The current edition of Latest in Spec has just come out this week and you can access it by going here: http://lostgenreguild.com/files/LatestinSpecJune09.pdf - For all sorts of cool industry news and info, brought to you by Rebecca LuElla Miller and Cynthia MacKinnon.
And today we have a rather funny interlude for you. Frank Peretti appears in two Facebook videos where he attempts to give advice to a budding writer who is rather too sensitive for critique...
On MRUs and Character Names
On Signposting and Crumples
Showing posts with label writing tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label writing tips. Show all posts
6/26/2009
5/25/2009
News for May 25th, 2009
Cynthia MacKinnon says:If anyone here is thinking of self-publishing, or venturing into the business of setting up a small press, I guest authored 4 posts at The Finishers blog with some basic tips and resources, that you may be interested in.
New Release: Dark Reflection - By Daniel Clarence Cobb
A Christian high-fantasy "trilogy"
When Princess Angel finds a mirror in a haunted castle, her dark reflection comes to life. Her simple life shatters - she must find the missing pieces. Unless she puts it back together in time, she’ll fade away forever. Facing Shadow the Witch, she becomes her own worst enemy.
Will she be able to defeat the dark side of her soul that she can’t control? Until her heart is broken, it will never be whole! It’s up to a brave prince (named Paladin) and a white unicorn (named Starlight) to slay the Dragon King, who kidnapped her. Now she has to dream the darkness away, or she’ll be trapped in a nightmarish reality turned upside-down. With the fate of her world hanging by a thread, she gets caught in a web of confusion. Can he save her before it’s too late?
New Release: Dark Reflection - By Daniel Clarence CobbA Christian high-fantasy "trilogy"
When Princess Angel finds a mirror in a haunted castle, her dark reflection comes to life. Her simple life shatters - she must find the missing pieces. Unless she puts it back together in time, she’ll fade away forever. Facing Shadow the Witch, she becomes her own worst enemy.
Will she be able to defeat the dark side of her soul that she can’t control? Until her heart is broken, it will never be whole! It’s up to a brave prince (named Paladin) and a white unicorn (named Starlight) to slay the Dragon King, who kidnapped her. Now she has to dream the darkness away, or she’ll be trapped in a nightmarish reality turned upside-down. With the fate of her world hanging by a thread, she gets caught in a web of confusion. Can he save her before it’s too late?
4/15/2009
Writers' Toolkit
In a change of pace for this blog, I've devoted this whole post to useful links for writers. Please let me know if there's anything you think should be added! You might want to bookmark this page and come back often, because I'll keep adding cool stuff as I find it.
The Single Most Helpful Site:
Write or Die - Effective seat glue and production incentive!
Reading - Free Fiction Downloads
List of free sci-fi download sites - 21 different listings
Science Fiction Bookshelf - Project Gutenberg classics
Feedbooks - A universal e-reading platform compatible with all mobile devices where you can download thousands of free e-books, publish and share your own content
Suvudu Free Book Library - Complete sci-fi and fantasy novels
Writing Craft Tips
Tip of the Week at WhereTheMapEnds.com - by Jeff Gerke - highly recommended!
The Finishers Writing Tips - by Frank Creed and friends
Creative Calisthenics - A Workout for the Writer's Imagination, by Terri Main
POV Boot Camp - by Andrea Graham
AdvancedFictionWriting.com - home of the Snowflake Method
Amy Deardon's Story Structure
"Confident writers believe in persistence. Delusional writers believe in talent." - The Newbie's Guide to Publishing
Ten Mistakes Writers Don’t See (But Can Easily Fix When They Do)
The 32 Most Commonly Misused Words and Phrases
It's All Just A Draft - Free online writing guide by sci-fi author Tobias Buckell
Alicia Rasley' Writers' Corner - Large archive of articles on writing
Plotstorming - Cheryl Wyatt's Quick Plotting Guide
Twenty Classic Romantic Conflicts by Lyn Cote
Revision Checklist by agent Nathan Bransford
Resources
Top 10 List of Top 10 Lists for Writers - Lists of useful blogs, checklists, tips and more
The 10 Best Books for Writers
Text to Speech: Hear what you are writing
33 Articles on How To Write A Book
Query Fail: How Not To Land An Agent
DIY
Facts about Print On Demand - vs. Publish on demand
The difference between self-publishing and print on demand - Writers Digest
Facts about Promo Book Blurbs - Publishers Weekly
30 Free Programs for Web Page and Graphic Design
The World's Biggest Post About Photoshop - Textures, tutorials, patterns, brushes and other resources (e.g. for web design or book cover design)
Social Networking
The QuickStudy Guide to Social Networking
Social Networking Sites for Authors
Shoutlife.com Authors
Bookbuzzr - embed an interactive book preview on any site
10 Ways to build your blog community with Twitter
Top 10 Things New People to Twitter Should Know
How to Make a Custom Twitter Background
How to make your video go viral (Warning, some PG language)
Marketing
Karina Fabian's Virtual Blog Tour Primer
Terri Main's Marketing for Writers
15 DIY Tools to Promote your Book
Why slow selling is a good start for a book
Hard-Core Tactics for Authors Developing Audience - A list of lists for marketing tips
PROMO DAY - A yearly all-day event for writers to promote their latest book releases and discuss topics related to writing.
