Blog Roundup: July 1 - 8, 2012

Greta van der Rol released a new short story this week. GO GET IT.

Karen McQuestion posted about keeping your finger on the pulse of the publishing industry with a short list of go-to blogs. I can't fault her choices there and I recommend anyone just starting out follow those blogs.

Parajunkee posted about DNF (did not finish) book reviews. As a reader, I think DNF reviews are very useful. If readers who think like me didn't finish a book, I want to know that, and I want to know why.

Aimee Salter defines humility and insecurity. This should be required reading for new authors. (I would also like to add a bit on false humility. Where you say, "Oh, no, I'm terrible" to make yourself look good, then reject all criticism because you secretly believe--and your "friends" confirm--that you're the Best EVAR. No. No, you're not.)

I love Sierra Godfrey's 6 Tips for a Friendly Author Website. So many authors, especially self-published though traditionally published authors (George R. R. Martin, Aaron Allston, I'm looking at you fellows), have bad websites. Don't be one of them.

Stella Deleuze's Confessions post is nice to read because, really, we're all of us--self-published authors--in the same boat. We want to produce high-quality, error-free text that lets us live our dream.

Delilah Dawson's 10 Tips for Barfing a Book made me laugh and agree. She's got some great tips there.

Blog Roundup: June 1 - June 30, 2012

Oh, Chuck. I knew I could count on you to keep the quality coming while I was away. As usual, Chuck Wendig kept up his 25 posts: Ways To Fight Your Story's Mushy Middle, Reasons This Is The Best Time To Be A Storyteller, Things You Should Know About Writing Fantasy, Things You Should Know About Writing Sex.

Greta van der Rol wrote about local colour and asked, "How much is too much?"

Into the Morning had this interesting post on the subject of reviews. She breaks down her comments in a list to reviewers and to writers. Worth a look, I think, especially if you're a reviewer... or an author who has received a negative review.

Isis Rushdan had a simple, inspiring post on hard work.

If you want to be a bloody awful writer, James Killick has some tips for you.

Paperback Writer is such a wonderful resource blog. This month, she had a number of great posts: No-Nos for the Nasty, a review of a free editing program, and a list of short story sins.

Among her other useful posts this month, Aimee Salter wrote about the critical requirements for successful self-editing.

Sierra Godfrey's How to Sell Books post could really apply to any product you want to sell, as evidenced by her anecdote about spearmint.

Sirra collected another round of her Twitter writing tips.

I typically don't include posts from Somebody Has To Say It, but two posts stood out for the month of June: this one on dialogue attributes and this one on publishing contracts.

Stella was my most recent Blog Roundup feature, so you should already have read some of her most recent entries. If you haven't, start with this Tip of the Week post on editing and professionalism.

Nine Writing Things: Great Blogs Run By Writers For Writers

When I first decided to self-publish, I did a lot of reading. A lot. I found a ton of great articles, started a blog, and started following a bunch of bloggers who were writing about writing. Not just self-publishing, but writing in general. I've written long enough to know that I don't have to do what everyone else tells me to do, but that other writers--especially older ones, more experienced ones, and ones published in genres I don't read--generally have valuable things to say.

For today's Nine Things post, I'm going to share with you nine of my favorite writer's blogs. 

1. Joe Konrath - A Newbie's Guide to Publishing
 Joe Konrath has been blogging since 2005 and he has a wealth of industry-specific knowledge, tips, and tricks that he regularly shares. He also has some pretty strong opinions about issues within publishing and self-publishing and he is very good at articulating those opinions. I read his blog regularly just so I can feel smarter. 

2. Chuck Wendig - Terrible Minds
I devoted this week's Blog Roundup post to Chuck and for good reason. His blog is a nice mix of writing advice, industry knowledge, anecdotes, writing exercises, and information about his work for those of his readers who are fans. There's something for everyone there. 

