Link Feast For Writers, vol. 45: Antagonist Special

Blog posts are a fun and fast way to learn about writing and marketing our books.

Here’s a smorgasbord of links for you. The chef recommends this week’s special, the dark and conflicting section of the menu. Bon appetit!

 

On Writing

3 Writer’s Commandments and the Dreaded “S” Word by Jenny Hansen

Three Phases of Becoming a Master Author by Kristen Lamb

6 Ways to Write Every Day by Karen Woodward

5 Unexpected Lessons From Inside the Iowa Writer’s Workshop by Dina Nayeri

Being Profilic by David Farland

Changing the World One Story At a Time, Part 1 by David Farland

Changing the World One Story At a Time, Part 2 by David Farland

Idea vs. Concept by Larry Brooks

How to Develop Any Idea Into a Great Story by Elizabeth Sims

Character Development Tricks by Sheldon at Dramaticapedia

Creating Emotional Frustration In Your Characters by Rachel Scheller

Different Kind of Story Openings: Shock and Seduction by Karen Woodward

7 Reasons Agents Stop Reading Your First Chapter by Livia Blackburne

Storyteller’s Rulebook: Beware of Instant Conflict by Matt Bird

How to Organize Time For a Dramatic Story by Michael Rabiger & Mick Hurbis Cherrier

5 Ways to Practice the Art of Double Duty Writing by Susan Squires

Don’t Be an Information Dumper by Don McNair

Storyteller’s Rulebook: Add an OMFG Scene by Matt Bird

Jawing About Writing and Writing About Jaws by Sharla Rae

Series vs. Stand-Alone: What Should We Work On Next? by Jami Gold

The Rules of Romantic Comedy by Karen Woodward

What Is Urban Fantasy Anyway? by Emma Newman

Do You Make These 5 Surprising Short Story Mistakes? (Writer’s Relief)

 

Writing the Antagonist

Structure Part 3: Introducing the Opposition by Kristen Lamb

Scene Antagonists and Big Boss Troublemakers by Kristen Lamb

What Makes a Great Villain? by Alexandra Sokoloff

Villains: The Forces of Antagonism by Alexandra Sokoloff

Make Your Antagonist a Force For Good by Jami Gold

12 Tips On How To Write Antagonists Your Readers Will Love To Hate by Karen Woodward

Not All Villains Are the Heroes of Their Own Stories by Matt Bird

The Language of the Corrupted by Matt Bird

 

Book Marketing

Platform Is Craft by Dan Blank

The Dirty Secret of Author Platform (Hint: It’s Difficult) by Dan Blank

Mark Coker, Founder Of Smashwords: Six Ways To Increase Book Sales by Karen Woodward

12 Ideas For Email Updates You’ll Actually Enjoy Writing by Toni at DuoLit

Before Publishing Your eBook: A 3 Month Checklist by Laura Pepper Wu

(Note: This is a product plug. This ebook sounds really useful, and the previous books of Laura have been high quality. But make up your own mind.)

Book Marketing: 9 Activities to Boost Your Author Career by Dana Sitar

Where Can Authors Advertise for the B&N, Apple, and Kobo Stores? by Lindsay Buroker

 

(Self-)Publishing

Four Steps To a Winning Query by Gabriela Pereira

Amazon KDP Select: Is It Worthwhile For Authors? by C.J. Lyons

Amazon Buys Goodreads: What Does It Mean for Authors and Readers? by Dan Blank

Business Rusch: The Logic Behind Self Publishing by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

The New World of Publishing: The Assumption of Agents by Dean Wesley Smith

Self-Publishing in 30 Minutes and 50 Seconds by Joel Friedlander

 

Blogging

The Changing Nature of Blogging For Fiction Writers by Jody Hedlund

5 Ways to Improve Your Blog Today by Dino Dogan

21 Critical Tasks to Perform As Soon As You Start a Blog by Ramsay at Blog Tyrant

How to Blog Like You Mean to Change the World by Justine Musk

Don’t Let the Well Run Dry: Content Strategy and Your Blog by Liz Bauman

The Art of Keeping Your Audience Coming Back For More by Robert Bruce

Recycle Your Blog Content: 3 Ways to Re-Feature Popular Articles on Your Site by Chris Robley

3 SEO Myths That Scare Writers (And How You Can Use Them to Your Advantage) by Alexis Grant

Google Reader Alternatives by Amy Lynn Andrews

When Should We Upgrade to a Paid Site? by Jami Gold

WordPress.COM vs. WordPress.ORG — Which Is Better for Writers? by Jami Gold

Is Your Site Secure? Tips From a Tech Guy by Jay Donovan

Does Your Site Welcome Disabled Readers? by Linda Adams

 

