Blog posts for writers - Dec 31

14 Reasons Why Libraries are Writers’ Best Friends from Mystery Writing is Murder

Shakespeare - Father of Cliches? from Writer's Corner

The Pros and Cons of Having Your Own Website by Monica Valentinelli at SFWA

How do Agents Work? from Chip MacGregor

2009 Book Giveaway from Rants & Ramblings

Happy New Year, everyone!

Blog posts for writers - Dec 30

What makes it a thrill? from Hey, There's a Dead Guy in the Living Room

It’s What Your Characters Do That Defines Them from Wordplay

10 Solutions to the Most Common Writing Mistakes from AuthorCulture

7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Jessica Monday from Guide to Literary Agents

Don't Let Me Steal Your Dream from Rants & Ramblings

Blog posts for writers - Dec 29

Ask the editor: Help with transitions and bridges from the Book Deal

Sagging Middles Part Deux: Pick up the Pace from * Fiction Groupie *

Open the Phone Booth Door by Sharon Wildwind at POE'S DEADLY DAUGHTERS - character (and writing) behavior

Top nine character development tips of 2009 from Plot to Punctuation

HOW SMART ARE YOUR WRITING RESOLUTIONS? from Help! I need a Publisher!

Tunnel Vision from Mystery Writing is Murder - Tips for handling criticism and making it helpful

Responding to bad advice from Jordan McCollum

The tipple in Scotch Trifle from Scotland for the Senses - just plain YUMMY!

Blog posts for writers - Dec 28

Author Question: What Does It Mean That I'm in My Second Printing? from Editorial Ass

What is an Author Platform? from Guide to Literary Agents

Setting, Keeping, and Achieving Your Writing Goals in the New Year by Carolyn Kaufman at QueryTracker.net

Keep Your Day Job, Right? from The Other Side of the Story

The Unexpected from Mystery Writing is Murder

Dialogue Interruptus from The Blood-Red Pencil

Skip The Starting Line from the Literary Lab

Sub Ops from Paperback Writer - Ten Submission Opportunities for Writers

Red Tag Contest from Elana Johnson

Blog posts for writers - Dec 27

real fiction from brian's blog: writer talk

Crafting a Good Protagonist from Mystery Writing is Murder

When Characters Behave Out of Character also from Mystery Writing is Murder

11 Killer Chapter Breaks from Wordplay

Marky Marketing from The Other Side of the Story

Publishing Myths Contest! from Editorial Anonymous

Losing sight of what's important: Looking back, looking ahead and making changes in the New Year. from the Swivet

Blog posts for writers - Dec 24

Author websites that work from Jordan McCollum

How to Tell If Your Sales Rock... or Don't from Editorial Anonymous

Guest Post: A Writer's Space... Ideal vs. Reality by Christi Corbett, from Pimp My Novel

Doing That Author Thing from The Other Side of the Story

Peer Evaluation from Writer's Corner - a great checklist

Holiday BlogNog from Lisa Amowitz - Thank you for the award!

Blog posts for writers - Dec 22

Emotion postponement from edittorrent - grab your reader's emotions

Ask Daphne! About Querying a Series from KT Literary

Guest Post: Ideas That Sell Are Not Always Groundbreaking, by Lydia Sharp at Pimp My Novel

Two Non-English Languages from TalkToYoUniverse - great tip on world building

Untangling Story Knots in Six Steps by Therese Walsh at Writer Unboxed

Writing / Research Tip Tuesday from Literary Rambles

Blog posts for writers - Dec 21

What Does Your Character Want? from Mystery Writing is Murder

Seven Deadly Sins of Novel Writing, Part II from the Bookshelf Muse - Sin # 2: Counterfeit Characters

Stereotype as Filler from Gabrielle Edits

Guest Post: Books on Writing By Randy Susan Meyers, at Pimp My Novel

Speed Networking At Its Best! from QueryTracker.net blog

Drewlie & Julia: Or, The Case of the Alias'd Literary Agent, by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware

Marvelous Monday: Holiday Giveaway!!!!! from Market My Words

Blog posts for writers - Dec 20

Tip of the Week from the Sharp Angle - about critiquing

Agents Old and Agents New from Editorial Anonymous

Footnotes: 5 Articles on Writing Those First Pages from Guide to Literary Agents

Technology and the Writer from Mystery Writing is Murder

Are Your Characters Talking Heads? from Wordplay

Blog posts for writers - Dec 19

Writers Killing off Their Characters . . . from Poe's Deadly Daughters

Creating Characters That Live from Author Culture - How do you turn boring characters into ones that readers will cry and laugh with throughout an entire story?

Villains are heroes too from Plot to Punctuation

Agents at a Conference Talk Queries, Short Stories, the State of the Industry & More from Guide to Literary Agents - lots of good info

Publishers desperately seeking insanely great debut novelists from the Book Deal

Gerund or Present Participle Phrase? from Step 1: Write, Edit, and Revise - clear explanations for clearer writing

5 Things That Make Me Stop Reading Websites & Blogs from Writer Unboxed - I strongly agree on all points!

Blog posts for writers - Dec 17

The Value, or Not, of Reviews from 5 Rivers Chapmanry

Agents who half-ass it from Behler Blog

People Read That? The About Me Section from Fiction Groupie

Agents Insider 411 from Market My Words - a few things to remember for AFTER you get an agent.

