Link Feast vol. 54
It has been a long time since the last update. The Link Feasts are back and will be a bi-weekly thing. I will post the next one on Sunday 3rd of March.
If You Have Time For Only One Thing
For the Love of the Process: 6 Questions to Hone Your Creative Workflow by Bob Mayer
How to Fall in Love with the Writing Process: 6 Questions to Hone Your Creative Workflow
And a bonus, since these questions are really useful:
Four Questions to Ask When a Character Is Clever by Oren Ashkenazi
https://mythcreants.com/blog/four-questions-to-ask-when-a-character-is-clever/
Writing
The Story That Holds You Back by Kathryn Craft
https://writersinthestormblog.com/2019/01/the-story-that-holds-you-back/
Make the Ordinary Come Alive by Kristan Hoffman
https://writerunboxed.com/2019/01/31/make-the-ordinary-come-alive/
Are You Tethered to the Wrong Story? by Harper Glenn
The Ultimate Writer Productivity Guide by Tim Grahl
https://booklaunch.com/writer-productivity/
This Handy Chart Automatically Generates a Pitch For Your Next Novel by Electric Literature
https://electricliterature.com/how-to-write-elevator-pitch-novel-publicity-infographic-a8ec74ecf7ce
The 10 Step Checklist to Writing an Above Average Novel by K.M. Weiland
Want to Improve Your Writing? Change Your Thinking by Janice Hardy
http://blog.janicehardy.com/2018/12/want-to-improve-your-writing-change.html
Putting Your Worst Foot Forward: Why You Should Play to Your Weaknesses As an Author by Charlie Jane Anders
Putting Your Worst Foot Forward: Why You Should Play to Your Weaknesses as an Author
The 10 Urges That Stories Can Satisfy by Matt Bird
http://www.secretsofstory.com/2018/12/the-ten-urges-that-stories-can-satisfy.html
What If Somebody Steals Your High Concept Book Idea? by Anne R. Allen
An Easy Tip For Tightening Your Novel’s Plot by Janice Hardy
blog.janicehardy.com/2019/01/an-easy-tip-for-tightening-your-novels.html
4 Things Every Romance Writer Needs to Know About Plot by Sarah Younger (agent)
How to Study Plot and Character by K.M. Weiland
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-study-plot-and-character/
How Do Pantsers Develop Characters by Jami Gold
Six Reasons Why the Fire Nation Is Such a Good Villain by Oren Ashkenazi (the series in question is Avatar the Airbender)
https://mythcreants.com/blog/six-reasons-the-fire-nation-is-such-a-good-villain/
Taking Character Relationships to the Next Level by Angela Ackerman
Five Character Archetypes Who Can Steal the Hero’s Spotlight by Oren Ashkenazi
https://mythcreants.com/blog/five-archetypes-that-can-steal-the-heros-spotlight/
Five Common Romance Mistakes by Oren Ashkenazi
https://mythcreants.com/blog/five-common-romance-mistakes/
Seven Great Sources of Conflict For Romances
Removing the Creeps From Romance by Chris Winkle
https://mythcreants.com/blog/removing-the-creeps-from-romance/
Pulling Your Hero Into the Magical Realm by Chris Winkle
https://mythcreants.com/blog/pulling-your-hero-into-the-magical-realm/
All Is Lost: Four Kind of Deaths by Janice Hardy
http://blog.janicehardy.com/2019/01/all-is-lost-four-kinds-of-death-in.html
Begin From the Middle: How to Start Your Story In Medias Res by Paul Buchanan
Our Story’s Essence: What’s the Story We Want to Tell by Jami Gold
https://jamigold.com/2019/01/our-storys-essence-whats-the-story-we-want-to-tell/
How to Write Unique Themes by K.M. Weiland
https://www.helpingwritersbecomeauthors.com/how-to-write-unique-themes/
Theme = Good vs. Good by Matt Bird
http://www.secretsofstory.com/2011/10/storytellers-rulebook-100-theme-good-vs.html
Great Genre Stories Must Be Metaphors by Matt Bird
http://www.secretsofstory.com/2012/01/storytellers-rulebook-119-great-genre.html
Five Dualities That Can Replace Good and Evil by Chris Winkle
https://mythcreants.com/blog/five-dualities-that-can-replace-good-and-evil/
Why Social Justice Is Intrinsic to Storytelling by Chris Winkle
https://mythcreants.com/blog/why-social-justice-is-intrinsic-to-storytelling/
5 Common Storytelling Mistakes in the Pursuit of Social Justice by Chris Winkle
https://mythcreants.com/blog/five-common-storytelling-mistakes-in-the-pursuit-of-social-justice/
6 Hugely Popular Books That Accidentally Screwed the World by Jacopo della Quercia
http://www.cracked.com/article_19135_6-hugely-popular-books-that-accidentally-screwed-world.html
How to Keep Your Book Relevant After It’s Release by Gary McPherson
From YA to YEAH: 4 Ways to Keep Teen & Young Adult Readers Hooked by Lorena Koppel
6 Pitfalls to Avoid When Writing LGBTQI+ Characters In Teen Fiction by Lisa Freeman
Firearms: Know Your Weapon! by Piper Bayard & Jay Holmes
https://writersinthestormblog.com/2018/12/firearms-know-your-weapon/
The Editor’s Clinic: The Limits of Editing by Dave King
A Novella Approach: 5 Tips For Writing Short Stories by Suleikha Snyder
https://frolic.media/a-novella-approach-five-tips-for-writing-short/
There’s a Weird, Sexist Problem in Fantasy That We Need to Talk About by Mya Nunnally (female authors’ books are being classified as YA even though their content is mature)
https://bookriot.com/2019/01/21/sexist-problem-in-fantasy/
Meet The Women Who Are Building a Better Romance Industry by Bim Adewumni (the topic is diversity)
