I subscribe to dozens of writing advice sites and new advice articles come into my news reader at a steady pace. You can see some of my favorites at my Writing Advice Sites resource page.
Here are the best writing advice posts from this previous week. Occasionally I include an RSS feed. To subscribe to an RSS feed, add the feed URL to your RSS reader app. The most popular is Feedly, which is the one that I use. It has a website and mobile apps, and it keeps track of which articles you’ve read, synched across all your devices.
You can see all the previous writing advice of the week posts here and subscribe to the RSS feed for this writing advice series here (direct Feedly signup link).
This week, I’ve decided to divide the list into three categories.
The first, for the beginning writer, is about getting the writing process down. Finding time to write, discovering your own writing rituals, learning how to overcome your inner critics, fighting writer’s block, and how to finish what you start. Experienced writers sometimes hit these speedbumps as well, but they can kill a career for a new writer before it even starts.
Second, for the writer who’s already started getting the hang of the mechanics of getting the words down on paper, is improving the quality of the writing. Of course, you can’t improve writing if you don’t have any to improve, so the previous step is critical. But once you’re getting words down, you can start asking yourself if they’re the right words, or maybe you can find better words. And you can even start thinking about sentences, paragraphs, scenes, chapters, plots, character arcs — all that stuff that goes into writing readable work. And even experienced writers probably have areas where they can improve, or new things to learn.
Finally, for the writer who’s finished stories or books that are ready for the public, there’s the question of finding your publishing platform, producing the actual book, finding copyeditors and cover artists, marketing, and advertising. For beginning writers these are mostly theoretical questions, but for experienced writers, they are critical for success. And the answers keep changing as the industry changes, so staying on top of things is critical.
So here we go.
Productivity, mood management, and battling the demons inside
How To Overcome Perfectionism To Achieve Your Writing Goals by Heather Campbell
Perfectionism—the fear of risking failure—is anathema to the writing process, but can be overcome by establishing a different mindset. Heather Campbell is a book coach who helps writers develop tools to overcome their perfectionism so they can create lasting and effective writing habits and complete a novel. Find out more at TheWriterRemedy.com and follow her on Instagram at @thewriterremedy. For more advice from the Jane Friedman writing advice site, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
How Writers Should Handle Bad Reviews by Theryanlanz
Don’t tweet that the reviewer is an absolute moron who deserves exile to Chechnya or at least a lifetime of bad sex and lukewarm meals. It’ll only make you seem nutty, and most people won’t know about the review until you tell them anyway. Don’t make snarky, veiled remarks about this reviewer when you’re interviewed, […] A Writer’s Path is an advice site for writers. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @TheRyanLanz and on Facebook at @AWritersPath.
How To Cope With A Hefty Report From A Developmental Editor by Roz Morris
Getting your manuscript back from a developmental editor can be an ordeal. Indeed it’s a writing rite of passage. Roz Morris is an author, book doctor, and a bestselling ghostwriter. At Nail Your Novel, Roz Morris offers advice about writing, publishing and self-publishing.
Being Prolific by David Farland
David Farland offers advice on how to be a more productive writer, and what he learned when working in the fields at age four, picking beans. David Farland is the 11-time New York Times bestselling sci-fi author with over 100 million books sales. And he’s a writing instructor who’s mentored dozens of dozens of New York Times bestselling authors, including Brandon Sanderson and Stephenie Meyer. Follow him on Twitter at @davidfarland, on Facebook at @DavidFarlandAuthor or subscribe to his YouTube channel. MyStoryDoctor offers writing advice, editing, coaching, online courses, and live workshops. Subscribe to them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
Writers: Have You Misplaced Your Why? by Marilyn L. Davis
Have you lost your why? I think that happens to all writers. We struggle out of bed and stare at a blank screen, asking ourselves, “why”. Marilyn L. Davis is the editor-in-chief at Two Drops of Ink. Follow her on Twitter at @MDavisatTIERS. Two Drops of Ink publishes short stories, poetry, essays, interviews, literary criticism, book reviews, and biographical profiles of authors. Follow them on Facebook at @TwoDropsofInk. Subscribe to them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
How To Handle Imposter Syndrome by Brenda Wilson
When you feel like a writing fraud, there’s a good chance you’re not. We can do anything we want to do, as long as we don’t quit. Brenda Wilson is a YA author. For more advice like this, follow her on Instagram at @writingispun. Kiingo is a writing and storytelling school with online courses, how-to articles, and the book The Structure of Story. Follow them on their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter here, on Facebook here, or support them on Patreon.