Worse Before It’s Better from Mystery Writing is Murder - about first drafts

All About Writing Contests from Nathan Bransford - read and understand the fine print.

Queries and Cover Letters from Elaine English

Sharing Your Writing... from Writer's Corner - first readers

Blog posts for writers - Dec 16

Website review for Deb Salisbury -- Jordan McCollum and Kathleen MacIver review my website

Conflicting Opinions from BookEnds, LLC - about agent's taste in queries

Buy My Hardcover, or I'll . . . . from Paperback Writer

Re-Write Wednesday: Take Two from The Other Side of the Story - Writing a sequel is hard.

Writing Sex Scenes Without Being Pornographic from the Sharp Angle

Best of the Blog 2009: Kiss of Death: The Renaissance Writer from Books & Such - about the writer of many genres

Blog posts for writers - Dec 15

Agents for Multiple Genres from BookEnds, LLC

Exclusives and Literary Agents from SFWA

I Don't Like You! - Creating Sympathetic Characters from Fiction Groupie

Are your characters falling through gaps in your writing? from Plot to Punctuation

The Point of "Point of View" from The Literary Lab

Your Words Are Dead to Me from The Other Side of the Story

WHY WRITERS MUST READ THE RIGHT STUFF from Help! I Need a Publisher!

Getting Finished with Getting Started from Poe's Deadly Daughters

Christine Fonseca is holding a comment contest on her blog in honor of the one year anniversary of her blog! ( via Lisa Amowitz ) - Win books!!!

Blog posts for writers - Dec 14

You've Decided to Try for Publication. Now What? from A Good Blog is Hard To Find

Negotiating Your Advance from BookEnds, LLC

Scene breaks and hand-offs from TalkToYoUniverse

When Unnamed Characters Speak from edittorrent

Don't Like it? Tough! from The Other Side of the Story - make life tough for your characters

Halfway point! from Gabrielle Edits - Open submisions at Dragon Moon Press reminder, with lots of good advice

Blog posts for writers - Dec 13

Fragments redux from edittorrent

Who is teaching this stuff? also from edittorrent, about trends in writing 'styles'

"A Joke Is An Epitaph To An Emotion" from Diamond–Yup, Like the Stone

Fantasy Writing Resources from About Writing – The Personal Blog of Pace J Miller, via Chandara Writes

The Day My Characters Started Talking to Me By Brad Parks, guest blogger, from Poe's Deadly Daughters

2010 LEAPFROG FICTION CONTEST ANNOUNCED - Leapfrog Press

Blog posts for writers - Dec 12

Revising a Novel from Vision: a Resource for Writers

A Quick Sentence Revision Tip: Subordinate "IT" from edittorrent

Book Club from Mystery Writing is Murder

Do you gotta have faith? from TalkToYoUniverse, about using religion in your worldbuilding

7 Reasons Fiction Writers Should Sell Nonfiction by Carol Ottolenghi, from SFWA

The Thingyness of Books: An Ode to Paper from the Alchemy of Writing

Blog posts for writers - Dec 11

Conference Suggestions from BookEnds, LLC

Is your planter box too small? from Behler Blog - about growth in your writing

Has anyone asked about the best way to get an agent yet? answered by author Martha Wells

Perfectionism—Resisting It from Mystery Writing is Murder - about self-editing

Self-Editing One Step at a Time: Read Your Manuscript Aloud from the Blood-Red Pencil

Thoughts on writing

I hate writing! (that's a lie...) from Revelations of a Smoothie Girl

It doesn’t get easier, but would we like it if it did? from The Magic District

A writer needs our help

Dr. Peter Watts, Canadian Science Fiction Writer, Arrested at US Border
via 5rivers News, Views and Points of Interest

Blog posts for writers - Dec 10

This was posted on J's site, but I need to record it from edittorrent - from Jordan McCollum, about POV

Your Character is Wrong from the Literary Lab

Editor Request from BookEnds, LLC - about requested material

Hudson Audio Publishing from Writer Beware Blogs!

A 19th-Century Mathematician Finally Proves Himself, by Laura Sydell of NPR
- about Charles Babbage's 'Difference Engine'
If you write Steampunk or Victorian historicals, this is a must-see article.