A Harvardian in a Romancelandia by Caroline Linden
https://frolic.media/a-harvardian-in-romancelandia-what-are-the-odds-pretty-good/
The Origin of the Clinch Covers on Romance Novels by Jessica Avery (think Fabio)
https://bookriot.com/2018/12/13/clinch-covers-on-romance-novels/
15 of the Best Online Writing Communities For Authors (Reedsy.com)
https://blog.reedsy.com/writing-community/
Agents, Querying & Publishing Industry
Truths About Publishing You Can Only Learn in the Trenches by Heather Webb
Writer’s 101: Literary Agent Sarah Younger Shares Tips For New Authors by Frolic Media
Writer’s 101: Literary Agent Sarah Younger Shares Her Tips For New Authors
Writer’s 101: An Anonymous Editor Spills How To Get Your [Romance] Manuscript Picked Up by Frolic Media
https://frolic.media/writers-101-an-anonymous-editor-spills-on-how-to-get-your-manuscript-picked-up/
Choosing the Perfect Comparative Titles by Sam Brody
https://blog.reedsy.com/live/choosing-perfect-comp-titles/
Comp Titles – An Elevator Pitch for Your Book by Andrea Bachofen
http://authornews.penguinrandomhouse.com/comp-titles-an-elevator-pitch-for-your-book/
The Disastrous Decline in Author Incomes Isn’t Just Amazon’s Fault by Carrie V. Mullins
Business Musings: The Current State of Disruption (Planning For 2019, part 1) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Business Musings: Sales (Planning For 2019, part 2) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
https://kriswrites.com/2019/01/02/business-musings-sales-planning-for-2019-part-2/
Business Musings: Bookstores and Libraries (Planning For 2019, part 3) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Business Musings: Audio (Planning For 2019, part 5) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
https://kriswrites.com/2019/01/16/business-musings-audio-planning-for-2019-part-4/
Business Musings: Tidbits (Planning For 2019, part 4) by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (Big 5 mergers and closing of imprints and focus on diversity)
Trends in Publishing by Stephen Spatz
Wattpad Books: The Next Stage In the Platform’s Content Development by Porter Anderson
https://publishingperspectives.com/2019/01/wattpad-books-new-publishing-division-opened-canada/
The ‘Future Book’ Is Here But It’s Not What We Expected by Craig Mod
https://www.wired.com/story/future-book-is-here-but-not-what-we-expected/
Self Publishing
Traditional vs. Self-Publishing by Tim Grahl
Traditional vs Self Publishing: The Last Decision Guide You’ll Need
What a Year of Self Publishing Taught Me by Talia Hibbert
https://frolic.media/what-a-year-of-self-publishing-taught-me/
How a Writing Website [Wattpad] Changed My Life and Could Change Yours Too by Jordan Lynde
https://frolic.media/how-a-writing-site-changed-my-life/
Book Marketing
The Story About the Story: Or, How Writers Talk About Their Books by Chuck Wendig
The Story About The Story: Or, How Writers Talk About Their Books
Book Marketing Plan: The Definitive Checklist by Tim Grahl
Author Website: Examples, Templates and How to Build One by Tim Grahl
https://booklaunch.com/author-website/
Consider These 8 Marketing Tips in 2019 by Ann-Marie Nieves
How to Calendarize Your Book Marketing Approach by Dawn Reno Langley
Which Readers Would Also Read Your Books: Finding Comp Titles by Amy Alessio
Which Readers Would Also Read Your Books? Finding Comp Titles by Amy Alessio
The secret to writing emails your audience will love? Serve, don’t sell by Katie Parrott
The Connection System: Book Marketing 101 by Tim Grahl
https://booklaunch.com/connection-system/
Want Authorly Superpowers? Build a Street Team by Angela Ackerman
The Book Launch Framework: How I Keep Launching Bestselling Books by Tim Grahl
https://booklaunch.com/book-launch-bestseller/
Starting Over But Not From a Scratch: Book Marketing Insights From a Third-Career Debut Novelist by Rita Dragonette
Guest Blogging is the Best Free Publicity for Writers: 12 Tips For Landing Effective Guest Blog Spots by Anne R. Allen
https://annerallen.com/2019/01/guest-blogging-12-tips/
Putting the “Social” in Social Media by Jenny Hansen (collection of great links about the topic + tips)
Using Pinterest to Visualize Your Author Brand by Neda Dallal http://authornews.penguinrandomhouse.com/using-pinterest-to-visualize-your-author-brand/
(Pinterest is fun, I promise you. It’s a social media where you don’t actually have to be social. Perfect for introverted authors)
7 Tips To Writing Stellar (& Stress-Free) Book Reviews by Cici Ford
https://frolic.media/writing-stellar-reviews/
Deep Stuff
The curse of “busy-ness”: How to take control of your life by Stephanie Lee
https://growthlab.com/how-to-take-control-of-your-life/
5 strategies to find more time by Elizabeth Grace Saunders
My 2019 Planner and Journal Line Up by Roni Loren (Planners and making them pretty is Roni’s hobby and they also help her to be more productive – and her writing career is a proof of that)
https://roniloren.com/blog/2018/12/29/my-2019-planner-and-journal-line-up
The Read Wide Challenge 2019 by Roni Loren (Challenge yourself to step out of your comfort reading zone)
https://roniloren.com/blog/2018/12/18/the-read-wide-challenge-2019
How to Fight Your Way Out of a Reading Slump by Sumaiyya Naseem