Five Ways To Change The World With Your Creativity by Angela Yeh
You can change the world, and you don’t have to give up your life and live in Calcutta to do it. All you have to do is…create. Angela Yeh is a fantasy writer. Follow her on Twitter at @thatpluckygirl. DiyMFA offers classes, advice articles and other training materials for writers. For more advice like this, follow them on Twitter at @DIYMFA and on Facebook at @DIYMFA or subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link).
Want To Write Your Best? Find Your Writing Community! by Adam W. Burgess
Even the best and most seasoned writers have always found it important to solicit feedback on their work, to read and critique others’ works, and to communicate about the art of writing in general. Adam W. Burgess is an English Professor at College of Southern Nevada. He loves engaging in all topics related to LGBTQ literature and craft. Check out his website at RoofBeamReader.com/ or follow him on Twitter at @ComposingAdam. DiyMFA offers classes, advice articles and other training materials for writers. For more advice like this, follow them on Twitter at @DIYMFA and on Facebook at @DIYMFA or subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link).
How Many Books On Writing Do You Really Need? by Peter Rey
You don’t need to own one hundred books on how to write. You need a fraction, a small fraction, of them. But you need to read them innumerable times, and to understand them. Peter Rey writers horror, fantasy and science fiction. Follow him on Twitter at @Peter_Rey_ and on Facebook at @peterreyauthor . PeterRey.com offers writing and editing advice. For more like this, follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
The 15 Best Cities For Writers by Dave Chesson
The best cities for writers. So no matter what kind of writing you do, you’ll find a city that fits your needs and wants on this list. Dave Chesson is the founder of Kindlepreneur is pretty much the top site out there for self-published authors who want to sell more e-books on Amazon. The RSS feed is here (direct Feedly signup link). Follow them on Facebook at @KindlePreneur and Chesson himself on Twitter at @DaveChesson. And make sure to subscribe to his podcast, The Book Marketing Show. Kindlepreneur is pretty much the top site out there for self-published authors who want to sell more e-books on Amazon. The RSS feed is here (direct Feedly signup link). Follow them on Facebook at @KindlePreneur and founder Dave Chesson on Twitter at @DaveChesson.
10 Things Serious Writers Do Without Fail by Jordan
Serious writers’ habits teach us a lot about what it takes to start and finish writing projects. Here are ten habits of serious writers and what distinguishes a professional writer from a novice. Jordan is a writing advice columnist. Now Novel is a company that offers writing sources, coaching, and editing. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter at @nownovel or on Facebook at @nownovel or subscribe to their YouTube channel.
The art and craft of writing
The Two Halves Of The Third Plot Point by K. M. Weiland
Like all the major structural turning points, the Third Plot Point is made up of two halves, which work together to create a scene arc.
K. M. Weiland is one of my favorite writing advice people, and the award-winning author of acclaimed writing guides such as Structuring Your Novel and Creating Character Arcs. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to her blog, Helping Writers Become Authors, via its RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link). You can also follow her on Twitter @KMWeiland and on Facebook @kmweiland.author. Helping Writers Become Authors is one of our favorite writing advice sites. Follow it via its RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter, and on Facebook.
How To Write Point Of View, Part 8, Choosing Point Of View by Harmony Kent
How do you choose among first person, close third person, and distant third? Your choice will depend on the total effect you want your story to have. Harmony Kent is an award-winning writer who also offers editing, proofreading, manuscript appraisal, and beta reading services. To learn more, visit HarmonyKent.co.uk. For more advice like this, follow the Story Empire Blog on Facebook at @StoryEmpire5 or on Twitter at @StoryEmpire or get their RSS feed here (direct Feedly signup link).
How To Tell A Story: The Rule Of Three by Anne R. Allen
The backbone of any story, whether it’s an anecdote, play, or novel is the three-act structure. Anne Allen started her career at Bantam and knows her way around the publishing industry. Allen also writes mysteries and how-to books about writing. For more advice like this, follow her on Twitter at @annerallen or on Facebook at @annerallenauthor. Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris offers advice from a couple of publishing industry veterans. For more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly link).
Stuck In The Squishy Middle by Martha Conway
How do we regain the story’s momentum? Or—more importantly—our own motivation when we’re stuck in the middle of a book? Martha Conway is the author of The Floating Theatre, which was a New York Times Book Editor’s Choice. She teaches creative writing for Stanford University’s Continuing Studies Program. Women Writers, Women’s Books is an online literary magazine by and about contemporary women writers from around the world. Follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
Microtension: The Magic That Makes Readers Turn Pages by Cslakin
The post Microtension: The Magic That Makes Readers Turn Pages first appeared on Live Write Thrive. A writing advice site by novelist, editor and writing coach C. S. Lakin, author of eight-book The Writer’s Toolbox Series. Follow her on Twitter @LiveWriteThrive. Also check out her other site, The Self Publisher.
