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 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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