It didn't win, but I loved it most from Janet Reid - ROFL!!!
The Twelve Tips on Queries (to the tune of The Twelve Days of Christmas)

Blog posts for writers - Dec 9

Be Bold from Brian's Blog - writing a novel is all about choices

Guest Post: "The Wise of Being Funny" from edittorrent - about writing humor

Dishing Out Backstory in Digestible Bites from Fiction Groupie

Being Careful from Mystery Writing is Murder - about dialogue

How to revise your character arcs from Plot to Punctuation

Literary Darwinism: When do I give up on my book? from Behler Blog

Secret ailments from revision deadlines from Market My Words

Blog posts for writers - Dec 8

An Axe Is A Handy Tool from Diamond–Yup, Just Like the Stone - about editing your work

Terminator Offers Some Lessons for the Salvation of Your Novel from the Rejectionist

Fun things from edittorrent - about making your story fun

Lighting up your reader’s brain: Can neuroscience teach how to be a better writer?
from The Book Deal - an interview about the brain, with Livia Blackburne

Respecting Each Other from BookEnds, LLC - about working with an agent

Publicity Pogo from Behler Blog - lots of great tips from editor Lynn Price

December Book Giveaway! from Writer Musings

Blog posts for writers - Dec 7

Sharpening Those Verbs from Book View Cafe

Event sequence in scenes from edittorrent

Does your story carry a message? from TalkToYoUniverse, also about a writing tool: Patterns

How to revise your characters' physical attributes from Plot to Punctuation

Reality Check from Gabrielle Edits, about using real people in your stories

An agent's view on No Simultaneous Submissions by BookEnds, LLC

How Did We Get Here? from Dean Wesley Smith, about the agent relationship, via Bibliophile Stalker

How Do I Format My E-Query? from Literary Rambles

A contest

Words Move Me - Sony Reader Giveaway! from Rants and Ramblings

Blog posts for writers - Dec 6

Once I land an agent, how long does it take to land a book deal? from Ask a Literary Agent

Vanity "Experience" from edittorrent - what to put in your query

Ask the Editor: Tips for self-editing burnout from the Blood-Red Pencil

Contests - Win a book or twelve!

New Contest from Book View Cafe

Contest Alert! from Fiction Groupie

Blog posts for writers - Dec 4

Naming Characters from Mystery Writing is Murder

Likeable Characters from BookEnds, LLC

How to revise your characters' mannerisms from Plot to Punctuation

Self-Editing One Step at a Time: Fine-Tuning Sentence Structure from the Blood-Red Pencil

Holidays and Queries to Agents: 5 Perspectives from Guide to Literary Agents

HOW TO WRITE A QUERY LETTER from Jill Corcoran Books - many links!

The Fictional Dream from the Literary Lab

Blog posts for writers - Dec 3

What Can I Expect of My Agent? from Editorial Ass

Endings and Anarchy from edittorrent - long, but worth it!

Endings: How To Prevent Reader Rage from Fiction Groupie

A Sense of Place from Fire and Silk

A Glimpse Into the Edits of Dickens from Shooting Stars
They give a link to photos of Dickens' marked up originals!

Blog posts for writers - Dec 2

Nonfiction Proposals from BookEnds, LLC

Endings: Happily Ever After or Not So Much... from Fiction Groupie

Overdoing It from Mystery Writing is Murder

Heighten the Climax By Resolving Subplots from Suite 101.com

Get Nail Your Novel absolutely FREE! By Roz Morris, from Nail your Novel blog (dirtywhitecandy.com)

Formatting from the Blood-Red Pencil

Blurred Distinctions: Vanity Publishing vs. Self-Publishing from Writer Beware Blogs!

Castles and Daydreams... from Writer's Corner

A new way to procrastinate on revision from the Magic District
-- This one tickled my funny bone!

Blog posts for writers - Dec 1

Computer Tricks from edittorrent

7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Sunil Robert from Guide to Literary Agents

Pace from Mystery Writing is Murder

How to Start on the Wrong Foot - Part 2 from Elaine English

Transitions from the Literary Lab

How to Describe a Smell from WikiHow

Tips for Writers from Ben Bova

Blog posts for writers - Nov 30

Seeing Your Mistakes from Brian's Blog

A different value: choice from TalkToYoUniverse

Page 1: How to Start Your Romance Novel from Guide to Literary Agents
- - or any type of novel

How to Respond to a Manuscript Critique/Editorial Letter from Nathan Bransford

What’s the right way to respond to a critique? from Behler Blog

Genre Prejudice-Part II from QueryTracker.net

Agent Query Policies: Stop the Griping! from Rants & Ramblings

Belated Blogger B-day and I'm giving away a present. from Step 1: Write, Edit, and Revise

Blog posts for writers - Nov 29

Top Ten Reasons the editor doesn't love what your critique group loves from edittorrent

What Makes a Book Marketable? #2 from The Blood-Red Pencil

When vanity and mainstream publishing collide from Behler Blog

4 Reasons I Quit Writing Exercises from Wordplay

Dangling Carrots... from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Nov 28

I've been down with a bug, so here's a long list of posts I thought you'd find useful.

What is the ideal page count for a first novel? from Ask a Literary Agent

What's not to like? from Bent on Books - about how agents choose manuscripts

Manuscripts Roasting on an Open Fire, Jack Daniels Nipping at My Nose...
from Editorial Anonymous - about querying over the holidays

Character or symbol from edittorrent

Thoughts on pacing-- nothing brilliant also from edittorrent - very helpful

No! No! Bad Writer* from Fiction Groupie - about rules to make your writing stronger

This Magic Moment* also from Fiction Groupie
- What separates a novel from being just good to being great?

