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
Here Be Monsters: Writers Beware! by Margie Lawson
Writers often sabotage themselves with faulty thinking. Negative thinking. Catastrophic thinking. And they let the mind monsters win. If you identify and challenge your faulty thinking, you can manage your mind monsters, manage your thinking, and manage your mood. Margie Lawson left a career in psychology to focus on another passion—helping writers make their stories, characters, and words strong. Using a psychologically-based, deep-editing approach, she teaches writers how to bring emotion to the page. To learn more, and sign up for Margie’s newsletter, visit MargieLawson.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).
Podcast: How Creativity Rules The World With Maria Brito by Joanna Penn
Maria Brito talks about finding the courage to start a creative business when you have a steady, well-paid job. 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.
Video: Writing A Book? Here’s How To Find A Writing Group To Help by Julie Broad
To help you stay motivated and get your words down on the page, you may find it beneficial to find a writing group. Not all writing groups are the same though, so in this video Julie Broad of Book Launchers breaks down what you’ll find in your search for a writing group and how to join and exit a writing group. 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.
You’re Never Too Old To Write by Michael Gallant
A list of authors — including Frank McCabe and Laura Ingalls Wilder — who started writing late in life. 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.
Other motivational advice this week:
- 4 Mistakes That Keep You From Being More Productive by Destine Williams for A Writer’s Path
- 5 Ways To Stay Inspired To Write by Katy Kauffman for The Write Conversation
- 6 Things To Keep In Mind About The Collaborative Writing Process by Ariel Lawhon, Kristina Mcmorris, and Susan Meissner for Writer’s Digest
- 6 Tips To Move Ahead Even When You Don’t Feel Like Writing by Lynette Eason for The Write Conversation
- Video: Do Your Friends & Family Support Your Writing Goals? by Dan Blank for WeGrowMedia
- Five Meditations To Help You Find Your Writing Confidence by Ashley Christiano for DIY MFA
- Four Realistic Ways To Generate Ideas For Your Novel by Sahasra Nistala for National Novel Writing Month
- How To Stop Your Mind From Wandering by Daphne Gray-Grant for Publication Coach
- Making Time: 5 Ways Writers Prepare For Success With Timelines by Nanowrimohq for National Novel Writing Month
- Patience: 8 Tips & 10 Sayings For More Serenity by Frauke Geuking for Posts – The Digital Reader
- Self-Confidence: 14 Tips & 10 Sayings by Frauke Geuking for Posts – The Digital Reader
- The Submission Game–How To Keep Playing It Without Getting Gut Punched by Mary Carroll Moore for How to Plan, Write, and Develop a Book
- What Is NaNoWriMo? Rules And Reasons To Do It by Jordan Kantey for Now Novel
- Why You Should Go Ahead And Fail, Writer | Writer’s Relief by Writer’s Relief Staff for Writer’s Relief
- Writing Joy: Or Why We Write In The First Place by James Wade for Writer’s Digest
- Writing Through The Impossible by Jessica Conoley for Jane Friedman
The art and craft of writing
Why You Should Consider Present Tense by Chris Winkle
While present tense may not be your cup of tea or the best fit for your current story, it has a couple of significant advantages — it is more concise and more immediate. 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.
Video: Use The Ticking Clock Device To Add Suspense To Your Stories by Stavros Halvatzis
The ticking clock as a narrative device won’t turn you into Hitchcock overnight, but handled correctly, it will add suspense to your stories. 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 him via his RSS feed (direct Feedly link here).
Other writing advice this week:
- Video: 10 Worst Tips For Editing Your Book by Jenna Moreci for Writing with Jenna Moreci
- 5 Things To Consider When Retelling A Traditional Folk Tale by Yaffa S. Santos for Writer’s Digest
- 5 Tips For Writing A Tie-In Novel by Kate Heartfield for Writer’s Digest
- 5 Ways Your Dialogue Annoys Your Readers by Janice Hardy for Fiction University
- 8 Tips For Creating Believable Fictional Towns by L.G. Davis for Writer’s Digest
- 9 Negative Character Arcs In The Enneagram by K. M. Weiland for Helping Writers Become Authors
- Can You See What Is And Isn’t On The Page? by Nathan Bransford for Nathan Bransford
- Podcast: Creating Fictional Holidays by Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle, Oren Ashkenazi, Chris Winkle, and Wes Matlock for Mythcreants
- Defining Genre by Jessica Faust for BookEnds Literary Agency
- Editing Secrets: The Difference Between Craft And Style by Hank Phillippi Ryan for Career Authors
- Video: Fairytales & Folklore In Urban Fantasy by Morgan Hazelwood for Morgan Hazelwood
- Five Tips For Giving Useless Writing Advice by Oren Ashkenazi for Mythcreants
- Four Steps To Plontsing by Billy Ovid Boyles for National Novel Writing Month
- Hey Novelists – You Should Be Experimenting With Your Form! by Rebecca Moody for Writers’ Rumpus
- How Do I Reveal That My Movie Hero Is Really A Villain? by Chris Winkle for Mythcreants
- How To Avoid Taking Edits Too Personally by Hattie Fletcher for Jane Friedman
- Video: How To Plot A Novel –With Shane Millar by Kristina Adams and Ellie Betts for The Writer’s Mindset
- How To Write A Book Chapter: 7 Popular Novels’ Insights by Jordan Kantey for Now Novel