https://frolic.media/how-to-fight-your-way-out-of-a-reading-slump/
Reading Goals: 2018 vs 2019 by Elizabeth Sagan (some great recommendations and tips on how to read more and keep a track of your reading)
https://frolic.media/reading-goals-2018-vs-2019/
Whose Story (and Country) Is This? by Rebecca Solnit
https://lithub.com/rebecca-solnit-the-myth-of-real-america-just-wont-go-away/
Into the Dark by Sharon Gormley (the Thai cave rescue heroes)
https://www.macleans.ca/thai-cave-rescue-heroes/
Learning Chess at Forty by Tom Vanderbilt (he is learning with his daughter – and she is beating him)
https://getpocket.com/explore/item/learning-chess-at-forty
A firm whose staff are all autistic by Jane Wakefield
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-46538125
Tidying Up With Marie Kondo Isn’t Really a Makeover by Sarah Archer (I binged this series during the holidays. Highly recommended)
Marie Kondo and the Privilege of Clutter by Arielle Bernstein
The inside story of Bandersnatch, the weirdest Black Mirror tale yet by Matt Reynolds (this episode is a Choose Your Own Adventure thing and here’s a glimpse to how it was created)
https://www.wired.co.uk/article/bandersnatch-black-mirror-episode-explained
The Philosopher Redefining Equality (Elizabeth Anderson) by Nathan Heller (this is academic but super interesting, IMO. Maybe you’ll find it fascinating too)
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/01/07/the-philosopher-redefining-equality
Fun Stuff
The Evolution of Jason Momoa’s Hotness by Martin Aguilera
https://frolic.media/the-evolution-of-jason-momoas-hotness/
Is Chris Evans the Hottest Chris? There’s Mathematical Proof by Katee Robert
https://frolic.media/chris-evans-the-hottest-chris-theres-mathematical-proof/
7 Epic Fan Romance Battles by Chris Winkle
https://mythcreants.com/blog/seven-epic-fan-romance-battles/
The 5 Best Romantic Movies of All Time by Caden Armstrong
https://frolic.media/five-best-romantic-movies-of-all-time/
Trope Rec: Retellings
https://frolic.media/trope-rec-tuesday-retellings/
The Books We’re Looking Forward to in 2019 by Stubby the Rocket (Tor) (24 delicious SF books coming out this year)
https://www.tor.com/2018/12/26/the-books-were-looking-forward-to-in-2019/
All the Genre Television We’re Looking Forward to in 2019 by Stubby the Rocket (Tor)
https://www.tor.com/2018/12/27/all-the-genre-television-were-looking-forward-to-in-2019/
Nine Must-have Book Sequels For 2019 by Suleikha Snyder (plus of course the previous book(s) of the series if you haven’t read them yet)
Thor de Finland: Channeling the God of Thunder
Light at last. After days of darkness and jostling in a cardboard sarcophagus, I was free again.
Oh times, oh manners. Isn’t this the age of aeroplanes and first class flights? If this is how people treat honored guests, I don’t want to know how they treat their enemies.
I am Thor, the God of Thunder. This time my world tour had brought me to Finland, the land of the fabled weather witches. If you haven’t been following my journey, the stories of the previous stops are really worth reading.
My gracious hostess was Reetta (what a tongue twister of a name), her husband and two children.
After polite greetings, I inquired if they had anyone named Barbie living in the house. To my relief, wanna-be Mrs. Thor had no relations here.
Dinner went well. Remembering the human ways of asking for another filling, I refrained from smashing any mugs and plates.
Dessert was a do-it-yourself thing. We baked gingerbreads. Even a god can experience new things.
Piglets, bears and various feminine shapes demanded a manly counterpart. Hammertime.
I haven’t done much crafting since divine pre-school. It was actually really fun. And this wasn’t the last of it. Father’s Day was coming and the children made cards for their daddy dear.
I have to say, I’m not very pleased with my old man for sending me on this earthly humble pie journey but you have to respect yer elders. So here you go All-Father.
This Reetta woman had a strange gleam in her eyes when she told me that she wasn’t going to take me to work with her. I heard some muttering of “mine, all mine.” Scary.
After frolicking outside in the snow, I discovered the Portal. Utterly fascinating, a whole new dimension I had never heard of. It wasn’t any of the Nine Realms, that’s for sure.
I was guided in the art of Playstation by a friendly giantess named Ninjini. I have been known to have a soft spot for exotic ladies but I swear I stayed true to Mum, err, Debra.
The day passed in a whirl of new found digital addiction. When the children got home, they demanded their game back. Selfish brats.
Lets just say that put me into a mood. Luckily there was a worthy target for my wrath, Orcus, a demon prince and Lord of the Undead. Pretty fancy title, huh?
The little spoilsports had to foil that too. No fighting?! How in Hel do these humans have fun?
I… I almost can’t speak of what came next. Naughty spot. Curfew. *sob*
The humiliation. Bested by two little brats. I, Thor, who have not been bested by anyone but crone Elli, the Old Age herself. And well, Lara. And Sheila. And the previous human child…. But who’s counting. This globe tour better be worth the throne of Asgard.
