Links of Interest to Writers

Do a little reading about writing to get you in the mood!

• The Write Now! Coach:  5 Ways to Use a Journal to Boost Writing Productivity by Rochelle Melander @WriteNowCoach

• The Purple Crayon/Harold Underdown:  Who's Moving Where?  News & Staff Changes at Children's Book Publishers @HUnderdown This frequently updated page on The Purple Crayon website keeps you in the loop on changes at publishing houses!

• Unleaded - Fuel for Writers:  No Outlining Involved:  5 Pre-Story Time Saving Tips for Pantsers by Linda Maye Adams @lindaadamsva 

• The Review Review:  21 Things I Wish I'd Known Before I Started Writing:  Must-Read Advice for Writers at All Levels by Robin Black @Robin_Black

• Writers Helping Writers:  Get the Scoop on Fair Image Usage by Doug Langille  @douglangille @beccapuglisi 

• Bad Language:  16 Go-To Sources for Copyright-Cleared Images by by Katelyn Piontek @KatelynPiontek @mstibbe

Links of Interest to Writers

Here are some great posts about writing!

• Charlotte Rains Dixon:  8 Different Creative Practices @Wordstrumpet

• Thaddeus Hunt:  Writing and Tips:  Creating a Custom Project Template in Scrivener @thaddeushunt

• Jami Gold, Paranormal Author:  Blogging Tips, Tricks, and Knowing Your Goals @JamiGold 

• Writers' Village:  5 Practical Ways to Kill Your Characters by Stuart Aken @stuartaken

• The Creative Penn:  Productivity for Authors, Fighting Overwhelm and How I Am Refocusing My Workload by Joanna Penn @thecreativepenn 

• Lauren Sapala:  3 Tips for Finding Awesome Beta Readers @losapala

Links of Interest to Writers

Looking for a bit of writing inspiration?

• Creative Writing Video Tutorials for the Multimedia Age:  Master Point of View by Cy Porter

• YA Muses:  Mental Revision Tools by Brett Ballou @BretBallou  @kalongshore @YAMuses

• Nillu Nasser Stelter, Fiction & Freelance Writer:  Owning Your Choices in Story-Telling and in Life @nzstelter

• Coffitivity:  If you find you are more creative in a coffee shop, Coffitivity will give you the coffee shop sounds without the high price of the coffee. "A gentle murmur to get the day started." @Coffitivity

• The Book Designer:  5 Things You Should Know About Working With Beta Readers by Corina Koch MacLeod @CKmacleodwriter and Carla Douglas @CarlaJDouglas @byondpapr; blog by @JFbookman

• Project Eve:  Combating Writer's Block:  Get Your Content Flowing Again by Bola Olonisakin @ProjectEve

Links of Interest to Writers

Here's a little writing inspiration for your reading pleasure.

• Lauren Sapala:  Trimming the Fat (a post about time) @losapala

• Seekerville:  Settings That Captivate Readers by Janet Dean @lihauthor

• Writing is Hard Work:  Dialogue and Description:  The Delicate Balance by Roger Colby @RogerDColby

• Positive Writer:  A Crazy Myth Writers Need to Kill by Bryan Hutchinson @ADDerWORLD

• Kayla Curry:  My Self-Publishing Journal:  The Costs @KaylaCurry1

• Sandy Appleyard:  Email Subscribers Lists:  The Why and The How @SandyAppleyard

Links of Interest to Writers

A few gems on writing to inspire you!

• Creative Writing Video Tutorials for the Multimedia Age:  In Depth "Show Not Tell for Creative Writing by Cy Porter @drawnovel

• Author, Jody Hedlund  6 Key Things to Consider When Developing Characters @JodyHedlund 

• Clear Writing With Mr. Clarity:  Meaningless Nouns Make You Sound Phony by Joe Roy

• Fiction Notes:  Author Website Tech:  Professional Email by Darcy Pattison @FictionNotes

• Kate White:  How to Make Time for What You Love @katemwhite

• Catherine, Caffinated:  To Do:  A Social Media Spring Clean by Catherine Ryan Howard @cathryanhoward

Links of Interest to Writers

Here's a little info to get your started writing this morning:

• Creativity's Workshop:  Creative Action:  Freewrite About Your Writing Fears by Jessica Baverstock @JessBaverstock

• Writing is Hard Work:  5 Tips for Finishing a Writing Project by Roger Colby @RogerDColby

• FutureLearn:  Free Online Courses from leading UK and International Universities @FutureLearn

• Writer's Digest/Brian Klem's Blog:  8 Reasons Every Book Needs a Business Plan to Achieve Success by Nina Amir @NinaAmir

• Project Mayhem:  Considering Common Themes in  Middle Grade Books by Joseph McGee @mcgeejp

• LitReactor:  The Top 10 Reasons I May Have Rejected Your Short Story by Susan DeFreitas @manzanitafire

Links of Interest to Writers

Fascinating reading about writing from writers' blogs:

• Reading and Writing are Fattening:  6 Ways to Entice Readers (How much of an e-book is read before it is tossed aside?) by Marla M. Madison