Social Media

What To Do When Social Media Bums You Out by Abby Kerr

But Do You *Like* Like a Facebook Page? by Talli Roland

4 Compelling Reasons For Creative People to Start Using Google+ by Mark McGuinness

Pinterest for Authors: How to Promote Your Writing on the Fastest Growing Website Ever by Chris Robley

How Novelist Justine Musk Builds a Fictional World on Pinterest by Lauren Rae Orsini

Directory of Book Bloggers on Pinterest by Mandy at The Well-Read Wife

 

Collected Wisdom

Writer Resources by Gene Lempp

Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig

Friday Features by Yesenia Vargas

 

Deep Stuff

The Grass Is Greener When You Water It by Lisa Hall-Wilson

The Not Knowing Path of Being an Entrepreneur by Leo Baubata

What We Lack in a Hyperconnected World by Leo Baubata

The Green Beret Survival Guide by Bob Mayer (some really useful questions to ponder if you live in an earthquake area – or write Post-Apocalyptic novels)

 

Fun Stuff

The Blacksmith Duel by Jim Paw-Paw Wilson

10 Dinosaur Myths That Need to Go Extinct by Brian Switek

Immortal Monday: Hades, God of the Underworld by Debra Kristi

The Day Thor Came To Visit by Kristy K. James

Fiction Affliction: April Releases In Urban Fantasy by Suzanne Johnson

Fiction Affliction: Genre Benders For April by Suzanne Johnson

Fiction Affliction: April Releases in Fantasy by Suzanne Johnson

Link Feast For Writers, vol. 34

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.

Next week I’ll be spending holidays with the family, and Link Feast is on a break. So I wish you Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! See you in 2013.

If You Have Time For Only One Thing

Social Media Overload: How Do Authors Reach Readers by Roni Loren

 

On Writing

Breaking Out of Numb by Lynette M. Burrows

Protect Your Wrists: Excercises For Writers by Jami Gold

Your Creative Superpowers: The 7 Different Mindsets (PDF. Randy Ingermanson’s eZine)

How to Write Smart, Not Fast by Danny Iny

The Benefits of Handwriting by Karen Woodward

Why We Are All Artists: Seth Godin in Conversation – Part 1 (Write to Done)

Taking on Insecurity and Kicking It to the Ground by Veronica Sicoe

Tormented by Toothless Writing Goals? Try These Tools by Jan O’Hara

Productivity For Writers and Taking Writing Seriously by Joanna Penn

9 Types of Heroes by Matt Bird

Now Meet the Villains by Matt Bird

The Villain’s Plan Should Actually Benefit the Villain by Matt Bird

7 Strategies Villains Use to Trick Their Victims by Marcy Kennedy

Male Authors, Discover Your Feminine Side by Matthew Turner (these tips also work for ladies writing gents)

Mary Robinette Kowal and the Mysteries of Outlining by Karen Woodward

Not Saving the World? How Does That Even Work? by Jo Walton

How to Keep Your Story on Track? Chart Who Knows What, When by Lisa Cron

How to Manage Expectations: Set the Mood by Matt Bird (first scene advice)

Ten Techniques For Getting Tension on Every Page by Jody Hedlund

How to Manage Expectations: Drop One Shoe, Then Wait by Matt Bird

How to Manage Expectations: More Fun With Foreshadowing by Matt Bird

How to Structure a Killer Novel Ending by Larry Brooks

Unleashing the Internal Editor: Self-Editing Checklist by Jody Hedlund

Editing: Telling Words That Often Spell Trouble by Janice Hardy

Beta Readers – Why You Want Them, Why You Need Them by Orly Konig-Lopez

Creative Writing Prompts For the End of the World by Kathy Steffen

Talking to Non-Writers This Holiday Season by Pepper Phillips

Carrie’s Analysis of Urban Fantasy Part II: When Things Go Wrong by Carrie Vaughn (annoying tropes)

The Structure of Short Stories by Karen Woodward

The Structure Of Short Stories: The Elevator Pitch by Karen Woodward

Twenty-Sided Troubadours: Why Writers Should Play Roleplaying Games by Chuck Wendig

 

Book Marketing

How to Avoid Cold-Feet Killing Your Progress by Chris Garrett

Build a Great Audience, Not Just a Great Idea by Dan Blank (2:37 mins video) [Who does your book appeal to?]

