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
Writers: Focus Your New Year’s Resolutions On You, Not Your Wordcount by Kelley J. P. Lindberg
Instead of word-count or publishing goals, perhaps our resolutions should be designed to make us better writers. Kelley J. P. Lindberg is an award-winning author of YA and adult fiction, magazine articles, essays, and how-to books. Visit her at KelleyLindberg.com or follow her on Twitter at @KelleyLindberg1. Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers is a non-profit supporting, connecting, and educating writers about commercial fiction writing. For more advice like this, subscribe to their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link) or or follow them on Twitter at @RMFWriters or Facebook at @RMFictionWriters.
It’s Time To Unlearn What You Know About The Writing Process by Janna Lopez
Unlearning what you “know” about the writing process can ignite your creativity and help you realize your writing potential. Janna Lopez is an intuitive book coach, creative writing teacher with a MFA, and published author. She leads creative writing retreats for individuals and small groups in Santa Fe, New Mexico, through Land of Enchantment Writing. 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.
The Link Between Childhood Trauma And Writer’s Block by Lauren Sapala
Writer’s block comes in many different forms, but two of the most common types are procrastination and perfectionism. All writers struggle with one or both at some time during their writing life, but some writers struggle more than most, to the point where one or both of these conditions feels utterly paralyzing and the writer never finishes (or even starts) any creative project, ever.
Lauren Sapala is a writer and a writing coach. For more advice like this, follow her on Twitter at @losapala, on Facebook at @LaurenSapala, and on YouTube at Lauren Sapala. At LaurenSapala.com, Sapala offers writing advice, courses, and coaching services.
How To Be More Productive: 21 Ways To Start The New Year Right by M. Shannon Hernandez
Ready to get your writing life off to a great start in the new year? Here’s how to be be more productive. 21 tips from us to you. M. Shannon Hernandez is a sought after expert in the world of joyful marketing and online business strategy. Check out her website, MShannonHernandez.com The Write Life is a writing advice site from the folks at SelfPublishing.com. If you want more advice like this, follow The Write Life via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Facebook at @TheWriteLifeGroup and on Twitter at @thewritelife.
Change: A Simple Formula For The Life You Want by Kristen Lamb
So many motivational book are written by people who can afford full time nannies, housekeepers and personal assistants — and then shame regular working people for not using their time wisely.
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).
Writing Goals–Clearing Your Path For Creativity In The New Year by Mary Carroll Moore
How to use a presume — which is like a future resume — to set writing goals. A presume can be anything, really: a single word, a page or more, a drawing, an image or even a short movie you make to describe how you see yourself in a future time–say, a year from now. Mary Carroll Moore is an award-winning author, editor and book doctor. Check out her website at MaryCarrollMoore.com/a> or follow her on Facebook at @marycarrollmoore. How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book is a site that offers advice for how to create, craft and sell your novel, memoir or non-fiction book. If you want more advice like this, follow them on their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here) or on Twitter at @writeabook.
Read Like A Writer, Write Like A Reader by Ross Hartmann
While you read, think, “Why is this scene here? Where have I seen this scene play out? Why did the author choose this season? What is the symbolic meaning of this color dress?” And then, “How can I pull elements of this to use in my own writing?” Ross Hartmann is the author of The Structure of Story and the creative director at Kiingo. Follow Hartmann on Twitter here. 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.
Why (And How!) To Keep A Writer’S Notebook by Leah Claire Kaminski
Open any writer’s notebook and you’ll find a unique ecosystem, populated with lists — of books, birds — quotations, diary entries, overheard dialogue, memories sparked, striking images, sketches, and memorabilia. Some notebooks might even contain actual writing! Ask any writer how they use their notebook, and you’ll get a different answer. Leah Claire Kaminski teaches writing and is working on a horror novel. Check out her website, LeahKaminski.com and follow her on Twitter at @leahkaminski. Women on Writing’s The Muffin blog offers advice about writing. For more advice like this, follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here) or on Twitter at @ or on Facebook at @wowwomenonwriting.
A Writer’S Self Worth – How Writers Can Overcome Performance Based Value (Part 2) by Zena Dell Lowe
If you’re an artist who suffers from recurring cycles of crippling self-doubt and existential crisis, behold, there is relief to be found. Zena Dell Lowe has worked professionally in the entertainment industry for over 20 years as a writer, producer, director, actress, and story consultant. The Write Conversation frequently makes the top lists of writing advice blogs. Follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
Wise Words About Endings (And New Beginnings, Too) by Jessica Strawser
The coming of a new year is a time to look ahead, to plan, to dream—but also to stop and reflect on the chapter or book we’re closing, the page we’re turning, the conflicts we’ve resolved, the characters we’re bidding goodbye. Jessica Strawser is editor-at-large at Writer’s Digest, where she served as editorial director for nearly a decade. 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 Resolutions Every Writer Should Make by Jessica Strawser
Too many writers start a new year focusing on hopes instead of smart, achievable goals. Here are 5 new year’s resolutions worth making. Jessica Strawser is editor-at-large at Writer’s Digest, where she served as editorial director for nearly a decade. 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.
