Link Feast For Writers, vol. 17

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.

 

“Forget all the rules. Forget about being published. Write for yourself and celebrate writing.”

– Melinda Haynes

 

If You Have Time For Just One Thing

TED Talk: Changing Education Paradigms by Ken Robinson (Video, 11:41 min. Worth every minute.)

 

On Writing

Why Do You Want To Be A Writer? by David Morrell

50 Things I Learned At ThrillerFest by Joanna Penn

The Truth About Where I Get My Ideas by Diane Chamberlain

Goal, Motivation and Conflict by Susan Dennard

29 Plot Templates by Darcy Pattison

9 Ways To Plot by Darcy Pattison

The Evil Overlord Devises A Plot by Teresa Nielsen Hayden

Making Your Main Characters & Sidekicks Both Cool by Lee Child

The Elements of Awe – Part 1 by Donald Maass

The Elements of Awe – Part 2 by Donald Maass

On Writing Diversity by S. Jae-Jones

10 Signs of a McOpening Line by Lynn Viehl

How To Hook Readers With The First Chapter by Beth Reves

17 Tips For Starting A Story by Margo Berendsen

Indegrients of a Price-Winning Middle Grade Novel by Margo Berendsen

The Moment That Makes Or Breaks Your Story by Larry Brooks

Put Your Reader In Your PoV Character’s Skin by Margie Lawson

How To Make Your Setting A Character In Your Dystopian Novel by Beth Reves

Creativity Under Pressure by August McLaughlin

Writing Book Series – Part 1 by Alexandra Sokoloff

Project: Write Faster – Early Results by Holly Black (see how it goes for several published writers)

How A Pantser Can Write Faster by Beth Revis

Is Your Writing Any Good? Here Are 7 Ways You Can Tell by Ali Luke

Yet More About Book Reviews by Ilona Andrews

Ruth Harris Reports: Editors & Editing – Part 1

Beginner’s Guide To Hiring a Freelance Editor by Cassandra Marshall

5 Lessons About Writing I Learned From Fighting by Andrew Jack

50 Inspiring Writing Quotes by Cheryl Craigie

How Shakespeare Turned Olde Crappe Into a Masterpiece by Colin Falconer

What Traditional Publishers Offer – And What They Don’t by Elizabeth Spann Craig

The Business Rusch: Deal Breakers 2012 by Kristine Kathryn Rusch (if you contemplate a traditional publishing deal, this is a must read)

5 Ways To Keep Your Writing Submissions Organized by Krissy Brady

Recommended Book For Creatives: Turning Pro by Steven Pressfield by Joanna Penn

 

Your Author Platform

Elements of a Personal Brand by Chris Brogan

The Madness Of Marketing by Alexandra Sokoloff

Is Platform Saturated? by Dan Blank

Don’t Be a Tourist In Your Community Of Readers by Dan Blank

5 Emotional Stages of a Book Launch by Roni Loren

How To Get Massive Publicity For Your Book Without Spending A Cent by Jonathan Gunson

How I Spend My Advertising Dollars by Theresa Ragan

5 Lessons From A Book Tour Newbie by Suzanne Johnson

Video Marketing Tip: Overcome Camera Shyness by Jackie Lee (3:23 min video)

How To Cross Sell eBooks (video interview with Ami Greko from Kobo Books, 1:59 min)

A Few Self-Publishing Thoughts and Discoveries by Elizabeth Spann Craig

2 Years Of Indie ePublishing Lessons by D.D. Scott

List of Review Blogs for Self-Published Writers

 

Blogging

WordPress Tutorial: Feedburner Subscribe by Email by Michelle Scaeffer (2:41 min video)

(MUST SEE if your blog doesn’t have email subscription yet. I finally got mine set up thanks to this tutorial)

Bloggers Beware: You Can Get Sued For Using Pics In Your Blog by Roni Loren

A Photo Sharing Community For Writers by Roni Loren

7 Free And Legal Places To Find Photos For Your Blog by Melinda VanLone

7 Key Things You Need For Your Blog by Nick Thacker

Write Epic Shit by Corbett Barr

Before Gremlins Attack: Keep Your WordPress Blog Safe by Michelle Shaeffer

Social Media Power Secret: Listening by Chris Brogan (he’s following what people say about him, you can do that and follow mentions of your genre or topics relevant to your books)