The Secret Ingredient to a Strong Author Platform by Justine Musk

Why Do We Read or Which Marketing Strategies Work on Readers by Story Addict

A Year Of Book Buying in Review: Did Social Media Influence My Choices? by Roni Loren

A Promotional Strategy For Overwhelmed Introverts by Robin LaFevers

Marketing Your eBook: Making the Most of Your Time by Lyn Horner

Authors Who Say “I Don’t Have Time For Promotion” Are Doomed to Fail by Toni at DuoLit (eat the elephant one piece at a time)

16 Voice Values in Action: What They Think, Do and Say by Abby Kerr

(Btw, it’s worth signing up for Abby’s newsletter just to have access to the Voice Values freebie. The newsletter itself is good stuff too.)

 

(Self-)Publishing

The New World of Publishing: Goals and Dreams by Dean Wesley Smith

The Business Rusch: Writing Like It’s 2009 by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Getting a Traditional Book Deal After Self-Publishing by Judy Mandel

Fan Fiction to a Published Book: A Case Study by Jami Gold

Copyright Basics for Co-Authors, Ghost-Writers, and Illustrators: How to Avoid an Ownership Dispute by Maria Crimi Speth

 

Blogging

Why Blogging Isn’t Going Anywhere by Beth Hayden

5 Essential Elements of Every Successful Blog by Patrick Molone

A Content Marketer’s Guide to Curiousity by Russ Henneberry

How to Solve the “Creativity Problem” and Stand Out in a Crowd by Chris Garrett

Tying Mainstream Content Into Everything You Write by Andrew Kardon (Batman’s Resume Guide etc.)

Learning, Assemble! What the Avengers Can Teach Us About Our Writing by Andrew Karton

Does Your Blogging Leave an Impact? by Brandon Cox

11 Ways to Write an Irresistible Intro to Your Blog Post by Mary Jaksch

How to Get More Bookmarks and Better Links by Chris Garrett

5 Things to Do Before Your Big Guest Post Gets Published by Kristi Hines

5 Tips to Highlight the Best Content on Your Blog by David Kendall

Does Your Website Need a Refresh? by Steve Lazuka

 

Social Media

102 Proven Social Media Headline Formulas by Chris Garrett

The Ultimate Social Media Image Sizing Cheat Sheet by Dan Wilkerson

Dealing With Offense – When Is It Okay To Lecture to Others by Kristen Lamb

When Facebook Sucks by Jennette M. Powell

How to Find Influential People With Social Media by Russ Henneberry

How to Promote Your Book on Twitter: An Intermediate’s Guide to Tweeting by Chris Robley

Is It Possible to Have Too Many Twitter Followers? by Janice Hardy

The Art of Getting ReTweets [Infograpgic] by Fransisco Rosales

Getting to Grips With Goodreads: 6 Actionable Ideas by Laura Pepper Wu

10 Creative Ways to Use Pinterest for Marketing by Susan Gunelius

5 Interesting Pinterest Marketing Campaigns by Todd Wasserman

Pinterest’s New Secret Boards: Why They Matter by Shanna Mallon

 

Collected Wisdom

Blog Treasures by Gene Lempp

Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig

Friday Features by Yesenia Vargas

 

Deep Stuff

Girl Boner Resolutions: 25 Sex Goals Worth Setting by August McLaughlin

Where Ideas Come From and Conspiracy Against Nothingness by Karen Woodward

The Get Off Your Ass Manifesto: How to Motivate Yourself to Actually Achieve Your Goals by Thorin Klosowski

Building Your Resiliency Part III: Taking Control of Your Life by Brett & Kate McKay

The Truth About Good Listening Skills by Penelope Trunk

Historically Authentic Sexism In Fantasy: Lets Unpack That by Tansy Rayner Roberts

 

Fun Stuff

Tor.com Reviewers’ Choice 2012: The Best Books We Read This Year

Something Else Like… Lois McMaster Bujold’s Vorkosigan Saga by Jo Walton

A Princess of Spain by Carrie Vaughn (a short story of Catherine of Aragon with a twist)

Are All Big Franchise Films Essentially the Same Now? by Ryan Britt

Reopening the X-Files: Pilot by Meghan Deans (nostalgy trip to 1993)

13 Weapons Every Writer Must Have For the Zombie Apocalypse by Veronica Sicoe

Man of Mystery: Santa Claus by K.B. Owen

Link Feast For Writers, vol. 33 – Theme Special

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 special category for links about theme. According to writing teacher Larry Brooks (Storyfixer), theme is one of the six core competencies writers need to master to succeed.

“Theme is how a story touches you.  What and how it causes you to think about.  How the story mirrors and/or comments upon real life.  Theme says something worth saying, even when it’s obvious.” – Larry Brooks

Read on to find out how you can discover the theme of your book.