I just can’t take it anymore in this household. Farewell Finland, it’s been an experience.
The first available plane flies to Malta… I sense an adventure waiting.
But alas, so we won’t part in too somber mood, lets end it with a song.
And this video made me like children again.
The End.
Now I want to hear from you. If Thor came to visit you, what would you show him? And do you have a favorite superhero?
Link Feast For Writers, vol 52
Hello dear readers, this Link Feast’s alive. It’s alive!
I’m sorry for neglecting you. Work has been crazy since I shifted departments. Excuses, schmexcuses but I will get bi-weekly steady again.
I’ve been sitting on these links for a while so it’s time to push this baby out into the world. Luckily the best writing advice and good blog posts in general don’t have an expiration date.
But if you want the freshest writing tips, I recommend you to check out the other link mash-ups in the Collected Wisdom section.
Next Link Feast coming up in two weeks on Sunday. Wrote that down to my calendar even. Or I will when I find it under all the crap 😛 House work hasn’t exactly been steady either.
Anyway, enjoy the links. And please leave a comment 🙂
If You Have Time For Only One Thing
How to Create a Three-Phase Writing Ritual by Debra Eve
On Writing
Learning From the Masters by Gabriela Pereira (the 4 types of books writers should read)
168 Hours: Time and Productivity #1 by Gene Lempp
Time Managament Tip: “Yes Makes Less” by Jenny Hansen
What’s on Your “Why To Do It” List? by Carleen Brice
Dreaming Big by Sharon Bially
10 Steps to Finding Your Writing Voice by Jeff Goins
When Nothing Goes Right, Go Left by Robin LaFevers
Fear: The Uninvited Guest by Robin LaFevers
Writing Is Magic by Kristan Hoffman
How to Be an Author 24/7 by Bill Ferris
Fifty Lessons From Fifty Shades of Grey – Part I (Writer Unboxed)
Fifty Lessons From Fifty Shades of Grey – Part II (Writer Unboxed)
Fifty Lessons From Fifty Shades of Grey – Part III (Writer Unboxed)
Drive, Don’t Chase by Jael McHenry (On following writing trends)
Levels of Conflict by John Vorhaus
4 Big Pitfalls in Story Opening by K.M. Weiland
The First Ten Pages of a Sceenplay by Erik Bork (totally applicable to the first chapter of a novel)
Adapting Screenplay Structure to Genre Novels by James Preston
Avoiding Boring Character Biographies by David Corbett
5 Reasons Why Han Solo Is the Most Realistic Person in Star Wars by Ryan Britt and Emily Asher-Perrin
Clothing Your Characters by Liz Michalski
Letting Your Characters Go by Juliet Marillier
Baby Got Back…. Story by Tiffany Reisz
Doing Research by D.B. Jackson
4 Steps to Successful Revisions by Cathy Yardley
Self-Editing For Everyone, Part 4: The Weakeners by Bridget McKenna
Cliffhangers and Book Series by Kristi Cook
Blind Spots and Obsessions in Historical Fiction: What Were They Thinking? by Dave King
Book Marketing & Blogging
5 ways to write a blow-your-mind manifesto by Alexandra Franzen
What are you about? What’s the theme of your life? Make me care. Nay, inspire me.
Marketing: Finding and Selling to Non-Book Book Audiences by Peter McCarthy
The Importance of Knowing Our Audience by Elizabeth S. Craig
Release Activities For the Reluctant Promoter by Elizabeth S. Craig
Don’t know what to blog about? 88 pieces of fill-in-the-blank inspiration by Alexandra Franzen
The Shy Writer’s Cocktail Party Survival Guide by Anne Greenwood Brown
Traditional Publishing
5 Reasons to Turn to Traditional Publishers Rather Than Self-Publish by Meg Waite Clayton
5 Essential Elements For Pitching Romance by Marcy Kennedy
How to Maintain a Healthy Author/Agent Relationship by Elizabeth Weed
Social Media
Twitter: A Dangerous Sense of Entitlement by Annie Neugebauer
3 Tips on Cleaning Up Your Twitter Account by Jenny Hansen
What If You Hate Facebook? Are You DOOMED? by Lisa Hall-Wilson
The B.A.R.F. Score: How To Know if Social Media is Working For You by Dan Blank
Collected Wisdom
Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig
Writing Resources by Gene Lempp
Must-Read Monday by Yesenia Vargas
Deep Stuff
100 Questions to Inspire Rapid Self-Discovery by Alexandra Franzen
I Did Not Marry My One True Love by Lisa Hall-Wilson
Insomnia, Wizard Vans, and Why Modern Women Read “50 Shades of Grey” by Kristen Lamb
Fun Stuff
10 Funniest Lines in all of Star Wars (According to me) by Ryan Britt
He’s That Bad and That Likeable: Pitch Black by Theresa Delucci
The Chronicles of Riddick: What Happens When You Let Vin Diesel Be Your Dungeon Master by Theresa Delucci
Weird Reality: Reality TV Aimed At Your Inner Geek by Shoshana Kessock
Link Feast For Writers, vol. 50
Writing blogs are a great way to learn about writing and marketing our books. Here are some of the best links I’ve found in the past weeks. Enjoy!