How semantics can help you! Part 3 by Juliette Wade, from SFWA

Each Character has a Job from Mystery Writing is Murder

The Last NaNoPost from Paperback Writer - about not giving up
Look at the photos of the castle!

Marketing Principles: Part 2 of 3 by Jim Rubart, from Rants & Ramblings

Steinbeck was wrong from Plot to Punctuation - about ideas

Chekhov's Gun from The Literary Lab

Guest Post: Connecting "Point of View" and "Show, Don't Tell" from the Sharp Angle

Blog posts for writers - Nov 24

More about Smashwords and Digital Rights Management from 5rivers News, Views and Points of Interest

Writer Question: When Should I Take Revision Advice, and When Should I Listen to My Gut? from Editorial Ass

When Can You Query Agents? How Do You Know if Your Project is Ready? from Guide to Literary Agents

Character in Queries from Elaine English

Write What You Don't Know from the Literary Lab

Top 7 Reasons Readers Stop Reading from Wordplay, by K.M. Weiland

Four Contests to Consider:

Cry Havoc from the Ham-Sized Fist Award - an award to be given for the best heroic fantasy or sword-and-sorcery published during the year.
Don't let the date worry you. This contest runs until December 31 2009, and the winner will be picked no later than March 1, 2010. The award is currently $400, and could go up.

**CONTEST** Win a $10 Barnes & Noble Gift Card!!! from Hair Dye & Samurai: Musings from an overly caffinated writer
"Because the people at work are trying to kill me you, my friends, get lucky!"

"Thanks for following this Turkey" Contest! from Market My Words
"I will leave the contest open until midnight Pacific time on Wed night. I will draw a name on Thanksgiving Day and post the winner next Monday.
"The winner will get a one hour free marketing consulting session and a book."

Writing Contest! from Cipherqueen - a short story contest
Deadline: December 30th (The sooner, the better)
Length: Must be less than 7,000 words or twenty pages. Please number them.
Topic: A life-changing moment (Both fiction and nonfiction accepted)

Blog posts for writers - Nov 23

What Will You Do to Publish? from BookEnds, LLC

Nosy Neighbors and Other Stock Characters from Mystery Writing is Murder

7 Characteristics You Need To Get Published from QueryTracker.net

Not hiding information that readers need from TalkToYoUniverse

Definitions for the Perplexed: Self Publishing from Editorial Anonymous

The Art of Public Reading from Chandara Writes

7 Reasons Agents Stop Reading Your First Chapter from Guide to Literary Agents

Little, Brown Books for Young Readers’s “List of Attributes that Make a Good Children’s Book” from Upstart Crow - this is a great list!

Blog posts for writers - Nov 21

Let it BREATHE... from Writer's Corner

Paying Attention from Mystery Writing is Murder

Pseudonyms from BookEnds, LLC

When Characters Take Over from Brian's Blog

Shnookiedoodlepoo and the Diaper from Editorial Anonymous - about titles

WRITE FOR READERS from Help! I Need a Publisher!

Happy Thanksgiving and Other Such Things from Elana Johnson
She is offering a discount on her book From the Query to the Call

Blog posts for writers - Nov 20

Revision Checklist from Fire and Silk, The Journey from Santerre

Agent Feedback On My First Page -- More On Internal Observation and Point of View
from Livia Blackburne

Facebook from Mystery Writing is Murder

How to show character through dialogue from Plot to Punctuation

Story finished? Now it's time to edit! from Elaine English

Just Write The Next Word Down from the Literary Lab

SFWA on Harlequin Horizons by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware

NaNoReVisMo #5: galumphing towards triumph from the Intern

Blog posts for writers - Nov 19

The Title Struggle from Fiction Groupie, via Why A? The Blog of Lisa Amowitz

Telling the Story—Making it Good from Mystery Writing is Murder

Hiding Information in Plain Sight from TalkToYoUniverse

My Dream Client from BookEnds, LLC

9 tips for successful author readings from The Book Deal

The Era of Instant Word-of-Mouth from Upstart Crow

Harlequin News Flash from Pub Rants

Blog posts for writers - Nov 18

Blogging: What Not to Do… from Books & Such

Keeping it Professional from Mystery Writing is Murder

Prejudice: Not a Wise Platform Strategy from QueryTracker.net

Harlequin Horizons: Another Major Publisher Adds A Self-Publishing Division from Writer Beware Blogs!

Do your characters' flaws work on more than one level? from Plot to Punctuation

The Last Will of Moira Leahy – book club pick? from Therese Walsh - go vote for her!