3. Stella Deleuze - Words by Stella Deleuze
Stella is, in addition to a writer herself, an editor. So with her blog, we get both sides: the writer and the editor. She is also a reader, a gardener, a hobby chef, and a conscious critic of self-publishing and indie authors. I like Stella personally--she's straightforward and kind and not afraid to express herself--and I enjoy her blog. Her rants give me a lot of ideas about what not to do. 

4. Laura Bradford - A Writer's Notes
I love the minimalist design of her blog and her relevant, easy-to-read posts. She doesn't update as frequently as most of the other bloggers on this list, but when she does, she offers things like posts about knowing your audience. 

5. James Killick - James Killick's Blog
Usually, James offers a nice, concise post of writing advice weekly. He understands the total writer package, that being a writer is about more than raw talent and specialized interests. He understands that most of us want to be read and liked. His posts display that understanding and generally offer advice to reconciling all parts of the writer self. 

6. Kate Aaron - Only True Magic
The thing that makes Kate's blog unique among the writer blogs I read, I think, is the fact that she regularly writes about gender and sexuality issues in writing, the industry, and in reading. I like that. I almost always learn something new, or at least learn to look at something in a different way. 

7. Lynn Viehl - Paperback Writer
Resources! Lynn has been a professional writer for fourteen years (according to her blog heading) and while her blog may be light on the advice, it's definitely heavy on the resources. She offers tips, tricks, programs, websites, submission information, and all kinds of other useful resources. Reading her blog is like reading a morning paper written just for writers. 

8. Aimee Salter - Seeking the Write Life
Like Joe Konrath, Aimee is very brusque, very matter-of-fact, and not even a little bit afraid of sharing her opinions. She's smart and she has plenty of advice for the persistent writer, advice that runs the gamut from how to improve query letters to how to beta read to how to not be one of those indie authors giving the rest a bad rap. I stumbled across her blog by accident one day and have been following ever since. I may not always necessarily agree with her opinions, but it doesn't matter, because her input is valuable. 

9.  Sierra Godfrey - Sassy Sassafras
Sierra follows blogs I don't follow and I don't have to because she does a weekly blog roundup, too. I like her casual, friendly tone and I like that she includes real-life examples of what she's talking about. This blog is an easy, useful read and I really enjoy heading over there to check out what she's offering each week.

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.

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.

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.

Blog Roundup: February 27 - March 4, 2012

Chuck Wendig added 25 Ways to Unfuck Your Story to his 25 Things series. If you're stuck, it just might be the article you need.

Keystrokes and Word Counts had an interesting post on the subject of returning ebooks. Personally, I think the option to return ebooks, especially self-published ebooks, serves the readers as customers really well. I think that authors should embrace the guarantee-or-your-money-back. Most people don't return things just because they can and most people don't demand their money back for entertainment they didn't enjoy.

Over at Seeking the Write Life, Aimee Salter had two great posts this week. One on using ambiguity and one on writing motivations that seem real. They're good posts for reminding you what you're supposed to be doing.

Sierra Godfrey posted about three ways to use your dreams for stories. I'm sure we've all heard how Twilight was written based on a scene from a dream, so that seems like pretty solid proof that dreams are great sources for stories. And, as always, her Google Reader Roundup is an excellent collection of links.

Sirra posted another collection of Twitter writetips. Are you following her yet?

Now I feel better about being MIA last week.

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.

Blog Roundup: February 6 - 12, 2012

I guess this kind of goes along with my Ten Things I Have Learned From The Muse post: Chuck Wendig wrote about 25 Reasons That Writers Are Bug-Fuck Nuts. I also enjoyed his Flash Fiction Challenge: The Unlikable Protagonist. I'm sure regular readers are well aware of my fondness for unlikable characters by now.

Um, so this isn't so much about writing as it is me fangirling, but Greta van der Rol posted that her next book, Starheart, is due out about nine days from now. Who else is excited? Because I sure am!

Roni Loren posted about 5 Muse Abusers over at her new blog. Her Fill-Me-In Friday was also full of useful writing links. I think that this will be the last week I check her blog. All of the advertising is kind of getting to me. I wish her success, but I go to read her blog, not to be reminded six or more times on a single page that her book is available.