#5onfri: Five Tips To Build A Consistent Writing Practice by Heather Campbell
You must open yourself to the possibility that you can change your process and develop a consistent writing practice. Then you must implement actions that make it so. Here are five strategies that will help you build a consistent writing practice. Heather Campbell is a book coach who helps writers develop tools to overcome their perfectionism so they can create lasting and effective writing habits to complete a novel. Find out more at TheWriterRemedy.com and follow her on Instagram at @thewriterremedy. 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).
Six Psychologically-Proven Tricks To End Procrastination by Disha Walia
The P-word might look like a huge fire-breathing monster with fangs that have gulped down the elixir of immortality. But don’t forget, all of us are the protagonists of our stories. And what does a protagonist never do? Give up. Disha Walia is a lifelong storyteller and an enthusiastic writer and editor in love with the idea of exploring the creative world of words. Connect with her on Quillinary.com or follow her on Twitter at @quillinary. 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).
It’s Time To Be Finished With Your Novel by Olivia Fisher
As writers, sometimes we have a terrible habit of tinkering with our story before we are even done with it. We can easily get stuck in this cycle of perfecting our unfinished manuscript instead of letting ourselves finish it. Olivia Fisher is a writer and editor who loves to read and write middle grade fiction. Follow her on Twitter at @Livy_Fisher. 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 Do I Find My Voice In Writing? by Robert Lee Brewer
There is only one true way to develop your natural voice, and that is to practice writing and work at being as honest as possible to who you are and how you would say something. 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 An Author Planner Boosts Your Writing Productivity by Gloria Russell
If you’re a writer looking to keep track of your projects, it turns out that it can make all the world of difference to have a planner tailored to your needs. Gloria Russell is a freelance writer and author living in Colorado who also critiques manuscripts. 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.
Planning Your Writing Year by Anne Janzer
Just like outlines, we need plans, but then abandon them. Focus on planning your process, not the outcomes. Anne Janzer is an award-winning author, armchair cognitive science geek, nonfiction author coach, marketing practitioner, and blogger. Follow her on Facebook at @AnneHJanzer or on Twitter at @AnneJanzer. At AnneJanzer.com, Janzer offers writing and publishing advice. For more like this, subscribe to the site’s RSS feed (directly Feedly link here).
Trusting Your Creativity—Even When You Aren’t Creating by Tiffany Yates Martin
Like so many things in life, creativity is cyclical. Things that require great energy and effort to grow also need time to incubate. 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.
The art and craft of writing
What Speculative Fiction Writers Can Learn From The Origins And Evolution Of The Wuxia Genre by Yilin Wang
Wuxia stories often take place in an Imperial China setting. The heart of the wuxia genre lies in its depictions of the xia—wandering heroes, outlaws, or someone in between—and their adventures, moral codes, dilemmas, and ties with one another. Yilin Wang is a writer, editor, and Chinese-English translator. Their writing has appeared in Clarkesworld, Fantasy Magazine, The Malahat Review, The Toronto Star, The Tyee, Words Without Borders, and elsewhere. They have been longlisted for the CBC Poetry Prize, a two-time finalist for the Far Horizons Award for Short Fiction, and the recipient of a 2021 ALTA Virtual Travel Fellowship. Find them online at YilinWang.com or on Twitter at @yilinwriter. The Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America exists to promote, advance, and support science fiction and fantasy writing. For more advice, follow them via their RSS feed (directly Feedly link here) or follow them on Facebook at @SFWA.org or on Twitter at @sfwa.
Characters Also Need A Soul: 5 Tips To Write Interesting Characters by Ryan Lanz
When you’re imagining a story, creating the characters for it is just another part of the job. Writer Ryan Lanz the author of The Idea Factory: 1,000 Story Ideas and Writing Prompts to Find Your Next Bestseller. 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 Authors Can Use Humor In Their Stories by Ryan Lanz
Writing humour is a very difficult process largely because what one person finds hilarious will leave another stone-faced. Writer Ryan Lanz the author of The Idea Factory: 1,000 Story Ideas and Writing Prompts to Find Your Next Bestseller. 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.
Inner And Outer Motivation In Stories by Stavros Halvatzis
Typically, the hero’s inner motivation springs from his or her mental life – values, needs, background. These elements, in turn, guide the physical actions that arise in response. 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).
