I liked this post from Greta van der Rol on "the process of plotting" and not just because I'm a fangirl and it means we're getting a new book. No, I liked it also because it gives a nice glimpse into the insanity that is a writer. She's just so matter-of-fact about Ravindra talking to her. And aren't we all? Our characters speak, we listen. It's when we don't that things get messy and complicated and difficult.
Well, this is interesting. Back in May, Joe Konrath hosted a guest post from Ann Voss Peterson. She talked about her relationship with big publisher Harlequin and why she couldn't afford to write for them anymore. It's a startling, sobering post. This week, Joe posted an update on her situation--sort of. In Harlequin Fail Part 2, Joe mentions the class-action lawsuit against Harlequin and the shady business practices that led to it. Yikes.
Girl Who Reads wrote about newsletters in her Tips on Thursday post this week. I'm definitely checking out those resources.
Paperback Writer made a wonderful list of suggestions for coping with the culture of immediacy.
Pub Rants hosted a Roni Loren guest post that all bloggers need to read. Especially if you use photos in your posts, read that post! (Don't panic, but don't ignore it, either. It's about lawsuits and the dangers of copyright infringement.)
Delilah Dawson shared some thoughts on editing. I really liked her first thought. That can be such a problem for new writers--and even for some of us who have been at this a while.
Showing posts with label girl who reads. Show all posts
Showing posts with label girl who reads. Show all posts
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Blog Roundup: July 9 - 15, 2012
Chuck Wendig is basically like a hairy, foul-mouthed little writer god and you should listen to him. Read his 25 Bad Writer Behaviors post. It's a good post. It's a really, really good post.
Caustic Cover Critic discussed E-Book Cover Design here and here. If you're looking for a cover artist, or doing it yourself, read these posts (and this blog).
Over at Do Some Damage, Scott Parker wrote about knowing if you're a writer. I would argue that if you write and identify yourself in any way by that activity, then you're a writer (even if your work only has an "audience of one"). If you're feeling any of the insecurity or self-doubt that seems to come with writing, that's a good post to let you know you're not alone and there are ways to make it better.
Girl Who Reads discussed negative reviews in her Tips on Thursday post this week. I've said it before and I'll say it again: reviews are for other readers, not for authors, and authors would do well to keep in mind that a negative review isn't a personal attack (except when it is, and then it's not about the review, it's about nastiness and being a jerk), it's an opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinions.
Rik Davnall's posts likening a story to sex and books to sex toys made me laugh, entertained me, and informed me enough to make me think--which means those posts hit the perfect trifecta of How To Be Successful On The Internet.
Lynn Viehl's Zero Cost Ten is packed with useful, free writing tools. I love it when she makes posts like that!
Every single one of Delilah S. Dawson's posts last week was golden. Every. Single. One. Go read them all.
Caustic Cover Critic discussed E-Book Cover Design here and here. If you're looking for a cover artist, or doing it yourself, read these posts (and this blog).
Over at Do Some Damage, Scott Parker wrote about knowing if you're a writer. I would argue that if you write and identify yourself in any way by that activity, then you're a writer (even if your work only has an "audience of one"). If you're feeling any of the insecurity or self-doubt that seems to come with writing, that's a good post to let you know you're not alone and there are ways to make it better.
Girl Who Reads discussed negative reviews in her Tips on Thursday post this week. I've said it before and I'll say it again: reviews are for other readers, not for authors, and authors would do well to keep in mind that a negative review isn't a personal attack (except when it is, and then it's not about the review, it's about nastiness and being a jerk), it's an opinion, and everyone is entitled to their opinions.
Rik Davnall's posts likening a story to sex and books to sex toys made me laugh, entertained me, and informed me enough to make me think--which means those posts hit the perfect trifecta of How To Be Successful On The Internet.
Lynn Viehl's Zero Cost Ten is packed with useful, free writing tools. I love it when she makes posts like that!
Every single one of Delilah S. Dawson's posts last week was golden. Every. Single. One. Go read them all.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
Blog Roundup: May 14 - 20, 2012
Have I mentioned lately how much I enjoy Chuck Wendig's take on writing and relating to an audience? Because I really enjoy it. He respects his audience, something that I think a lot of creative types tend to overlook. His 25 Ways To Earn Your Audience this week offered up ways you, as an author, can encourage your audience to be--and continue to be--your audience.