How To Create Pen Portraits & Understand Your Audience Better by Chris Garrett

Grab Blog Traffic Like A Pirate by Michelle Schaeffer

10 Ways To Blog Better & Faster by Michelle Schaeffer

20 Blogging Projects For You by Chris Brogan

7 Successful Blog Post Types (Pushing Social)

A Potential Mother Lode Of Blog Content by Michelle Schaeffer

How To Spice Up Your Blog With Interviews by Caleb Wojcik

11 Ways To Write An Irrestistible Intro To Your Blog Post by Mary Jaksch

Are You Rewarding Your Blog Commenters? by Michelle Schaeffer

5 Tips To Make Your Blog Posts More Social by Andrew K Kirk

How To Add Your Blog To Networked Blogs by Michelle Schaeffer

Using Google Reader To Organize The Blogs You Follow by Rachael Harrie

 

Social Media

Social Media Posts I Haven’t Written by Jay Dolan (wonderfully snarky)

Has the Phrase “Thank You” Lost Value To Consumers and Fans? (Social Tech Zone)

How To Get More Likes, Comments & Shares In Facebook by Don Lafferty

How To Increase Blog Comments Via #CommentHour (Social Tech Zone)

19 Ways To Grow Your Twitter Following by Karen Woodward

If You Think Twitter Is Boring, You Are Following Boring People by Shea Bennett

4 Ways To Improve Your Google+ Engagement by Mike Stenger

I’ll Quote You On That… On Goodreads by Tamara Ward

 

Collected Wisdom

Blog Treasures by Gene Lempp (July 28)

Twitterific by Elizabeth Spann Craig (July 29)

Friday Features by Yesenia Vargas (July 27)

 

Deep Stuff

60 Tiny Love Stories To Make You Smile

How Gluten Free Eating Changed My Life and Banished My Migraines by Jenny Hansen

Are You Brave Enough To Take Responsibility For Your Actions by Marcy Kennedy

The Culture of Immediacy by Lynn Viehl

Make a Plan For Summer Reading by Penelope Trunk

There Is Light In Every Dark YA Book by Beth Revis

 

Fun Stuff

5 Possible Reasons Why The Hobbit Is Spilling Over Into A Third Movie (tor.com)

15 My Little Pony Mashups by Miss Cellania

Great Recent Fantasy Books by Shaun Farrell (I hadn’t heard a word of these and bought 3 books from the list instantly)

Facebook Wants Your Delicious Organs by Jay Dolan

The Birth of a Book (2 min long video)

Beatrice of Provence: “A Greater Queen Than Your Sisters” by Sherry Jones

17 Famous Literary Characters Almost Named Something Else by Stacy Conradt

7 Comments

  1. Fae Rowen
    Aug 1, 2012

    Thanks for the blog love, Reeta. We are so lucky to have Margie posting for us at Writers in the Storm.

    And you have quite an extensive list of great links. Thanks for all the work it took to find them.

    -Fae Rowen

    • Reetta Raitanen
      Aug 1, 2012

      I love Writers in the Storm. You have a great writing team. I’m glad I discovered Margie and her classes through you.

  2. August McLaughlin
    Aug 1, 2012

    Love that quote, Reetta! And what a mash-up. I’m so honored by the mention. 🙂
    August McLaughlin recently posted..Creativity Under Pressure: How to Write Your Way Through StormsMy Profile

    • Reetta Raitanen
      Aug 2, 2012

      I’m always happy to include you, August 🙂 Your blog is great inspiration to take better care of myself.

  3. Thanks so much for the link love! This is a fantastic round-up of posts – I’ve bookmarked it so I can sink my teeth into it later. 😉
    Krissy Brady, Krissy Media Ink recently posted..5 Simple Steps to Let Your Writing Back InMy Profile

    • Reetta Raitanen
      Aug 2, 2012

      Thanks, Krissy. I’m glad to hear you found the links useful.

  4. Jennette Marie Powell
    Aug 5, 2012

    Another great roundup! I read Rachael Aaron’s How I wrote 10,000 Words in One Day post last summer; it was interesting to see how it worked out for Holly Black. And Lynn Viehl’s 10 Signs was LOL!
    Jennette Marie Powell recently posted..Gotta Read ‘Em – Erotic RomanceMy Profile

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  1. Industry News-August 5 » RWA-WF - [...] Reetta Raitanen compiles regular “Link Feasts” of articles and posts on writing, social media, and more.  Here’s her latest…

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