Am I Using Too Many Hyphens, Dashes, Or Ellipses? by Chris Winkle
A dash can be used in place of a comma for a more dramatic pause, but you have to use restraint… or die. Chris Winkle is the founder and editor-in-chief of Mythcreants. Mythcreants is my all-time favorite writing advice site. Get their RSS feed here (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter @Mythcreants and on Facebook at @mythcreants.
The Three Acts: Act 3 by C. S. Boyack
This is the fourth post of Boyack’s tutorial on using the three act structure. The previous articles are Act 1, Act 2 Part 1, and Act 2 Part 2. C. S. Boyack writes science fiction, paranormal and fantasy. Check out his website at ColdHandBoyack.wordpress.com. For more advice like this, follow the Story Empire Blog on Facebook at @StoryEmpire5 or on Twitter at @StoryEmpire or get their RSS feed here (direct Feedly signup link).
Great Endings To Your Stories by Staci Troilo
An ending should take the story’s emotional meaning to its highest level of tension before finally resolving all the loose ends. If the stakes aren’t raised to their highest heights, you run the risk of a low-impact story. Staci Troilo is a multi-genre best-selling author, editor, and ghostwriter. Learn more about her at StaciTroilo.com. For more advice like this, follow the Story Empire Blog on Facebook at @StoryEmpire5 or on Twitter at @StoryEmpire or get their RSS feed here (direct Feedly signup link).
One Simple Question To Ask When Self-Editing by Michael Gallant
Reducing your self-critiquing to the single question, “does it work?”, can simplify your writing process and open new creative doors. Michael Gallant is a writer, musician, composer, producer, and entrepreneur. He lives in New York City. Follow him on Twitter at @Michael_Gallant. BookBaby bills itself as the nation’s leading self-publishing services company. For more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (directly Feedly link here), or follow them on Facebook at @BookBaby or on Twitter at @BookBaby.
Relationship Thesaurus Entry: Parent And Adult Child by Becca Puglisi
Successful stories are driven by authentic and interesting characters, so it’s important to craft them carefully. But characters don’t usually exist in a vacuum; throughout the course of your story, they’ll live, work, play, and fight with other cast members. Some of those relationships are positive and supportive, pushing the protagonist to positive growth. Becca Puglisi is one of the founders of the Writers Helping Writers website and the author of the Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer’s Guide to Character Expression, which has sold over half a million copies. I own a copy and refer to it nearly every day. Writers Helping Writers is a great site for writing advice. These guys also have the One Stop for Writers online tool set. Subscribe to them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here) or follow them on Facebook at @DescriptiveThesaurusCollection or on Twitter at @WriterThesaurus.
When Are You Ready For Professional Editing? by Lisa Poisso
Many writers equate preparing for a professional edit with revision, but revision is only half the battle. Lisa Poisso is a writing coach with decades of professional experience as an award-winning magazine editor and journalist, content writer, and corporate communications manager. She’s also a developmental and line editor. Follow her on Twitter at LisaPoisso. Writers Helping Writers is a great site for writing advice. These guys also have the One Stop for Writers online tool set. Subscribe to them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here) or follow them on Facebook at @DescriptiveThesaurusCollection or on Twitter at @WriterThesaurus.
How Symbolism Adds Depth To A Story by Angela Ackerman
Stories need to be more than a character, goal, and a series of scenarios that keep the two apart. To deliver a true experience, we want to write fiction with layers. Writers Helping Writers co-founder Angela Ackerman is a writing coach, international speaker, and co-author of the bestselling book, The Emotion Thesaurus and its many sequels. I own a copy of this book and use it frequently, and highly recommend it. Follow Ackerman on Twitter at @AngelaAckerman. Writers Helping Writers is a great site for writing advice. These guys also have the One Stop for Writers online tool set. Subscribe to them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here) or follow them on Facebook at @DescriptiveThesaurusCollection or on Twitter at @WriterThesaurus.