Blog posts for writers - Nov 17

what's the difference between earning out my advance and making a profit for my publisher? from Editorial Ass

Don't Give Up from Elana Johnson

Subtle Narration in the Graveyard Book from Livia Blackburne

Micro character arcs in sequels from Jordan McCollum

The Waiting is the Worst Part from Nathan Bransford

(Possibly) Bad Advice I’ve Heard Lately from Rants & Ramblings

Those pesky three questions that can stop your heart from Behler Blog

The wild wood and the holy city: settings for fantasy from Writer Unboxed

Blog posts for writers - Nov 16

How to get no more rejections, EVER! from Janet Reid

An important lesson learned... from Justified Lunacy - about backing up your work

Marvelous Marketer: Kaylan Adair (Assoc. Editor at Candlewick Press) from Market My Words

On Marriage and Series from Mystery Writing is Murder - about writing series

When Life Happens to your Characters from Gabrielle Edits


Three great posts from edittorrent:

Alicia being a crank about "self-promotion"

Dark moment article Developing the Dark Moment

The Reversal is a turning point that appears in many stories

Blog posts for writers - Nov 15

Vonnegut advice from Brian's Blog - advice about writing

The Eye of the Beholder from Chandara Writes - about POV

Age and Characters from Mystery Writing is Murder

More Subtleties also from Mystery Writing is Murder - variations on a scene

Pacing Dialogue and Action Scenes -- Your Story at Your Speed from Holly Lisle

Blog posts for writers - Nov 13

Overzealous Is Your Middle Name (Which Makes You Just Like Most Authors) from Editorial Anonymous

Humor from Mystery Writing is Murder

The Inciting Event and Your World - Revisited from TalkToYoUniverse

Agent Inbox by Victoria Strauss, from Writer Beware

Fragments and Run-ons - Acceptable or Not Acceptable? That is the Question! from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Nov 12

Call For Submissions from Gabrielle Edits, Editor of Dragon Moon Press
"WHAT WE WANT: Completed 80,000-100,000 word novels in the following genres: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Gentle Horror, in any flavor or variety."

Do Your Research from 5rivers News, Views and Points of Interest

Following the Rules: Fiction from Books & Such

A PERFECT SCENE THROUGH DIRTY WINDOWS from Help! I Need a Publisher!

First Things First by Juliette Wade of TalkToYoUniverse - about first sentences

The Short Synopsis from Elaine English Literary

Ack! Grammar! from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Nov 11

Golden Oldies: Show Vs. Tell from The Other Side of the Story

The Neverending Difficulty of Story from The Alchemy of Writing

Eric Brown's Ten Tips for Aspiring Writers from When Gravity Fails, via Bibliophile Stalker

An Author's Credentials from BookEnds, LLC - the dreaded bio

Following the Rules: Agents and Editors from Books & Such

How to Start Off on the Wrong Foot -- from Elaine English Literary

NaNoReVisMo #3: the transformers are coming from The Intern - on character change

Something special: Scotland for the Senses needs help giving away music DVDs of "2009 Edinburgh Military Tattoo." (YouTube link)

She is looking for people who would particularly enjoy this music. "Perhaps you have an elderly neighbour who was born in Scotland and hasn’t been home for many years. What a nice surprise it would be. Maybe your mother’s grandfather was in the Black Watch, or perhaps the local legion could share it among its members. Or maybe someone you know simply loves the bagpipes, military music or Scottish history."

Read all the details at: Wanted: Scotland-loving Elves

Blog posts for writers - Nov 10

read and write from Brian's Blog

How Book Royalties Work from Rants & Ramblings

Use Both Sides Of Your Brain from Will Everchase

It's Not for Me from BookEnds, LLC - why agents reject

Boost Your Creativity With Eye Movement from Scientific American - reading seems to do it!

Following the Rules: Book Proposals from Books & Such - also discusses queries

KILLING YOUR DARLINGS - SELF-EDITING FOR SOFTIES from Help! I Need a Publisher!

Voice Finding Techniques from Cathy Yardley from Livia Blackburne

The Use of Etiquette in an Historical Setting from Elaine English Literary

It Doesn't Always Suck from The Other Side of the Story - about first drafts

Blog posts for writers - Nov 9

Do You Know How to Sell Your Sword? from SFWA, via Bibliophile Stalker

Licensing Your Rights from BookEnds, LLC - the difference between selling and licensing your rights

Following the Rules: Queries from Books & Such

5 Tips on Maximizing a Writers' Conference from Guide to Literary Agents

Leaping that Final Hurdle from Upstart Crow

Setting the Mood from Mystery Writing is Murder

Telling Ten from Paperback Writer
Ten Things That Appear in Your Novel, and What They Tell Me

Don't Use That Voice With Me! from QueryTracker.net blog - about the voice of a novel

Giving Your Characters Life from Rants & Ramblings

Golden Oldies: Ten Things to Remember if You Want to Be a Published Writer from The Other Side of the Story

Double Meanings from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Nov 8

“My book has no competition” from Behler Blog - about comparable titles

Oh brother…the “self publish game” rears its head in USA Today also from Behler Blog

Where may I reach you? also from Behler Blog - on what NOT to do

Fragile: Contains Dreams. Please Do Not Bend, Fold, or Crush. from Editorial Anonymous

Sign a Release Form with an Agent or Manager? from Guide to Literary Agents

Blog posts for writers - Nov 7

To sequel or not to sequel from Lit Soup

MARKETING MATTERS: Talking Points–Ten Tips for Taking the Stage from Books & Such