Emily Veinglory's post about Cogwheel Press over at Erotic Romance caught my eye.

Have you checked out Kindle Author? In particular, I'm quite fond of the heads up on free books.

R. S. Guthrie hosted a guest post from Sevastian Winters about the price point. I really enjoy posts like these because they treat self-publishing as a business. It's not going to make me raise my prices on my current books--I have a reason for pricing things the way I have--but I do find it encouraging.

Check out Aimee Salter's continuation of her self-editing posts: #8, #9.

Sierra Godfrey, as always, made her Google Reader Roundup post. (Does anyone else picture the Google logo wearing a cowboy hat? No? Just me, then?)

Stella Deleuze's tip of the week was especially useful to me this week. I'm still in the process of editing and, man, I am wordy and repetitive.

This guest post over at Written Words made me smile. We're all a little mad here...

Blog Roundup: January 30 - February 5, 2012

Chuck Wendig wrote about the 25 Things You Should Know About Story Structure. Sometimes I diagram my stories. If they look like the graph he used as an article photo, I feel confident. I recommend it to other plotters.

Greta van der Rol wrote about an author who "breaks the rules" and how that works out for him (it's an excellent read if you're wondering which rules you can break and how). If you'll excuse my fangirl, she also wrote about a glowing review she received. If you're going to talk about your reviews, this is the way to do it. (Also: you should read her books. You really should.) (Also also: I'm currently reading Morgan's Choice and I cannot recommend it enough.)

Roni Loren hosted a guest post from Claire Ashgrove on the subject of developing subplots. She also asked if blog tours sell books. (I disagree to an extent. I think that you have to reach out to new audiences. I think sticking with blogs you know, blogs you know your audience reads or blogs that target the same audience you do, is where the danger in not selling books lies.) And she wrote about moving her blog to her main website and why.

Angel Zapata posted about severing her ties with Trestle Press due to copyright infringement issues. (Trestle Press, it seems, has been using copyrighted images on their book covers without permission or compensation or credit. Wow.)

Avery Olive posted definitions and explanations of ARCs and Galleys. If you're new to publishing terminology, it's a good post.

Keystrokes and Word Counts had a nice post on why writers do what we do. I complain about writing more often than I should, but I can't imagine life without it.

This post at McQuestionable Musings shares writing advice from Ira Glass. Read it. Especially if you're a "new" writer and even if you aren't. It's good to put things in perspective sometimes.

The Rapidly Evolving Role of Agent was posted over at Pub Rants. I frequently read about this phenomenon, but it's nice to see some specifics straight from an agent.

Aimee Salter continued her self-editing series with posts #6 and #7. If you've missed any posts, check out her self-editing tag.

When you're done here, head over to Sierra Godfrey's Google Reader Roundup.

Stella Deleuze wrote about proofreading as an underestimated profession; if you're hiring out the editing and proofreading of your manuscript, read that post. She also posted a tip of the week, this one on Twitter. I don't know about you, but everyone I follow on Twitter has been interesting or useful or entertaining to me in one way or another. I recommend that as the way to go. (And talk to them more. I should talk to the people I follow more often, I know.)

The Feckless Goblin asks if you should hire an editor to look at your book. (I agree, to an extent. If you can afford it or work a trade + have no experience in editing, then yes, absolutely.)

And in case you missed it, here on my blog, I interviewed Stella Deleuze to help celebrate the release of her new book, Candlelight Sinner.

Blog Roundup: January 9 - 15, 2012

Chuck Wendig had two good posts this week: 25 Things Writers Should Know About Finding Their Voice and How to Self-Publish So It Benefits Readers.

Roni Loren's blog is a veritable treasure trove of good posts. This guest post is 5 Narrative Mistakes You Can Fix Now, this post is about the etiquette of guest blogging, and this is her Fill-Me-In-Friday post.

Laura E. Bradford offered these resources and recommendations for new writers.

