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...
Showing posts with label rob on writing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label rob on writing. Show all posts
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Sunday, January 15, 2012
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.
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.
Thursday, December 15, 2011
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?
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?
Sunday, December 11, 2011
Blog Roundup: December 5 - 11, 2011
Chuck Wendig posted 25 Financial Fuck-Ups Writers Make, an article about the business of writing and how it can affect your bottom line. Romantic? No. Useful? Yes! He also wrote about The Seduction of Self-Publishing, which would be a helpful read for anyone on the fence about the subject.
Greta van der Rol hosted a guest post by Meredith Lopez on the subject of "clearing your throat" before you write. I confess that I thought all writers did something to get started. Ms. van der Rol also asked if "writing is like prospecting." After the last eight months I've spent learning about the publishing industry (and being well aware that I still have much to learn), I have to kind of chuckle and think... yeah.
James Killick wrote about creating great content for your blog. His "write the post you want to read" tip is basically my mantra and, if anyone where to ask, it would be the tip I would give. Write the blog you want to read.
Keystrokes and Word Counts had a post on formatting, a relevant topic for self-publishers in particular. If you're looking for information on a rough guide to the steps of self-publishing, there is also this post.
This post on improving your dialogue over at Rob On Writing is worth a read, mostly because I encourage all fiction writers to give the exercise a try. I once wrote a novel-length piece entirely in dialogue. It was actually pretty good, but it will never see the light of day. It was an exercise.
Sierra Godfrey wrote about why author websites matter. I think mine does and I encourage any other writer to create their own. It may not be fancy, but having a place where your readers can go to get just the facts is a good idea.
Sirra posted her seventh collection of writer tips from Twitter. I think all writers should constantly be looking for ways to improve their work. She also posted this collection of commonly misused words. I think we've established how I feel about the poor abused English language, so it's worth reading. (And bookmarking.) Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, even very careful writers, but education on the subject is always a good thing.
Stella Deleuze wrote about giving small and new publishers a chance. Risks can be good, but be aware whenever you take them.
Greta van der Rol hosted a guest post by Meredith Lopez on the subject of "clearing your throat" before you write. I confess that I thought all writers did something to get started. Ms. van der Rol also asked if "writing is like prospecting." After the last eight months I've spent learning about the publishing industry (and being well aware that I still have much to learn), I have to kind of chuckle and think... yeah.
James Killick wrote about creating great content for your blog. His "write the post you want to read" tip is basically my mantra and, if anyone where to ask, it would be the tip I would give. Write the blog you want to read.
Keystrokes and Word Counts had a post on formatting, a relevant topic for self-publishers in particular. If you're looking for information on a rough guide to the steps of self-publishing, there is also this post.
This post on improving your dialogue over at Rob On Writing is worth a read, mostly because I encourage all fiction writers to give the exercise a try. I once wrote a novel-length piece entirely in dialogue. It was actually pretty good, but it will never see the light of day. It was an exercise.
Sierra Godfrey wrote about why author websites matter. I think mine does and I encourage any other writer to create their own. It may not be fancy, but having a place where your readers can go to get just the facts is a good idea.
Sirra posted her seventh collection of writer tips from Twitter. I think all writers should constantly be looking for ways to improve their work. She also posted this collection of commonly misused words. I think we've established how I feel about the poor abused English language, so it's worth reading. (And bookmarking.) Everyone makes mistakes sometimes, even very careful writers, but education on the subject is always a good thing.
Stella Deleuze wrote about giving small and new publishers a chance. Risks can be good, but be aware whenever you take them.
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Blog Roundup: October 3 - 9, 2011
November is National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and it's kind of a big deal. If you're considering participating, check out the official site and check out Chuck Wendig's blog post on the 25 Things You Should Know.
Greta van der Rol talked some about targeting your audience. I think that if you're planning to publish or share your writing in any way, you really do need to think about your audience.
Amelia James had a nice personal post on why she's happy being self-published. I have to agree with her assertions there. I love the freedom and the total control of my career self-publishing allows.
The A Chick Who Reads blog is so pretty. It's like a bright Tim Burton landscape. She writes pretty good reviews, too. If you're looking for a book review blog, this one is a good place to start.
Cover design was on my mind this week, so I think this post over at Do Some Damage is worth reading. Good cover design is important whether you're working with print books or ebooks or both, but each medium needs something a little bit different. A print book has to grab your attention in the store. An ebook has to look good as a thumbnail. But print book covers need to look good as thumbnails, too, because more people buy their books online.