When Our Characters Drink from Mystery Writing is Murder

Some Thoughts on First Acts from The Literary Lab

Interview with Lorin Oberweger, Part 2 from Writer Unboxed - about writer's workshops

The Art of the Unseen from Gabrielle Edits

Blog posts for writers - Nov 5

Killing the Sacred Cows of Publishing: Self Promotion from Dean Wesley Smith

Book Review: Getting Into Character Reviewed By Valerie Comer
in Vision: A Resource for Writers

Choosing Your Genre from BookEnds, LLC

Be The Dog from Brian's Blog - about creating characters

Writer Question: How Do I Cut Text from My Novel and Not Lose My Soul?!
from Editorial Ass

NaNo's Secret Purpose from edittorrent

More Tips for Polished Writing: Part 2 from Gabrielle Edits

NaNoWriMOhNo from Pimp My Novel

Story Psych: A Question of Character by Megan Crewe, from Tor.com

Blog posts for writers - Nov 4

Five Rivers Seeking Fiction from micro-publisher Five Rivers
"We are actively seeking solidly plotted, character-driven Canadian fiction by Canadian authors."

Training Tactics from edittorrent - teach yourself to write on command

Query Length from BookEnds, LLC

this rant brought to you by the letter Q for Query from Et in arcaedia, ego

How To Avoid Getting an Agent from Rants & Ramblings

7 Things I've Learned So Far, by Jessica Zelenko from Guide to Literary Agents

NaNo Tip no. 4: Word Count is Not Everything from Justine Larbalestier,

via Bibliophile Stalker

Mid-Week NaNoPost from Paperback Writer - about scheduling your writing

What's in a name? from Plot to Punctuation

What I Learned at World Fantasy Week: Double Jeopardy from The Other Side of the Story

-- advice on planning your hooks

The Sequel Question by Megan Crewe, from Tor.com

Blog posts for writers - Nov 3

Anti-Stakes from Will Everchase - up the stakes in your writing

Psychology in Fiction Q&A: Effects of Being Isolated from Men from Archetype Writing Blog

Less than zero: a distasteful sub-species from Behler Blog - about fake agents.

Intent from Mystery Writing is Murder - writer's intent & reader's expectations

The Sound of Silence from Potent Potables - about nudging an agent

Foreshadowing vs. Telegraphing from Rants & Ramblings

Ask the Editors: Third Person/Present Tense from The Blood-Red Pencil

Some Thoughts on Middles from The Literary Lab - on plotting and structure

Trust Your Editor…Or Not from Books & Such

Read, Read, Read! from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Nov 2

Etiquette Primer for New Writers, #1 from Book View Cafe

Literary Agents Talk Blogging, Twitter and More from Guide to Literary Agents

Desire from Brian's Blog - the draft to revision process of writing a novel.

You Don't Always Need Your Eyes from The Literary Lab - about feeling characterization

Training the Mind from edittorrent - about writing on command

Help! I’ve Been Edited and Can’t Get Up from Books & Such

World Fantasy Awards Winners from Locus Online News

We Regret to Inform You: The Form Rejection from Pimp My Novel

NaNoReVisMo #1: the electric kool-aid conflict test from The Intern

Ghost Dragon

I've been moving this poster around with me for nearly 20 years. My sister, the interior decorator, hates it, but will never talk me into getting rid of this dragon.

I'd like to dedicate the Ghost Dragon to a good friend, Michael Miller, who died last week. The world is a poorer place without him. Fly high and free, Michael.

Blog posts for writers - Oct 31

Character-Driven/Plot-Driven from edittorrent

That is an impertinence up with which I shall not put also from edittorrent

MARKETING MATTERS: Speaking of Sales from Books & Such

Show Some Character! from Plot to Punctuation

How Not to Act from Susan Adrian

Ten Affirmations to Bolster Optimism from The Blood-Red Pencil

Rights and Copyright by Victoria Strauss for Writer Beware

The Power of Punctuation from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Oct 29

When to Quit from Stephen Parrish
- I wasn't going to watch the video, but I'm glad I did.

Ask the editor: The top 5 secrets to getting a book deal from The Book Deal

Writing tips from Ally's Diary - she's a NYT bestselling YA author

Promote Your Book, Start a Group Online! from Bob Baker's blog

How Long Is Too Long to Wait from BookEnds, LLC - about agent response time

how to write your second novel or if you want to make God laugh, show Him your outline
an essay from Stephanie Kallos that made me laugh and cry

Flipping Out from The Other Side of the Story
- about finding new perspective on the conflict in your scenes

Quirky Cards from Writer's Corner - a writing assignment

Blog posts for writers - Oct 28

9 Tips for the Novice (Professional) Con-Goer from Gabrielle Edits

Beginning, Middle, and Advanced from edittorrent

Feedback; it isn’t just a radio term from Behler Blog

How to Get an Agent’s Attention (SCWW Guest Post) from Guide to Literary Agents

Notes from the Effective Query class at SCWW from Janet Reid

"they like me, they really like me" also from Janet Reid, about rejections

On Reverse Engineering for Writers from Angela Slatter

All About Backstory from Rants & Ramblings

Story Psych: A Semi-Scientific Look at What Makes a Good Story by Megan Crewe, from Tor.com

INTERESTING QUESTION ABOUT GENRE-CROSSING from Help! I Need a Publisher!