I have had a problem with over-editing in the past. Greta van der Rol posted this week about taking care when you "murder your darlings," something I think all writers should read. New writers are bombarded with so many rules to follow and told to never, ever break them. I think there's danger in becoming a serial killer of your darlings. You could lose your voice and eliminate all beauty from your work.
A Chick Who Reads reviewed Harlequin title Not Just Friends. (Her review makes me want to get the book, but that's not the point of this entry in today's post.) This is an excellent example of the usefulness of reviewing blogs to writers. You see how she mentions not trusting skinny pastry chefs and lamenting the lack of "real" women who are sexy in romance novels? This is useable. And it makes me glad I went through the extra trouble of finding a cover for Cass Gets Her Kicks that featured a woman with a little bit extra in the "wrong" places. Women generally read romance novels to escape their everyday life. Why not give them an extra touch of reality to really pull them in?
For her Tips on Thursday, Girl Who Reads wrote about the sound bite. If you review books at all, absorb the information she's giving. If you summarize your own work, or swap reviews with fellow authors, or just want to make your blog or book a little more accessible, that's a post worth reading.
James Killick favors the "treatment." Don't know what it is? Check out his post. The trouble with treatments, in my experience, is that they can be so much fun you don't get around to writing the actual story. If you do manage to get past them and start the story itself, they're incredibly useful. At least, they are to me. It's nice to have a reference in case I get lost.
One could argue that this post from Seeking the Write Life could just as easily be titled Top Ten Reasons You Need to Learn to Better Self-Edit, but that's just me. While I do agree that editors can be great things, there's really no replacement for learning to self-edit and for learning to actually think about what you're writing down.
I have had a problem with over-editing in the past. Greta van der Rol posted this week about taking care when you "murder your darlings," something I think all writers should read. New writers are bombarded with so many rules to follow and told to never, ever break them. I think there's danger in becoming a serial killer of your darlings. You could lose your voice and eliminate all beauty from your work.
A Chick Who Reads reviewed Harlequin title Not Just Friends. (Her review makes me want to get the book, but that's not the point of this entry in today's post.) This is an excellent example of the usefulness of reviewing blogs to writers. You see how she mentions not trusting skinny pastry chefs and lamenting the lack of "real" women who are sexy in romance novels? This is useable. And it makes me glad I went through the extra trouble of finding a cover for Cass Gets Her Kicks that featured a woman with a little bit extra in the "wrong" places. Women generally read romance novels to escape their everyday life. Why not give them an extra touch of reality to really pull them in?
For her Tips on Thursday, Girl Who Reads wrote about the sound bite. If you review books at all, absorb the information she's giving. If you summarize your own work, or swap reviews with fellow authors, or just want to make your blog or book a little more accessible, that's a post worth reading.
James Killick favors the "treatment." Don't know what it is? Check out his post. The trouble with treatments, in my experience, is that they can be so much fun you don't get around to writing the actual story. If you do manage to get past them and start the story itself, they're incredibly useful. At least, they are to me. It's nice to have a reference in case I get lost.
One could argue that this post from Seeking the Write Life could just as easily be titled Top Ten Reasons You Need to Learn to Better Self-Edit, but that's just me. While I do agree that editors can be great things, there's really no replacement for learning to self-edit and for learning to actually think about what you're writing down.
Sunday, April 29, 2012
Blog Roundup: April 23 - 29, 2012
Chuck Wendig's newest book came out last week and so he offered up 25 Things [He] Learned While Writing Blackbirds. It's just a really solid post about writing a novel. I can't pick a favorite tip, I can just tell you that if you're an aspiring novelist, that's a good place to spend some time.
Amanda Hocking wrote about her experiences with traditional publishing. I, for one, appreciate her transparency. Seeing her go through both self-publishing and traditional publishing is fascinating.
This week's Tips on Thursday from Girl Who Reads was about picturing it. Readers are more likely to click on links that include a picture. At least, I think I read that somewhere?
This post over at It's the Future, Stupid about marketing post-gold rush is worth checking out. It's rough analysis from a fellow self-pubber who is struggling--just like the rest of us--to get his books sold, so reading his thoughts might be helpful. (For the record, I don't think marketing on Twitter helps--but I do think sharing blog links, writing advice, and networking with other bloggers and writers does help.)