If You Have Time For Only One Thing
How to Get a Book Published: A Step-by-Step Guide by Anne R. Allen
On Writing
10 Ways for an ADD Writer to be OOH! SHINY!…Productive by Kristen Lamb
Career Lessons From Susan Boyle’s Success by Penelope Trunk
Daniel Day-Lewis’ 4 Tips for Writers Who Aspire to Greatness by Jon Morrow
Organization: Why Scrivener Is a Great Writing Tool by Randy Ingermansson (scroll down a bit for the good stuff)
The Three Phases of the Storytelling Process by Larry Brooks
8 Promises You’re Making To Readers – And Then Breaking by K.M. Weiland
The Stuff of Legends – Creating a Character Apocalypse by Kristen Lamb
How to Base a Character On Someone Else’s by Victoria Grefer
How to Write Better Heroes and Villains: Archetypes by Victoria Lynn Schmidt
9 Tips For Creating a Great Antagonist by Debra Vega
Writers, Know Your Archetypes: The Trickster by Debra Vega
The Single Largest Cause of Writer’s Block – Might Not Be What You Believe by Kristen Lamb
It’s Not “What.” It’s “How” by Larry Brooks
A Pantser’s Guide to Beat Sheets by Jami Gold
8 Things You Need to Know About Character Arcs by Debra Vega
Pacing by Ann Voss Peterson
How to Include the Five Senses Without Falling into the Telling Trap by Marcy Kennedy
5 Ways to Get the Most Out of Your Editing Experience by Cressida Downing
Most Common Mistakes: Do’s and Dont’s Of Dialects by K.M. Weiland
The Fantasy Novelist’s Exam by David J. Parker
5 1/2 Steps For Making Feedback Work For Us by Jami Gold
Book Marketing
Seeking the Perfect Book Title by Debra Vega
Book Series: Should We Include a Teaser Excerpt? by Jami Gold
Maven, Connector, or Salesperson: What’s Your Archetype? by Charlie Gilkey
Indie Life: Taking Advantage of the Impulse Purchase by Laura Pauling (why do readers buy your book?)
101 Quick Actions You Can Take Today to Build the Writer Platform of Your Dreams by Kimberley Grabas
11 Must Have Elements For Your Author Website by Kimberley Grabas
How to Launch a Book in 3 Steps by Nick Thacker
How to Market a Book and Strengthen Your Author Platform with Goodreads by Kimberley Grabas
How an Introvert Became a Promoter by Kourtney Heintz
The Introvert’s Guide to Making Great Connections by Les McKeown
(Self-)Publishing
Fearless Pitching, Part 1 by Laura Drake
Fearless Pitching, Part 2 by Laura Drake
The Business Rusch: Dreams and Bestsellers by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Does Free Still Work? by C.J. Lyons
An Interview With ‘the Sluts’ by Larry Brooks (collaboration can really pay off)
Blogging
Does Google Know Your Wrote That? by Randy Ingermansson (scroll down a bit to get to this piece of gold article)
Why Authors Should Be “Selfish” Bloggers: And How To Be One by Victoria Grefer
Fix a Mess of a Multi-Topic Blog by Natalie Webb
5 Signs You’re Having a Blog Identity Crisis and 8 Ways to Fix It by Roni Loren
8 Under-Used Blog Post Structures to Try Today – And 24 Inspiring Examples by Ali Luke
Content Marketing Zen: The 5-Step Process to Creating Remarkable Content by Gregory Ciotti
13 Blog Post Blunders You Should Avoid (And What to Do Instead) by Kimberley Grabas
8 Steps to Create Visually Appealing Blog Posts by Rebecca Belliston
Should We Use a Blog Commenting System? by Jami Gold
Social Media
Facing a Social Media Apocalypse? Sometimes We Need to Mend the Hearts We Hurt by Kristen Lamb
Social Media Strategies and Decisions by Laura Pauling
Slack, Fake and Egocentric Followers: How to Spot Them by Cate Russell-Cole
Collected Wisdom
Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig
Writing Resources by Gene Lempp
Monday Must Reads by Yesenia Vargas
Deep Stuff
Build a Small Fire and Sit Close To It by Charlie Gilkey
What’s The Best Advice Your Elders Ever Gave You? by Jenny Hansen
50+ Better Questions To Ask Than How To Be More Productive by Charlie Gilkey
Fun Stuff
10 Sources That Inspired Game of Thrones’ Dark Storytelling by Katharine Trendacosta and Charlie Jane Anders
What if The Simpsons was invaded by characters from Game of Thrones? by Meredith Woerner
All the Books Getting Turned Into Movies and TV Shows Over the Next Year by Meredith Woerner
15 Book Series To Read If You Enjoyed “The Hunger Games” by Arielle Calderon and Natalie Morin
30 Most Hilarious Auto Correct Struggles Ever by Jessica Misener
Nerd Nirvana: Top 10 Nerdiest Cities in America by Amanda Kooser
Link Feast For Writers, vol. 49 – Setting Special
Here’s your round of writing, book marketing and other interesting links. My apologies for missing weeks. I’ve been really busy with work and family.
Next Link Feast is due in two weeks, on Friday 21st of July. Because of work schedules I’m moving Link Feasts permanently for later weekday.