Showing, Telling, Making by David Farland
The adage “Show, don’t tell” is used to beg for more information but that advice is . . . imprecise. David Farland is the 11-time New York Times bestselling sci-fi author with over 100 million books sales. And he’s a writing instructor who’s mentored dozens of dozens of New York Times bestselling authors, including Brandon Sanderson and Stephenie Meyer. Follow him on Twitter at @davidfarland, on Facebook at @DavidFarlandAuthor or subscribe to his YouTube channel. MyStoryDoctor offers writing advice, editing, coaching, online courses, and live workshops. Subscribe to them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
Spectacular Settings by David Farland
When David Farland looking at a story, one of the simple things he looks at is setting. There are so many aspects to setting, so in this post, he covers just a few. David Farland is the 11-time New York Times bestselling sci-fi author with over 100 million books sales. And he’s a writing instructor who’s mentored dozens of dozens of New York Times bestselling authors, including Brandon Sanderson and Stephenie Meyer. Follow him on Twitter at @davidfarland, on Facebook at @DavidFarlandAuthor or subscribe to his YouTube channel. MyStoryDoctor offers writing advice, editing, coaching, online courses, and live workshops. Subscribe to them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
Talk Is Cheap: Harness The True Power Of Dialogue by Kristen Lamb
Dialogue can make or break story. It can make a ‘meh’ story concept shine or tank a superlative story idea. Mystery author Kristen Lamb is also the author of the social media guide book, Rise of the Machines: Human Authors in a Digital World as well as We Are Not Alone: The Writer’s Guide to Social Media and Are You There, Blog? It’s Me, Writer. If you Follow her on Twitter at @KristenLambTX or on Facebook at @authorkristenlamb. If you want more advice like this, follow the Kristen Lamb blog via its RSS feed (direct Feedly link).
Slow Down! by Brenda Wilson
Pace is determined by the length of your scene, the length of your sentences, how much time you spend on the action, and how quickly the action moves. Brenda Wilson is a YA author. For more advice like this, follow her on Instagram at @writingispun. Kiingo is a writing and story telling school with online courses, how-to articles, and the book The Structure of Story. Follow them on their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter here, on Facebook here, or support them on Patreon.
How To Make Your Fictional Gatherings More Realistic by Tara A. Lake
When it comes to gatherings, the more we objectively analyze and question how humans come together in real life, the more impact our book gatherings will have on our stories, and in turn, our readers. Tara A. Lake is an author and co-founder of The Indie Writers Collective, which is a community with a focus on promoting indie authors and their work on Instagram. You can find Tara on Instagram at @tara.a.lake, on Facebook at @Tara A. Lake and on her website at TaraALake.com. Kiingo is a writing and story telling school with online courses, how-to articles, and the book The Structure of Story. Follow them on their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter here, on Facebook here, or support them on Patreon.
Info Dumping: What It Is And How To Avoid It by Abigail Perry
Info dumping is a common piece of feedback for authors who include too much information in their stories. If you info dump, you will slow the pace—and worse, you’ll likely bore readers. You never want to bore your readers. Abigail Perry is a story editor with professional teaching, literary agency, and film production experience. The Write Practice is an advice site from a group of writers. They also have a writing critique community and a newsletter. Follow The Write Practice on Twitter, on Facebook, or subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link).
1 Pro Tip To Create Emotional Depth In Deep Pov by Lisa Hall-Wilson
Deep point of view asks the writer to remove their own voice and capture what the POV character sees, perceives, feels, intuits, etc without that narrative explanation, justification or summarization. Lisa Hall-Wilson is a writing teacher and award-winning writer and author. She also has two courses on writing in deep point of view that you might want to check out: Writing in Emotional Layers and Deep Point Of View Foundations can help you learn the effects the tools used in deep POV aim to create, so you can use those tools to best serve your story and your voice. Follow her on Twitter at @LisaHallWilson or on Facebook at @lisahallwilson. Her website is LisaHallWilson.com. Oh her, website, LisaHallWilson.com, Lisa Hall Wilson offers writing advice, books about writing, and writing courses.
Writing Mistakes Writers Make: Using Too Much Exposition by Robert Lee Brewer
The Writer’s Digest team has witnessed many writing mistakes over the years, so this series helps identify them for other writers (along with correction strategies). This week’s mistake is using too much exposition in stories (often too early). Robert Lee Brewer is senior editor of Writer’s Digest. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer. This venerable resource for writers celebrated its hundred-year anniversary last year, but is still going pretty strong. Follow Writer’s Digest via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @WritersDigest and on Facebook at @writersdigest.
Updating Mythic Heroes And The Importance Of Their Artifacts by Michael Schwarz
Mythic characters are a little tricky to work with. By their nature, they have a well established backstory and identity. Messing with that is feasible, but requires some care. Michael Schwarz offers advice about fighting and battles. Advice on how to create realistic fight scenes and characters from a third-degree Black Belt. This site is mostly in an Q&A style, with more than 500 fight-related questions answered. If you like the site, you can support them on Patreon. Their RSS feed is here (direct Feedly signup link).
