This week’s top writing advice from around the web for Jan. 1, 2023

Reading Time: 6 minutes
(Image by Maria Korolov via Midjourney.)

This week’s list is a little shorter than usual, as many advice sites have either taken time off or are running “best of” columns. But if you’re getting ready to make your new year writing resolutions, there’s plenty of advice on today’s list for how to do that.

I subscribe to more than 150 writing advice sites and gather the best posts for you every single Sunday. 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).

Productivity, mood management, and battling the demons inside

2023 Get Started Right Writing Challenge: Day 1 by Robert Lee Brewer

Get your writing goals started right in 2023 with the first ever Get Started Right Writing Challenge. For the first day of this seven-day writing challenge, make a list. Also — bookmark this site and come back every day this week for a new activity to do to help you start your writing year strong. Robert Lee Brewer is senior editor of Writer’s Digest. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer. Follow Writer’s Digest via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Twitter at @WritersDigest and on Facebook at @writersdigest.

Start The Year With Creative Clarity by Dan Blank

Get a free ten-page PDF of the “clarity cards” creative planning process here. It’s a five-step way to find more time and energy to make writing a priority in your life. Dan Blank is a marketing expert who’s worked with thousands of writers and creators over the past ten years. At We Grow Media, Blank offers one-on-one marketing consulting to help authors grow their platforms, create meaningful connections with readers, and prepare for big book launches.

Writers’ Resolutions by Susan Koehler

Looking for some suggestions for writing resolutions for 2023? Here’s a nice short list of ideas. Susan Koehler is the author of two middle grade novels as well as several teacher resources and nonfiction books for children. Visit her website at SusanKoehlerWrites.com to learn more. 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.

Other motivational advice this week:

The art and craft of writing

Video: Deconstruction by J.p. Beaubien

How to disassemble tropes, clichés, character archetypes, and even entire genres! J.P. Beaubien’s current project is a book series named Aeon Legion. Follow him on Facebook at @authorJPBeaubien and on Twitter at @JosephPBeaubien. Terrible Writing Advice is a very popular YouTube channel where J.P. Beaubien offers only the most sincere and genuine writing advice delivered with absolutely no sarcasm at all.

Podcast: Cosmic Horror by Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle, And Wes Matlock

In this episode, the Mythcreants gang talks about cosmic horror: what it is, how to use it, and whether it’s best as a spice or the full meal. Oren Ashkenazi is the speculative fiction manuscript editor, Chris Winkle is the founder and editor-in-chief, and Wes Matlock is a content editor at 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.

Other writing advice this week:

The business side of writing

What Do You Need To Quit? by Joanna Penn And Orna Ross

Winners never quit — but doing the same thing and expecting different results is the definition of insanity. How do you know the difference? In this episode, the hosts discuss Quit: The Power of Knowing When To Walk Away by Annie Duke and give examples of what they have quit around writing, book marketing, and more. 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 PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotify, or Stitcher. The Creative Penn offers articlesvideosbookstools, and courses for independent authors.

Business Musings: Advertising: The Year In Review Part 6 by Kristine Kathryn Rusch

2022 was the year that advertising stopped working. But it’s not a crisis — it’s a turning point, says this post. New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Kristine Kathryn Rusch writes bestselling science fiction and fantasy, award-winning mysteries, acclaimed mainstream fiction, controversial nonfiction, and the occasional romance. At KrisWrites.com, Rusch offers her thoughts about the publishing industry and other topics.

Video: The Challenges New Authors Face by Mark Dawson And James Blatch

Avery Maxwell published her first book in June 2020 and just two years later is making five-figures per month as a romance author. In this episode, she shares how she achieved this success with advertising, lots of hard work, and great stories. Mark Dawson is a USA Today bestselling author who teaches courses about book production and marketing. Check out his website at MarkJDawson.com. James Blatch writes military thrillers. For more, check out his website, JamesBlatch.com. On the Self Publishing Formula show, Mark Dawson and James Blatch talk about building a career as a self-published author.

Podcast: My 2023 Creative And Business Goals by Joanna Penn

In this podcast, Penn talks about her plans for the year — writing plans, publishing plans, marketing plans, and what she’s doing with AI. Definitely worth a listen if you want a detailed, inside look at a writer’s planning process. 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 PodcastsGoogle PodcastsSpotify, or Stitcher. The Creative Penn offers articlesvideosbookstools, and courses for independent authors.

Other business advice this week:


Am I missing any writing advice sites? Email me at [email protected] or leave a note in the comments below.

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. Email her at [email protected]. She is also the editor and publisher of Hypergrid Business, one of the top global sites covering virtual reality.