Enjoy the links. And please leave a comment. I’d love to hear what kind of links would be most useful to you right now 🙂
On Writing
Why Good Writers Sometimes Give Bad Advice? by Lisa Cron
To get the answers we need, we must ask the Right Questions by Jennette M. Powell
Authors: How Are You Backing Up Your Manuscripts and Business Files? by D.D. Scott
The Weirdest Story Ideas Come From Your Own Obsessions by Kelly Link
Pinterest: The Ultimate Writing Excercise by Shannon at DuoLit
Write Your Novel Step by Step by Melanie Anne Phillips
10 Traits of Great Protagonists by Janice Hardy
How to Prevent Predictable Plots by Noelle Sterne
Families: Google+ Worldbuilding Hangout by Juliette Wade
Why the Hero’s Journey Is a Tourist Trap by Lisa Cron
Figuring Out Your Story’s Turning Points by Jenny Hansen
How to Structure Your Story, Part 11: The Spiritual Crisis by Matt Bird
How to Structure Your Story, Part 12: Proactive Pursuit of the True Goal by Matt Bird
How to Structure Your Story, Part 13: The Timeline Is Unexpectedly Moved Up by Matt Bird
Setpiece Scenes: The Unlimited Production Budget by Alexandra Sokoloff
The 7 Essential Questions of Plot – Do You Ask Them? by Jenny Hansen
10 Things Your Opening Chapter Should Do: A Check-List for Self-Editing by Anne R. Allen
Once More With Feeling by Shannon Donnelly
“Deepening” In to a Scene of Oppression by Juliette Wade
Make It Stick: The Art of Chapter Ending by Tiffany Reisz
Different Voices In Your Narrative by Juliette Wade
How to Write Characters Who Don’t Sound Like You by Janice Hardy
4 Most Common Mistakes Fiction Editors See by Victoria Mixon
How I Self-Edit My Novels: 15 Steps From First Draft to Publication by K.M. Weiland
Using a Critique Checklist, or, How Not To Look Like a Twit by Becca Puglisi
Create a Style Sheet For Your Manuscript by Rachelle Gardner
Should Authors Write Bad Book Reviews by Kristen Lamb
Is It Fair For Authors to Review Other Authors: Do We Ruin the Magic? by Kristen Lamb
Settings and World Building
10 Questions to Ask When Choosing Your Setting by Janice Hardy
Setting Your Tale – Part 1 by David Farland
Persistent World, Persistent Characters by David Farland
How Real Do You Want Your World to Be? by David Farland
Your Setting as a Petri Dish by David Farland
Resonance in Settings by David Farland
World Building Tips Learned at Louvre by Janice Hardy
Tips For Shared Worlds and Collaboration Between Independent Authors by Charlotte E. English
Book Marketing & Social Media
Writers: 5 Tips on How to Identify Your Target Audience by Colby Marshall
Tweeting Is Not a Marketing Strategy by Dan Blank
10 Free (or Mostly Free) Book Launch Strategies by Chris Robley
Reach New Readers With The Magic Of Audiobooks by Wolf Pascoe
7 Ways Authors Waste Time “Building Platform” on Social Media by Anne R. Allen
What Is Your Strategy For Social Media Intimacy? by Srinivas Rao
25 Tweet Ideas To Help Authors Fight Follower Fatigue by Toni at DuoLit
5 Ways to Use Pinterest For Book Promotion by Shannon at DuoLit
Getting the Most Out of Triberr as Authors by Kenra Daniels
(Self-)Publishing
Murder Most Foul by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
The New World of Publishing: Stop Submitting Manuscripts to Traditional Publishers by Dean Wesley Smith
The Stages of an Indie Writer by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
How to Survive and Thrive as an Indie Author by Karen Woodward
Writing on the Ether: Faster, Authors, Faster! by Porter Anderson
Blogging
8 Ways Blog Writing Is Unique by Mark Schaefer
Six Steps to a Stress-Free Blogging Habit by Skellie at DailyBloggingTips
3 Ways to Blogging Success by Joel Friedlander
How to Write Your Best Post Ever, Part 1: Planning by Vinita Zutshi
How to Write Your Best Post Ever, Part 3: Editing by Vinita Zutshi
The Brain-Dead Simple But Effective Way To Become a Better Writer by Greg Digneo
5 Ways to Bond With Your Audience by Henneke Duistermaat
Why You Shouldn’t Create a Newsletter (and What to Do Instead) by Jon Morrow
How to Add a Click to Tweet to Your Blog Posts by Caitlin Muir
5 New Ways to Think About Guest Posting by Annabel Candy
How to Use Google+ To Easily Record a Video Blog by Marcy Kennedy
How to Read More Blogs In Less Time by Rachelle Gardner
Collected Wisdom
Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig
Writer Resources by Gene Lempp
Monday Must Reads by Yesenia Vargas
Deep Stuff
5 Life-Saving Facts About Blood Clots by Jenny Hansen
5 Simple Behaviours That Help Prevent Blood Clots by Jenny Hansen
Do You Need a Judgement Day Bucket List? by Jenny Hansen
The Truth About Why You Aren’t Learning Anything in Your Online Classes by Tea Silvestre
25 Things to Know About Sexism and Misogyny in Writing & Publishing by Chuck Wendig
Boudicca: An Archetype For the Ages by C.P.D. Harris
Introduction to the Green Beret Survival Guide and Why You Need It by Bob Mayer (a must read for anyone interested in Post Apocalyptic books)
Fun Stuff
An Earnest Attempt to Make You Feel Good Avout Game of Thrones Again by Leah Schnelbach
Movie Review: Man of Steel by Melinda VanLone
No, Man of Steel’s Superman Is Not Your Superman. And That’s Okay by Emily Asher-Perrin
The Great Fantasy Novel Nomination: The Warded Man by Peter V. Brett by Myke Cole (having just read the first three books of the series, I had to share this. Impressive fantasy)
Fiction Affliction: June Releases in Urban Fantasy by Suzanne Johnson
Fiction Affliction: Genre Benders For June by Suzanne Johnson
Fiction Affliction: June Releases in Fantasy by Suzanne Johnson
Link Feast For Writers, vol. 48
Writing blogs are a great way to learn about the craft and marketing our work. Enjoy the posts I’ve hoarded, some older, some recent.