• Jane Friedman:  10 Apps to Help You Stay Focused on Your Writing by Frances Caballo @CaballoFrances @JaneFriedman

• Woven With Pixie Dust:  Picture Book University:  Character Driven Picture Books by Pam Calvert @PammCalvert

• Path of Possibility:  Are You Making Enough Mistakes? by Sage Cohen @SageCohen 

• Writers Digest/Guide to Literary Agents:  Word Count for Novels and Children's Books:  The Definitive Post by Chuck Sambuchino @ChuckSambuchino @Writersdigest

• Publisher's Weekly:  Children's Books:  A Shifting Market by Jim Milliot @PublishersWkly

Links of Interest to Writers

Words of wisdom about writing.

• Copyblogger:  The Lede:  How to Use Persuasive Words by Jerod Morris @JerodMorris @Copyblogger

• Mary Carroll Moore/How to Plan, Write, & Develop a Book:  Winter Doldrums? Ten Fun Exercises to Get Going on Your Writing Again @writeabook

• Everyone's Story:  Jim Denney:  Replacing Fear With Courage In Writing @WriterJimDenney @ElaineStock

• Writer's First Aid:  A Walking Idea Factory by Kristi Holl @KristiHoll

• Creative Writing with the Crimson League:  5 Strange Truths Authors Know About Productivity by Victoria Grefer @vgrefer

• M. J. Wright:  Essential Writing Tools:  Why Paper's an Essential Editing Tool  @MJWrightNZ

Links of Interest to Writers

Read some great info about writing!

• Aliventures:  Take the Plunge:  How To (Finally) Start Your Novel by Ali Luke, @aliventures

• Beyond the Margins:  How to Start a Novel by Chris Abouzeid, @gripemaster

•  All Write - Fiction Advice:  Tempt, Tease and Tantalise by A. J. Humpage, @AJHumpage

• Jody Hedlund:  Character Motivations:  The Key to Gaining Ready Empathy, @JodyHedlund

• Copyblogger:  Have You Ever Thought About Starting Your Own Podcast? by Demian Farnsworth, @DemianFarnsworth

• Anne R. Allen's Blog:  Six More Pieces of Bad Advice for Writers to Ignore, @annerallen

Links of Interest to Writers

We've got snow at my house! Excellent day to write and read about writing.

• Moody Writing:  Three Goals for Every Character

• Lynnette Labelle:  8 Common Mistakes Writers Make at Conferences

• Write Practice:  How to Finish Your Writing Projects (Even When You Don't Feel Like It) by Joe Bunting

• C. Hope Clark:  How The Shy Writer Copes When She Hits a Wall (Podcast #11)

• Write To Done:  How to Revise Your Novel at a Glance by Darci Pattison (Darci's Shrunken Manuscript is a great way to see problems with your manuscript!)

• The Kill Zone:  Five Key Ingredients to Nurture a Story by Jordan Dane

Links of Interest to Writers

Here's some reading to inspire your writing!

• *Thup:  Memorable Characters by Erin Brown Conroy (Ideas to make your characters shine.)

• Men With Pens:  The Real Reason Why You Can't Write by Esther Litchfield-Fink

• Get Me Writing:  How to Achieve Effective Social Media Promotion for your Ebook by Matt Roberts 

• Novel Matters:  What Do Productive Writers Do To Meet Deadlines? by Latayne C. Scott

• Writer's Digest/Brian Klem's Blog:  How To Create An Antihero That Readers Love by Jessica Page Morrell

• Marcy Kennedy:  How is First POV Different? 

Links of Interest to Writers

If you want to write, here is some great reading to assist you.

• The Writer's [Inner] Journey:  A Workshop for Writers Who Hate Writing Groups (and Why This Writing Group Works) by Meredith Resnick

• Kill Zone:  A Short Course on Dialogue Attributions by James Scott Bell

• The Write Life:  How One Famous Author (Elizabeth Gilbert) Tricks Herself Into Writing Wonderful Stories by Amanda Palleschi

• Writer Unboxed:  The Lessons I Should Have Learned From Stephen King's On Writing... by Jeannie Ruesch

• Time to Write:  More Book Trailers Should Be Like This by Jurgen Wolff'

• Anne R. Allen's Blog:  Writer's Toolbox #5:  Must-Have Research Tools Beyond Google & Wickipedia by Ruth Harris

Links of Interest to Writers

Happy writing to all you authors out there!

• Daily Writing Tips:  Do You Mean Passive or Just Weak? by Maeve Maddox

• Pen & Prosper:  What We Can Learn From The "Little Engine That Could!" Tips to Move Forward ... by Jennifer Brown Banks

• The Seekers:  On Deadline:  How To Make Your Writing Deadlines Work for YOU by Sarah Ladd

• Positive Writer:  Use Discipline to Cultivate the Creative Flow by Stacy Claflin

• My Book Therapy:  Ten Things I Learned On My Writers Retreat by Rachel Hauck

• Pub(lishing) Crawl:  Making The Most of Social Networks As a Writer by Erin Bowman

Links of Interest to Writers

What will you write today?