Diana Cosby wrote a guest post for Isis Rushdan's blog about believing in yourself. Insecurity is a serious affliction for writers so it's a good idea to build up an arsenal against it.
Rik Davnall's post about his marketing strategy actually encouraged me to comment. (Fourteen years of fandom trained me to be terrified of commenting on anything online.) I think any writer pursuing self-publishing needs to come into it with reasonable expectations.
I enjoyed James Killick's "Three Little Words" post. The ideas are the easy part. It's the making the idea big enough to make a story, stringing the words together, and making the whole thing compelling that's tough. (Writing is hard. Why am I doing it again?)
Keystrokes and Word Counts moved.
Rob on Writing featured a post about his $0.99 novel. About the price, really. I was talking to my mother about pricing earlier this week and how I thought $0.99 for my current books was fair, but that I'd probably charge $2.99 for the novel (I'm also planning considerably more promotion and marketing for it). It will still be cheaper than most traditionally published books and it still falls within the "impulse buy" range. My mother remarked that she doesn't feel like she's losing anything if she spends up to $2.99 on a book, even if she doesn't read it. I think most people feel that way.
Sirra has done it again, this time with a post on show vs. tell. Even if you think you've got that particular aspect of writing down, a refresher is never a bad thing.
Greta van der Rol talked some about targeting your audience. I think that if you're planning to publish or share your writing in any way, you really do need to think about your audience.
Amelia James had a nice personal post on why she's happy being self-published. I have to agree with her assertions there. I love the freedom and the total control of my career self-publishing allows.
The A Chick Who Reads blog is so pretty. It's like a bright Tim Burton landscape. She writes pretty good reviews, too. If you're looking for a book review blog, this one is a good place to start.
Cover design was on my mind this week, so I think this post over at Do Some Damage is worth reading. Good cover design is important whether you're working with print books or ebooks or both, but each medium needs something a little bit different. A print book has to grab your attention in the store. An ebook has to look good as a thumbnail. But print book covers need to look good as thumbnails, too, because more people buy their books online.
Diana Cosby wrote a guest post for Isis Rushdan's blog about believing in yourself. Insecurity is a serious affliction for writers so it's a good idea to build up an arsenal against it.
Rik Davnall's post about his marketing strategy actually encouraged me to comment. (Fourteen years of fandom trained me to be terrified of commenting on anything online.) I think any writer pursuing self-publishing needs to come into it with reasonable expectations.
I enjoyed James Killick's "Three Little Words" post. The ideas are the easy part. It's the making the idea big enough to make a story, stringing the words together, and making the whole thing compelling that's tough. (Writing is hard. Why am I doing it again?)
Keystrokes and Word Counts moved.
Rob on Writing featured a post about his $0.99 novel. About the price, really. I was talking to my mother about pricing earlier this week and how I thought $0.99 for my current books was fair, but that I'd probably charge $2.99 for the novel (I'm also planning considerably more promotion and marketing for it). It will still be cheaper than most traditionally published books and it still falls within the "impulse buy" range. My mother remarked that she doesn't feel like she's losing anything if she spends up to $2.99 on a book, even if she doesn't read it. I think most people feel that way.
Sirra has done it again, this time with a post on show vs. tell. Even if you think you've got that particular aspect of writing down, a refresher is never a bad thing.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Blog Roundup: September 5 - 11, 2011
This week, I discovered Avery Olive, an author with a name I think is too cool for words. I enjoyed the tips posts on naming characters and editing because I thought they were both concise and useful. Even if you're familiar with the points brought up, it's worth it to revisit the tips in someone else's voice.
I don't know if I've mentioned the Erotic Romance blog before, but it's worth checking out for up-to-date information on the erotic and romance publishing industry/ies. There's no bullshit over there, something I find quite refreshing.
Rik Davnall's post on marketing is worth recommending again. I found it very useful.
I'm a big fan of learning things no one told you. James Killick's post on five things writing experts won't tell you is a good example of why. Particularly the second, third, and fourth things catch me up. In the process of editing chapter one of my current WIP, I found several lines that made me stop and smile because they were just so me. If I always followed the rules, I would have deleted them--and killed any originality I might have.
Rob On Writing's post about being needles in a stack of needles just reinforces what I've been telling myself all week: just keep working. Any day I get over ten blog hits or one hit on my book page at Smashwords is a good day as far as I'm concerned.
Sirra did her post on standard manuscript format! Go read it!
Ciara Ballintyne posted on the etiquette of self-promotion on Twitter. I think her list is more along the lines of things not to do rather than a question of etiquette, but it's worth reading regardless.