Keeping Readers Happy With Your Novel Series by Chris Winkle
If you want to hook readers, you’ll have less freedom to make changes. Chris Winkle is the founder and editor-in-chief of Mythcreants. Mythcreants is my all-time favorite writing advice site. Get their RSS feed here (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter @Mythcreants and on Facebook at @mythcreants.
How To Dictate A Book: A Comprehensive Guide For Authors by Jason Hamilton
It’s easier than you think to dictate a book. Jason Hamilton is a fantasy author. Check out Hamilton’s site, MythBank, full of reading and viewing guides to the most popular sci-fi and fantasy works. You can also follow him on Twitter at @StoryHobbit and on Facebook at Jason Hamilton. Kindlepreneur is pretty much the top site out there for self-published authors who want to sell more e-books on Amazon. The RSS feed is here (direct Feedly signup link). Follow them on Facebook at @KindlePreneur and founder Dave Chesson on Twitter at @DaveChesson.
Plottr Review And Novel Plotting Template by Derek Murphy
Plottr is the book-timeline software that helps you map out your novel’s key scenes. Derek Murphy is a book cover designer, fantasy author, and writing expert. His latest guide, Book Craft, was released late last year and is on Kindle Unlimited. And you can get his free Guerilla Publishing e-book here. Follow him on Facebook at @Creativindie or on Twitter at @Creativindie. CreativIndie is a website dedicated to advice about writing and publishing. It also features courses in self-publishing and novel writing.
Please Don’t Revise Your Manuscript! by Tiffany Yates Martin
Editing and revision are so often lumped together or used interchangeably, but they’re two separate processes—both essential to creating a well-developed story. Tiffany Yates Martin has spent nearly thirty years as an editor in the publishing industry, working with major publishers and New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning authors as well as indie and newer writers, and is the founder of FoxPrint Editorial and author of the bestseller Intuitive Editing: A Creative and Practical Guide to Revising Your Writing. FoxPrint Editorial offers online courses, workshops and presentations, and advice to authors.
Write compelling characters through this simple technique. by Stavros Halvatzis
Compelling characters are driven by obsessive desires, struggle against formidable opponents and harbour deep wounds and secrets. Stavros Halvatzis is a writer and writing teacher. For more advice like this, check out StavrosHalvatzis.com or follow himvia his RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
25 signs of amateur writing by Derek Murphy
These are the things that will make an agent, or a reader, put your book down and give up on your story. Derek Murphy is a book cover designer, fantasy author, and writing expert. His latest guide, Book Craft, was released late last year and is on Kindle Unlimited. And you can get his free Guerilla Publishing e-book here. Follow him on Facebook at @Creativindie or on Twitter at @Creativindie. CreativIndie is a website dedicated to advice about writing and publishing. It also features courses in self-publishing and novel writing.
What Is a Sensitivity Reader? (And Why They Matter) by Hannah Lee Kidder
Most writers have at least heard of sensitivity readers. But what are they? How do you know if your book needs one? Hannah Lee Kidder is a contemporary and fantasy author, writing coach, and YouTuber. She has published two bestselling short story collections, Little Birds and Starlight. Self Publishing School offers online courses about self publishing, as well as a podcast, blog, and other resources. For more advice like this subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @Self_Pub_School and on Facebook at @Self Publishing School.
The business side of writing
The Ultimate Guide To Copyright For Authors by Askalli Team
Copyright is an author’s key to income, career and a sustainable lifestyle. But it’s surrounded by complex laws and detailed information that can be confusing and overwhelming. The AskALLi Team is the group behind Self Publishing Advice, the advice center of the Alliance of Independent Authors. Self Publishing Advice is the advice center of the Alliance of Independent Authors. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link).
You Can’T Judge A Book By Its Cover. Or Can You? by Joanna Fitzpatrick
How do you come up with a compelling 5.5″ by 8.5″ book cover suitable for a bookstore window and which is also suitable when reduced to a postage stamp image digitally displayed online, which is where most books are seen and sold today? Joanna Fitzpatrick is an award winning novelist and screenplay writer. Check out her website, JoannaFitzpatrick.com, follow her on Twitter at @Fitzpatrick_jo or on Facebook at @JoannaFitzPatrickauthor. On her website, ElizabethSpannCraig.com, Craig and her guest authors author advice on writing and publishing.
Eight Tips I Learned From Tammi, The Newsletter Ninja by Nate Hoffelder
Eight tips on creating newsletters, from Tammi Labrecque’s session at the 20Books to 50k conference in Las Vegas earlier this month. Nate Hoffelder is a technology and indie publishing expert. Follow Hoffelder on Twitter at @InkBitsPixels, on Facebook at @nate.thegreat.7, or check out his website, NateHoffelder.com. The Florida Writers Association is a great resource for writers, with a very active advice blog. Follow the Florida Writers Association via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here), on Facebook at Florida Writers Association and on Twitter at @FloridaWriters1.
