-on-four-paws.html “n Fear on Four Paws, the seventh entry in author Clea Simon’s Pet Noir Mystery Series, Pru Marlowe proves to be a complicated protagonist. She has a leg up when it comes to solving crimes because she can communicate telepathically with animals. The emotions and images they share with her often send her haring off in the right direction, at least when it comes to solving crimes.”
2. http://johnwhowell.com/2018/05/24/thursday-a-little-personal-twiggys-first-swim/
3. http://scvincent.com/2018/05/25/a-life-on-the-scales/ “My son has a sick fish in his pond over which we are both worrying. The trouble with pond fish is that they have many places to hide if they are unwell, and you only usually see them from above, so unless there is an obvious and visible problem, they can quickly deteriorate.”
4. BONUS: http://scvincent.com/2018/05/23/the-asymmetric-small-dog-or-half-a-job-well-done/ “

 

Mental Health:

1. http://beckiesmentalmess.blog/2018/05/20/may-20-2018-quote-of-the-day-my-thoughts/
2. https://mybipolarmind.com/2018/05/23/trying-to-quit-5-days-smoke-free/ “I mentioned in a previous post that I wanted to try to quit smoking, and I have! While it’s still hard, it is not as bad as I imagined it would be. I had this big catastrophic scenario going on in my head. I thought I was going to feel like I want to die and that it was going to be the worst feeling in the world. If you are reading this, you most likely know how us Bipolar women think – like every negative thing is the end of the world!”
3. https://beckiesmentalmess.blog/2018/05/24/thursday-affirmation-3/ Positive self-talk.

 

MG/YA:

1. https://katiewrites4food.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/how-exercise-yes-exercise-lol-helped-shape-my-writing/ “I’ve definitely experienced this – never underestimate the power of a nice, horrible, boring jog!! – but my experience with exercise is mostly with the mental strength and confidence it gave me that helped kick my butt into gear and pursue my dreams through writing.” I’m going to attempt an exercise program here. I’ve ordered a yoga cd and equip and I’m going to try the gym. Though, in truth, I prefer to exercise alone as others intimidate me.
2. http://avajae.blogspot.com/2018/05/vlog-was-i-ready-to-write-series.html “Today’s question digs into my experience debuting with a trilogy—and whether I felt ready to tackle three books when I agreed to do so.”
3. http://scbwimithemitten.blogspot.com/2018/05/unearthing-your-funny-bone-getting.html “Hiring local comedian, Mike Geeter, to perform at the SCBWI-MI Humor Conference may have seemed a bit unorthodox, but it was a comical ending to an information-packed day. In fact, one of my greatest takeaways came from him. When asked how he handles bombing on stage he responded with a confused look.”
4. http://www.adventuresinyapublishing.com/2018/05/wow-lisa-brown-roberts-on-revisions-and.html “Revision’s one of those “ugh” topics, but I hope I can share some things I’ve learned that will help others. I don’t want to freak out new writers or make it sound like I know everything because believe me, I don’t. Revising is difficult, yes, but also transformative. Revision is when you dig in and find the heart of your story, when you make dialog sparkle, when you add layers of nuance, and discover that your subconscious planted hints and foreshadowing you didn’t even know about!” I think revisions is where the magic happens too. I dislike first drafts, second drafts are slightly better and the story starts to shape, and each draft after polishes it into the story it was meant to be. 

 

Mystery/Thriller/Suspense:

1. http://annerallen.com/2018/05/10-ways-tank-your-author-brand/ “Recently there’s been a bizarre drama going on in the book world. It’s been given the name #cockygate, because it involves a cocky author who managed to trademark the word “cocky” in a deluded attempt to eliminate the “competition” and “protect” her author brand.”
2. https://killzoneblog.com/2018/05/advanced-scene-technique-the-jump-cut.html “One technique to keep these scenes from bogging down is called the jump cut. This is a screenwriting term referring to a scene that jumps slightly ahead in time while staying in the same location. It’s used to excise irrelevant or otherwise dull material, so only the “good stuff” remains.” This could be useful!
3. https://kimwrtr.wordpress.com/2018/05/19/author-inspiration-and-this-weeks-writing-links-3/ “In honor of the Royal Wedding, I chose a quote from Meghan Markle.”
4. https://margotkinberg.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/i-wasnt-there-but-i-heard-it-all/ “As this is posted, it’s 103 years since Thomas Edison invented the telescribe, a device for recording telephone conversations. Since that time, of course, technology has dramatically changed the way conversations are recorded. But the basic idea – that someone can record and later listen to one’s telephone conversations – hasn’t.”