James Killick offers analysis of creativity and suggestions for achieving originality in this post. It just makes me think of Amanda Hocking's basic tip, which is to write a story people want to read. That's what it's all about.
...wow. Slow week. Once again, I don't feel so bad about not blogging as much as I should. It's the weather, isn't it? Gorgeous weather is back so people aren't chained to their computers anymore.
Amanda Hocking wrote about her experiences with traditional publishing. I, for one, appreciate her transparency. Seeing her go through both self-publishing and traditional publishing is fascinating.
This week's Tips on Thursday from Girl Who Reads was about picturing it. Readers are more likely to click on links that include a picture. At least, I think I read that somewhere?
This post over at It's the Future, Stupid about marketing post-gold rush is worth checking out. It's rough analysis from a fellow self-pubber who is struggling--just like the rest of us--to get his books sold, so reading his thoughts might be helpful. (For the record, I don't think marketing on Twitter helps--but I do think sharing blog links, writing advice, and networking with other bloggers and writers does help.)
James Killick offers analysis of creativity and suggestions for achieving originality in this post. It just makes me think of Amanda Hocking's basic tip, which is to write a story people want to read. That's what it's all about.
...wow. Slow week. Once again, I don't feel so bad about not blogging as much as I should. It's the weather, isn't it? Gorgeous weather is back so people aren't chained to their computers anymore.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Blog Roundup: April 16 - 22, 2012
Chuck Wendig shared 25 Things You Should Know About Transmedia Storytelling. Confession: I frequently have no idea what buzzwords mean. Transmedia looks like a buzzword to me. Guess it's time to get educated beyond Mr. Wendig. (Oh, that hurt to write. Chuck, if you stumble across this, I still love you!)
A Chick Who Reads pondered bookish things (erotica) this week. As an erotica writer, it's nice to find out what readers want--but it also goes to show that erotica is an intensely personal thing. Reading choices in general are an intensely personal thing. (I have a friend who is reading the Fifty Shades trilogy and I kind of want to break up with her over it.) I actually like my erotica a bit crude and dirty, so that's how I try to write it. However, I can't think of any instance in which calling female genitalia a "puss" is acceptable.
Erotic Romance reported on Forever Amber's plagiarism. I just don't understand what would drive someone who considers herself a writer to steal someone else's work.
A Girl Who Reads talked about user engagement in her Tips on Thursday post. User engagement is definitely something I need to work on--though my blog stats show me that a fair number of you make a point to visit regularly, even if you don't comment. Not that I blame you. I'm not a big commenter, either.
Paperback Writer had two great posts this week: one on a virtual storyboard, which is cool because sometimes it really can be immensely useful to work with index cards; and a paranormal romance pop quiz, which (because I am a terrible person) makes me want to write a story containing every single item on that list.
Aimee Salter shared a great post about giving yourself permission. I just love that post. I really do. It's astonishing how easy it is to be strict with yourself, as a writer, and how you can get lost in your own head. Sometimes it really helps to step back and remind yourself that this is a creative venture and it needs to be treated as such.
Stella Deleuze wrote about point of view in her Tip of the Week post. Picking the right point of view is absolutely crucial. Using it effectively doubly so.
A Chick Who Reads pondered bookish things (erotica) this week. As an erotica writer, it's nice to find out what readers want--but it also goes to show that erotica is an intensely personal thing. Reading choices in general are an intensely personal thing. (I have a friend who is reading the Fifty Shades trilogy and I kind of want to break up with her over it.) I actually like my erotica a bit crude and dirty, so that's how I try to write it. However, I can't think of any instance in which calling female genitalia a "puss" is acceptable.
Erotic Romance reported on Forever Amber's plagiarism. I just don't understand what would drive someone who considers herself a writer to steal someone else's work.
A Girl Who Reads talked about user engagement in her Tips on Thursday post. User engagement is definitely something I need to work on--though my blog stats show me that a fair number of you make a point to visit regularly, even if you don't comment. Not that I blame you. I'm not a big commenter, either.
Paperback Writer had two great posts this week: one on a virtual storyboard, which is cool because sometimes it really can be immensely useful to work with index cards; and a paranormal romance pop quiz, which (because I am a terrible person) makes me want to write a story containing every single item on that list.
Aimee Salter shared a great post about giving yourself permission. I just love that post. I really do. It's astonishing how easy it is to be strict with yourself, as a writer, and how you can get lost in your own head. Sometimes it really helps to step back and remind yourself that this is a creative venture and it needs to be treated as such.