And tune in for the next Link Feast, coming out in two weeks.
If You Have Time For Only One Thing
What’s Your Excuse For Not Writing? by Monica Bhide
On Writing
What Are the Odds of Success? … Really? by Kristen Lamb
Dare To Suck (great video, 3:56 min) by Jenny Hansen
Getting Organized by Karen Woodward
Creative People Say No by Kevin Ashton
Don’t Talk About It – Drive the Flaw to the Surface for Great Fiction by Kristen Lamb
How to Push Your Character to Their Limits by David Corbett
Does Your Novel Have Too Many Characters? by Janice Hardy
Genre Structure, Part 2: Thriller, Conspiracy and Action by Matt Bird
Specific Genre Structures, Part 3: Horror by Matt Bird
Specific Genre Structures, Part 4: Drama and Tragedy by Matt Bird
The 7 Basic Plots: Voyage and Return by Liz Bureman
How Convenient – Plot Contrivance by Elizabeth S. Craig
How to Build a Scene: Do You Have Surface Conflict and a Suppressed Conflict? by Matt Bird
A Psychological Self-Help Tool For Fiction Writers by Joseph Burgo
Hooks, Lines – And Sinkers by Shannon Donnelly
WriterStrong: Getting Fresh Emotion on the Page by Laura Drake
What’s the Visual? Adding Power to Your Writing by Margie Lawson
Three Great Tips From An Old Crime Writer by John Yeoman
Revision Tips by Angie Smibert
Writing a Book: What Happens After the First Draft by Joanna Penn
Ask Jami: Can This Story Be Saved? by Jami Gold
5 Ways to Find the Right Freelance Editor by Stacy Ennis
What Should We Expect From a Freelancer Editor? (A Timely Debate) by Therese Walsh
How to Serve and Swallow Criticism by Kristan Hoffman
7 Ways to Write a Stand Alone Book With Series Potential by Kurtis Scaletta
10 Things to Remember About Sequels by Janice Hardy
Three Ways Serials Can Improve Your Writing by Susan Kaye Quinn
4 Tips For Beta Reading In Other Genres by Jami Gold
Seven Ideas For Crafting Creative Book Reviews by Jody Hedlund
Book Marketing
The Business Rusch: Word of Mouth by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Entropy Is Real and Author Careers Need Feeding Daily by Kristen Lamb
5 Reasons Relationships Are the Core of Your Author Platform by Dan Blank
Ideal Reader Excercises and Why You Should Do One (New Free Resource) by Laura Pepper Wu
A Checklist of Basic Promotion Materials For Indie Authors by Chris Robley
New Author Series: How Do You Build a Fan Base Anyway? by Lindsay Buroker
How Sue London’s First Novel Became an Amazon Success in a Couple of Weeks by Lindsay Buroker
Book Marketing Tips For Fiction And Non-Fiction Authors by Joanna Penn (17:41 min video)
Marketing Sweat Equity in Book Publishing by Susan Kaye Quinn
How to Write a Back Blurb For Your Book by Joanna Penn (5:02 min video)
Selling Your Book – Hook, Line and Sinker by Susan Kaye Quinn
Street Teams: Why You Need One and How to Create One by Steena Holmes
How to Launch a Bestselling Book by Michael Hyatt
If You Write Two Different Kind of Books, Do You Need Two Different Websites? by Liz Higgs
Lessons Learned Froma a Magazine Launch – Use Them In Your Book Promotions by Laura Pepper Wu
Does This Bio Make Me Look Fat? 8 Tips For Enchanting Your Author Bio by Laura Pepper Wu
(Self-)Publishing
The Secret Way to Find a Literary Agent by John Yeoman
Mark Coker, Founder of Smashwords, Shares Survey Results: 5 Ways To Sell More eBooks by Karen Woodward
Lets Get Visible: Cracking The Amazon Algorithms With David Gaughran by Joanna Penn
Why I’m Totally Okay With Giving My Book Away Free by Dana Sitar
The Business Rusch: Shifting Sands by Kristine Kathryn Rusch
Amazon’s New Scifi, Fantasy and Romance Sub-Categories by India Drummond
eBook Pricing Strategies: Pulsing and Pacing by D.D. Scott
Amazon Fan Fiction Model: Is It a Good Idea? by Jami Gold
Blogging
Why You Should Blog to Build Your Writing Career by Justine Musk
How to Create a Blog Purpose Statement in 3 Simple Steps by Darren Rowse
7 Questions to Ask Yourself to Bring Clarity to Your Blogging by Darren Rowse
On Hamburgers and Hooks: How to Effortlessly FIND (Not Write) Your Compelling First Line by Kelly Diels-Rostant
How to Write Your Best Post Ever, Part 2: Writing by Vinita Zutshi
Pixabay – A great blog photo source (free to use quality photos)
3 Things I’ve Learned From Blogging Every Day For a Year by Karen Woodward
Author Blogging 101: Blog Analytics by Joel Friedlander
Adding Google Analytics Tracking Code to WordPress by Joel Friedlander
Direct Marketing, Scottsdale Arizona, and Why a $10 Ebook Can Change Your Life by Joel Friedland (Turn your most popular blog posts into eBooks)
Social Media
Finding Your Authentic Social Media Voice by Abby Kerr
Get the Most Out of Facebook in the Least Amount of Time: A 10 Tip Guide by Anne Chaconas
The Ultimate Guide To Goodreads For Authors by Joanna Penn
29 Tips From the Top Google Plus Geeks by Ramsay at Blog Tyrant
Pinterested Explained By Someone Who Doesn’t Get It by Drew Hoolhorst
Collected Wisdom
Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig
Monday Must Reads by Yesenia Vargas
Deep Stuff
Personal Growth: The Right – And Wrong – Way to Share It With Others by Marie Forleo