Imran Siddiq wrote about his process and included a pretty specific timeline.

James Killick posted about How to Make Good Writing Great.

Over at Keystrokes and Word Counts, it looks like a new post series is starting. The first seems to be Adventures in Promoland: Giveaways.

Paperback Writer shared this interesting post, Collecting Characters.

Agent Kristin over at Pub Rants wrote about the need to keep an eye on conversation in your story.

R. S. Guthrie posted about taking the plunge, joining the Dark Side, and signing up for KDP Select.

It looks like Aimee Salter is starting a new post series, too, this one on self-editing. The first post is here.

Sierra Godfrey posted her Google Reader Roundup.

Blog Roundup: December 12 - 18, 2011

The Precarious Portentious Perils of Self-Publishing is a must-read for anyone considering taking this route. Chuck also posted 25 Things Writers Should Know About Rejection.

Imran Siddiq of Imran Writes posted What's in a Title? this week.

Aimee Salter asked: Are You Getting to the Heart of Your Characters?

Stella Deleuze shared a spam email she received. If you blog, it's worth reading so that you don't fall prey to the scam.

...and that's it. Wow, slow week. Most blogs are doing giveaways and Christmas-themed posts, which is cool, but not really relevant to my blog roundup posts.

On Writing: Blog Recs For Writers

The Internet is a great thing. It's just full of writers who are willing to share their advice, knowledge, and tips.  Today's short post is all about some of my favorite blogs for writers.

Chuck Wendig: Terrible Minds
I love his voice and I love his style. His "25 Things" lists are neat, well-organized, interesting presentations of information all writers can use (or discard at will, because that's what you do with advice).

Words By Stella Deleuze
Stella is an editor in addition to being a writer and so she offers tips from both perspectives. My favorite posts of hers so far have been Tip of the Week posts, which go up on Sundays.

Sirra
Like Stella, Sirra is an editor and a writer. Sirra uses the #stabbylove hashtag on Twitter and her advice tends toward the brutally honest and sometimes even the small things that are easy to overlook.

Only True Magic
The self-publishing tips and tricks posts on this blog are particularly useful. A recent article on the KDP Select program really examined the pros and cons of placing Kindle books into the Select lending program.

Rob On Writing
With articles on everything from specific advice and tips to suggested writing exercises, this is a must-have on my blogroll. The humor that touches every post certainly doesn't hurt, either.

Aimee Salter: Seeking the Write Life
Advice, tips, and editorializing from a writer who "never gave up." I appreciate the message of persistence.

The Bookshelf Muse
Specific elements of storytelling are identified, explained, and examples from the "bookshelf" are discussed. This is a really great blog, particularly if you're stuck on how to "show" something rather than tell it.

What about you? Do you have a blog for writers? Do you have any favorites?

Blog Roundup: September 26 - October 2, 2011

Chuck Wendig has done it again, this time with a post on the 25 things writers should know about theme. Are you following his blog yet? At least checking it regularly? You should be. Also, he made this post on self-doubt.  I particularly liked the line about the "rogue gallery of nemeses."

I think we all realize that I officially have a Thing for Greta van der Rol and her wonderful writing. Well. Now I have one more reason to love her. No, this post doesn't strictly fit in with my "writing help" theme, but it's worth reading because I believe it illustrates very well how one simple thing can turn us on to something and inspire us and then we can do something great. (The moment I fell in love with Star Wars, by the way, happened at the end of A New Hope, when Red Leader says "Lock S-foils in attack position," and the X-wings opened up. As for when I fell in love with science fiction, I couldn't possibly say. It has been part of my entertainment for as long as I can remember.)

I missed this post in my last roundup, but it's worth reading. Imran Siddiq asks, "Do I need an editor?" and the answer is a resounding "Yes!" I'm in the process of starting to research good editing tips right now because, coming the second or third week of October, we will have an All About Editing week here on the blog. I have one guest post from a brilliant editor lined up and I hope to work out details with a second editor for another guest post. I also plan to write a couple of posts on beta-reading and self-editing.