Stella Deleuze wrote about point of view in her Tip of the Week post. Picking the right point of view is absolutely crucial. Using it effectively doubly so.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Blog Roundup: April 9 - 15, 2012
Chuck Wendig was en fuego this week with two great posts: 25 Reasons I Hate Your Main Character and A Long Look At "Show, Don't Tell." I think both of these posts are must-reads for beginning writers... and it probably couldn't hurt those of us who have been doing it a while.
Laura Bradford's post on writing as an invisible business really hit home for me. When my sister was here, it was nearly impossible to get any work done. Now that my husband is home on leave, same story. It takes great, concentrated effort to get my toddler to play by herself for short periods of time ever since she had a constant companion in my sister. Writing itself is hard--finding the time to do it without distraction or interruption is even harder. More than once, I've questioned why I even bother. (And then I remember that I really do love it and it really does matter to me and I think I'm okay at it, so all the extra hard work seems worth it. And then I have a drink because I really must be crazy.)
Girl Who Reads offered up an analysis of the star rating system in her Tips on Thursday post. I like the star rating system, personally; it gives me a lot of information at first glance. But I either don't really care what other people think of a book and will read it if I want to, anyway, or--if it's a book I'm uncertain of, like The Hunger Games--I will read the reviews with one through three stars. Two and three star reviews, in my experience, tend to be the most tell-tale.
Last week was Indie Author Week at Into the Morning (a great blog you should be following, anyway) and my favorite post was this one about indie book covers. We all judge books by their covers. No sense saying we don't. And independent books... well... they're frequently lacking. The most glaring problem I see is that we use a lot of the same stock photos. I like her quickie review of the good and the bad book covers. I think, especially for those of us designing our own, it's a good idea to look at all the criticism and praise for book covers that we possibly can. (Related: I tend to take inspiration from the traditionally-published erotica books I enjoyed. So I've based my covers on books like Breathless by Bonnie Edwards and pretty much everything by Delilah Devlin, as two examples.)
James Killick shared a short list of Five Things More Important Than Knowledge. The thing about knowledge is that it can be acquired. Or it can be rejected in favor of blissful ignorance. His list is comprised of things that are pretty hard to reject and ignore, at least in my experience.
Keystrokes and Word Counts has a short review of KDP free days. If it's something you're considering, I'd advise reading as much as possible on the experiences of other authors. I have a project in the works that I am planning to enroll in KDP select when the time comes, so posts like this are helpful to me.
Sierra Godfrey had a thought-provoking post asking where to find the self-pubbed books. She has a point. A good one. In my case, I don't market so much as I tailor my keywords for searches... because that's pretty much how I find the books I want to read.
Stella Deleuze advised that authors choose a publisher wisely. Personally, I'd do a ton of research--on the company and the people I'm working with. I'd check out the other books they'd published, not just the sales rankings, but the cover designs and reviews and the books themselves. I don't have an answer for Ms. Deleuze. I don't know what I'd do if my book was at the mercy of an editor who didn't know what she was doing. I sincerely hope I never have to answer that question.
Laura Bradford's post on writing as an invisible business really hit home for me. When my sister was here, it was nearly impossible to get any work done. Now that my husband is home on leave, same story. It takes great, concentrated effort to get my toddler to play by herself for short periods of time ever since she had a constant companion in my sister. Writing itself is hard--finding the time to do it without distraction or interruption is even harder. More than once, I've questioned why I even bother. (And then I remember that I really do love it and it really does matter to me and I think I'm okay at it, so all the extra hard work seems worth it. And then I have a drink because I really must be crazy.)
Girl Who Reads offered up an analysis of the star rating system in her Tips on Thursday post. I like the star rating system, personally; it gives me a lot of information at first glance. But I either don't really care what other people think of a book and will read it if I want to, anyway, or--if it's a book I'm uncertain of, like The Hunger Games--I will read the reviews with one through three stars. Two and three star reviews, in my experience, tend to be the most tell-tale.
Last week was Indie Author Week at Into the Morning (a great blog you should be following, anyway) and my favorite post was this one about indie book covers. We all judge books by their covers. No sense saying we don't. And independent books... well... they're frequently lacking. The most glaring problem I see is that we use a lot of the same stock photos. I like her quickie review of the good and the bad book covers. I think, especially for those of us designing our own, it's a good idea to look at all the criticism and praise for book covers that we possibly can. (Related: I tend to take inspiration from the traditionally-published erotica books I enjoyed. So I've based my covers on books like Breathless by Bonnie Edwards and pretty much everything by Delilah Devlin, as two examples.)