Wordiness (Pt.2 Of Line Editing For Fiction Writers) by Glen C. Strathy
A basic principle in writing is that you want to reduce the signal to noise ratio. Any unnecessary words or sentences are noise that detracts from the story’s impact. Award-winning author Glen C. Strathy teaches creative writing at St. Lawrence College. Check out his website at Glen-C-Strathy.com or follow him on Twitter at @glencstrathy. How to Write a Book Now offers advice about novel writing and story theory.
Understanding The Difference Between Author Style And Character Voice by C. S. Lakin
If your book has a narrator, whether first person, limited third person, or omniscient, it’s a character voice. It’s not the author’s voice. C. S. Lakin is a writing coach, workshop instructor, award-winning author of over 30 books, and blogger at Live Write Thrive. Her Writer’s Toolbox series of books teach the craft of fiction, and her online video courses at Writing for Life Workshops have helped more than a thousand writers. She also works as a book copyeditor and does more than 200 critiques a year for writers, agents, and publishers in six continents. I’ve been reading her advice for a few years now and she is awesome. If you want more advice from her, follow her on Twitter at @LiveWriteThrive and on Facebook at @C.S.Lakin.Author. Live Write Thrive is 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.
The Role Of Honor As A Social Control Mechanism by Michael Schwarz
Honor is meaningless to a corpse. However, if you’re in a position of power, dishonor is incredibly valuable. Dishonor becomes a tool to politically weaken or in some cases outright eliminate a threat. 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).
The Motivations And Economics Behind Freelance Arms Dealers by Michael Schwarz
Freelance arms dealers go to the people who will pay. Governments have money, but a nation will already have an arms dealer, and second, the freelance arms dealer won’t have enough stock to keep them happy. 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).
Five Unnecessary World Additions In Popular Stories by Oren Ashkenazi
Bad worldbuilding is an ever-present problem in speculative fiction. Storytellers craft all kinds of setting elements that don’t make sense, cause plot holes, or reinforce bigoted ideas. But sometimes, authors go a step further. Rather than adding something that doesn’t work, they add something that simply doesn’t need to be there. Oren Ashkenazi is a speculative fiction manuscript 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.
How Do I Give A Damsel Agency? by Oren Ashkenazi
The female love interest getting kidnapped is basically the gold standard when it comes to a character losing agency. Oren Ashkenazi is a speculative fiction manuscript 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.
What Is A Flat Character: Examples And How To Write One by Dave Chesson
A flat character can be used to great or detrimental effect, depending on their purpose in the story. Learn how to use them correctly. 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.
The business side of writing
Self-Publishing News 2021: Subscription’S Breakthrough Year And A Time Of New Technology by Dan Holloway
While Covid has accelerated some of the year’s biggest trends, this has been one of those years when other inexorable changes have dominated. Some of them, like the growth of platforms and media providing new opportunities, have been for the better 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).
59 Resources For Writing, Editing, Marketing, And Publishing by Sabrina Ricci
Best advice of the year from a variety of sites, mostly about the business side of writing.
Sabrina Ricci writes advice about indie publishing. Follow her on Facebook at @sabrinadenisericci or on Twitter at @sabsky. Digital Publishing is a site about indie publishing. Follow them via their RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
The Only 3 Marketing Tips You’ll Ever Need As A Writer by Lauren Sapala
Whether you’re a seasoned author or a total newbie who’s in the very beginning stages of building your writer platform, there are three things you can start doing right now that should be the cornerstones of your marketing method as a writer. As each of these strategies has equal potential to bring you new readers, more sales, and more exposure, all should be given equal time in your schedule. Lauren Sapala is a writer and a writing coach. For more advice like this, follow her on Twitter at @losapala, on Facebook at @LaurenSapala, and on YouTube at Lauren Sapala. At LaurenSapala.com, Sapala offers writing advice, courses, and coaching services.
5 Social Media Trends 2022: Build Your Author Platform by Kris Maze
Five main social media trends, predicted by social media specialist companies Hubspot and Hootsuite, and their application for authors. Kris Maze writes YA dystopian fiction. You can find her YA horror stories and keep up with her author events at KrisMazeAuthor.com. Writers in the Storm is another great site for writing advice, with a group of regular contributors and guest writers who post frequently. It is very well worth following on RSS (direct Feedly signup link here).
Plan Your Money: Setting Up Your Authorial Calendar For Success by Stephanie BwaBwa
Being an author is not just being an author. Being an author means being an entrepreneur. As such, you have to take the time to not just plan out writing and publishing a book. You have to also plan your money. Stephanie BwaBwa writes young adult fantasy. Visit her website at StephanieBwaBwa.com. 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).
The Top Eight Publishing Trends For 2022 by Clayton Noblit
Based on their analysis of their own data as well as interviews with industry experts, here are the top trends for 2022. The first one? Direct sales will continue to grow.