Why Offer Free E-Books? Sci-fi author Cory Doctorow speaks out for Creative Commons as a marketing strategy.
How to get free advertising on Google
How to Get Your Name in the News
Instructions for Influencers by Deb Raney - Send your supporters here to find what they can do.
Writing an Effective Book Review by Terri Main
Easy Book Reviewing by Grace Bridges
Making Book Trailers
www.animoto.com - Makes an animated slideshow out of your pics and music
www.xtranormal.com - Pick cartoon characters and text-to-speech will generate a scene.
E-Zines and other places to submit short stories
Ray Gun Revival - Space opera and golden age science fiction
Mindflights - A Magazine of the Speculative - Sci-fi and fantasy
Wayfarer's Journal - Science Fiction with a difference
Laser and Sword - Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Adventure/Action Hero serial fiction.
Residential Aliens - Speculative Fiction from the Seven Stars
Digital Dragon magazine - Sci-fi and fantasy
Ethereal Tales - UK-based fantasy zine
Fun & Funky
Seventh Sanctum Story Generator - Quick, fun and zany writing prompts
911 Writers Block - Help in dire situations
Brain Rules - How to make your brain run better
Gender Genie - Find out if your POV character sounds male or female
Fantasy Character Generator - A thorough process for creating unique characters
Autocrit Editing Wizard - A bot that highlights some common writing errors
Internet Anagram Server - Input your name, your book title or character name!
The 100 Most Beautiful Words in English
Business Advice
5 Sure-fire Ways To Know If Your Business Will Work Or Not
Website Shopping Cart Setup Etiquette
The Single Most Helpful Site:
Write or Die - Effective seat glue and production incentive!
Reading - Free Fiction Downloads
List of free sci-fi download sites - 21 different listings
Science Fiction Bookshelf - Project Gutenberg classics
Feedbooks - A universal e-reading platform compatible with all mobile devices where you can download thousands of free e-books, publish and share your own content
Suvudu Free Book Library - Complete sci-fi and fantasy novels
Writing Craft Tips
Tip of the Week at WhereTheMapEnds.com - by Jeff Gerke - highly recommended!
The Finishers Writing Tips - by Frank Creed and friends
Creative Calisthenics - A Workout for the Writer's Imagination, by Terri Main
POV Boot Camp - by Andrea Graham
AdvancedFictionWriting.com - home of the Snowflake Method
Amy Deardon's Story Structure
"Confident writers believe in persistence. Delusional writers believe in talent." - The Newbie's Guide to Publishing
Ten Mistakes Writers Don’t See (But Can Easily Fix When They Do)
The 32 Most Commonly Misused Words and Phrases
It's All Just A Draft - Free online writing guide by sci-fi author Tobias Buckell
Alicia Rasley' Writers' Corner - Large archive of articles on writing
Plotstorming - Cheryl Wyatt's Quick Plotting Guide
Twenty Classic Romantic Conflicts by Lyn Cote
Revision Checklist by agent Nathan Bransford
Resources
Top 10 List of Top 10 Lists for Writers - Lists of useful blogs, checklists, tips and more
The 10 Best Books for Writers
Text to Speech: Hear what you are writing
33 Articles on How To Write A Book
Query Fail: How Not To Land An Agent
DIY
Facts about Print On Demand - vs. Publish on demand
The difference between self-publishing and print on demand - Writers Digest
Facts about Promo Book Blurbs - Publishers Weekly
30 Free Programs for Web Page and Graphic Design
The World's Biggest Post About Photoshop - Textures, tutorials, patterns, brushes and other resources (e.g. for web design or book cover design)
Social Networking
The QuickStudy Guide to Social Networking
Social Networking Sites for Authors
Shoutlife.com Authors
Bookbuzzr - embed an interactive book preview on any site
10 Ways to build your blog community with Twitter
Top 10 Things New People to Twitter Should Know
How to Make a Custom Twitter Background
How to make your video go viral (Warning, some PG language)
Marketing
Karina Fabian's Virtual Blog Tour Primer
Terri Main's Marketing for Writers
15 DIY Tools to Promote your Book
Why slow selling is a good start for a book
Hard-Core Tactics for Authors Developing Audience - A list of lists for marketing tips
PROMO DAY - A yearly all-day event for writers to promote their latest book releases and discuss topics related to writing.