James Killick shared a short list of Five Things More Important Than Knowledge. The thing about knowledge is that it can be acquired. Or it can be rejected in favor of blissful ignorance. His list is comprised of things that are pretty hard to reject and ignore, at least in my experience.
Keystrokes and Word Counts has a short review of KDP free days. If it's something you're considering, I'd advise reading as much as possible on the experiences of other authors. I have a project in the works that I am planning to enroll in KDP select when the time comes, so posts like this are helpful to me.
Sierra Godfrey had a thought-provoking post asking where to find the self-pubbed books. She has a point. A good one. In my case, I don't market so much as I tailor my keywords for searches... because that's pretty much how I find the books I want to read.
Stella Deleuze advised that authors choose a publisher wisely. Personally, I'd do a ton of research--on the company and the people I'm working with. I'd check out the other books they'd published, not just the sales rankings, but the cover designs and reviews and the books themselves. I don't have an answer for Ms. Deleuze. I don't know what I'd do if my book was at the mercy of an editor who didn't know what she was doing. I sincerely hope I never have to answer that question.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Blog Roundup: March 19 - 25, 2012
Because he's awesome like that, Chuck Wendig shared three great teaser posts this week: Ten Things You Should Know About... Setting, Endings, Writing Screenplays. (Do you have this book yet? Totally worth it.)
Greta van der Rol had an interesting post on the rules of romance. I think, as a general rule, most female romance readers do read to escape reality. I know that I certainly do. But I also don't mind at all when my heroes act like men. I think romance is subjective to character. Rules of romance will be determined by rules of characterization.
Girl Who Reads offered this tip: contact the author when you mention their book. Oops. I am not always as good about that as I should be.
Keystrokes and Word Counts offered up this short post on the importance of suspending disbelief. I think most readers of fiction, in an attempt to escape reality, are willing to believe a lot... but not everything. I think the best tip is to stick to what you, personally, can believe.
The first link in this entry over at Paperback Writer caught my attention, though the video is pretty cool, too. I haven't tried the search engine, but I'm excited about it.
Do you follow Release Notes? I enjoy the look it gives into books I wouldn't otherwise be aware of.
As usual, Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup is spot-on.
Sirra gave us all insight into the mind of an editor this week. Have an editor? Looking for one? Thinking about becoming one? I think this post is a must-read.
Stella Deleuze posted her tip of the week on characters, telling us all not to overdo it. Personally, I don't mind characters who fit stereotypes at first glance; stereotypes exist for a reason. But if the character is important enough to write about, even in a minor role, then he or she is important enough to be whole.
I think I need more good blogs to follow. Do you have any suggestions?
Greta van der Rol had an interesting post on the rules of romance. I think, as a general rule, most female romance readers do read to escape reality. I know that I certainly do. But I also don't mind at all when my heroes act like men. I think romance is subjective to character. Rules of romance will be determined by rules of characterization.
Girl Who Reads offered this tip: contact the author when you mention their book. Oops. I am not always as good about that as I should be.
Keystrokes and Word Counts offered up this short post on the importance of suspending disbelief. I think most readers of fiction, in an attempt to escape reality, are willing to believe a lot... but not everything. I think the best tip is to stick to what you, personally, can believe.
The first link in this entry over at Paperback Writer caught my attention, though the video is pretty cool, too. I haven't tried the search engine, but I'm excited about it.
Do you follow Release Notes? I enjoy the look it gives into books I wouldn't otherwise be aware of.
As usual, Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup is spot-on.
Sirra gave us all insight into the mind of an editor this week. Have an editor? Looking for one? Thinking about becoming one? I think this post is a must-read.
Stella Deleuze posted her tip of the week on characters, telling us all not to overdo it. Personally, I don't mind characters who fit stereotypes at first glance; stereotypes exist for a reason. But if the character is important enough to write about, even in a minor role, then he or she is important enough to be whole.
I think I need more good blogs to follow. Do you have any suggestions?