How Do I Get A Blurb? by Hank Phillippi Ryan
So you want a blurb. How do you get it? USA Today bestselling author Hank Phillippi Ryan offers some rules and realities. Career Authors is one of Writer’s Digest top 101 websites for writers and helps authors write better, get published, and sell more books. For more advice like this subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @CareerAuthors and on Facebook at @CareerAuthors.
5 Quick Tips For Consistently Improving Blog Post Engagement by Nina Amir
Great advice here for how to write blog posts with catchy headlines, that are easy to scan, and that can help authors promote their books. Nina Amir is a book coach and a book proposal consultant and editor. For more information, check out her website NinaAmir.com or follow her on Twitter at @NinaAmir or on Facebook at @Inspiration to Creation Coach. How to Blog a Book is an advice site for nonfiction and fiction authors who want to use a blog to create a book. For more advice like this, follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
Launching A Book: Baby, Art Or Product? by Barbara Linn Probst
Promotion strategy for your book depends greatly on why you’ve written it, what it means to you, and its place in the larger context of your life. Award-winning author Barbara Linn Probst writes literary fiction and blogs around writing. To learn more, visit her website at BarbaraLinnProbst.com/. Follow her on Facebook at Barbara Linn Probst. For more advice from the Jane Friedman writing advice site, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
Yes, Social Media Can Sell Books. But Not If Publishers Sit On Their Hands by Jane Friedman
Publishers need to closely collaborate with their authors if they expect that author’s large social media following to sell books. Jane Friedman is an expert in digital media strategy for authors and publishers and publishes The Hot Sheet, the essential newsletter on the publishing industry for authors. She is also a professor with The Great Courses, which released her 24-lecture series, How to Publish Your Book. Her book for creative writers, The Business of Being a Writer, received a starred review from Library Journal. Follow her on Twitter at @JaneFriedman. For more advice from the Jane Friedman writing advice site, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
When—And Whether—To Hire A Developmental Editor by Tiffany Yates Martin
A developmental editor is like any tool in your toolbox. Knowing whether and when to use one will help you get the most bang for your buck. Tiffany Yates Martin has spent nearly thirty years as an editor in the publishing industry, working with major publishers and New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling and award-winning authors as well as indie and newer writers, and is the founder of FoxPrint Editorial and author of the bestseller Intuitive Editing: A Creative and Practical Guide to Revising Your Writing. For more advice from the Jane Friedman writing advice site, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
Self-Publishing News: How Much Does Amazon Really Make From Its Sellers? by Dan Holloway
In this podcast, Dan Hollaway talks about new revelations about how Amazon makes money from its sellers, a new platform for enhanced ebooks, and a new reports about the impact of Facebook and Google on freelance income. ALLi news editor Dan Holloway is a novelist, poet and spoken word artist. He is the MC of the performance arts show The New Libertines. Self Publishing Advice is the advice center of the Alliance of Independent Authors. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link).
Publishing And Book Promotion In The Post-Pandemic Digital Age by Lee Purcell
The publishing industry — for indies and traditional publishers — has survived and even flourished during the pandemic as people rediscover the pleasures of reading and authors and publishers harness digital technology. Lee Purcell started out doing technical writing in the heyday of Silicon Valley innovation and ended up in a small town in Vermont, telecommuting, surrounded by 200-year old white pines. More about his technical endeavors can be discovered at Lee-Purcell.com. Follow him on Facebook at @lightspeedpub or on Twitter at @great_grackle. BookBaby bills itself as the nation’s leading self-publishing services company. For more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (directly Feedly link here), or follow them on Facebook at @BookBaby or on Twitter at @BookBaby.