- Video: How To Write A Chapter-By-Chapter Outline For Your Novel by Abbie Emmons for Abbie Emmons
- Video: How To Write A Scene Explained — Definition, Structure, Examples, And More by Claire Fraise for Write with Claire Fraise
- Ingredients For A Successful Story Climax by Becca Puglisi for Writers In The Storm
- Scary Names, Emo Names, And Depressing Names by Bryn Donovan for Bryn Donovan
- The Character Arc: Six Primary Reasons Why Thecharacters You Write Must Change And Grow by Zena Dell Lowe for The Write Conversation
- Tips On How To Bring Setting To Life In Your Fiction by C. S. Lakin for Live Write Thrive
- Transitions: Building Bridgesbetween Your Plot Islands by PJ Parrish for Killzoneblog.com
- Using Weather To Convey Mood In Fiction by C. S. Lakin for Jane Friedman
- Video: Want To Write Better Dialogue? Start Doing This… by Abbie Emmons for Abbie Emmons
- What Are Tropes And Why Should You Include Them In Your Story? by Amanda Jones for National Novel Writing Month
- What Is A Novella-In-Flash—And Why Should I Consider Writing One? by Michael Loveday for Writer’s Digest
- When Fiction Sells, Why Write Speculative Poetry? by Stephanie M. Wytovich for LitReactor
- Writing Specific Details by Linda S. Clare for Linda S. Clare
The business side of writing
Podcast: Writing Commandments, Account Glitches, And AI Copyrights by Bryan Cohen and H. Claire Taylor
Why the basics matter with book marketing, the 10 Commandments of Writing, and how to get out of your stuck ways. Bryan Cohen is an experienced copywriter, bestselling author, and the founder of Best Page Forward and Amazon Ad School. You can find out more about Bryan at BryanCohen.com. H. Claire Taylor is a humor author and fiction strategist, as well as the owner of FFS Media. The Sell More Books Show is a weekly podcast focusing on helping new and experienced authors stay up-to-date with the latest self-publishing and indie news, tools and book selling and marketing strategies.
Video: A Scientist & A Copywriter Walk Into A Bar… 80/20 Sales & Marketing Overview With Perry Marshall by Chandler Bolt
This episode’s guest is Perry Marshall, one of the most expensive business strategists in the world, and the author of 80/20 Sales and Marketing and the Ultimate Guide to Google Advertising. Chandler Bolt is an investor, advisor, the CEO of Self-Publishing School andSelfPublishing.com, and the author of six bestselling books including his most recent book titled Published. 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.
Video: Why Book Sales Might Be Down This Year And What To Do About It by Lindsay Buroker, Joseph R. Lallo, And Andrea Pearson
One of my all-time favorite podcasts is back for a one-off show to talk about depressing industry trends. They discuss what to do when sales are down because of the economy and how to prepare for the coming age of AI. Lindsay Buroker writes fantasy and science fiction. Follow her on Facebook at @Lindsay Buroker or on Twitter at @GoblinWriter. Joseph Lallo writes science fiction and fantasy. Follow him on Twitter at @jrlallo or on Facebook at @JosephRLallo. Andrea Pearson has published over 60 titles under three pen names, including four marketing books for authors. She teaches marketing through her courses and at conferences and conventions and is an instructor for WMG’s Business Master Class for Authors 6 Figure Authors is a podcast and YouTube channel focusing on writing and publishing books, hosted by three speculative fiction authors.
Other business advice this week:
- Follow-Up Techniques For Writing &Amp; Marketing Success, Part 2 by Karen Whiting for The Write Conversation
- What Publishers And Agents Seek by L. Diane Wolfe for Insecure Writer’s Support Group
- How To Increase Readership For Your Author Blog by Daphne Gray-Grant for Publication Coach
- Writing Contests – Good Idea Or Waste Of Money? by Maggie Smith for Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers
- How To Make Good Decisions About Book Cover by Roz Morris @Roz_Morris for Nail Your Novel
- Create A Free Holiday Gift Sure To Wow Your Email Subscribers by Patricia Durgin for The Write Conversation
- Marketing And Book Sales: How Closely Are They Linked? by Penny Sansevieri for Author Marketing Experts, Inc.
- Marketing And Branding Books Quiz: Why Isn’t My Title Selling? by Penny Sansevieri for Author Marketing Experts, Inc.
- Get To Know Your Ideal Reader by Stephanie Dethlefs for DIY MFA
- 6 Steps On How To Pull Off A Successful Book Event by Aileen Weintraub for Writer’s Digest
- Kindle Unlimited vs. Wide: Should You Be Exclusive To Amazon Or Not? by Jason Hamilton for Kindlepreneur
- Doing Good Radio by John Gilstrap for Killzoneblog.com
- Why Your Book Isn’t Getting Reviews by Dan Blank for WeGrowMedia
- Podcast: How To Use Qr Codes To Boost Book Sales & Grow Your Email List by Thomas Umstattd Jr. for Author Media
- Video: An Insider’s Guide To Ghostwriting – With Cara Thurlbourn by Mark Dawson and James Blatch for Self Publishing Formula
- Take A Risk: Submit To A Questionable Market by Barbara Weddle for FundsforWriters
- How Hard Is It To Get Published? by Scott Mccormick for BookBaby Blog
- 17 Things About Social Media That Scare All Writers by Edie Melson for The Write Conversation
- How Tiktok Works For All Authors And Genres by Sue Coletta for Anne R. Allen’s Blog… with Ruth Harris
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, 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.