Sunday, March 18, 2012
Blog Roundup: March 12 - 18, 2012
Chuck Wendig wrote 25 Things You Should Know About Creativity. I'm particularly fond of what he wants to do to the term "creative writing" and his suggestion that writers read more non-fiction than fiction.
Greta van der Rol's post about suspending disbelief is a good one. (The thing about the parsecs was retconned in the EU. The Kessel Run was an 18-parsec route. Yes, I know my geek is showing.)
Erotic Romance blogger and writer Emily Veinglory wrote about her experience with an anti-pirating service. Worth the read. She also blogged about PayPal in the most concise way, I think.
Girl Who Reads posted tips on Twitter connections. Twitter is how I got in touch with Greta van der Rol and Stella Deleuze (both authors I've hosted as guest bloggers, both authors of books I've enjoyed) so I'm always looking for ways to use it more effectively.
James Killick wrote about subtext. I love subtext in my entertainment because of what it says about characters.
As usual, Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup is worth the click over.
Stella Deleuze offered up her take on why writing is for masochists in addition to offering this tip of the week post on unnecessary repetition. We are all suckers for pain, aren't we? Accounting was so much easier than writing. It didn't drive me to tears nearly as often.
Greta van der Rol's post about suspending disbelief is a good one. (The thing about the parsecs was retconned in the EU. The Kessel Run was an 18-parsec route. Yes, I know my geek is showing.)
Erotic Romance blogger and writer Emily Veinglory wrote about her experience with an anti-pirating service. Worth the read. She also blogged about PayPal in the most concise way, I think.
Girl Who Reads posted tips on Twitter connections. Twitter is how I got in touch with Greta van der Rol and Stella Deleuze (both authors I've hosted as guest bloggers, both authors of books I've enjoyed) so I'm always looking for ways to use it more effectively.
James Killick wrote about subtext. I love subtext in my entertainment because of what it says about characters.
As usual, Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup is worth the click over.
Stella Deleuze offered up her take on why writing is for masochists in addition to offering this tip of the week post on unnecessary repetition. We are all suckers for pain, aren't we? Accounting was so much easier than writing. It didn't drive me to tears nearly as often.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
Blog Roundup: March 5 - 11, 2012
Let's start with Chuck Wendig, shall we? As usual, he offered up an installment of his 25 Things series, this one on word choice. (There are self-proclaimed "writers" who don't obsess over word choice?)
Greta van der Rol had this post which hit a little too close to home. I've had the damnedest time reading for pleasure ever since last summer. I've resorted to re-reading old favorites whenever I want to read for fun, which makes it difficult to discover new work simply for the pleasure of it.
Joe Konrath posted about the most important ingredient in the self-published book. The book itself. He's right. When I decided to self-publish, I read a lot about the importance of blogging and tweeting and networking and very little on the importance of writing a really good book.
Over at Girl Who Reads, you can check out how bloggers can affect the success of a book. Blogging, to me, is the same as word-of-mouth. You want people to "talk" about your work. (You really want them to talk positively about it, but buzz is buzz.)
Aimee Salter wants to know if we writers are our own worst enemies. Yes. Yes, we are. Even if we manage to (usually) get past the defensiveness that comes with being an artist, there's still that insecurity which can lead us to the Dark Side of Not Finishing Anything.
Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup, as usual, features some great links.
Greta van der Rol had this post which hit a little too close to home. I've had the damnedest time reading for pleasure ever since last summer. I've resorted to re-reading old favorites whenever I want to read for fun, which makes it difficult to discover new work simply for the pleasure of it.
Joe Konrath posted about the most important ingredient in the self-published book. The book itself. He's right. When I decided to self-publish, I read a lot about the importance of blogging and tweeting and networking and very little on the importance of writing a really good book.
Over at Girl Who Reads, you can check out how bloggers can affect the success of a book. Blogging, to me, is the same as word-of-mouth. You want people to "talk" about your work. (You really want them to talk positively about it, but buzz is buzz.)
Aimee Salter wants to know if we writers are our own worst enemies. Yes. Yes, we are. Even if we manage to (usually) get past the defensiveness that comes with being an artist, there's still that insecurity which can lead us to the Dark Side of Not Finishing Anything.
Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup, as usual, features some great links.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Blog Roundup: February 20 - 26, 2012
Chuck Wendig offered advice to writers for this week's 25 Things post. On the subject of being a writer, not on writing so much. Still worth the read. It illustrates just how unique the writing journey is for each person.