 

Short Stories/Anthologies/Novella:

1. https://nicholasrossis.wordpress.com/2018/05/19/free-story-shoot-the-devil-redux/ “Last week, I posted Shoot The Devil, one of my favorite short stories from Infinite Waters. This week, it’s Shoot The Devil (Redux)from You’re In For A Ride. This is an alternative telling of that same story. You will notice that the two stories start the same, then diverge wildly. I love the idea of small changes having huge repercussions down the line, and this is my way of exploring that.”
2. https://kriswrites.com/2018/05/21/free-fiction-monday-the-strangeness-of-the-day/ “Nora Barr’s struggling law practice gets a boost when she meets a tall, dark, and handsome stranger who has a snake wrapped around his arm and a short sidekick with a mean mouth.” 
3. https://johnwhowell.com/2018/05/23/wednesday-story-day-aka-hump-day-168/ “It is Wednesday Story Day again. Last week we were in a fortune-telling shop run by Micki Lee. Larry Dunfee, a police detective was there as well.  It is there we learned from Micki that she believes Larry was brought to her shop by someone close to Larry. Then Larry dropped the bomb that his wife had died a year ago on that very day. We need to get back to see what else we can learn.”
4. https://coldhandboyack.wordpress.com/2018/05/23/time-to-move-on-to-the-next-project/ “The outline has a lot going for it, but the question remains. Will modern sentimentality kill this book faster than a .450 Jeffries to the head. It has a lot going for it, like magic, awesome setting, a love interest, a bit of war involving multiple factions, and oh yeah… diamonds.”

 

Poetry:

1. https://cagedunn.wordpress.com/2018/05/19/poems/ the rock claims the age.
2. https://keithgarrettpoetry.com/2018/05/24/gods-miracle-5/
3. https://syl65.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/thoughtful-thursday-shelter/ Stop fearing the storm.
4. https://robbiesinspiration.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/poetry-two-tanka-poems/ Good fortune and a reaction to death.
5. https://juantetcts.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/daily-post-guilt/
6. Bonus: https://erikakind.me/2018/05/24/daily-kind-quote-706/ Truth is subjective.
7. Bonus: https://vashtiqvega.wordpress.com/2018/05/25/haiku-friday-fragile-heartbeat/ the light of all lights.

 

Indie:

1. https://www.thebookdesigner.com/2018/05/new-book-blueprint-expert-advice-creating-industry-standard-print-books/ “I’ve spent a long career as an award-winning book designer with, I believe (this is an estimate), over 20,000 books published based on my designs.”
2. https://www.indiesunlimited.com/2018/05/21/even-writers-need-self-care/ “Most Indie writers cannot pay their bills by writing alone. We need additional sources of income to make ends meet. There are a lucky few for whom this is not necessary, but I think you may still find that you recognize yourself here.” Some good advice. It’s not good to focus on writing to the exclusion of all else.
3. http://www.thepassivevoice.com/selling-out-going-wide-or-going-exclusive-to-amazon/ “First of all, it’s a fully voluntary, opt-in program — just because you’re selling on Amazon doesn’t mean that they get exclusive rights to sell your ebook. You have to enroll each title — just because you’ve got one ebook exclusively at the Kindle Store doesn’t mean you can’t sell another on the iBooks Store, the Nook Store, Kobo, Google Play, and hundreds of other retail sites.” Going wide sounds like a good idea to me.
4. https://selfpublishingadvice.org/older-authors-refuse-to-fade-away-may-2018-askalli-indievoices-broadcast/ “Claire Baldry of East Sussex, UK, is 63 years old and recently launched a website and Facebook group focused on older readers. It’s been increasingly popular as older people look for books that reflect their own experiences.” I’m sure there’s room for all ages of writers.
5. https://www.thecreativepenn.com/2018/05/25/publishing-large-print-edition/ “Indie authors often focus primarily on ebooks because that’s where we can compete in terms of price and readership. But there are still a LOT of readers who prefer print, and an underserved market with Large Print editions.”