 

If You Have Time For Only One Thing

A Gift Created From Your Writer’s Heart by Kathy Steffen

 

On Writing

From Debut to Multi-Published: What I Have Learned In My First Year as a Published Author by Roni Loren

Measuring Success by Gabriela Pereira (thank you for the link, Gene Lempp)

How to Write Every Day – In Theory by Matt Bird

How to Write When You Don’t Want To by Ava Jae

Love Lists by Stephanie Perkins

10 Writing (and Life) Lessons I Learned From My Dog by Jenny Hansen

8 Signs That You Were Meant to Be a Writer by Henri Junttila

Is Every Hero a Luke or a Han? by Matt Bird

Heroes Should Run Into Unexpected Antagonism by Matt Bird

12 Tips on How To Write Antagonists by Karen Woodward

Writing Male and Female PoV by Rayne Hall

Kick Start Your Story With These Questions by Joe Moore

Key Story Elements: Lessons From the Nightmare Before Christmas Musical by Alexandra Sokoloff

Love Thy Neighbor by Donald Maass

Plot Fixer # 9 Plots That Rely On Coincidence and Contrivance by Kara Lennox

Questions You Should Ask Yourself Before You Write a Scene. Any Scene by Larry Brooks

Learn to Pace Yourself by Jennifer Rush

Connie Willis and 11 Ways to Write Great Dialogue by Karen Woodward

Spicing Up a Story with Similes and Metaphors by Jody Hedlund

A Simple Approach to Revisions by Cathy Yardley

Cutting the Fat From Your WIP by Gina Conroy

Freelance Editing: How to Hire an Editor For Your Book or Query Letter by Chuck Sambuchino

How to Survive a Critique by Marcy Kennedy

The Dark Art Of Critiquing, Part 1: What Makes A Story Good? by Karen Woodward

The Dark Art of Critiquing, Part 2: Formulating A Critique by Karen Woodward

How Do We Handle Rejection and Keep On Pressing by Kristen Lamb

Lessons From the Godfather on Sticking to Your Creative Vision by Dan Blank

Do You Read Like a Reader or a Writer? by Janice Hardy

Short Story Structures – Several Ways of Structuring Short Fiction by Karen Woodward

Lamp Lighters and Seed Sowers: Tomorrow’s YA by Beth Kephart (books that have meaning will be remembered)

Top 10 YA Tropes by A. E. Rought

Dear Agent — Write the Letter That Sells Your Book by Nicola Morgan

 

Theme Special

Do Stories Need a Theme? by Jami Gold

25 Things Writers Should Know About Theme by Chuck Wendig

Theme Me Up: How to Develop Your Theme by Janice Hardy

Theme Simplified by Larry Brooks

Beyond Good vs. Sucky: Theme by Matt Bird

Theme = Good vs. Good by Matt Bird

Audiences Are More Interested in Ethics Than Morals by Matt Bird

Dare to Confront the Great Hypocrisy by Matt Bird

Nothing Is Wrong Until You Make It Wrong by Matt Bird

Thematic Image Systems by Alexandra Sokoloff

Visual Image Systems by Alexandra Sokoloff

Visual Storytelling – Part 1 by Alexandra Sokoloff

Hand-Me-Down People – Writing and Activism by Maya Kaathryn Bohnhoff

(What makes you really angry? What kind of a story could you write about it?)

 

Book Marketing

Why Marketing on the Power of Cool Just Isn’t Cutting It Anymore by Abby Kerr

The Art of Creating an Authentic Belief System (Otherwise Known as a ‘Brand’) For Fans, Friends + Followers by Justine Musk

Your Legacy is Written in the Thoughts, Attitudes and Actions of Others by Dan Blank

How to Keep Your Audience Interested by Writing Long-Term Story Arcs by Georgina Laidlaw

Copywriting And Making Money As A Writer With Mindy McHorse by Joanna Penn

How to Storyboard a Book For Marketing Purposes by Bob Mayer

Are Book Trailers Dead? by Laura Drake

5 Most Persuasive Words in the English Language by Gregory Ciotti

 

(Self-)Publishing

Self-Publishing or Traditional Publishing? Which is the Right First Step for YOU? Win a Free Book to Help You Decide by Anne R. Allen

The New World of Publishing: How to Get Started Selling Fiction in 2013 by Dean Wesley Smith

Writing on the Ether: Top Literary Agents Talk Author Management at FutureBook by Porter Anderson

Indie Publishing in 2013: Why We Can’t Party Like It’s 2009 by Anne R. Allen

Making Money From Indie Publishing – A Guide For the Hopeful, the Optimistic and the Doomed by Sarah A. Hoyt

All Six Mega-publishers Can Merge, and They Still Won’t Win Amazon’s Game by Sarah Lacy

Why It’s Time For More Transparency in Publishing by Joanna Penn

 