We Have Always Fought: Challenging the ‘Women, Cattle and Slaves’ Narrative by Kameron Hurley
Living In Dystopia by Eugene Myers
Why Superheroes Are an Awesome Allegory For Real Teen Life by Leigh Anne Kopans
Fun Stuff
Relationships: The Male vs. Female Perspective In Under 2 Minutes by Jenny Hansen
Shall We Begin? Star Trek Into Darkness Spoiler Review by Keith DeCandido
Nitpicks and Not Being a Know-It-All: Talking To Your Friends About the Game of Thrones (When They Haven’t Read the Books) by Bridget McGovern
Who Actually Deserves to Win the Game of Thrones by Chris Lough
News Events I Shouldn’t Laugh At (But Do) — Michael Douglas, By The Tweets… by Jenny Hansen
If Margaret Mitchell Submitted Gone With the Wind Today by Leigh Michaels
A Day Made of Glass (5:29 min video with cool futuristic tech)
5 Tips To Get Book Endorsements and Reviews
“The best time to start promoting your book is 3 years ago. The second best a year ago. If that’s not possible, start now.”
That book promotion advice is especially true when it comes to endorsements and reviews. You’re more likely to get praising blurbs from people who know you, like you and whose backs you’ve rubbed.
But if you don’t have those connections yet, don’t despair. You can get endorsements and reviews with a kick ass book, thorough research, well crafted emails, determination and follow-up. Have faith in you and your book.
Here are my top 4 tips for getting endorsements and reviews:
1. Lay the foundation.
Join a reader/writer community of your own genre at least 4 months before your book comes out. It can be a fan forum, Kindle author forum or Twitter hashtag group or what ever medium suits you and your Ideal Readers. Dedicate 10 minutes a day to getting to know some people there. If they have blogs, read them and comment.
I recommend the wonderful WANA community (We Are Not Alone). Our Twitter hashtag is #MyWANA. Twitter is a great way to discover the blogs of WANAs and frequent them.
Also, make your book as gorgeous as it can be. You need a pretty cover and top notch blurb. Having a clear website with all the information readers and book bloggers might need is a big plus.
2. Call in favors.
When you have blogging buddies who read your genre, ask them to blog a review and/or post a short review to Goodreads or Amazon. Return the favor when their book is out.
And don’t forget to pimp your book to your flesh space friends who read. Pester… er, cajole them to post reviews to Goodreads and Amazon. If they loved your book, they’ll do it gladly.
3. Know your field and give before you ask.
Follow a few book blogs of your genre that review books you enjoy. Leave comments and share their links – book bloggers appreciate the love as much as any blogger. If you’ve given first, they’ll remember you and might be more willing to review your book if they have time.
For endorsements for indie authors, it might be smart to focus on succesful self-published authors in your genre. Another great option is writers whose workshops or courses you have taken. You can also use snippets of reviews as endorsements.
To get 2 reviews/endorsements, you might have to ask as many as 10 people. Authors and book reviewers are busy, and reviewers have To Read Lists as long as your arm. Make it as easy as possible for them to review your book. Give them all the information in your email and have a clear and informative website. Maybe even create a specific section there for reviewers.
4. Do book giveaways like crazy.
Give em away on your blog, your friends’ blogs (bribe them with guest posts) and on blog tours. The more books out there, the more likely they’re read and reviewed by readers. Rafflecopter is your friend. Goodreads is another great place to get your book baby on the hands on readers.
5. Keep gathering reviews after the book release.
Reviews are important even after the launch. Book blogger reviews give you visibility and reader reviews give you credibility. Once you’ve established an email list, you can ask readers to post their reviews in Goodreads and Amazon. The more reviews there are, the easier it is to get more. It’s a snowball effect.
Last but not least, check out these links with more specific advice:
Reviews and Endorsements: Do They Matter? by Darcy Helle
Quotes For Your Book – How and Why to Get Them by Sue Collier
The Discoverability Challenge: With More Authors Self-Publishing Each Year, How Will Your Book Get Noticed? by Jessica Bennett
8 Step Plan For Landing Book Promotion Endoresements by Dana Lynn Smith
Gutsy Book Buzz: How to Get Endorsements by Sonia Marsh
7 Ways to Get Your Book Reviewed by Dana Lynn Smith
Indie Book Reviewer – A Listing of Bloggers Who Review Indie Books
How to Get Reviewed at The Kindle Book Review
Getting Reviewed – The Indie Author Condundrum by Eric Dontigney
How to Get Books Reviewed by Giacomo Giammatteo (Giveaways are they key to getting reader reviews)
How to Write an Email That Will Win You A Book Review by Catherine Ryan Howard.
Getting Book Reviews: 10 Things Reviewers Hate by Alexander Tate
Requesting Book Reviews by the Bookish Babe
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