Greta van der Rol's new book is out! She posted about it here and shared the first chapter here. Also, because she is awesome, she talked about the Thrawn Trilogy here. If you're a Star Wars fan and you haven't explored the EU... you are seriously missing out.
Erotic Romance had a brief post on the subject of "barely legal" erotica.
Girl Who Reads did a quick, inteRuresting post outlining various traffic-driving sites for your blog.
Into the Morning offered three tips for new bloggers. I think it's especially important to remember number three.
James Killick wrote about how to surprise your reader.
As usual, you should check out Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup.
Greta van der Rol's new book is out! She posted about it here and shared the first chapter here. Also, because she is awesome, she talked about the Thrawn Trilogy here. If you're a Star Wars fan and you haven't explored the EU... you are seriously missing out.
Erotic Romance had a brief post on the subject of "barely legal" erotica.
Girl Who Reads did a quick, inteRuresting post outlining various traffic-driving sites for your blog.
Into the Morning offered three tips for new bloggers. I think it's especially important to remember number three.
James Killick wrote about how to surprise your reader.
As usual, you should check out Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup.
Sunday, February 19, 2012
Blog Roundup: February 13 - 19, 2012
Chuck Wendig delivered again with yet another list of 25, this time on the things you should know about protagonists.
Greta van der Rol hosted a guest post by Michael Combes on the subject of suspense of information in fiction. I also enjoyed her look at "hard" SF.
Laura Bradford hosted K. M. Parr, who wrote about writing as serious (frustrating, rewarding) business.
I thought this post from Girl Who Reads on the influence of blog reviews for self-published books was interesting.
Aimee Salter's self-publishing #10 went up here.
Greta van der Rol hosted a guest post by Michael Combes on the subject of suspense of information in fiction. I also enjoyed her look at "hard" SF.
Laura Bradford hosted K. M. Parr, who wrote about writing as serious (frustrating, rewarding) business.
I thought this post from Girl Who Reads on the influence of blog reviews for self-published books was interesting.
Aimee Salter's self-publishing #10 went up here.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Book Reviewing: Blogs, Directory, and Tips
Despite the fact that I follow several book review blogs, I don't include their posts in my blog roundup on Sundays. So I thought that it was time to talk about them. If you're looking for a book reviewer, or you're just looking for some solid book recs, these blogs can help.
Is there a Prettiest Blog award? This one deserves it. She reads romantic fiction (including erotica), YA, and paranormal. The blog has its own rating system (flowers instead of stars) which look just beautiful with the rest of the blog design. Reviews I've read on her blog are short and to the point without sacrificing anything. Several of the books on the first page of reviews alone are now in my to-read pile. She also hosts the occasional guest post.
Paul reads fiction, mostly crime fiction. I like his sense of humor and I like the way he cuts his entries so that we can decide which reviews to read. I even kind of enjoy his political and other off-topic posts, but that's probably because he discusses UK politics and not US politics. Mostly, I check his blog for ideas of books to recommend my husband, who is a fan of James Patterson and John Grisham.
Her reviews are less critique, more personal, and her taste in books seems to be all over the place. I like her weekly video updates. I think it's nice to see something different on a blog, and video on a blog about reading is neat enough to catch my attention. Bonus: she works in a publishing house, so she sometimes offers insight to that end.
I confess that I first started following this blog for the kitschy horror factor. I love zombies and The Nightmare Before Christmas and this blog channels both. She reads and reviews a lot of paranormal/horror-type books, but she also offers book blogging tips. Like this Book Blogging 101 post. (This blogger also pointed me toward this Etsy store. Their Halloween stuff was adorable!)
Book reviews and author interviews with--as far as I can tell--an emphasis on "indie" books. Like Girl Who Reads, there doesn't seem to be focus on any one genre, which is nice for those of us who don't stick to a single genre and who frequently scout recommendations for our loved ones.
Check out the Book Blogger Directory for more book blogs.
If you have a book you would like reviewed, remember these things:
- Always check the blogger's pages/about me/FAQ/submission policy before asking for a review.
- If a blogger only reads/reviews historic crime novels, don't ask for a review on your contemporary romance short story. Find a blogger who reviews in your genre.
- If the blogger agrees to review your work, accept the review, even if you think it's unfavorable. Be graceful and don't embarrass yourself.
- Always say thank you.
Especially that last one. Good manners can take you a long way.
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