Blogging

The Zen of Slow Blogging by Kristin Nador

How to Keep Your Right Readers Addicted to Your Blog (And You) by Justine Musk

Tap User Psychology to Build a Community Around Your Blog by Richard Millington

Blog Titles That Get Clicked by Kenra Daniels

Write Better Headlines With This 7 Step Google Reader Experiment by Demian Farnworth

How to Write a Mind Blowing Headline For Twitter So People Read Your Blog by Jeff Bullas

5 WordPress Mistakes Even Experts Can Make by Sherice Jacob

Make Money Blogging: The Provocative History of Professional Blogging by Ramsay at Blog Tyrant

 

Social Media

25 Ways to Make Social Media Work For You by Kathy Temean

How Can We Brag Without It Killing Our Online Credibility by Kristen Lamb

Social Media Scrooge by Talli Roland (Annoying practices)

How to Get Targeted Twitter Followers by Jeff Bullas

Hashtags Galore by Stacy Green

The State of Facebook: What’s Working Now? by Andrea Vahl

12 Ways to Optimize Your Facebook Marketing During the Holidays by Mari Smith

How to Verify Your Website on Pinterest and Why You Should Do It by Tehmina Zaman

5 Tips For Creating Pinterest Images People Love To Share by Mitt Ray

Goodreads Ad Campaigns… Should You Take the Plunge? by Monica Davis

 

Collected Wisdom

Blog Treasures by Gene Lempp

Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig

Friday Features by Yesenia Vargas

 

Deep Stuff

Motivation Like You’ve Never Seen It Before by Jenny Hansen

How To Put Fear in the Back Seat by James Chartrand

Give Yourself Permission to Be Happy by Lyn Midnight

10 New Year’s Resolutions For Writers by Keith Cronin

8 Ways Goofing Off Can Make You More Productive

The Secret Power of Introverts by Jenna Goudreau

Networking For Introverts by Meghan Casserly

Which Writers Are Asking the Hard Questions Today? by Eric Christensen (great SFF recommendations that are fun and make you think)

 

Fun Stuff

10 Most Unlikely Things Influeced by J.R.R. Tolkien by Amanda Yesilbas and Charlie Jane Anders

Top 10 Most Anticipated Fantasy Books of 2013 by Marc Aplin at Fantasy Faction

Season of Superstition: The Lost Rituals of Christmas by Erin McKean

Theories of Santa Claus by Anissa at Specnology

A Writer’s Night Before Christmas (poem)

16 Holiday Themed SFF Short Stories by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

Link Feast For Writers, vol. 32

It’s Wednesday again and time for your weekly dose of writing links.

This week you might notice that I have discovered a new writing blog crush, Matt Bird’s Cockeyed Caravan. He posts really frequently and pretty much every post is a gold nugget. There’s a lot of good material to share. I’m spacing out his posts for different weeks so expect more links from him.

What is it about screenwriters giving such stellar writing advice? Alexandra Sokoloff has been my go to girl for a long time and now I found talented Mr. Bird.

Anyway, on to the links.
If You Have Time For Only One Thing

NaNoWHAT Now? Small Steps For a Big Change by Kristen Lamb

 

On Writing

5 Writing Tips From Laini Taylor

Three Big Takeaways From My Book Therapy Storycrafters Retreat by Lindsay Harrel (great insights)

Must I Suffer For My Art? by Jennette M. Powell

Frazzled? Frustrated? Going Mental? 6 Ways to Beat the Breakdown  by Ruth Harris

Success In 90 Minute Increments by Rachelle Gardner

5 Ways Writers Can Cure Where-do-I-begin-itis by Krissy Brady

How Chuck Wendig Writes a Novel

Losing My Religion, Part 1: Misconceptions About Concept by Matt Bird

Wearing the Pants by Jana DeLeon

Losing My Religion, Part 2: Misconceptions About Character by Matt Bird

What I Learned Writing Dreamlander: 6 Types of Courageous Characters by K.M. Weiland

How to Create a Truly Frightening Villain by Marcy Kennedy

5 Tips For Developing Supporting Characters by Nancy Parker

Losing My Religion, Part 3: Misconceptions About Structure by Matt Bird

Do You Suffer From Nice Writer’s Syndrome? by Janice Hardy

Too Much of a Good Thing: Over Plotting Your Novel by Janice Hardy

Actions and Reactions: The End All Be All of Storytelling by Jami Gold

The Matrix: Act One Breakdown by Alexandra Sokoloff

Losing My Religion, Part 4: Misconceptions About Scenework by Matt Bird

Writing Tense Action Scenes by Jodie Renner

WriterStrong: Strong Details For Strong Reader Emotions by Sherry Thomas

Losing My Religion, Part 5: Misconceptions About Dialogue by Matt Bird

Losing My Religion, Part 6: Misconceptions About Theme by Matt Bird

Losing My Religion, Part 7, Misconceptions About Rewriting by Matt Bird

You’ve Finished NaNoWriMo: Now What? by Janice Hardy

NaNoWriMo Ends: Editing Begins by Karen Woodward

At First Draft: The 6 (Minimum) Steps to Revising Your Manuscript before Submission (Wise Ink)