I don't know if I've mentioned the Erotic Romance blog before, but it's worth checking out for up-to-date information on the erotic and romance publishing industry/ies. There's no bullshit over there, something I find quite refreshing.
Rik Davnall's post on marketing is worth recommending again. I found it very useful.
I'm a big fan of learning things no one told you. James Killick's post on five things writing experts won't tell you is a good example of why. Particularly the second, third, and fourth things catch me up. In the process of editing chapter one of my current WIP, I found several lines that made me stop and smile because they were just so me. If I always followed the rules, I would have deleted them--and killed any originality I might have.
Rob On Writing's post about being needles in a stack of needles just reinforces what I've been telling myself all week: just keep working. Any day I get over ten blog hits or one hit on my book page at Smashwords is a good day as far as I'm concerned.
Sirra did her post on standard manuscript format! Go read it!
Ciara Ballintyne posted on the etiquette of self-promotion on Twitter. I think her list is more along the lines of things not to do rather than a question of etiquette, but it's worth reading regardless.
Sunday, September 4, 2011
Blog Roundup: August 29 - September 4, 2011
My crush on Chuck Wendig just keeps getting bigger. He had two fantastic posts this week. "25 Things You Should Know About Self-Publishing" is part of his "25" series and, of course, is full of good points to get your brain working. "Making Sense of Ninety-Nine Cents" is about the $0.99 price and how to use it.
Last week, I posted about ebook covers. This week, The Passive Voice had a post on terrible covers and asked if they could kill book sales. (Yes. Yes, they can.)
Greta van der Rol wrote about building better websites. It went up as a companion piece to her post on what she hates about websites. If you have a site, it's worth checking out what people dislike. You want people to visit your site and stick around, not click back home because they're frustrated. (Even though it's old, I'm going to suggest this post, too, because book covers are apparently Theme Of The Week in my world.)
James Killick blogged about how to build a loyal Twitter following. I particularly agree with not block-tweeting for Follow Friday. I like it when the people I follow tell me why they think I should follow someone else, too.
The question of how much self-promotion is too much is addressed in this Keystrokes & Word Counts post. Self-promotion is something I struggle with. Oh, I have no problem sharing a link a day to whichever blog post I've just put up, but that's because I try to write posts I think will be helpful to others. Promoting my book... that's something else.
A new blog launched this week, and I can't pick just one post to link to. I liked the first one, the one on clichés, the one about Stephen King, the one about not being a dick on Twitter, and the one about bestsellers. Just go read it. It looks really promising.
Sirra posted another roundup of her #writetips from Twitter. You should listen to her. She's smart. Also, she's kind of stabby, so... yeah. (I understand she's considering a post on manuscript format. I hope she does one. Apparently, double spaces after a period are only standard in academic writing.)
A new cover was reviewed over at Your Cover Uncovered. Check it out and absorb some knowledge! Or possibly I mean wisdom. Maybe I mean both.
Last week, I posted about ebook covers. This week, The Passive Voice had a post on terrible covers and asked if they could kill book sales. (Yes. Yes, they can.)
Greta van der Rol wrote about building better websites. It went up as a companion piece to her post on what she hates about websites. If you have a site, it's worth checking out what people dislike. You want people to visit your site and stick around, not click back home because they're frustrated. (Even though it's old, I'm going to suggest this post, too, because book covers are apparently Theme Of The Week in my world.)
James Killick blogged about how to build a loyal Twitter following. I particularly agree with not block-tweeting for Follow Friday. I like it when the people I follow tell me why they think I should follow someone else, too.
The question of how much self-promotion is too much is addressed in this Keystrokes & Word Counts post. Self-promotion is something I struggle with. Oh, I have no problem sharing a link a day to whichever blog post I've just put up, but that's because I try to write posts I think will be helpful to others. Promoting my book... that's something else.
A new blog launched this week, and I can't pick just one post to link to. I liked the first one, the one on clichés, the one about Stephen King, the one about not being a dick on Twitter, and the one about bestsellers. Just go read it. It looks really promising.
Sirra posted another roundup of her #writetips from Twitter. You should listen to her. She's smart. Also, she's kind of stabby, so... yeah. (I understand she's considering a post on manuscript format. I hope she does one. Apparently, double spaces after a period are only standard in academic writing.)
A new cover was reviewed over at Your Cover Uncovered. Check it out and absorb some knowledge! Or possibly I mean wisdom. Maybe I mean both.
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