• My Book Therapy:  Getting Past Stuck by Reba J. Hoffman

• The Daring Novelist:  Story Game:  Plot Structure & Finding The Wow by Camille LaGuire

• Novel Matters:  Hunting Adjectives With Elephant Guns by Patti Hill

• Scribbles from Jenn:  Top Ten Tips How to Survive a Relationship With a Writer

• Positive Writer:  Why You're Not Finishing The Writing You Started by Shanan Haislip

• Moody Writing:  What a Story Needs to Begin

Links of Interest to Writers

Have you gotten your writing off to a good start in 2014? Here's some reading to motivate you!

• The Write Practice:  Three Life-Tips That Will Make You a Better Writer by Katie Axelson

• Jessica Spotswood:  2013:  A Learning Year:  Managing Expectations (An honest look at publishing a debut novel.)

• Entrepreneur:  8 Steps to Having Wildly Productive Mornings by James Clear

• Writer's Fun Zone:  Draw Your Readers In:  The Game of Contrasts by Wyatt Bessing

• Matthew Schuler:  Why Creative People Sometimes Make No Sense

• Adventures in YA Publishing:  Craft of Writing:  Downsizing Your Novel:  What to Keep & What to Throw Away by Carolyn Meyer

Links of Interest to Writers

Writing advice for fun and inspiration.

• Writers Helping Writers:  Prologue Done Right by Becca Puglisi

• Pink Tea and Paper:  Time Management:  Working Full-Time and Writing by Ellen Brickley

• Simply Scrivener:  Tutorials for Scrivener Users (Scrivener is a great software for writers that's reasonably priced!)

• Stavros Halvatzis:  Avoiding Repetition in Stories

• The Creativity Post:  How to Dramatically Reduce Time Typing by Elizabeth Grace Saunders

• The Other Side of the Story:  Pace Yourself! Some Thoughts, Various & Sundry, on Pacing Your Novel by Tiffany Reisz 

Links of Interest to Writers

Here are some writing articles full of great advice!

• W.I.P It:  8 Benefits of Writing by Lynda R. Young

• Angela Booth's Writing Blog:  Flow:  The Ideal Writing Mind State

• From the Write Angle:  A Case for "Nicer" Villains by R. C. Lewis

• Babbles from Scott Eagan:  What Makes Your Story Stand Out?

• Jamie Gold:  Using Conflict to Understand Our Characters

• Judy Lee Dunn:  Can You Name 99 Things You Love in 10 Minutes?

• Writer's First Aid:  Thinking:  First Backward and Then Forward

Links of Interest to Writers

Even if you're not participating in NaNoWriMo, you can still ride the energy and write as much as you can!

• Project Eve:  10 Tips to How to Stop Procrastinating by Danielle Boulton

• K. M. Weiland:  3 Signs You Should Give Up on Your Story

• Stavro Shalvatzis:  Positive & Negative Story Space

• QueryTracker:  Book Blogging for Fun & Profit  by Sarah Pinneo

• Brain Pickings:  20-Year-Old Hunter S. Thompson's Superb Advice on How to Find Your Purpose and Live a Meaningful Life by Maria Popova

• PUB(lishing) Crawl:  Simple Tricks to Unstick Your Story: The Domino Effect by Susan Dennard

• The Other Side of the Story:  Give It a Rest - Poetic Pauses in your Writing by Robyn Hood Black

Links of Interest to Writers

Here are seven blog posts about writing I found informative.

• The Sharp Angle:  Defining the Potential for Conflict in Your Premise by Lydia Sharp 

• Publisher's Weekly:  A Conversation with Tomie dePaola

• Daily Writing Tips:  10 Pairs of Words and Their Useful Distinctions by Mark Nichol

• Gail Carson Levine:  Memorable MC (Main Character)

Here are some fun ways to keep track of your word counts:

• Sarah's Journal:  Stuff I've Learned:  Writing Log by Sarah Beth Durst

• Laini Taylor's Blog:  Word Count Calendar (of Cuteness)

• Justine Larbalestier:  Small Word Count Goals (& a way to use Scrivener to keep track)

Links of Interest to Writers

Here are 7 inspirational and informative articles and websites that will help you with your writing.

• Babbles from Scott Eagan:  Everything Needs A Purpose in Your Story

• Writer's Digest/Brian Klems: The Pros & Cons of Self Publishing (& Traditional Publishing) 

• A.Word.A.Day:  A word every day! Sign up for their daily email and increase your vocabulary.

• A Writer's Journey:  Micro Distractions While Writing by Nat Russo  - "Small distractions that pull you away from writing for short periods of time may improve your productivity."

• A Writer's Wings:  Some Things to Keep in Mind When Self Editing by Cynthia Dawn Griffin

• All Write - Fiction Advice:  Suspending Disbelief for Readers - Part 1 by AJ Humpage

• An Awfully Big Blog Adventure:  Good Advice I Can't Seem to Follow... by Tracy Alexander