11 Steps to Revise Your Manuscript. Edit Ruthlessly & Kill Your Darlings by Karen Woodward

Editing: Make Sure Your Story’s Bones Are Strong by Karen Woodward

11 Ways Writers Can Turn a To-Do List Into a To-Done List by Krissy Brady

6 Money Saving Tips For Writers by Krissy Brady

Writing Prompts: Defeat Writer’s Block And Generate Ideas by Karen Woodward

7 Ways Writing a Screenplay Is Different Than Writing a Novel by Michael Ferris (fascinating stuff)

Reading Is the Inhale, Writing Is the Exhale: Developing Writer’s Intuition by Justine Musk

How Acting Can Help Our Writing by William Alexander

Query Lines to Make an Agent Sigh by Rachelle Gardner

Have You Ever Dreamed of Your Novel Becoming a TV Series? by Laurie Scheer

 

Book Marketing & (Self-)Publishing

Do You Cringe When Authors Market Their Books? by Dan Blank

Top 5 Book Marketing Strategies by Dana Lynn Smith

How Readers Discovered a Debut Novel: A Case Study (Goodreads)

4 Elements of Voice {& Why You Should Notice Your Own & Other People’s} by Abby Kerr

Finding Your Voice: How Would You Answer These Questions? (by Abby Kerr)

3 Easy to Engage Your Customers by Patricia Redsicker

Why Aren’t People Falling All Over You (Yet)? by Abby Kerr

What to Do About Your Not Quite Right People? by Abby Kerr

The Creative Badass Manifesto by Justine Musk

Why Writing a Manifesto Can Help You Develop a Creative Vision and Ultimately Sell More Books by Justine Musk

How To Write a Creative Manifesto by Justine Musk

(What’s your creative manifesto?)

Solution For Your Lonely Inbox by Jan O’Hara at Writer Unboxed

(Brilliant way to get more email subscribers: Give them a teaser of what your next newletter contains. And hey, have you ever thought you could do a collaborative newsletter with other writers to give your fans even more good stuff?)

Role of the Literary Agent in a Changing Marketplace by Lori Devoti

Author Publisher Marketing Responsibilities by Janet Kobobel Grant

How Much Does Self-Publishing a Book Cost? by Lindsay Buroker

The Hidden Costs of the 0,99$ eBook by Sunita at Dear Author

KDP Select: Is It Worth It (6 Takeaways From My Experience) by Shannon at DuoLit

Top 10 Self Publishing Blogs 2012 Finalists – Like Your Favorites (and check out the best sites)

 

Blogging

How To Start a Blog: 10 Tips for New Bloggers by Amy Lynn Andrews

The Storyteller’s Tale: How a Fiction Mindset Will Empower Your Blog by Larry Brooks

10 Ways to Build Long-Lasting Traffic to Your Author Website or Blog by Jane Friedman

How To Create Your Blog Community by Justine Musk

The Brad Pitt School of Blogging Superstardom by Johnny B. Truant

10 Year End Author Blog Post Ideas (Wise Ink)

10 Addictive Types of Content by Jeff Bullas

Writing Tips From Blackbeard the Pirate by Steffi Metal

8 Elements of Persuasive Writing by Yeremi Akpan

How To Stop Writing Boring Blog Posts by Demian Farnworth

David Sedaris’ Tricks to Great First Sentences by Demian Farnworth

3 Blog Design Tips for Your Prime Online Real Estate by Annabel Candy

Link Building Strategies: How to Get More Links to Your Content by Yeremi Akpan

 

Social Media

The First 7 Steps to a Successful Social Media Plan for Writers by Lori Lynn Smith

How Many Social Networks Is Enough? by Meghan Ward

5 Motivations For Sharing Content by Jeff Bullas

Facebook: Best Practices For Profiles, Pages, Groups and Posts by Darcy Pattison

How a Writer Could Get Close and Personal on Twitter and Facebook by Justine Musk

5 Tips For Power Tweeting by Jeff Bullas

(Hmm, he advices us to ask for ReTweets. I’ve heard some people say it annoys them and they’d never RT a Tweet asking for it. Naturally a Tweet needs to provide value to be shared. But does asking make sharing more compelling?)