 

Craft:

1. https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-grow-as-a-writer-5-logical-steps/ “Writers are students. Sometimes this is the result of nothing more than sheer necessity: we seek answers for our questions because writing is proposes difficult problems. But often, writers are students first and writers second. If this is you, then concentrating on how to grow as a writer isn’t justabout improving your writing; it’s part of a personal manifestation of learning and growth.” I hope to never stop learning. That’s why I read so many books. I want to learn from them. I enjoy reading and want to see how the author did what they did.
2. https://www.livewritethrive.com/2018/05/21/evoking-emotions-in-readers-in-a-masterful-way-part-4/ “We’ve been looking at the way thoughts lead to emotions, and how getting into our characters’ thoughts can be a powerful tool to evoking emotion in our readers. Which is our prime objective as fiction writers.” She has a lot of good advice!
3. https://authorkristenlamb.com/2018/05/truth-fear-success/ “We choose. If we hope to find any success in life we must realize we are ultimately responsible. Everything else is an excuse. Why so many of us feel guilty that we haven’t done X, Y, and Z is we know we could have.”
4. https://www.livewritethrive.com/2018/05/24/how-to-hook-readers-into-your-scenes/ “That usually means ditching explanation and backstory and dull description of place and weather. Instead, a more effective way to hook readers into a scene is to consider these things:”
5. http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/05/first-page-critique-3/ “I chose this entry to crit this month because, at its core, it sounds like an interesting story, and it could be a compelling beginning. But it’s buried in adjectives, adverbs and asides. I can tell this author slaved over this. But believe it or not, we can try too ”
6. https://kriswrites.com/2018/05/23/business-musings-the-books-we-want-to-write/ “Which sounds weird, I know. But what I mean by that is that someone wrote a book that’s tailored just for me. Usually I’m the only one who does that. In fact, that impulse to write a book that I want to read is what gets me to the keyboard most of the time.”
7. http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/05/how-much-really-needs-to-be-in-your.html “If you’ve worried about this, you can relax. Yes, the opening line of your novel is important, but the only thing it has to do is this:

   Make someone want to read the second line.”

8. http://www.publishingcrawl.com/2018/05/23/writing-non-fiction-building-your-author-platform-through-publication-and-a-bonus-cover-reveal/ “Platform is one of those tricky things that I find a lot of new writers wrestle with. Because the definition of “platform” is surprisingly varied. I’m going to write a few pieces that address it over the next few weeks, that I hope you’ll find helpful.”
9. http://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/05/top-10-success-tips-from-neil-gaiman/ “Over the last few months, I’ve shared “Top 10” lists from K. Rowlingand Stephen King on the topics of writing and success. This month I chose Neil Gaiman, because he has so much compassion and practical wisdom to share about writing.” Neil Gaiman always has fantastic advice!
10. https://writershelpingwriters.net/2018/05/occupation-thesaurus-makeup-artist/ “Overview: A makeup artist uses cosmetics to enhance or change a person’s physical appearance. This type of artist may work as a clerk at a store, in a salon, as a personal makeup artist for a celebrity, at special events (such as a photo shoot, runway show, or wedding), or on staff for a TV production company. They may also work in a mortuary or funeral home, preparing corpses for viewing. At the extreme end of this career spectrum, makeup artists may use their techniques to create special effects in movies. People in this career field can either be freelance or employed in a permanent position.”

 

Other:

1. http://www.thepassivevoice.com/traditional-publishers-ebook-sales-drop-as-indie-authors-and-amazon-take-off/ “One source of numbers for online book sales, including for indie ebooks, is the website Author Earnings. It recently estimated that traditional publisher reporting is, “now missing two-thirds of U.S. consumer ebook purchases, and nearly half of all ebook dollars those consumers spend.”
2. https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2018/05/20/angel-messages-may-20-2018/
3. https://jamigold.com/2018/05/using-google-adwords-to-make-interested-readers-commit-guest-christina-delay/ “A few months ago, Christina Delay shared her tips and insights for how to use Facebook to reach readers and sell books. Today, she’s back again with information on how we can use Google AdWords to remind our visitors that they reallyshould check out our books.”
4. http://booksbywomen.org/being-agented-irl-part-three/ “A Twenty-Five-Question Interview Published as a Five Part Series”
5. http://vivdrewa.me/2018/05/23/character-quotes-from-on-the-fairway-by-dellani/ ““Heath, glad you’re back. Got a special job for you.”
6. https://dsm-publications.com/2018/05/23/to-trope-or-not-to-trope-when-writing-become-a-cliche-writing-amwriting/ “Check out this great post from The Writing Chimp blog on the topic of using tropes in your writing.”
7. https://annetterochelleaben.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/angel-messages-may-24-2018/ Blessed and cared for!
8. https://cagedunn.wordpress.com/2018/05/24/looking-at-creativity-the-write-way/ “I recently had a conversation with a friend who was upset by the snobbery she read about between creatives, specifically literary writers versus romance writers. (If it comes to fisticuffs, I’ll put my money on romance writers any day.) Setting aside personal preference regarding reading or writing a certain genre, this kind of comparison seems as rational as making fun of someone who prefers polo shirts over t-shirts or the color red over blue. I’m still trying to understand where this kind of thinking comes from.” I don’t think one writer is better than another as far as genres or literary works go. We all work equally hard.
9. https://patsyscreativecorner.com/2018/05/23/bull-shark-pencil-drawing/
10. http://amdobritt.blog/2018/05/23/writing-the-dreaded-synopsis-amwriting-writingtips/ “What is it about a synopsis that has so many writers struggling? It doesn’t seem to matter how great a writer you are, there’s just something about condensing your masterpiece down into one or two sides of A4 that strikes fear into a writer’s heart.
11. https://sistersofthefey.wordpress.com/2018/05/23/what-are-the-four-noble-truths-lions-roar/ “As a Pagan Buddhist, I am rather eclectic in my thoughts. My Buddhist beliefs have always been enhanced by my Pagan beliefs and vise-versa. I do live by the Eightfold Path and I do believe in the four noble truths. Here is a great breakdown of their meanings. Click the link below to read more.”
12. https://nicholasrossis.wordpress.com/2018/05/23/how-to-write-effectively-while-you-are-traveling/ “Traveling is an excellent way to squeeze out those creative juices and get away from the hustle and bustle of your daily routine, which may hinder creativity. But traveling also presents you with different challenges. From hectic schedules to unfamiliar environments and travel fatigue, a lot of things can prevent you from completing your writing tasks for each day.” I’ve written while traveling but in a notebook. I found peace in getting up before everyone else, having coffee on the porch, and enjoying the beauty of the surroundings.
13. https://jessicabakkers.com/2018/05/23/the-ultimate-truth/
14. https://stacitroilo.wordpress.com/2018/05/25/author-inspiration-writing-links-31/ “Anyway, this week’s post spoke to me because I spent a good chunk of my time editing. After the weekend is over, I’m looking forward to getting back to writing. My WIPs are calling me.”
15. https://smorgasbordinvitation.wordpress.com/2018/05/25/smorgasbord-writer-in-residence-barbara-villiers-part-2-uncrowned-queen-by-paul-andruss/ “That time of the month when we are given a fantastic glimpse into the lives of those celebrities who have gone before. In the last post, Paul Andrussintroduced us to the infamous Barbara Villiers.. mistress of many.”
16. Bonus: https://twodropsofink.com/2018/05/24/news-two-drops-of-ink-2018-writing-contest/ “Since this is a “reader’s choice” voting process, why not have writers submit in whatever genre they wish? It’s up to each writer to promote their own post, push their piece for votes, and the one with the most “likes” wins the $100 grand prize along with a badge for their website or blog (if they have one).”
17. BONUS: https://thestoryreadingapeblog.com/2018/05/24/starting-later-starting-over-launching-a-writing-career-when-youre-no-longer-young-by-sangeeta-mehta/ “Judging from the many organizations that offer awards and financial support to writers under 35 or 40 (The New York Public Library, The National Book Foundation, Granta), and the seven-figure deals that seem to be given to more 20-something debut writers than debut writers in any other age group, it would be tough to deny that book publishing is youth-focused.” I read this with interest, being that I’m no longer young.