Apps And Tools Authors Can’t Live Without by Sandra Beckwith
What are the apps and tools that author say they can’t live without? Sandra Beckwith is an award-winning former publicist who now teaches authors how to market their books. Follow her on Twitter at @sandrabeckwith and on Facebook at @buildbookbuzz. Build Book Buzz offers do-it-yourself book marketing tips, tools and tactics. Follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
How I Created My Own Audiobook by Rachel Michelberg
Rachel Michelberg may be the only author who had her audiobook recorded, produced and ready to go six months before publication. Rachel Michelberg recently published her first book, a memoir. For more, check out her website, RachelMichelbergAuthor.com. Women Writers, Women’s Books is an online literary magazine by and about contemporary women writers from around the world. Follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
“I Write Books, So I Can’t Log Off” 6 Don’ts For Authors On Social Media by Carolyne Topdjian
Long gone are the days of the brilliant debut writer locked in her cave, typing away her best-selling novels in utter obscurity. In today’s turbulent, digitally-upended publishing industry, authors need to have an online presence. Carolyne Topdjian is the author of The Hitman’s Daughter, coming in February 2022 from Agora/Polis Books. She has published in PRISM International, Dreamers Magazine and Firewords Quarterly and is a professor in the Faculty of Media and Creative Arts at Humber College in Toronto. You can connect with her on Twitter at @TopdjianC, or at CarolyneTopdjian.com. Women Writers, Women’s Books is an online literary magazine by and about contemporary women writers from around the world. Follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
Money Management 101 For The Writer by Marilyn L. Davis
Some strategies for budgeting and setting goals, ideas for diversifying your earnings, and how to make some extra cash, among other easy-to-implement ideas. Marilyn L. Davis is the editor-in-chief at Two Drops of Ink. Follow her on Twitter at @MDavisatTIERS. Two Drops of Ink publishes short stories, poetry, essays, interviews, literary criticism, book reviews, and biographical profiles of authors. Follow them on Facebook at @TwoDropsofInk. Subscribe to them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link here).
Is Traditional Publishing Better Than Self-Publishing? by Lucie Ataya
We still treat landing a traditional book deal as the blanket answer to our self-publishing problems, but Lucie Ataya says we shouldn’t be quick to embrace it as the all encompassing remedy to all of our woes. Lucie Ataya is the author of a dystopian thriller and the founder of The Indie Writers Collective, an initiative dedicated to promoting indie authors and their work. Kiingo is a writing and story telling school with online courses, how-to articles, and the book The Structure of Story. Follow them on their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter here, on Facebook here, or support them on Patreon.
Genre Conventions: How To Satisfy Suspense Readers By Meeting Expectations by Joslyn Chase
Readers are drawn towards specific genres and genre conventions. From a writer’s perspective, knowing these genre “flavors” and how to create them to satisfy reader expectations is key to writing stories that will keep readers coming back. Joslyn Chase is a thriller writer — you can see all her books on Amazon here and follow her on Facebook here. The Write Practice is an advice site from a group of writers. They also have a writing critique community and a newsletter. Follow The Write Practice on Twitter, on Facebook, or subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link).
How To Launch Your Book And Still Have A Life by Penny Sansevieri
It’s easy to become overwhelmed when launching a new book. It can become all-consuming until the point where it seems your entire world revolves around this one book. But, fear not! It doesn’t have to be this way. Penny Sansevieri is the CEO and founder of Author Marketing Experts, an adjunct professor at NYU, and a best-selling author and internationally recognized book marketing and media relations expert. Follow her on Twitter at @Bookgal and on Facebook at @therealbookgal. Her book, How to Sell Books by the Truckload on Amazon, has just been updated for 2021 and is in Kindle Unlimited. Author Marketing Experts is a book promotion company. For more advice like this subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link).
Sfa 111 – Tips To Get Your Backlist Selling Again by Lindsay Buroker
How to reboot your backlist and get your older books and series selling again. Or, if they never sold that well before, these ideas could help give them new life. Lindsay Buroker writes fantasy and science fiction. Check out her website at Lindsay Buroker.com or follow her on Facebook at @Lindsay Buroker or on Twitter at @GoblinWriter. Six Figure Authors is a podcast about taking your writing career to the next level.
What Is Bookbub (And Why Should Writers Care)? by Robert Lee Brewer
In this post, Robert Lee Brewer takes a look at what is BookBub and why writers should care about this service that matches up readers with the best ebook deals around. Robert Lee Brewer is senior editor of Writer’s Digest. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer. This venerable resource for writers celebrated its hundred-year anniversary last year, but is still going pretty strong. Follow Writer’s Digest via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @WritersDigest and on Facebook at @writersdigest.
How To Win Self-Published Book Awards by Sarah Rexford
If you are a writer, chances are you have written a book. And if you’ve written a book, chances are you have published it. Winning awards for the books you’ve written is a valuable next step to establish yourself as a credible writer. Sarah Rexford is a marketing content creator and writer. Rexford helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. She also writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog ItsSarahRexford.com. for more advice like this, follow her on Twitter at @sarahjrexford. Self Publishing School offers online courses about self publishing, as well as a podcast, blog, and other resources. For more advice like this subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @Self_Pub_School and on Facebook at @Self Publishing School.