4 Types of Successful Twitter Contests by Aaron Lee

10 Best Pinterest Practices by Sunny Rodriguez

10 Strategic Ways to Optimize Your Pinterest Page [Infographic] by Jeff Bullas

How to Schedule Your Pins on Pinterest by Tehmina Zaman

 

Collected Wisdom

Blog Treasuresby Gene Lempp

Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig

Friday Features by Yesenia Vargas

 

Deep Stuff

One Cool Way to Find Out What Your Badass Life Is About by Justine Musk

Why Ambition + Motherhood Go Hand in Hand by Justine Musk (*faints* She has twins and triplets! And here I thought I was challenged with ‘just’ twins :P)

Vogue Can Go to Hell – Can I Make Peace With My Thighs? by Kristen Lamb

 

Fun Stuff

Shooting Faster Than Legolas (4:58 min video)

The Mother of Bad Gifts: Baby Wee Wee (HaHas for HooHaas)

The Next Big YA Movie Franchises by Sara Gundell

The Queen’s Army by Marissa Meyer (Sci-fi short story: To be chosen is an honor. To decline is impossible.)

Fiction Affliction: Genre-Benders for December by Suzanne Johnson (Steampunk, dystopian novels etc.)

Fiction Affliction: December Releases in Fantasy by Suzanne Johnson

Fiction Affliction: December Releases in Urban Fantasy by Suzanne Johnson

Link Feast For Writers, vol. 16

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.

 

If You Have Time For Only One Thing:

Interview with Les Edgerton by Richard Godwin (best questions & answers I’ve ever read)

(Thanks for the link, Jenny Hansen!)

 

On Writing

5 Reasons Why Writers Get Bad Advice by Lisa Cron

Mind Your 4Ps and Qs: One Approach to Writing the Character and Plot-Driven Novel by John H. Ritter

5 Tricks To Adapting A Well Known Story For Fiction by Bryan Thomas Schmidt

5 Ways Writing A Novel Is Like A Bread Pudding (plus 2 recipes) by Kristin Nador

Write A Novel Easily Using The Snowflake Method (Bubble Cow)

Thriller Writing Made Easy: 4 Steps To Starting A Thriller (Writer’s Digest) [works for any genre & pantsers too]

Two Magic Words: “What If” by Joe Moore

10 Possible Reasons Why Your Script (or Story) Is Boring by Carson Reeves

Using Tarot In Writing by Raeyn Barclay

Creating Your Hero’s Journey With Tarot Cards by Raelyn Barclay

Designing From Bones: The First Passion of Story by Gene Lempp (what was the first moment when you fell in love with your genre?)

How To Grab The Reader’s Brain by Lisa Cron

The Reader Must Want To Know What Happens Next by Lisa Cron

What Winter’s Bone (Great Movie) And True Grit (Sucked) Are Sorely Missing by Lisa Cron

Character Voices Shouldn’t Sound Like Yours by Beth Hill

Essential Scene Elements Worksheets by Jami Gold (Word & Excel versions)

The Inciting Incident (Good Seed IV) by Donald Maass

Before You Type The End: Creating Emotional Resonance In Your Books by Karen Schravemade

5 Romance Writing Tips by Sarah MacLean

Rehearsal Notes For Your Rough Draft by Angie Dicken

Do I Have To Kill My Darlings? 5 Self-Editing Steps You Should Take Before An Editor Or Agent (Wise Ink)

7 Ways You Give Away Your Power – And How To Avoid It by Rachelle Gardner

Writers & Writer-Adjacent People: The Hermit Myth by Fabio Bueno

Traveling Tips & Doo-Dads For Writers by August McLaughlin

3 Reasons To Read Lisa Cron’s Wired For Story by Suzannah Winsdor Freeman

Movie Review: Prometheus by Carson Reeves (he reads movie scripts as a profession)

 

Your Author Platform

Authors: Stop Promoting To Other Writers by April Hamilton

Readers Face The Slush Pile: A Few Hard Truths by Roni Loren (what causes reader cynicism and how to get around it)

When Building A Significant Social Media Following May Not Work by J. Steve Miller

How Much Does Self-Publishing Cost by Toni at DuoLit

5 Ways To Save Money In Self-Publishing (And NOT Compromise Quality) (Wise Ink)

Splurge & Save: How To Be A Thrifty Indie Writer by Shannon at DuoLit

Who Understands Story Better: Writers Or The Marketers? by Lisa Cron

Michael Hyatt’s Lessons From “Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World” by Ali Luke