James Killick posted ten questions to ask your characters, something I found fascinating and useful. I think that a lot of new writers have difficulty with characterization. I don't exactly consider myself a new writer, but I do recognize that characterization is something I need to work on.

Keystrokes & Word Counts is such a great blog. This post on backing up your files, this post on reviews, and this post on playing nice are all worth reading.

The Lindsay's Ramblings blog has had a series of defining "-punk" posts lately. If you're curious about things like steampunk and splatterpunk and anything that ends in, well, punk, then I suggest checking her out.

Two blogs worth following: Pub Rants and Slush Pile Hell. Even if you self-publish, I believe you should be educated about the publishing industry and I think you should seek out whatever information you can from agents and editors. You know that whole "Knowledge is power, power corrupts; study hard, be evil" thing? I mean, just the "knowledge is power" part. Anyway, I'm still learning about the publishing industry, and reading blogs from agents and editors--even the humorous, ranty one like Slush Pile Hell--is incredibly useful.

Aimee Salter offered this #1 blogging tip. I completely agree. I allow anonymous comments. Sure, you get some spam and some nastiness, maybe, but in the end, it's worth it.

If you're interested in traditional publication, read this post at Sirra's blog on the dos and don'ts in query letter writing. Seriously, follow her blog. She may be stabby, but she's smart and genuinely wants to help.

Your Cover Uncovered reviewed another book cover!

Blog Roundup: September 19 - 25, 2011

Chuck Wendig made yet another "25" post, this time about the virtues writers should possess. As long as you have 13 and 21, you can fake the rest if you have to.

Avery Olive had a nice little nugget of advice in a post this week on blog hopping. I'm part of Greta van der Rol's blog tour to promote the next Iron Admiral book and I'm watching carefully how it's done at other blogs. I need to start devoting more time to commenting and reading during the week because I'm hoping that when I'm ready to release the vampire novel, I can do some kind of blog tour.

James Killick made a very interesting post about writing for the right medium. I think it's worth looking at and asking yourself the questions he poses, especially if you're feeling stuck.

Aimee Salter's blog is worth following and reading regularly. Her recent posts on critical plot elements alone are great.

If you need a trait defined, weather analyzed, or just a hint about where to go on your bookshelf for specific inspiration, The Bookshelf Muse should be on your blogroll.

This post over at the Feckless Goblin made me laugh. I don't know if I necessarily believe the facts, but it did remind me that when I start with pen and paper, I do tend to follow through.

Your Cover Uncovered reviewed a new book cover. A good thought process for designing your own book cover should be, "What would Ms. Melville say?"

Blog Roundup: September 12 - 18, 2011

Chuck Wendig made another "25" post, this time on plotting, planning, and prepping your story. He says he's a pantser. I'm beginning to understand his crazy.

This week, I discovered a thoughtful, interesting blog called Read, React, Review. The blogger teaches an ethics in fiction course and in her posts displays an insight and curiosity I find absolutely fascinating.

Thanks to a link from someone I follow on Twitter, I came across Aimee Salter's blog and this post on self-publishers and value pricing. I also read this post and this post on why she doesn't believe self-publishing works yet. I think these sorts of posts are extremely important for self-publishing authors--or writers considering self-publication--to read. I think it's important to know what you're up against and to think about your business model. I think it's important to remember to think like a reader and blog posts like these help remind you to do that. As a bonus, check out this post of hers on self-editing.

Isis Rushdan posted on the four essential elements of good storytelling. It's a good read, especially if you're struggling with your story's direction.

Stella Deleuze has some sound advice on the "never give up" advice. Sometimes, you have to give up. She also has some sound advice regarding conflicting advice. I think confidence and humility are key to a healthy attitude about writing. Confidence because you need to trust yourself and your voice. Humility because you need to learn to accept criticism. Constructive criticism can only make you a better writer. Criticism that offers nothing else at least helps you grow a thicker skin.