Blog posts for writers - Oct 27

The Art of Internal Observation from Livia Blackburne, A Brain Scientist's Take on Creative Writing

Watercolor & Neuroscience from Fire and Silk - about representing reality

"20 Tips on Query Letters," as Told by Agent Janet Reid from Guide to Literary Agents

The Process of Getting an Agent from Rants & Ramblings

Pimp Your Mystery With Crazy Truth—A Guest Post by Glen Allison from Mystery Writing is Murder

A Novel Checklist from The Blood-Red Pencil

Libby Fischer Hellmann on Suspense, part 2 from Writer Unboxed

A fun tool from Jordan McCollum:

What’s your MacGuffin?

Blog posts for writers - Oct 26

Deadlines from BookEnds, LLC

Top Ten Things I Know About Editing from The Blood-Red Pencil

Less than zero from Janet Reid. -- Read this one. --

Regarding honesty. from Pitch Parlour

Story Focus (with Aliens) from TalkToYoUniverse

Blog posts for writers - Oct 25

Top Hat from Fire and Silk, about keeping your characters 'on-screen'

Narrative and the brain from Livia Blackburne

Starting Out from Mystery Writing is Murder, link for those who want to write Mysteries

Show Some Character! from Plot to Punctuation

Voice = literary fashion: you going to make me change my clothes? from Behler Blog

To Cuss or Not to Cuss... from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Oct 23

Being Stubborn from Brian's Blog: Writer Talk

Professionally Developed from Elana Johnson

letters from the query wars from Et in arcaedia, ego -- a quick guide to the query letter

Booklife: Strategies and Survival Tips for the 21st Century Writer - A different kind of guide for writers from The Swivet

Six Elements That Drive Your Personal Booklife from Jeff VanderMeer
-- the author of Booklife

POD and readership from Behler's Blog

Show, Don’t Tell: Body Language and Nonverbals in Writing from the Elaine English blog

Are you participating in NaNoWriMo this year? Thinking about it?
Author Lazette Gifford has a collection of articles to help you navigate the madness.

Go to her site: http://www.lazette.net/

and download your free NaNo book in pdf format. NaNo for the New and the Insane is an amusing book with great tips for surviving NaNo -- and making it fun. I just finished reading it, and I highly recommend this book.

While you're visiting Lazette's site, have a look at her artwork and great stories. This is a lady with talent!

Blog posts for writers - Oct 22

Does "Commercial" Mean All Genres? from Guide to Literary Agents

A Brief Dip into Politics: Health Care as related to writers, from The Magic District

Not Just Because from BookEnds, LLC - about submissions and queries

Freelancer’s Survival Guide Part Three from Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Guest Blogger: Billy Coffey -- The Middle Rule -- from Rants & Ramblings

Out-of-Character Characters from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Oct 21

Character Stew from Writer's Corner

Yes – Fantasy is the Language of the Night from Book View Cafe
- about Ursula K. LeGuin.

Which Tense Is Best from BookEnds, LLC

To Develop Your Writer’s Intuition, You Must First Read Like A Maniac from Justine Musk

Stress and Tipping Points from Mystery Writing is Murder
- about creating character's reactions under stress

Was Blind But Now I See-- Text-to-Voice: An Underappreciated Editing Tool
from QueryTracker.net, by H. L. Dyer

The 5 W’s of Motivation from Books & Such

Blog posts for writers - Oct 20

You Are Awesome from Elana Johnson, Author

Lying – just…don’t from Behler Blog

Jumbles from Mystery Writing is Murder -

about fixing your writing

This Week in Doom: Walmart.com

from Pimp My Novel

Back to Basics from Rants & Ramblings -

"How do you know in the first couple of pages whether you're interested in a writer?"

Pickup Lines from The Other Side of the Story - creating a one-line summary of your novel

Passive Voice from Writer's Corner

Blog posts for writers - Oct 19

The Essential Parts of a Novel Synopsis from Guide to Literary Agents

Marvelous Marketer: Michael Stearns (Upstart Crow Literary) from Market My Words
Great advice on promoting your book.

Writing is a Business from QueryTracker.net's Blog

The Exclamation Point!!! (And Other Annoying Devices) from Rachelle Gardner

author websites part 1.75: what not to blog from The Intern

Writer Motivations from Books & Such

trembling with rage from Ask Nicola
This post isn't about writing or publishing. It's about heartbreaking inhumanity and bigotry. I read this post, recommended from The Swivet, in stunned disbelief.

Blog posts for writers - Oct 18

Release and Surrender from Market My Words - surviving the publishing process

Weddings, speech acts and symbolism from TalkToYoUniverse

The Powers of Observation from Writer's Corner

every writer absolutely must read this! From Editorial Ass - and I agree with her.