Clayton Noblit is a marketing manager at Written Word Media, a book marketing company. Follow Written Word Media via their RSS feed (direct Feedly signup link), on Facebook at @writtenwordmedia and on Twitter at @WrittenWordM. And check out my favorite article from the site, The Evolution of an Author: How to Go from Zero to $100k from your Writing, which is based on a survey of more than 1,000 authors.
How To Make Your Annual Plan by Randy Ingermanson
Savvy authors don’t make New Year’s resolutions. They make an Annual Plan. But what is an Annual Plan? Why is it better than New Year’s resolutions?
Randy Ingermanson is a theoretical physicist, award-winning sci-fi author, and writing coach. He is best known for the snowflake method of story structure, see How to Write a Novel Using the Snowflake Method for more info. You can follow him on Twitter at @SnowflakeGuy. Advanced Fiction Writing offer writing advice tools, books and writing courses. Follow them via their RSS feed (directly Feedly link) or on Facebook at @Advanced Fiction Writing.
What Is An ARC In Publishing And Writing? by Robert Lee Brewer
What is an advanced reader copy is in publishing, writing, and reading and why they’re important to writers and their writing careers. 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.
Why You Should Have Your Book In Multiple Formats by Elizabeth Javor
Multiple book formats are great for your self-publishing business and the culture of reading. Prepare your manuscript with different formats in mind, and you’ll be a step closer to success. Elizabeth Javor is the director of sales and marketing for Outskirts Press, a group of publishing consultants who focus on educating authors on the self-publishing process to help them publish the book of their dreams. Self Publishing Advisor offers tips and advice for self-published authors.
How Book Signings Boost Your Book’s Success by Sarah Rexford
A book signing is a great way to interact with your target audience and meet them in a more intimate environment. It’s also a great way to hear from their own mouths what they love most about your book 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.
Amazon Book Categories : What Authors Need To Know by Gloria Russell
When you first publish your book on Amazon, you include two categories. After that, you can include up to ten more. Gloria Russell is a freelance writer and author living in Colorado who also critiques manuscripts. 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.
Book Idea Validation Mastery: Is Your Book Idea A Bestseller? by Dave Chesson
You can learn how to research and validate your book idea before your start writing. 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.
Your Author Platform – Is It Ever Too Soon To Start? by Karen Cioffi
It’s never too soon to begin your author platform or your author website if you want to be a writer or an author, you intend to submit manuscripts to agents or publishers, or you intend to self-publish a book. Karen Cioffi is an award-winning children’s author, a successful children’s ghostwriter with 300+ satisfied clients worldwide, and an author online platform instructor with WOW! Women on Writing. For more from Cioffi, check out her website at KarenCioffiWritingForChildren.com or follow her on Twitter @KarenCV or Facebook at @Writing for Children with Karen Cioffi.
Writers On The Move offers writing, publishing and book marketing advice from experienced authors and marketers.
Podcasts
A New Book Marketing Plan For 2022: Book Marketing Podcast Recap by Penny Sansevieri
This post is about creating a marketing plan that you can stick to and tips for kicking off 2022 stronger than ever and is a recap of a recent episode on the Book Marketing Tips & Author Success podcast. 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).
The 1,000 True Fans Concept Through 2022 Eyes by Lindsay Buroker
For this week’s show, the hosts discuss the 1,000 True Fans concept that Kevin Kelly first wrote about in 2008. If you have 1,000 true fans who buy everything you put out, you can make $100,000 a year based on that alone. 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.
Backstory by Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle, and Wes Matlock
How much backstory should your story have? Oren Ashkenazi is the a speculative fiction manuscript 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.
Videos
How To Host An Author Event At A Library by Book Launchers
Your local library could be the perfect place for a book launch event, a workshop, or a panel discussing the topic of your book. Julie Broad heads up a team of self-publishing experts at Book Launchers. Book Launchers is mostly aimed at non-fiction book authors, but with useful advice for fiction authors as well. You can also follow them on Facebook at @booklaunchers and on Twitter at @booklaunchers. And, of course, subscribe to their YouTube channel.
Book Marketing Mistakes To Avoid by Book Launchers
It’s time to start your to-don’t list as an author and that starts with six common book marketing mistakes that you don’t want to make. Julie Broad heads up a team of self-publishing experts at Book Launchers. Book Launchers is mostly aimed at non-fiction book authors, but with useful advice for fiction authors as well. You can also follow them on Facebook at @booklaunchers and on Twitter at @booklaunchers. And, of course, subscribe to their YouTube channel.
How To Write Character Conflict by Stavros Halvatzis
This video examines the different types of character conflict in stories, and how to best use it. Stavros Halvatzis is a writer and writing teacher. Get Writing is Stavros Halvatzis’s YouTube channel. For more advice like this, check out StavrosHalvatzis.com or follow himvia his RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
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.