How To Use Goodreads Giveaways To Market Your Book by Sarah Rexford
Connecting with readers can be difficult at times. Ideally, your readers will be scattered throughout the country, and perhaps even the world. But chances are, if you’ve written a book, you want to share it with the world. Sarah Rexford is a marketing content creator and writer. Rexford helps authors build their platform through branding and copywriting. She also writes fiction and nonfiction and offers writers behind-the-scenes tips on the publishing industry through her blog ItsSarahRexford.com. for more advice like this, follow her on Twitter at @sarahjrexford. Self Publishing School offers online courses about self publishing, as well as a podcast, blog, and other resources. For more advice like this subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @Self_Pub_School and on Facebook at @Self Publishing School.
Is An Mfa In Creative Writing Worth It? The Truth About Online Writing Certificates by Derek Murphy
If you want to make it as a career, full-time writer, you might be thinking about investing in a course or program so you can get some help and learn how to write. Derek Murphy is a book cover designer, fantasy author, and writing expert. His latest guide, Book Craft, was released late last year and is on Kindle Unlimited. And you can get his free Guerilla Publishing e-book here. Follow him on Facebook at @Creativindie or on Twitter at @Creativindie. CreativIndie is a website dedicated to advice about writing and publishing. It also features courses in self-publishing and novel writing.
Podcasts
Writing Hooks And Improving Your Fiction Book Description With Michaelbrent Collings by Joanna Penn
Readers buy or borrow your book based on your cover and book description, so how can we make sure the description is the best it can be? Joanna Penn has been sharing writing and publishing advice since 2008 at The Creative Penn and is the author of Successful Self-Publishing and many other writing and publishing advice books. She also has one of my favorite writing advice podcasts, and you can subscribe to it on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or Stitcher. The Creative Penn offers articles, videos, books, tools, and courses for independent authors.
356 – Ants! by Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle And Wes Matlock
Is it a framework or is it a conceptual model or is it a theoretical model? Mythcreants is my all-time favorite writing advice site. Get their RSS feed here (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter @Mythcreants and on Facebook at @mythcreants.
115 Time Management For Indie Authors In 2022 With Robyn Pearce by Sacha Black
In episode 115 of The Rebel Author Podcast, Sacha Black talks to to Robyn Pearce all about time management for 2022. Sacha Black is a fantasy author and writing coach, with several writing advice books including 13 Steps to Evil: How to Craft Superbad Villains (Better Writers Series) May 9, 2017. Follow her on her website, Sacha Black, on Facebook at @Sacha Black or on Twitter at @sacha_black. Sacha Black is a site that offers writing advice, courses, and podcasts. Follow the site via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
How Do I Grow My Email List? by Orna Ross And Michael La Ronn
In this episode, Orna Ross and Michael La Ronn talk about how to grow your email list and answer other member questions.
Orna Ross is a novelist, poet, self-publishing advocate, and founder and director of the Alliance of Independent Authors. Follow her on Twitter at @OrnaRoss. Michael La Ronn is the author of over 30 science fiction and fantasy novels and author self-help books, and the outreach manager at the Alliance of Independent Authors. Follow him on Twitter at @MichaelLaRonn. Self Publishing Advice is the advice center of the Alliance of Independent Authors. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link).
Videos
Writing The Perfect Query Blurb by Jessica Faust and James McGowan
Literary Agents Jessica Faust and James McGowan always mention “back cover copy” or “query blurbs” but never took the time to unpack what they are and what you should consider while writing them… until now! Jessica Faust is the owner and president at the BookEnds literary agency. Follow her on Twitter at @BookEndsJessica or on Instagram at @jfaust_bookends or email her directly at [email protected]. James McGowan is a literary agent at the agency. BookEnds is a literary agency that represents more than 300 authors and illustrations, both fiction and non-fiction, including several New York Times and USA today bestsellers. They are currently open to submissions. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter at @bookendslit or on Facebook at @BookEndsLiterary.
Do Writers Get Shiny Object Syndrome? (Video) by Daphne Gray-Grant
Do writers get shiny object syndrome? Daphne Gray-Grant is a writing coach, author of Your Happy First Draft, and host of The Write Question show on YouTube. Publication Coach offers books, courses, videos, and one-on-one coaching for authors. If you want more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link) or follow them on Twitter at @pubcoach or subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Am I missing any writing advice sites? Email me at [email protected].
MetaStellar editor and publisher Maria Korolov is a science fiction novelist, writing stories set in a future virtual world. And, during the day, she is an award-winning freelance technology journalist who covers artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and enterprise virtual reality. See her Amazon author page here and follow her on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn, and check out her latest videos on the Maria Korolov YouTube channel. Email her at [email protected]. She is also the editor and publisher of Hypergrid Business, one of the top global sites covering virtual reality.