Marketing Essentials Every Writer Should Know by Zachary Petit

Marketing For New Authors by Jillian Dodd

5 Ways To Market Your Book by Angela Ackerman

Amazon For Dummies (Like Me) – Liking & Tagging Explained by Derek Blass

Tips For A Successful Kickstarter Campaign by Jason Stratford

Making Full Use Of Goodreads by Lia Kays

Top 10 Awards For Indie Authors (Wise Ink)

 

Blogging

Using Visualization To Write Great Hooks by Nathan Kash

7 Book Writing Tricks That Work For Blogs (Wise Ink)

3 Simple Strategies That Add Value To Your Blog by Frank Dickinson

The Art (And Science) Of Neck-Snapping Headlines by Adam Costa

Speedy Blog Writing by Tom Ewer

5 Steps To Telling Engaging Stories On Your Blog by Judy Lee Dunn

The Secret Of Writing Funny by Annie Binns

Is This The Perfect Blog Post? [Infograph] by Jason Keath

How Formulas Can Make You A Better Blogger (Blog World)

7 Keys To Scoring Bestselling Author Interviews by Suzannah Windsor Freeman

10 Reasons I Won’t Leave A Comment On Your Blog by Judy Lee Dunn

Does Blogging Jack Up Your Schedules? Schedule Your Posts Ahead by Jenny Hansen

How To Schedule Posts Effectively (Blog World)

Want 1000 Blog Subscribers? Just ‘Invent’ Them by Judy Lee Dunn

How To Attract More Readers With SEO by Jodi Aman

Cheat Sheet For Optimizing Your WordPress Blog For Search Engines – Without Cheating by Neil Patel

How To Link To a PDF In a WordPress Post by Beth Hayden

Scribe – A Search Engine Tool For WordPress by Beth Hayden (this is not free but the A-List Bloggers use it)

 

Social Media

How Much Time Do Authors Need To Spend Time On Social Media Sites & Blogging by D.D. Scott

A Social Media Survival Guide by Jenn Reese

Everything I Need To Know About Twitter I Learned From Hospice by Piper Bayard

How To Succeed On Twitter by Molly Greene

Strategies For Effective Tweeting (Buddy Media)

How To Write Effective Tweets by Rebecca Berto

31 Twitter Hashtags For The Indie Author (Wise Ink)

10 Twitter Lists For Writers To Follow (Wise Ink)

Great Automated Twitter Support Tools by Molly Greene

(Tweet automating can be done well but you need to know what you’re doing. Read the next Kristen Lamb post to avoid fubars)

Hash Tags – The Trouble with Twitter Tribbles  by Kristen Lamb

Twitter Follower Maintenance by Paul Dorset

Pinterest Alert: The New Pin Scam To Avoid by Kristin Nador

Pinterest Marketing Guide by Beth Hayden (PDF)

7 Ways To Sell More Books With Pinterest by Beth Hayden

9 Ways To Go Viral on Pinterest and Get an Avalanche of Traffic (Boost Blog Traffic)

Sticky Pinterest Marketing by Beth Hayden

Facebook For Authors: Setting Up An Author Page, Part 1 by Chris Robley

Facebook For Authors: Setting Up An Author Page, Part 2 by Chris Robley

7 Things Chris Brogan Taught Me About Google+ and Why It Matters by Carol Tice

 

Collected Wisdom

Blog Treasures by Gene Lempp (July 15)

Twitterific by Elizabeth S. Craig (July 15)

Friday Features by Yesenia Vargas (July 14)

9 Killer Resources Of Weekly Writing Links by Kristin Nador (July 10)

Writing on the Ether by Porter Anderson (July 12)

 

Deep Stuff

The Habit Change Cheatsheet: 29 Ways To Succesfully Ingrain a Behaviour by Leo Baubata

What Multitasking Does To Our Brain by Leo Widrich

Sleeps With Monsters: Endurance & Persuation – Traits of the Heroine by Liz Bourke

Outside-of-the-Box Books For Writers by Kathy Steffen

Why Is It Hard To Make Friends Over 30? by Alex Williams (New York Times)

Individualism In Overdrive by Frank Bruni (New York Times)

How To Raise Creative Kids by Toby Neal

How To Talk To Little Girls by Lisa Bloom (Huffington Post)

 

Fun Stuff

Which famous writer do you write like?

Down And Dirty Hot Dudes by Catie Rhodes

Top 10 Archers In Fiction (Fantasy Faction)

Underground New York Public Library (interesting way to discover new books)

What To Expect When You’re Expecting An Extra Hunger Games Movie by Bridget McGovern (tor.com)

Breaking Down The Wall: Immortal Monday by Debra Kristi

The 4 Questions Everyone Asks At Conventions by Steven Padnick (tor.com)

Five Fabulous Female Fantasy Forces by Rajan Khanna

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