Deadlines from Behler Blog - my Sunday funny

Blog posts for writers - Oct 17

How a debut novel affects its author by Terese Walsh

“How many agents should I approach?” from Ask a Literary Agent

Way Too Much Information from Editorial Anonymous - what you don't want to say

“You missed the mark!” from Behler Blog

it’s hard to walk the highwire with no tension from the Magic District

I won! Autumn treat winners from Scotland for the Senses
I won a wonderful-looking book, Haunted Places of Scotland. I only recently discovered this blog, and I greatly enjoy it. There is a longer post about Porridge and Ghosts: Winter Staples (& treats!) that tells about a porridge tool I had not heard of before, the Spurtle.

Blog posts for writers - Oct 16

Setting up the story question by Jordan McCollum

Learning Something from BAD Books from Writer's Corner

Ask an Editor: How do I make an editor like my characters? from Romance University

Agency Policies from BookEnds LLC -- why you should personalize a query, and how much

MARKETING MATTERS: More Blogging About Branding from Books & Such

AUTHOR INTERVIEW: Therese Walsh, The Last Will of Moira Leahy, part 2 from Writer Unboxed
-- with good info on networking and promoting

Blog posts for writers - Oct 15

Author Pages from Gabrielle Edits - add your info to Amazon.com if you've been published

What I’ve learned in my first year as a published author from Do Things Different

From the Mailbag: On Starting With Dialogue from edittorrent

Submission question re: amateur marks also from edittorrent

They're Called GOOGLE ALERTS, and Yes We Have Them from Guide to Literary Agents
-- btw, you should have them on your name, too.

When Settings Attack from Mystery Writing is Murder

P&L 4 of 4: The Future from Pimp My Novel

The Importance of Not Being Too Earnest from Science Fiction & Fantasy Novelists
Why a well written book might seem boring.

W(h)ither Publishing? from Upstart Crow Literary

Why Referral Fees Present Ethical Problems from Writer Beware Blogs!

Now. Yes, now. from Writer Unboxed - great writing advice.

Blog posts for writers - Oct 14

Marks of an Amateur: The Query Letter from edittorrent

Cutting your babies from Behler Blog

P&L 3 of 4: Exceptions from Pimp My Novel

Review: FROM THE QUERY TO THE CALL by Elana Johnson from Literary Rambles

How to become a (writing) expert from the Literary Lab

Finding the Will from Writer Unboxed

Blog posts for writers - Oct 13

Overview of Larry Brooks’s Story Structure from Jordan McCollum's Blog

Your Pub Date, Minus Two Weeks from Editorial Ass

The Last Will of Moira Leahy Release Day + If You Love a Writer by Eileen Flanagan (What YOU Can Do to Help) from Writer Unboxed

Lies My Workshop Told Me from Upstart Crow Literary

P&L 2 of 4: The Details from Pimp My Novel

Protocol - When an Agent Offers to Rep You from Rachelle Gardner

The Book Tour from Behler Blog

No, Let Me Explain That from the Literary Lab

Congratulations to Therese Walsh!
The Last Will of Moira Leahy RELEASE DAY! Have a look at her cover - it's great!

Blog posts for writers - Oct 12

Using the Fundamental Attribution Error to Control Character Sympathy by Livia Blackburne

Offending Potential Readers from BookEnds, LLC

Marks of the amateur-- starting a list from edittorrent

WHAT TO EXPECT AROUND PUBLICATION from Help! I Need a Publisher!

P&L 1 of 4: The Basics from Pimp My Novel

Agent Feedback from Pitch Parlour

Query Letters: What Not to Do from Gabrielle Edits

Query misfire: leading with your bio – platform or gaffe? from Behler Blog

Staying Focused from Will Everchase

Why book publishers love short stories from The Book Deal

Terra Cotta Dragon

This little gentleman is about 4" tall and is made of glazed terra cotta. His scales were carved individually, then washed in gold. I cannot find a maker's mark, but I bought him in the late 1980's.

Do you recognize the artist? Please let me know in comments!

Blog posts for writers - Oct 10

The Hunt is On! from the Other Side of the Story, about finding an agent

Author self-sabotage? Really? from Behler Blog

Why Your Manuscript Can Get Rejected (Part II) from Guide to Literary Agents

Nuts & Bolts: Royalty Statements: Accounting Periods from Pub Rants

What then should we do…? from Science Fiction and Fantasy Novelists, on promotion and marketing

A Question You Don't Want Your Publisher to Ask from Writer Beware Blogs!

Blog posts for writers - Oct 8

Paperback Writer: WotC on Scribd - author Lynn Viehl is offering Way of the Cheetah at a discount on Scribd.
I bought this book and loved it. It is a good guide for living as well as for writing.
I highly recommend it.

Tips for Submitting Partials by Colleen Lindsay from Backspace

Components of a Query Letter from Gabrielle Edits

Agents and the First Two Pages by Therese Walsh of Writers Unboxed

Bought and paid for, yessirreee bubba from Janet Reid, thoughts on the FTC ruling

You Spin Me Round from the Other Side of the Story