Link Feast For Writers, vol. 36 – Fascinating Edition

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.

This week there is a whole category dedicated to Sally Hogshead’s book “How To Fascinate” and the seven triggers she describes. These triggers can be used to make anything fascinating, including your blog, your characters, first chapter and so on.

If You Have Time For Only One Thing

10 Ways for an ADD Writer to be OOH! SHINY!…Productive by Kristen Lamb

 

On Writing

The Secret to Finding Time to Write, Market, Promote and Still Have a Life by Jane Friedman

Talent Is Cheaper Than Table Salt by Kristen Lamb

Nine Good Gifts For the New Year by Juliet Marillier

12 Tips For Recovering From Writing Burnout by Jami Gold

Five Bits of Writing Advice by Diana Peterfreund

The Secret to Writing a First Novel by Julianna Baggott

The Starburst Method: Discovering Your Characters by Karen Woodward

Character Interview Questions That Really Matter by Juliette Wade

Psychoanalyzing Your Villain by Ryan Greenspan

Female Leads and Romances by Nicole Ciacchella

Gender in YA Books by Ilona Andrews

When Do You Start the Story? by Shannon Donnelly

The Starburst Method: Hero’s Journey, Part 1 by Karen Woodward

The Starburst Method: Hero’s Journey, Part 2 by Karen Woodward

Plot Fixer #10: A Loss of Focus by Kara Lennox (Great post about themes)

Must Every Scene Be Different? by Juliette Wade

Time Marches On: Dealing With the Passage of Time Between Scenes by Janice Hardy

How to Research an Ancient Society For Your Fiction by Laura Pauling

The Editorial Process by Steve Laube

One Simple Trick to Effective Self-Editing by Steph Auteri

Young Adult Predictions For 2013 by Kristi Cook

The “New Adult” Genre: Why Does It Exist? by Jami Gold

How to Create a Weekly Schedule With Google Calendar by Amy Lynn Andrews

 

Book Marketing

Don’t Make Your Book Launch Like a Trip to the Dentist by Dan Blank

Are You Selling Your Book to the Wrong Readers? by Shannon O’Neill

What’s a Niche Market and Where are They Hiding? by Victoria Noe

Which Comes First: Branding, Design or Copywriting? by Abby Kerr

Making Your Launch Day Count by Matthew Turner

What I Did to Launch My Book In Its First Seven Days (Wise Ink)

5 Things on the New Year’s “To-Do” List for Every Purpose-Driven Author (Wise Ink)

Book Promotion: What You Can Learn From Richard Branson’s One Track Mind by Steven Lewis

How to Find Out More About Your Readers Without Having to Ask by Steven Lewis

What To Do When Your Book Isn’t Selling by Rob Eagar

Online Book Reviews: Games People Play by Anne R. Allen (an eyeopening post)

 

How to Fascinate Others

[Hook your readers to your characters and your blog.]

How to Fascinate Others… And Why Authors Should Take Note by Jeannie Campbell

Fascination Trigger #1: Power by Jeannie Campbell

Fascination Trigger #2: Passion by Jeannie Campbell

Fascination Trigger #3: Mystique by Jeannie Campbell

Fascination Trigger #4: Alarm by Jeannie Campbell

Fascination Trigger #5: Prestige by Jeannie Campbell

Fascination Trigger #6: Trust by Jeannie Campbell

Fascination Trigger #7: Rebellion by Jeannie Campbell

 

(Self-)Publishing

How Long Should You Try to Get Published? by Jane Friedman

Protecting Amazon From Itself by Sarah Hoyt

(If you have short stories for sale on Amazon that have been published previously elsewhere (especially if the anthology is still in print), this is a must read.)

How to Format Word Document For Amazon by Karen Woodward

 

Blogging

When Should I Launch My Author Website? by Thomas Umstattd

5 Days of PR For Bloggers – Day 1: Take Inventory and Set Goals by Cassie Boorns

5 Days of PR For Bloggers – Day 2: Write a Great Bio by Cassie Boorns

5 Days of PR For Bloggers – Day 3: Creating Content and Driving Traffic by Cassie Boorns

Five Kinds of Blog Posts Proven to Drive Traffic by Susan Johnston

Keeping Your Blog Focused by Kenra Daniels

5 Days of PR For Bloggers – Day 4: PR Tactics For Your Blog by Cassie Boorns

5 Tips For Maintaining Your Blogging Momentum by Susan Johnston

5 Tools to Keep Your Writing Fresh by Reena Cruz

Why Bloggers Think Your Pitch Sucks by Cassie Boorns

 

Social Media

Privacy and Social Media – How to Control Your Personal Information by Joanne Phillips

3 Tools to Help You Find the Best Time to Tweet by Caitlin Muir

3 Ways Authors Can Use Pinterest Guilt Free by Caitlin Muir

How to Save Copy of Your Pinterest Boards as a PDF by Cheryl Enlow

 

Collected Wisdom

Top 10 Writing Blogs For Writers 2012 – The Winners (Write to Done)

Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig

Friday Features by Yesenia Vargas

 

Deep Stuff

In Your Life’s Tag Cloud… Remember You by Angela Brown

The Beauty and the Beast of Optimism by Coleen Patrick

2013: The Year of Taking Control by Ramit Sethi

How to Build Resilience For the Year Ahead by Mark McGuinness

Relationship Advice – Why Won’t Anyone Be Honest With You? by Ramit Sethi (I love his tough love)

Would a Jedi Mind-Trick Work On You? by Lisa Hall-Wilson

 

Fun Stuff

You’re Not Really a Fan Unless You’re Wearing It On Your Underwear by Ellie Ann Soderstrom

Cover Posing For a Good Cause by Jim Hines (he mocks the silly Urban Fantasy & Fantasy female poses for charity)

77 Science Fiction and Fantasy Movies to Watch Out For In 2013 by Charlie Jane Anders

10 TV Cliffhangers That Make Great Series Finales by Charlie Jane Anders

Fiction Affliction: January Releases In Fantasy by Suzanne Johnson

Fiction Affliction: January Releases In Urban Fantasy by Suzanne Johnson

Fiction Affliction: “Genre-Benders” For January by Suzanne Johnson

What Roleplaying Can Be Like (With 8 Fantasy Authors) by Brent Weeks [Might be gibberish to uninitated but I LOLed]