Why Offer Free E-Books? Sci-fi author Cory Doctorow speaks out for Creative Commons as a marketing strategy.
How to get free advertising on Google
How to Get Your Name in the News
Instructions for Influencers by Deb Raney - Send your supporters here to find what they can do.
Writing an Effective Book Review by Terri Main
Easy Book Reviewing by Grace Bridges
Making Book Trailers
www.animoto.com - Makes an animated slideshow out of your pics and music
www.xtranormal.com - Pick cartoon characters and text-to-speech will generate a scene.
E-Zines and other places to submit short stories
Ray Gun Revival - Space opera and golden age science fiction
Mindflights - A Magazine of the Speculative - Sci-fi and fantasy
Wayfarer's Journal - Science Fiction with a difference
Laser and Sword - Fantasy, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Adventure/Action Hero serial fiction.
Residential Aliens - Speculative Fiction from the Seven Stars
Digital Dragon magazine - Sci-fi and fantasy
Ethereal Tales - UK-based fantasy zine
Fun & Funky
Seventh Sanctum Story Generator - Quick, fun and zany writing prompts
911 Writers Block - Help in dire situations
Brain Rules - How to make your brain run better
Gender Genie - Find out if your POV character sounds male or female
Fantasy Character Generator - A thorough process for creating unique characters
Autocrit Editing Wizard - A bot that highlights some common writing errors
Internet Anagram Server - Input your name, your book title or character name!
The 100 Most Beautiful Words in English
Business Advice
5 Sure-fire Ways To Know If Your Business Will Work Or Not
Website Shopping Cart Setup Etiquette
11/12/2007
Blog Like You Mean It
A Message for Writers on the Web
by Lyn Perry
I'm a reader. Just an average, middle-of-the-road, target market, regular reader. I also try to write, but the following tips are from a reader's perspective. If you're a writer, especially one who writes on the web, then these thoughts are for you.
As I tool around the blogosphere I look for interesting things to read. I know you all aren't writing for me. And that's fine. But if you are looking for your everyday, run-of-the-mill, overall blog surfer, then might I suggest you look for ways to keep me scrolling instead of clicking away?
A Short List on How to Keep My Attention, Not!
10. Punctuate. Every. Word.
9. Foget to proov for typoes.
8. always use lwr case and abrv alot
7. Capitalize random WORDS for emphasis.
6. Link successive words.
5. "Use plenty of Tom Swiftys," someone once said generously.
4. Use #!@& symbols for emotions :grin:
3. Punctuate excessively!!!!!!
2. Leave your sentences hanging...
1. Use trendy cliches, not!
Bloggers take all sorts of liberties when it comes to posting what they've written. People call it "style" - and that's perfectly all right. The 'sphere is open to everyone. It's just that some regular, keep-it-standard type of readers like me are easily annoyed and simply move on to something more readable.
My advice, if you don't want someone like me to hear what you have to say, employ most of the bad writing tips above. It's as good as not saying it. And maybe worse.
by Lyn Perry
I'm a reader. Just an average, middle-of-the-road, target market, regular reader. I also try to write, but the following tips are from a reader's perspective. If you're a writer, especially one who writes on the web, then these thoughts are for you.
As I tool around the blogosphere I look for interesting things to read. I know you all aren't writing for me. And that's fine. But if you are looking for your everyday, run-of-the-mill, overall blog surfer, then might I suggest you look for ways to keep me scrolling instead of clicking away?
A Short List on How to Keep My Attention, Not!
10. Punctuate. Every. Word.
9. Foget to proov for typoes.
8. always use lwr case and abrv alot
7. Capitalize random WORDS for emphasis.
6. Link successive words.
5. "Use plenty of Tom Swiftys," someone once said generously.
4. Use #!@& symbols for emotions :grin:
3. Punctuate excessively!!!!!!
2. Leave your sentences hanging...
1. Use trendy cliches, not!
Bloggers take all sorts of liberties when it comes to posting what they've written. People call it "style" - and that's perfectly all right. The 'sphere is open to everyone. It's just that some regular, keep-it-standard type of readers like me are easily annoyed and simply move on to something more readable.
My advice, if you don't want someone like me to hear what you have to say, employ most of the bad writing tips above. It's as good as not saying it. And maybe worse.
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